Variable encoding and detection apparatus and methods
View Patent ↗Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for media monitoring are disclosed. In particular, the example apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture determine a media source type associated with a media signal and select an encoding or decoding mode based on the media source type. An encoding operation encodes the media signal using the selected encoding mode and a decoding operation decodes the media signal using the selected decoding mode.
1. A method of tagging collected media monitoring information, comprising:
extracting, using a processor, media monitoring information from a media signal;
determining if the media monitoring information is complete by:
identifying a data field of the media monitoring information; and
determining whether the data field contains complete information or incomplete information; and
tagging, using the processor, the media monitoring information in response to determining whether the media monitoring information is complete.
2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media signal is obtained via a portable metering device.
3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein incomplete information includes at least one of corrupt information or missing information.
4. A method as defined in claim 1 , further including tagging the media monitoring information with in-home identification information when the data field contains complete information.
5. A method as defined in claim 4 , further including tagging the media monitoring information with out-of-home identification information when the data field contains incomplete information.
6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media monitoring information includes a code.
7. A method of tagging collected media monitoring information, comprising:
extracting, using a processor, media monitoring information from a media signal;
determining if the media monitoring information is complete by:
identifying a multi-tiered time stamp in the media signal; and
determining if a tier of the multi-tiered time stamp includes complete information; and
tagging, using the processor, the media monitoring information in response to determining whether the media monitoring information is complete.
8. A method as defined in claim 7 , further including determining if a tier of the multi-tiered time stamp contains incomplete information at a time when the media monitoring information is collected.
9. An apparatus to tag collected media monitoring information, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory having machine readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause the processor to at least:
extract media monitoring information from a media signal;
determine if the media monitoring information is complete by:
identifying a data field of the media monitoring information; and
determining whether the data field contains complete information or incomplete information; and
tag the media monitoring information in response to a determination of whether the media monitoring information is complete.
10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to obtain the media signal via a portable metering device.
11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the media monitoring information includes a code.
12. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
tag the media monitoring information with in-home identification information in response to a determination that the data field contains complete information.
13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to tag the media monitoring information with out-of-home identification information in response to a determination that the data field contains incomplete information.
14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein incomplete information includes at least one of corrupt information or missing information.
15. An apparatus to tag collected media monitoring information, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory having machine readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause the processor to at least:
extract media monitoring information from a media signal;
determine if the media monitoring information is complete by:
identify a multi-tiered time stamp in the media signal;
determine if a tier of the multi-tiered time stamp includes incomplete information; and
determine whether the media monitoring information is complete based on a determination of whether the tier of the multi-tiered time stamp includes incomplete information; and
tag the media monitoring information in response to a determination of whether the media monitoring information is complete.
16. A computer readable storage device or storage disc comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
extract media monitoring information from a media signal;
determine if the media monitoring information is complete by
identifying a data field of the media monitoring information; and
determining whether the data field contains complete information or incomplete information; and
tag the media monitoring information based on a determination of whether the media monitoring information is complete.
17. A computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to obtain the media signal via a portable metering device.
18. A computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
determine the media monitoring information is complete in response to determining that the data field contains complete information.
19. A computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 18 , wherein incomplete information includes at least one of corrupt information or missing information.
20. A computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to tag the media monitoring information with in-home identification information when the data field contains complete information.
21. A computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to tag the media monitoring information with out-of-home identification information when the data field contains incomplete information.
22. A computer readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 16 , wherein the media monitoring information includes a code.
23. A computer readable storage device or storage disc comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
extract media monitoring information from a media signal;
determine if the media monitoring information is complete by:
identifying a multi-tiered time stamp in the media signal;
determining if a tier of the multi-tiered time stamp includes incomplete information; and
determining if the media monitoring information is complete based on a determination of whether the tier of the multi-tiered time stamp includes incomplete information; and
tag the media monitoring information based on a determination of whether the media monitoring information is complete.