IP Library Granted Patent US 10,225,730
Granted Patent B2
US 10,225,730 · App. 15/192,666 · Granted Mar 5, 2019

Methods and apparatus to perform audio sensor selection in an audience measurement device

Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen (Palm Harbor, FL); James J. Vitt (Palm Harbor, FL); Timothy Scott Cooper (Oldsmar, FL); Douglas Brent Turnbow (Odessa, FL)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04W8/20H04H60/31H04H60/37H04R29/004H04W8/22H04H2201/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,225,730
App. No.
15/192,666
Granted
Mar 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device. A first quality metric of a first media identifier determined from first audio received via a first one of the audio sensor configurations is computed. A second quality metric of a second media identifier determined from second audio received via a second one of the audio sensor configurations is computed. One of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations is selected based on a comparison of the first quality metric and the second quality metric. Media monitoring is performed at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

Claims (37)

1. A method to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations for configuring a plurality of audio sensors of the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying different combinations of the plurality of audio sensors to be activated;

computing, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first quality metric of a first media identifier determined from first audio received via the plurality of audio sensors in accordance with a first one of the audio sensor configurations;

computing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a second quality metric of a second media identifier determined from second audio received via the plurality of audio sensors in accordance with a second one of the audio sensor configurations;

selecting one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of the first quality metric and the second quality metric; and

performing media monitoring at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including storing the selected one of the first audio sensor configurations in a configuration memory.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations is performed when at least one of the first quality metric or the second quality metric satisfies a quality metric change threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first one of the audio sensor configurations corresponds to at least one forward facing microphone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first one of the audio sensor configurations corresponds to at least one rear facing microphone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first one of the audio sensor configurations corresponds to a combination of at least one forward facing microphone and at least one rear facing microphone.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the plurality of audio sensor configurations is performed periodically.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first quality metric is a signal to noise ratio.

9. An apparatus to perform audio sensor selection, the apparatus comprising:

at least two audio sensors to receive audio at an audience metering device;

a selection tester to:

identify a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations for configuring the at least two audio sensors of the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying different combinations of the at least two audio sensors to be activated;

obtain a first quality metric of a first media identifier corresponding to audio received via the at least two audio sensors in accordance with a first one of the audio sensor configurations;

obtain a second quality metric of a second media identifier corresponding to the audio received via the at least two audio sensors in accordance with a second one of the audio sensor configurations; and

select one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of the first quality metric and the second quality metric; and

a media identifier to identify audio received at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including a configuration memory to store the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the selection tester is to select the one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations when at least one of the first quality metric or the second quality metric satisfies a quality metric change threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including an audio sensor selector to combine audio received via the selected one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations to form combined audio, the media identifier to perform the identification based on the combined audio.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first one of the audio sensor configurations corresponds to at least one forward facing microphone.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first one of the audio sensor configurations corresponds to at least one rear facing microphone.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first one of the audio sensor configurations corresponds to a combination of at least one forward facing microphone and at least one rear facing microphone.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the identification of the first one of the audio sensor configurations and the second one of the audio sensor configurations is performed periodically.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first quality metric is a signal to noise ratio.

18. A non-transitory readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause an audience metering device to at least:

identify a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations for configuring a plurality of audio sensors of the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying different combinations of the plurality of audio sensors to be activated;

compute a first quality metric of a first media identifier determined from first audio received via the plurality of audio sensor in accordance with a first one of the audio sensor configurations;

compute a second quality metric of a second media identifier determined from second audio received via a second one of the audio sensor configurations;

select one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of the first quality metric and the second quality metric; and

perform media monitoring at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.

19. The non-transitory readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the audience metering device to store the selected one of the first audio sensor configurations in a configuration memory.

20. The non-transitory readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the selection of the one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations is performed when at least one of the first quality metric or the second quality metric satisfies a quality metric change threshold.

Assignments (9)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2023
From: BRAMAN, KENNETH PAUL
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 065276/0474 →
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2017
From: NIELSEN, CHRTISTEN V.; VITT, JAMES J.; COOPER, TIMOTHY SCOTT; TURNBOW, DOUGLAS BRENT
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 041499/0834 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170374546A1 · Dec 28, 2017
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