People metering enhanced with light projection prompting for audience measurement
Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to implement people metering enhanced with light projection prompting for audience measurement are disclosed. Example metering methods disclosed herein include determining whether a meter is to enter a first prompting mode. Disclosed example metering methods also include, in response to determining the meter is to enter the first prompting mode, activating a light projector to project light onto an external surface of a display screen of a media device. Disclosed example metering methods further include, after the light projector is activated, deactivating the light projector in response to determining the meter is to exit the first prompting mode.
1. A meter comprising:
a user interface to emit prompts for user input;
a light projector to project light onto a surface;
a timing source; and
a controller to:
determine whether the meter is to enter a first prompting mode, the meter being able to operate in at least one of a quiet mode, the first prompting mode, or a second prompting mode different from the first prompting mode;
activate the light projector to project the light according to a first pulsing pattern having a first frequency in response to determining the meter is to enter the first prompting mode;
determine, based on the timing source, whether a first time period has elapsed while the light projector has been activated, the meter to enter the quiet mode in response to detection of a user input while the meter is operating in at least one of the first prompting mode or the second prompting mode, and the meter to enter the first prompting mode when no user input is detected after the meter has operated in the second prompting mode for a second time period;
control the light projector to project the light according to a second pulsing pattern having a second pulsing frequency different than the first pulsing frequency in response to the first time period having elapsed while the light projector has been activated; and
deactivate the light projector in response to determining the meter is to exit the first prompting mode.
2. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is to emit a first type of prompt during the first prompting mode, the user interface is to emit a second type of prompt during the second prompting mode, the user interface is to perform no prompting during the quiet mode, and the controller is further to activate the light projector while the meter is operating in the first prompting mode, and not activate the light projector while the meter is operating in the second prompting mode or the quiet mode.
3. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the surface corresponds to an external surface of a display screen of a media device, and the light projector, when activated, is to project at least one of a white spot, a colored spot or a text message on the external surface of the display screen of the media device.
4. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to control the light projector to at least one of change a color or change a projection area of the light in response to the first time period having elapsed.
5. A metering method comprising:
determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, whether a meter is to enter a first prompting mode;
in response to determining the meter is to enter the first prompting mode, activating, by executing an instruction with the processor, a light projector to project light according to a first pulsing pattern having a first frequency onto a surface, the meter being able to operate in at least one of a quiet mode, the first prompting mode, or a second prompting mode different from the first prompting mode;
determining, based on a timing source, whether a first time period has elapsed while the light projector has been activated, the meter to enter the quiet mode in response to detection of a user input while the meter is operating in at least one of the first prompting mode or the second prompting mode, and the meter to enter the first prompting mode when no user input is detected after the meter has operated in the second prompting mode for a second time period;
controlling, by executing an instruction with the processor, the light projector to project the light according to a second pulsing pattern having a second pulsing frequency different than the first pulsing frequency in response to determining the first time period elapsed while the light projector has been activated; and
after the light projector is activated, deactivating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the light projector in response to determining the meter is to exit the first prompting mode.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the meter is to emit a first type of prompt while operating in the first prompting mode, the meter is to emit a second type of prompt while operating in the second prompting mode, the meter is to perform no prompting while operating in the quiet mode, and further including activating the light projector while the meter is operating in the first prompting mode, and not activating the light projector while the meter is operating in the second prompting mode or the quiet mode.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the surface corresponds to an external surface of a display screen of a media device, and the light projector, when activated, is to project at least one of a white spot, a colored spot or a text message on the external surface of the display screen of the media device.
8. The method of claim 5 , further including controlling the light projector to at least one of change a color or change a projection area of the light in response to determining the first time period has elapsed.
9. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
determine whether a meter is to enter a first prompting mode, the meter being able to operate in at least one of a quiet mode, the first prompting mode, or a second prompting mode different from the first prompting mode;
in response to determining the meter is to enter the first prompting mode, activate a light projector to project light according to a first pulsing pattern having a first frequency onto a surface;
determine, based on a timing source, whether a first time period has elapsed while the light projector has been activated, the meter to enter the quiet mode in response to detection of a user input while the meter is operating in at least one of the first prompting mode or the second prompting mode, and the meter to enter the first prompting mode when no user input is detected after the meter has operated in the second prompting mode for a second time period;
control the light projector to project the light according to a second pulsing pattern having a second pulsing frequency different than the first pulsing frequency in response to the first time period having elapsed while the light projector has been activated; and
after the light projector is activated, deactivate the light projector in response to determining the meter is to exit the first prompting mode.
10. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the meter is to emit a first type of prompt while operating in the first prompting mode, the meter is to emit a second type of prompt while operating in the second prompting mode, the meter is to perform no prompting while operating in the quiet mode, and the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to activate the light projector while the meter is operating in the first prompting mode, and not activate the light projector while the meter is operating in the second prompting mode or the quiet mode.
11. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the surface corresponds to an external surface of a display screen of a media device, and the light projector, when activated, is to project at least one of a white spot, a colored spot or a text message on the external surface of the display screen of the media device.
12. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to control the light projector to at least one of change a color or change a projection area of the light in response to the first time period having elapsed.
13. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the second pulsing frequency is higher than the first pulsing frequency.
14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second pulsing frequency is higher than the first pulsing frequency.
15. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the second pulsing frequency is higher than the first pulsing frequency.
16. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to deactivate the light projector in response to a third time period having expired.
17. The method of claim 5 , further including deactivating the light projector in response to a third time period having expired.
18. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to deactivate the light projector in response to a third time period having expired.