Invertible metering apparatus and related methods
Example invertible metering apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a housing. A housing orientation sensor provides a first signal representative of an orientation of the housing. A stencil orientation sensor provides a second signal representative of an orientation of a stencil. A plurality of lights are carried by the housing. A display output controller controls operation of the lights based on at least one of the orientation of the housing or the orientation of the stencil.
1. A meter to collect audience measurement data, the meter comprising:
a housing;
a housing orientation sensor to provide a first signal representative of an orientation of the housing;
a stencil orientation sensor to provide a second signal representative of an orientation of a stencil;
a plurality of lights carried by the housing; and
a display output controller to control operation of the lights based on at least one of the orientation of the housing or the orientation of the stencil.
2. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the housing orientation sensor includes an accelerometer.
3. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the stencil orientation sensor includes a contact switch carried by the housing.
4. The meter of claim 3 , wherein the stencil include a first tab on a first edge of the stencil, the first tab to activate the contact switch.
5. The meter of claim 1 , further including an orientation validator to receive first and second signals, the orientation validator to determine at least one of the housing orientation or the stencil orientation.
6. The meter of claim 5 , wherein the orientation validator is to determine the orientation of the housing to be at least one of a first housing orientation, a second housing orientation, a third housing orientation, or a fourth housing orientation based on the first signal.
7. The meter of claim 6 , wherein the orientation validator is to determine that the stencil is in at least one of a first stencil orientation or a second stencil orientation based on the second signal.
8. The meter of claim 7 , wherein the stencil presents a plurality of visual indicators in an upright orientation when the stencil is in the first stencil orientation and the stencil presents the visual indicators in an upside-down orientation when the stencil is in the second stencil orientation.
9. The meter of claim 7 , wherein the orientation validator is to determine, based on the first signal and the second signal, whether the orientation of the stencil relative to the orientation of the housing is valid.
10. The meter of claim 7 , wherein the display output controller is to illuminate a first one of the lights to display a first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminate a second one of the lights to display a second visual indicator of the stencil when the orientation validator determines the orientation of the housing is in the first housing orientation or the third housing orientation.
11. A method comprising:
determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, whether an orientation of a housing of a meter is at least one of a first housing orientation or a second housing orientation;
determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, whether an orientation of a stencil is at least one of a first stencil orientation or a second stencil orientation; and
controlling an operation of a plurality of lights of the meter based on at least one of the orientation of the housing or the orientation of the stencil.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controlling of the operation of the lights includes illuminating a first one of the lights to display a first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminating a second one of the lights to display a second visual indicator of the stencil when the orientation of the housing is the first housing orientation.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the controlling of the operation of the lights includes illuminating the second one of the lights to display the first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminating the first one of the lights to display the second visual indicator of the stencil when the orientation of the housing is the second orientation.
14. The method of claim 11 , further including determining that a visual indicator of the stencil is in an upright orientation relative to the orientation of the housing when the stencil is in the first stencil orientation and determining that the visual indicator of the stencil is in an upside-down orientation relative to the orientation of the housing when the stencil is in the second stencil orientation.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controlling of the operation of the lights includes illuminating a first one of the lights to display a first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminating a second one of the lights to display a second visual indicator of the stencil when the stencil triggers a stencil orientation sensor.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the controlling of the operation of the lights includes illuminating the second one of the lights to display the first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminating the first one of the lights to display the second visual indicator of the stencil when the stencil does not trigger a stencil orientation sensor.
17. The method of claim 11 , further including initiating an alarm when the housing is not in the first housing orientation or the second housing orientation.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
determine an orientation of a housing of a meter;
determine an orientation of a stencil; and
control operation of a plurality of lights based on at least one of the orientation of the housing or the orientation of the stencil.
19. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to detect whether the housing is in at least one of a first housing orientation or a second housing orientation, where the first housing orientation is different than the second housing orientation.
20. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to receive a signal from a first sensor and to determine if the housing is in the at least one of the first housing orientation or the second housing orientation.
21. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine whether the stencil is in at least one of a first stencil orientation or a second stencil orientation.
22. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine that a visual indicator of the stencil is in an upright orientation relative to the orientation of the housing when the stencil is in the first stencil orientation and determine that the visual indicator of the stencil is in an upside-down orientation relative to the orientation of the housing when the stencil is in the second stencil orientation.
23. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to illuminate a first one of the lights to display a first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminate a second one of the lights to display a second visual indicator of the stencil when the housing is in the first housing orientation.
24. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 23 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to illuminate the second one of the lights to display the first visual indicator of the stencil and illuminate the first one of the lights to display the second visual indicator of the stencil when the housing is in the second housing orientation.
25. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to initiate an alarm when the housing is not in the first housing orientation or the second housing orientation.