IP Library Granted Patent US 11,133,787
Granted Patent B2
US 11,133,787 · App. 16/452,489 · Granted Sep 28, 2021

Methods and apparatus to determine automated gain control parameters for an automated gain control protocol

Inventors: John T. Livoti (Clearwater, FL); Rajakumar Madhanganesh (Tampa, FL); Stanley Wellington Woodruff (Palm Harbor, FL); Ryan C. Lehing (Oldsmar, FL); Charles Clinton Conklin (New Port Richey, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H03G3/30H04B1/109H03G3/3042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,133,787
App. No.
16/452,489
Granted
Sep 28, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to determine automated gain control parameters for an automated gain control protocol are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first tuner to amplify an audio signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a second tuner to amplify the audio signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a first controller to tune the first tuner to apply a first gain representative of a first range of gains to the audio signal to determine a first amplified audio signal and tune the second tuner to apply a second gain representative a second range of gains to the audio signal to determine a second amplified audio signal, the second range of gains lower than the first range of gains. Disclosed example apparatus also include a second controller to select the first range of gains to be utilized in an automated gain control protocol when the first gain results in clipping of the first amplified audio signal and the second gain does not result in clipping of the second amplified audio signal.

Claims (48)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first tuner to amplify an audio signal;

a second tuner to amplify the audio signal;

a first controller to:

tune the first tuner to apply a first gain representative of a first range of gains to the audio signal to determine a first amplified audio signal; and

tune the second tuner to apply a second gain representative of a second range of gains to the audio signal to determine a second amplified audio signal, the second range of gains lower than the first range of gains; and

a second controller to select the first range of gains to be utilized in an automated gain control protocol when the first gain results in clipping of the first amplified audio signal and the second gain does not result in clipping of the second amplified audio signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first gain is a maximum gain of the first range of gains and the second gain is a maximum gain of the second range of gains.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:

a first clip detection circuit to process the first amplified audio signal from the first tuner to determine if clipping occurred while the first tuner was tuned to the first gain; and

a second clip detection circuit to process the second amplified audio signal from the second tuner to determine if clipping occurred while the second tuner was tuned to the second gain.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first clip detection circuit is the second clip detection circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first controller is to tune the first tuner to the first gain and to tune the second tuner to the second gain for a second iteration after the first controller tuned the first tuner to a third gain and tuned the second tuner to a fourth gain during a prior first iteration, the third gain different from the first gain and the second gain different from the fourth gain.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:

the first controller is to, for the first iteration before the second iteration:

tune the first tuner to the third gain to determine a third amplified audio signal, the third gain representative of a third range of gains; and

tune the second tuner to the fourth gain to determine a fourth amplified audio signal, the fourth gain representative of a fourth range of gains lower than the first range of gains, the third range of gains and the fourth range of gains to be different than the first range of gains and the second range of gains; and

the second controller is to, when the third range of gains and the fourth range of gains result in clipping of at least one of the third amplified audio signal or the fourth amplified audio signal, instruct the first controller to (A) tune the first tuner to the first range of gains and (B) tune the second tuner to the second range of gains for the second iteration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the automated gain control protocol supports a third range of gains, the third range of gains including the first range and the second range.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first controller is the second controller.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

tune a first tuner to apply a first gain representative of a first range of gains to an audio signal to determine a first amplified audio signal; and

tune a second tuner to apply a second gain representative of a second range of gains to the audio signal to determine a second amplified audio signal, the second range of gains lower than the first range of gains; and

select the first range of gains to be utilized in an automated gain control protocol when the first gain results in clipping of the first amplified audio signal and the second gain does not result in clipping of the second amplified audio signal.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the first gain is a maximum gain of the first range of gains and the second gain is a maximum gain of the second range of gains.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to:

process the first amplified audio signal from the first tuner to determine if clipping occurred while the first tuner was tuned to the first gain; and

process the second amplified audio signal from the second tuner to determine if clipping occurred while the second tuner was tuned to the second gain.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to tune the first tuner to the first gain and to tune the second tuner to the second gain for a second iteration after the machine tuned the first tuner to a third gain and tuned the second tuner to a fourth gain during a prior first iteration, the third gain different from the first gain and the second gain different from the fourth gain.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , the instruction cause the machine to, for the first iteration before the second iteration:

tune the first tuner to the third gain to determine a third amplified audio signal, the third gain representative of a third range of gains; and

tune the second tuner to the fourth gain to determine a fourth amplified audio signal, the fourth gain representative of a fourth range of gains lower than the first range of gains, the third range of gains and the fourth range of gains to be different than the first range of gains and the second range of gains; and

when the third range of gains and the fourth range of gains result in clipping of at least one of the third amplified audio signal or the fourth amplified audio signal, (A) tune the first tuner to the first range of gains and (B) tune the second tuner to the second range of gains for the second iteration.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the automated gain control protocol supports a third range of gains, the third range of gains including the first range and the second range.

15. A method comprising:

tuning a first tuner to apply a first gain representative of a first range of gains to an audio signal to determine a first amplified audio signal; and

tuning a second tuner to apply a second gain representative of a second range of gains to the audio signal to determine a second amplified audio signal, the second range of gains lower than the first range of gains; and

selecting, by executing an instruction with a processor, the first range of gains to be utilized in an automated gain control protocol when the first gain results in clipping of the first amplified audio signal and the second gain does not result in clipping of the second amplified audio signal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first gain is a maximum gain of the first range of gains and the second gain is a maximum gain of the second range of gains.

17. The method of claim 15 , further including:

processing the first amplified audio signal from the first tuner to determine if clipping occurred while the first tuner was tuned to the first gain; and

processing the second amplified audio signal from the second tuner to determine if clipping occurred while the second tuner was tuned to the second gain.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tuning of the first tuner to the first gain and the tuning of the second tuner to the second gain occurs during a second iteration after tuning of the first tuner to a third gain and tuned tuning of the second tuner to a fourth gain during a prior first iteration, the third gain different from the first gain and the second gain different from the fourth gain.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein, for the first iteration before the second iteration:

the tuning of the first tuner to the third gain determines a third amplified audio signal, the third gain representative of a third range of gains; and

the tuning of the second tuner to the fourth gain determines a fourth amplified audio signal, the fourth gain representative of a fourth range of gains lower than the first range of gains, the third range of gains and the fourth range of gains to be different than the first range of gains and the second range of gains; and

when the third range of gains and the fourth range of gains result in clipping of at least one of the third amplified audio signal or the fourth amplified audio signal, (A) the tuning of the first tuner to the first range of gains and (B) the tuning of the second tuner to the second range of gains is performed for the second iteration.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the automated gain control protocol supports a third range of gains, the third range of gains including the first range and the second range.

Assignments (8)
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 Feb 24, 2020
From: LIVOTI, JOHN T.; CONKLIN, CHARLES CLINTON; WOODRUFF, STANLEY WELLINGTON; MADHANGANESH, RAJAKUMAR; LEHING, RYAN C.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 051897/0175 →