IP Library Granted Patent US 10,887,031
Granted Patent B2
US 10,887,031 · App. 16/516,035 · Granted Jan 5, 2021

Vehicle-based media system with audio ad and navigation-related action synchronization feature

Inventor: Nisarg A. Modi (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: GRACENOTE, INC.
H04H20/62G01C21/3605G01C21/3667G01C21/3697G06Q30/0239G06Q30/0266G06Q30/0267G06Q30/0277G10L15/26G10L19/018H04N21/41422H04N21/42203H04R3/12H04W4/023H04W4/44H04N21/812H04R2499/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,887,031
App. No.
16/516,035
Granted
Jan 5, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one aspect, an example method to be performed by a vehicle-based media system includes (a) receiving audio content; (b) causing one or more speakers to output the received audio content; (c) using a microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content; (d) identifying reference audio content that has at least a threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content; (e) identifying a geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content; and (f) based at least on the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content, outputting, via the user interface of the vehicle-based media system, a prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location.

Claims (62)

1. A vehicle-based media system comprising:

a user interface;

a microphone;

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the vehicle-based media system to perform a set of operations comprising:

receiving audio content;

causing one or more speakers to output the received audio content;

using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content;

identifying reference audio content that has at least a threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content;

identifying a geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content; and

based at least on the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content, outputting, via the user interface of the vehicle-based media system, a prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location.

2. The vehicle-based media system of claim 1 , wherein the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content is a first geographic location, wherein the set of operations further comprises determining a second geographic location associated with the vehicle-based media system, and wherein outputting the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location comprises outputting a prompt to navigate to the first geographic location based on the first geographic location being within a threshold proximity of the second geographic location.

3. The vehicle-based media system of claim 2 , wherein determining the second geographic location associated with the vehicle-based media system comprises determining (i) a current geographic location of the vehicle-based media system, (ii) a destined geographic location of the vehicle-based media system, or (iii) a geographic location on a route between the current geographic location of the vehicle-based media system and the destined geographic location of the vehicle-based media system.

4. The vehicle-based media system of claim 1 , wherein receiving the audio content comprises receiving primary audio content and secondary audio content, wherein causing the one or more speakers to output the received audio content comprises causing the one or more speakers to output the primary audio content and the secondary audio content, wherein the primary audio content comprises entertainment content, and wherein the secondary audio content comprises advertisement content interspersed among the primary content.

5. The vehicle-based media system of claim 4 , wherein:

using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content comprises using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the secondary audio content; and

identifying reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content comprises identifying reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured secondary audio content.

6. The vehicle-based media system of claim 5 , wherein identifying the geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content comprises identifying a geographic location related to particular advertisement content of the secondary audio content, and wherein outputting the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location comprises, while causing the one or more speakers to output the particular advertisement content of the secondary audio content, outputting the prompt to navigate to the geographic location related to the particular advertisement content.

7. The vehicle-based media system of claim 1 , wherein the set of operations further comprises:

receiving, via the user interface of the vehicle-based media system, a selection of the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location; and

in response to receiving the selection of the prompt, outputting, via the user interface of the vehicle-based media system, directions for navigating to the identified geographic location.

8. The vehicle-based media system of claim 1 , wherein identifying the reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content comprises:

generating audio fingerprint data of the captured audio content;

comparing the generated audio fingerprint data to a plurality of reference audio fingerprint items; and

determining that a particular reference audio fingerprint item of the plurality of reference audio fingerprint items has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the generated audio fingerprint data.

9. A method to be performed by a vehicle-based media system, the method comprising:

receiving audio content;

causing one or more speakers to output the received audio content;

using a microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content;

identifying reference audio content that has at least a threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content;

identifying a geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content; and

based at least on the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content, outputting, via a user interface of the vehicle-based media system, a prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content is a first geographic location, wherein the method comprises determining a second geographic location associated with the vehicle-based media system, and wherein outputting the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location comprises outputting a prompt to navigate to the first geographic location based on the first geographic location being within a threshold proximity of the second geographic location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the second geographic location associated with the vehicle-based media system comprises determining (i) a current geographic location of the vehicle-based media system, (ii) a destined geographic location of the vehicle-based media system, or (iii) a geographic location on a route between the current geographic location of the vehicle-based media system and the destined geographic location of the vehicle-based media system.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein receiving the audio content comprises receiving primary audio content and secondary audio content, wherein causing the one or more speakers to output the received audio content comprises causing the one or more speakers to output the primary audio content and the secondary audio content, wherein the primary audio content comprises entertainment content, and wherein the secondary audio content comprises advertisement content interspersed among the primary content.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content comprises using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the secondary audio content; and

identifying reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content comprises identifying reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured secondary audio content.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein identifying the geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content comprises identifying a geographic location related to particular advertisement content of the secondary audio content, and wherein outputting the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location comprises, while causing the one or more speakers to output the particular advertisement content of the secondary audio content, outputting the prompt to navigate to the geographic location related to the particular advertisement content.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, via the user interface of the vehicle-based media system, a selection of the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location; and

in response to receiving the selection of the prompt, outputting, via the user interface of the vehicle-based media system, directions for navigating to the identified geographic location.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying the reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content comprises:

generating audio fingerprint data of the captured audio content;

comparing the generated audio fingerprint data to a plurality of reference audio fingerprint items; and

determining that a particular reference audio fingerprint item of the plurality of reference audio fingerprint items has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the generated audio fingerprint data.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a vehicle-based media system, cause the vehicle-based media system to perform a set of operations comprising:

receiving audio content;

causing one or more speakers to output the received audio content;

using a microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content;

identifying reference audio content that has at least a threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content;

identifying a geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content; and

based at least on the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content, outputting, via a user interface of the vehicle-based media system, a prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the identified geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content is a first geographic location, wherein the set of operations further comprises determining a second geographic location associated with the vehicle-based media system, and wherein outputting the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location comprises outputting a prompt to navigate to the first geographic location based on the first geographic location being within a threshold proximity of the second geographic location.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein determining the second geographic location associated with the vehicle-based media system comprises determining (i) a current geographic location of the vehicle-based media system, (ii) a destined geographic location of the vehicle-based media system, or (iii) a geographic location on a route between the current geographic location of the vehicle-based media system and the destined geographic location of the vehicle-based media system.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein:

receiving the audio content comprises receiving primary audio content and secondary audio content, the primary audio content comprising entertainment content, and the secondary audio content comprising advertisement content interspersed among the primary content,

causing the one or more speakers to output the received audio content comprises causing the one or more speakers to output the primary audio content and the secondary audio content,

using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the output audio content comprises using the microphone of the vehicle-based media system to capture the secondary audio content,

identifying reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured audio content comprises identifying reference audio content that has at least the threshold extent of similarity with the captured secondary audio content,

identifying the geographic location associated with the identified reference audio content comprises identifying a geographic location related to particular advertisement content of the secondary audio content, and

outputting the prompt to navigate to the identified geographic location comprises, while causing the one or more speakers to output the particular advertisement content of the secondary audio content, outputting the prompt to navigate to the geographic location related to the particular advertisement content.

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 Oct 3, 2019
From: MODI, NISARG A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 050619/0088 →