IP Library Granted Patent US 12,219,209
Granted Patent B2
US 12,219,209 · App. 18/541,101 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Methods and apparatus for metering portable media players

Inventors: Perry Joseph Fisch (Palm Harbor, FL); Seth Alan Pelletier (New Port Richey, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/44218G06F16/41G11B27/322G11B27/36H04H60/37H04H60/58H04H60/59H04L67/10H04N21/235H04N21/2541H04N21/25883H04N21/25891H04N21/4223H04N21/435H04N21/4394H04N21/44204H04N21/44224H04N21/4532H04N21/4627H04N21/6125H04N21/6582H04N21/6587H04N21/8193H04N21/8358H04R3/00H04H60/31H04H2201/90H04N21/41407H04N21/44008H04R2420/05H04R2420/09
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,219,209
App. No.
18/541,101
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for media metering are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and at least one processor installed in a media presentation device to execute the instructions to at least: cause a video decoder to generate video display rasterizing information, present the video display rasterizing information via an output device of the media presentation device, and in response to monitoring being enabled, generate metering information corresponding to media presented in association with the video display rasterizing information presented via the output device.

Claims (50)

1. A portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device comprising an embedded meter, the embedded meter comprising a wireless transceiver, a memory, and a processing system, the embedded meter configured to perform a set of acts comprising:

monitoring for a Bluetooth signal via the wireless transceiver;

detecting, by the processing system, an audio signal embedded within the Bluetooth signal;

extracting, by the processing system, metering data from the audio signal; and

storing, by the processing system, the metering data in the memory.

2. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , wherein:

extracting the metering data comprises generating an audio signature from the audio signal, and

storing the metering data comprises storing the audio signature.

3. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , wherein:

extracting the metering data comprises extracting a code from the audio signal, and

storing the metering data comprises storing the code.

4. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , wherein the set of acts further comprises determining that the Bluetooth signal is transmitted by an authorized device.

5. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , wherein the set of acts further comprises processing the audio signal into an analog signal for output by a speaker of the portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device.

6. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , wherein extracting the metering data from the audio signal comprises:

determining that codes are not present in the audio signal; and

based on the determining, generating an audio signature from the audio signal.

7. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , wherein the set of acts further comprises transmitting, via the wireless transceiver, the metering data to a home unit.

8. The portable Bluetooth enabled headphone device of claim 1 , further comprising a communication port, wherein the set of acts further comprises transmitting the metering data to a home unit via the communication port.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, upon execution by a meter embedded within a portable Bluetooth enabled device, cause the portable Bluetooth enabled device to perform a set of acts comprising:

monitoring for a Bluetooth signal via a wireless transceiver of the meter;

detecting, by a processing system of the meter, an audio signal embedded within the Bluetooth signal;

extracting, by the processing system, metering data from the audio signal; and

storing, by the processing system, the metering data in a memory of the meter.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein:

extracting the metering data comprises generating an audio signature from the audio signal, and

storing the metering data comprises storing the audio signature.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein:

extracting the metering data comprises extracting a code from the audio signal, and

storing the metering data comprises storing the code.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of acts further comprises determining that the Bluetooth signal is transmitted by an authorized device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of acts further comprises processing the audio signal into an analog signal for output by a speaker of the portable Bluetooth enabled device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein extracting the metering data from the audio signal comprises:

determining that codes are not present in the audio signal; and

based on the determining, generating an audio signature from the audio signal.

15. A method comprising:

monitoring for a Bluetooth signal via a wireless transceiver of a meter embedded within a portable Bluetooth enabled device;

detecting, by a processing system of the meter, an audio signal embedded within the Bluetooth signal;

extracting, by the processing system, metering data from the audio signal; and

storing, by the processing system, the metering data in a memory of the meter.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

extracting the metering data comprises generating an audio signature from the audio signal, and

storing the metering data comprises storing the audio signature.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

extracting the metering data comprises extracting a code from the audio signal, and

storing the metering data comprises storing the code.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining that the Bluetooth signal is transmitted by an authorized device.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising processing the audio signal into an analog signal for output by a speaker of the portable Bluetooth enabled device.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein extracting the metering data from the audio signal comprises:

determining that codes are not present in the audio signal; and

based on the determining, generating an audio signature from the audio signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2023
From: PELLETIER, SETH ALAN; FISCH, PERRY JOSEPH
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 065880/0516 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 17305285 · Jul 2, 2021
Continuation 16512341 · Jul 15, 2019
Continuation 15299652 · Oct 21, 2016
Continuation 14529922 · Oct 31, 2014
Continuation 12106040 · Apr 18, 2008
Continuation PCTUS2006060118 · Oct 20, 2006
Provisional Application 60813757 · Jun 14, 2006
Provisional Application 60786196 · Mar 27, 2006
Provisional Application 60729421 · Oct 21, 2005
Related Publication 20240236414A1 · Jul 11, 2024
References Cited (3)
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US 20070073585A1 · Apple · 2007 [cited by examiner]