IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,626,895
Granted Patent B2
US 11,626,895 · App. 17/373,119 · Granted Apr 11, 2023

Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to broadcast signals having embedded data

Inventor: Girish Khavasi (Lake Hiawatha, NJ)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04B1/06G06Q30/0201H04W4/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,626,895
App. No.
17/373,119
Granted
Apr 11, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to measure exposure to broadcast signals having embedded data are disclosed. Example meters disclosed herein are to decode a watermark from a first audio signal to obtain an identifier of a broadcast station, and query a data structure based on (i) the identifier of the broadcast station obtained from the watermark and (ii) a location, the query to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to the audio signal. Disclosed example meters are also to tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal, and compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station.

Claims (47)

1. A meter comprising:

at least one memory;

instructions in the meter; and

processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:

decode a watermark from a first audio signal to obtain an identifier of a broadcast station;

query a data structure based on (i) the identifier of the broadcast station obtained from the watermark and (ii) a location, the query to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to the first audio signal;

tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal; and

compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station.

2. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to:

decode data from the broadcast signal tuned by the radio; and

report the decoded data to at least one of a remote server or an external device.

3. The meter of claim 2 , wherein the processor circuitry is to:

accept an input representative of a user preference; and

associate the user preference with the decoded data.

4. The meter of claim 3 , wherein the processor circuitry is to report the user preference with the decoded data to the at least one of a remote server or an external device.

5. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the data structure is a lookup table.

6. The meter of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to obtain the location from the watermark.

7. The meter of claim 1 , further including a location detector, wherein the processor circuitry is to obtain the location from the location detector.

8. A meter comprising:

at least one memory;

instructions in the meter; and

processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:

decode a watermark from a first audio signal to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to a broadcast station;

tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal;

compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station;

decode data from the broadcast signal tuned by the radio; and

report the decoded data to at least one of a remote server or an external device.

9. The meter of claim 8 , wherein the processor circuitry is to decode the watermark to obtain a location associated with the broadcast station.

10. The meter of claim 8 , wherein the processor circuitry is to decode the watermark to obtain an identifier of the broadcast station.

11. The meter of claim 8 , wherein the decoded data includes media identification information that was embedded in the broadcast signal based on a protocol.

12. The meter of claim 8 , wherein the processor circuitry is to:

accept an input representative of a user preference; and

associate the user preference with the decoded data.

13. The meter of claim 12 , wherein the processor circuitry is to report the user preference with the decoded data to the at least one of a remote server or an external device.

14. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:

decode a watermark from a first audio signal to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to a broadcast station;

tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal;

compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station;

decode data from the broadcast signal tuned by the radio; and

report the decoded data to at least one of a remote server or an external device.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to decode the watermark to obtain a location associated with the broadcast station.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to decode the watermark to obtain an identifier of the broadcast station.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the decoded data includes media identification information that was embedded in the broadcast signal based on a protocol.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to:

accept an input representative of a user preference;

associate the user preference with the decoded data; and

report the user preference with the decoded data to the at least one of a remote server or an external device.

Assignments (4)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2022
From: KHAVASI, GIRISH
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 059977/0702 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16908292 · Jun 22, 2020
Continuation 16208225 · Dec 3, 2018
Continuation 15636035 · Jun 28, 2017
Related Publication 20210344368A1 · Nov 4, 2021