The Nielsen Comapny (US), LLC

Muhammad Amir

Ronan Heffernan

Justin Fahnestock

Scott Barraclough

John Kistenmacher

Wes Kercher

Example apparatus are to assign a first watermark to a first monitoring track and a second monitoring track, the first watermark detected in an audio stream of media. Example apparatus are also to, in response to at least a first threshold number of watermarks being assigned to the first monitoring track, group the first watermark with one or more other watermarks assigned to the first monitoring track to define a first media detection event. Example apparatus are also to, in response to at least a second threshold number of watermarks being assigned to the second monitoring track, group the first watermark with one or more other watermarks assigned to the second monitoring track to define a second media detection event. Example apparatus are further to cause transmission of the first media detection event and the second media detection event to a data collection facility.

Methods and apparatus to identify media based on watermarks across different audio streams and/or different watermarking techniques

Example apparatus disclosed herein are to detect a first watermark embedded in an audio stream associated with media, the first watermark embedded and detected based on a first watermarking technique; and detect a second watermark embedded in the audio stream, the second watermark embedded and detected based on a second watermarking technique. Disclosed example apparatus are also to assign the first watermark to a first monitoring track and to a second monitoring track, the first monitoring track limited to watermarks embedded in the audio stream based on the first watermarking technique, the second monitoring track limited to watermarks embedded in the audio stream based on any of the first or second watermarking techniques; group the first and second watermarks to form a media detection event when the second watermark is assigned to the second monitoring track; and cause transmission of the media detection event to a data collection facility.

Methods and apparatus to identify media based on watermarks across different audio streams and/or different watermarking techniques are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark detector to detect a first watermark embedded in a first audio stream, the first watermark including a first source identifier and a first timing identifier, and detect a second watermark embedded in a second audio stream, the second watermark including a second source identifier and a second timing identifier. The disclosed example apparatus also include a controller to associate the first and second watermarks with a media detection event when both (1) the first and second source identifiers match and (2) the first and second timing identifiers are chronologically congruent. The disclosed example apparatus further include a transmitter to transmit the media detection event to a data collection facility.

Methods and apparatus to identify media based on watermarks across different audio streams and/or different watermarking techniques are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a watermark detector to detect a first watermark embedded in a first audio stream associated with media and to detect a second watermark embedded in a second audio stream associated with the media. The second audio stream is different than the first audio stream. The example apparatus includes a watermark analyzer to compare first media identifying information in the first watermark with second media identifying information in the second watermark. The example apparatus also includes a media detection event controller to associate the first and second watermarks with a media detection event when the first media identifying information is consistent with the second media identifying information. The example apparatus further includes a transmitter to transmit the media detection event to a data collection facility.

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Palm Harbor, FL, United States of America

Muhammad Amir