The Nielsen Comapny (us), LLC

Nielsen Media Research, Inc.

Robert Stokes

Arun Ramaswamy

Venugopal Srinivasan

Daniel John Nelson

Charles Clinton Conklin

James Joseph Vitt

Robert A Luff

Paul Mears

Brian Scott Mello

Perry Joseph Fisch

Seth Alan Pelletier

Shade actuator rod

Example apparatus disclosed herein are to identify encoded information present in audio obtained for a time period. Disclosed example apparatus are also to generate a signature of the audio for comparison with signatures of reference media. Disclosed example apparatus are also to generate a first determination that a media presentation device was in an off state during a first portion of the time period based on a gain level applied by an automatic gain controller to collect the audio. Disclosed example apparatus are also to override the first determination that the media presentation device was in the off state during the first portion of the time period with a second determination that the media presentation device was in an on state during the first portion of the time period, the second determination based on at least one of the encoded information or the signature.

Methods and apparatus for crediting a media presentation device

Example apparatus disclosed include means for detecting encoded information present in audio obtained from a media presentation device, means for generating a signature of the audio, and means for determining an on/off state of the media presentation device based on a gain level, the means for determining to determine the on/off state based on the encoded information detected in the audio or the signature generated from the audio. Disclosed example apparatus also include means for crediting a portion of the audio to first media based on the encoded information or the signature, the means for crediting to credit the audio by overriding (i) a first determination that the media presentation device was in the off state during collection of the audio with (ii) a second determination that the media presentation device was in the on state based on the collection of the audio.

Methods and apparatus for crediting a media presentation device are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed include means for computing a signature from audio obtained from a media device, means for determining an on/off state of the media device based on a gain level, means for crediting the media device with presenting media when (1) the signature matches at least one of a set of reference signatures and the on/off state determined for the media device is an on state, and (2) when the signature matches at least one of the set of reference signatures and the on/off state determined for the media device is an off state, the means for crediting to not credit the media device with presenting the media when (3) the signature does not match at least one of the set of reference signatures and the on/off state determined for the media device is the off state.

Methods and apparatus for crediting a media presentation device are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed include a signal generator to compute a signature from audio obtained from a media device during a time period, and an on/off detector to determine an on/off state of the media device based on a gain level applied by an automatic gain controller during collection of the audio. Disclosed apparatus also include a location creditor to credit the media device with presenting media during the time period when the signature matches at least one of a set of reference signatures and the on/off state is determined as the on state or as the off state, the location creditor not to credit the media device with presenting the media when the signature does not match at least one of the set of reference signatures and the on/off state is determined as the off state.

Methods and apparatus for crediting a media presentation device are disclosed. An example method includes detecting whether encoded information is present in audio obtained from a media device during a time period. Determining an on/off state of the media device based on a gain level applied by an automatic gain controller during collection of the audio. Crediting the media device with presenting media during the time period when the encoded information is detected irrespective of the on/off state determined for the media device, and not crediting the media device with presenting the media during the time period when the encoded information is not detected and the on/off state determined for the media device is an off state.

Methods and apparatus for identifying an operating state of an AV device are described. An example method includes extracting, at a first AV device, data communicated via a data bus coupling a processor of the first AV device to a HDMI interface, the HDMI interface coupled to a second AV device different than the first AV device; analyzing a temporal sequence of the extracted data to determine if additional information is needed from the second AV device to identify a current operating state of the second AV device; when the temporal sequence is missing an expected message related to the current operating state of the second AV device, causing an AV network controller of the first AV device to request information from the second AV device; and analyzing a response from the second AV device including the requested information to identify the current operating state of the second AV device.

Methods and apparatus for determining the operating state of audio-video devices

Methods and apparatus for crediting a media presentation device are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining ambient audio of a location including a media presentation device during a time period, detecting encoded information present in the ambient audio, crediting a first portion of the time period for the media presentation device to first media based on the encoded information, determining an on/off state of the media presentation device for a second portion of the time period different than the first portion based on the ambient audio, and crediting the second portion of the time period based on the on/off state of the media presentation device.

Methods and apparatus for identifying the operating state of an audio-video (AV) device are described. Example methods and apparatus include monitoring messages transmitted via a data bus in a first AV device, wherein the data bus is communicatively coupled to a processor and an AV network controller of the first AV device, and wherein the AV network controller is further communicatively coupled to a second AV device external to the first AV device. The example method also involves extracting messages associated with an operation of the second AV device from the monitored messages, analyzing the extracted messages for data associated with an operating state of the second AV device, and sending a command to the AV network controller to request data missing from the extracted messages and associated with the operating state of the second AV device. Additionally, the example methods and apparatus include identifying the operating state of the second AV device by analyzing the extracted messages and a response from the second AV device associated with the command.

Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented by portable and computer media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a headset configured to be communicatively coupled to a media presentation device and a speaker coupled to the headset and configured to emit audio based on audio information received from the media presentation device. The example apparatus also includes a metering information generator coupled to the headset and configured to be communicatively coupled to the media presentation device to receive the audio information and generate metering information associated with the received audio information.

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Palm Harbor, FL, United States of America

Robert Stokes