US 12,425,688 B2
Methods and apparatus to determine engagement levels of audience members
Alejandro Terrazas, Santa Cruz, CA (US)
Assigned to The Nielsen Company (US), LLC, New York, NY (US)
Filed by The Nielsen Company (US), LLC, New York, NY (US)
Filed on May 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/750,147.
Application 17/750,147 is a continuation of application No. 17/341,104, filed on Jun. 7, 2021.
Application 17/341,104 is a continuation of application No. 16/360,976, filed on Mar. 21, 2019, granted, now 11,032,610, issued on Jun. 8, 2021.
Application 16/360,976 is a continuation of application No. 16/209,635, filed on Dec. 4, 2018, granted, now 10,992,985, issued on Apr. 27, 2021.
Application 16/209,635 is a continuation of application No. 15/206,932, filed on Jul. 11, 2016, granted, now 10,171,869, issued on Jan. 1, 2019.
Application 15/206,932 is a continuation of application No. 14/281,139, filed on May 19, 2014, granted, now 9,407,958, issued on Aug. 2, 2016.
Application 14/281,139 is a continuation of application No. 13/728,515, filed on Dec. 27, 2012, granted, now 8,769,557, issued on Jul. 1, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0279246 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/442 (2011.01); H04N 21/41 (2011.01); H04N 21/4223 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/44218 (2013.01) [H04N 21/41265 (2020.08); H04N 21/4223 (2013.01); H04N 21/44231 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A method performed by a computing system of an audience measurement entity, the method comprising:
obtaining via a network a data package generated by a meter, the data package including a timestamp, media identification data, and an engagement level,
the media identification data corresponding to media presented by a television within a room of a panelist household, the media identification data determined based at least in part on an audio signature of the media, the audio signature generated by the meter, the audio signature based on a representation of a frequency spectrum of an audio signal of the media, the meter at the panelist household, the meter being a dedicated audience measurement unit provided to the panelist household by the audience measurement entity, the meter having a meter housing, the meter at a stationary first position relative to the television for generating audio signatures representative of portions of media presented by the television,
the engagement level indicative of engagement of an audience member with the media presented by the television, the engagement level based on an orientation of a head of the audience member relative to the television, the engagement level determined by the meter based on the orientation of the head in an image of the room of the panelist household captured by a camera while the media is presented by the television, capture of the image by the camera responsive to a determination by the meter that the television is on or that the television is presenting the media, the orientation of the head determined by the meter based on a head pose determined by the meter, the camera separate from the meter, the camera provided to the panelist household by the audience measurement entity and dedicated to audience measurement, the image provided to the meter by the camera, the camera at a stationary second position relative to the television for capturing images of the room of the panelist household; and
compiling the media identification data and the engagement level with media identification data and engagement levels associated with other audience members from other panelist households to generate an engagement level rating, the engagement level rating representative of engagement with the media by a population of interest, the engagement level rating generated using demographic information for the audience member,
wherein the engagement level is based further on a proximity between the audience member and a second device with a display that is illuminated.