US 12,445,679 B2
Methods and apparatus to verify presentation of media content
Venugopal Srinivasan, Tarpon Springs, FL (US); and Arun Ramaswamy, Tampa, FL (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 Aug. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/455,166.
Application 18/455,166 is a continuation of application No. 17/359,097, filed on Jun. 25, 2021, granted, now 11,778,268.
Application 17/359,097 is a continuation of application No. 16/671,946, filed on Nov. 1, 2019, granted, now 11,070,874, issued on Jul. 20, 2021.
Application 16/671,946 is a continuation of application No. 14/841,191, filed on Aug. 31, 2015, granted, now 10,469,901, issued on Nov. 5, 2019.
Application 14/841,191 is a continuation of application No. 12/505,966, filed on Jul. 20, 2009, granted, now 9,124,769, issued on Sep. 1, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/110,274, filed on Oct. 31, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2023/0396840 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 21/436 (2011.01); G06F 21/62 (2013.01); H04H 60/31 (2008.01); H04N 7/16 (2011.01); H04N 21/422 (2011.01); H04N 21/439 (2011.01); H04N 21/442 (2011.01); H04N 21/466 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/44204 (2013.01) [G06F 21/6245 (2013.01); H04H 60/31 (2013.01); H04N 7/163 (2013.01); H04N 21/42203 (2013.01); H04N 21/43615 (2013.01); H04N 21/4394 (2013.01); H04N 21/4396 (2013.01); H04N 21/44213 (2013.01); H04N 21/4667 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
8. A computing system comprising a microphone and a timer, the computing system configured to perform a set of acts comprising:
obtaining a first audio signal corresponding to media content output by a set-top box of a media presentation environment;
selectively operating, by the timer of the computing system, the microphone in the media presentation environment to obtain a second audio signal representative of audio output by a speaker of a television, wherein selectively operating the microphone to obtain the second audio signal comprises selectively enabling and disabling the microphone for periods of time such that the second audio signal is obtained during one of the periods of time during which the microphone is enabled, wherein the periods of time are selected based on a predetermined desired granularity of media content presentation information to be reported by the computing system to an audience measurement data collection facility and are periods of time during which ambient audio is permitted to be captured from the media presentation environment so as to protect privacy of household members in the media presentation environment;
determining that the first audio signal corresponds to the second audio signal; and
based on the determining, logging the media content as presented by the television for reporting by the computing system.