Methods and apparatus for detecting space-shifted media associated with a digital recording/playback device

A method to identify space-shifted media, the method comprising:

• storing viewing data associated with monitoring a first media playback device in memory;
• detecting, by executing an instruction with a processor, presentation of media by the first media playback device;
• prior to querying the first media playback device to determine a retrieval location of the media, querying, by executing an instruction with the processor, at least one of the first media playback device or a database including characteristics of the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries;
• querying, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first media playback device to determine the retrieval location of the media;
• and
• in response to a query result indicating the media was retrieved from a second media playback device, updating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the viewing data stored in the memory to indicate the media presented by the first media playback device was space-shifted.

A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disk comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

• store viewing data associated with monitoring a first media playback device in memory;
• detect presentation of media by the first media playback device;
• prior to a query of the first media playback device to determine a retrieval location of the media, query at least one of the first media playback device or a database including characteristics of the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries;
• perform the query of the first media playback device to determine the retrieval location of the media;
• and
• when a result of the query indicates the media was retrieved from a second media playback device, update the viewing data stored in the memory to indicate the media presented by the first media playback device was space-shifted.