Simulcast resolution in content matching systems

A machine readable storage device or storage disk comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

• compare meter signatures generated from presented media with reference signatures generated from reference media provided by a plurality of media sources, the meter signatures and the reference signatures having respective timestamps;
• determine whether a first time difference between a first meter signature and a second meter signature is equivalent to a second time difference between a first reference signature determined to match the first meter signature and a second reference signature determined to match the second meter signature, the first and second reference signatures being associated with a first one of the media sources;
• in response to determining the first time difference and the second time difference are equivalent, append the second reference signature to a first tracking segment associated with the first one of the media sources to cause a first time length associated with the first tracking segment to be increased based on a respective timestamp associated with the second reference signature;
• and
• evaluate the first time length to determine whether the first one of the media sources provided the presented media.

An apparatus to identify media sources, the apparatus comprising:

• a scanning engine to:
• compare meter signatures generated from presented media with reference signatures generated from reference media provided by a plurality of media sources, the meter signatures and the reference signatures having respective timestamps;
• determine whether a first time difference between a first meter signature and a second meter signature is equivalent to a second time difference between a first reference signature determined to match the first meter signature and a second reference signature determined to match the second meter signature, the first and second reference signatures being associated with a first one of the media sources;
• in response to determining the first time difference and the second time difference are equivalent, append the second reference signature to a first tracking segment associated with the first one of the media sources to cause a first time length associated with the first tracking segment to be increased based on at least a respective timestamp associated with the second reference signature;
• and
• evaluate the first time length to determine whether the first one of the media sources provided the presented media;
• and
• a memory to store the first tracking segment.

An apparatus for identifying media sources, the apparatus comprising:

• means for comparing meter signatures generated from presented media with reference signatures generated from reference media provided by a plurality of media sources, the meter signatures and the reference signatures having respective timestamps;
• means for determining whether a first time difference between a first meter signature and a second meter signature is equivalent to a second time difference between a first reference signature determined to match the first meter signature and a second reference signature determined to match the second meter signature, the first and second reference signatures being associated with a first one of the media sources;
• means for appending, in response to determining that the first time difference and the second time difference are equivalent, the second reference signature to a first tracking segment associated with the first one of the media sources to cause a first time length associated with the first tracking segment to be increased based on a respective timestamp associated with the second reference signature;
• and
• means for evaluating the first time length to determine whether the first one of the media sources provided the presented media