# US 2021/0344368 A1 · Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to broadcast signals having embedded data

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- Number: US 2021/0344368 A1
- Document ID: US20210344368A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/373,119
- Filed: 2021-07-12
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-28
- Assignees: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
- Applicants: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
- Inventors: Girish Khavasi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344368A1

## CPC

- H04B 1/06: Receivers
- G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
- H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to measure exposure to broadcast signals having embedded data are disclosed. Example meters disclosed herein are to decode a watermark from a first audio signal to obtain an identifier of a broadcast station, and query a data structure based on (i) the identifier of the broadcast station obtained from the watermark and (ii) a location, the query to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to the audio signal. Disclosed example meters are also to tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal, and compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A meter comprising:
at least one memory;
instructions in the meter; and
processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:
decode a watermark from a first audio signal to obtain an identifier of a broadcast station;
query a data structure based on (i) the identifier of the broadcast station obtained from the watermark and (ii) a location, the query to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to the first audio signal;
tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal; and
compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The meter of claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to:
decode data from the broadcast signal tuned by the radio; and
report the decoded data to at least one of a remote server or an external device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The meter of claim 2, wherein the processor circuitry is to:
accept an input representative of a user preference; and
associate the user preference with the decoded data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The meter of claim 3, wherein the processor circuitry is to report the user preference with the decoded data to the at least one of a remote server or an external device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The meter of claim 1, wherein the data structure is a lookup table.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The meter of claim 1, wherein the processor circuitry is to obtain the location from the watermark.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The meter of claim 1, further including a location detector, wherein the processor circuitry is to obtain the location from the location detector.

### Claim 8

A meter comprising:
at least one memory;
instructions in the meter; and
processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least:
decode a watermark from an audio signal to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to a broadcast station;
tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal;
decode data from the broadcast signal tuned by the radio; and
report the decoded data to at least one of a remote server or an external device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The meter of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry is to decode the watermark to obtain a location associated with the broadcast station.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The meter of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry is to decode the watermark to obtain an identifier of the broadcast station.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The meter of claim 8, wherein the audio signal is a first audio signal, and the processor circuitry is to compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The meter of claim 8, wherein the decoded data includes media identification information that was embedded in the broadcast signal based on a protocol.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The meter of claim 8, wherein the processor circuitry is to:
accept an input representative of a user preference; and
associate the user preference with the decoded data.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The meter of claim 13, wherein the processor circuitry is to report the user preference with the decoded data to the at least one of a remote server or an external device.

### Claim 15

At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:
decode a watermark from an audio signal to obtain a transmission frequency of a broadcast signal corresponding to a broadcast station;
tune a radio to the transmission frequency of the broadcast signal;
decode data from the broadcast signal tuned by the radio; and
report the decoded data to at least one of a remote server or an external device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to decode the watermark to obtain a location associated with the broadcast station.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to decode the watermark to obtain an identifier of the broadcast station.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the audio signal is a first audio signal, and the instructions cause the at least one processor to compare the first audio signal with a second audio signal from the radio to verify an identity of the broadcast station.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the decoded data includes media identification information that was embedded in the broadcast signal based on a protocol.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to:
accept an input representative of a user preference;
associate the user preference with the decoded data; and
report the user preference with the decoded data to the at least one of a remote server or an external device.