Efficient apparatus and method for audio signature generation using recognition history

An apparatus for monitoring audio information by a user device, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) an audio signature generator that generates audio signatures of ambient audio content captured by a user device;
• (b) a first database that receives and stores conditions of the user device that were present when the ambient audio content for each audio signature was captured;
• (c) a query engine in communication with a second database associated with the query engine, the query engine configured to:
• (i) perform audio content recognition on the audio signatures by comparing the generated audio signatures to audio signatures previously stored in the second database, and
• (ii) identify generated audio signatures that match audio signatures stored in the database within a threshold confidence level, thereby establishing successful audio content recognition;
• (d) a processor configured to identify the conditions of the user device that were present for successful audio content recognition;
• (e) a rule generation unit that generates scheduling rules regarding the conditions present during successful audio content recognition;
• and
• (g) a scheduling logic unit that receives the generated scheduling rules and controls when the user device captures audio content and/or generates audio signatures based on the scheduling rules,
• wherein the scheduling logic unit allows for capturing of ambient audio content and generation of audio signatures when currently present conditions of the user device match the conditions present during successful audio content recognition, and the scheduling logic unit inhibits capturing of ambient audio content and/or generation of audio signatures when currently present conditions of the user device do not match the conditions present during successful audio content recognition.