In some aspects, the network 120 may be a Wi-Fi network or similar wireless network. In several aspects, the network 120 couples the meter 104 to the media device 102. In some instances, the network 120 is a wired network that directly couples the meter 104 to the media device 102. In other aspects, the meter 104 and the media device 102 communicate directly without the use of the network 120 (e.g., Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi direct), and the network 120 may be omitted.

In several aspects, the receiver 122 is in direct communication with the transmitter 118 (e.g., Bluetooth®). The receiver 122 may be a Wi-Fi receiver, a Bluetooth® receiver, a Bluetooth® Low Energy (“BLE”) receiver, or a similar wireless receiver. In some aspects, the receiver 122 receives the data packet from the transmitter 118. In various aspects, the receiver 122 is in communication with and/or operably coupled to the beamforming scanning module 124. In various aspects, the receipt of the data packet causes the meter 104 to begin scanning using the beamforming scanning module 124. In some aspects, the receiver 122 is a receiver antenna array such as, but not limited to, a Bluetooth® antenna array or a Wi-Fi antenna array. In one or more aspects, the receiver 122 is configured to identify the direction of arrival (“DOA”) by calculating a direction associated with the transmission and receipt of the data packet and using DOA estimation techniques on the calculated direction to determine an estimated DOA that may be used for beamforming.

In some aspects, the beamforming scanning module 124 may be hardware or software that directs how the microphone array 126 receives audio signals. In various aspects, the beamforming scanning module 124 determines a desired orientation associated with the location of the media device 102 and configures the microphone array 126 and/or the received audio signals from the microphone array 126 based on the desired orientation. In one or more aspects, the desired orientation is based on the direction of arrival (“DOA”) of sound emitted by the loudspeaker 103 as a result of media content being presented by the media device 102. In several aspects, each microphone of the microphone array 126 are spatially separated with a known array geometry, and therefore, the audio signals are received at varying times (e.g., the audio signals arrive at the microphones with a time delay when spatially distant). Therefore, the DOA may be calculated using a correlation on this phase information, statistical analyses on different audio beamformed directions, or analyses on the transmitted signal from the dongle 114 and the receiver 122. The DOA indicates a location of the source of the sound associated with media being presented in association with the media device 102. The beamforming scanning module 124 may beamform later received audio signals based on the determined DOA. In some instances, the beamforming scanning module 124 determines the DOA and controls the microphone array 126 to capture signals only from the DOA. In one or more instances, the beamforming scanning module 124 receives an estimated DOA from the receiver 122. In one or more instances, the beamforming scanning module 124 locates the source of the sound by sampling on all microphones of the microphone array 126, calculating a signal to noise ratio for each microphone, determining the microphone or set of microphones of the microphone array 126 with the largest signal to noise ratio, and set that direction as the DOA of the source of the sound associated with the media device 102. In some instances, the location of the source of the sound associated with the media presented on the media device 102 is determined using delay-and-sum beamforming. For example, time differences between a sound event and each microphone of the microphone array 126 is calculated and the direction and strength of the sound is determined in order to locate the source.

In some aspects, the beamforming scanning module 124 is configured to orient the beamforming beam's DOA toward the source of a new sound associated with the media presented by the media device 102. In one or more aspects, the beamforming scanning module 124 orient the beamforming beam's DOA toward the source of the new sound, using the previously determined DOA.

In one or more aspects, the microphone array 126 may be in a variety of shapes and/or configurations. For example, the microphone array 126 may be a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, a square shape, or a circular shape. The microphone array 126 may include a plurality of microphones, which may be in a variety of configurations. The number of microphones of the microphone array 126 may vary. In some instances, the microphone array 126 includes at least two microphones. In several instances, the microphone array 126 may be a two-dimensional array. In other instances, the microphone array 126 may be a three-dimensional array. The microphone array 126, in some aspects, is a set of digital microphones. In other aspects, the microphone array 126, are a set of analog microphones.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another example system is generally referred to by reference numeral 128. The system 128 includes the media device 102 and the meter 104. The media device 102 is coupled to the power source 112. The media device 102 may include a loudspeaker 103 coupled to the media device 102. The loudspeaker 103 may produce an audio signal 132 (represented by an arrow), which is detected by the microphone array 126. The microphone array 126 may be a component of the meter 104. The meter 104 includes the beamforming scanning module 124, the comparison module 134, and the audio database 136. The comparison module 134 is in direct communication with the audio database 136. The audio database 136 may store one or more audio signals as a reference database for media device ON sounds. Examples of what ON sounds are include a media device-specific startup sound, tone, beeps, or a sequence of tones produced by media devices (such as the media device 102) when powered on. The comparison module 134 is configured to compare the audio signal 132 from the loudspeaker 103 to audio signals in the audio database 136 to determine a match for media device ON sounds. The beamforming scanning module 124 is in communication with the comparison module 134 such that when the comparison module 134 determines a match, the beamforming scanning module 124 initiates beamforming.

In some instances, at least a portion of the system 128 is a computing system as described herein. In some aspects, the system 128 is located within the media exposure environment 100. In other aspects, only a portion of the system 128 is located within the media exposure environment 100. For example, in some aspects, the system 128 includes a server (not located within the media exposure environment 100), where the meter 104 is in communication with the server. In some instances, the audio database 136 of the system 128 is located outside the media exposure environment 100 and is accessible via the server. In some aspects, the system 128 includes one or more of the same components as the system 110 such as the beamforming scanning module 124.

In various aspects, the media device 102 and/or the meter 104 includes additional components as described herein. In some aspects, the media device 102 may include a setting for changing sound output. For example, the media device 102 may switch from using the loudspeaker 103 that is an internal loudspeaker to the loudspeaker 103 that is an external loudspeaker.

In one or more aspects, the loudspeaker 103 is a plurality of loudspeakers. In some aspects, the loudspeaker 103 is integrated into the media device 102 such as a television speaker or a radio speaker. In several aspects, the loudspeaker 103 is coupled to the media device 102. In one or more aspects, the loudspeaker 103 is wirelessly coupled to the media device 102. In some aspects, the loudspeaker 103 is a set of external surround sound loudspeakers distributed around the media exposure environment 100. In one or more aspects, the location of the loudspeaker 103 relative to the media device 102 and/or the meter 104 within the media exposure environment 100 may change. For example, a panelist such as the first person 106 may switch the sound output from the loudspeaker 103 that is an internal loudspeaker to the loudspeaker 103 that is an external loudspeaker.

In some instances, the audio signal 132 is a single audio signal received by the microphone array 126. In other examples, the audio signal 132 is a plurality of audio signals. In some aspects, the audio signal 132 has a duration of a few seconds (e.g., two seconds, four seconds, or six seconds).

In one or more aspects, the microphone array 126 is configured to receive the audio signal 132 from the loudspeaker 103. In some aspects, the microphone array 126 is in communication with the comparison module 134 and sends the audio signal 132 to the comparison module 134 for comparison.

In some aspects, the comparison module 134 includes a data buffer or data storage to store the audio signal 132. In one or more aspects, the comparison module 134 compares the audio signal 132 with the reference audio signals from the audio database 136 within the meter 104. In one or more aspects, the comparison module 134 is configured to compare the audio signal 132 to a reference audio signal from the audio database 136 using a direct signal to signal comparison, signature comparison, based on a decoded watermark comparison, or the like.

In various aspects, the audio database 136 includes a plurality of reference audio signals. In one or more aspects, the reference audio signals stored in the audio database 136 also include only one or more audio signals that correspond to an “ON” sound of an application playing and/or initiated on the media device. For example, the media device 102 may be a television, and the television may have an application specific startup sound, chime, tone, beep, or sequence of tones. In some aspects, the audio database 136 stores reference audio signals that correspond to the “ON” sounds of a plurality of media devices and to a plurality of “ON” sounds of applications opened and/or played. In some aspects, the audio database 136 is stored on the meter 104. In other aspects, the audio database 136 is accessible by the comparison module 134 of the meter 104, but the audio database 136 is stored on a server outside the media exposure environment 100.

III. Example Operations

The system 110 and/or the system 128 and/or components thereof can be configured to perform and/or can perform one or more operations. Examples of these operations and related features will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 4, with continuing reference to FIGS. 1-2, a method 138 for orienting a beamforming beam toward the media device 102 according to one or more instances is described. Method 138 is illustrated as a set of operations or blocks 140 through 150. Not all of the illustrated blocks 140 through 150 may be performed in all aspects of method 138. One or more blocks that are not expressly illustrated in FIG. 4 may be included before, after, in between, or as part of the blocks 140 through 150. In some aspects, one or more of the blocks 140 through 150 may be implemented, at least in part, by the system 110, in the form of executable code stored on non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media that when run by one or more processors may cause the one or more processors to perform one or more of the processes. In one or more aspects, the blocks in method 138 are performed within a computing system, within the system 110 in FIG. 2, as described herein.

In an example aspect, the method 138 includes: a media device powering on at a block 140; receiving, via a dongle coupled to the media device, a media device ON signal at a block 142; transmitting, using a transmitter in the dongle, a data packet associated with the media device ON signal to a meter at a block 144; receiving, via a receiver in the meter, the data packet at a block 146; orienting, based on receipt of the data packet, a beamforming beam toward the media device at a block 148; and receiving, after orienting and by the microphone array, audio signals from the media device for media identification at a block 150.

In various aspects, the block 140 includes sending power to the media device using a power source such as the power source 112. In several aspects, the block 140 includes producing a TV ON signal in response to receiving power at the media device. In some aspects, the media device is the media device 102. In one or more aspects, a panelist such as the first person 106 turns on the media device 102 such that the media device 102 receives power.

In some aspects, the block 142 occurs automatically in response to the block 140. In several aspects, the dongle is the dongle 114 and is plugged directly into a port of the media device 102. In several aspects, the block 142 includes receiving a media device ON signal and determining if the media device ON signal that has satisfied a stored or predetermined threshold value (for example, a stored signal strength or a wattage value). In some aspects, the dongle 114 includes a power detector 116 that is used to determine if the media device ON signal has satisfied the threshold value. In some aspects, at the block 142, the power detector 116 is used for determining if the media device 102 has power and/or is turned on. In some aspects, the media device ON signal is a TV ON signal.

In one or more aspects, the block 144 occurs after the block 142. In some aspects, the block 144 includes transmitting the data packet only if the power detector 116 detects enough power to satisfy the stored threshold value. In some aspects, the block 144 transmits over a network such as the network 120. In other aspects, the media device 102 is directly coupled to the meter 104. In some aspects, the data packet in block 144 is a Wi-Fi packet, a Bluetooth® data packet, a BLE data packet, or the like. In various aspects, the data packet in the block 144 indicates that the media device 102 is turned on and has power. In some aspects, the transmitter is the transmitter 118 of the dongle 114.

In several aspects, the block 146 occurs after the block 144. In some aspects, the receiver is the receiver 122 of the meter 104. In some aspects, the block 146 receives the data packet over the network 120. In one or more aspects, receiving the data packet associated with the media device ON signal alerts the meter 104 that the media device 102 may begin to produce audio signals associated with media content. In one or more aspects, the receiver-type (such as Bluetooth®) of the receiver 122 corresponds to the transmitter-type of the transmitter 118 (such as Bluetooth®).

In one or more aspects, an additional block is added to the method 138 in between the block 146 and the block 148. In some aspects, the additional block includes receiving by the microphone array, audio signals from the media device. In several aspects, the additional block occurs simultaneously with the block 148 or is incorporated into the block 148. In some instances, the additional block finds a new source of sound at the same time as the block 148 orients the beam DOA toward the source of the new sound. In some aspects, the new source of sound is set as sound from the media device 102 based on the recently received media device ON signal at the meter. In one or more aspects, the new source of sound may be dynamic as the sound outputs of the media device 102 may change, the location of the meter may be moved, which media device 102 is being used, and the like.

In some aspects, the block 148 occurs in response to receiving the data packet by the receiver 122. In some aspects, the data packet is a media device ON message that triggers the beamforming scanning module 124. The beamforming scanning module 124 may be implemented to orient the beamforming beam toward sound associated with media content from the media device 102. In some aspects, the data packet received by the receiver 122, at the block 146, includes DOA information. The DOA information may include information associated with where the media device ON message was sent from. In some aspects, the DOA and/or DOA information may be sent from the receiver 122 to the beamforming scanning module 124, so that the beamforming scanning module may use the DOA and/or the DOA information for beamforming at the block 148. In some instances, the receiver 122, which may be a Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi antenna array, calculates a direction for which the media device ON message is coming from (such as the direction of the transmitter 118 or a direction corresponding to a location where the data packet was transmitted from). Then the DOA is estimated based on the calculated direction. The DOA may be estimated using a variety of DOA estimation techniques, such as, but not limited to, minimum variance distortionless response (“MVDR”) or multiple signal classification (“MUSIC”) techniques that focus DOA estimation on specific frequencies that the message is being transmitted on. For example, MUSIC is a subspace-based direction-finding algorithm that can be used to estimate the DOA based on the direction computed from the receiver 122. In some aspects, a plurality of DOA estimation techniques is used to estimate the DOA. The estimated DOA may then be sent to the beamforming scanning module 124 for use at the block 148.

In one or more aspects, the block 148 includes turning on one or more components of the meter 104. In some aspects, the block 148 includes turning on the microphone array 126, which is configured to receive audio signals. In some aspects, the block 148 includes conducting beamforming to determine the location of the media device 102 rather than the location of other noises (such as a dog barking, a person singing, a dishwasher running, and the like). In some aspects, the block 148 includes selectively receiving a signal with a desired orientation (based on location of media device 102) to increase audio signals received from the media device. In some instances, the block 148 includes locating the media device 102 and/or the loudspeaker 103 within the media exposure environment 100. In one or more aspects, the block 148 includes using that location to define a desired orientation and/or beamforming beam's DOA. In one or more aspects, the location of the sound source (e.g., the media device 102 and the loudspeaker 103) is determined by receiving audio signals on a plurality of microphones in the microphone array 126 and determining phase information based on the time delays of the received audio signals to determine which direction has the strongest signal indicating a DOA corresponding to a location of the sound source. In some instances, the desired orientation and/or DOA is stored by the meter 104 for later use (such as in the block 150). In several instances, the desired orientation and/or DOA is stored with a timestamp or time indication.

In one or more aspects, the block 150 occurs after the block 148. In some aspects, the microphone array 126 receives audio signals from the media device 102 at the block 150 and the previously determined orientation and/or beamforming beam's DOA from the block 148 is used. In some aspects, one or more microphones of the microphone array 126 receive audio signals from the media device 102. In some aspects, block 150 includes receiving audio signals prior to orienting, and thus block 150 may occur simultaneously to one or more of the blocks 142 through 148. In some aspects, the block 150 is omitted. In some instances, if too much time has lapsed since the stored orientation/or the stored DOA was determined (for example, based on the time indication), the system 110 will determine a new orientation and/or a new beamforming beam's DOA based on the new source of sound. In several aspects, the next time the media device 102 is turned on, then the method 138 repeats and a new orientation and/or a new beamforming beam's DOA will be stored.

In various aspects, the method 138 will repeat when the media device 102 is turned on again at the block 140 and produces a media device ON signal. In some aspects, the method 138 occurs for a plurality of media devices. For example, the method 138 may occur when a television is turned on by the first person 106 in the media exposure environment 100; and then, the method 138 may occur when the second person 108 in the media exposure environment 100 starts a radio. The radio and the television may both have a respective dongle. In some aspects, re-orienting the beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker 103 and/or the media device 102 occurs after a set amount of time if no new media device ON signal has been detected during the set amount of time. In some instances, the set amount of time is a configurable parameter (such as two hours, twelve hours, twenty-four hours, and the like). In some instances, the block 148 is skipped if the block 148 had recently (e.g., five minutes prior) been performed. In some instances, the method 152 includes an additional block for storing the orientation and/or the DOA of the block 164 to be used as a default until a new orientation and/or new DOA is determined. In some instances, a new orientation and/or new DOA is determined when the meter 104 and/or the media device 102 is moved or restarted. In some aspects, the system 110 includes components of the system 128 such as the loudspeaker 103.

Referring to FIG. 5, with continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, a method 152 for orienting a beamforming beam toward the media device 102 according to one or more instances is described. Method 152 is illustrated as a set of operations or blocks 154 through 168. Not all of the illustrated blocks 154 through 168 may be performed in all aspects of method 152. One or more blocks that are not expressly illustrated in FIG. 5 may be included before, after, in between, or as part of the blocks 154 through 168. In some aspects, one or more of the blocks 154 through 168 may be implemented, at least in part, by the system 128, in the form of executable code stored on non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media that when run by one or more processors may cause the one or more processors to perform one or more of the processes. In one or more aspects, the blocks in method 152 are performed within a computing system, within the system 128 in FIG. 3, as described herein.

In an example aspect, the method 152 includes: a media device powering on at a block 154; producing, in response to turning on the media device, an audio signal by a loudspeaker operably coupled to the media device at a block 156; receiving, using a microphone array of a meter, the audio signal at a block 158; comparing the audio signal to a stored audio signal in a database of audio signals at a block 160; determining if the audio signal matches the stored audio signal at a block 162, if there is a match, then proceed to a block 164 for orienting at least one beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker of the media device; and then to a block 166 for receiving, by the microphone array, audio signals from the loudspeaker for media identification; and if there is no match, then proceed to a block 164 for ending the method 152.

In various aspects, the block 154 includes sending power to the media device using a power source such as the power source 112. In some aspects, the media device is the media device 102. In one or more aspects, a panelist such as the first person 106 turns on the media device 102 such that the media device 102 receives power.

In several aspects, the block 156 includes producing the same audio signal each time the media device 102 is turned on. In some aspects, the same audio signal is based on the make and/or model of the media device 102. In several aspects, the same audio signal is an audio sound for a media device company. In one or more aspects, the block 156 includes producing the audio signal such as the audio signal 132 using a loudspeaker such as the loudspeaker 103. In some aspects, the audio signal that is generated is the same for each time the media device 102 is turned on; however, the location of where the sound is produced changes based on the selected sound output of the media device 102 such as using external surround sound loudspeakers versus internal loudspeakers of a media device 102. In some aspects, at the block 156 the loudspeaker 103 is wirelessly coupled to the media device. In other aspects, the loudspeaker 103 at the block 156 is integrated into the media device 102. In yet other examples, the loudspeaker 103 may be connected to the media device 102 via a wired connection such as with a sound bar.

In some aspects, the block 158 receives using the microphone array 126 of the meter 104 the audio signal 132 in response to the block 156. In some aspects, the microphone array 126 is constantly scanning for audio signals. In other aspects, the microphone array 126 is scanning for audio signals at regular intervals. In one or more aspects, the microphone array 126 may be scanning for audio signals because a media ON signal was received as described herein.

In various aspects, the block 160 includes comparing the audio signal 132 to one or more stored audio signals in the audio database 136. In one or more aspects, the audio signal 132 is compared directly to one or more audio signals stored in the audio database 136. In some aspects, the audio signal 132 is compared to one or more audio signals stored in the audio database 136 using watermark decoding to determine a match. In one or more aspects, the audio signal 132 is compared to one or more of the audio signals stored in the audio database 136 using signature generation. In some aspects, the audio database 136 is stored on the meter 104, and the block 160 occurs at the meter 104. In one or more aspects, the block 160 occurs at the comparison module 134 in the meter 104. In other aspects, the audio signal 132 is sent over a network (such as network 120) to a server for the comparison at the block 160. In other aspects, the meter 104 calls information from the audio database 136 when the audio database 136 is remote from the meter 104. In some aspects, the comparison of the block 160 generates a percent match. In one or more aspects, the comparison at the block 160 generates a comparison value which represents the confidence level of a match to be later compared to a stored threshold value to determine if a match is present. The comparison value may be determined by a direct comparison of audio signals, a comparison of signatures, or a comparison based on a decoded watermark. In some aspects, a plurality of audio signals from the audio database 136 is compared to the audio signal 132 at the comparison module 134.

In one or more aspects, the block 162 occurs immediately and in response to the block 160. In several aspects, the block 162 determines if the audio signal 132 matches one of the stored audio signals in the audio database 136. In some aspects, the determination of the block 162 is based on if the comparison value satisfies the pre-stored threshold. For example, if the comparison value is 17 out of 100 and the pre-stored threshold value is 65, then the 17 does not satisfy the threshold value, and the block 162 would determine a no match and proceed to the block 168. In one or more instances, the block 162 determines a match or a no match. In some aspects, the determination of the block 162 is based on a percentage value. For example, if comparing the audio signal 132 to the stored audio signal produced a 75% match, then at the block 162, a match is determined and proceeds to block 164.

In several aspects, a match is determined at the block 162, and proceeds to the block 164 for orienting at least one beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker 103 of the media device 102 using the beamforming scanning module 124. In one or more aspects, the at least one beamforming beam is oriented toward the media device 102.

In one or more aspects, the block 166 occurs after the block 164. In some instances, the microphone array 126 receives audio signals from the loudspeaker 103 of the media device 102 for media identification. In several examples, the microphone array 126 then beamforms the received audio signals based on the location of the media device 102 and/or the loudspeakers 130 of the media device. In one or more aspects, during the method 152, the microphone array 126 is collecting and storing audio signals in a data buffer for processing based on the determination of the block 162. In some instances, the block 166 occurs prior to and/or simultaneously to the block 164. For example, if a match is found, then beamforming is used to orient the stored audio signals toward the loudspeaker 103 of the media device 102. In some instances, the block 164 and the block 166 occur simultaneously and include locating a new source of the sound at the same time as orienting the beam DOA toward the source of the new sound. In some aspects, locating the new source of the sound is determined based on the media device ON sound.

In some aspects, a match is not determined at the block 162, and proceeds to the block 168 to end the method 152. In some instances, the microphone array 126 has been collecting audio signals during the method 152, if no match is found for the initial audio signal with any of the audio signals of the audio database 136, then the later-received audio signals, which may be stored in a data buffer, are deleted.

In various aspects, the method 152 will repeat when the media device 102 is turned on again at the block 154 and produces a new audio signal (the media ON sound). In some aspects, the method 152 occurs for a plurality of media devices. For example, the method 152 may occur when a television is turned on by the first person 106 in the media exposure environment 100; and then, the method 170 may occur when a second person 108 in the media exposure environment 100 starts a sound system coupled to the radio that has a specific start sound. In some aspects, re-orienting the beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker 103 and/or the media device 102 occurs after a set amount of time if no new media ON sound has been detected during the set amount of time. For example, some media devices may not have a start sound or the start sound is silenced via a setting of the media device 102. In some instances, the set amount of time is a configurable parameter (such as two hours, twelve hours, twenty-four hours, and the like). In some instances, the method 152 includes an additional block for storing the orientation and/or beamforming beam's DOA of the block 164 to be used as a default until a new orientation and/or new DOA is determined. In some aspects, the system 128 includes components of the system 110 such that the method 138 is used in conjunction with the method 152.

Referring to FIG. 6, with continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, a method 170 for orienting a beamforming beam toward the media device 102 according to one or more instances is described. Method 170 is illustrated as a set of operations or blocks 172 through 186. Not all of the illustrated blocks 172 through 186 may be performed in all aspects of method 170. One or more blocks that are not expressly illustrated in FIG. 6 may be included before, after, in between, or as part of the blocks 172 through 186. In some aspects, one or more of the blocks 172 through 186 may be implemented, at least in part, by the system 128, in the form of executable code stored on non-transitory, tangible, machine-readable media that when run by one or more processors may cause the one or more processors to perform one or more of the processes. In one or more aspects, the blocks in method 170 are performed within a computing system, within the system 128 in FIG. 3, as described herein.

In an example aspect, the method 170 includes: launching an application on a media device on at a block 172; producing, in response to turning on the application, an audio signal by a loudspeaker operably coupled to the media device at a block 174; receiving, using a microphone array of a meter, the audio signal at a block 176; comparing the audio signal to a stored audio signal in a database of audio signals associated with application start sounds at a block 178; determining if the audio signal matches the stored audio signal at a block 180, if there is a match, then proceed to a block 182 for orienting at least one beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker of the media device; and then to a block 184 for receiving, by the microphone array, audio signals from the loudspeaker for media identification; and if there is no match, then proceed to a block 186 for ending the method 170.

In one or more aspects, the block 172 includes a panelist such as the first person 106 turning on the media device 102 such that the media device 102 receives power and then selects an application (such as a streaming site like Netflix®, Peacock®, and Hulu®) to launch. In In various aspects, the block 172 may include sending power to the media device using a power source such as the power source 112. In some aspects, the media device is the media device 102. In some instances, the application may be for any form of media entertainment such as, but not limited to: TV streaming, music streaming, video streaming, video game streaming, and the like.

In several aspects, the block 174 includes producing the same audio signal each time the particular application on the media device 102 is turned on. In one or more aspects, each application has a respective audio signal. In several aspects, the audio signal is an audio sound for a respective application that indicates the application is loading and/or starting. In some aspects, if turning on the application does not produce an audio signal, then the method 170 ends at the block 172. In one or more aspects, the block 172 includes producing the audio signal such as the audio signal 132 using a loudspeaker such as the loudspeaker 103. In some aspects, the audio signal that is generated is the same for each time the application is turned on using the media device 102; however, the location of where the sound is produced changes based on the selected sound output of the media device 102 such as using external surround sound loudspeakers versus internal loudspeakers of a media device 102. In some aspects, at the block 174, the loudspeaker 103 is wirelessly coupled to the media device 102. In other aspects, the loudspeaker 103 at the block 174 is integrated into the media device 102. In yet other examples, the loudspeaker 103 may be connected to the media device 102 via a wired connection such as with a sound bar.

In some aspects, the block 176 receives using the microphone array 126 of the meter 104 the audio signal 132 in response to the block 156. In some aspects, the microphone array 126 is constantly scanning for audio signals at regular intervals. In one or more aspects, the microphone array 126 may be scanning for audio signals because a media ON signal was received as described herein. In some aspects, the microphone array 126 may be scanning for audio signals because a media device ON sound was received as described herein.

In various aspects, the block 178 includes comparing the audio signal 132 to one or more stored audio signals in the audio database 136. The audio signals in the audio database 136, in some instances, are a set of stored application start audio signals and/or audio data associated with application start sounds. In some aspects, the audio database 136 is stored on the meter 104, and the block 160 occurs at the meter 104. In one or more aspects, the block 160 occurs at the comparison module 134 in the meter 104. In other aspects, the audio signal 132 is sent over a network (such as network 120) to a server for the comparison at the block 178. In other aspects, the meter 104 calls information from the audio database 136 when the audio database 136 is remote from the meter 104. In some aspects, the comparison of the block 178 generates a percent match. In one or more aspects, the comparison at the block 178 generates a comparison value which represents the confidence level of a match to be later compared to a stored threshold value to determine if a match is present. In some aspects, a plurality of audio signals from the audio database 136 is compared to the audio signal 132 at the comparison module 134.

In one or more aspects, the block 180 occurs immediately and in response to the block 178. In several aspects, the block 180 determines if the audio signal 132 matches one of the stored audio signals in the audio database 136. In some aspects, the determination of the block 180 is based on if the comparison value satisfies the pre-stored threshold. For example, if the comparison value is 66 out of 100 and the pre-stored threshold value is 65, then the 66 does satisfy the threshold value, and the block 180 would determine a match, and the method 170 proceeds to the block 182. In one or more instances, the block 180 determines a match or a no match. In some aspects, the determination of the block 180 is based on a percentage value. For example, if comparing the audio signal 132 to the stored audio signal produced a 25% match, then at the block 180, a no match is determined, and the method 170 proceeds to the block 186. In some aspects, the block 180 compares the audio signal 132 to only one stored audio signal. In other aspects, the block 180 compares the audio signal 132 to a plurality of stored audio signals to determine a match. In some instances, the comparison of the audio signal 132 with respective audio signals of the audio database 136 having the greatest match is then used in the block 182.

In several aspects, a match is determined at the block 180, and proceeds to the block 182 for orienting at least one beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker 103 of the media device 102 using the beamforming scanning module 124. In one or more aspects, the at least one beamforming beam is oriented toward the media device 102.

In one or more aspects, the block 184 occurs after the block 182. In some instances, the microphone array 126 receives audio signals from the loudspeaker 103 of the media device 102 for media identification. In several examples, the microphone array 126 then beamforms the received audio signals based on the location of the media device 102 and/or the loudspeakers 130 of the media device 102. In one or more aspects, during the method 170, the microphone array 126 is collecting and storing audio signals in a data buffer for processing based on the determination of the block 180. In some instances, the block 184 occurs prior to and/or simultaneously to the block 182. For example, if a match is found, then beamforming is used to orient the stored audio signals toward the loudspeaker 103 of the media device 102. In some instances, the block 182 and the block 184 occur simultaneously and include locating a new source of the sound at the same time as orienting the beam DOA toward the source of the new sound. In some aspects, locating the new source of the sound is determined based on the start ON sound of the application of the media device 102. In some aspects, the new source of the sound is the media device 102 and/or the loudspeaker 103.

In some aspects, a match is not determined at the block 180, and proceeds to the block 186 to end the method 152. In some instances, rather than proceeding to the block 186, an additional block is used to determine if any other audio signals from the audio database 136 should be compared to the audio signal 132, if so, then after the additional block, the method 170 proceeds to the block 178 to compare the audio signal 132 with the next audio signal from the audio database 136, and if not, then the method 170 proceeds to the block 186. In some instances, the microphone array 126 has been collecting audio signals during the method 170, if no match is found for the initial audio signal with any of the audio signals of the audio database 136, then the later-received audio signals, which may be stored in a data buffer, are deleted.

In some aspects, the method 170 repeats when a new application is turned on in the media exposure environment 100. In some aspects, the method 170 occurs for a plurality of media devices. For example, the method 170 may occur when a first application is launched on a television by the first person 106 in the media exposure environment 100; and then, the method 170 may occur when the second person 108 in the media exposure environment 100 launches a second application on her mobile device. In some aspects, re-orienting the beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker 103 and/or the media device 102 occurs after a set amount of time if no new application start sound has been detected during the set amount of time. In some instances, the time is configurable parameter (such as two hours, twelve hours, twenty-four hours, and the like). In some instances, the method 170 includes an additional block for storing the orientation and/or beamforming beam's DOA of the block 182 to be used as a default until a new orientation and/or DOA is determined. In some aspects, the system 128 includes components of the system 110 such that the method 138 is used in conjunction with the method 170. For example, when the meter 104 determines that the media device 102 is turned on based on receiving the data packets, the meter 104 may begin to turn on the microphone array 126 in order to detect application start sounds at the block 176 and the beamforming scanning module 124 to orient at least one beamforming beam toward the loudspeaker of the media device at the block 182.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 4-6, in some aspects, an additional block is included for the methods 138, 152, and/or 170 for media identification of the audio signals received at the block 184.

In several instances, the additional block includes watermark decoding. In some aspects, watermark decoding is done after the blocks 150, 166, and/or 184. In some instances, this additional block decodes the watermark embedded in the audio information captured by the microphone array 126. In one or more aspects, a server identifies the media using the watermark.

In several aspects, the additional block includes signature generation. In one or more aspects, the meter