HK1217587B - A computer-implemented method and a portable processing device - Google Patents

Description

Computer-implemented method and portable processing device

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to processor-based audience analytics. More particularly, the present disclosure describes systems and methods for controlling and/or regulating data scanning and retrieval and audio monitoring using wireless data signals.

Background Art

Wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have become an important part of data transmission for portable processing devices. Bluetooth is a proprietary, open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed or mobile devices and for creating personal area networks (PANs) with a high level of security. Bluetooth uses a wireless technology called frequency-hopping spread spectrum, which segments the data being transmitted and transmits portions of it across up to 79 frequency bands (1 MHz per band, preferably centered around 2402-2480 MHz) within the range of 2400-2483.5 MHz (with guard bands). This range is within the global, unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz short-range wireless band. Gaussian frequency-shift keying (GFSK) modulation is used, however, higher-level techniques (such as π/4-DQPSK and 8DPSK modulation) can also be used between compatible devices. Devices with GFSK functionality are said to operate in "Basic Rate" (BR) mode, in which instantaneous data rates of 1 Mbit/s are possible. "Enhanced Data Rate" (EDR) is used to describe the π/4-DQPSK and 8DPSK schemes, each providing 2Mbit/s and 3Mbit/s respectively. The combination of these (BR and EDR) modes in Bluetooth wireless technology is classified as a "BR/EDR radio".

Bluetooth is a packet-based protocol with a master-slave architecture. In a piconet, one master device can communicate with up to seven slave devices, preferably all sharing the master's clock. Packet exchange is based on a base clock defined by the master device, which can be marked at intervals of 312.5 microseconds. In the simple example of a single-slot packet, the master device transmits in even slots and receives in odd slots; conversely, the slave device receives in even slots and transmits in odd slots. Packets can be 1, 3, or 5 slots long, but in all cases the master device will begin transmitting in an even slot and the slave device will transmit in an odd slot.

Bluetooth provides a secure way to connect and exchange information between devices such as faxes, mobile phones, phones, laptops, personal computers, printers, global positioning system (GPS) receivers, digital cameras, and video game consoles. At any given time, data can be transmitted between a master device and one of the other devices. The master device can choose which slave device to send to and can quickly switch from one device to another in a polling manner. In the field of computer processors, Bluetooth is typically used to operably connect devices to computer processors. In other cases, Bluetooth signals are used to "unlock" computer processors when an enabled device is in a specific proximity.

One area where improvement is needed is in the field of media exposure tracking and network analytics. To date, Bluetooth has been relatively underutilized in this area. What is needed are methods, systems, and apparatus that utilize Bluetooth signal characteristics in combination with media exposure data to generate research data that accurately identifies and characterizes devices and their respective users. Furthermore, it has been discovered that Bluetooth and WiFi communications can be advantageously used to control the functionality of portable wireless devices to provide efficient operation of one or more devices.

Summary of the Invention

Thus, an apparatus, system, and method for computer-implemented techniques for modifying the operation of a portable processing device configured to scan for wireless signals at a first scan rate are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a first wireless signal is received in a portable processing device and a characteristic of the first wireless signal is determined. Next, the characteristic of the first wireless signal is processed to determine whether it matches a predetermined characteristic. If the processing step confirms that the characteristic matches the predetermined characteristic, the operation of the portable processing device is modified, wherein the modification includes at least one of (i) modifying the first scan rate to a second scan rate that is different from the first scan rate and (ii) activating a monitoring capability in the portable processing device to collect research data about media data.

In another exemplary embodiment, a portable processing device is configured to scan for wireless signals at a first scanning rate, the portable processing device comprising: a memory; a microphone operably connected to the memory; an input operably connected to the memory, wherein the input is configured to receive a first wireless signal; a processor operably connected to the input, wherein the processor is configured to determine a characteristic of the first wireless signal and process the characteristic to determine whether it matches a predetermined characteristic, wherein the processor is further configured to modify the operation of the portable processing device if the characteristic matches the predetermined characteristic, wherein the modification includes (i) modifying the first scanning rate to a second scanning rate, the second scanning rate being different from the first scanning rate and (ii) activating a monitoring capability in the portable processing device to collect at least one of research data regarding media data received via the microphone.

In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method for modifying the operation of a portable processing device is disclosed, wherein the method includes the following steps: constructing the device to perform a first scanning rate to detect wireless signals; receiving the first wireless signal in the portable processing device; determining a characteristic of the first wireless signal; processing the characteristic to determine whether it matches a predetermined characteristic; detecting the presence of media data in the portable processing device; and if the processing step determines that the characteristic matches the predetermined characteristic, modifying the operation of the portable processing device, wherein the modification includes (i) modifying the first scanning rate to a second scanning rate, which is different from the first scanning rate and (ii) activating a monitoring capability in the portable processing device to collect at least one of research data about the media data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG1 illustrates an exemplary system of one embodiment in which media data is provided from a network to a processing device in the vicinity of a plurality of portable devices;

FIG2 illustrates an exemplary Bluetooth protocol stack for communications;

FIG3 shows an exemplary service discovery process;

FIG4 illustrates an exemplary authentication mechanism for a connected device;

FIG5 is an exemplary flow chart for monitoring RSSI Bluetooth signal characteristics;

FIG6 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a portable device utilized in the present disclosure;

FIG7 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a portable device configured to monitor media data communicated with multiple wireless transmitters; and

FIG8 is an exemplary flow diagram of wireless transmitter communications for a portable device in one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure generally addresses the collection of research data related to media and media data from portable computing devices using wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Furthermore, the present disclosure addresses portable computing devices configured to collect research data using wireless technologies. Regarding the collection of research data, FIG1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 comprising a computer processing device 101 and multiple portable computing devices (102-104) in proximity to the processing device 101. In this example, the processing device 101 is exemplified by a personal computer, while the portable computing devices 102-104 are exemplified by Bluetooth-enabled, Wi-Fi-enabled, or other wireless-enabled cellular phones. An example of a portable computing device is shown below in conjunction with FIG6 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other similar devices may also be used. For example, the processing device 101 may also be a laptop computer, a computer tablet, a set-top box, a media player, a network-enabled television or DVD player, etc. The portable computing devices 102-104 may also be laptop computers, PDAs, computer tablets, personal program recorders ^™ (PPMs), wireless phones, etc.

In a preferred embodiment, processing device 101 is connected to content source 125 via network 110 to obtain media data. As used herein, the terms "media data" and "media" mean data that is generally accessible, whether over the air, via cable, satellite, network, internet network (including the Internet), displayed on a storage medium, distributed, or by any other means or technology perceptible to humans, regardless of the form or content of such data, and include, but are not limited to, audio, video, audio/video, text, images, animation, databases, broadcasts, displays (including but not limited to video displays), web pages, and streaming media. When media is received on processing device 101, analysis software located on processing device 101 collects information related to the media data received from content source 125 and may also collect data related to network 110.

Data associated with the media data may include "cookies" (also known as HTTP cookies) that provide state information (a memory of previous events) from the user's browser and return state information to the collection site, which may be content source 125 or collection site 121 (or both). The state information may be used to identify the user session, authentication, user preferences, shopping cart contents, or anything else that can be accomplished by storing text data on the user's computer.

Referring back to the example of FIG1 , media data is received on processing device 101. While receiving the media data, portable computing devices 102-104 are nearby and configured to establish Bluetooth communication ("pairing") with processing device 101. After Bluetooth communication is established, processing device 101 collects Bluetooth signal characteristics from each portable computing device. In a preferred embodiment, the Bluetooth signal characteristics relate to status parameters of the Bluetooth connection, along with any other signal strength values available in the Bluetooth Core Specification. The Host Controller Interface (HCI) (discussed in detail below) provides access to three such connection status parameters: Link Quality (LQ), Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), and Transmit Power Level (TPL). All of these status parameters require active Bluetooth connection establishment to be measured. Another signal parameter, called "Query Result with RSSI," is also used interchangeably, where the parameter detects the RSSI from responses sent by nearby devices.

Simply put, Link Quality (LQ) is an 8-bit unsigned integer that evaluates the link quality as perceived by the receiver. It ranges from 0 to 255, with higher values indicating better link status. For most Bluetooth modules, it is derived from the average bit error rate (BER) observed at the receiver and is continuously updated as packets are received. The Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is an 8-bit signed integer that indicates the received (RX) power level and can also indicate whether the level is within, above, or below the Golden Receive Power Range (GRPR), considered the ideal RX power range. As a simplified example, when multipath propagation is present, RSSI is generally based on the line-of-sight (LOS) field strength and the reflected signal strength, where the overall strength is proportional to the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave's E field. Therefore, when there is minimal reflected interference, RSSI can be determined as 20log(LOS + RS), where LOS is the line-of-sight signal strength and RS is the reflected signal. When reflected interference is introduced, RSSI becomes 20log(LOS - RS).

The Transmit Power Level (TPL) is an 8-bit signed integer that specifies the transmit power level of the Bluetooth module (in dBm). While there are instances where a transmitter will use its device-specific default power setting to initiate or respond to an inquiry, its TPL may vary during a connection due to possible power control. "Inquiry Result with RSSI" operates similarly to a typical inquiry. In addition to other parameters typically obtained through a normal inquiry (e.g., Bluetooth device address, clock offset), it also provides an RSSI value. Since it does not require an active connection, the radio layer simply monitors the RX power level of the current inquiry response from a nearby device and infers the corresponding RSSI.

For system 100, transmission can occur from direct voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) modulation to final radio frequency (RF) down-mixed IQ. In the receiver, a conventional discriminator or IQ down-conversion combined with analog-to-digital conversion is used. The Bluetooth configuration of each of the portable computing devices 102-104 and the processing device 101 includes a wireless unit, a baseband link control unit, and link management software. Higher-level software entities focusing on collaborative capabilities features and functions are also included. Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) functionality can also be used to combine phase shift keying (PSK) modulation mechanisms to obtain data rates of 2Mb/s or 3Mb/s. Because the bandwidth is increased, it is more likely that multiple devices can be used on the same connection. Since the duty cycle of EDR is reduced, the power consumption is lower than that of a standard Bluetooth link.

As mentioned above, the processing device 101 collects Bluetooth signal characteristics from each portable computing device (102-104). At the same time, the processing device 101 is equipped with software and/or hardware that allows it to measure media data exposure (e.g., digital signatures, QR scans, web browsing sessions, etc.) over a given period of time to generate research data. The term "research data" as used herein refers to data including (1) data about media data usage, (2) data about media data exposure, and/or (3) market research data. In a preferred embodiment, when the processing device 101 detects media data activity, a timer task is triggered to run for a predetermined period of time (e.g., X minutes) until the activity ends. At this time, a discovery of paired devices is performed to locate each paired device. Preferably, the UID of each device is known in advance. For each discovered and paired device, the processing device 101 records each Bluetooth signal characteristic used for the connection until the session ends. Thereafter, the signal characteristics collected for each device and the research data obtained from the session are forwarded to the collection server 121 for further processing and/or analysis. The collection server 121 may also be communicatively connected to the server 120, which may be configured to provide further processing and/or analysis, generate reports, provide content back to the processing device 101, and other functions. Of course, these functions may be readily incorporated into the collection server 121 according to the needs and requirements of the designer.

FIG2 shows an exemplary Bluetooth protocol stack for communication in the embodiment of FIG1 . Generally, the transition is implemented from hardware and firmware (lower layers) to execution in software (higher layers). If each of these layer groups is an independent entity (such as a PC card and a notebook computer), they can communicate with each other through a host controller interface 213 (HCI) that provides a path for data, audio, and control signals between the Bluetooth module and the host.

The radio 210 completes the physical layer by providing bidirectional communication between the transmitter and receiver. Data packets are collected and fed back to the radio 210 via the baseband/link controller 211. The link controller 211 provides more complex state operations (such as standby, connection, and low power modes). The baseband and link controller functions are combined into one layer to conform to their terms in the Bluetooth specification. The link manager 212 provides link control and configuration through a low-level language called the Link Manager Protocol (LMP).

Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol (L2CAP) 214 establishes a virtual channel between hosts, allowing a host to track several simultaneous sessions (e.g., multiple file transfers). L2CAP 214 also extracts application data and breaks it into Bluetooth-sized chunks for transmission, and reverses this process for received data. Radio Frequency Communications (RFCOMM) 215 is a Bluetooth serial port emulator, whose primary purpose is to "design" applications 220 to consider using a wired serial port instead of an RF link. Finally, various software routines required for different Bluetooth usage models enable native applications 220 to use Bluetooth. These include Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) 219, Object Exchange (OBEX) 216, Telephony Control Protocol Specification (TCS) 218, and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 217. The Bluetooth radio 210 and baseband/link controller 211 comprise hardware typically available as one or two integrated circuits. A firmware-based link manager 212 and one end of the host controller interface 213, perhaps with a bus driver for connecting to the host, complete the Bluetooth module shown in FIG. The rest of the protocol stack and the host side of HCI 213 may be implemented in software on the host itself.

Figure 3 shows an exemplary Bluetooth discovery process using various baseband layers (320, 321) with "Device A" 310 and "Device B" 311. Here, device A 310 initiates service discovery, while device B 311 establishes communication to make itself discoverable. A service discovery application can be used to assist in this process based on access profiles stored in each device.

The initial link process 312 begins with inter-device inquiry and paging to establish a piconet. In Figure 3, device A 310 is configured as a prospective slave (p-slave), and device B 311 is the prospective master (p-master). As a p-master, device B 311 must send its frequency hopping synchronization (FHS) packet to device A 310 so that it can use the same hopping sequence and phase as the master. Preferably, a predetermined hopping sequence or set of sequences is used for paging and inquiry. For inquiry, the p-master can be unaware of nearby devices. This allows all devices to use a single, common hopping sequence (one for sending inquiries and another for responding to inquiries) for initial device discovery. In response to the inquiry, the p-slave sends its FHS packet, which further identifies its Bluetooth device address (BD_ADDR) within the FHS packet for use by the piconet and scatternet. The p-master can now create a new hopping sequence based on the BD_ADDR to send subsequent pages and establish a piconet with the p-slave.

Queries sent and replied to by devices are typically sent at device-specific default power settings. As a result, signal characteristics (such as RSSI collected through queries) are relatively free of the side effects of power control. Therefore, obtaining RSSI based on queries can provide a more refined measurement than RSSI based on connections.

To establish channel 313, the set of hopping channels and the hopping sequence used by the channel set can be determined by the lower 28 bits of the device's BD_ADDR, while the hopping phase can be determined by the 27 most significant bits of CLK. These two values are sent to a frequency hopping generator, whose output is fed into the Bluetooth radio's frequency synthesizer. To establish communication, devices A and B must use the same hopping channel, using the same hopping sequence and phase for different channels so they can hop together. Furthermore, one device must transmit while the other receives at the same frequency, and vice versa. Multiple hopping sequences and cycles are configured to cover inquiry, paging, and connection activities. These include a channel hopping sequence (used for normal piconet communication between master and slave devices), a page hopping sequence (used by a p-master device to send pages to a specific p-slave device and respond to the slave's replies), a page response sequence (used by a p-slave device to respond to a p-master device's page), an inquiry hopping sequence (used by a p-master device to send inquiries to discover Bluetooth devices within range), and an inquiry response sequence (used by a p-slave device to respond to a p-master device's inquiries).

Service discovery 314 is used to obtain the information required to set up a transmission service or usage scenario. It can also be used to access a device and obtain its capabilities or access a specific application and discover devices that support the application. Acquiring capabilities requires paging the device and forming an asynchronous connectionless link (ACL) to obtain the required information, while accessing the application involves connecting to some devices discovered by querying and obtaining information from them. Therefore, service discovery can be used to browse services on a specific device, search and discover services based on required attributes, and/or incrementally search the service list of a device to limit the amount of data to be exchanged. An L2CAP channel with a protocol service multiplexer (PSM) is used to exchange service-related information. Service discovery can have both client and server implementations, with at most one service discovery server on any device. However, if the device is only a client, it does not need to have a service discovery server. Each service is preferably listed in the device's SOP database as a service record with a unique ServiceRecordHandle, and each attribute of the service record is assigned an attribute ID and an attribute value. Attributes include various categories, descriptors, and names related to the service record. After service discovery is completed, the channel is released 315.

FIG4 illustrates an exemplary authentication configuration 400 in which a Bluetooth pairing service 415 sends an API call to a Bluetooth stack 410 and receives a pairing event in return. The Bluetooth stack 410 sends an API call to a Bluetooth helper service/function 411, which receives a discovery enable signal (inquiry, page scan) from the Bluetooth pairing service 415. Bluetooth pairing information for the pairing service 415 is communicated from a persistence/settings manager 413 and a paired device list 412, which preferably retrieves information from a system registry 414. The Bluetooth pairing service 415 forwards the information to a device application 417 and may also retrieve a profile service 416 and communicate this to the application 417.

The authentication process verifies the identity of the device at the other end of the link. The authenticator queries the supplicant and verifies its response; if correct, authentication is successful. Authentication can be used to grant access to all services, a subset of services, or some services when authentication is successful, but some require additional authentication based on user input on the client device for further services. This last step is typically performed at the application layer. For the Bluetooth pairing service 415, two devices become paired when they start with the same PIN and generate the same link key, which is then used to authenticate at least for the current communication session. This session can occur during an L2CAP link (for Mode 2 security) or an ACL link (for Mode 3 security). If both devices already have the same stored PIN, from which the same link key can be derived for authentication, pairing can occur through an automatic authentication process. Alternatively, one or both applications can request manual PIN entry from their respective users. Once the devices are paired, they can either store their link keys for subsequent authentication or discard them and repeat the pairing process each time they connect. If the link key is stored, the devices are "bonded," enabling future authentications using the same link key without requiring the user to re-enter the PIN. The concept of "trust" applies to the authentication of a device to access a specific service on another device. Trusted devices are previously authenticated and, based on this authentication, are granted access to various services. Untrusted devices may be authenticated but may require further action (such as user intervention for a password) before being granted access to the service. Additionally, encryption may be used to further enhance the security of the connection.

FIG5 discloses an exemplary process for linking exposure to media data using the aforementioned Bluetooth signal characteristics. Initially, a network session 520 begins, triggering Bluetooth pairing of a nearby device 510. Once paired, a Bluetooth signal characteristic 511 ("BSig") is initially received. If the device is already paired and/or bonded, the process begins by acquiring the Bluetooth signal characteristic 511. A discovery process then executes 512 to acquire information for transmitting services or usage scenarios. This process can also be used to access devices and learn their capabilities, or to access specific applications and find devices that support them. In one embodiment, a timer is used for media data exposure, where the timer can be set for a specific period or alternatively can be set to correspond to a network session or other event. When the timer 513 expires, the process ends at 517. Otherwise, the process proceeds to 514, where the pairing is verified to ensure that the Bluetooth device has not moved out of range or compromised connectivity. If the pairing verification yields a negative result, the process continues by searching for the device within the period 513 using 512. If the pairing verification is positive, the Bluetooth signal characteristics are recorded 515 and stored 516 for the duration of the measurement (513). It should be understood that the BSig block 515 may include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value, a transmit power level (TPL) value, and/or a link quality (LQ) value.

It is to be understood that the above examples are provided as examples and are not intended to be limiting in any way. In alternative embodiments, Bluetooth signal strength may be approximated to determine distance. As explained above, the RSSI value provides the distance between the received signal strength and the optimal receiver power rank, referred to as the "golden receiver power rank". The golden receiver power rank is defined by two thresholds. The lower threshold may be defined by a 6 dB offset relative to the actual sensitivity of the receiver. The maximum value of this value is predefined to be -56 dBm. The upper threshold may be 20 dB higher than the lower threshold, where the accuracy of the upper threshold is approximately ±6 dB. When S is assigned as the received signal strength, the value of S is determined by (1) S = RSSI + T _U for RSSI>0 and (2) S = RSSI - T _L for RSSI<0 (where T _U = T _L + 20 dB). Here, T _U refers to the upper threshold and T _L refers to the lower threshold. The definition of the Bluetooth golden receiver limits the measurement of RSSI to a certain distance. In order to measure the most unique characteristics of the signal, only measurements that result in the positive range of RSSI should be considered for function approximation. The approximation may be calculated by selecting a best-fitting function obtained by determining and minimizing the parameters of the least-squares sum of the signal strength measurements.

With respect to media data exposure measurements, preferred embodiments collect research data on a computer processing device, associate it with collected Bluetooth signal characteristics, and (a) send the research data and Bluetooth signal characteristics to a remote server (e.g., collection server 121) for processing, (b) perform processing of the research data and Bluetooth signal characteristics in the computer processing device itself and communicate the results to the remote server, or (c) distribute the association/processing of the research data and Bluetooth signal characteristics between the computer processing device and the remote server.

In another embodiment, one or more remote servers are responsible for collecting research data related to media data exposure. When Bluetooth signal characteristics are received from a computer processing device, the signal characteristics are associated with the research data (e.g., using a timestamp) and processed. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when remote media data exposure techniques are used to generate research data. One technique, known as "log file analysis," reads the log files in which a web server records all its transactions. A second technique, known as "page tagging," uses JavaScript on each page to notify a third-party server when paging is implemented by a web browser. Both techniques collect data that can be processed to generate network traffic reports along with Bluetooth signal characteristics. In some cases, using a third-party data collection server (or even an in-house data collection server) to collect website data requires an additional DNS lookup by the user's computer to determine the collection server's IP address. As an alternative to log file analysis and page tagging, a "callback" from the implemented page to the server can be used to generate research data. In this case, when paging is implemented on a web browser, an Ajax code calls the server (XMLHttpRequest) and passes information about the client that can then be accumulated.

FIG6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a portable computing device 700 that can be used as a mobile terminal (e.g., see FIG1 and FIG8 below) and can be a smartphone, tablet computer, or the like. Device 700 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 701 (which may include one or more computer-readable storage media), a memory controller 702, one or more processors 703, a peripheral interface 704, RF circuitry 705, audio circuitry 706, a speaker 720, a microphone 721, an input/output (I/O) subsystem 711 including a display controller 712, control circuitry for one or more sensors 713, and input device control 714. These components may communicate via one or more communication buses or signal lines within device 700. It should be understood that device 700 is only one example of a portable multifunction device 700 and that device 700 may have more or fewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or may have components configured or arranged differently. The various components shown in FIG6 may be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, including one or more signal processing and/or application-specific integrated circuits.

In one embodiment, decoder 710 is used to decode auxiliary data embedded in the audio signal to detect exposure of the media. Examples of techniques for decoding and encoding such auxiliary data are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,871,180, entitled "Decoding of Information in Audio Signals," issued on March 22, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable techniques for encoding data in audio data are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,640,141 to Ronald S. Kolessar and U.S. Patent No. 5,764,763 to James M. Jensen et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable encoding techniques are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,579,124 to Aijala et al., U.S. Patent Nos. 5,574,962, 5,581,800, 5,787,334 to Fardeau et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,450,490 to Jensen et al., each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The audio signal that can be encoded with multiple code symbols is received by microphone 721, or is received by audio circuit 706 via a direct link. The received audio signal can come from streaming media, broadcast, or communication signal, or a signal reproduced by a memory in the device. It can be a signal directly coupled or acoustically coupled. From the description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that decoder 710 is capable of detecting codes other than those arranged in the above-disclosed formats.

Alternatively or additionally, the processor 703 may process the frequency domain audio data to extract a signature therefrom, i.e., information inherent to the audio signal, for use in identifying the audio signal or obtaining other information about the audio signal (such as its source or its distribution path). Suitable techniques for extracting signatures include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,729 to Ellis et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,398 to Thomas et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable technologies are U.S. Patent No. 2,662,168 to Scherbatskoy, U.S. Patent No. 3,919,479 to Moon et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,697,209 to Kiewit et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,677,466 to Lert et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,512,933 to Wheatley et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,955,070 to Welsh et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,918,730 to Schulze, U.S. Patent No. 4,843,562 to Kenyon et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,450,551 to Kenyon et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,230,990 to Lert et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,594,934 to Lu et al., European Published Patent Application EP0887958 to Bichsel, PCT Publication WO02/11123 to Wang et al., and PCT Publication WO91/11062 to Young et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. As discussed above, code detection and/or signature extraction are used to identify and determine media exposure of a user of device 700.

Memory 708 may include high-speed random access memory (RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory (such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices), flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state storage devices. Access to memory 708 (such as processor 703, decoder 710, and peripheral interface 704) by other components of device 700 may be controlled by memory controller 702. Peripheral interface 704 connects the input and output peripheries of the device to processor 703 and memory 708. One or more processors 703 run or execute various software programs and/or instruction sets stored in memory 708 to perform various functions of device 700 and process data. In some embodiments, peripheral interface 704, processor 703, decoder 710, and memory controller 702 may be implemented on a single chip (such as chip 701). In some other embodiments, they may be implemented on separate chips.

The RF (radio frequency) circuit 705 receives and transmits RF signals (also known as electromagnetic signals). The RF circuit 705 converts electrical signals into electromagnetic signals/converts electromagnetic signals into electrical signals and communicates with communication networks and other communication devices via electromagnetic signals. The RF circuit 705 may include well-known circuits for performing these functions, including but not limited to an antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and the like. The RF circuit 705 can communicate with a network (such as the Internet, also known as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet, and/or a wireless network (such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN), and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN))) and communicate with other devices via wireless communications. The wireless communication may be any of a number of communication standards, protocols and technologies, including, but not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE802.11g and/or IEEE802.11n), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, email protocols (e.g., Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) and/or Post Office Protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g., Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP), Session Initiation Protocol and Presence Support Extensions for Instant Messaging (SIMPLE) and/or Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), and/or Short Message Service (SMS)), or any other suitable communication protocol, including communication protocols not yet developed as of the filing date of this document.

The audio circuit 706, speaker 720, and microphone 721 provide an audio interface between a user and the device 700. The audio circuit 706 can receive audio data from the peripheral interface 704, convert the audio data into electrical signals, and send the electrical signals to the speaker 720. The speaker 720 converts the electrical signals into sound waves audible to humans. The audio circuit 706 also receives electrical signals converted from sound waves by the microphone 721. The sound waves may include the encoded audio described above. The audio circuit 706 converts the electrical signals into audio data and sends the audio data to the peripheral interface 704 for processing. The audio data can be retrieved from the memory 708 and/or the RF circuit 705 via the peripheral interface 704 or sent to the memory 708 and/or the RF circuit 705. In some embodiments, the audio circuit 706 also includes a headphone jack for providing an interface between the audio circuit 706 and a removable audio input/output peripheral (such as an output-only headset or a headset with both output (e.g., a receiver for one or both ears) and input (e.g., a microphone).

The I/O subsystem 711 connects the input/output peripherals on the device 700 (such as the touch screen 715 and other input/control devices 717) to the peripheral interface 704. The I/O subsystem 711 may include a display controller 712 and one or more input controllers 714 for other input or output devices. The one or more input controllers 714 receive and send electrical signals from/to the other input or control devices 717. The other input/control devices 717 may include physical keys (e.g., buttons, rockers, etc.), dials, slide switches, joysticks, scroll wheel controls, and the like. In some alternative embodiments, the input controllers 714 may be connected to any one of the following (or none of the following): a keyboard, an infrared port, a USB port, a pointer device such as a mouse, and up/down buttons for volume control of the speaker 720 and/or microphone 721. The touch screen 715 may also be used to implement virtual or soft keys and one or more soft keyboards.

The touch screen 715 provides an input and output interface between the device and the user. The display controller 712 receives and/or sends electrical signals to and from the touch screen 715. The touch screen 715 displays visual output to the user. The visual output may include graphics, text, icons, video, or any combination thereof (collectively referred to as "graphics"). In some embodiments, some or all of the visual output may correspond to user interface objects. The touch screen 715 includes a touch-sensitive surface, a sensor, or a collection of sensors that receive input from the user based on tactile and/or tactile contact. The touch screen 715 and the display controller 712 (together with any associated modules and/or instruction sets in the memory 708) detect contact (and any movement or interruption of contact) on the touch screen 715 and convert the detected contact into interaction with a user interface object (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages, or images) displayed on the touch screen. In an exemplary embodiment, the point of contact between the touch screen 715 and the user corresponds to the user's finger. The touch screen 715 may utilize LCD (liquid crystal display) technology or LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, although other display technologies may also be used in other embodiments. The touch screen 715 and display controller 712 can detect contact and any movement or interruption thereof using any of a variety of touch sensing technologies now known or to be developed, including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensor arrays or other elements for determining single or multiple points of contact with the touch screen 712.

The device 700 may also include one or more sensors 716 (such as optical sensors including charge coupled devices (CCDs) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) phototransistors). The optical sensors can capture still images or video, wherein the sensors operate in conjunction with the touch screen display 715. The device 700 may also include one or more accelerometers 707 operably connected to the peripherals interface 704. Alternatively, the accelerometer 707 can be connected to an input controller 714 in the I/O subsystem 711. The accelerometer is preferably configured to output accelerometer data in the x, y, and z axes.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 708 may include an operating system 709, a communication module 710, a touch/motion module 713, a text/graphics module 711, a global positioning system (GPS) module 712, and applications 714. The operating system 709 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X, WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includes various software components and/or drivers for controlling and managing common system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control, power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between various hardware and software components. The communication module 710 facilitates communication with other devices via one or more external ports and also includes various software components for processing data received by the RF circuit 705. External ports (e.g., universal serial bus (USB), FireWire, etc.) may be provided and adapted for direct connection to other devices or indirect connection via a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.).

The contact/motion module 713 can detect contact with the touch screen 715 and other touch-sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical scroll wheel) (in conjunction with the display controller 712). The contact/motion module 713 includes various software components for performing various operations related to contact detection, such as determining whether contact has occurred, determining whether there has been movement of contact, tracking movement on the touch screen 715, and determining whether contact has been interrupted (i.e., whether contact has ceased). The text/graphics module 711 includes various known software components for implementing and displaying images on the touch screen 715, including components for changing the intensity of displayed graphics. As used herein, the term "graphics" includes any object that can be displayed to a user, including, but not limited to, text, web pages, icons (such as user interface objects including soft keys), digital images, videos, animations, etc. In addition, a soft keyboard can be provided for entering text in various applications that require text input. The GPS module 712 determines the device's location and provides information used in various applications. Applications 714 can include various modules, including address books/contact lists, email, instant messaging, video conferencing, media players, windows, instant messaging, camera/image management, etc. Examples of other applications include word processing applications, JAVA-enabled applications, encryption, digital rights management, speech recognition, and speech replication.

Turning to FIG. 7 , an embodiment of configuring a wireless device to utilize wireless signals is disclosed, preferably in a public location (such as a mall, store, public event, etc.) for collecting research data. In one embodiment, the public area 860 includes at least one higher-range antenna 853 (e.g., Class 1, up to 100 meters) along with a plurality of lower-range antennas 854, 855 (e.g., Class 2, up to 30 meters) communicatively connected to a processor 852. The processor 852 can be a dedicated server, a terminal connected to one or more servers in a network 855, or any other suitable device. The processor 852 is capable of sending/receiving data via any or all of the antennas 853-855. Preferably, the processor 852 is configured to independently send and/or receive data via all connected antennas. The processor 852 can further send and/or receive data from the network 855 via a dedicated connection, such as TCP/IP.

Preferably, each antenna (transmitter/transceiver) in FIG. 7 provides its own piconet for connecting devices, and the antennas can be operably connected together to form one or more scatternets in area 860. Each device initiates its entry into an existing piconet by forming a scatternet with the master device. Cross-piconet communication can occur without requiring devices to periodically disconnect from one piconet and reconnect to another. If sufficient devices are available to relay data, devices can also participate in store-and-forward messages, effectively removing any Bluetooth range limitations. When operating in a scatternet, devices can be multiplexed between piconets to prevent timeouts. If a device is only involved in ACL traffic between piconets, it can use the listen, hold, and dwell low-power modes to divide its attention between different piconets. If a slave device is a member of two or more piconets, an offset listen interval (e.g., every X time slots) can be used to multiplex traffic between piconets. This listen interval can be switched symmetrically to allow devices to divide their time between different piconets. Additionally, a predetermined hold time may be implemented for active piconet connections so that devices can listen for and connect to other piconets.

Instead of using the listen interval to multiplex between piconets, devices can use hold and stay modes between piconets, although hold mode can slow the rate of handoffs between piconets due to the need for the device to maintain an active piconet and renegotiate the hold in another piconet before returning to exchange more ACL packets. Stay mode is preferably used for distributed network members because it provides better versatility for monitoring piconet unpause commands and other broadcast packets, and some beacon training can be skipped by utilizing a sleep interval (N _Bsleep ) that is a multiple of the beacon interval length. This effectively allows devices to offset beacon monitoring times, similar to the listen mode discussed above. Alternatively, a device (acting as a slave in a distributed network) can simply ignore each piconet without notifying the corresponding master of its temporary exit; as long as the timeout period is not exceeded, the link should be maintained in normal operating conditions.

During the setup process, each of the antennas 853-855 is provided with a unique identification or hash that is communicated whenever it is wirelessly connected to the device (e.g., via module 705 shown in Figure 6). Device 851A preferably stores a list of antenna IDs 856, which may be provided via a wireless global "push" or alternatively provided by a local wireless source (such as, long-range antenna 853). The ID information 856 can be used by device 851A to identify the specific antenna for adjusting an operational feature. For clarity, Figure 7 shows an example of four discreet locations (involving four different events) where the device (851) is carried through area 860; each of these locations/events of the device is labeled 851A-851D, respectively. It is to be understood that in addition to receiving wireless signals and IDs, additional information (such as messages or commands) may also be provided in the wireless signals. Each antenna may have a specific message or command that can be sent to the device and processed within the device to modify the operational features described herein.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7 , device 851A is physically carried by a user through a public area 860. Prior to entering area 860, device 851A is arranged to have a default configuration, wherein, in one embodiment, a predetermined wireless scan rate is set (e.g., once every 5 minutes) and the audio capture capability is set to “off.” As device 851A approaches area 860, it enters communication range with long-range antenna 853. In the case of Bluetooth communication, antenna 853 is configured as a master device. Once initial communication is established, antenna 853 sends its ID to device 851A, which is compared with a stored ID to determine if there is a match. Once the IDs match, as device 851A enters area 860, it triggers device 851A to update the scan interval to a higher frequency (e.g., once every 30 seconds). Once in area 860, the device moves to 851B, where communication with antenna 854 is now established, which can now form a distribution network together with antenna 853. In addition, if the ID of antenna 854 matches, a new operation can be triggered or an existing operation can be further updated. In this example, the ID received from antenna 854 causes device 851B to activate the processing on the device via software and/or hardware. In one embodiment, audio processing is activated (for example, with the help of DSP/decoder 710 and microphone 721 of Figure 6) to activate the audio processing on the device to detect auxiliary codes in the audio and/or extract audio signatures. Such a configuration is particularly advantageous in areas where audio media exposure detection is important; once activation is completed, device 851B is able to collect research data related to the audio components of other media adjacent to audio 856 or 854. In addition, environmental audio signatures can be extracted to create and/or confirm the position of device 851B. Techniques for collecting and processing ambient audio signatures are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/341,453, filed on Dec. 30, 2011, entitled “System and Method for Determining Contextual Characteristics of Media Exposure Data,” which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As device 851C approaches, it subsequently establishes communication with antenna 855 and receives the antenna ID. If the IDs match, device 851C further updates its operating characteristics. In this example, the ID match can trigger device 851C to disable audio monitoring. Furthermore, the ID match with 855 can further update device 851C's scanning mode to scan for wireless connections more quickly or more slowly. As device 851D moves outside of area 860, it eventually loses its wireless connection to the antenna, returning to its default operating mode.

Turning to FIG8 , an exemplary flow chart is provided in which, after the portable device is charged, the process begins at 900. At this point, the portable device is preferably set to a default configuration in which the wireless network scan rate is set to a default rate 901. At 902, the device periodically monitors to see if the device has received a beacon or signal, wherein if no beacon or signal is received, the device maintains its default scan rate 901. However, upon detection of a beacon or signal, the scan rate is updated to a higher or lower frequency rate at 903. Additionally or alternatively, at 907, the detection of a beacon or signal in 902 may activate the device DSP and/or microphone capabilities, wherein the device will begin the audio monitoring process utilizing the codes and/or signatures described above.

Because the scan rate has been updated in 903, the device continues to monitor whether a new beacon or signal is received in 904. If no new beacon or signal is received, the device checks in 905 to see if the original beacon is being received. If the original beacon or signal is not being received, the device falls back to the default scan rate in 901. However, if the original beacon or signal is still being received, the device maintains the updated scan rate (903) and continues to monitor for new beacons or signals. As an example, the device 851A in Figure 7 can create a connection with the long-range antenna 853 while moving through area 860, but the device does not enter area 860. As a result, no further connection is made with antennas 854-855. Once device 851A moves out of the communication range of 853, the beacon or signal will be lost and device 851A will fall back to its default mode of operation. However, when device 851A enters area 860, it may be that device 851A is in a portion of area 860 that does not include a shorter-range antenna, or is not yet within range of antennas 854 or 855. In such a case, the device will maintain the updated scan rate until a new beacon or signal is received. Once a new beacon or signal is received in 904 (e.g., from antenna 854), the scan rate is updated again in 906 and additional data can be collected. This process can be repeated for each new beacon or signal (e.g., 855) until the device leaves the area and no beacons or signals are detected.

In step 902, the detected beacon or signal may also activate the device's DSP and/or microphone 907, based on which the device begins reading auxiliary codes or extracting signatures from the audio 908. If a new beacon or signal is detected in 909 (note: the beacon or signal in 909 may be the same as the beacon or signal in 904), the audio monitoring configuration is updated in 910. In one embodiment, the audio monitoring update may involve actions such as: (1) modifying the characteristics of code detection (e.g., the frequency used, timing, etc.), (2) switching monitoring from detecting codes to extracting signatures or vice versa, (3) switching the code detection method from one type to another (e.g., from CBET decoding to spread spectrum, from echo concealment to microwave, etc.), (4) switching the signature extraction method from one type to another (e.g., frequency-based, time-based, a combination of time and frequency), and/or (5) providing supplemental data related to the audio monitoring (e.g., location, other relevant media in the location, etc.). Similar to the scanning portion described above, if no additional beacons are detected in 909, the device checks to see if the original beacon or signal is being received. If not, the device falls back to its initial configuration and may turn off audio monitoring. If the original beacon or signal is still being detected, the device maintains its current (updated) audio monitoring configuration and continues to monitor for new beacons or signals. Furthermore, the audio monitoring process is repeated for each new beacon or signal until no beacons or signals are detected.

It is to be understood that the above embodiments are merely examples, and the disclosed configuration allows for a variety of variations. For example, ID detection can be combined with the above-mentioned signal strength measurement to allow for additional modifications, wherein the scan rate can be increased or decreased as the signal strength becomes stronger or weaker. In addition, the scan rate and/or audio monitoring can be triggered only when the signal strength exceeds a predetermined threshold. In addition, device triggering can be performed based on a combination of antenna connections. Thus, the connection to the first and second beacons will produce a modification on the device, while the connection to the first, second and third beacons will produce a new, optional or additional modification. If the connection to the second beacon is lost (retaining only the connection to the first and third beacons), still another new, alternative or additional modification can be generated. Many such changes can be implemented in the present disclosure according to system needs.

In addition, although the exemplary embodiments provided above are discussed in the context of Bluetooth, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration may also be applicable to other wireless technologies. For example, Wi-Fi or other technologies compatible with the IEEE 802.11 standard may also be used. Although at least one exemplary embodiment has been proposed in the above specific embodiments, it will be understood that there are a large number of variations. It will also be understood that one or more exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the present invention in any way. On the contrary, the above specific embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient and inspiring path map for implementing the one or more embodiments described. It will be understood that the functions and arrangements of the elements may be varied in many ways without departing from the scope of the present invention and its legal equivalents.

Claims (16)

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising: Determine first identification information and first signal strength associated with a first radio frequency wireless signal received at a portable processing device; Determine whether the first identification information matches the second identification information and whether the first signal strength meets the threshold; In response to determining at the portable processing device that the first identification information matches the second identification information and that the first signal strength meets the threshold, audio processing in the portable processing device is activated to collect research data related to media exposure from audio signals detected separately from the first radio frequency wireless signal via the audio sensor of the portable processing device. The audio processing includes (i) detecting code included in the media and (ii) extracting at least one of the audio signatures from the media. 2. The computer implementation method according to claim 1, the method further comprising: in response to determining that the first identification information matches the second identification information, modifying the scanning rate of the portable processing device from a first scanning rate to a second scanning rate that is higher than the first scanning rate. 3. The computer implementation method according to claim 1, further comprising: Determine a first characteristic of the second radio frequency wireless signal received at the portable processing device; Determine whether the first feature matches the second feature; The monitoring capability activated in the portable processing device is modified in response to determining that the first feature matches the second feature. 4. The computer implementation method according to claim 3, the method further comprising: confirming that the first radio frequency wireless signal is received after the second radio frequency wireless signal is received. 5. The computer implementation method according to claim 1, wherein the first identification information identifies the sender of the first radio frequency wireless signal. 6. The computer implementation method of claim 3, wherein modifying the monitoring capability activated in the portable processing device in response to determining that the first feature matches the second feature includes at least one of the following: (1) switching between code detection and signature extraction to collect the research data, (2) changing the type of code detection performed to collect the research data, and (3) changing the type of signature extraction performed to collect the research data. 7. A portable processing device configured to scan wireless signals at a first scan rate, the portable processing device comprising: Memory; A microphone that communicates with the memory; Input, which communicates with the memory, is used to receive a first radio frequency wireless signal; and A processor that communicates with the memory, the processor being used for Determine the first identification information and the first signal strength associated with the first radio frequency wireless signal; Determine whether the first identification information matches the second identification information and whether the first signal strength meets the threshold. In response to determining that the first identification information matches the second identification information and that the first signal strength meets the threshold, audio processing in the portable processing device is activated to collect research data related to media exposure from audio signals detected separately from the first radio frequency wireless signal via a microphone. The audio processing includes (i) detecting code included in the media and (ii) extracting at least one of the audio signatures from the media. 8. The portable processing device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: in response to determining that the first identification information matches the second identification information, modify the scanning rate of the portable processing device from a first scanning rate to a second scanning rate that is higher than the first scanning rate. 9. The portable processing device according to claim 7, wherein: In response to receiving a second radio frequency wireless signal at the input, the processor is further configured to: Determine the first characteristic of the second radio frequency wireless signal; Determine whether the first feature matches the second feature; The monitoring capability activated in the portable processing device is modified in response to determining that the first feature matches the second feature. 10. The portable processing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: confirm that receiving the first radio frequency wireless signal continues after receiving the second radio frequency wireless signal. 11. The portable processing device according to claim 7, wherein the first identification information identifies the sender of the first radio frequency wireless signal. 12. The portable processing device of claim 9, wherein, in order to modify the activated monitoring capability in the portable processing device in response to determining that the first feature matches the second feature, the processor is configured to: (1) switch between code detection and signature extraction to collect the research data, (2) change the type of code detection performed to collect the research data, and (3) change the type of signature extraction performed to collect the research data. 13. A computer-implemented method for modifying the operation of a portable processing device, the method comprising: The portable processing device is configured to perform a first scan rate to detect wireless signals; The portable processing device receives a first wireless signal; Determine the first characteristic of the first wireless signal; The first feature is processed to determine whether the first feature matches a predetermined second feature; Detecting the presence of media data in the portable processing device; and If the processing of the first feature determines that the first feature matches the predetermined second feature, then the operation of the portable processing device is modified, wherein the modification includes at least one of the following: (i) modifying the first scan rate to a second scan rate, the second scan rate being different from the first scan rate; and (ii) activating the monitoring capability in the portable processing device to collect research data about the media data. The monitoring capabilities include at least one of (i) detecting auxiliary codes and (ii) extracting audio signatures. 14. The computer implementation method according to claim 13, wherein the second scan rate is higher than the first scan rate. 15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 13, further comprising: The portable processing device receives a second wireless signal. A third feature of the second wireless signal is determined and processed to determine whether the third feature matches a predetermined fourth feature; If the third feature matches the predetermined fourth feature, a second modification is performed on the operation of the portable processing device, wherein the second modification includes at least one of the following: (i) modifying the second scan rate to a different scan rate; and (ii) modifying the monitoring capability activated in the portable processing device to collect research data on media data. 16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, the method further comprising: confirming that receiving the first wireless signal continues after receiving the second wireless signal.