Audience Meter Acoustic Packaging Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Media measurement devices face challenges in being shipped with batteries due to carrier regulations, which require them to be either fully powered off or not installed, complicating the process of data collection and compliance during transportation.
Innovation Solution
The device detects its location using ambient audio energy analysis, determining if it is within a shipping container by comparing frequency spectrum energy levels to thresholds, and powers off accordingly to ensure compliance with shipping regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the media measurement device is shipped with batteries installed, then the device can be activated and collect data during transportation, but carrier regulations are violated and shipping compliance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary actions by detecting packaging conditions through audio sensors before shipping, and proactively powers off to ensure compliance. The system anticipates the need to power down by detecting when it is packaged in a shipping container, rather than waiting for external commands or manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The device serves itself by autonomously determining its shipping status through ambient audio analysis and automatically controlling its own power state. The media measurement device monitors its environment, detects when it is packaged, and self-manages its power consumption without requiring external control systems or manual intervention.
2Reliability
If the device is fully powered off during shipping, then shipping regulations are met, but data collection and processing are interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically adjusts its power state based on real-time detection of packaging conditions. Rather than maintaining a static power state throughout shipping, the system transitions between powered-on and powered-off states according to whether it detects ambient audio characteristics consistent with being in a shipping container, optimizing both compliance and data collection opportunities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical switching or external control mechanisms with an automated acoustic detection system. Instead of requiring physical switches or external commands to power the device off, the system uses audio sensors and signal processing to automatically detect packaging conditions and control power state, eliminating the need for mechanical intervention.
3Measurement precision
If the device uses ambient audio analysis to detect packaging status, then accurate determination of shipping state is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses ambient audio as an intermediary medium to indirectly detect packaging status. Rather than requiring direct sensors to measure physical packaging characteristics, the system listens to acoustic properties of the environment (such as muffling effects when packaged) and infers packaging status from these audio signals, simplifying the detection mechanism while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio sensing capability serves multiple functions: it can detect packaging status, monitor environmental conditions, and potentially identify location information. By using a single sensor type (microphone/audio sensor) for multiple detection purposes, the device reduces overall system complexity compared to using separate specialized sensors for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for safe and compliant shipping of media measurement devices by accurately determining when they are packaged and powering them down, ensuring they remain in a standby mode until data extraction at a central facility.
Implementation Method 1
a packaging sensor, such as, but not limited to, an audio sensor that collects ambient noise
Implementation Method 2
determining a frequency spectrum of the received ambient noise and determining a maximum energy of a first frequency and a maximum energy of a second frequency
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to enforce a power off state of an audience measurement device during shipping of the device are disclosed herein. An example portable audience measurement device includes a housing, a media detector in the housing to collect media exposure data, and a packaging sensor to receive an audio signal. A packaging detector generates a frequency spectrum of the detected audio signal, determines an energy of a first frequency associated with the generated frequency spectrum, determines an energy of a second frequency higher than the first frequency and associated with the generated frequency spectrum, and compares the difference between the energy of the first frequency and the second frequency to a muffling threshold to determine whether the device is located within a package.