Broadcast Audio Data Embedding for Interactive Listener Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current AM/FM radio systems lack interaction between listeners and broadcasters, relying on passive listening experiences and inaccurate listener interest surveys, which can be misleading due to sampling issues and lack of direct feedback mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
Embedding data such as text, barcodes, QR codes, images, or multimedia content within audio signals using processors that modulate frequency components, allowing listeners to interact with broadcasted content and enabling broadcasters to gather listener interests through existing communication channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If AM/FM radio stations use traditional survey methods with sample populations to determine listener interests, then they can gather some audience feedback, but the results are misleading due to sampling issues and inaccurate response interpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where listeners actively provide interest information through their electronic devices by selecting content they are interested in from broadcasted options. This real-time feedback loop replaces traditional survey methods, ensuring accurate measurement of listener interests directly from the source rather than through potentially misleading sample populations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical survey system (call-in surveys, sample population questionnaires) with an electronic data collection system. Listeners use electronic devices to automatically transmit their interest selections to the broadcast system, eliminating human error in response interpretation and sampling bias inherent in traditional mechanical survey methods.
2Ease of operation
If radio stations rely on passive listening experiences with no interaction mechanism, then broadcasting is simple, but listeners have no means to register their interest in programs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary electronic device that facilitates interaction between listeners and broadcast content. This device allows listeners to easily select and transmit their interest in specific programs or content without complex procedures, while simultaneously capturing accurate audience interest data that would otherwise be unavailable in passive broadcasting systems.
3Loss of information
If radio stations call listeners directly to register interest, then they can obtain some feedback, but this method is intrusive and limits listener convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional feedback approach instead of radio stations calling listeners, listeners proactively indicate their interest through electronic devices. This reversal makes the system non-intrusive and convenient for listeners while still achieving comprehensive collection of audience interest data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables listeners to self-report their interest in broadcast content through their electronic devices without requiring station personnel to contact them. This self-service mechanism eliminates the intrusiveness of call-in surveys while maintaining accurate data collection on audience preferences.
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
Enables an interactive listening experience by allowing listeners to engage with broadcasted content and providing broadcasters with accurate, real-time data on listener interests, enhancing audience interaction and marketing effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more processors may embed the received data in real time into the audio signal as embedded data based at least in part on controlling a phase angle of a selected frequency component of the audio signal
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, one or more processors configured by executable instructions may receive an audio signal and data to embed in the audio signal. For example, the data may be received dynamically from one or more data sources. The one or more processors may embed the received data in real time into the audio signal as embedded data based at least in part on controlling a phase angle of a selected frequency component of the audio signal. For instance, the embedded data may include at least one of text, a bar code, a quick response code, an image, a uniform resource locator (URL), or multimedia content. Additionally, the one or more processors may send the audio signal with the embedded data over a network to a plurality of electronic devices that include respective decoders for extracting the embedded data from the audio signal.