Abstract: A computerized method for engaging a user of a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system may be connectible to a server over a wide area network. An audio signal of ambient audio is autonomously sampled in the vicinity of the mobile computer system to capture one or more audio samples of the audio signal. The multiple samples of the audio signal are autonomously sampled without requiring any interaction from the user, thus avoiding an input from the user to capture each of the samples. The audio sample may be processed to extract an audio signature of the audio sample. The audio signature may be compared with multiple previously stored reference audio signatures. Upon matching the audio signature with at least one reference audio signature a matched reference audio signature may be produced.

Abstract: Adapter devices are provided herein which are connectable to an audio connector of a media device. The audio connector of the media device is configured to receive an audio input from an external microphone and to output an audio output signal to an earphone. The adapter device includes a male plug adapted to be plugged into the audio connector of the media device, a female receptacle electrically connected to the male plug. The female receptacle is adapted to mate with an audio plug of a listening device. The adapter includes an audio signal coupling configured to couple a portion of the audio output signal from the audio connector of the media device into an input of the media device.

Abstract: Adapter devices are provided which are connectable to an audio connector of a media device. The audio connector of the media device is configured to receive an audio input from an external microphone and to output an audio output to an earphone. The adapter device includes a male plug adapted to be plugged into the audio connector of the media device, a female receptacle electrically connected to the male plug. The female receptacle is adapted to mate with an audio plug of a headset and an audio signal coupling configured to couple a portion of the audio output from the media device into the audio input to the media device.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking use of audio and audiovisual works is described. Known are converted into a time series of frequency domain signatures. As the system detects unknown works transmitted or otherwise available for analysis, the unknown works are converted into a time series of frequency domain signatures and then the sequence of signatures matched in the database of known works. When a known work is found to have signatures that meet a matching test with an unknown work, a database is updated to reflect that the unknown work is an instance of the known work. The system includes a remote detector that receives unknown content and generates signatures that are transmitted to another location for where the matching is performed.

Abstract: A computerized method for engaging a user of a mobile computer system, The mobile computer system may be connectible to a server over a wide area network. An audio signal of ambient audio is autonomously sampled in the vicinity of the mobile computer system to capture one or more audio samples of the audio signal. The multiple samples of the audio signal are autonomously sampled without requiring any interaction from the user, thus avoiding an input from the user to capture each of the samples. The audio sample may be processed to extract an audio signature of the audio sample. The audio signature may be compared with multiple previously stored reference audio signatures. Upon matching the audio signature with at least one reference audio signature a matched reference audio signature may be produced.

Abstract: Adapter devices are provided herein which are connectable to an audio connector of a media device. The audio connector of the media device is configured to receive an audio input from an external microphone and to output an audio output signal to an earphone. The adapter device includes a male plug adapted to be plugged into the audio connector of the media device, a female receptacle electrically connected to the male plug. The female receptacle is adapted to mate with an audio plug of a listening device. The adapter includes an audio signal coupling configured to couple a portion of the audio output signal from the audio connector of the media device into an input of the media device.

Abstract: Adapter devices are provided which are connectable to an audio connector of a media device. The audio connector of the media device is configured to receive an audio input from an external microphone and to output an audio output to an earphone. The adapter device includes a male plug adapted to be plugged into the audio connector of the media device, a female receptacle electrically connected to the male plug. The female receptacle is adapted to mate with an audio plug of a headset and an audio signal coupling configured to couple a portion of the audio output from the media device into the audio input to the media device.

Abstract: A computerized method for engaging a user of a mobile computer system, The mobile computer system may be connectible to a server over a wide area network. An audio signal of ambient audio is autonomously sampled in the vicinity of the mobile computer system to capture one or more audio samples of the audio signal. The multiple samples of the audio signal are autonomously sampled without requiring any interaction from the user, thus avoiding an input from the user to capture each of the samples. The audio sample may be processed to extract an audio signature of the audio sample. The audio signature may be compared with multiple previously stored reference audio signatures. Upon matching the audio signature with at least one reference audio signature a matched reference audio signature may be produced.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking use of audio and audiovisual works is described. Known are converted into a time series of frequency domain signatures. As the system detects unknown works transmitted or otherwise available for analysis, the unknown works are converted into a time series of frequency domain signatures and then the sequence of signatures matched in the database of known works. When a known work is found to have signatures that meet a matching test with an unknown work, a database is updated to reflect that the unknown work is an instance of the known work. The system includes a remote detector that receives unknown content and generates signatures that are transmitted to another location for where the matching is performed.

Abstract: This invention relates to the automatic detection and identification of broadcast programming, for example music, speech or video that is broadcast over radio, television, the Internet or other media. “Broadcast” means any readily available source of content, whether now known or hereafter devised, including streaming, peer to peer delivery or detection of network traffic. A known program is registered by deriving a numerical code for each of many short time segments during the program and storing the sequence of numerical codes and a reference to the identity of the program. Detection and identification of an input signal occurs by similarly extracting the numerical codes from it and comparing the sequence of detected numerical codes against the stored sequences. Testing criteria is applied that optimizes the rate of correct detections of the registered programming. Other optimizations in the comparison process are used to expedite the comparison process.

Abstract: Tracking Internet usage in a home network including multiple household computing devices connectible using a consumer premises router. An agent is installable in the consumer premises router. A monitor server operatively connects to the consumer premises router. The agent is operable to: capture a request originating from at least one of the household devices and to extract data from the request. The data may include an identifier of the household device initiating the request.