Abstract: A method, executed by a processor, is used to determine presence of a viewer at a media device. The method includes receiving viewer biometric data captured by a biometric capture device associated with the media device; determining a category of the viewer based on the captured viewer biometric data; comparing the captured viewer biometric data to a reference to determine a possible identity of the viewer, by: determining a presence probability for the viewer based on a match between the biometric data and the reference, and determining a confidence level for the probability; and when the probability and confidence level equal or exceed a threshold, determining the viewer is present at the media device.

Abstract: A method, executed by a processor, is used to determine presence of a viewer at a media device. The method includes receiving viewer biometric data captured by a biometric capture device associated with the media device; determining a category of the viewer based on the captured viewer biometric data; comparing the captured viewer biometric data to a reference to determine a possible identity of the viewer, by: determining a presence probability for the viewer based on a match between the biometric data and the reference, and determining a confidence level for the probability; and when the probability and confidence level equal or exceed a threshold, determining the viewer is present at the media device.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed a data processing system for authenticating packetized audio signals in a voice activated computer network environment. The data processing system can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of auditory data packet transmission over one or more computer networks by, for example, disabling malicious transmissions prior to their transmission across the network. The present solution can also improve computational efficiency by disabling remote computer processes possibly affected by or caused by the malicious audio signal transmissions. By disabling the transmission of malicious audio signals, the system can reduce bandwidth utilization by not transmitting the data packets carrying the malicious audio signal across the networks.

Abstract: A TV audience survey system for determining the TV viewing activities of a plurality of individuals in a household includes a master device and multiple tags, each tag assigned to an individual. After an individual logs into the system and starts watching the TV, the master device communicates with the corresponding tag repeatedly to accumulate data representing the individual's TV viewing activities. Such data can be used to determine when the individual stops watching the TV for an extended period of time without logging out of the system and when the household member remains watching the TV after logging or being logged out of the system. The master device then reports the accumulated data to a remote server, which uses the data to determine whether the individual complies with the logging protocol defined by the TV audience survey system and update the TV viewership data associated with this household.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stop valve (100) comprising a magnetic yoke (101), a solenoid coil (102), a compression spring (107) and an armature (105) on which an elastic membrane (106) is arranged. The membrane (106) can be sealingly pressed onto at least one fluid connection (108, 109). The stop valve (100) further comprises a guide (111) and a guide pin (110) that is connected to the armature (105). Finally, the compression spring (107) is positioned in such a way as to surround the solenoid coil (102). Also disclosed is a method for detecting leaks and/or identifying variations in metered amounts. Said method, which is carried on in an SCR system comprising the stop valve (100), involves opening the stop valve (100), whereupon a pressurized line is filled with a reducing agent and the stop valve (100) is closed. A pressure is subsequently lowered upstream of the stop valve (100) by shutting off a pump.

Abstract: Systems and methods permit generation of a digital scan of a user's face such as for obtaining of a patient respiratory mask, or component(s) thereof, based on the digital scan. The method may include: receiving video data comprising a plurality of video frames of the user's face taken from a plurality of angles relative to the user's face, generating a three-dimensional representation of a surface of the user's face based on the plurality of video frames, receiving scale estimation data associated with the received video data, the scale estimation data indicative of a relative size of the user's face, and scaling the digital three-dimensional representation of the user's face based on the scale estimation data. In some aspects, the scale estimation data may be derived from motion information collected by the same device that collects the scan of the user's face.

Abstract: An audience measurement service may monitor broadcasts in a region, ingesting closed captioning data, metadata, displayed text or logos, performing facial recognition on people, and/or generating audio/video fingerprints of broadcast content to create a database of content and associated keywords, along with times at which the content was broadcast. The audience measurement service may receive user search queries from a search provider and detect “spiking” queries. The audience measurement service may determine whether the spiking queries are related, contextually and temporally, to an item of content identified in the database, and infer that users generating the queries likely viewed the item of content. If or when the media is subsequently rebroadcast, media-related search queries may be detected and corresponding users identified as likely audience members for the rebroadcast, such that they may be targeted to receive additional media-related content.

Abstract: Systems and methods permit generation of a digital scan of a user's face such as for obtaining of a patient respiratory mask, or component(s) thereof, based on the digital scan. The method may include: receiving video data comprising a plurality of video frames of the user's face taken from a plurality of angles relative to the user's face, generating a three-dimensional representation of a surface of the user's face based on the plurality of video frames, receiving scale estimation data associated with the received video data, the scale estimation data indicative of a relative size of the user's face, and scaling the digital three-dimensional representation of the user's face based on the scale estimation data. In some aspects, the scale estimation data may be derived from motion information collected by the same device that collects the scan of the user's face.

Abstract: A TV audience survey system for determining the TV viewing activities of a plurality of individuals in a household includes a master device and multiple tags, each tag assigned to an individual. After an individual logs into the system and starts watching the TV, the master device communicates with the corresponding tag repeatedly to accumulate data representing the individual's TV viewing activities. Such data can be used to determine when the individual stops watching the TV for an extended period of time without logging out of the system and when the household member remains watching the TV after logging or being logged out of the system. The master device then reports the accumulated data to a remote server, which uses the data to determine whether the individual complies with the logging protocol defined by the TV audience survey system and update the TV viewership data associated with this household.

Abstract: A method for conducting a media consumption study, includes at a processor of a position marker placed in a study site in a vicinity of a fixed media device; receiving a signal broadcast from a personal measurement device; determining signal information of the received broadcast signal, the signal information including identification information of the personal measurement device, and one or mora signal characteristics; comparing the one or more signal characteristics to threshold values; and based on the comparison, determining the personal measurement device is in proximity to the fixed media device.

Abstract: A method, executed by a processor, is used to determine presence of a viewer at a media device. The method includes receiving viewer biometric data captured by a biometric capture device associated with the media device; determining a category of the viewer based on the captured viewer biometric data; comparing the captured viewer biometric data to a reference to determine a possible identity of the viewer, by: determining a presence probability for the viewer based on a match between the biometric data and the reference, and determining a confidence level for the probability; and when the probability and confidence level equal or exceed a threshold, determining the viewer is present at the media device.

Abstract: To provide audience measurement services without requiring broadcasters to install additional watermarking equipment, a small video capture device may receive a video signal viewed by an audience member, the signal including embedded closed captioning data, and may decode and transmit the closed captioning data to an audience measurement server. The measurement server may receive the data and compare the received data to a database of closed captioning text to identify matches. The database may be populated via one or more additional capture devices receiving local or national broadcast signals, or with data separately provided by broadcasters. When a match is found, the measurement server may determine that the audience member is watching a program having the corresponding closed captioning. Dynamically generated confidence scores may allow for reliable identification of audience members of content, even with very short closed captioning data lengths.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed a data processing system for authenticating packetized audio signals in a voice activated computer network environment. The data processing system can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of auditory data packet transmission over one or more computer networks by, for example, disabling malicious transmissions prior to their transmission across the network. The present solution can also improve computational efficiency by disabling remote computer processes possibly affected by or caused by the malicious audio signal transmissions. By disabling the transmission of malicious audio signals, the system can reduce bandwidth utilization by not transmitting the data packets carrying the malicious audio signal across the networks.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method (400) to generate an avatar, such as an avatar forming part of synthetic user generated content. The method comprises determining a rigid model based on an appearance error, a shape error and a dimensionality (425) of received images (405), and an appearance component and shape component of the rigid model. The non-rigid digital model may be a person specific active appearance model. Other aspects of include a computer system (200) and software (225).

Abstract: A method for conducting a media consumption study, includes at a processor of a position marker placed in a study site in a vicinity of a fixed media device; receiving a signal broadcast from a personal measurement device; determining signal information of the received broadcast signal, the signal information including identification information of the personal measurement device, and one or mora signal characteristics; comparing the one or more signal characteristics to threshold values; and based on the comparison, determining the personal measurement device is in proximity to the fixed media device.

Abstract: A method for associating a web event with a member of a group of users is implemented at a first computing device. The method includes: receiving a data access request from a second computing device; determining whether the second computing device provides a user login service; if so, causing the second computing device to render the user login service so that the user can provide an instruction of whether or not to associate the data access request with the user of the second computing device; if not, identifying a third computing device that is physically proximate the second computing device; and causing the third computing device to output an alert signal prompting the user of the second computing device to respond; and in response to the user's response through the third computing device, generating a data record to associate the data access request with the user of the second computing device.

Abstract: A method for associating a web event with a member of a group of users is implemented at a first computing device. The method includes: receiving a data access request from a second computing device; determining whether the user has previously provided personal information and authorization to the first computing device through the second computing device; if the user's personal information and authorization are found: generating a record for the data access request; if the user's personal information is found but the user's authorization is not found: generating a record for the data access request; and if neither of the user's personal information and authorization is found: identifying one or more user identifiers that are associated with the second computing device; and returning personal information associated with the one or more user identifiers to the second computing device.

Abstract: A method for conducting a media consumption study, includes at a processor of a position marker placed in a study site in a vicinity of a fixed media device; receiving a signal broadcast from a personal measurement device; determining signal information of the received broadcast signal, the signal information including identification information of the personal measurement device, and one or more signal characteristics; comparing the one or more signal characteristics to threshold values; and based on the comparison, determining the personal measurement device is in proximity to the fixed media device.

Abstract: A TV audience survey system for determining the TV viewing activities of a plurality of individuals in a household includes a master device and multiple tags, each tag assigned to an individual. After an individual logs into the system and starts watching the TV, the master device communicates with the corresponding tag repeatedly to accumulate data representing the individual's TV viewing activities. Such data can be used to determine when the individual stops watching the TV for an extended period of time without logging out of the system and when the household member remains watching the TV after logging or being logged out of the system. The master device then reports the accumulated data to a remote server, which uses the data to determine whether the individual complies with the logging protocol defined by the TV audience survey system and update the TV viewership data associated with this household.

Abstract: A computer system for determining TV viewership information for one or more TV panelists is provided, the computer system having memory to store programs and one or more processors for executing the one or more programs. The programs include instructions for: receiving TV broadcast information from a TV metering device, wherein the TV broadcast information identifies a current status of a TV in a household and an associated timestamp; receiving TV panelist status information from a first login/logout device that is different from the TV metering device, wherein the TV panelist status information identifies a viewership status of the TV panelist and an associated timestamp; and correlating the TV broadcast information with the TV panelist status information in accordance with their respective timestamps to determine a relationship between the TV panelist and a respective TV program currently broadcasted by the TV in the household.