Newest PPM Patents Track Program Delivery Platforms

Arbitron has three more patents, for a total of more than 100, for its Portable People Meter.
The patents concern the amount of information that can be embedded into the inaudible PPM codes and improvements to the PPM’s ability to detect those codes.
The “Encoding Multiple Messages In Audio Data and Detecting Same” patent covers the ability of the PPM to track multiple layers of ID codes simultaneously. For example, Arbitron says the PPM can now simultaneously track the network originating the program, the local station broadcasting the program and specific commercials aired within the program.
A time stamp within the codes allows the PPM to determine if a broadcast was time-shifted by the survey participant or delayed by a network affiliate.
“By embedding multiple messages into the PPM code, Arbitron can positively determine the platform that originated a program, the outlet that delivered the program to the consumer, the individual commercial that the PPM survey participant was exposed to and whether the exposure took place at the time of the broadcast or even days later,” stated Ron Kolessar, vice president, Technology, Arbitron Inc.
The other patents, “Decoding of Information In Audio Signal” and “Message Reconstruction From Partial Code Detected by PPM,” enhance the reliability of detecting PPM encoded information, according to the ratings supplier.