1. A method for determining levels of audience engagement relative to encoded audio data, the method comprising the steps of:
capturing the encoded audio data in an audience member’s mobile device over a predetermined time period;
determining a characteristic of the encoded audio data received in the mobile device over the predetermined time period; and
processing the characteristic to calculate a level of engagement for the audience member’s mobile device relative to the captured encoded audio data.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic is determined relative to at least one predetermined threshold set for the predetermined time period, and wherein the characteristic comprises a volume level of the encoded audio data.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the calculation of the level of engagement comprises calculating an engagement value, said engagement value comprising at least one of: (1) a predetermined number of volume level peaks exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured, (2) a predetermined percentage of the audio signal exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the calculation of the level of engagement further comprises comparing the engagement value to a previous engagement value calculated for a previous predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data was captured.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic is determined relative to at least one predetermined threshold set for the predetermined time period, and wherein the characteristic comprises an encoding level of the encoded audio data.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the calculation of the level of engagement comprises calculating an engagement value, said engagement value comprising at least one of: (1) a predetermined number of encoding level peaks exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured, (2) a predetermined percentage of the encoding level peaks exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the encoded audio data is captured from one of (1) a broadcast source and (2) a computer network source.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
capturing sensor information in the mobile device; and
synchronizing the captured sensor information with the captured encoded audio data.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the level of engagement is calculated using the captured sensor information.
10. A mobile apparatus for determining levels of engagement relative to encoded audio data for a user associated with the mobile apparatus, comprising:
a sound capturing device for capturing the encoded audio data over a predetermined time period; and
a processor, coupled to the sound capturing device, wherein the processor determines a characteristic of the encoded audio data captured over the predetermined time period, and wherein the processor processes the characteristic to calculate a level of engagement for the user’s mobile device relative to the captured encoded audio data.
11. The mobile apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the characteristic is determined relative to at least one predetermined threshold set for the predetermined time period, and wherein the characteristic comprises a volume level of the encoded audio data.
12. The mobile apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the calculation of the level of engagement comprises calculating an engagement value, said engagement value comprising at least one of: (1) a predetermined number of volume level peaks exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured, (2) a predetermined percentage of the audio signal exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured.
13. The mobile apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the calculation of the level of engagement further comprises comparing the engagement value to a previous engagement value calculated for a previous predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data was captured.
14. The mobile apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the characteristic is determined relative to at least one predetermined threshold set for the predetermined time period, and wherein the characteristic comprises an encoding level of the encoded audio data.
15. The mobile apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the calculation of the level of engagement comprises calculating an engagement value, said engagement value comprising at least one of: (1) a predetermined number of encoding level peaks exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured, (2) a predetermined percentage of the encoding level peaks exceeding at least one predetermined threshold within the predetermined time period in which the encoded audio data is captured.
16. The mobile apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the encoded audio data is captured from one of (1) a broadcast source and (2) a computer network source.
17. The mobile apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor that provides sensor information to the processor, wherein the processor synchronizing the sensor information with the captured encoded audio data.
18. The mobile apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the level of engagement is calculated using the sensor information.
19. A system for determining levels of user engagement relative to encoded audio data, comprising:
a mobile device comprising an audio capturing apparatus that captures the encoded audio data over a predetermined time period, said mobile device being associated with a user;
a storage apparatus, operatively coupled to the audio capturing apparatus, for storing at least a portion of the captured encoded audio data; and
a processor, operatively coupled to the audio capturing apparatus and storage apparatus, said processor processing the encoded audio data relative to a threshold over the predetermined time period to determine a characteristic of the encoded audio data, said processor processing the characteristic to calculate a level of engagement for the audience member’s mobile device relative to the captured encoded audio data.
20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a sensor device, operatively coupled to the processor, said sensor providing sensor information about the user’s actions, wherein the sensor information is processed by the processor together with the characteristic to calculate the level of engagement.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a unit of preparing a sample to be supplied to an ion mobility sensor; and
a control unit including a function for controlling the unit of preparing,
wherein the unit of preparing includes a concentration adjusting mechanism changing a concentration of a first constituent included in the sample, and
the control unit includes a function of acquiring a measurement result of the ion mobility sensor and a function of controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism in a direction in which the measurement result improves, and
the function for controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism includes:
a function of preliminarily analyzing measurement results obtained by controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism so as to change the concentration of the first constituent in stages and selecting a chemical substance candidate included in the first constituent; and
a function of accessing a database of a plurality of chemical substances that are to be measured by the ion mobility sensor and includes data on concentrations of each of the plurality of chemical substances that are suited to detection by the ion mobility sensor to acquire a detection concentration suited to detecting the chemical substance candidate and controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism so that a concentration of the first constituent included in the sample becomes the detection concentration.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit includes a function of outputting control information outputted to the concentration adjusting mechanism.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism includes an adsorption material that adsorbs the first constituent and a mechanism that heats the adsorption material to release the first constituent adsorbed by the adsorption material to a carrier gas, and
the control unit includes a function of controlling the temperature of the adsorption material.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism further includes a first path where a first gas that includes the first constituent passes the adsorption material and a second path where a constituent adsorbed by the adsorption material is released to the carrier gas, and
the control unit includes a function of controlling a period for which the adsorption material is exposed to the first gas.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism includes a plurality of the first paths and the second paths, and
the control unit includes a function of controlling the plurality of the first paths and the second paths according to time division.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism includes a third path feeding back the first gas to the first path.
7. The apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the adsorption material is porous glass.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism includes a mechanism that generates the sample including the first constituent by heating a liquid including the first constituent, and
the control unit includes a function of controlling a heating temperature of the liquid including the first constituent.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism includes a mechanism that generates a sample including the first constituent by ejecting a liquid including the first constituent according to an ink-jet method, and
the control unit includes a function of controlling the ejected amount of liquid including the first constituent.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the concentration adjusting mechanism includes a mechanism that removes a second constituent from the first gas including the first constituent.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the sample includes air or a carrier gas with known constituents,
the concentration adjusting mechanism includes a flow amount control mechanism of injecting a first gas including the first constituent into the carrier gas, and
the control unit includes a function of changing a mixing ratio of the first gas and the carrier gas using the flow amount control mechanism.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a mechanism causing a chemical substance to be analyzed to react with another chemical substance to convert to the first constituent.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a gas collecting apparatus that collects gas to be analyzed which includes the first constituent and supplies the gas to the concentration adjusting mechanism,
wherein the gas collecting apparatus includes:
a unit that controls an air amount forming an air curtain; and
a unit that collects the gas to be analyzed from a region surrounded by the air curtain,
and the control unit includes a function of controlling, in cooperation with the concentration adjusting mechanism, the air amount forming the air curtain.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising the ion mobility sensor; and
a processing unit that obtains an analysis result based on an output of the ion mobility sensor and control information sent to the concentration adjusting mechanism.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14,
further comprising a calibration unit that incorporates a pilot constituent including a known chemical substance into the sample.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15,
wherein the calibration unit supplies the sample including the pilot constituent as the first constituent to the concentration adjusting mechanism.
17. A control method for an apparatus including a unit of preparing a sample to be supplied to an ion mobility sensor and a control unit controlling the unit of preparing, the unit of preparing including a concentration adjusting mechanism changing a concentration of a first constituent included in the sample,
the control method comprising:
the control unit receiving a measurement result from the ion mobility sensor; and
the control unit controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism in a direction in which the measurement result improves, and
controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism includes:
preliminarily analyzing measurement results obtained by controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism so as to change the concentration of the first constituent in stages and selecting a chemical substance candidate included in the first constituent; and
accessing a database of a plurality of chemical substances that are to be measured by the ion mobility sensor and includes data on concentrations of each of the plurality of chemical substances that are suited to detection by the ion mobility sensor to acquire a detection concentration suited to detecting the chemical substance candidate and controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism so that a concentration of the first constituent included in the sample becomes the detection concentration.
18. An apparatus comprising:
a unit of preparing a sample to be supplied to an ion mobility sensor; and
a control unit including a function of controlling the unit for preparing,
wherein the unit of preparing includes a concentration adjusting mechanism changing a concentration of a first constituent included in the sample, and
the control unit includes a function of acquiring a measurement result of the ion mobility sensor and a function of controlling the concentration adjusting mechanism in a direction in which the measurement result improves,
the apparatus further comprises a gas collecting apparatus that collects gas to be analyzed which includes the first constituent and supplies the gas to the concentration adjusting mechanism,
the gas collecting apparatus includes:
a unit that controls an air amount forming an air curtain; and
a unit that collects the gas to be analyzed from a region surrounded by the air curtain,
and the control unit includes a function of controlling, in cooperation with the concentration adjusting mechanism, the air amount forming the air curtain.