IP Library › Granted Patent US 12695931
Granted Patent B2
US 12695931 · App. 19/018,207 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Signature matching with meter data aggregation for media identification

Inventors: Daniel Nelson (Tampa, FL); Raghuram Ranganathan (Tampa, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/2407H04N21/23418H04N21/2353H04N21/835
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12695931
App. No.
19/018,207
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one example, a method is disclosed. The method includes, for each meter hash key of multiple meter hash keys generated from meter signatures in aggregated meter data: identifying a set of reference hash keys that match the meter hash key, and storing ones of the set of reference hash keys in respective data structures corresponding to media assets represented by the ones of the set of reference hash keys, where a first one of the data structures includes a sequence of reference hash keys that matches a corresponding sequence of meter hash keys. The method further includes: determining that the sequences of hash keys satisfy a validation criteria, and determining that the first one of the sequence of reference hash keys corresponds to a valid hash key match based on the determination that the sequences of hash keys satisfy the validation criteria.

Claims (43)

1 . A media identification system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the media identification system to perform operations comprising:

for each meter hash key of a plurality of meter hash keys generated from meter signatures in aggregated meter data:

identifying, for the meter hash key, a set of reference hash keys stored in a reference hash database that match the meter hash key, wherein the set of reference hash keys correspond to one or more media assets; and

storing, for the meter hash key, ones of the set of reference hash keys in respective data structures corresponding to media assets represented by the ones of the set of reference hash keys, wherein a first one of the data structures includes a sequence of reference hash keys that matches a corresponding sequence of meter hash keys of the plurality of meter hash keys;

determining that the sequence of reference hash keys and the corresponding sequence of the meter hash keys satisfy one or more validation criteria; and

determining that the first one of the sequence of reference hash keys included in the first one of the data structures corresponds to a valid hash key match based on the determination that the sequence of reference hash keys and the corresponding sequence of the meter hash keys satisfy the one or more validation criteria.

2 . The media identification system of claim 1 , wherein the aggregated meter data is generated by aggregating batches of meter data from a meter, the batches of meter data corresponding to respective reporting intervals having a first duration, the aggregated meter data corresponding to a monitoring interval having a second duration.

3 . The media identification system of claim 2 , wherein the second duration corresponds to a twenty-four period, and the first duration corresponds to a fraction of the twenty-four period.

4 . The media identification system of claim 1 , wherein the validation criteria comprises a threshold number of reference hash keys stored in the first one of the data structures.

5 . The media identification system of claim 1 , wherein the validation criteria comprises a matching time progression between the sequence of reference hash keys and the sequence of meter hash keys.

6 . The media identification system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

aligning, based on the valid hash key match, (i) the sequence of reference signatures corresponding to a duration of a first media asset associated with the valid hash key match with (ii) a corresponding sequence of the meter signatures in the aggregated meter data.

7 . The media identification system of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, for output to an application, an identifier of media represented by at least a portion of the sequence of the meter signatures, wherein the application is to perform an operation based on the identifier.

8 . The media identification system of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, for output to an application, a third duration corresponding to a duration represented by at least a portion of the sequence of the meter signatures, wherein the application is to perform an operation based on the third duration.

9 . A method comprising:

for each meter hash key of a plurality of meter hash keys generated from meter signatures in aggregated meter data:

identifying, for the meter hash key, a set of reference hash keys stored in a reference hash database that match the meter hash key, wherein the set of reference hash keys correspond to one or more media assets; and

storing, for the meter hash key, ones of the set of reference hash keys in respective data structures corresponding to media assets represented by the ones of the set of reference hash keys, wherein a first one of the data structures includes a sequence of reference hash keys that matches a corresponding sequence of meter hash keys of the plurality of meter hash keys;

determining that the sequence of reference hash keys and the corresponding sequence of the meter hash keys satisfy one or more validation criteria; and

determining that the first one of the sequence of reference hash keys included in the first one of the data structures corresponds to a valid hash key match based on the determination that the sequence of reference hash keys and the corresponding sequence of the meter hash keys satisfy the one or more validation criteria.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aggregated meter data is generated by aggregating batches of meter data from a meter, the batches of meter data corresponding to respective reporting intervals having a first duration, the aggregated meter data corresponding to a monitoring interval having a second duration.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second duration corresponds to a twenty-four period, and the first duration corresponds to a fraction of the twenty-four period.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the validation criteria comprises a threshold number of reference hash keys stored in the first one of the data structures.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the validation criteria comprises a matching time progression between the sequence of reference hash keys and the sequence of meter hash keys.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

aligning, based on the valid hash key match, (i) the sequence of reference signatures corresponding to a duration of a first media asset associated with the valid hash key match with (ii) a corresponding sequence of the meter signatures in the aggregated meter data.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing, for output to an application, an identifier of media represented by at least a portion of the sequence of the meter signatures, wherein the application is to perform an operation based on the identifier.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

providing, for output to an application, a third duration corresponding to a duration represented by at least a portion of the sequence of the meter signatures, wherein the application is to perform an operation based on the third duration.

17 . A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

for each meter hash key of a plurality of meter hash keys generated from meter signatures in aggregated meter data:

identifying, for the meter hash key, a set of reference hash keys stored in a reference hash database that match the meter hash key, wherein the set of reference hash keys correspond to one or more media assets; and

storing, for the meter hash key, ones of the set of reference hash keys in respective data structures corresponding to media assets represented by the ones of the set of reference hash keys, wherein a first one of the data structures includes a sequence of reference hash keys that matches a corresponding sequence of meter hash keys of the plurality of meter hash keys;

determining that the sequence of reference hash keys and the corresponding sequence of the meter hash keys satisfy one or more validation criteria; and

determining that the first one of the sequence of reference hash keys included in the first one of the data structures corresponds to a valid hash key match based on the determination that the sequence of reference hash keys and the corresponding sequence of the meter hash keys satisfy the one or more validation criteria.

18 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the aggregated meter data is generated by aggregating batches of meter data from a meter, the batches of meter data corresponding to respective reporting intervals having a first duration, the aggregated meter data corresponding to a monitoring interval having a second duration.

19 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the second duration corresponds to a twenty-four period, and the first duration corresponds to a fraction of the twenty-four period.

20 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the validation criteria comprises a threshold number of reference hash keys stored in the first one of the data structures.