IP Library Granted Patent US 8,225,342
Granted Patent B2
US 8,225,342 · App. 10/970,585 · Granted Jul 17, 2012

Methods and apparatus to collect audience information associated with a media presentation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,225,342
App. No.
10/970,585
Granted
Jul 17, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to collect audience information associated with a media presentation are described herein. In an example method, a first media metering device associated with a media presentation device monitors for a presence of one or more other media metering devices and a monitoring operation of the first media metering device is halted based on the presence of the one or more other media metering devices.

Claims (23)

1. A method of collecting media exposure data comprising:

monitoring by a first media metering device associated with a media presentation device for a physical presence of one or more other media metering devices; and

halting a media monitoring operation of the first media metering device when the physical presence of the one or more other media metering devices is detected by the first metering device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first media metering device is a base metering device and the one or more other media metering devices are portable media metering devices.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the base metering device includes hardware communication circuitry for coupling the base metering device with a media presentation device to monitor media content presented by the media presentation device.

4. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the one or more portable metering devices are wearable by a person and include wireless communication hardware for communication with the base metering device.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising emitting by the first media metering device a signal to cause the one or more other media metering devices to identify collected data as data associated with media exposure within a monitored location.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 , wherein the signal emitted by the first media metering device comprises at least one of a continuously emitted signal or a periodically emitted signal.

7. A method as defined in claim 5 , wherein the data associated with the media exposure within the monitored location comprises in-home data.

8. A tangible machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed, cause a machine to at least:

monitor for a physical presence of one or more other media metering devices via a first media metering device associated with a media presentation device; and

halt a media monitoring operation of the first media metering device when the physical presence of the one or more other media metering devices is detected by the first metering device.

9. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the first media metering device is a base media metering device and the one or more other media metering devices are portable media metering devices.

10. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to emit by the first media metering device a signal to cause the one or more other media metering devices to identify collected data as data associated with media exposure within a monitored location.

11. An apparatus for collecting media exposure data comprising:

a sensor to monitor for a physical presence of one or more media metering devices; and

a processor to halt a media monitoring operation when the physical presence of the one or more other media metering devices is detected by the sensor.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to halt monitoring activity in response to detecting the physical presence of the one or more other media metering devices.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising a communication interface configured to emit a signal to cause the one or more media metering devices to identify collected data as data associated with media exposure within a monitored location.

14. An apparatus for collecting media exposure data comprising:

means for monitoring for the physical presence of one or more media metering devices; and

means for halting a media monitoring operation when the physical presence of the one or more media metering devices is detected by the first metering device.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 , further comprising means for emitting a signal to cause the one or more media metering devices to identify collected data as data associated with media exposure within a monitored location.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
RELEASE (REEL 018207 / FRAME 0607) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061749/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 27, 2009
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.) A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC, THE, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 023030/0189 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 7, 2006
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.; AC NIELSEN (US), INC.; BROADCAST DATA SYSTEMS, LLC; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 018207/0607 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2005
From: MEARS, PAUL M.; RAMASWAMY, ARUN; SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL; NELSON, DAN; DENG, KEVIN K.; PEIFFER, JOHN
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 016304/0917 →