IP Library Granted Patent US 8,527,320
Granted Patent B2
US 8,527,320 · App. 11/643,160 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Methods and systems for initiating a research panel of persons operating under a group agreement

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,527,320
App. No.
11/643,160
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for initiating participation of a user of a portable device (PUA) in a research operation using a respective one of a plurality of PUA's providing communication services pursuant to a single agreement with a communication service provider. Data identifying the PUA user is associated with data identifying a group of persons receiving communication services pursuant to the single agreement; and demographic data of the PUA user is associated with the data identifying the PUA user.

Claims (44)

1. A computer-implemented method of initiating participation in a computer system of a PUA user in a research operation using a respective one of a plurality of PUA's providing communication services pursuant to a single agreement with a communication service provider, comprising:

associating data identifying the PUA user in the computer system with data identifying a group of persons receiving communication services pursuant to the single agreement;

associating demographic data of the PUA user in the computer system with the data identifying the PUA user; and

gathering media exposure data for the PUA user pursuant to the research operation, the media exposure data comprising information regarding exposure to media content in a plurality of different mediums.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data identifying the PUA user comprises a screen name adopted by the PUA user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising communicating a message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's requesting the demographic data of the PUA user and receiving a message comprising the demographic data of the PUA user from the respective one of the plurality of PUA's.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , comprising communicating the message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's in response to receipt of a message from the PUA user indicating interest in participating in the research operation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the associating of data identifying the PUA user with data identifying a group indicates which particular user in the plurality of PUA's is using a particular PUA.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the associating of demographic data of the PUA user with data identifying the PUA user indicates the demographic data of the particular user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the demographic data of the particular user is communicated to a processing facility.

8. A computer-implemented method of initiating participation in a computer system of a PUA user in a research operation using a respective one of a plurality of PUA's providing communication services pursuant to a single agreement with a communication service provider, comprising:

associating data identifying the PUA user in the computer system with data identifying a group of persons receiving communication services pursuant to the single agreement;

receiving demographic data of the PUA user;

associating the demographic data of the PUA user in the computer system with the data identifying the PUA user;

gathering media exposure data for the PUA user pursuant to the research operation, the media exposure data comprising information regarding exposure to media content in a plurality of different mediums.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the data identifying the PUA user comprises a screen name adopted by the PUA user.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , comprising communicating a message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's requesting the demographic data of the PUA user and receiving a messag e comprising the demographic data of the PUA user from the respective one of the plurality of PUA's.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising communicating the message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's in response to receipt of a message from the PUA user indicating interest in participating in the research operation.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the associating of data identifying the PUA user with data identifying a group indicates which particular user in the plurality of PUA's is using a particular PUA.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the associating of demographic data of the PUA user with data identifying the PUA user indicates the demographic data of the particular user.

14. A system for initiating participation of a PUA user in a research operation using a respective one of a plurality of PUA's providing communication services pursuant to a single agreement with a communication service provider, comprising:

a processor configured to associate data identifying the PUA user with data identifying a group of persons receiving communication services pursuant to the single agreement,

the processor being further configured to associate demographic data of the PUA user with the data identifying the PUA user; and

communications for gathering media exposure data for the PUA user pursuant to the research operation, the media exposure data comprising information regarding exposure to media content in a plurality of different mediums.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the data identifying the PUA user comprises a screen name adopted by the PUA user.

16. The system of claim 14 , comprising communications coupled with the respective one of the plurality of PUA's to communicate a message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's requesting the demographic data of the PUA user and to receive a message comprising the demographic data of the PUA user from the respective one of the plurality of PUA's.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the communications is operative to communicate the message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's in response to receipt of a message from the PUA user indicating interest in participating in the research operation.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the associating of data identifying the PUA user with data identifying a group indicates which particular user in the plurality of PUA's is using a particular PUA.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the associating of demographic data of the PUA user with data identifying the PUA user indicates the demographic data of the particular user.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the demographic data of the particular user is communicated to a processing facility.

21. The system of claim 14 , further comprising storage coupled with the processor, and wherein the processor is operative to store the data identifying the PUA user in association with the data identifying the group of persons in the storage, and to store the demographic data of the PUA user in association with the data identifying the PUA user in the storage.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is operative to store the data identifying the PUA user in association with the data identifying the group of persons in a first table of a relational database, and to store the demographic data of the PUA user in association with the data identifying the PUA user in a second table of the relational database.

23. A system for initiating participation of a PUA user in a research operation using a respective one of a plurality of PUA's providing communication services pursuant to a single agreement with a communication service provider, comprising:

a processor configured to associate data identifying the PUA user with data identifying a group of persons receiving communication services pursuant to the single agreement;

communications coupled with the processor and operative to receive demographic data of the PUA user;

the processor being operative to associate the demographic data of the PUA user with the data identifying the PUA user; and

wherein the communications is operative for gathering media exposure data for the PUA user pursuant to the research operation, the media exposure data comprising information regarding exposure to media content in a plurality of different mediums.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the data identifying the PUA user comprises a screen name adopted by the PUA user.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the communications is operative to communicate a message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's requesting the demographic data of the PUA user and to receive a message comprising the demographic data of the PUA user from the respective one of the plurality of PUA's.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the communications is operative to communicate the message to the respective one of the plurality of PUA's in response to receipt of a message from the PUA user indicating interest in participating in the research operation.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the associating of data identifying the PUA user with data identifying a group indicates which particular user in the plurality of PUA's is using a particular unit.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the associating of demographic data of the PUA user with data identifying the PUA user indicates the demographic data of the particular user.

29. The system of claim 23 , further comprising storage coupled with the processor, and wherein the processor is operative to store the data identifying the PUA user in association with the data identifying the group of persons in the storage, and to store the demographic data of the PUA user in association with the data identifying the PUA user in the storage.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the processor is operative to store the data identifying the PUA user in association with the data identifying the group of persons in a first table of a relational database, and to store the demographic data of the PUA user in association with the data identifying the PUA user in a second table of the relational database.

Assignments (12)
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 →
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 →
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 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
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 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 28, 2014
From: ARBITRON INC.
To: NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 032554/0759 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 28, 2014
From: ARBITRON INC.
To: NIELSEN HOLDINGS N.V.
Reel/Frame 032554/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2014
From: NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 032554/0801 →