IP Library Granted Patent US 8,060,372
Granted Patent B2
US 8,060,372 · App. 12/034,489 · Granted Nov 15, 2011

Methods and appratus for characterizing media

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,060,372
App. No.
12/034,489
Granted
Nov 15, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for characterizing media are described. In one example, a method of characterizing media includes capturing a block of audio; converting at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of complex-valued frequency components; defining a band of complex-valued frequency components for consideration; determining a decision metric using the band of complex-valued frequency components; and determining a signature bit based on a value of the decision metric. Other examples are shown and described.

Claims (28)

1. An apparatus to characterize media comprising:

a sample generator to capture a block of audio;

a transformer to convert at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of complex-valued frequency components;

a decision metric computer to:

define a band of complex-valued frequency components for consideration;

determine a decision metric using the band of complex-valued frequency components by convolving a group of the complex-valued frequency components in the band with a pair of complex vectors, each of the pair of complex vectors and the group of the complex-valued frequency components having an odd number of elements greater than one; and

a signature determiner to determine a signature bit based on a value of the decision metric, wherein at least one of the decision metric computer or the signature determiner is implemented using a processor.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the group of complex-valued frequency components in the band has three of the complex-valued frequency components and the pair of complex vectors is a pair of three element complex vectors.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein determining the decision metric comprises a sum of convolutions.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein a sum of squares of a first three element vector is equal to a sum of squares of a second three element vector.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein the pair of three element complex vectors is selected from a set of three or more three element complex vectors.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein the pair of three element complex vectors is selected based on a band being processed.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the convolution of complex-valued frequency components with complex vectors represents energy distribution symmetry in the band.

8. An apparatus to characterize media comprising:

a sample generator to capture a block of audio;

a transformer to convert at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of complex-valued frequency components;

a decision metric computer comprising a processor to:

define a band of complex-valued frequency components for consideration;

determine a decision metric using the band of complex-valued frequency components by convolving the complex-valued frequency components in the band with complex vectors, wherein the decision metric is based on differences of results of convolutions between the complex-valued frequency components with a first complex vector and results of convolutions between the complex-valued frequency components with a second complex vector; and

a signature determiner to determine a signature bit based on a value of the decision metric.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the decision metric is based on a sum of differences of results of convolutions between the complex-valued frequency components with a first complex vector and results of convolutions between the complex-valued frequency components with a second complex vector.

10. A method of characterizing media comprising:

capturing a block of audio;

converting at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of frequency domain coefficients;

defining a band of frequency domain coefficients for consideration;

determining, using a processor, a decision metric by calculating a convolution of a group of the frequency domain coefficients in the band with a pair of complex vectors, the group of the frequency domain coefficients and each of the complex vectors having an odd number of elements greater than one; and

determining a signature bit based on a value of the decision metric.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the group of frequency domain coefficients in the band has three of the frequency domain coefficients and the pair of complex vectors is a pair of three element complex vectors.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, 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 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 →
MERGER Recorded Jun 29, 2009
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.)
To: NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC, THE
Reel/Frame 022897/0439 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2008
From: TOPCHY, ALEXANDER; SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL; RAMASWAMY, ARUN
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC, A DELAWARE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020810/0810 →