IP Library Granted Patent US 8,249,992
Granted Patent B2
US 8,249,992 · App. 12/052,849 · Granted Aug 21, 2012

Digital rights management and audience measurement systems and methods

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,249,992
App. No.
12/052,849
Granted
Aug 21, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Digital rights management and audience measurement systems and methods are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a request to upload media content to a content distributor, attempting to obtain a code associated with the media content, querying a program information database for program information associated with the media content using the code, and applying a business rule to the media content based on the program information.

Claims (72)

1. A method for receiving media content at a content distribution site, the method comprising:

attempting to extract a code associated with the media content from at least one of audio or video of the media content, wherein the media content is to be uploaded to a content distributor;

when the code is obtained, querying a program information database for program information associated with the media content using the code;

querying a ratings database for ratings information associated with the media content using the code; and

processing the media content based on the program information and the rating information, wherein processing the media content comprises:

determining if the media content should be stored at the content distribution site based on the program information and the ratings information; and

storing the media content at the content distribution site based on the determination.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein processing the media content comprises:

determining an owner of the media content based on at least one of the program information and the ratings information; and

sending a request for a license to the content owner.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein sending the request comprises:

determining a royalty based on the ratings information; and

identifying the royalty in the request for the license.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the program information includes an indication of a distribution license for the media content.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if the code was obtained from the media content;

when the code was not obtained from the media content:

computing a signature for the media content;

sending a query to a database to identify the media content based on the signature;

receiving a response from the database including an identification of the media content;

querying the program information database for the program information associated with the media content using the identification of the media content; and

querying the ratings database for the ratings information associated with the media content using the identification of the media content.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising generating an advertisement proposal for the media content based on the program information and the ratings information.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein generating the advertisement proposal includes:

determining a fee for distributing an advertisement with the media content; and

sending the advertisement proposal including the fee to an advertiser.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining if the media content is authorized for distribution based on the code.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising crawling a storage medium available to a media device to locate the media content.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a content upload interface to receive a request to upload media content to a content distributor;

a code extractor to attempt to obtain a code associated with the media content by extracting an identifier value from at least one of audio or video of the media content;

a television guide database interface to, when the code is obtained, query a program information database for program information associated with the media content using the code;

a ratings database interface to query a ratings database for ratings information associated with the media content using the code; and

a processor to, when the code is obtained, process the media content based on the program information and the ratings information, wherein processing the media content comprises:

determining if the media content should be stored at the content distribution site based on the program information and the ratings information; and

storing the media content in a content store at the content distribution site based on the determination.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising:

a content owner identifier to determine an owner of the media content based on the program information, wherein the processor is further to send a request for a license to the content owner.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein sending the request comprises:

determining a royalty based on the ratings information; and

identifying the royalty in the request for the license.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising:

an office interface; and

a signature engine to determine if the code was obtained from the media content, wherein when the code was not obtained from the media content:

the signature engine is further to compute a signature for the media content;

the office interface is to send a query to a database to identify the media content based on the signature and to receive a response from the database including an identification of the media content;

the television guide database interface is further to query the program information database for the program information associated with the media content using the identification of the media content; and

the ratings database interface is further to query the ratings database for the ratings information associated with the media content using the identification of the media content.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising an advertisement agent to generate an advertisement proposal for the media content based on the program information and the ratings information.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the advertisement agent is further to:

determine a fee for distributing an advertisement with the media content; and

send the advertisement proposal including the fee to an advertiser.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising a digital rights management and audience measurement server interface to determine if the media content is authorized for distribution based on the code.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising a crawler to crawl a storage medium available to a media device to locate the media content.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the code is the identifier value.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the identifier value is a watermark.

20. A tangible machine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

attempt to obtain a code associated with media content by extracting an identifier value from at least one of audio or video of the media content, wherein the media content is to be uploaded to a content distributor site;

when the code is obtained, query a program information database for program information associated with the media content using the code;

query a ratings database for ratings information associated with the media content using the code; and

process the media content based on the program information and the ratings information, wherein the instructions cause the machine to process the media content by:

determining if the media content should be stored at the content distribution site based on the program information and the ratings information; and

storing the media content at the content distribution site based on the determination.

21. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

determine if the code was obtained from the media content;

when the code was not obtained from the media content:

compute a signature for the media content;

send a query to a back office to identify the media content based on the signature;

receive a response from the back office including an identification of the media content;

query the program information database for the program information associated with the media content using the identification of the media content; and

query the ratings database for the ratings information associated with the media content using the identification of the media content.

22. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 20 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to generate an advertisement proposal for the media content based on the program information and the ratings information.

Assignments (9)
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 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 →