IP Library Granted Patent US 8,306,844
Granted Patent B2
US 8,306,844 · App. 12/363,040 · Granted Nov 6, 2012

Methods and apparatus to generate a smart text market change descriptor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,306,844
App. No.
12/363,040
Granted
Nov 6, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to generate smart text are disclosed. An example computer implemented method includes receiving at an input module a query input associated with at least one of a product of interest or a market of interest during a time-frame of interest and identifying at least one candidate external application based on the query input. The example method also includes retrieving volume information from the at least one candidate external application, the retrieved volume information associated with a current time-frame and the time-frame of interest, calculating a change associated with the retrieved volume information, and assigning a market change descriptor to the at least one of the product of interest or the market of interest related to a magnitude of the calculated change, the assigned market change descriptor output to a user via an output module.

Claims (48)

1. A computer implemented method to generate a market change descriptor, comprising:

receiving, a query input associated with a market input parameter during a time-frame of interest;

identifying, with a processor, at least one candidate external application based on the query input;

retrieving volume information from the at least one candidate external application, the retrieved volume information associated with a current time-frame and the time-frame of interest;

identifying a volume change composition of the market input parameter by calculating whether a volume change direction associated with the retrieved volume information is the same for a baseline volume and an incremental volume; and

assigning a market change descriptor to the market input parameter based on the calculated change direction.

2. A method as described in claim 1 , wherein identifying the at least one candidate external application comprises querying an external application table to determine one or more external applications having at least one of market data or market analysis techniques associated with the query input.

3. A method as described in claim 1 , wherein calculating the volume change direction associated with the retrieved volume information further comprises calculating a percent volume change between the current time-frame and the time-frame of interest.

4. A method as described in claim 3 , further comprising assigning the market change descriptor based on the calculated percent volume change.

5. A method as described in claim 4 , wherein the assigned market change descriptor comprises at least one of an indication of increased volume or an indication of decreased volume.

6. A method as described in claim 4 , further comprising constructing a volume sentence including a template sentence.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein the template sentence is retrieved from a smart text database and further comprises a plurality of customization fields.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the customization fields comprise a target market field.

9. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the customization fields comprise a time-frame field.

10. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the customization fields comprise a product of interest field.

11. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the customization fields comprise a volume change descriptor field.

12. A method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the customization fields comprise a raw value change field.

13. A method as defined in claim 7 , further comprising populating the customization fields based on the calculated percent volume change.

14. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the identified volume change composition comprises baseline drivers.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the baseline drivers comprise at least one of price-point factors or seasonal factors.

16. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the identified volume change composition comprises incremental drivers.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 , wherein the incremental drivers comprise at least one of promotional factors or advertising factors.

18. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising comparing at least one of the baseline volume or the incremental volume to a threshold to determine a contribution sentence.

19. An apparatus to generate a market change description, comprising:

an input module to receive user input;

an external application table to identify at least one external application candidate based on the received user input;

a volume calculator to retrieve volume information from the identified at least one external application candidate, and to calculate a volume change composition by determining whether a volume change direction associated with the user input is the same for a baseline volume and an incremental volume; and

a text generator to retrieve a template market change description sentence based on the change direction, at least one of the input module, the external application table, the volume calculator or the text generator comprising a processor.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19 , further comprising a smart text database communicatively connected to the text generator to provide the market change description sentence.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 19 , further comprising a baseline/incremental calculator to differentiate volume due to a baseline factor from volume due to an incremental factor.

22. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising machine-accessible instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

identify a candidate external application based on a query input associated with a market input parameter during a time-frame of interest;

retrieve volume information from the candidate external application, the retrieved volume information associated with a current time-frame and the time-frame of interest;

identify a volume change composition of the market input parameter by calculating whether a volume change direction associated with the retrieved volume information is the same for a baseline volume and an incremental volume; and

assign a market change language descriptor to the market input parameter based on the calculated change direction.

23. An article of manufacture as described in claim 22 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query an external application table to determine an external application having at least one of market data or market analysis techniques associated with the query input.

24. An article of manufacture as described in claim 22 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to calculate a percent volume change between the current time-frame and the time-frame of interest.

25. An article of manufacture as described in claim 24 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to assign the market change language descriptor based on the calculated percent volume change.

26. An article of manufacture as described in claim 25 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to construct a volume sentence including a template sentence.

27. An article of manufacture as described in claim 26 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to apply a plurality of customization fields to the template sentence.

28. An article of manufacture as described in claim 27 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to apply a target market field customization.

29. An article of manufacture as described in claim 27 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to apply a time-frame field customization.

30. An article of manufacture as described in claim 27 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to apply a product of interest field customization.

31. An article of manufacture as described in claim 27 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to apply a volume change descriptor field customization.

32. An article of manufacture as described in claim 27 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to apply a raw value change field customization.

33. An article of manufacture as described in claim 22 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify a baseline driver composition.

34. An article of manufacture as described in claim 22 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify an incremental driver composition.

35. An article of manufacture as described in claim 22 , wherein the machine-accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to compare at least one of the baseline volume or the incremental volume to a threshold to determine a contribution sentence.

Assignments (10)
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 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC; BYZZER INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055742/0719 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2021
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC
Reel/Frame 055557/0949 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2021
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: NIELSEN CONSUMER LLC
Reel/Frame 055325/0353 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2009
From: ANDERSON, RICH J.; DYSON, DAVID S.; AHRENS, MARK
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 022792/0070 →