IP Library Granted Patent US 8,917,937
Granted Patent B2
US 8,917,937 · App. 13/569,950 · Granted Dec 23, 2014

Methods and apparatus for identifying primary media content in a post-production media content presentation

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,917,937
App. No.
13/569,950
Granted
Dec 23, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for identifying primary media content in a post-production media content presentation are disclosed. An example computer-implemented method to detect primary media content included in a secondary media content presentation disclosed herein comprises determining a first image corresponding to the secondary media content presentation, the first image comprising a plurality of image subregions, each image subregion representative of an inter-frame variation associated with a corresponding subregion of the secondary media content presentation, selecting a region of the first image comprising a plurality of connected image subregions of the first image together exhibiting a first type of inter-frame variation, and when a shape of the selected region of the first image corresponds to a predefined shape, processing a region of the first captured image corresponding to the selected region of the first synthetic image to identify the primary media content.

Claims (37)

1. A media monitoring method comprising:

determining, with a processor, a synthetic image from an input image representative of a media presentation including primary media combined with secondary media, the synthetic image comprising a synthetic image subregion encoded to represent a direction of motion associated with a corresponding subregion of the input image;

segmenting, with the processor, the synthetic image into a plurality of synthetic image regions, a first synthetic image region of the synthetic image being formed to include a first plurality of connected synthetic image subregions of the synthetic image together exhibiting a first type of motion direction characteristic from among a plurality of types of motion direction characteristics; and

when a shape of the first synthetic image region corresponds to a first shape, processing a first region of the input image corresponding to the first synthetic image region to identify the primary media included in the media presentation.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising combining the primary media and the secondary media in a media device, wherein the media presentation is presented by the media device, the primary media is obtained from a media source external to the media device and the secondary media is local to the media device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising combining the primary media and the secondary media in a media device, wherein the media presentation is presented by the media device, the primary media is received by the media device and the secondary media is based on data obtained from a source external to the media device.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of types of motion direction characteristics include substantially uniform motion, substantially non-uniform motion and substantially no motion.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the first type of motion direction characteristic corresponds to substantially non-uniform motion.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein determining the synthetic image comprises:

determining a first direction of motion associated with a first subregion of the input image; and

encoding a first synthetic image subregion corresponding to the first subregion of the input image with at least one of a first color or a first pattern representing the first direction of motion, at least one of a plurality of colors or a plurality of patterns being used to represent a respective plurality of possible directions of motion.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein processing the first region of the input image comprises at least one of detecting a watermark embedded in the first region or generating a signature representative of the first region.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first shape corresponds to a rectangle having a first aspect ratio.

9. A tangible machine readable storage device or storage disk comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

determine a synthetic image from an input image representative of a media presentation including primary media combined with secondary media, the synthetic image comprising synthetic image subregions encoded to represent respective directions of motion associated with corresponding subregions of the input image;

segment the synthetic image into a plurality of synthetic image regions, a first synthetic image region of the synthetic image being formed to include a first plurality of connected synthetic image subregions of the synthetic image together exhibiting a first type of motion direction characteristic from among a plurality of types of motion direction characteristics; and

when a shape of the first synthetic image region corresponds to a first shape, process a first region of the input image corresponding to the first synthetic image region to identify the primary media included in the media presentation.

10. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 9 wherein the plurality of types of motion direction characteristics include substantially uniform motion, substantially non-uniform motion and substantially no motion.

11. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 10 wherein the first type of motion direction characteristic corresponds to substantially non-uniform motion.

12. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 9 wherein to determine the synthetic image, the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

determine a first direction of motion associated with a first subregion of the input image; and

encode a first synthetic image subregion corresponding to the first subregion of the input image with at least one of a first color or a first pattern representing the first direction of motion, at least one of a plurality of colors or a plurality of patterns being used to represent a respective plurality of possible directions of motion.

13. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 9 wherein to process the first region, the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to at least one of detect a watermark embedded in the first region or generate a signature representative of the first region.

14. A storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 9 wherein the first shape corresponds to a rectangle having a first aspect ratio.

15. A media monitor comprising:

a memory having machine readable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor to execute the instructions to:

determine a synthetic image from an input image representative of a media presentation including primary media combined with secondary media, the synthetic image comprising synthetic image subregions encoded to represent respective directions of motion associated with corresponding subregions of the input image;

segment the synthetic image into a plurality of synthetic image regions, a first synthetic image region of the synthetic image being formed to include a first plurality of connected synthetic image subregions of the synthetic image together exhibiting a first type of motion direction characteristic from among a plurality of types of motion direction characteristics; and

when a shape of the first synthetic image region corresponds to a first shape, process a first region of the input image corresponding to the first synthetic image region to identify the primary media included in the media presentation.

16. A media monitor as defined in claim 15 wherein the plurality of types of motion direction characteristics include substantially uniform motion, substantially non-uniform motion and substantially no motion.

17. A media monitor as defined in claim 16 wherein the first type of motion direction characteristic corresponds to substantially non-uniform motion.

18. A media monitor as defined in claim 15 wherein to determine the synthetic image, the processor is to:

determine a first direction of motion associated with a first subregion of the input image; and

encode a first synthetic image subregion corresponding to the first subregion of the input image with at least one of a first color or a first pattern representing the first direction of motion, at least one of a plurality of colors or a plurality of patterns being used to represent a respective plurality of possible directions of motion.

19. A media monitor as defined in claim 15 wherein to process the first region, the processor is to at least one of detect a watermark embedded in the first region or generate a signature representative of the first region.

20. A media monitor as defined in claim 15 wherein the first shape corresponds to a rectangle having a first aspect ratio.

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 →