IP Library Granted Patent US 8,762,192
Granted Patent B2
US 8,762,192 · App. 13/654,899 · Granted Jun 24, 2014

Methods and apparatus to generate smart text

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,762,192
App. No.
13/654,899
Granted
Jun 24, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to generate a performance metric are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a baseline volume and an incremental volume for a first time-frame and a second time-frame, calculating whether a market volume change direction is identical between the baseline volume and the incremental volume during the first time-frame and the second time-frame, and assigning a market change descriptor to the performance metric based on the calculated change direction.

Claims (32)

1. A method to generate a performance metric, comprising:

identifying, with a processor, a baseline volume and an incremental volume for a first time-frame and a second time-frame;

calculating whether a market volume change direction is identical between the baseline volume and the incremental volume during the first time-frame and the second time-frame; and

assigning a market change descriptor to the performance metric based on the calculated change direction.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the baseline volume and the incremental volume are associated with at least one of a market of interest or a product of interest.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the baseline volume reflects seasonal influence factors.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the incremental volume reflects promotional activity factors.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the promotional activity factors comprise at least one of newspaper advertisements, television advertisements or a price drop.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the market change descriptor is based on a magnitude value of the market volume change direction.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , further comprising setting the market change descriptor to a first language phrase when the magnitude value exceeds a first threshold.

8. A method as defined in claim 6 , further comprising constructing the market change descriptor as a volume sentence based on the magnitude value of the market volume change direction.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the volume sentence comprises an increasing volume change descriptor or a decreasing volume change descriptor.

10. An apparatus to generate a performance metric, comprising:

a volume calculator to identify a baseline volume and an incremental volume for a first time-frame and a second time-frame;

a baseline/incremental calculator to calculate whether a market volume change direction is identical between the baseline volume and the incremental volume during the first time-frame and the second time-frame; and

a text generator to assign a market change descriptor to the performance metric based on the calculated change direction, at least one of the volume calculator, the baseline/incremental calculator or the text generator comprising a processor.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the volume calculator is to associate the baseline volume and the incremental volume with at least one of a market of interest or a product of interest.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising a baseline logic module to adjust the baseline volume in accordance with seasonal influence factors.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , further comprising an incremental logic module to adjust the incremental volume in accordance with promotional activity factors.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the baseline/incremental calculator is to calculate the market change descriptor based on a magnitude value of the market volume change direction.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the text generator is to set the market change descriptor to a first language phrase when the magnitude value exceeds a first threshold.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the text generator is to construct the market change descriptor as a volume sentence based on the magnitude value of the market volume change direction.

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

identify a baseline volume and an incremental volume for a first time-frame and a second time-frame;

calculate whether a market volume change direction is identical between the baseline volume and the incremental volume during the first time-frame and the second time-frame; and

assign a market change descriptor to the performance metric based on the calculated change direction.

18. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to derive the baseline volume and the incremental volume with at least one of a market of interest or a product of interest.

19. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to adjust the baseline volume according to seasonal influence factors.

20. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to adjust the incremental volume according to promotional activity factors.

21. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to adjust the market change descriptor based on a magnitude value of the market volume change direction.

22. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to set the market change descriptor to a first language phrase when the magnitude value exceeds a first threshold.

23. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to construct the market change descriptor as a volume sentence based on the magnitude value of the market volume change direction.

Assignments (10)
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 →
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 May 17, 2013
From: ANDERSON, RICH J.; DYSON, DAVID S.; AHRENS, MARK
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC., A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 030451/0745 →