IP Library Granted Patent US 9,021,516
Granted Patent B2
US 9,021,516 · App. 13/782,895 · Granted Apr 28, 2015

Methods and systems for reducing spillover by measuring a crest factor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,021,516
App. No.
13/782,895
Granted
Apr 28, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected crest factor associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected crest factor to a received crest factor to determine if spillover occurred. The received crest factor is received from the first meter. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.

Claims (36)

1. A method to detect spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

identifying media associated with media monitoring data, the media monitoring data being received from a meter associated with a first media presentation device;

identifying an expected crest factor associated with the media;

comparing the expected crest factor to a received crest factor to determine if spillover occurred, the received crest factor being received from the meter, the received crest factor being based on dividing a peak amplitude of an audio signal associated with the media by a root mean square value of the audio signal; and

crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the expected crest factor to the received crest factor comprises comparing a difference between the expected crest factor and the received crest factor to a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein crediting the media as media exposure includes marking the media monitoring data as credited.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising transmitting the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising not crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did occur.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, if spillover did occur, discarding the media monitoring data associated with the spillover.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, if spillover did occur, marking the media monitoring data associated with the spillover as not credited.

8. A spillover manager to detect spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

a crest factor comparator to:

identify media associated with media monitoring data, the media monitoring data being received from a meter associated with a media presentation device;

identify an expected crest factor associated with the media; and

determine if spillover occurred by comparing the expected crest factor to a received crest factor, the received crest factor being received from the meter, the received crest factor being based on dividing a peak amplitude of an audio signal associated with the media by a root mean square value of the audio signal; and

a media creditor to:

credit the media with an exposure if spillover did not occur; and

not credit the media with an exposure if spillover did occur.

9. The spillover manager of claim 8 , wherein the crest factor comparator is to compare the expected crest factor to the received crest factor by comparing a difference between the expected crest factor and the received crest factor to a threshold.

10. The spillover manager of claim 8 , wherein to credit the media with the exposure, the media creditor is to mark the media monitoring data as credited.

11. The spillover manager of claim 10 , further comprising a transmitter to transmit the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

12. The spillover manager of claim 8 , wherein the media creditor is to discard the media monitoring data if spillover did occur.

13. The spillover manager of claim 8 , wherein the media creditor is to mark the media monitoring data as not credited if spillover did occur.

14. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to at least:

identify media associated with media monitoring data, the media monitoring data being received from a meter associated with a media presentation device;

identify an expected crest factor associated with the media;

compare the expected crest factor to a received crest factor to determine if spillover occurred, the received crest factor being received from the meter, the received crest factor being based on dividing a peak amplitude of an audio signal associated with the media by a root mean square value of the audio signal; and

credit the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein comparing the expected crest factor to the received crest factor comprises comparing a difference between the expected crest factor and the received crest factor to a threshold.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein crediting the media as media exposure includes marking the media monitoring data as credited.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to transmit the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising not crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did occur.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to discard the media monitoring data if spillover did occur.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to mark the media monitoring data as not credited if spillover did occur.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expected crest factor is retrieved from a reference database when the media is identified.

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 →