IP Library Granted Patent US 9,219,969
Granted Patent B2
US 9,219,969 · App. 13/801,176 · Granted Dec 22, 2015

Methods and systems for reducing spillover by analyzing sound pressure levels

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,219,969
App. No.
13/801,176
Granted
Dec 22, 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 sound pressure level associated with the first meter. The example method includes comparing the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.

Claims (45)

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

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

identifying an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter;

comparing, with a processor, the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of the expected sound pressure level depends on a time the media was presented at the first media presentation device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actual sound pressure level is calculated by taking a logarithmic measure of a root mean square sound pressure of an audio signal associated with the media relative to a reference sound pressure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing of the expected sound pressure level to the actual sound pressure level includes comparing a difference between the expected sound pressure level and the actual sound pressure level to a threshold.

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

6. The method of claim 5 , further including transmitting the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

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

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

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

10. A spillover manager to reduce spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

a sound pressure level comparator including a logic circuit to:

compare an expected sound pressure level for media associated with media monitoring data received from a meter associated with a media presentation device to an actual sound pressure level to determine if spillover occurred, the actual sound pressure level based on the media detected by the meter; and

a media creditor to:

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

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

11. The spillover manager of claim 10 , wherein the expected sound pressure level depends on a time the media was presented at the first media presentation device.

12. The spillover manager of claim 10 , wherein the meter is to calculate the actual sound pressure level by taking a logarithmic measure of a root mean square sound pressure of an audio signal associated with the media relative to a reference sound pressure.

13. The spillover manager of claim 10 , wherein the sound pressure level comparator is to compare the expected sound pressure level to the actual sound pressure level by comparing a difference between the expected sound pressure level and the actual sound pressure level to a threshold.

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

15. The spillover manager of claim 10 , wherein the media creditor is to discard the media monitoring data if the spillover did occur.

16. The spillover manager of claim 10 , wherein the media creditor is to mark the media monitoring data as not credited if the spillover did occur.

17. A spillover manager to reduce spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

a sound pressure level comparator to:

compare an expected sound pressure level for media associated with media monitoring data received from a meter associated with a media presentation device to an actual sound pressure level to determine if spillover occurred, the actual sound pressure level based on the media detected by the meter;

a media creditor to:

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

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

a transmitter to transmit the credited media monitoring data to a central facility.

18. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

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

identify an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter;

compare the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if the spillover occurred; and

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

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein a value of the expected sound pressure level depends on a time the media was presented at the first media presentation device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the actual sound pressure level is calculated by taking a logarithmic measure of a root mean square sound pressure of an audio signal associated with the media relative to a reference sound pressure.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the comparing of the expected sound pressure level to the actual sound pressure level includes comparing a difference between the expected sound pressure level and the actual sound pressure level to a threshold.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the crediting of the media as the media exposure includes marking the media monitoring data as credited.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 , further including instructions that cause the processor to transmit the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , further including instructions that cause the processor to not credit the media as a media exposure if the spillover did occur.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , further including instructions that cause the processor to discard the media monitoring data if the spillover did occur.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , further including instructions that cause the processor to mark the media monitoring data as not credited if the spillover did occur.

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 →