IP Library Granted Patent US 9,609,034
Granted Patent B2
US 9,609,034 · App. 14/089,279 · Granted Mar 28, 2017

Methods and apparatus for transcoding metadata

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,609,034
App. No.
14/089,279
Granted
Mar 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transcoding metadata are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to meter media content presented by a media device includes accessing first metadata accompanying media to be presented by the media device, the first metadata not being detectable by a metering device collecting audience measurement data associated the media device, transcoding the first metadata into second metadata having a format that is detectable by the metering device and capable of being inserted into at least one of an audio signal or a video signal corresponding to the media to presented by the media device, inserting the second metadata into the at least one of the audio signal or the video signal, and providing the at least one of the audio signal or the video signal with the inserted second metadata to the media device for presentation.

Claims (32)

1. A method to meter media presented by a media device, the method comprising:

accessing first metadata accompanying media to be presented by the media device, the first metadata conveying a first identifier, the first metadata in a first format not detectable by a meter collecting audience measurement data associated with the media device;

transcoding the first metadata into second metadata that is to convey the first identifier, the second metadata to be associated with the media, the second metadata being transcoded to have a second format that is different from the first format, the second metadata having the second format being detectable by the meter and supported by an application programming interface (API) provided by the media device, the API being accessible by the meter; and

communicating the second metadata having the second format in a second transmission for receipt by the meter via the API provided by the media device, the second transmission being separate from a first transmission communicating the media and the first metadata having the first format, but the first transmission not communicating the second metadata having the second format different from the first format, to the media device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metadata corresponds to at least one of an audio watermark or a video watermark.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second metadata corresponds to digital data formatted according to a data communications protocol.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the digital data includes a plurality of data fields.

5. The method of claim 4 , further including inserting first information in a first one of the plurality of data fields, the first information corresponding to second information conveyed by the first metadata.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first information corresponds to the first identifier conveyed by the first metadata.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transmission is communicated via a first communication medium, and the second transmission is communicated via a wireless communication medium different from the first communication medium.

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

access first metadata accompanying media to be presented by a media device, the first metadata conveying a first identifier, the first metadata in a first format not detectable by a meter collecting audience measurement data associated with the media device;

transcode the first metadata into second metadata that is to convey the first identifier, the second metadata to be associated with the media, the second metadata being transcoded to have a second format that is different from the first format, the second metadata having the second format being detectable by the meter and supported by an application programming interface (API) provided by the media device, the API being accessible by the meter; and

communicate the second metadata having the second format in a second transmission for receipt by the meter via the API provided by the media device, the second transmission to be separate from a first transmission that is to communicate the media and the first metadata having the first format, but the first transmission not to communicate the second metadata having the second format different from the first format, to the media device.

9. The storage device or storage disk of claim 8 , wherein the first metadata corresponds to at least one of an audio watermark or a video watermark.

10. The storage device or storage disk of claim 9 , wherein the second metadata corresponds to digital data formatted according to a data communications protocol.

11. The storage device or storage disk of claim 10 , wherein the digital data includes a plurality of data fields.

12. The storage device or storage disk of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to include first information in a first one of the plurality of data fields, the first information corresponding to second information conveyed by the first metadata.

13. The storage device or storage disk of claim 12 , wherein the first information corresponds to the first identifier conveyed by the first metadata.

14. The storage device or storage disk of claim 8 , wherein the first transmission is communicated via a first communication medium, and the second transmission is communicated via a wireless communication medium different from the first communication medium.

15. A transcoder comprising:

memory;

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor to:

access first metadata accompanying media to be presented by a media device, the first metadata conveying a first identifier, the first metadata in a first format not detectable by a meter collecting audience measurement data associated with the media device;

transcode the first metadata into second metadata that is to convey the first identifier, the second metadata to be associated with the media, the second metadata being transcoded to have a second format that is different from the first format, the second metadata having the second format being detectable by the meter and supported by an application programming interface (API) provided by the media device, the API being accessible by the meter;

cause the second metadata having the second format to be communicated in a second transmission for receipt by the meter via the API provided by the media device, the second transmission to be separate from a first transmission that is to the media and the first metadata having the first format, but the first transmission not to communicate the second metadata having the second format different from the first format, to the media device for presentation; and

a codec to provide the media to the media device.

16. The transcoder of claim 15 , wherein the first metadata corresponds to at least one of an audio watermark or a video watermark.

17. The transcoder of claim 16 , wherein the second metadata corresponds to digital data formatted according to a data communications protocol.

18. The transcoder of claim 17 , wherein the digital data includes a plurality of data fields, and the processor is further to include first information in a first one of the plurality of data fields, the first information corresponding to second information conveyed by the first metadata.

19. The transcoder of claim 18 , wherein the first information corresponds to the first identifier conveyed by the first metadata.

20. The transcoder of claim 15 , wherein the first transmission is communicated via a first communication medium, and the second transmission is communicated via a wireless communication medium different from the first communication medium.

Assignments (11)
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 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 28, 2014
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.)
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 032556/0767 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2014
From: RAMASWAMY, ARUN; FEININGER, WILLIAM A.
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 032559/0876 →