IP Library Granted Patent US 9,986,288
Granted Patent B2
US 9,986,288 · App. 14/465,510 · Granted May 29, 2018

Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to streaming media

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 9,986,288
App. No.
14/465,510
Granted
May 29, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to measure exposure to streaming media are disclosed. An example method includes capturing an image of a video presented by a media device. Video metadata is extracted from the image. The video metadata is converted to an ID3 metadata format. The ID3 formatted metadata is transmitted to a central facility.

Claims (33)

1. A method to measure exposure to streaming media presented by a media device, the method comprising:

capturing, with a video retriever separate from the media device, an image of a display of the media device;

extracting, with a processor, video metadata from the image of the display of the media device;

converting, with the processor, the video metadata to an ID3 metadata format; and

transmitting the ID3 formatted metadata to a central facility.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the capturing of the image includes retrieving a screenshot of the display of the media device.

3. The method as described in claim 1 , further including transmitting at least one of a user identifier or a device identifier to the central facility in association with the ID3 formatted metadata.

4. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the video metadata is extracted from a chroma key of the image.

5. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the media device is separate from the processor.

6. The method as described in claim 1 , further including transmitting, in association with the ID3 formatted metadata, a timestamp representing a time at which the image was captured to the central facility.

7. The method as described in claim 1 , further including detecting whether an event has occurred, and wherein the extracting of the video metadata and the converting of the video metadata are performed in response to detection of the event.

8. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the event is triggered by inspecting the captured image to determine whether a video watermark is present.

9. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the event is triggered by a timer reaching a threshold time limit.

10. An apparatus to measure exposure to streaming media, the apparatus comprising:

a video retriever to retrieve an image of media presented by a media presenter separate from the video retriever;

a metadata extractor to extract video metadata from the retrieved image;

a metadata converter to convert the video metadata into a text format; and

a transmitter to transmit the text formatted metadata to a central facility.

11. The apparatus as described in claim 10 , wherein:

the media presenter is a display; and

the video retriever retrieves the image by retrieving a screenshot of the display.

12. The apparatus as described in claim 10 , further including an event listener to trigger the metadata extractor to extract the video metadata from the retrieved image.

13. The apparatus as described in claim 10 , further including an image sensor, and wherein the video retriever retrieves the image of the presented media by capturing an image from the image sensor.

14. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

capture, via an image sensor separate from a media device, an image of a video presented by the media device;

extract video metadata from the image of the video presented by the media device;

convert the video metadata to an ID3 metadata format; and

transmit the ID3 formatted metadata to a central facility.

15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to capture the image by retrieving a screenshot of the display of the media device.

16. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transmit at least one of a user identifier or a device identifier to the central facility in association with the ID3 formatted metadata.

17. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as described in claim 16 , wherein the user identifier is a demographic indicator.

18. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the video metadata is extracted from a chroma key of the image.

19. The tangible computer-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transmit, in association with the ID3 formatted metadata, a timestamp representing a time at which the image was captured to the central facility.

Assignments (8)
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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2014
From: BESEHANIC, JAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 033789/0176 →