IP Library Granted Patent US 9,762,688
Granted Patent B2
US 9,762,688 · App. 14/529,784 · Granted Sep 12, 2017

Methods and apparatus to improve usage crediting in mobile devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,762,688
App. No.
14/529,784
Granted
Sep 12, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to identify a first request having a first source port number, from a device. Examples disclosed herein determine whether a second request, having a second source port number, is within a threshold number of ports from the first source port number. Examples disclosed herein group the first and the second requests as a first session when the second source port number is within the threshold number of ports from the first source port number, and identify an application associated with the first session.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising:

Identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first request having a first source port number, from a device;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, whether a second request, having a second source port number, is within a threshold number of ports from the first source port number;

grouping, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first and the second requests as a first session when the second source port number is within the threshold number of ports from the first source port number, wherein session windows including the threshold number of ports move to a highest and lowest source port numbers associated with a current session; and

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, an application associated with the first session.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including:

determining whether a third request, having a third port number, is at least one of: (1) within a lower session window from a lower of the first and the second source port number, (2) within an upper session window from a higher of the first and the second source port number; and

grouping the third request in the first session.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein requests are not gathered on the device.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein requests are gathered at a proxy server intermediate to the device associated with a panelist generating requests and a media provider providing the media to the device.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein an identifier of the first session is associated with the first and the second request.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein identifying an application associated with the first session further includes:

identifying the application as a first application when a user agent of the first request matches a first application pattern associated with the first application.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 , further including:

when the user agent of the first request does not match an application pattern associated with any application, identifying the application as the first application when a uniform resource locator (URL) matches the first application pattern associated with the first application.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including, crediting use of the application during the first session.

9. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

identify a first request having a first source port number, from a device associated with a panelist;

determine whether a second request, having a second source port number, is within a threshold number of ports from the first source port number;

group the first and the second requests as a first session when the second source port number is within the threshold number of ports from the first source port number;

identify an application associated with the first session; and

identify the application as a first application when a user agent of the first request matches a first application pattern associated with the first application.

10. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , further including instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

determine whether a third request, having a third port number, is at least one of: (1) within a lower session window from a lower of the first and the second source port number, (2) within an upper session window from a higher of the first and the second source port number; and

group the third request in the first session.

11. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , wherein requests are not gathered on the device.

12. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , wherein requests are gathered at a proxy server intermediate to the device associated with the panelist generating requests and a media provider providing the media to the device.

13. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , wherein an identifier of the first session is associated with the first and the second request.

14. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , wherein session windows including the threshold number of ports move to the highest and lowest source port numbers associated with a current session.

15. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , further including instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

in response to the user agent of the first request not matching an application pattern associated with any application, identify the application as the first application when a uniform resource locator (URL) matches the first application pattern associated with the first application.

16. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 10 , further including instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to at least credit use of the application during the first session.

17. An apparatus including a processor comprising: a session classifier including a memory to identify a first request having a first source port number, from a device, determine whether a second request, having a second source port number, is within a threshold number of ports from the first source port number, group the first and the second requests as a first session when the second source port number is within the threshold number of ports from the first source port number, determine whether a third request, having a third port number, is at least one of: (1) within a lower session window from a lower of the first and the second source port number, (2) within an upper session window from a higher of the first and the second source port number, and group the third request in the first session; and an application identifier including the memory to identify an application associated with the first session.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein requests are not gathered on the device.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein requests are gathered at a proxy server intermediate to the device associated with a panelist generating requests and a media provider providing the media to the device.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein an identifier of the first session is associated with the first and the second request.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein session windows including the threshold number of ports moves to a highest and lowest source port numbers associated with a current session.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein the application identifier is further to identify the application as a first application when a user agent of the first request matches a first application pattern associated with the first application.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22 , wherein the application identifier is further to, when the user agent of the first request does not match an application pattern associated with any application, identify the application as the first application when a uniform resource locator (URL) matches the first application pattern associated with the first application.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 , further including a creditor including the memory to credit use of the application during the first session.

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 Mar 19, 2015
From: PAPAKOSTAS, ACHILLEAS; CIMINO, SUSAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 035208/0294 →