IP Library Granted Patent US 9,591,353
Granted Patent B2
US 9,591,353 · App. 14/554,268 · Granted Mar 7, 2017

Methods and apparatus to detect commercial advertisements associated with media presentations

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 9,591,353
App. No.
14/554,268
Granted
Mar 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to detect commercial advertisements associated with media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes determining an amount of audio randomness an inter-segment audio frame. The example method also includes indicating the inter-segment audio frame as occurring at a commercial transition based on the amount of audio randomness of the at least one inter-segment audio frame.

Claims (33)

1. A method to detect a commercial transition associated with a media presentation, the method comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, an amount of audio randomness of an inter-segment audio frame by:

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a quantity of unique time-based distances between at least one of a plurality of amplitude peaks or a plurality of amplitude troughs in the inter-segment audio frame; and

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a random-factor ratio corresponding to the quantity of unique time-based distances divided by a total quantity of time-based distances between the at least one of the amplitude peaks or the amplitude troughs; and

indicating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the inter-segment audio frame as occurring at a commercial transition based on the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the indicating of the inter-segment audio frame as occurring at the commercial transition based on the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame includes indicating the inter-segment audio frame as occurring at the commercial transition when the amount of audio randomness exceeds a threshold.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the commercial transition includes at least one of a transition between two commercial advertisements or a transition between a commercial advertisement and a media program.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the inter-segment audio frame is reconstructed from at least one of a television transmission, an internet-streamed video, or a video-on-demand video.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determining of the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame is performed in response to detecting quiet audio in the inter-segment audio frame.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame is indicative of an inter-segment blank frame occurring between two media program segments.

7. A method to detect a commercial transition associated with a media presentation, the method comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, an amount of audio randomness of an inter-segment audio frame;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a root-mean-squared value of audio in the inter-segment audio frame, the determining of the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame being performed in response to the root-mean-squared value of the audio exceeding a first threshold and being less than a second threshold; and

indicating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the inter-segment audio frame as occurring at a commercial transition based on the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame.

8. An apparatus to detect a commercial transition associated with a media presentation, the apparatus comprising:

an audio features detector to determine an amount of audio randomness of an audio frame by:

determining a quantity of unique time-based distances between at least one of a plurality of amplitude peaks or a plurality of amplitude troughs in the audio frame; and

determining a random-factor ratio corresponding to the quantity of unique time-based distances divided by a total quantity of time-based distances between the at least one of the amplitude peaks or the amplitude troughs; and

an advertisement detector to indicate the audio frame as occurring at a commercial transition based on the amount of audio randomness of the audio frame.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the advertisement detector is to indicate the audio frame as occurring at the commercial transition when the amount of audio randomness exceeds a threshold.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the commercial transition includes at least one of a transition between two commercial advertisements or a transition between a commercial advertisement and a media program.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the audio frame is reconstructed from at least one of a television transmission, an internet-streamed video, or a video-on-demand video.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the audio features detector is to determine the amount of audio randomness of the audio frame in response to detecting quiet audio in the audio frame.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the amount of audio randomness of the audio frame is indicative of an inter-scene blank frame occurring in a media program or an inter-segment blank frame occurring between two media program segments.

14. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a processor to:

determine an amount of audio randomness of an inter-segment audio frame by

determining a quantity of unique time-based distances between at least one of a plurality of amplitude peaks or a plurality of amplitude troughs in the audio frame; and

determining a random-factor ratio corresponding to the quantity of unique time-based distances divided by a total quantity of time-based distances between the at least one of the amplitude peaks or the amplitude troughs; and

indicate the inter-segment audio frame as occurring at a commercial transition based on the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame.

15. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to indicate the audio frame as occurring at the commercial transition when the amount of audio randomness exceeds a threshold.

16. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 14 , wherein the inter-segment audio frame is reconstructed from at least one of a television transmission, an internet-streamed video, or a video-on-demand video.

17. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 14 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the processor to determine the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame in response to detecting quiet audio in the inter-segment audio frame.

18. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 14 , wherein the amount of audio randomness of the inter-segment audio frame is indicative of an inter-scene blank frame occurring in a media program or an inter-segment blank frame occurring between two media program segments.

Assignments (10)
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 →
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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2014
From: WRIGHT, DAVID H.; WILSON, SCOTT; SCHWERER, RON; HEFFERNAN, RONAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 034269/0198 →