IP Library Granted Patent US 9,113,205
Granted Patent B2
US 9,113,205 · App. 14/577,884 · Granted Aug 18, 2015

Methods and apparatus to monitor media exposure

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,113,205
App. No.
14/577,884
Granted
Aug 18, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to monitor media exposure are disclosed. An example implementation includes accessing a meter identifier and first audio received from a wearable bracelet meter, the meter identifier uniquely associated with the wearable bracelet meter. Whether the first audio substantially matches second audio received at a second meter is determined. In response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, the meter identifier associated with the wearable bracelet meter and at least one of the first audio or the second audio are stored.

Claims (44)

1. A method of monitoring media exposure comprising:

accessing a meter identifier and first audio received from a wearable bracelet meter, the meter identifier uniquely associated with the wearable bracelet meter;

determining, with a processor, whether the first audio substantially matches second audio received at a second meter; and

in response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, storing the meter identifier associated with the wearable bracelet meter and at least one of the first audio or the second audio.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including, in response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, storing an event indicating that the wearable bracelet meter was within audio proximity of the second meter.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including transmitting an instruction from the second meter to the wearable bracelet meter to collect audio at the wearable bracelet meter.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the storing of the meter identifier associated with the wearable bracelet meter and the at least one of the first audio or the second audio is performed at the second meter.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 , further including transmitting the meter identifier associated with the wearable bracelet meter and the at least one of the first audio or the second audio from the second meter to an audience measurement data center.

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

deriving a media identifier representative of the at least one of the first audio and the second audio; and

storing the media identifier if the first audio and the second audio substantially match.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the wearable bracelet meter and second meter are communicatively coupled by a wireless connection.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the wearable bracelet meter computes a gain level for the first audio.

9. The method defined in claim 8 , further including receiving the gain level for the first audio, and wherein the gain level is used to determine if the first audio and the second audio sufficiently match.

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

receiving a movement signal indicative of movement of the wearable bracelet meter at the time of receiving the first audio at the second meter; and

wherein storing the meter identifier associated with the wearable bracelet meter and the at least one of the first audio and the second audio is performed when the movement signal indicates movement at the time of receiving the first audio at the second meter.

11. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second meter is a mailable meter.

12. An apparatus to monitor media exposure, the apparatus comprising:

an audio receiver to receive first audio;

a communicator to receive a meter identifier and second audio from a wearable bracelet meter, the meter identifier being uniquely associated with the wearable meter;

a correlator to determine whether the first audio and the second audio substantially match; and

a data storer to, in response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, store the meter identifier associated with the wearable meter and at least one of the first audio and the second audio.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the communicator is further to receive a movement signal indicating movement of the wearable meter, and the data storer is to store the meter identifier associated with the wearable meter and the at least one of the first audio and the second audio if (1) the first audio and the second audio substantially match, and (2) movement of the wearable meter is detected.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , further including a signature generator to derive a media identifier of the at least one of the first audio and the second audio.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the signature generator is to derive a first signature of the first audio and derive a second signature of the second audio, the correlator to determine whether the first audio and the second audio substantially match by comparing the first signature to the second signature.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the communicator is further to transmit the meter identifier associated with the wearable meter and the at least one of the first audio and the second audio to an audience measurement data center.

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

receive a meter identifier and a first audio from a wearable meter, the meter identifier uniquely associated with the wearable meter;

determine whether the first audio substantially matches second audio received at the mailable meter; and

in response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, store the meter identifier associated with the wearable meter and at least one of the first audio and the second audio.

18. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the mailable meter to, in response to determining that the first audio and the second audio substantially match, store an event indicating that the wearable meter was within audio proximity of the mailable meter.

19. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the mailable meter to transmit an instruction to the wearable meter to cause the wearable meter to collect audio.

20. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the mailable meter to transmit the meter identifier associated with the wearable meter and the at least one of the first audio and the second audio from the mailable meter to an audience measurement data center.

21. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the mailable meter to at least:

derive a media identifier representative of the at least one of first audio and the second audio; and

store the media identifier if the first audio and the second audio substantially match.

22. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the mailable meter and wearable meter are communicatively coupled by a wireless connection.

23. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the wearable meter computes a gain level for the first audio.

24. The machine-readable storage medium defined in claim 23 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the mailable meter to receive the gain level for the first audio, and to determine if the first audio and the second audio sufficiently match based on the gain level.

25. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the mailable meter to store the meter identifier associated with the wearable meter and at least one of the first audio and the second audio by:

receiving a movement signal indicative of movement of the wearable meter at the time of receiving the first audio at the wearable meter; and

storing the meter identifier when the movement signal indicates movement at the time of receiving the first audio at the wearable meter.

26. The machine-readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the second audio is received via a microphone of the mailable meter.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, 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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2015
From: RAMASWAMY, ARUN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 035366/0893 →
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Apr 9, 2015
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 035402/0040 →
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 9, 2015
From: LUFF, ROBERT A.
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC
Reel/Frame 035402/0035 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 9, 2015
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 035372/0926 →