IP Library Granted Patent US 9,264,748
Granted Patent B2
US 9,264,748 · App. 14/662,792 · Granted Feb 16, 2016

Methods and systems for reducing spillover by measuring a crest factor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,264,748
App. No.
14/662,792
Granted
Feb 16, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes comparing a first crest factor stored in association with a media identifier to a second crest factor calculated by a first meter, the second crest factor corresponding to a ratio of a peak amplitude of an audio signal and a root mean square value of the audio signal. The example method also includes determining that spillover did not occur if a difference between the first crest factor and the second crest factor satisfies a threshold, and when the spillover did not occur, crediting a media exposure to media associated with the audio signal.

Claims (25)

1. A method to credit media, comprising:

comparing, with a processor, a first crest factor stored in a memory in association with a media identifier to a second crest factor corresponding to a ratio of a peak amplitude of an audio signal and a root mean square value of the audio signal;

determining, with the processor, that spillover did not occur if a difference between the first crest factor and the second crest factor satisfies a threshold; and

when the spillover did not occur, crediting, with the processor, a media exposure to media associated with the audio signal.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including associating, with a logic circuit, the credited media with a person present in a room in which the audio signal is detected.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including discarding media monitoring data associated with the media identifier when spillover did occur.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the crediting of the media exposure to the media includes marking media monitoring data associated with the media identifier as credited.

5. The method as defined in 1 , wherein the threshold is about six decibels.

6. A spillover manager apparatus to credit media, comprising:

a crest factor comparator to:

compare a first crest factor stored in a memory in association with a media identifier to a second crest factor corresponding to a ratio of a peak amplitude of an audio signal and a root mean square value of the audio signal, and

determine that spillover did not occur if a difference between the first crest factor and the second crest factor satisfies a threshold; and

a media creditor to credit a media exposure to media associated with the audio signal when the spillover did not occur, the media creditor implemented using a logic circuit.

7. The spillover manager as defined in claim 6 , wherein the media creditor is to associate the credited media with a person present in a room in which the audio signal is detected.

8. The spillover manager as defined in claim 6 , wherein the media creditor is to discard media monitoring data associated with the media identifier when spillover did occur.

9. The spillover manager as defined in claim 6 , wherein the media creditor is to credit the media exposure to the media by marking media monitoring data associated with the media identifier as credited.

10. The spillover manager as defined in claim 6 , wherein the threshold is about six decibels.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to at least:

compare a first crest factor stored in a memory in association with a media identifier to a second crest factor corresponding to a ratio of a peak amplitude of an audio signal and a root mean square value of the audio signal;

determine that spillover did not occur if a difference between the first crest factor and the second crest factor satisfies a threshold; and

credit a media exposure to media associated with the audio signal when the spillover did not occur.

12. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to associate the credited media with a person present in a room in which the audio signal is detected.

13. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to discard media monitoring data associated with the media identifier when spillover did occur.

14. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to credit the media with the media exposure by marking media monitoring data associated with the media identifier as credited.

15. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the threshold is about six decibels.

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 Mar 19, 2015
From: NIELSEN, CHRISTEN V.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 035208/0430 →