IP Library Granted Patent US 9,674,574
Granted Patent B2
US 9,674,574 · App. 14/800,317 · Granted Jun 6, 2017

Media monitoring using multiple types of signatures

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,674,574
App. No.
14/800,317
Granted
Jun 6, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Media monitoring using multiple types of signatures is disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include sending a first indication to a device meter to indicate that media monitored by the meter corresponds to first reference media in response to determining that a media signature of a first type reported by the meter matched a first reference signature associated with the first reference media. Disclosed example methods also include, after sending the first indication, comparing media signatures of a second type reported by the meter with reference signatures of the second type associated with the first reference media. Disclosed example methods further include, in response to determining that the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type, sending a second indication to the meter to indicate that the media monitored by the meter no longer corresponds to the first reference media.

Claims (27)

1. A media monitoring method comprising:

sending a first indication to a device meter to indicate that media monitored by the device meter corresponds to first reference media in response to determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, that a media signature of a first type reported by the device meter matched a first reference signature associated with the first reference media;

after sending the first indication, comparing, by executing an instruction with the processor, media signatures of a second type reported by the device meter with reference signatures of the second type associated with the first reference media; and

in response to determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, that the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type, sending a second indication to the device meter to indicate that the media monitored by the device meter no longer corresponds to the first reference media.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including determining that the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type when a group of the media signatures of the second type fail to match a corresponding group of the reference signatures of the second type.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media signature of the first type has higher resolution than the media signatures of the second type.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media signature of the first type includes more bits than the media signatures of the second type.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including receiving the media signatures of the second type after sending the first indication.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media signature of the first type is a first media signature of the first type, and further including, after sending the second indication, comparing a second media signature of the first type reported by the device meter to a second reference signature of the first type associated with second reference media different from the first reference media to determine whether the media monitored by the device meter corresponds to the second reference media.

7. A tangible computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

send a first indication to a device meter to indicate that media monitored by the device meter corresponds to first reference media in response to determining that a media signature of a first type reported by the device meter matched a first reference signature associated with the first reference media;

after the first indication is sent, compare media signatures of a second type reported by the device meter with reference signatures of the second type associated with the first reference media; and

after the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type, send a second indication to the device meter to indicate that the media monitored by the device meter no longer corresponds to the first reference media.

8. The tangible computer readable medium as defined in claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to determine that the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type when a group of the media signatures of the second type fail to match a corresponding group of the reference signatures of the second type.

9. The tangible computer readable medium as defined in claim 7 , wherein the media signature of the first type has higher resolution than the media signatures of the second type.

10. The tangible computer readable medium as defined in claim 7 , wherein the media signature of the first type includes more bits than the media signatures of the second type.

11. The tangible computer readable medium as defined in claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to access the media signatures of the second type after the first indication is sent.

12. The tangible computer readable medium as defined in claim 7 , wherein the media signature of the first type is a first media signature of the first type, and after the second indication is sent, the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to compare a second media signature of the first type reported by the device meter to a second reference signature of the first type associated with second reference media different from the first reference media to determine whether the media monitored by the device meter corresponds to the second reference media.

13. A media monitoring apparatus comprising:

an indication processor to send a first indication to a device meter to indicate that media monitored by the device meter corresponds to first reference media in response to determining that a media signature of a first type reported by the device meter matched a first reference signature associated with the first reference media;

a comparator to compare, after the first indication is sent, media signatures of a second type reported by the device meter with reference signatures of the second type associated with the first reference media; and

the indication processor is further to send, after the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type, a second indication to the device meter to indicate that the media monitored by the device meter no longer corresponds to the first reference media.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the comparator is further to determine that the media signatures of the second type fail to match the reference signatures of the second type when a group of the media signatures of the second type fail to match a corresponding group of the reference signatures of the second type.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media signature of the first type has higher resolution than the media signatures of the second type.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media signature of the first type includes more bits than the media signatures of the second type.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , further including a signature receiver to receive the media signatures of the second type after the first indication is sent.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media signature of the first type is a first media signature of the first type, and after the second indication is sent, the comparator is further to compare a second media signature of the first type reported by the device meter to a second reference signature of the first type associated with second reference media different from the first reference media to determine whether the media monitored by the device meter corresponds to the second reference media.

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 Aug 21, 2015
From: MCMILLAN, FRANCIS GAVIN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 036394/0912 →