IP Library Granted Patent US 9,848,222
Granted Patent B2
US 9,848,222 · App. 14/920,314 · Granted Dec 19, 2017

Methods and apparatus to detect spillover

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,848,222
App. No.
14/920,314
Granted
Dec 19, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to improve the accuracy of crediting media exposure through detecting reverberation indicative of spillover. Example disclosed methods involve determining periods of loudness in media presented by a media presentation device, and identifying a quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy a duration threshold. Disclosed example methods also involve calculating a ratio by dividing the quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy the duration threshold by a total number of periods of loudness in the media. Disclosed example methods also involve marking the media as usable to credit a media exposure if the ratio satisfies a loud threshold.

Claims (33)

1. A method to credit media in a media measuring system, comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, periods of loudness in an audio signal of the media presented by a media presentation device;

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy a duration threshold;

calculating, by executing an instruction with the processor, a ratio of the quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy the duration threshold and a total number of periods of loudness in the media; and

marking, by executing an instruction with the processor, the media as un-usable to credit a media exposure when the ratio does not satisfy a loudness ratio threshold, the marking of the media to improve an accuracy of the media exposure credit by excluding media having indications of spillover.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the determining of the periods of loudness in the audio signal of the media includes identifying a first transition and a second transition in the audio signal of the media.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the second transition occurs when a loudness flag transitions from a loud-indicator value to a quiet-indicator value.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 , wherein the loudness flag is set to the quiet-indicator value when a sample of the audio signal satisfies a quiet threshold, the quiet threshold being based on a most recent peak value of the audio signal.

5. The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the first transition occurs when a loudness flag transitions from a quiet-indicator value to a loud-indicator value.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 , wherein the loudness flag is set to the loud-indicator value when a sample of the audio signal satisfies a loud threshold, the loud threshold being based on a most recent dip value of the audio signal.

7. The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein a duration of one of the periods of loudness is a number of samples of the audio signal between the first transition and the second transition of the one of the periods of loudness.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a reverberation analyzer to:

determine periods of loudness in an audio signal of media presented by a media presentation device,

identify a quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy a duration threshold, and

calculate a ratio of the quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy the duration threshold and a total number of periods of loudness in the media; and

a spillover detector to mark the media as un-usable to credit a media exposure when the ratio does not satisfy a loudness ratio threshold, the marking of the media to improve an accuracy of the media exposure credit by excluding media having indications of spillover.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein to determine the periods of loudness in the audio signal of the media, the reverberation analyzer is to detect a first transition and a second transition in the audio signal of the media.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the reverberation analyzer is to detect the second transition occurs when a loudness flag transitions from a loud-indicator value to a quiet-indicator value.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the loudness flag is set to the quiet-indicator value when a sample of the audio signal satisfies a quiet threshold, the quiet threshold being based on a most recent peak value of the audio signal.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the reverberation analyzer is to detect the first transition when a loudness flag transitions from a quiet-indicator value to a loud-indicator value.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the loudness flag is set to the loud-indicator value when a sample of the audio signal satisfies a loud threshold, the loud threshold being based on a most recent dip value of the audio signal.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the reverberation analyzer is to calculate a duration of one of the periods of loudness by determining a number of samples of the audio signal between the first transition and the second transition of the one of periods of loudness.

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

determine periods of loudness in an audio signal of media presented by a media presentation device;

identify a quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy a duration threshold;

calculate a ratio of the quantity of the periods of loudness that satisfy the duration threshold and a total number of periods of loudness in the media; and

mark the media as un-usable to credit a media exposure when the ratio does not satisfy a loudness ratio threshold, the marking of the media to improve an accuracy of the media exposure credit by excluding media having indications of spillover.

16. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the machine to determine the periods of loudness in the audio signal of the media by identifying a first transition and a second transition in an audio signal of the media.

17. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the machine to identify the second transition when a loudness flag transitions from a loud-indicator value to a quiet-indicator value.

18. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 17 , wherein the loudness flag is set to the quiet value when a sample of the audio signal satisfies a quiet threshold, the quiet threshold being based on a most recent peak value of the audio signal.

19. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further to cause the machine to identify the first transition when a loudness flag transitions from a quiet-indicator value to a loud-indicator value.

20. The computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the loudness flag is set to the loud value when a sample of the audio signal satisfies a loud threshold, the loud threshold being based on a most recent dip value of the audio signal.

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 Oct 22, 2015
From: LEE, MORRIS
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 036852/0569 →