IP Library Granted Patent US 9,986,272
Granted Patent B1
US 9,986,272 · App. 15/011,455 · Granted May 29, 2018

Methods and apparatus to determine a duration of media presentation based on tuning session duration

Inventors: Michael Sheppard (Brooklyn, NY); Jonathan Sullivan (Hurricane, UT); Peter Lipa (Tucson, AZ); Alejandro Terrazas (Santa Cruz, CA)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04N21/252H04N21/4667
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,986,272
App. No.
15/011,455
Granted
May 29, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to monitor media presentation to determine a period of media presentation based on tuning session period are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include determining a first tuning session based on a period of time between channel changes of a first media presentation device, determining first presentation session data within the determined first tuning session, determining a model relating the first tuning session with the first presentation session data, determine a second tuning session for tuning data from a second media presentation device, selecting the model for the second tuning session, based on a match of a first duration of the second tuning session and a second duration associated with the model, and estimating second presentation session data for the second tuning session based on the model.

Claims (43)

1. A method for determining media presentation sessions based on tuning session data, the method comprising:

obtaining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a first media presentation device at a first media presentation location;

obtaining by executing an instruction with the processor, a first presentation session duration of media presented within the first tuning session duration;

storing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a relation between the first tuning session duration and the first presentation session duration in a model corresponding to the first tuning session duration;

obtaining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a second tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a second media presentation device at a second media presentation location;

selecting the model from storage based on a match of the first tuning session duration and the second tuning session duration;

estimating a second presentation session duration of media presented within the second tuning session duration based on the model; and

presenting, by executing an instruction with the processor, a report including the second presentation session duration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tuning session duration and the first presentation session duration are received from a metering device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model is determined based on the first tuning session duration.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first presentation session duration includes data related to when the first media presentation device is powered on.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first presentation session duration includes data related to when a user is present at a location of the first media presentation device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the second presentation session duration for the tuning data is based on the first presentation session duration, the second presentation session duration including at least one of a first presentation session within the tuning data, a last presentation session within the tuning data, or a total presentation session within the tuning data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model includes at least one of a conditional probability, an expected value, a frequency distribution, or a cumulative distribution based on the first presentation session duration.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including combining data in the model based on tuning session durations that are within a threshold range.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second media presentation device is a set top box.

10. An apparatus to determine media presentation sessions based on tuning session data, the apparatus comprising:

a tuning session determiner to obtain a first tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a first media presentation device at a first media presentation location;

a presentation session determiner to obtain a first presentation session duration of media presented within the first tuning session duration;

a modeler to store a relation between the first tuning session duration and the first presentation session duration in a model corresponding to the first tuning session duration;

a receiver to obtain a second tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a second media presentation device at a second media presentation location; and

a presentation session estimator to:

select the model from storage based on a match of the first tuning session duration and the second tuning session duration, and

estimate a second presentation session duration of media presented within the second tuning session duration based on the model; and

a reporter to present a report including the second presentation session duration, at least one of the tuning session determiner, the presentation session determiner, the modeler, the receiver, the presentation session estimator, or the reporter including hardware.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first tuning session duration and the first presentation session duration are received from a metering device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the modeler is to determine model is based on the first tuning session duration.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first presentation session duration includes data related to when the first media presentation device is powered on.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first presentation session duration includes data related to when a user is present at a location of the first media presentation device.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the presentation session estimator is to estimate the second presentation session duration for the tuning data based on the first presentation session duration, the second presentation session duration including at least one of a first presentation session within the tuning data, a last presentation session within the tuning data, or a total presentation session within the tuning data.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the model includes at least one of a conditional probability, an expected value, a frequency distribution, or a cumulative distribution based on the first presentation session duration.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the modeler is to combine data in the model based on tuning session durations that are within a threshold range.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second media presentation device is a set top box.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

obtain a first tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a first media presentation device at a first media presentation location;

obtain a first presentation session duration of media presented within the first tuning session duration;

store a relation between the first tuning session duration and the first presentation session duration in a model corresponding to the first tuning session duration;

obtain a second tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a second media presentation device at a second media presentation location;

select the model from storage based on a match of the first tuning session duration and the second tuning session duration;

estimate a second presentation session duration of media presented within the second tuning session duration based on the model; and

present a report including the second presentation session duration.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the first tuning session duration and the first presentation session duration are received from a metering device.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel change is a change in media presentations at the first or the second media presentation device by a media streaming service.

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 Feb 8, 2016
From: SHEPPARD, MICHAEL; SULLIVAN, JONATHAN; LIPA, PETER; TERRAZAS, ALEJANDRO
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 037686/0685 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62239126 · Oct 8, 2015