IP Library Granted Patent US 9,491,250
Granted Patent B2
US 9,491,250 · App. 15/084,929 · Granted Nov 8, 2016

Systems, methods, and apparatus to identify media presentation devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,491,250
App. No.
15/084,929
Granted
Nov 8, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus to identify media presentation devices are disclosed. An example method includes receiving registration data from a panelist, the panelist being associated with a first network device and a second network device, the first and second network devices associated with a same public Internet protocol address. Associating respective ones of the first and second network devices with respective ones of at least two pseudo domain name service (DNS) servers, wherein the pseudo DNS servers do not provide domain name-to-IP address translation. Crediting the first network device with accessing media when a domain name service query is received at the first pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address. And crediting the second network device with accessing media when the domain name service query is received at the second pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address.

Claims (26)

1. A method of monitoring network activity, the method comprising:

receiving registration data from a panelist, the panelist being associated with a first network device and a second network device, the first and second network devices associated with a same public Internet protocol address;

associating respective ones of the first and second network devices with respective ones of at least two pseudo domain name service (DNS) servers, wherein the pseudo DNS servers do not provide domain name-to-IP address translation;

crediting the first network device with accessing media when a domain name service query is received at the first pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address; and

crediting the second network device with accessing media when the domain name service query is received at the second pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , further including generating at least one instruction document including instructions for configuring the first and second network devices, the instruction document indicating the association of the respective ones of the first and second network devices with the respective ones of the at least two pseudo DNS servers.

3. The method as described in claim 2 , further including transmitting the at least one instruction document to the panelist.

4. The method as described in claim 1 , further including configuring the respective ones of the first and second network devices to transmit domain name service queries to the respective ones of the at least two pseudo DNS servers.

5. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the registration data from the panelist is received via an Internet interface.

6. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the registration data includes an identification of the type of the first and second network devices.

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

receive registration data from a panelist, the panelist being associated with a first network device and a second network device, the first and second network devices associated with a same public Internet protocol address; and

associate respective ones of the first and second network devices with respective ones of at least two pseudo domain name service (DNS) servers, wherein the pseudo DNS servers do not provide domain name-to-IP address translation;

credit the first network device with accessing media when a domain name service query is received at the first pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address; and

credit the second network device with accessing media when the domain name service query is received at the second pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address.

8. The machine-readable medium as described in claim 7 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least generate at least one instruction document including instructions for configuring the first and second network devices, the instruction document indicating the association of the respective ones of the first and second network devices with the respective ones of the at least two pseudo DNS servers.

9. The machine-readable medium as described in claim 8 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least transmit the at least one instruction document to the panelist.

10. The machine-readable medium as described in claim 7 , further including instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least configure the respective ones of the first and second network devices to transmit domain name service queries to the respective ones of the at least two pseudo DNS servers.

11. The machine-readable medium as described in claim 7 , wherein the registration data from the panelist is received via an Internet interface.

12. The machine-readable medium as described in claim 7 , wherein the registration data includes an identification of the type of the first and second network devices.

13. An apparatus for monitoring network activity, the apparatus comprising:

a registrar to receive registration data from a panelist, the panelist being associated with a first network device and a second network device, the first and second network devices associated with a same public Internet protocol address, the registrar to associate respective ones of the first and second network devices with respective ones of at least two pseudo domain name service (DNS) servers, wherein the pseudo DNS servers do not provide domain name-to-IP address translation, the registrar including hardware;

a query processor to credit the first network device with accessing media when a domain name service query is received at the first pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address and credit the second network device with accessing media when the domain name service query is received at the second pseudo DNS server from the public Internet protocol address.

14. The apparatus as described in claim 13 , the registrar to further generate at least one instruction document including instructions for configuring the first and second network devices, the instruction document indicating the association of the respective ones of the first and second network devices with the respective ones of the at least two pseudo DNS servers.

15. The apparatus as described in claim 14 , the registrar to further transmit the at least one instruction document to the panelist.

16. The apparatus as described in claim 13 , the registrar to further configure the respective ones of the first and second network devices to transmit domain name service queries to the respective ones of the at least two pseudo DNS servers.

Assignments (8)
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 →
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 Mar 30, 2016
From: BESEHANIC, JAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 038142/0454 →