IP Library Granted Patent US 9,743,135
Granted Patent B2
US 9,743,135 · App. 15/156,498 · Granted Aug 22, 2017

Methods and apparatus to detect content skipping by a consumer of a recorded program

Inventors: William A. Feininger (Palm Harbor, FL); Scott Brown (Clearwater, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/44222H04N5/76H04N5/93H04N7/173H04N21/4147H04N21/440281H04N21/6175H04N21/6187H04N21/6582H04N21/6587H04N21/812H04N2007/1739
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,743,135
App. No.
15/156,498
Granted
Aug 22, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to detect content skipping by a consumer of a recorded program are disclosed. An example disclosed apparatus includes a segment identifier to identify a first number of times a media segment was fast-forwarded and a second number of times the media segment was rewound; and a recapture identifier to determine whether the media segment was recaptured based on a comparison of the first number of times and the second number of times.

Claims (50)

1. An apparatus to detect portions of a recorded program that were not played back in real time, the apparatus comprising:

a time stamper to record a plurality of recording times associated with a recorded program, respective ones of the recording times indicating times of day at which respective sections of the recorded program were recorded;

memory to store the recorded program;

a presentation time retriever to, when triggered:

retrieve a first one of the recording times associated with a first one of the sections of the recorded program being played back;

retrieve a second one of the recording times associated with a second one of the sections of the recorded program being played back;

store the first one of the recording times in association with a first playback time of the first one of the sections;

store the second one of the recording times in association with a second playback time of the second one of the sections;

a detector to compare the first one of the recording times and the second one of the recording times to calculate a recording interval, and

a non-real time content identifier to identify a portion of the recorded program that was not played back in real time based on a detected difference between the recording interval and a playback interval, at least one of the time stamper, the memory, the presentation time retriever, the detector, or the non-real time content identifier including hardware.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the presentation time retriever is triggered periodically in response to expiration of a time period.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the time period is 2.7 seconds.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the time period is adjustable.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the presentation time retriever is further to:

shorten the time period to achieve more accurate identification of portions of the recorded program that were not played back in real time; and

lengthen the time period to achieve less accurate identification of portions of the recorded program that were not played back in real time.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the presentation time retriever is triggered asynchronously in response to detection of an event.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the presentation time retriever is triggered by periodic expiration of a time period and asynchronously in response to detection of an event.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the portion of the recorded program that was not played back in real time corresponds to an advertisement and the advertisement was advanced faster than real time.

9. A method of developing usage data with respect to a recorded program, the method comprising:

storing, by executing an instruction with a processor, recording times associated with sections of the recorded program, the recording times representing times of day at which respective ones of the sections were recorded;

playing back, by executing an instruction with the processor, first and second ones of the sections;

in response to a trigger:

storing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first one of the recording times corresponding to the first one of the sections in association with a first playback time of the first one of the sections;

storing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a second one of the recording times corresponding to the second one of the sections in association with a second playback time of the second one of the sections;

comparing, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first one of the recording times and a second one of the recording times to generate a recording interval, and

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a portion of the recorded program that was not played back in real time based on a detected difference between the recording interval and a playback interval.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the trigger occurs periodically in response to the expiration of a time period.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the time period is adjustable.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 , further including:

shortening the time period to achieve more accurate usage data;

lengthening the time period to achieve less accurate usage data.

13. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the trigger occurs in response to detection of an event.

14. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the trigger occurs in response to expiration of an evenly space time period and in response to detection of an event.

15. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the portion of the recorded program that was not played back in real time corresponds to an advertisement and the advertisement was advanced faster than real time.

16. A tangible machine readable storage device disk comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

store recording times in association with sections of a recorded program, wherein the recording times represent times of day at which respective ones of the sections were recorded;

in response to a trigger:

store a first one of the recording times corresponding to a first one of the sections in association with a first playback time of the first one of the sections;

store a second one of the recording times corresponding to a second one of the sections in association with a second playback time of the second one of the sections;

generate a recording interval by comparing the first one of the recording times and a second one of the recording times, and

identify a portion of the recorded program that was not played back in real time based on a detected difference between the recording interval and a playback interval.

17. The storage disk as defined in claim 16 wherein the trigger occurs in response to periodic expiration of a time period.

18. The storage disk as defined in claim 17 wherein the time period is adjustable.

19. The storage disk as defined in claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the machine to:

shorten the time period to achieve more accurate recording interval;

lengthen the time period to achieve less accurate recording interval.

20. The storage disk as defined in claim 16 wherein the trigger occurs in response to detection of an event.

21. The storage disk as defined in claim 16 wherein the trigger occur in response to expiration of a time period and detection of an event.

22. The storage disk as defined in claim 16 wherein the portion of the recorded program that was not played back in real time corresponds to an advertisement and the advertisement was advanced faster than real time.

Assignments (10)
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 →
MERGER Recorded May 20, 2016
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 038658/0053 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 20, 2016
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 038771/0734 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2016
From: FEININGER, WILLIAM A.; BROWN, SCOTT L.
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 038771/0722 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 14633848 · Feb 27, 2015
Continuation 11766405 · Jun 21, 2007
Continuation 10483825
Related Publication 20160261913A1 · Sep 8, 2016