IP Library Granted Patent US 10,033,793
Granted Patent B2
US 10,033,793 · App. 15/282,623 · Granted Jul 24, 2018

Methods and apparatus for monitoring a portable device

Inventors: Tero Lindberg (Espoo, FI); Jason Browne (Columbia, MD); John Stavropoulos (Edison, NJ)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04L67/025G06F8/65G06F9/3009G06F9/30043G06F9/45512G06F9/468G06F9/4812G06F9/4881G06F9/5011G06F9/5027G06F9/5033G06F9/5038G06F9/5061G06F9/545G06F21/50G06F21/51G06F21/52G06F21/6218H04L29/08072H04L29/08099H04L43/08H04L43/0876H04L43/18H04L67/02H04L67/22H04L67/26H04L67/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,033,793
App. No.
15/282,623
Granted
Jul 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for monitoring a portable device are disclosed herein. An example method includes connecting to a portable device using a shell. Whether the shell has an elevated privilege on the portable device is verified. In response to detecting that the shell does not have the elevated privilege, the elevated privilege is gained. A packet capturer is installed on the portable device using the elevated privilege, the packet capturer to capture packets to produce media exposure data, the elevated privileges to enable the packet capturer to capture packets after disconnection of the shell from the portable device.

Claims (38)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least:

connect to a portable device using a shell;

verify whether the shell has an elevated privilege on the portable device;

in response to detecting that the shell does not have the elevated privilege, gain the elevated privilege; and

install a packet capturer on the portable device using the elevated privilege, the packet capturer to capture packets to produce media exposure data, the elevated privileges to enable the packet capturer to capture packets after disconnection of the shell from the portable device, the packet capturer to communicate between a kernel layer and a user layer of the portable device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to store a file on the portable device including an instruction to cause the portable device to, upon a subsequent boot, grant the elevated privilege to the shell.

3. A method for monitoring a portable device, the method comprising:

connecting to the portable device using a shell;

verifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, whether the shell has an elevated privilege on the portable device;

in response to detecting that the shell does not have the elevated privilege, gaining, by executing an instruction with the processor, the elevated privilege; and

installing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a packet capturer on the portable device using the elevated privilege, the packet capturer to capture packets to produce media exposure data, the elevated privileges to enable the packet capturer to capture packets after disconnection of the shell from the portable device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the gaining of the elevated privilege includes:

storing a file on the portable device including an instruction to cause the portable device to, upon a subsequent boot, grant the elevated privilege to the shell; and

rebooting the portable device.

5. The method of claim 3 , further including disconnecting the shell from the portable device.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein connecting to the portable device using the shell further includes using a debug bridge.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein gaining the elevated privilege includes rooting the portable device, and further including, in response to installing the packet capturer using the elevated privilege, un-rooting the portable device.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the portable device includes at least one of a cell phone, a smart phone, or a tablet.

9. The method of claim 3 , further including instructing the portable device to collect audio media exposure data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the audio media exposure data includes at least one of an audio code or an audio signature.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the audio code is formed from audio signals converted at least in part to a frequency domain.

12. A tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

connect to a portable device using a shell;

verify whether the shell has an elevated privilege on the portable device;

in response to detecting that the shell does not have the elevated privilege, gain the elevated privilege; and

install a packet capturer on the portable device using the elevated privilege, the packet capturer to capture packets to produce media exposure data, the elevated privileges to enable the packet capturer to capture packets after disconnection of the shell from the portable device.

13. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to at least:

store a file on the portable device including an instruction to cause the portable device to, upon a subsequent boot, grant the elevated privilege to the shell; and

reboot the portable device.

14. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to disconnect the shell from the portable device.

15. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to use a debug bridge to connect to the portable device using the shell.

16. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to gain the elevated privilege by rooting the portable device, and the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to, in response to installing the packet capturer using the elevated privilege, un-root the portable device.

17. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 12 , wherein the portable device includes at least one of a cell phone, a smart phone, or a tablet.

18. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to instruct the portable device to collect audio media exposure data.

19. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 18 , wherein the audio media exposure data includes at least one of an audio code or an audio signature.

20. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 19 , wherein the audio code is formed from audio signals converted at least in part to a frequency domain.

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 Dec 7, 2016
From: LINDBERG, TERO; BROWNE, JASON; STAVROPOULOS, JOHN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 040844/0671 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13731607 · Dec 31, 2012
Related Publication 20170026454A1 · Jan 26, 2017