IP Library Granted Patent US 10,212,242
Granted Patent B2
US 10,212,242 · App. 15/299,139 · Granted Feb 19, 2019

Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations

Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth (Oldsmar, FL); Albert T. Borawski (Oldsmar, FL); Scott Cooper (Oldsmar, FL); Kevin K. Gaynor (Manteca, CA)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04L67/22G06F8/30G06F8/77G06F11/34G06F21/6245G06Q30/0246H04L67/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,212,242
App. No.
15/299,139
Granted
Feb 19, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes providing a software development kit (SDK) to an application developer. The SDK is to enable the application developer to create a monitoring enabled application. A panelist identifier is transmitted in response to a request from a registrar executed by the media device. The request includes demographic information associated with a user of the media device. The panelist identifier is stored in a shared memory of the media device and is accessible to the monitoring enabled application. The monitoring enabled application is to collect data if the panelist identifier is in the shared memory and to disable collection of the data if the panelist identifier is not in the shared memory. The data is collected from the monitoring enabled application.

Claims (32)

1. An apparatus for monitoring a media device, the apparatus comprising:

a software development kit provider to provide a software development kit to an application developer, the software development kit to enable the application developer to create a monitoring enabled application to be executed at the media device;

a registration data receiver to transmit a panelist identifier in response to a request from a registrar executed by the media device, the registrar separate from the monitoring enabled application, the registrar to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the request including demographic information associated with a user of the media device, the panelist identifier stored in the pasteboard of the media device by the registrar executed at the media device and accessible to multiple monitoring enabled applications on the media device, the monitoring enabled application to collect at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is not in the pasteboard, the registrar to delete the consent identifier and to leave the panelist identifier in a data store associated with at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data; and

a monitoring data receiver to collect the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data from the monitoring enabled application.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , wherein the registration data receiver is to generate the panelist identifier.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further including a data store to store the at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data collected by the monitoring data receiver.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 3 , wherein the data store is further to store the demographic information received by the registration data receiver.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further including a reporter to generate a report representing the at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data in connection with the demographic information.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 1 , further including a hypertext transfer protocol interface to receive the demographic information and the at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data from the monitoring enabled application.

7. A method of monitoring a media device, the method comprising:

providing a software development kit to an application developer, the software development kit to enable the application developer to create a monitoring enabled application to be executed at the media device;

transmitting, by executing an instruction with a processor, a panelist identifier in response to a request from a registrar executed by the media device, the registrar separate from the monitoring enabled application, the registrar to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the request including demographic information associated with a user of the media device, the panelist identifier stored in the pasteboard of the media device by the registrar executed at the media device and accessible to multiple monitoring enabled applications at the media device, the monitoring enabled application to collect at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is not in the pasteboard, the registrar to delete the consent identifier and to leave the panelist identifier in a data store associated with at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data; and

collecting the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data from the monitoring enabled application.

8. The method as described in claim 7 , further including generating the panelist identifier.

9. The method as described in claim 8 , wherein the panelist identifier is generated based on the demographic information.

10. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the registrar is to collect the demographic information.

11. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the consent identifier is to permit the monitoring enabled application to generate the at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data.

12. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

13. The method as described in claim 12 , wherein the monitoring enabled application is unable to decrypt the encrypted panelist identifier.

14. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the monitoring enabled application is installed on the media device without reference to a consent to enable monitoring functionality of the monitoring enabled application.

15. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the registrar is installed on the media device at a time of sale of the media device.

16. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the registrar is installed on the media device prior to a time of sale of the media device.

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

provide a software development kit to an application developer, the software development kit to enable the application developer to create a monitoring enabled application to be executed at a media device;

transmit a panelist identifier in response to a request from a registrar executed by the media device, the registrar separate from the monitoring enabled application, the registrar to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the request including demographic information associated with a user of the media device, the panelist identifier stored in the pasteboard of the media device by the registrar executed at the media device and accessible to multiple monitoring enabled applications at the media device, the monitoring enabled application to collect at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is not in the pasteboard, the registrar to delete the consent identifier while leaving the panelist identifier in a data store associated with at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data; and

collect the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data from the monitoring enabled application.

18. A method of monitoring a media device, the method comprising:

providing a software development kit to an application developer, the software development kit to enable the application developer to create a monitoring enabled application to be executed at the media device;

transmitting, by executing an instruction with a processor, a panelist identifier in response to a request from a registrar executed by the media device, the registrar separate from the monitoring enabled application, the registrar to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the request including demographic information associated with a user of the media device, the panelist identifier stored in the pasteboard of the media device by the registrar executed at the media device and accessible to multiple monitoring enabled applications at the media device, the monitoring enabled application to collect at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data if the consent identifier is not in the pasteboard, the registrar to delete the consent identifier and leave the panelist identifier in a data store associated with at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data, wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted; and

collecting the at least one of application monitoring data or media monitoring data from the monitoring enabled application.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media device is to execute the monitoring enabled application and the multiple monitoring enabled applications simultaneously.

20. The method as described in claim 7 , wherein the monitoring enabled application generates the at least one of the application monitoring data or the media monitoring data when the consent identifier is deleted.

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 1, 2016
From: BOWSWORTH, ALAN N.; BORAWSKI, ALBERT T.; COOPER, SCOTT; GAYNOR, KEVIN K.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 040486/0156 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13828971 · Mar 14, 2013
Related Publication 20170041410A1 · Feb 9, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,287,853