IP Library Granted Patent US 10,356,471
Granted Patent B2
US 10,356,471 · App. 15/299,652 · Granted Jul 16, 2019

Methods and apparatus for metering portable media players

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,356,471
App. No.
15/299,652
Granted
Jul 16, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture of a media presentation device is disclosed. The disclosed example includes an output device, an input to receive user input, and a monitor installed in the media presentation device at a time of manufacture of the media presentation device, the monitor provided to a manufacturer of the media presentation device by an audience measurement entity. The monitor to obtain demographic information of a user via the input and present an agreement to the user via the output device of the media presentation device. The monitor to enable collection of monitoring information when the agreement is accepted, prevent collection of monitoring information when the agreement is not accepted and collect monitoring information identifying at least one of a media presentation on the media presentation device or a user interaction with the media presentation device when the collection of the monitoring information is enabled.

Claims (20)

1. A media presentation device comprising:

a first processor, wherein media is presented on the media presentation device by executing an instruction with the first processor;

a memory;

an output device;

an input to receive user input; and

a monitor installed in the media presentation device at a time of manufacture of the media presentation device, the monitor provided to a manufacturer of the media presentation device by an audience measurement entity, the monitor including:

a signal line interface to collect monitoring information, the signal line interface including a video-out line physically coupled to a video output of the media presentation device during installation of the monitor in the media presentation device, and an audio-out line physically coupled to an audio output of the media presentation device during the installation of the monitor in the media presentation device;

a second processor; and

a second memory, the second memory including machine readable instructions that, when executed by the second processor, cause the second processor to:

obtain demographic information of a user via the input;

present an agreement to the user via the output device of the media presentation device;

enable collection of monitoring information when the agreement is accepted;

not enable collection of the monitoring information when the agreement is not accepted; and

collect monitoring information identifying at least one of (1) the media presented on the media presentation device or (2) a user interaction with the media presentation device, when the collection of the monitoring information is enabled, the monitoring information based on data received on at least one of the video-out line or the audio-out line.

2. The media presentation device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the collection of the monitoring information includes at least one of generating an audio signature based on the media or extracting a code from the media.

3. The media presentation device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media presentation device is at least one of a TV, a MP3 portable media player, a computer, a set-top-box, a digital versatile disk (DVD) player, a stereo.

4. The media presentation device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor further includes a transceiver to transmit the monitoring information to a personal computer.

5. The media presentation device as defined in claim 4 , wherein the transceiver is to transmit the monitoring information to the personal computer via wireless communications.

6. The media presentation device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user interaction with the media presentation device include at least one of selecting a play command, a stop command, a pause command, a previous command, or a next command.

7. The media presentation device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the monitor is installed in at least one of a media player, or a headphone.

Assignments (11)
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 →
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 →
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 Oct 24, 2016
From: PELLETIER, SETH ALAN; FISCH, PERRY JOSEPH
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY INC.
Reel/Frame 040100/0903 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2016
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY INC.
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 040100/0923 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 24, 2016
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 040100/0955 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 24, 2016
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 040260/0650 →