IP Library Granted Patent US 10,356,446
Granted Patent B2
US 10,356,446 · App. 15/368,136 · Granted Jul 16, 2019

Methods and apparatus for monitoring the insertion of local media into a program stream

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,356,446
App. No.
15/368,136
Granted
Jul 16, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for monitoring locally inserted media are disclosed. A disclosed system for detecting locally inserted media includes a tag encoder and a media monitoring device at a media presentation location. The tag encoder is to associate an identifying tag with a segment of a media stream carrying local media that was spliced into a primary media stream after the primary media stream was received by an editing station of a media distributor. The media monitoring device is to: detect presentation of the media stream; determine that the segment is local media that was spliced into the primary media stream based on changes in the media stream indicative of transitions between primary media and local media, the changes including changes in identifying tags; and store an indication to credit presentation of the media and to indicate that the media stream includes locally inserted media.

Claims (33)

1. A system for detecting locally inserted media, the system comprising:

a tag encoder to insert an identifying tag with a segment of a secondary media stream carrying local media that was spliced into a primary media stream after the primary media stream was received at an end user location by a local content insertion module in a device at the end user location; and

a media monitoring device at the end user location and different from the tag encoder, the media monitoring device to:

detect presentation of the secondary media stream;

determine that the presentation includes the segment of the secondary media stream carrying the local media that was spliced into the primary media stream based on the inserted identifying tag; and

store an indication to credit presentation of the secondary media stream and to indicate that the secondary media stream includes the locally inserted media.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on a change in a repetition rate of a plurality of packet identifiers.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on at least one of changes in values of identifying tags or changes in transition times between the identifying tags.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in metadata associated with the secondary media stream.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes to a program map associated with the secondary media stream.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in instructions to control splicing of the local media into the primary media stream.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in at least one of blank frames or quiet audio sections.

8. A method for detecting locally inserted media, the method comprising:

associating an identifying tag with a segment of a secondary media stream carrying local media that was spliced into a primary media stream at an end user location by a local content insertion module in a first device at the end user location;

detecting, by executing an instruction with a processor of a second device different from the first device, presentation of the secondary media stream at the end user location;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor of the second device, that the presentation includes the segment of the secondary media stream carrying the local media that was spliced into the primary media stream at the end user location, the determining based on the identifying tag; and

storing an indication to credit presentation of the secondary media stream and to indicate that the secondary media stream includes the locally inserted media.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in a repetition rate of a plurality of packet identifiers.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on at least of one changes in values of identifying tags or changes in transition times between the identifying tags.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in metadata associated with the secondary media stream.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes to a program map associated with the secondary media stream.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in instructions to control splicing of the local media into the primary media stream.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in at least one of blank frames or quiet audio sections.

15. An article of manufacture comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

detect, at a first device, presentation of a secondary media stream carrying local media that was spliced into a primary media stream by a local content insertion module in a second different device at an end user location after the primary media stream was received at the end user location;

determine, based on an identifying tag associated with a segment of the secondary media stream by a tag encoder at the end user location, that the presentation includes the segment of the secondary media signal, the segment carrying the local media that was spliced into the primary media stream; and

store an indication to credit presentation of the secondary media stream and to indicate that the secondary media stream includes the locally inserted media.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on a change in a repetition rate of a plurality of packet identifiers.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on at least of one changes in values of the identifying tags, or changes in transition times between the identifying tags.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in metadata associated with the secondary media stream.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes to a program map associated with the secondary media stream.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in instructions to control splicing of the local media into the primary media stream.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the identifying tag is inserted based on changes in at least one of blank frames or quiet audio sections.

Assignments (9)
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 Jan 20, 2017
From: RAMASWAMY, ARUN; KEMPTER, PAUL
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC
Reel/Frame 041026/0812 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2017
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC (FORMERLY KNOW AS NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.)
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 041027/0439 →