IP Library Granted Patent US 10,115,119
Granted Patent B2
US 10,115,119 · App. 15/594,916 · Granted Oct 30, 2018

Audience migration information

Inventors: Brice Kirkendall-Rodriguez (New York, NY); Philippe Generali (Scarsdale, NY)
Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc.
G06Q30/0201G06Q30/0204H04H60/31H04H60/33H04H60/44H04H60/46H04N21/2407H05K999/99H04N21/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,115,119
App. No.
15/594,916
Granted
Oct 30, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A server machine obtains media content information and event records, which include session data. The session data including consumer identifiers identifying consumers, and content provider identifiers identifying media stations. The server uses the event records and the media content information to generate tune-away events when first session data includes a first content provider identifier, but subsequent session data includes a second content provider identifier different from the first content provider identifier. The server aggregates tune-away events for a specific program across multiple different media outlets to determine a total number of tune away events for that program during a specified time period. The total number of tune-away events can be transmitted to an end user machine, which can display a graphical representation.

Claims (66)

1. An improved audience-reaction analysis tool, the improved audience-reaction analysis tool including a server machine configured to generate audience migration information, and to transmit the audience migration information to an end-user machine for graphical display, the improvement comprising:

the server machine further configured to:

obtain media content information from a first source, and session data from a second source, the session data including identifiers identifying consumers and media outlets associated with particular consumer sessions;

generate the audience migration information based on the media content information and the session data, the audience migration information including:

tune-away events associated with a selected media program occurring during a specified time period, wherein a tune-away event is indicated when first session data, associated with a first time period and a first consumer, includes a first content provider identifier associated with a media outlet airing the selected media program during a first session, but subsequent session data, associated with the first consumer and a subsequent time period immediately following the first time period, includes a second content provider identifier different from the first content provider identifier; and

transmit, to the end-user machine:

the audience migration information; and

retrieval information related to the selected media program, the retrieval information sufficient to allow the end-user machine to retrieve the selected media program for playback in conjunction with a graphical display of the audience migration information.

2. The improved audience-reaction analysis tool of claim 1 , wherein the improvement further comprises:

determining an aggregate weekly number of tune-away events associated with the selected media program over an entire week across a plurality of different media outlets; and

generating a graphical representation illustrating a relationship between the aggregate weekly number of tune-away events and a number of station-specific tune-away events associated with particular media outlets.

3. The improved audience-reaction analysis tool of claim 1 , wherein the session data includes overlapping event records, the improvement further comprises:

eliminating at least one overlapping event record prior to generating the tune-away events.

4. The improved audience-reaction analysis tool of claim 1 , wherein the improvement further comprises:

the session data further includes a session date, a session start time, and a session end time, and corresponds to a single listening or viewing instance of a single consumer.

5. The improved audience-reaction analysis tool of claim 1 , wherein the improvement further comprises:

generating normalized audience migration information indicating a total number of tune-away events occurring on a particular day of the week for all weeks in a month; and

transmitting a graphical representation of the normalized audience migration information from the server machine to the end-user machine.

6. The improved audience-reaction analysis tool of claim 3 , wherein the improvement further comprises:

eliminating from consideration overlapping event records for media outlets that did not air the selected media program during particular times.

7. The improved audience-reaction analysis tool of claim 4 , wherein the improvement further comprises:

the session data has a uniform duration across a plurality of different media outlets.

8. A system configured to implement an improved audience-reaction analysis tool, the system including a processor, memory associated with the processor, and a program of instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor, the improvement comprising:

configuring the system, using the program of instructions to:

obtain media content information from a content monitoring service provider, the media content information including:

media program airplay dates and times on particular media outlets, the media program airplay dates and times automatically calculated from schedule information associated with a plurality of different media outlets;

retrieval information related to a selected media program, the retrieval information sufficient to allow an end-user device to retrieve the selected media program for playback;

obtain media consumer information including event records from an audience data provider, the event records including session data, and the session data including consumer identifiers identifying consumers and content provider identifiers identifying media outlets;

determine, based on the media content information:

particular times a selected media program aired during a specified time period;

particular media outlets that aired the selected media program at particular times;

generate, based on the event records and the media content information, tune-away events associated with the selected media program occurring during the specified time period, wherein a tune-away event is indicated when first session data, associated with a first time period and a first consumer, includes a first content provider identifier associated with a media outlet airing the selected media program during a first session, but subsequent session data, associated with the first consumer and a subsequent time period immediately following the first time period, includes a second content provider identifier different from the first content provider identifier;

obtain a total number of tune-away events associated with the selected media program during the specified time period by aggregating tune-away events across the plurality of different media outlets; and

transmit the retrieval information and information associated with the total number of tune-away events to an end-user machine, the retrieval information configured to be used by the end-user machine to playback the selected media program using a same interface used by the end-user machine to present a graphical display of the tune-away events associated with the selected media program.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the improvement further comprises configuring the system, using the program of instructions, to:

determine an aggregate weekly number of tune-away events associated with the selected media program over an entire week across the plurality of different media outlets; and

generate a graphical representation illustrating a relationship between the aggregate weekly number of tune-away events and a number of station-specific tune-away events associated with particular media outlets.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the media consumer information includes overlapping event records, wherein the improvement further comprises configuring the system, using the program of instructions, to:

eliminate at least one overlapping event record prior to generating the tune-away events.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the session data further includes a session date, a session start time, and a session end time, and corresponds to a single listening or viewing instance of a single consumer.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the improvement further comprises configuring the system, using the program of instructions, to

generate normalized audience migration information indicating the total number of tune-away events occurring on a particular day of the week for all weeks in a month; and

transmit a graphical representation of the normalized audience migration information to the end-user machine.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the improvement further comprises configuring the system, using the program of instructions, to:

eliminate from consideration overlapping event records for media outlets that did not air the selected media program during particular times.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the session data has a uniform duration across the plurality of different media outlets.

15. An improved method of presenting information associated with audience-reaction measurements, the improved method including generating audience migration information, and transmitting the audience migration information to an end-user machine for graphical display, the improvement comprising:

obtaining, at a server machine, media content information from a first source, and session data from a second source, the session data including identifiers identifying consumers and media outlets associated with particular consumer sessions;

generating, at the server machine, the audience migration information based on the media content information and the session data, the audience migration information including:

tune-away events associated with a selected media program occurring during a specified time period, wherein a tune-away event is indicated when first session data, associated with a first time period and a first consumer, includes a first content provider identifier associated with a media outlet airing the selected media program during a first session, but subsequent session data, associated with the first consumer and a subsequent time period immediately following the first time period, includes a second content provider identifier different from the first content provider identifier; and

transmitting, to the end-user machine:

the audience migration information; and

retrieval information related to the selected media program, the retrieval information sufficient to allow the end-user machine to retrieve the selected media program for playback in conjunction with a graphical display of the audience migration information.

16. The improved method of claim 15 , wherein the session data includes overlapping event records, the improvement further including:

eliminating at least one overlapping event record prior to generating the tune-away events.

17. The improved method of claim 15 , wherein:

the session data further includes a session date, a session start time, and a session end time, and corresponds to a single listening or viewing instance of a single consumer.

18. The improved method of claim 15 , the improvement further comprising:

generating normalized audience migration information indicating a total number of tune-away events occurring on a particular day of the week for all weeks in a month; and

transmitting a graphical representation of the normalized audience migration information from the server machine to the end-user machine.

19. The improved method of claim 16 , the improvement further comprising:

eliminating from consideration overlapping event records for media stations that did not air the selected media program on selected dates at either the first time period or the subsequent time period.

20. The improved method of claim 17 , wherein:

the session data has a uniform duration across a plurality of different media stations.

Assignments (17)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT TO CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: IHEART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 075557/0138 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL/FRAME 050017/0882) Recorded Jan 1, 2025
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069795/0626 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL/FRAME 049079/0814) Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069795/0488 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL/FRAME 049067/0800) Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069795/0423 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 29, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 069795/0912 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069793/0758 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 28, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069794/0248 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 27, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069792/0335 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 23, 2024
From: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069762/0453 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Feb 5, 2020
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052144/0833 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 23, 2019
From: IHEART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U. S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 051143/0579 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2019
From: IHEART COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 050017/0882 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 049079/0814 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049067/0800 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2019
From: IHEARTCOMMUNICATIONS, INC.; IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049067/0606 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2017
From: KIRKENDALL-RODRIGUEZ, BRICE; GENERALI, PHILIPPE
To: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 042415/0607 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 17, 2017
From: CLEAR CHANNEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
To: IHEARTMEDIA MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 042489/0771 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 15352157 · Nov 15, 2016
Continuation 12631551 · Dec 4, 2009
Continuation In Part 12539885 · Aug 12, 2009
Provisional Application 61193515 · Dec 4, 2008
Provisional Application 61193516 · Dec 4, 2008
Provisional Application 61136092 · Aug 12, 2008
Related Publication 20170249647A1 · Aug 31, 2017