IP Library Granted Patent US 10,171,117
Granted Patent B1
US 10,171,117 · App. 15/636,035 · Granted Jan 1, 2019

Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to broadcast signals having embedded data

Inventor: Girish Khavasi (Lake Hiawatha, NJ)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04B1/06G06Q30/0201H04W4/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,171,117
App. No.
15/636,035
Granted
Jan 1, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to measure exposure to broadcast signals having embedded data are disclosed. An example broadcast signal exposure meter includes a first decoder to obtain an identifier of a broadcast station from an audio signal output by an end user broadcast receiver, a radio to tune to a broadcast signal from the broadcast station associated with the identifier of the broadcast station, a second decoder to obtain embedded data from the broadcast signal, the embedded data representing media contained in the broadcast signal, and an interface to provide the embedded data to a server, the server to determine audience measurement information for the media based on the provided embedded data.

Claims (38)

1. A broadcast signal exposure meter comprising:

a first decoder to obtain an identifier of a broadcast station from an audio signal output by an end user broadcast receiver;

a radio to tune to a broadcast signal from the broadcast station associated with the identifier of the broadcast station;

a second decoder to obtain embedded data from the broadcast signal, the embedded data representing media contained in the broadcast signal;

a location detector to determine location information; and

an interface to provide the embedded data and the location information to a server, the server to determine audience measurement information for the media based on the provided embedded data.

2. The broadcast signal exposure meter of claim 1 , wherein the first decoder includes a critical band encoding technology (CBET) decoder.

3. The broadcast signal exposure meter of claim 1 , wherein the second decoder includes at least one of a radio data system (RDS) decoder or a radio broadcast data system (RBDS) decoder.

4. The broadcast signal exposure meter of claim 1 , further including a microphone to receive the audio signal.

5. The broadcast signal exposure meter of claim 1 , wherein the end user broadcast receiver and the radio each include a frequency modulation (FM) radio.

6. The broadcast signal exposure meter of claim 1 , wherein the interface includes at least one of a satellite transceiver, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) transceiver, a cellular transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, or a near field communication (NFC) transceiver.

7. The broadcast signal exposure meter of claim 1 , further including a user interface element to receive preference information for media contained in the broadcast signal, wherein the interface provides the preference information with the embedded data and the location information to the server.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining an identifier of a broadcast station from an audio signal output by an end user broadcast receiver;

tuning a receiver to the broadcast station associated with the identifier of the broadcast station to receive a broadcast signal corresponding to the audio signal;

obtaining embedded data from the broadcast signal, the embedded data identifying media contained in the broadcast signal;

obtaining location information; and

providing the embedded data and the location information to a server, the server to determine audience measurement information for the media based on the provided embedded data.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the identifier of the broadcast station includes decoding a critical band encoding technology (CBET) signal, and obtaining the embedded data includes obtaining radio data system (RDS) decoder information encoded in the broadcast signal.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the broadcast signal includes a frequency modulation (FM) radio broadcast signal.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the embedded data and the location information are provided on a continual basis.

12. The method of claim 8 , further including storing the embedded data and the location information, wherein the embedded data and the location information are provided when communicative connectivity with the server is available.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing the embedded data and the location information includes transferring the embedded data and the location information using at least one of a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) signal, a cellular signal, a satellite signal, a Bluetooth signal, or a near field communication (NFC) signal.

14. The method of claim 8 , further including:

receiving preference information for media contained in the broadcast signal;

associating the preference information with the embedded data; and

providing the preference information with the embedded data and the location information to the server.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

obtain an identifier of a broadcast station from an audio signal output by an end user broadcast receiver;

tune a receiver to the broadcast station associated with the identifier of the broadcast station to receive a broadcast signal corresponding to the audio signal;

obtain embedded data from the broadcast signal, the embedded data identifying media contained in the broadcast signal;

obtain location information; and

provide the embedded data and the location information to a server, the server to determine audience measurement information for the media based on the provided embedded data.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined in claim 15 , including further instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to obtain the identifier of the broadcast station by decoding a critical band encoding technology (CBET) signal, and obtain the embedded data by obtaining radio data system (RDS) decoder information encoded in the broadcast signal.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined in claim 15 , including further instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to:

receive preference information for media contained in the broadcast signal;

associate the preference information with the embedded data; and

provide the preference information with the embedded data and the location information to the server.

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 Aug 4, 2017
From: KHAVASI, GIRISH
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 043202/0526 →