IP Library Granted Patent US 10,531,148
Granted Patent B2
US 10,531,148 · App. 15/640,043 · Granted Jan 7, 2020

Methods and apparatus to detect audio engineering problems using identification of isolated watermarks

Inventor: Ronan Heffernan (Wesley Chapel, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/4394H04H60/37H04H60/40H04H60/43H04H60/45H04H60/56H04H60/66H04N21/44209H04N21/8358G10L19/018H04H2201/50H04H2201/90H04N2017/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,531,148
App. No.
15/640,043
Granted
Jan 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to detect audio engineering problems using identification of isolated watermarks are disclosed herein. Disclosed example methods include identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, isolated watermarks in a first set of detected watermarks obtained from first media monitored at a first site. Disclosed example methods further include determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a problem has been detected with the first media associated with the first set of detected watermarks in response to a first number of isolated watermarks identified in the first set of detected watermarks satisfying a first threshold.

Claims (33)

1. An apparatus to detect problems with media, the apparatus including:

a receiver to communicate with a first meter to access a first set of watermarks detected by the first meter in first media monitored at a first site, the receiver to communicate with a second meter to access a second set of watermarks detected by the second meter in second media monitored at a second site;

memory including computer readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the computer readable instructions to:

identify isolated watermarks in the first set of detected watermarks obtained from the first media monitored at the first site;

determine, in response to a first number of isolated watermarks identified in the first set of detected watermarks satisfying a first threshold, that a problem has been detected with the first media associated with the first set of detected watermarks;

determine whether the problem is site-specific or systemic, the processor to determine the problem is site-specific if a second number of isolated watermarks identified in the second set of detected watermarks obtained from the second media at the second site does not satisfy the first threshold, and the processor to determine the problem is systemic if the first number of isolated watermarks satisfies the first threshold and the second number of isolated watermarks satisfies the first threshold; and

in response to the problem being systemic, notify a source broadcasting the first media to resolve the problem.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to identify a first one of the detected watermarks as an isolated watermark when a count of the first one of the detected watermarks in the first of the detected watermarks satisfies a second threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to receive the first media from a media source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to transmit an indication of the problem detected with the first media to an audience measurement entity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first site is a media monitoring site and the second site is a media presentation site.

6. A method to detect problems with media, the method including:

communicating with a first meter to access a first set of watermarks detected by the first meter in first media monitored at a first site;

communicating with a second meter to access a second set of watermarks detected by the second meter in second media monitored at a second site;

identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, isolated watermarks in the first set of detected watermarks obtained from the first media monitored at the first site;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a problem has been detected with the first media associated with the first set of detected watermarks in response to a first number of isolated watermarks identified in the first set of detected watermarks satisfying a first threshold;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, whether the problem is site-specific or systemic, the determining of whether the problem is site-specific or systemic including determining the problem is site-specific if a second number of isolated watermarks identified in the second set of detected watermarks obtained from the second media at the second site does not satisfy the first threshold, and determining the problem is systemic if both the first number of isolated watermarks satisfies the first threshold and the second number of isolated watermarks satisfies the first threshold; and

in response to the problem being systemic, notifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a source broadcasting the first media to resolve the problem.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifying the isolated watermarks includes identifying a first one of the detected watermarks as an isolated watermark when a count of the first one of the detected watermarks in the first set of the detected watermarks satisfies a second threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 , further including receiving the first media from an assigned media source.

9. The method of claim 6 , further including transmitting an indication of the problem detected with the first media to an audience measurement entity.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first site is a media monitoring site and the second site is a media presentation site.

11. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

communicate with a first meter to access a first set of watermarks detected by the first meter in first media monitored at a first site;

communicate with a second meter to access a second set of watermarks detected by the second meter in second media monitored at a second site;

identify isolated watermarks in the first set of detected watermarks obtained from the first media monitored at the first site;

determine, in response to a first number of isolated watermarks identified in the first set of detected watermarks satisfying a first threshold, that a problem has been detected with the first media associated with the first set of detected watermarks;

determine whether the problem is site-specific or systemic, the processor to determine the problem is site-specific if a second number of isolated watermarks identified in the second set of detected watermarks obtained from the second media at the second site does not satisfy the first threshold, and the processor to determine the problem is systemic if both the first number of isolated watermarks satisfies the first threshold and the second number of isolated watermarks satisfies the first threshold; and

in response to the problem being systemic, notify a source broadcasting the first media to resolve the problem.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to identify a first one of the detected watermarks as an isolated watermark when a count of the first one of the detected watermarks in the first set of the detected watermarks satisfies a threshold.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to transmit an indication of the problem detected with the first media to an audience measurement entity.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the first site is a media monitoring site and the second site is a media presentation site.

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 10, 2017
From: HEFFERNAN, RONAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 043261/0962 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190007729A1 · Jan 3, 2019