IP Library Granted Patent US 10,277,958
Granted Patent B2
US 10,277,958 · App. 15/725,260 · Granted Apr 30, 2019

Obtaining viewer demographics through advertisement selections

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,277,958
App. No.
15/725,260
Granted
Apr 30, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method includes operations and steps for inferring a demographic of a user based on a selection of an advertisement by the user. A media device stream is received from a media device by data processing hardware. The data processing hardware may identify frames of the media device stream for insertion of an overlay. The overlay can include first and second interactive portions corresponding to respective first and second advertisements. The user can select one of the first interactive portion and the second interactive portion corresponding to one of the first advertisement and the second advertisement. The selection can be received by the data processing hardware, and the demographic of the user can be inferred based on the selection.

Claims (60)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at data processing hardware, a media device stream from a corresponding media device;

identifying, by the data processing hardware, media device frames of the media device stream for insertion of an overlay comprising first and second advertisements;

inserting, by the data processing hardware, the overlay into the identified media device frames, the overlay comprising a first interactive portion corresponding to the first advertisement and a second interactive portion corresponding to the second advertisement;

receiving, at the data processing hardware, an advertisement selection indicating a selection by a user of the media device of one of the first interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the first advertisement or the second interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the second advertisement; and

inferring, by the data processing hardware, a demographic of the user based on the advertisement selection of the user,

wherein identifying the media device frames of the media device stream for insertion of the overlay comprises:

receiving, at the data processing hardware, broadcast fingerprints indicative of broadcast frames of a broadcast media stream;

receiving, at the data processing hardware, media device fingerprints indicative of media device frames of the media device stream at the corresponding media device; and

determining, by the data processing hardware, a frame match between the media device frames of the media device stream relative to the broadcast frames of the broadcast media stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the data processing hardware, an advertisement selection history of the user; and

obtaining, by the data processing hardware, the first advertisement and/or the second advertisement from an advertisement data source based on the advertisement selection history.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, by the data processing hardware, the advertisement selection of the user in the advertisement data source.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first advertisement corresponds to a first demographic classification within a first demographic category and the second advertisement corresponds to a second demographic classification within a second demographic category.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the data processing hardware, an overlay trigger prompting the insertion of the overlay into the media device stream.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the broadcast frames and/or the media device frames correspond to advertisement frames.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein inferring the demographic of the user comprises comparing a user profile certainty with a user profile certainty threshold.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at data processing hardware, a media device stream from a corresponding media device;

identifying, by the data processing hardware, media device frames of the media device stream for insertion of an overlay comprising first and second advertisements;

inserting, by the data processing hardware, the overlay into the identified media device frames, the overlay comprising a first interactive portion corresponding to the first advertisement and a second interactive portion corresponding to the second advertisement;

receiving, at the data processing hardware, an advertisement selection indicating a selection by a user of the media device of one of the first interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the first advertisement or the second interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the second advertisement;

inferring, by the data processing hardware, a demographic of the user based on the advertisement selection of the user;

receiving, at the data processing hardware, an advertisement selection history of the user; and

obtaining, by the data processing hardware, the first advertisement and/or the second advertisement from an advertisement data source based on the advertisement selection history,

wherein the first advertisement corresponds to a first leaf node of a binary tree and the second advertisement corresponds to a second leaf node of the binary tree, the second leaf node sharing a common parent node with the first leaf node, the binary tree comprising a plurality of leaf nodes, each leaf node having a corresponding advertisement, and each advertisement having a corresponding demographic.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the common parent node corresponds to an advertisement associated with a previous advertisement selection of the user.

10. A system comprising:

data processing hardware; and

memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

receiving a media device stream from a corresponding media device;

identifying media device frames of the media device stream for insertion of an overlay comprising first and second advertisements;

inserting the overlay into the identified media device frames, the overlay comprising a first interactive portion corresponding to the first advertisement and a second interactive portion corresponding to the second advertisement;

receiving an advertisement selection indicating a selection by a user of the media device of one of the first interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the first advertisement or the second interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the second advertisement; and

inferring a demographic of the user based on the advertisement selection of the user,

wherein identifying the media device frames of the media device stream for insertion of the overlay comprises:

receiving broadcast fingerprints indicative of broadcast frames of a broadcast media stream;

receiving media device fingerprints indicative of media device frames of the media device stream at the corresponding media device; and

determining a frame match between the media device frames of the media device stream relative to the broadcast frames of the broadcast media stream.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an advertisement selection history of the user; and

obtaining the first advertisement and/or the second advertisement from an advertisement data source based on the advertisement selection history.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise storing the advertisement selection of the user in the advertisement data source.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first advertisement corresponds to a first demographic classification within a first demographic category and the second advertisement corresponds to a second demographic classification within a second demographic category.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an overlay trigger prompting the insertion of the overlay into the media device stream.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the broadcast frames and/or the media device frames correspond to advertisement frames.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein inferring the demographic of the user comprises comparing a user profile certainty with a user profile certainty threshold.

17. A system comprising:

data processing hardware; and

memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

receiving a media device stream from a corresponding media device;

identifying media device frames of the media device stream for insertion of an overlay comprising first and second advertisements;

inserting the overlay into the identified media device frames, the overlay comprising a first interactive portion corresponding to the first advertisement and a second interactive portion corresponding to the second advertisement;

receiving an advertisement selection indicating a selection by a user of the media device of one of the first interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the first advertisement or the second interactive portion of the overlay corresponding to the second advertisement;

inferring a demographic of the user based on the advertisement selection of the user; receiving an advertisement selection history of the user;

receiving an advertisement selection history of the user; and

obtaining the first advertisement and/or the second advertisement from an advertisement data source based on the advertisement selection history,

wherein the first advertisement corresponds to a first leaf node of a binary tree and the second advertisement corresponds to a second leaf node of the binary tree, the second leaf node sharing a common parent node with the first leaf node, the binary tree comprising a plurality of leaf nodes, each leaf node having a corresponding advertisement, and each advertisement having a corresponding demographic.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the common parent node corresponds to an advertisement associated with a previous advertisement selection of the user.

Assignments (11)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024
From: ROKU, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 068982/0377 →
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 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (REEL/FRAME 056982/0194) Recorded Feb 22, 2023
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROKU, INC.; ROKU DX HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062826/0664 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jun 29, 2021
From: ROKU, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 056982/0194 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2021
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ROKU, INC.
Reel/Frame 056106/0376 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2021
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 056973/0280 →
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 Feb 15, 2019
From: SORENSON MEDIA, INC.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 048355/0949 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2018
From: SMITH, RICHARD
To: SORENSON MEDIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 045135/0237 →