IP Library Granted Patent US 11,166,054
Granted Patent B2
US 11,166,054 · App. 15/947,569 · Granted Nov 2, 2021

Methods and apparatus for identification of local commercial insertion opportunities

Inventors: Justin Fahnestock (Tampa, FL); Ronan Heffernan (Wesley Chapel, FL)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04N21/23424G10L19/018H04N21/2407H04N21/8358H04N21/4394
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,166,054
App. No.
15/947,569
Granted
Nov 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for identification of local commercial insertion opportunities. Example apparatus for identification of local commercial insertion opportunities include a media comparator to compare respective instances of media conveyed in respective ones of a plurality of broadcast signals associated with affiliates of a national broadcaster to identify a broadcast interval having different media conveyed among at least some of the broadcast signals. The example apparatus also include an insertion opportunity identifier to determine whether the broadcast interval is associated with a local advertisement insertion opportunity based on a characteristic of the broadcast interval.

Claims (36)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a media comparator to compare respective instances of media conveyed in respective ones of a plurality of broadcast signals associated with corresponding different affiliates of a national broadcaster to identify a broadcast interval having different media conveyed among at least some of the broadcast signals; and

an insertion opportunity identifier to:

count a number of unique instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval to determine a number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval; and

determine that the broadcast interval is associated with a local advertisement insertion opportunity when:

the number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval satisfies a first threshold; and

a duration of the broadcast interval is within a second threshold associated with the duration of the broadcast interval; and

wherein the media comparator and the insertion opportunity identifier are executed by hardware or at least one processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media comparator is to compare the respective instances of media conveyed in the broadcast signals using at least one of watermarks or signatures.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second threshold corresponds to one of a plurality of possible duration thresholds.

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

compare respective instances of media conveyed in respective ones of a plurality of broadcast signals associated with corresponding different affiliates of a national broadcaster to identify a broadcast interval having different media conveyed among at least some of the broadcast signals;

count a number of unique instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval to determine a number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval; and

determine that the broadcast interval is associated with a local advertisement insertion opportunity when:

the number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval satisfies a first threshold; and

a duration of the broadcast interval is within a second threshold associated with the duration of the broadcast interval.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to compare the respective instances of media conveyed in the broadcast signals based on at least one of watermarks or signatures.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the second threshold corresponds to one of a plurality of possible duration thresholds.

7. A method comprising:

comparing, by executing an instruction with a processor, respective instances of media conveyed in respective ones of a plurality of broadcast signals associated with corresponding different affiliates of a national broadcaster to identify a broadcast interval having different media conveyed among at least some of the broadcast signals;

counting, by executing an instruction with the processor, a number of unique instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval to determine a number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval; and

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, that the broadcast interval is associated with a local advertisement insertion opportunity when:

the number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of the broadcast signals during the broadcast interval satisfies a first threshold; and

duration of the broadcast interval is within a second threshold associated with the duration of the broadcast interval.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the comparing of the respective instances of media conveyed in the broadcast signals includes comparing at least one of watermarks or signatures.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second threshold corresponds to one of a plurality of possible duration thresholds.

10. An apparatus comprising:

memory; and

processor circuitry to execute computer readable instructions to at least:

compare respective instances of media conveyed in respective ones of a plurality of broadcast signals associated with corresponding different affiliates of a national broadcaster to identify a broadcast interval having different media conveyed among at least some of the broadcast signals;

count a number of unique instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval to determine a number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval; and

determine that the broadcast interval is associated with a local advertisement insertion opportunity when:

the number of different instances of media conveyed among the plurality of broadcast signals during the broadcast interval satisfies a first threshold; and

a duration of the broadcast interval is within a second threshold associated with the duration of the broadcast interval.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor circuitry is to compare the respective instances of media conveyed in the broadcast signals based on at least one of watermarks or signatures.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second threshold corresponds to one of a plurality of possible duration thresholds.

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 May 11, 2018
From: FAHNESTOCK, JUSTIN; HEFFERNAN, RONAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 045777/0678 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190313134A1 · Oct 10, 2019