IP Library Granted Patent US 10,827,209
Granted Patent B2
US 10,827,209 · App. 16/051,091 · Granted Nov 3, 2020

Methods and apparatus for watermark outage detection

Inventors: Kenneth Albert Hennacy (Columbia, MD); Girish Khavasi (Lake Hiawatha, NJ)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04N21/2407H04N21/23424H04N21/23892H04N21/2404H04N21/8358
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,827,209
App. No.
16/051,091
Granted
Nov 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for watermark outage detection. Example methods include evaluating an onset time and duration of a detected watermark outage based on a model of expected watermark outages to determine whether the detected watermark outage corresponds to at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model. Example methods further include generating an alert in response to determining the detected watermark outage does not correspond to at least one of the expected watermark outages included in the model, and suppressing the alert in response to determining the detected watermark outage corresponds to the at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

Claims (39)

1. A watermark outage monitoring apparatus comprising:

an outage analyzer to evaluate an onset time and duration of a detected watermark outage based on a model of expected watermark outages to determine whether the detected watermark outage corresponds to at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model; and

an alert generator to generate an alert in response to the outage analyzer having determined the detected watermark outage does not correspond to at least one of the expected watermark outages included in the model, the alert generator to suppress the alert in response to the outage analyzer having determined the detected watermark outage corresponds to the at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

2. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the model of expected watermark outages includes:

expected outage states corresponding to onset times of the expected watermark outages; and

state transitions between the expected outage states, the state transitions representing probabilities of transitioning between respective pairs of the expected outage states represented in the model.

3. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the model includes outlier states associated with watermark outage onset times that do not satisfy an occurrence threshold associated with expected outage states.

4. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 2 , wherein respective ones of the expected outage states further correspond to the onset times and durations of respective ones of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

5. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 2 , wherein to evaluate the onset time and the duration of the detected watermark outage, the outage analyzer is to:

determine whether the onset time of the detected watermark outage corresponds to an elapsed time between respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions; and

determine whether the duration of the detected watermark outage corresponds to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages.

6. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 5 , wherein when (a) the onset time of the detected watermark outage corresponds to respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions and (b) the duration and onset times of the detected watermark outage corresponds to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages, the outage analyzer is to determine that the detected watermark outage corresponds to at least one of the expected watermark outages.

7. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 5 , wherein when (a) the onset time of the detected watermark outage does not correspond to respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions or (b) the duration of the detected watermark outage does not correspond to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages, the outage analyzer is to determine that the detected watermark outage does not correspond to at least one of the expected watermark outages.

8. The watermark outage monitoring apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a first one of the outlier states is eliminated from the model when at least one of a sliding time window period has passed or the first one of the outlier states becomes a new expected outage state after satisfying the occurrence threshold.

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

evaluate an onset time and duration of a detected watermark outage based on a model of expected watermark outages to determine whether the detected watermark outage corresponds to at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model; and

generate an alert in response to having determined the detected watermark outage does not correspond to at least one of the expected watermark outages included in the model, the alert to be suppressed in response to having determined the detected watermark outage corresponds to the at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the model of expected watermark outages includes:

expected outage states corresponding to onset times of the expected watermark outages; and

state transitions between the expected outage states, the state transitions representing probabilities of transitioning between respective pairs of the expected outage states represented in the model.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the model includes outlier states associated with watermark outage onset times that do not satisfy an occurrence threshold associated with expected outage states.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein respective ones of the expected outage states further correspond to the onset times and durations of respective ones of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein to evaluate the onset time and the duration of the detected watermark outage, the computer readable instructions cause the processor to:

determine whether the onset time of the detected watermark outage corresponds to an elapsed time between respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions; and

determine whether the duration of the detected watermark outage corresponds to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable instructions cause the processor to determine that the detected watermark outage corresponds to at least one of the expected watermark outages when (a) the onset time of the detected watermark outage corresponds to respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions and (b) the duration of the detected watermark outage corresponds to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the computer readable instructions cause the processor to determine that the detected watermark outage does not correspond to at least one of the expected watermark outages when (a) the onset time of the detected watermark outage does not correspond to respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions or (b) the duration of the detected watermark outage does not correspond to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to eliminate a first one of the outlier states from the model when a sliding time window period has passed, or make the first one of the outlier states a new expected outage state after satisfying the occurrence threshold.

17. A method to detect watermark outages comprising:

evaluating, by executing an instruction with a processor, an onset time and duration of a detected watermark outage based on a model of expected watermark outages to determine whether the detected watermark outage corresponds to at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model;

generating, by executing an instruction with the processor, an alert in response to determining the detected watermark outage does not correspond to at least one of the expected watermark outages included in the model; and

suppressing, by executing an instruction with the processor, the alert in response to determining the detected watermark outage corresponds to the at least one of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the model of expected watermark outages includes:

expected outage states corresponding to onset times of the expected watermark outages; and

state transitions between the expected outage states, the state transitions representing probabilities of transitioning between respective pairs of the expected outage states represented in the model.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein respective ones of the expected outage states further correspond to the onset times and durations of respective ones of the expected watermark outages represented in the model.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the evaluating of the onset time and the duration of the detected watermark outage includes:

determining whether the onset time of the detected watermark outage corresponds to an elapsed time between respective ending and beginning expected outage states connected by at least one of the state transitions; and

determining whether the duration of the detected watermark outage corresponds to a cluster of durations and onset times of expected outages.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, 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 Feb 17, 2020
From: HENNACY, KENNETH ALBERT; KHAVASI, GIRISH
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 051834/0670 →