IP Library Granted Patent US 10,856,045
Granted Patent B2
US 10,856,045 · App. 16/121,898 · Granted Dec 1, 2020

Handling exceptions reported by media device meters

Inventors: Charles Clinton Conklin (New Port Richey, FL); Michael Lombardi (Oldsmar, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/44222H04L67/22H04N21/4394H04N21/44218G01R35/005G09G2330/021H04H60/32H04N21/4396
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,856,045
App. No.
16/121,898
Granted
Dec 1, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed for handling exceptions reported by media device meters. An example apparatus includes a static display detector to determine whether current measurements for a media presentation device at a time corresponding to an exception reported by a media device meter indicate the media presentation device was in a static display state at the time corresponding to the exception. The example apparatus includes a muted viewing detector to determine whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception based on an audio level associated with the media presentation device, and an exception modifier to determine whether to modify the exception based on whether the media presentation device was in the static display state and whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

Claims (23)

1. A media meter exception handling apparatus comprising:

a static display detector to determine whether current measurements for a media presentation device at a time corresponding to an exception reported by a media device meter indicate the media presentation device was in a static display state at the time corresponding to the exception, the static display detector to determine the media presentation device was in the static display state when the current measurements deviate from a first current value by less than a deviation threshold for a duration threshold, the first current value corresponding to the time of the exception, the deviation threshold determined based on a percentage of the first current value;

a muted viewing detector to determine whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception based on an audio level associated with the media presentation device at the time of the exception and whether the media presentation device was in the static display state at the time of the exception; and

an exception modifier to determine whether to modify the exception based on whether the media presentation device was in the static display state and whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exception modifier is to flag the exception as correct in response to the media presentation device being in the static display state at the time of the exception.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exception modifier is to flag the exception as correct in response to the media presentation device being in the muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exception modifier is to flag the exception as incorrect in response to the media presentation device not being in the static display state at the time of the exception and not being in the muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the audio level is received from the media device meter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the current measurements are received from at least one of the media device meter or a sensor that is to monitor current drawn by the media presentation device from an outlet.

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

determine whether current measurements for a media presentation device at a time corresponding to an exception reported by a media device meter indicate the media presentation device was in a static display state at the time corresponding to the exception, the instructions to cause the processor to determine the media presentation device was in the static display state when the current measurements deviate from a first current value by less than a deviation threshold for a duration threshold, the first current value corresponding to the time of the exception, the deviation threshold determined based on a percentage of the first current value;

determine whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception based on an audio level associated with the media presentation device at the time of the exception and whether the media presentation device was in the static display state at the time of the exception; and

determine whether to modify the exception based on whether the media presentation device was in the static display state and whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer readable instructions cause the processor to flag the exception as correct in response to the media presentation device being in the static display state at the time of the exception.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer readable instructions cause the processor to flag the exception as correct in response to the media presentation device being in the muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer readable instructions cause the processor to flag the exception as incorrect in response to the media presentation device not being in the static display state at the time of the exception and not being in the muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

11. A method for handling exceptions reported by a media device meter, the method comprising:

determining, by executing instructions with a processor, whether current measurements for a media presentation device at a time corresponding to an exception reported by a media device meter indicate the media presentation device was in a static display state at the time corresponding to the exception, the current measurements indicating the media presentation device was in the static display state when the current measurements deviate from a first current value by less than a deviation threshold for a duration threshold, the first current value corresponding to the time of the exception, the deviation threshold determined based on a percentage of the first current value;

determining, by executing instructions with a processor, whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception based on an audio level associated with the media presentation device at the time of the exception and whether the media presentation device was in the static display state at the time of the exception; and

determining, by executing instructions with a processor, whether to modify the exception based on whether the media presentation device was in the static display state and whether the media presentation device was in a muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

12. The method of claim 11 , further including flagging, by executing instructions with a processor, the exception as correct in response to the media presentation device being in the static display state at the time of the exception.

13. The method of claim 11 , further including flagging, by executing instructions with a processor, the exception as correct in response to the media presentation device being in the muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

14. The method of claim 11 , further including flagging, by executing instructions with a processor, the exception as incorrect in response to the media presentation device not being in the static display state at the time of the exception and not being in the muted viewing state at the time of the exception.

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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2020
From: CONKLIN, CHARLES CLINTON; LOMBARDI, MICHAEL
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 054185/0821 →
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 →