IP Library Granted Patent US 10,757,476
Granted Patent B2
US 10,757,476 · App. 16/126,853 · Granted Aug 25, 2020

Methods and apparatus for detecting space-shifted media associated with a digital recording/playback device

Inventors: David Howell Wright (Safety Harbor, FL); David James Croy (Palm Harbor, FL); Arun Ramaswamy (Tampa, FL); Jan Besehanic (Tampa, FL); Brian Mello (Valrico, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/442H04H60/31H04H60/37H04H60/40H04N5/765H04N7/163H04N21/4135H04N21/4147H04N21/4333H04N21/4334H04N21/43615H04N21/44204H04N5/4401H04N5/775H04N5/781H04N5/85H04N5/907
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,757,476
App. No.
16/126,853
Granted
Aug 25, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for detecting space-shifted media content associated with a digital recording/playback device are disclosed. An example method includes storing viewing data associated with monitoring a first media playback device in memory, detecting, by executing an instruction with a processor, presentation of media by the first media playback device, querying, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first media playback device to determine a retrieval location of the media, and in response to a result of the query indicating the media was retrieved from a second media playback device, updating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the viewing data stored in the memory to indicate the media presented by the first media playback device was space-shifted.

Claims (36)

1. An apparatus to identify space-shifted media, the apparatus comprising:

memory to store viewing data associated with monitoring a first media playback device;

a meter to detect presentation of media by the first media playback device; and

a space-shift detector to:

prior to a query of the first media playback device to determine a retrieval location of the media, query at least one of the first media playback device or a database including characteristics of the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries;

perform the query of the first media playback device to determine the retrieval location of the media; and

responsive to a result of the query that indicates the media was retrieved from a second media playback device, update the viewing data stored in the memory to indicate the media presented by the first media playback device was space-shifted.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media is received by the second media playback device from a first network and the second media playback device communicates with the first media playback device via a second network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the result of the query includes a destination address, the destination address identifying the second media playback device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further including a communication module to send an identification of the second media playback device to a data collection facility.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the space-shift detector is to query the database to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the space-shift detector is to query the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the space-shift detector includes a software-based application programming interface (API) to send queries to and receive query responses from the first media playback device.

8. A method to identify space-shifted media, the method comprising:

storing viewing data associated with monitoring a first media playback device in memory;

detecting, by executing an instruction with a processor, presentation of media by the first media playback device;

prior to querying the first media playback device to determine a retrieval location of the media, querying, by executing an instruction with the processor, at least one of the first media playback device or a database including characteristics of the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries;

querying, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first media playback device to determine the retrieval location of the media; and

in response to a query result indicating the media was retrieved from a second media playback device, updating, by executing an instruction with the processor, the viewing data stored in the memory to indicate the media presented by the first media playback device was space-shifted.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the media is received from a first network by the second media playback device and the second media playback device communicates with the first media playback device via a second network.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the result of the query includes a destination address, the destination address identifying the second media playback device.

11. The method of claim 10 , further including sending an identification of the second media playback device to a data collection facility.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the querying of the at least one of the first media playback device or the database includes querying the database to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the querying of the at least one of the first media playback device or the database includes querying the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including generating queries to send to the first media playback device and receiving query responses from the first media playback device with a software-based application programming interface (API).

15. A tangible computer readable storage device or storage disk comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

store viewing data associated with monitoring a first media playback device in memory;

detect presentation of media by the first media playback device;

prior to a query of the first media playback device to determine a retrieval location of the media, query at least one of the first media playback device or a database including characteristics of the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries;

perform the query of the first media playback device to determine the retrieval location of the media; and

when a result of the query indicates the media was retrieved from a second media playback device, update the viewing data stored in the memory to indicate the media presented by the first media playback device was space-shifted.

16. The computer readable storage device or storage disk of claim 15 , wherein the media is received from a first network by the second media playback device and the second media playback device communicates with the first media playback device via a second network.

17. The computer readable storage device or storage disk of claim 15 , wherein the result of the query includes a destination address, the destination address identifying the second media playback device.

18. The computer readable storage device or storage disk of claim 17 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to send an identification of the second media playback device to a data collection facility.

19. The computer readable storage device or storage disk of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to query the database to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries.

20. The computer readable storage device or storage disk of claim 15 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to query the first media playback device to determine whether the first media playback device supports queries.

Assignments (9)
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 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 15, 2020
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.)
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 053218/0025 →
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 Nov 30, 2018
From: WRIGHT, DAVID HOWELL; CROY, DAVID JAMES; RAMASWAMY, ARUN; MELLO, BRIAN; BESEHANIC, JAN; LAWRENCE, BRADLEY R., III
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 047645/0417 →