IP Library Granted Patent US 10,771,864
Granted Patent B2
US 10,771,864 · App. 16/188,202 · Granted Sep 8, 2020

Methods and apparatus to monitor media

Inventors: Steven J. Splaine (Tampa, FL); Arun Ramaswamy (Tampa, FL); Kevin K. Gaynor (Sunnyvale, CA); Chris G. Nicotra (Holiday, FL); Alan N. Bosworth (Odessa, FL)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04N21/854H04H60/31H04N21/2405H04N21/44204H04N21/8352H04N21/8358H04H60/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,771,864
App. No.
16/188,202
Granted
Sep 8, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a media identifier to determine a first media identifier and a first timestamp based on media monitoring information obtained from a content publisher, the first media identifier and the first timestamp from the content publisher, the first media identifier to identify media accessed by a media device, map the first media identifier and the first timestamp to a second media identifier and a second timestamp in a look-up table, the second media identifier and the second timestamp generated by an AME media analyzer before the media device accessed the media, and credit access of the media to the media device based on the mapping, and a report generator to generate a media crediting report based on the crediting.

Claims (82)

1. An apparatus to monitor media, the apparatus comprising:

a media identifier to:

determine a first media identifier and a first timestamp based on media monitoring information obtained from a content publisher, the media monitoring information obtained from the content publisher in response to an access of media by a media device, the first media identifier and the first timestamp from the content publisher, the first media identifier to identify the media accessed by the media device;

map the first media identifier and the first timestamp to a second media identifier and a second timestamp in a look-up table, the second media identifier and the second timestamp generated by an AME media analyzer before the media device accessed the media; and

credit access of the media to the media device based on the mapping; and

a report generator to generate a media crediting report based on the crediting.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first media identifier is a publisher asset identifier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first timestamp and the second timestamp are indicative of a portion of the media.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second media identifier is at least one of a code, a signature, or a watermark.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second media identifier is determined based on the AME media analyzer extracting at least one of the code, the signature, or the watermark from the media.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media monitoring information is first media monitoring information, and further including a data validator to:

obtain second media monitoring information from an audit database based on at least one of metering data, audit data, or census data;

compare the first media monitoring information to the second media monitoring information; and

generate an alert to not report the first media monitoring information when the first media monitoring information does not match the second media monitoring information.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the data validator is to compare the first media monitoring information to the second media monitoring information by:

comparing a first media presentation session duration and a second media presentation session duration, the first media presentation session duration based on the first media monitoring information, the second media presentation session duration based on the second media monitoring information; and

comparing the first media identifier to a second media identifier, the second media identifier based on the second media monitoring information.

8. A system to monitor media, the system comprising:

a media analyzer to perform a first mapping of a first media identifier and a first timestamp to a second media identifier in a look-up table, the first media identifier and the first timestamp based on media obtained from a content publisher, the first media identifier to identify the media, the second media identifier from the content publisher; and

a media creditor to:

determine a third media identifier and a second timestamp based on media monitoring information obtained from the content publisher, the media monitoring information obtained from the content publisher in response to an access of the media by a media device, the third media identifier to identify the media accessed by the media device;

perform a second mapping of the third media identifier and the second timestamp to the first media identifier and the first timestamp in the look-up table;

credit access of the media to the media device based on the second mapping; and

generate a media crediting report based on the crediting.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the media analyzer is to:

detect metadata in a portion of the media;

decode the metadata to generate the first media identifier when the metadata is detected;

compare the first media identifier to a third media identifier; and

identify the portion of the media based on the comparison.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first media identifier and the third media identifier are codes or watermarks.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the media analyzer is to:

detect metadata in a portion of the media;

extract a first signature from the portion of the media when the metadata is not detected;

compare the first signature to a second signature; and

identify the portion of the media based on the comparison.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the media monitoring information is first media monitoring information, and wherein the media creditor is to:

obtain second media monitoring information from an audit database based on at least one of metering data, audit data, or census data;

compare the first media monitoring information to the second media monitoring information; and

generate an alert to not report the first media monitoring information when the first media monitoring information does not match the second media monitoring information.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the media creditor is to compare the first media monitoring information to the second media monitoring information by:

comparing a first media presentation session duration and a second media presentation session duration, the first media presentation session duration based on the first media monitoring information, the second media presentation session duration based on the second media monitoring information; and

comparing the first media identifier to a second media identifier, the second media identifier based on the second media monitoring information.

14. An apparatus to monitor media, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a first media identifier and a first timestamp based on a portion of media obtained from a content publisher;

means for determining a second media identifier of the portion of the media, the second media identifier from the content publisher;

means for mapping the second media identifier to the first media identifier and the first timestamp; and

means for transmitting the mapping to a look-up table, the look-up table to be used to map a third media identifier and a second timestamp to the first media identifier and the first timestamp to identify the portion of the media accessed by a media device, the third media identifier and the second timestamp obtained from the content publisher in response to the portion of the media having been accessed by the media device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first media identifier is at least one of a code, a signature, or a watermark and the second media identifier and the third media identifier are publisher asset identifiers.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first timestamp and the second timestamp are indicative of the portion of the media.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first media identifier and the first timestamp are extracted prior to the portion of the media being accessed by the media device.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the first media identifier include:

means for detecting metadata in the portion of the media;

means for decoding the metadata to generate the first media identifier when the metadata is detected;

means for comparing the first media identifier to a third media identifier; and

means for identifying the portion of the media based on the comparison.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first media identifier and the third media identifier are codes or watermarks.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the first media identifier include:

means for detecting metadata in the portion of the media;

means for extracting a first signature from the portion of the media when the metadata is not detected;

means for comparing the first signature to a second signature; and

means for identifying the portion of the media based on the comparison.

21. A system to monitor media, the system comprising:

a media analyzer to:

detect metadata in a portion of media obtained from a content publisher;

extract a first signature from the portion of the media when the metadata is not detected, the first signature corresponding to a first media identifier;

compare the first signature to a second signature;

identify the portion of the media based on the comparison; and

perform a first mapping of the first media identifier and a first timestamp to a second media identifier in a look-up table, the first media identifier and the first timestamp based on media obtained from a content publisher, the first media identifier to identify the media, the second media identifier from the content publisher; and

a media creditor to:

determine a third media identifier and a second timestamp based on media monitoring information obtained from the content publisher, the third media identifier to identify the media accessed by a media device;

perform a second mapping of the third media identifier and the second timestamp to the first media identifier and the first timestamp in the look-up table;

credit access of the media to the media device based on the second mapping; and

generate a media crediting report based on the crediting.

22. An apparatus to monitor media, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a first media identifier and a first timestamp based on a portion of media obtained from a content publisher, the means for determining the first media identifier to:

detect metadata in a portion of the media;

extract a first signature from the portion of the media when the metadata is not detected;

compare the first signature to a second signature; and

identify the portion of the media based on the comparison;

means for determining a second media identifier of the portion of the media, the second media identifier from the content publisher;

means for mapping the second media identifier to the first media identifier and the first timestamp; and

means for transmitting the mapping to a look-up table, the look-up table to be used to map a third media identifier and a second timestamp to the first media identifier and the first timestamp to identify the portion of the media accessed by a media device.

Assignments (9)
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 →
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 Mar 15, 2019
From: BOSWORTH, ALAN N
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 048614/0756 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2019
From: SPLAINE, STEVEN J.; RAMASWAMY, ARUN; GAYNOR, KEVIN K.; NICOTRA, CHRIS
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 048540/0305 →