IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,567,849
Granted Patent B2
US 10,567,849 · App. 16/230,601 · Granted Feb 18, 2020

Systems, methods, and apparatus to identify linear and nonlinear media presentations

Inventor: F. Gavin McMillan (Tarpon Springs, FL)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
H04N21/8352H04N21/44008H04N21/44213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,567,849
App. No.
16/230,601
Granted
Feb 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus to identify linear and non-linear media presentations are disclosed. An example method to determine whether a media presentation is a linear or a non-linear media presentation comprises generating a reference log comprising a first media identifier of first media and a time at which the first media was presented, accessing a media presentation log comprising a second media identifier of second media and a time at which the second media was presented, and determining whether the second media correspond to a linear media presentation or a non-linear media presentation by comparing the media presentation log to the reference log.

Claims (30)

1. An apparatus to automatically determine whether a media presentation is a linear media presentation or a non-linear media presentation, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a reference log, the reference log including first media identifiers of first media and first times at which the first media was presented as a linear media presentation;

means for accessing at least one of an audio fingerprint or a watermark code generated by a media monitoring device electronically monitoring media presentation of second media, the audio fingerprint based on an audio characteristic of the second media electronically measured at discrete times by the media monitoring device;

means for identifying second media identifiers of the second media from the at least one of the audio fingerprint or the watermark code, the means for identifying to match the at least one of the audio fingerprint or the watermark code to a reference audio fingerprint or a reference watermark code in a reference database;

means for generating a media presentation log for the media presentation of the second media, the media presentation log including the second media identifiers of the second media and second times at which the second media was presented;

means for comparing the media presentation log to the reference log, the means for comparing to determine a duration associated with matches between ones of the first media identifiers and ones of the second media identifiers, the matches between the ones of the first media identifiers and the ones of the second media identifiers being in a same order in the media presentation log and the reference log, the duration based on at least one of the first times or the second times; and

means for classifying the media presentation of the second media, the means for classifying to classify the media presentation of the second media as a linear media presentation when the duration satisfies a threshold.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the means for classifying is to classify the media presentation of the second media as a non-linear media presentation when the duration does not satisfy the threshold.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first media includes first program media and first non-program media, and the second media includes second program media and second non-program media.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media presentation log includes an identification of a first portion of the second media as program media and a second portion of the second media as non-program media.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the first portion of the second media as program media in response to a code present in the first portion of the second media matching a reference code associated with reference program media.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the first portion of the second media as program media in response to a signature generated based on the first portion of the second media matching a reference signature associated with reference program media.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the second portion of the second media as non-program media in response to presentation of the second portion of the second media following a blank frame present in the second media.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the second portion of the second media as non-program media in response to presentation of the second portion of the second media following a cue tone present in the second media.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the first portion of the second media as program media in response to detection of a logo in the first portion of the second media.

10. An apparatus to automatically determine whether a media presentation is a linear media presentation or a non-linear media presentation, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a reference log, the reference log including first media identifiers of first media and first times at which the first media was presented as a linear media presentation;

means for accessing at least one of an audio fingerprint or a watermark code generated by a media monitoring device electronically monitoring media presentation of second media, the audio fingerprint based on an audio characteristic of the second media electronically measured at discrete times by the media monitoring device;

means for identifying second media identifiers of the second media from the at least one of the audio fingerprint or the watermark code, the means for identifying to match the at least one of the audio fingerprint or the watermark code to a reference audio fingerprint or a reference watermark code in a reference database;

means for generating a media presentation log for the media presentation of the second media, the media presentation log including the second media identifiers of the second media and second times at which the second media was presented;

means for comparing the media presentation log to the reference log, the means for comparing to determine a number of matches between ones of the first media identifiers and ones of the second media identifiers, the matches between the ones of the first media identifiers and the ones of the second media identifiers being in a same order in the media presentation log and the reference log; and

means for classifying the media presentation of the second media, the means for classifying to classify the media presentation of the second media as a linear media presentation when the number of matches satisfies a threshold.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the means for classifying is to classify the media presentation of the second media as a non-linear media presentation when the number of matches does not satisfy the threshold.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the first media includes first program media and first non-program media, and the second media includes second program media and second non-program media.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the media presentation log includes an identification of a first portion of the second media as program media and a second portion of the second media as non-program media.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the first portion of the second media as program media in response to a code present in the first portion of the second media matching a reference code associated with reference program media.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the first portion of the second media as program media in response to a signature generated based on the first portion of the second media matching a reference signature associated with reference program media.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the second portion of the second media as non-program media in response to presentation of the second portion of the second media following a blank frame present in the second media.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the second portion of the second media as non-program media in response to presentation of the second portion of the second media following a cue tone present in the second media.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the media presentation log includes the identification of the first portion of the second media as program media in response to detection of a logo in the first portion of the second media.

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 Dec 26, 2018
From: MCMILLAN, F. GAVIN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 047854/0381 →