IP Library Granted Patent US 10,880,600
Granted Patent B2
US 10,880,600 · App. 16/234,528 · Granted Dec 29, 2020

Methods and apparatus to monitor digital media

Inventors: Bo Qiang (Lutz, FL); Jone M. Burr (Palm Harbor, FL); Lois Price (Tampa, FL); Scott L. Brown (Clearwater, FL); Chris Nicotra (Holiday, FL); Arun Ramaswamy (Tampa, FL); Matthew M. Campbell (Tampa, FL); Kevin K. Gaynor (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US)
H04N21/44213H04N21/812
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,880,600
App. No.
16/234,528
Granted
Dec 29, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an orderer to order metadata according to timing information, the metadata corresponding to digital media from a media provider; a data shifter to adjust the ordered metadata using a plurality of offsets to generate a plurality of adjusted ordered metadata; a comparator to perform a plurality of comparisons by comparing the plurality of adjusted ordered metadata to reference data; and compute a plurality of errors corresponding to the plurality of comparisons; and the data shifter to identify an offset of the plurality of offsets corresponding to a lowest computed error of the plurality of errors; and adjust the ordered metadata using the offset.

Claims (40)

1. An apparatus to correct metadata with inaccurate timing information, the apparatus comprising:

an orderer to order metadata according to timing information, the metadata corresponding to digital media from a media provider;

a data shifter to adjust the ordered metadata using a plurality of offsets to generate a plurality of adjusted ordered metadata;

a comparator to:

perform a plurality of comparisons by comparing the plurality of adjusted ordered metadata to reference data; and

compute a plurality of errors corresponding to the plurality of comparisons; and

the data shifter to:

identify an offset of the plurality of offsets corresponding to a lowest computed error of the plurality of errors; and

adjust the ordered metadata using the offset.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metadata is included in an ID3 tag encoded in the digital media.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ID3 tag includes inaccurate timing information based on an inaccurate clock of a media device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the timing information correspond to a sum of a transcoding time of the ID3 tag and a second offset of the metadata.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metadata corresponds to ancillary codes.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the comparator is to calculate an error of the plurality of errors by determining a difference between a first code in the adjusted ordered metadata and a second code in the reference data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a validator to perform a validation process based on the adjusted ordered metadata and a commercial pod corresponding to an agreement.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

order metadata according to timing information, the metadata corresponding to digital media from a media provider;

adjust the ordered metadata using a plurality of offsets to generate a plurality of adjusted ordered metadata;

perform a plurality of comparisons by comparing the plurality of adjusted ordered metadata to reference data;

compute a plurality of errors corresponding to the plurality of comparisons;

identify an offset of the plurality of offsets corresponding to a lowest computed error of the plurality of errors; and

adjust the ordered metadata using the offset.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the metadata is included in an ID3 tag encoded in the digital media.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the ID3 tag includes inaccurate timing information based on an inaccurate clock of a media device.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the timing information correspond to a sum of a transcoding time of the ID3 tag and a second offset of the metadata.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the metadata corresponds to ancillary codes.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to calculate an error of the plurality of errors by determining a difference between a first code in the adjusted ordered metadata and a second code in the reference data.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to perform a validation process based on the adjusted ordered metadata and a commercial pod corresponding to an agreement.

15. A method to correct metadata with inaccurate timing information, the method comprising:

ordering metadata according to timing information, the metadata corresponding to digital media from a media provider;

adjusting the ordered metadata using a plurality of offsets to generate a plurality of adjusted ordered metadata;

performing a plurality of comparisons by comparing the plurality of adjusted ordered metadata to reference data;

computing a plurality of errors corresponding to the plurality of comparisons;

identifying an offset of the plurality of offsets corresponding to a lowest computed error of the plurality of errors; and

adjusting the ordered metadata using the offset.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the metadata is included in an ID3 tag encoded in the digital media.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the ID3 tag includes inaccurate timing information based on an inaccurate clock of a media device.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the timing information correspond to a sum of a transcoding time of the ID3 tag and a second offset of the metadata.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the metadata corresponds to ancillary codes.

20. The method of claim 15 , further including calculating an error of the plurality of errors by determining a difference between a first code in the adjusted ordered metadata and a second code in the reference data.

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 Jan 23, 2020
From: QIANG, BO; BURR, JONE M.; PRICE, LOIS; BROWN, SCOTT L.; NICOTRA, CHRIS; RAMASWAMY, ARUN; CAMPBELL, MATTHEW M.; GAYNOR, KEVIN K.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 051598/0517 →