IP Library Granted Patent US 10,623,511
Granted Patent B2
US 10,623,511 · App. 16/278,603 · Granted Apr 14, 2020

Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations

Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth (Oldsmar, FL); Albert T. Borawski (Oldsmar, FL); Scott Cooper (Oldsmar, FL); Kevin K. Gaynor (Manteca, CA)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04L67/22G06F8/30G06F8/77G06F11/34G06F21/6245G06Q30/0246H04L67/30H04W12/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,623,511
App. No.
16/278,603
Granted
Apr 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media presentations are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a registrar, implemented by a processor, to receive demographic information from a user, to transmit the demographic information to a central facility, and to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the consent identifier accessible to a first instrumented application and a second instrumented application executed in a sandbox environment, the consent identifier to indicate to the first instrumented application and the second instrumented application that monitoring is allowed. The first instrumented application is to access the consent identifier from the pasteboard, present media, generate monitoring information if the consent identifier permits collection of monitoring information, not generate monitoring information if the consent identifier does not permit the collection of the monitoring information, and transmit the monitoring information to the central facility.

Claims (30)

1. A media device comprising:

a registrar, implemented by a processor, to receive demographic information from a user, to transmit the demographic information to a central facility, and to store a consent identifier in a pasteboard of the media device, the consent identifier accessible to a first instrumented application and a second instrumented application executed in a sandbox environment, the consent identifier to indicate to the first instrumented application and the second instrumented application that monitoring is allowed; and

the first instrumented application to access the consent identifier from the pasteboard, to present media, to generate monitoring information if the consent identifier permits collection of monitoring information, to not generate monitoring information if the consent identifier does not permit the collection of the monitoring information, and to transmit the monitoring information to the central facility.

2. The media device as described in claim 1 , wherein the registrar is to store a panelist identifier identifying a panelist associated with the media device.

3. The media device as described in claim 2 , wherein the registrar is to access the panelist identifier from the central facility.

4. The media device as described in claim 2 , wherein the registrar is to determine the panelist identifier.

5. The media device as described in claim 2 , wherein the panelist identifier is based on user-identifying information received from the panelist.

6. The media device as described in claim 2 , wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

7. The media device as described in claim 1 , wherein the first instrumented application is to present media via at least one of a game, a media presenter, or a news presenter.

8. The media device as described in claim 1 , wherein the registrar is installed on the media device prior to a time of sale of the media device.

9. The media device as described in claim 1 , wherein the first instrumented application is installed via an application store.

10. The media device as described in claim 1 , wherein the first instrumented application is installed without reference to the consent identifier.

11. The media device as described in claim 1 , wherein the registrar is installed on the media device at a time of sale of the media device.

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

collect demographic information from a user at a registrar of a media device;

transmit the demographic information to a central facility from the registrar; and

store a panelist identifier identifying the user in a pasteboard of the media device, the panelist identifier accessible to a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application separate from the registrar, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to present media, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the pasteboard.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to request permission from the user to enable monitoring.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

if permission is received, store a consent identifier enabling the collection of media monitoring information by the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application; and

if permission is not received, at least one of not store or delete the consent identifier.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the consent indicator enabling monitoring is the panelist identifier.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the panelist identifier is based on the demographic information.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the panelist identifier is requested from the central facility.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

19. A method for monitoring a media device, the method comprising:

collecting demographic information from a user with a registrar of a media device;

transmitting the demographic information to a central facility from the registrar; and

storing, with a processor executing the registrar, a panelist identifier identifying the user in a pasteboard of the media device, the panelist identifier accessible to a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application separate from the registrar, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to present media, the first monitoring-enabled application to disable collection of media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the pasteboard.

20. The method as described in claim 19 , further including requesting, with the registrar, permission from the user to enable monitoring.

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 Aug 13, 2019
From: BOSWORTH, ALAN N.; BORAWSKI, ALBERT T.; COOPER, SCOTT; GAYNOR, KEVIN K.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 050041/0144 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15299139 · Oct 20, 2016
Continuation 13828971 · Mar 14, 2013
Related Publication 20190182344A1 · Jun 13, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,287,853