IP Library Granted Patent US 10,713,687
Granted Patent B2
US 10,713,687 · App. 16/536,826 · Granted Jul 14, 2020

Methods, systems and apparatus to generate market segmentation data with anonymous location data

Inventors: Laura Cochran (San Diego, CA); David R. Miller (Annandale, VA); Jeff Stevens (San Diego, CA); Mark Nelson (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
G06Q30/0267G06Q30/0201G06Q30/0204G06Q30/0261H04W4/029H04W4/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,713,687
App. No.
16/536,826
Granted
Jul 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to determine a consumer classification segment. A disclosed example method involves generating, with a processor, a list of consumer classification segments based on geographic indicators associated with a mobile device, associating, with the processor, the mobile device with a first consumer classification segment of the list of consumer classification segments if the geographic indicators were retrieved while a first application was executed, and associating, with the processor, the mobile device with a second consumer classification segment of the list of consumer classification segments if the geographic indicators were retrieved while a second application was executed.

Claims (17)

1. An apparatus to generate segmentation information, comprising:

means for identifying to identify a first set of geographic locations of a mobile phone during a first time of day, the identifying means to identify a second set of geographic locations of the mobile phone during a second time of day;

first means for associating to associate the first and second sets of geographic locations with an identifier unrelated to personal information associated with a user of the mobile phone, the first associating means to identify a home location associated with the first set of geographic locations when the first set of geographic locations includes more than a first threshold number of locations that occur during the first time of day; and

second means for associating to associate segmentation information with the identifier based on the home location without referencing personal information of the mobile phone user, wherein at least one of the identifying means, the first associating means or the second associating means include a logic circuit.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first associating means is to compute a hash of an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the identifying means is to identify a work location associated with the second set of geographic locations when the second set of geographic locations includes more than a second threshold number of locations that occur during the second time of day.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein the second associating means is to associate segmentation information with the identifier based on the work location without referencing personal information of the mobile phone user.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein the identifying means is to identify a third set of geographic locations associated with travel, the locations of the third set of geographic locations occurring between the home location and the work location.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 , wherein the identifying means is to determine whether the third set of geographic locations recur on a daily basis.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 , wherein the second associating means is to detect whether the locations of the third set of geographic locations are associated with an indication of game application usage by the mobile phone user.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second associating means is to identify a third set of geographic locations in response to detecting an indication of mobile phone application use.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the second associating means is to associate the third set of geographic locations with commuter travel activity when the indication of mobile phone application use includes a game application.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the identifying means is to identify a fourth set of geographic locations associated with leisure activity, the locations of the fourth set of geographic locations occurring at locations different than the home location and the work location.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the identifying means is to determine whether the fourth set of geographic locations recur on a weekly basis.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the second associating means is to detect whether the locations of the fourth set of geographic locations is associated with an indication of global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation application usage by the mobile phone user.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the second associating means is to associate the fourth set of geographic locations with a leisure location in response to the indication of GPS navigation application usage.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the second associating means is to associate segmentation information with the identifier based on the leisure location without referencing personal information of the mobile phone user.

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 Feb 7, 2020
From: COCHRAN, LAURA; MILLER, DAVID R.; STEVENS, JEFF; NELSON, MARK
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 051754/0433 →