IP Library Granted Patent US 11,727,416
Granted Patent B2
US 11,727,416 · App. 16/698,898 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Methods and apparatus to estimate large scale audience deduplication

Inventors: Michael R. Sheppard (Holland, MI); Damien Forthomme (Seattle, WA); Molly Poppie (Arlington Heights, IL)
Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
G06Q30/0201G06F16/215G06F16/2246G06F16/24558H04N21/44213H04N21/812
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,727,416
App. No.
16/698,898
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example apparatus includes an association controller to generate a tree structure association for a total audience size that accessed a plurality of media items, the tree structure association including a first node representative of a first media item accessed by first audience members of the total audience size and a second node representative of a second media item accessed by second audience members of the total audience size, a matrix generator to generate a matrix by selecting a sum of probabilities value corresponding to the tree structure association, the sum of probabilities value representative of a probability of the first audience members accessing the first media item and storing the sum of probabilities value in an element of the matrix, and a commercial solver to estimate a deduplicated audience size of the total audience size using the matrix.

Claims (77)

1. An apparatus comprising:

interface circuitry to collect, via a network, impression data indicative of accesses to a plurality of media items for a total audience size, the impression data including audience sizes for the plurality of media items, the total audience size including a computer-generated inaccuracy causing a misrepresentation of a deduplicated audience size of the plurality of media items;

association controller circuitry to generate a tree structure association for the total audience size that accessed the plurality of media items, the tree structure association including a first node representative of a first media item accessed by first audience members of the total audience size and a second node representative of a second media item accessed by second audience members of the total audience size;

matrix generator circuitry to improve functionality of a computer by generating a matrix without using processing power to solve a partial derivative equation for the first node or the second node, the matrix generator circuitry to generate the matrix by:

selecting a sum of probabilities value corresponding to the tree structure association, the sum of probabilities value representative of a probability of the first audience members accessing the first media item; and

storing the sum of probabilities value in an element of the matrix; and

commercial solver circuitry to increase an accuracy of the computer to reduce the computer-generated inaccuracy of the total audience size by estimating the deduplicated audience size of the total audience size using the matrix.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first node includes a first index value, the second node includes a second index value, and the element includes a third index value and a fourth index value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, when the third index value of the element equals the fourth index value of the element, the sum of probabilities value corresponds to:

the first node when the first index value of the first node equals the third index value of the element; and

the second node when the second index value of the second node equals the fourth index value of the element.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the tree structure association further includes a union node representative of a union of the first node and the second node, the union node having a fifth index value, and when (1) the third index value of the element equals the fifth index value of the union, and (2) the fourth index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node, the sum of probabilities value corresponds to the first node.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, when the third index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node, the fourth index value of the element equals the second index value of the second node, the sum of probabilities value is equivalent to a quotient of:

a second sum of probabilities value of the first node multiplied by a third sum of probabilities value of the second node; and

a fourth sum of probabilities value of an ancestor node of the first node and the second node.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the commercial solver circuitry is to determine Lagrange multipliers using the matrix.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the commercial solver circuitry is to use the Lagrange multipliers to solve a maximum entropy problem to estimate the deduplicated audience size.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause programmable circuitry to at least:

cause collection, via a network, of impression data indicative of accesses to a plurality of media items for a total audience size, the impression data including audience sizes for the plurality of media items, the total audience size including a processor-generated inaccuracy causing a misrepresentation of a deduplicated audience size of the plurality of media items;

generate a tree structure association for the total audience size that accessed the plurality of media items, the tree structure association including a first node representative of a first media item accessed by first audience members of the total audience size and a second node representative of a second media item accessed by second audience members of the total audience size;

generate a matrix without using processing power to solve a partial derivative equation for the first node or the second node by:

selecting a sum of probabilities value corresponding to the tree structure association, the sum of probabilities value representative of a probability of the first audience members accessing the first media item; and

storing the sum of probabilities value in an element of the matrix; and

increase an accuracy of a computer by determining the deduplicated audience size of the total audience size using the matrix to reduce the processor-generated inaccuracy of the total audience size.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first node includes a first index value, the second node includes a second index value, and the element includes a third index value and a fourth index value.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to, when the third index value of the element equals the fourth index value of the element, select the sum of probabilities value as corresponding to:

the first node when the first index value of the first node equals the third index value of the element; and

the second node when the second index value of the second node equals the fourth index value of the element.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to:

generate the tree structure association to include a union node representative of a union of the first node and the second node, the union node having a fifth index value; and

when (1) the third index value of the element equals the fifth index value of the union, and (2) the fourth index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node, select the sum of probabilities value as corresponding to the first node.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to, when the third index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node and the fourth index value of the element equals the second index value of the second node, select the sum of probabilities value as equivalent to a quotient of:

a second sum of probabilities value of the first node multiplied by a third sum of probabilities value of the second node; and

a fourth sum of probabilities value of an ancestor node of the first node and the second node.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to determine Lagrange multipliers using the matrix.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to use the Lagrange multipliers to solve a maximum entropy problem for use in determining the deduplicated audience size.

15. A method comprising:

collecting, via a network, impression data indicative of accesses to a plurality of media items for a total audience size, the impression data including audience sizes for the plurality of media items, the total audience size including a computer-generated error causing a misrepresentation of a deduplicated audience size of the plurality of media items;

generating, by executing an instruction with programmable circuitry, a tree structure association for the total audience size that accessed the plurality of media items, the tree structure association including a first node representative of a first media item accessed by first audience members of the total audience size and a second node representative of a second media item accessed by second audience members of the total audience size;

improving functionality of a computer by generating, by executing an instruction with the programmable circuitry, a matrix without using processing power to solve a partial derivative equation for the first node or the second node by:

selecting a sum of probabilities value corresponding to the tree structure association, the sum of probabilities value representative of a probability of the first audience members accessing the first media item; and

storing the sum of probabilities value in an element of the matrix; and

increasing an accuracy of the computer to reduce the computer-generated error of the total audience size by estimating the deduplicated audience size of the total audience size using the matrix.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first node includes a first index value, the second node includes a second index value, and the element includes a third index value and a fourth index value.

17. The method of claim 16 , further including, when the third index value of the element equals the fourth index value of the element, selecting the sum of probabilities value as corresponding to:

the first node when the first index value of the first node equals the third index value of the element; and

the second node when the second index value of the second node equals the fourth index value of the element.

18. The method of claim 16 , further including:

generating the tree structure association to include a union node representative of a union of the first node and the second node, the union node having a fifth index value; and

when (1) the third index value of the element equals the fifth index value of the union, and (2) the fourth index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node, selecting the sum of probabilities value as corresponding to the first node.

19. The method of claim 16 , further including, when the third index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node and the fourth index value of the element equals the second index value of the second node, selecting the sum of probabilities value as equivalent to a quotient of:

a second sum of probabilities value of the first node multiplied by a third sum of probabilities value of the second node; and

a fourth sum of probabilities value of an ancestor node of the first node and the second node.

20. The method of claim 16 , further including determining Lagrange multipliers using the matrix.

21. The method of claim 20 , further including using the Lagrange multipliers to solve a maximum entropy problem for use in determining the deduplicated audience size.

22. A system comprising:

memory;

programmable circuitry; and

instructions to cause the programmable circuitry to:

cause collection, via a network, of impression data indicative of accesses to a plurality of media items for a total audience size, the impression data including audience sizes for the plurality of media items, the total audience size including a computer-generated inaccuracy causing a misrepresentation of a deduplicated audience size of the plurality of media items;

generate a tree structure association for the total audience size that accessed the plurality of media items, the tree structure association including a first node representative of a first media item accessed by first audience members of the total audience size and a second node representative of a second media item accessed by second audience members of the total audience size;

improve functionality of a computer by generating a matrix without using processing power to solve a partial derivative equation for the first node or the second node, the generating of the matrix by:

selecting a sum of probabilities value corresponding to the tree structure association, the sum of probabilities value representative of a probability of the first audience members accessing the first media item; and

storing the sum of probabilities value in an element of the matrix; and

increase an accuracy of the computer to reduce the computer-generated inaccuracy of the total audience size by estimating the deduplicated audience size of the total audience size using the matrix.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the first node includes a first index value, the second node includes a second index value, and the element includes a third index value and a fourth index value.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein when the third index value of the element equals the fourth index value of the element, the programmable circuitry is to select the sum of probabilities value as corresponding to:

the first node when the first index value of the first node equals the third index value of the element; and

the second node when the second index value of the second node equals the fourth index value of the element.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to:

generate the tree structure association to include a union node representative of a union of the first node and the second node, the union node having a fifth index value; and

when (1) the third index value of the element equals the fifth index value of the union, and (2) the fourth index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node, select the sum of probabilities value as corresponding to the first node.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to, when the third index value of the element equals the first index value of the first node and the fourth index value of the element equals the second index value of the second node, select the sum of probabilities value as equivalent to a quotient of:

a second sum of probabilities value of the first node multiplied by a third sum of probabilities value of the second node; and

a fourth sum of probabilities value of an ancestor node of the first node and the second node.

27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to determine Lagrange multipliers using the matrix.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to use the Lagrange multipliers to solve a maximum entropy problem for use in determining the deduplicated audience size.

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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2022
From: SHEPPARD, MICHAEL R.; FORTHOMME, DAMIEN; POPPIE, MOLLY
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061764/0282 →
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 →
Continuity (1)
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