IP Library Granted Patent US 11,350,164
Granted Patent B2
US 11,350,164 · App. 17/170,480 · Granted May 31, 2022

Methods and apparatus to determine audio source impact on an audience of media

Inventors: Joseph Gregory Milavsky (Dunedin, FL); Hashem Alsaket (Palos Hills, IL); James Bartelme (Chicago, IL); Jan Besehanic (Tampa, FL); Edward Stembler (Odessa, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/44222G06F16/635G06F17/18G10L15/083G10L15/22H04H60/33H04N21/44204
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,350,164
App. No.
17/170,480
Granted
May 31, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to determine audio source impact on an audience of media are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes dividing monitored audio into successive audio segments including a first audio segment and a second audio segment. The example method also includes generating a first confidence value from the first audio segment and a second confidence value from the second audio segment, the first confidence value associated with a presence of a first audio source in the first audio segment, the second confidence value associated with a presence of the first audio source in the second audio segment. The example method includes identifying whether the monitored audio is associated with a presentation of first media based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value.

Claims (41)

1. An apparatus comprising:

an audio segmenter to divide monitored audio into successive audio segments including a first audio segment and a second audio segment, the first audio segment associated with a first quantity of audience members exposed to the monitored audio during the first audio segment, the second audio segment associated with a second quantity of audience members exposed to the monitored audio during the second audio segment;

a speaker evaluator to generate a first confidence value from the first audio segment of the successive audio segments and a second confidence value from the second audio segment, the first confidence value associated with a presence of a first audio source in the first audio segment, the second confidence value associated with a presence of the first audio source in the second audio segment; and

a media verifier to identify whether the monitored audio is associated with a presentation of first media based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the speaker evaluator includes:

a speech pattern generator to generate a pattern from the first audio segment; and

a pattern comparator to compare the generated pattern to a set of reference patterns to generate the first confidence value, the set of reference patterns associated with the first audio source.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pattern comparator is to compare the generated pattern to the set of reference patterns based on linear regression.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the speaker evaluator is further to generate a third confidence value for the first audio segment, the third confidence value associated with a presence of a second audio source in the first audio segment, and further including a dominant speaker identifier to compare the first confidence value and the third confidence value to determine a dominant audio source in the first audio segment.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media verifier is to compare the first confidence value and the second confidence value to a list of audio sources associated with the first media to generate a probability that the monitored audio is associated with the first media.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first media corresponds to at least one of a movie or a television program, and the list of audio sources is a cast list associated with the first media.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the probability is a first probability, and the media verifier is to generate a second probability that the monitored audio is associated with a presentation of second media, the second probability based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value, the second media different from the first media.

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

divide monitored audio into successive audio segments including a first audio segment and a second audio segment, the first audio segment associated with a first quantity of audience members exposed to the monitored audio during the first audio segment, the second audio segment associated with a second quantity of audience members exposed to the monitored audio during the second audio segment;

generate a first confidence value from the first audio segment and a second confidence value from the second audio segment, the first confidence value associated with a presence of a first audio source in the first audio segment, the second confidence value associated with a presence of the first audio source in the second audio segment; and

identify whether the monitored audio is associated with a presentation of first media based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

generate a pattern from the first audio segment; and

compare the generated pattern to a set of reference patterns to generate the first confidence value, the set of reference patterns associated with the first audio source.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to compare the generated pattern to the set of reference patterns based on linear regression.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

generate a third confidence value for the first audio segment, the third confidence value associated with a presence of a second audio source in the first audio segment; and

compare the first confidence value and the third confidence value to determine a dominant audio source in the first audio segment.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to compare the first confidence value and the second confidence value to a list of audio sources associated with the first media to generate a probability that the monitored audio is associated with the first media.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the first media corresponds to at least one of movie presentation or a television presentation, and the list of audio sources is a cast list associated with the first media.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to generate a second probability that the monitored audio is associated with a presentation of second media based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value.

15. An apparatus comprising:

memory including instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to:

divide monitored audio into successive audio segments including a first audio segment and a second audio segment, the first audio segment associated with a first quantity of audience members exposed to the monitored audio during the first audio segment, the second audio segment associated with a second quantity of audience members exposed to the monitored audio during the second audio segment;

generate a first confidence value from the first audio segment and a second confidence value from the second audio segment, the first confidence value associated with a presence of a first audio source in the first audio segment, the second confidence value associated with a presence of the first audio source in the second audio segment; and

identify whether the monitored audio is associated with a presentation of first media based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further to:

generate a pattern from the first audio segment; and

compare the generated pattern to a set of reference patterns to generate the first confidence value, the set of reference patterns associated with the first audio source.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is to comprise the generated pattern to the set of reference patterns based on linear regression.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor is to:

generate a third confidence value for the first audio segment, the third confidence value associated with a presence of a second audio source in the first audio segment; and

compare the first confidence value and the third confidence value to determine a dominant audio source in the first audio segment.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the processor compare the first confidence value and the second confidence value to a list of audio sources associated with the first media to generate a probability that the monitored audio is associated with the first media.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first media is at least one of movie presentation or a television presentation, and the list of audio sources is a cast list associated with the first media.

Assignments (5)
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 Dec 5, 2022
From: MILAVKSY, JOSEPH GREGORY; ALSAKET, HASHEM; BARTELME, JAMES; STEMBLER, EDWARD
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061978/0018 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2022
From: JAN BESEHANIC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061587/0918 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16820334 · Mar 16, 2020
Continuation 16140238 · Sep 24, 2018
Provisional Application 62660755 · Apr 20, 2018
Related Publication 20210168447A1 · Jun 3, 2021