IP Library Granted Patent US 12,614,200
Granted Patent B2
US 12,614,200 · App. 17/977,919 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Methods and apparatus to use domain name system cache to monitor audiences of media

Inventors: William Morgan (Tampa, FL); Jose Mortensen (Oldsmar, FL); Kevin K. Gaynor (Sunnyvale, CA); Kevin Zollicoffer (Safety Harbor, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
G06Q30/0201H04L61/4511H04L67/02H04L67/146H04L67/535
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,614,200
App. No.
17/977,919
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An example system includes: at least one memory; programmable circuitry; and instructions to cause the programmable circuitry to: cache a first ordered list of internet protocol (IP) addresses in a domain name system (DNS) cache; cache a second ordered list of IP addresses in the DNS cache; access a first server identifier from a first server associated with the first ordered set of IP addresses; access a second server identifier from a second server associated with the second ordered list of IP addresses; hash the first and second server identifiers to generate a user identifier; and store the user identifier as a cookie.

Claims (45)

1 . A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by the processor cause performance of a set of operations comprising:

cache a first ordered list of internet protocol (IP) addresses in a domain name system (DNS) cache;

cache a second ordered list of IP addresses in the DNS cache;

access a first server identifier from a first server associated with the first ordered set of IP addresses;

access a second server identifier from a second server associated with the second ordered list of IP addresses;

hash the first and second server identifiers to generate a user identifier, wherein the programmable circuitry is to concatenate the first server identifier and the second server identifier to generate an alphanumeric string for the hash;

store, in a browser, the user identifier as a first-party cookie that tracks browser requests for DNS resolution of the first ordered set of IP addresses and the second ordered set of IP addresses; and

transmit batched impression information based on tracking information associated with the first-party cookie to an audience measurement entity (AME).

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of operations further comprising retrieve the first ordered list of IP addresses based on a first DNS resolution of a first domain name operated by an audience measurement entity (AME).

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the set of operations further comprising retrieve the second ordered list of IP addresses based on a second DNS resolution of a second domain name operated by the AME.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first ordered list of IP addresses is a randomly ordered list of AME IP addresses associated with the first domain name.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first-party cookie is assigned a first time-to-live value based on a second time-to-live value of the first DNS resolution, the first time-to-live value to identify a duration the first-party cookie is valid.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of operations further comprising access the first server identifier and the second server identifier as universally unique identifiers obtained from an HTTP response.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of operations further comprising associate device metadata with the user identifier.

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

cache a first ordered list of internet protocol (IP) addresses in a domain name system (DNS) cache;

cache a second ordered list of IP addresses in the DNS cache;

access a first server identifier from a server associated with the first ordered list of IP addresses;

access a second server identifier from a second server associated with the second ordered list of IP addresses;

generate a user identifier based on the first and second server identifiers, wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to execute the instructions to concatenate the first server identifier and the second server identifier to generate an alphanumeric string for the generation of the user identifier; and

store, in a browser, the user identifier as a first-party cookie that tracks browser requests for DNS resolution of the first ordered set of IP addresses and the second ordered set of IP addresses; and

transmit batched impression information based on tracking information associated with the first-party cookie to an audience measurement entity (AME).

9 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to retrieve the first ordered list of IP addresses based on a first DNS resolution of a first domain name operated by an audience measurement entity (AME).

10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to retrieve the second ordered list of IP addresses based on a second DNS resolution of a second domain name operated by the AME.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the first ordered list of IP addresses is a randomly ordered list of AME IP addresses associated with the first domain name.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable of claim 9 , wherein the first-party cookie is assigned a first time-to-live based on a second time-to-live of the first DNS resolution, the first time-to-live value to identify a duration the first-party cookie is valid.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable of claim 8 , wherein the first server identifier and the second server identifier are universally unique identifiers obtained in an HTTP response.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to associate device metadata with the user identifier.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to match the user identifier to an AME panelist.

16 . A method comprising:

caching, by executing an instruction with processor circuitry, a first ordered list of internet protocol (IP) addresses in a domain name system (DNS) cache;

caching, by executing an instruction with the processor circuitry, a second ordered list of IP addresses in the DNS cache;

accessing, by executing an instruction with the processor circuitry, a first server identifier from a first server associated with the first ordered set of IP addresses;

accessing, by executing an instruction with the processor circuitry, a second server identifier from a second server associated with the second ordered list of IP addresses;

hashing, by executing an instruction with the processor circuitry, the first and second server identifiers to generate a user identifier; and

storing, by executing an instruction with the processor circuitry and in a browser, the user identifier as a first-party cookie that tracks browser requests for DNS resolution of the first ordered set of IP addresses and the second ordered set of IP addresses; and,

transmitting batched impression information based on tracking information associated with the first-party cookie to an audience measurement entity (AME).

17 . The method of claim 16 , further including retrieving the second ordered list of IP addresses based on a second DNS resolution of a second domain name operated by an audience measurement entity (AME).

18 . The method of claim 16 , further including retrieving the first ordered list of IP addresses based on a first DNS resolution of a first domain name operated by an audience measurement entity (AME).

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first ordered list of IP addresses is a randomly ordered list of AME IP addresses associated with the first domain name.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first-party cookie is assigned a first time-to-live based on a second time-to-live of the first DNS resolution, the first time-to-live value to identify a duration the first-party cookie is valid.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first server identifier and the second server identifier as universally unique identifiers obtained from an HTTP response.

22 . The method of claim 16 , further including associating device metadata with the user identifier.

Assignments (6)
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 →
INVENTION DISCLOSURE FORM Recorded Apr 21, 2023
From: GAYNOR, KEVIN K
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 063411/0483 →
INVENTION DISCLOSURE FORM Recorded Apr 21, 2023
From: MORTENSEN, JOSE
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 063411/0606 →
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 31, 2022
From: MORGAN, WILLIAM; ZOLLICOFFER, KEVIN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 063514/0497 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63295401 · Dec 30, 2021
Related Publication 20230214856A1 · Jul 6, 2023
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