IP Library Granted Patent US 12,501,090
Granted Patent B2
US 12,501,090 · App. 18/813,372 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Methods and apparatus to determine a duration of media presentation based on tuning session duration

Inventors: Michael Sheppard (Brooklyn, NY); Jonathan Sullivan (Hurricane, UT); Peter Lipa (Tucson, AZ); Alejandro Terrazas (Santa Cruz, CA)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/252H04N21/44222H04N21/4667
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,501,090
App. No.
18/813,372
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to determine a duration of media presentation based on tuning session duration. Example apparatus a receiver to obtain a first tuning session duration indicative of an amount of time between channel changes of a first media presentation device at a first media presentation location, a presentation session estimator to select a model from storage, the model selected based on a match of the first tuning session duration and a second tuning session duration, the model including a relation between the second tuning session duration and a first presentation session duration of media presented on a second media presentation device at a second media presentation location, and estimate a second presentation session duration of media presented within the first tuning session duration based on the model.

Claims (118)

1 . A method for generating enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data for a particular media, comprising:

receiving a first set of viewing data from a first plurality of set-top boxes displaying the particular media to a respective first plurality of televisions, the first set of viewing data comprising:

a first set of tuning session data indicative of a first set of tuning session durations; and

a first set of on-off session data indicative of a first set of on-off durations corresponding to the first set of tuning session durations;

generating, based on the first set of viewing data, a model for determining estimated presentation session durations from known tuning session durations, by:

dividing the first set of viewing data into a plurality of tuning session duration ranges;

for a tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations for each first viewing data entry with a tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations, a corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range; and

combining the corresponding expected presentation session duration for at least a portion of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges to generate the model;

receiving a second set of viewing data from a second plurality of set-top boxes displaying the particular media on a respective second plurality of televisions, the second set of viewing data comprising:

a second set of tuning session data indicative of a second set of tuning session durations without corresponding on-off durations;

transforming the second set of viewing data into an enhanced second set of viewing data by:

for each second viewing data entry of the second set of viewing data:

using the model to determine an estimated presentation session duration from a turning session duration of each second viewing data entry; and

enhancing each second viewing data entry with the estimated presentation session duration; and

presenting, on a display, the enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data including the first set of viewing data and the enhanced second set of viewing data.

2 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein generating the model further comprises:

for the tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations for each first viewing data entry with the tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations, the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range.

3 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data is generated for a plurality of media using the model for the particular media.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a third set of viewing data from a third plurality of set-top boxes displaying an additional particular media to a respective third plurality of televisions, the third set of viewing data comprising:

a third set of tuning session data indicative of a third set of tuning session durations; and

a third set of on-off session data indicative of a third set of on-off durations corresponding to the third set of tuning session durations;

generating, based on the third set of viewing data, an additional model for determining additional estimated presentation session durations from additional known tuning session durations, by:

dividing the third set of viewing data into a plurality of additional tuning session duration ranges;

for an additional tuning session duration range of the plurality of additional tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding additional frequency distribution of additional on-off durations for each third viewing data entry with an additional tuning session duration in the additional tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding additional frequency distribution of additional on-off durations, a corresponding additional expected presentation session duration for the additional tuning session duration range; and

combining the corresponding additional expected presentation session duration for at least a portion of the plurality of additional tuning session duration ranges to generate the additional model;

receiving a fourth set of viewing data from a fourth plurality of set-top boxes displaying the additional particular media on a respective fourth plurality of televisions, the fourth set of viewing data comprising:

a fourth set of tuning session data indicative of a fourth set of tuning session durations without corresponding additional on-off durations;

transforming the fourth set of viewing data into an enhanced fourth set of viewing data by:

for each fourth viewing data entry of the fourth set of viewing data:

using the additional model to determine an additional estimated presentation session duration from an additional turning session duration of each fourth viewing data entry; and

enhancing each fourth viewing data entry with the additional estimated presentation session duration; and

presenting, on the display, the enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data including the third set of viewing data and the enhanced fourth set of viewing data.

5 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein generating the model further comprises:

for the tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a further corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations at set viewing times for each first viewing data entry with the tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

generating, based on the first set of viewing data, an additional model for determining the estimated presentation session durations from the known tuning session durations, by:

for the tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations at the set viewing times for each first viewing data entry with the tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations at the set viewing times, the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range; and

combining the corresponding expected presentation session duration for at least a portion of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges to generate the additional model.

7 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein calculating the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range comprises:

determining a weighted average across the corresponding frequency distribution of the on-off durations.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

for each second viewing data entry of the second set of viewing data:

using the model to determine a standard deviation associated with a second tuning session duration of each second viewing data entry; and

enhancing each second viewing data entry with the standard deviation.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

for at least one second viewing data entry of the second set of viewing data:

determining a weighted average of a set of grouped frequency distributions to determine the estimated presentation session duration.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

for each second viewing data entry of the second set of viewing data:

determining a number of total viewing data entries for the corresponding frequency distribution from the model;

comparing the number of total viewing data entries to a predetermined entry threshold; and

if the number of total viewing data entries is less than the predetermined entry threshold, grouping one or more frequency distributions to determine the estimated presentation session duration.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of operations for generating enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data for a particular media, the set of operations comprising:

receiving a first set of viewing data from a first plurality of set-top boxes displaying the particular media to a respective first plurality of televisions, the first set of viewing data comprising:

a first set of tuning session data indicative of a first set of tuning session durations; and

a first set of on-off session data indicative of a first set of on-off durations corresponding to the first set of tuning session durations;

generating, based on the first set of viewing data, a model for determining estimated presentation session durations from known tuning session durations;

receiving a second set of viewing data from a second plurality of set-top boxes displaying the particular media on a respective second plurality of televisions, the second set of viewing data comprising:

a second set of tuning session data indicative of a second set of tuning session durations without corresponding on-off durations;

transforming the second set of viewing data into an enhanced second set of viewing data by:

for each second viewing data entry of the second set of viewing data:

using the model to determine an estimated presentation session duration from a turning session duration of each second viewing data entry; and

enhancing each second viewing data entry with the estimated presentation session duration; and

presenting, on a display, the enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data including the first set of viewing data and the enhanced second set of viewing data.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the model is performed by:

dividing the first set of viewing data into a plurality of tuning session duration ranges;

for a tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges, calculating a corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range; and

combining the corresponding expected presentation session duration for at least a portion of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges to generate the model.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein calculating the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range comprises:

determining a corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations for each first viewing data entry with a tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations, the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein calculating the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range further comprises:

determining a weighted average across the corresponding frequency distribution of the on-off durations.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein calculating the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range comprises:

for the tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations for each first viewing data entry with the tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations, the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein calculating the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range comprises:

for the tuning session duration range of the plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations at set viewing times for each first viewing data entry with the tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations, the corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 ,

wherein the enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data is generated for a plurality of media using the model for the particular media.

18 . A computing 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:

receiving a first set of viewing data from a first plurality of set-top boxes displaying a particular media to a respective first plurality of televisions, the first set of viewing data comprising:

a first set of tuning session data indicative of a first set of tuning session durations; and

a first set of on-off session data indicative of a first set of on-off durations corresponding to the first set of tuning session durations;

generating, based on the first set of viewing data, a model for determining estimated presentation session durations from known tuning session durations;

receiving a second set of viewing data from a second plurality of set-top boxes displaying the particular media on a respective second plurality of televisions, the second set of viewing data comprising:

a second set of tuning session data indicative of a second set of tuning session durations without corresponding on-off durations;

transforming the second set of viewing data into an enhanced second set of viewing data by:

for each second viewing data entry of the second set of viewing data:

using the model to determine an expected presentation session duration from a turning session duration of each second viewing data entry; and

enhancing each second viewing data entry with the expected presentation session duration; and

presenting, on a display, enhanced-accuracy audience measurement data including the first set of viewing data and the enhanced second set of viewing data.

19 . The computing system of claim 18 , wherein calculating the expected presentation session duration comprises:

determining a corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations for each first viewing data entry with a tuning session duration in each of a plurality of tuning session duration ranges; and

calculating, from the corresponding frequency distribution of on-off durations, a corresponding expected presentation session duration.

20 . The computing system of claim 18 , wherein calculating the expected presentation session duration comprises:

for a tuning session duration range of a plurality of tuning session duration ranges:

determining a corresponding conditional distribution of on-off durations for each first viewing data entry with the tuning session duration in the tuning session duration range; and

calculating, from the corresponding conditional distribution of the on-off durations, a corresponding expected presentation session duration for the tuning session duration range.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2025
From: SHEPPARD, MICHAEL; SULLIVAN, JONATHAN; LIPA, PETER; TERRAZAS, ALEJANDRO
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 073526/0329 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 18508362 · Nov 14, 2023
Continuation 17898185 · Aug 29, 2022
Continuation 16860026 · Apr 27, 2020
Continuation 15990729 · May 28, 2018
Continuation 15011455 · Jan 29, 2016
Provisional Application 62239126 · Oct 8, 2015
Related Publication 20240414388A1 · Dec 12, 2024
References Cited (2)
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US 20150143394A1 · Hijikata · 2015 [cited by examiner]