IP Library Granted Patent US 8,700,657
Granted Patent B2
US 8,700,657 · App. 13/473,319 · Granted Apr 15, 2014

Systems, methods, and apparatus to monitor media presentations

Inventors: Kenneth J. Frett (Tampa, FL); Jan Besehanic (Tampa, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,700,657
App. No.
13/473,319
Granted
Apr 15, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a media presentation device associated with a Domain Name Service (DNS) query based on a public Internet Protocol (IP) address that originated the DNS query and a destination address of the DNS query. A media source is identified based on a domain name requested in the DNS query. Identification of the media presented in association with the DNS query based on at least one of tagging data and metering data is attempted. A panelist associated with the media presentation device is credited with exposure to the identified media from the media source via the media presentation device when the media is identified. The panelist associated with the media presentation device is credited with exposure to media from the media source via the media presentation device when the media is not identified.

Claims (40)

1. A method to monitor media presentations, the method comprising:

identifying a media presentation device associated with a Domain Name Service (DNS) query based on a public Internet Protocol (IP) address that originated the DNS query and a destination address of the DNS query;

identifying a media source based on a domain name requested in the DNS query;

attempting to identify media presented in association with the DNS query based on at least one of tagging data and metering data;

crediting, with a processor, a panelist associated with the media presentation device with exposure to the identified media from the media source via the media presentation device when the media is identified; and

crediting, with the processor, the panelist associated with the media presentation device with exposure to media from the media source via the media presentation device when the media is not identified.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a media presentation start event and a media presentation stop event based on the metering data; and

crediting the panelist with exposure to the media for a duration of time between the media presentation start event and the media presentation stop event.

3. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the metering data comprises an identifier of the presented media.

4. The method as described in claim 3 , wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a code, a signature, or metadata of the identified media.

5. The method as described in claim 3 , wherein the metering data does not enable identification of the media source.

6. The method as described in claim 3 , further comprising receiving the metering data from a meter installed at a media presentation location.

7. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the tagging data comprises an identifier of the presented media.

8. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the tagging data comprises metadata associated with the presented media.

9. An apparatus to monitor media presentations, the apparatus comprising:

at least two Domain Name Service (DNS) query processors to receive DNS queries from respective media presentation devices associated with a public Internet protocol (IP) address, the DNS queries identifying the public IP address, an address of the respective DNS query processor receiving the DNS query, and a requested domain name associated with a media provider;

a metering data receiver to receive metering data from a meter installed in proximity to the media presentation devices, the metering data to identify the media presented by the media presentation devices;

a tag data receiver to receive tagging data from the media presentation devices, the tagging data identifying the media presented by the media presentation devices; and

a correlator to correlate the DNS queries with at least one of the metering data and the tagging data to identify media presented by the respective media presentation devices and the media provider providing the media.

10. The apparatus as described in claim 9 , further comprising a timestamper to timestamp at least one of the received DNS queries, the metering data, and the tagging data.

11. The apparatus as described in claim 9 , further comprising a registrar to:

associate the at least two DNS query processors with respective ones of the media presentation devices; and

associate a record of the public IP address with the media presentation device.

12. The apparatus as described in claim 9 , further comprising an audience measurement processor to credit a respective one of the media presentation devices with exposure to media from the media provider.

13. The apparatus as described in claim 12 , further comprising a reporter to generates reports indicative of media exposure metrics based on the credited exposure.

14. A machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

identify a media presentation device associated with a Domain Name Service (DNS) query based on a public Internet Protocol (IP) address that originated the DNS query and a destination address of the DNS query;

identify a media source based on a domain name requested in the DNS query;

attempt to identify media presented in association with the DNS query based on at least one of tagging data and metering data;

credit a panelist associated with the media presentation device with exposure to the identified media from the media source via the media presentation device when the media is identified; and

credit the panelist associated with the media presentation device with exposure to media from the media source via the media presentation device when the media is not identified.

15. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

identify a media presentation start event and a media presentation stop event based on the metering data; and

credit the panelist with exposure to the media for a duration of time between the media presentation start event and the media presentation stop event.

16. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the metering data comprises an identifier of the presented media.

17. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 16 , wherein the identifier comprises at least one of a code, a signature, or metadata of the identified media.

18. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 16 , wherein the metering data does not enable identification of the media source.

19. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 16 , further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to receive the metering data from a meter installed at a media presentation location.

20. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 14 , wherein the tagging data comprises an identifier of the presented media.

Assignments (10)
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 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
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 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2013
From: FRETT, KENNETH J; BESEHANIC, JAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 030153/0962 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130311478A1 · Nov 21, 2013