IP Library Granted Patent US 12,143,658
Granted Patent B2
US 12,143,658 · App. 17/958,076 · Granted Nov 12, 2024

Methods and apparatus to detect multiple wearable meter devices

Inventors: Alexander Topchy (New Port Richey, FL); John Stavropoulos (Edison, NJ)
Assignee: The Nielsen Co (US), LLC
H04N21/41407G01P15/00H04N21/4126
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,143,658
App. No.
17/958,076
Granted
Nov 12, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example apparatus includes interface circuitry to: obtain primary data from a first meter and a second meter, the primary data including at least one of: (a) acceleration data and (b) short-range wireless communication data; and obtain secondary data from the first meter and the second meter, the secondary data including at least one of: (a) location data and (b) audio data; comparator circuitry to: determine one or more primary factors based on the primary data, the primary factors to include at least one of a correlation coefficient or a difference in connected device sequences; determine one or more secondary factors based on the secondary data; and model executor circuitry to determine, based on the one or more primary factors and the one or more secondary factors, whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear.

Claims (73)

1. An apparatus to detect multiple wearable meter devices, the apparatus comprising:

interface circuitry to:

obtain primary data from a first meter and a second meter, the primary data including at least one of: (a) acceleration data and (b) short-range wireless communication data; and

obtain secondary data from the first meter and the second meter, the secondary data including at least one of: (a) location data and (b) audio data;

comparator circuitry to:

determine one or more primary factors based on the primary data, the one or more primary factors to include: (a) a correlation coefficient based on the acceleration data, and (b) a difference between connected device sequences based on the short-range wireless communication data;

determine one or more secondary factors based on the secondary data, the one or more secondary factors to include: (a) a distance between the first meter and the second meter based on the location data, and (b) a difference between the audio data; and

model executor circuitry to determine, based on the one or more primary factors and the one or more secondary factors, whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein to determine whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear, the model executor circuitry is to compare a weighted sum to a threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein to compare the weighted sum to the threshold, the model executor circuitry is to:

apply at least one of:

a first weight to the correlation coefficient to produce a first value; and

a second weight to the difference between connected device sequences to produce a second value;

apply at least one of:

a third weight to the distance between the first meter and the second meter to produce a third value; and

a fourth weight to the difference between the audio data to produce a fourth value; and

add at least two of the first value, the second value, the third value, and the fourth value together to produce the weighted sum.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the model executor circuitry is to:

obtain a first age of a first panelist corresponding to the first meter;

obtain a second age of a second panelist corresponding to the second meter; and

determine one or more of the first weight, the second weight, the third weight, and the fourth weight based on the first age and second age.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the model executor circuitry is to determine one or more of the first weight, the second weight, the third weight, and the fourth weight based on how values in the primary data and the secondary data change over a period of time.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the model executor circuitry is to implement a decision tree to determine whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein to determine the correlation coefficient, the comparator circuitry is further to measure a linear relationship between a change in the acceleration data from the first meter and the second meter over a period of time.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first meter and the second meter may be worn on a wrist, around a neck, or on a waistband.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the audio data includes first audio data from the first meter and second audio data from the second meter;

the first audio data corresponds to a first media signature; and

the second audio data corresponds to a second media signature.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first meter corresponds to a first panelist;

the second meter correspond to a second panelist; and

the first panelist and the second panelist are members of a shared household.

11. A method to detect multiple wearable meter devices, the method comprising:

receiving primary data from a first meter and a second meter, the primary data including at least one of: (a) acceleration data and (b) short-range wireless communication data;

receiving secondary data from the first meter and the second meter, the secondary data including at least one of: (a) location data and (b) audio data;

determining one or more primary factors based on the primary data, the one or more primary factors to include: (a) a correlation coefficient based on the acceleration data, and (b) a difference between connected device sequences based on the short-range wireless communication data;

determining one or more secondary factors based on the secondary data, the one or more secondary factors to include: (a) a distance between the first meter and the second meter based on the location data, and (b) a difference between the audio data; and

determining, based on the one or more primary factors and the one or more secondary factors, whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear further includes comparing a weighted sum to a threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein comparing the weighted sum to the threshold further includes:

applying at least one of:

a first weight to the correlation coefficient to produce a first value; and

a second weight to the difference between connected device sequences to produce a second value;

applying at least one of:

a third weight to the distance between the first meter and the second meter to produce a third value; and

a fourth weight to the difference between the audio data to produce a fourth value; and

adding at least two of the first value, the second value, the third value, and the fourth value together to produce the weighted sum.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including:

obtaining a first age of a first panelist corresponding to the first meter;

obtaining a second age of a second panelist corresponding to the second meter; and

determining one or more of the first weight, the second weight, the third weight, and the fourth weight based on the first age and second age.

15. The method of claim 13 , further including determining one or more of the first weight, the second weight, the third weight, and the fourth weight based on how values in the primary data and the secondary data change over a period of time.

16. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause processor circuitry to at least:

obtain primary data from a first meter and a second meter, the primary data including at least one of: (a) acceleration data and (b) short-range wireless communication data;

obtain secondary data from the first meter and the second meter, the secondary data including at least one of: (a) location data and (b) audio data;

determine one or more primary factors based on the primary data, the one or more primary factors to include: (a) a correlation coefficient based on the acceleration data, and (b) a difference between connected device sequences based on the short-range wireless communication data;

determine one or more secondary factors based on the secondary data, the one or more secondary factors to include: (a) a distance between the first meter and the second meter based on the location data, and (b) a difference between the audio data; and

determine, based on the one or more primary factors and the one or more secondary factors, whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear.

17. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein to determine whether the first meter and the second meter correspond to duplicate wear, the instructions cause the processor circuitry to compare a weighted sum to a threshold.

18. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein to compare the weighted sum to the threshold, the instructions cause the processor circuitry to:

apply at least one of:

a first weight to the correlation coefficient to produce a first value; and

a second weight to the difference between connected device sequences to produce a second value;

apply at least one of:

a third weight to the distance between the first meter and the second meter to produce a third value; and

a fourth weight to the difference between the audio data to produce a fourth value; and

add at least two of the first value, the second value, the third value, and the fourth value together to produce the weighted sum.

19. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions cause the processor circuitry to:

obtain a first age of a first panelist corresponding to the first meter;

obtain a second age of a second panelist corresponding to the second meter; and

determine one or more of the first weight, the second weight, the third weight, and the fourth weight based on the first age and second age.

20. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions cause the processor circuitry to determine one or more of the first weight, the second weight, the third weight, and the fourth weight based on how values in the primary data and the secondary data change over a period of time.

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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: TOPCHY, ALEXANDER
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 063489/0574 →
INVENTION DISCLOSURE FORM Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: STAVROPOULOS, JOHN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 063489/0589 →
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 →
Continuity (1)
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