Patents by Inventor Jack C. Crystal
Jack C. Crystal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230376901Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for monitoring use by a user of a portable research device in accordance with at least one predetermined use criterion are disclosed. The disclosed examples include passively gathering data for assessing an identity of a user of the portable research device, processing the passively gathered data to produce assessment data indicating a possibility that the user is not a predetermined correct user of the portable research device, based on the assessment data, displaying a message to the user requesting a response from which the user's identity may be determined, and processing a response to the message to produce data indicating whether the user is the predetermined correct user.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Eugene L. Flanagan
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Patent number: 11741431Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for monitoring use by a user of a portable research device in accordance with at least one predetermined use criterion are disclosed. The disclosed examples include passively gathering data for assessing an identity of a user of the portable research device, processing the passively gathered data to produce assessment data indicating a possibility that the user is not a predetermined correct user of the portable research device, based on the assessment data, displaying a message to the user requesting a response from which the user's identity may be determined, and processing a response to the message to produce data indicating whether the user is the predetermined correct user.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Eugene L. Flanagan
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Patent number: 11670309Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for research data gathering are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein is to detect whether the apparatus is powered by an internal power source or an external power source. The example apparatus is also to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the internal power source, perform first processing on a received audio signal to determine audio data to store in storage of the apparatus. The example apparatus is further to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the external power source, perform second processing on the stored audio data to recover the code, the second processing different from the first processing.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2020Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Publication number: 20210151061Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for research data gathering are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein is to detect whether the apparatus is powered by an internal power source or an external power source. The example apparatus is also to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the internal power source, perform first processing on a received audio signal to determine audio data to store in storage of the apparatus. The example apparatus is further to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the external power source, perform second processing on the stored audio data to recover the code, the second processing different from the first processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2020Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Patent number: 10847168Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for research data gathering are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein is to detect whether the apparatus is powered by an internal power source or an external power source. The example apparatus is also to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the internal power source, perform first processing on a received audio signal to determine audio data to store in storage of the apparatus. The example apparatus is further to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the external power source, perform second processing on the stored audio data to recover the code, the second processing different from the first processing.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2019Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Publication number: 20200013418Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for research data gathering are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein is to detect whether the apparatus is powered by an internal power source or an external power source. The example apparatus is also to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the internal power source, perform first processing on a received audio signal to determine audio data to store in storage of the apparatus. The example apparatus is further to, in response to detecting the apparatus is powered by the external power source, perform second processing on the stored audio data to recover the code, the second processing different from the first processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2019Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Publication number: 20190371462Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for monitoring use by a user of a portable research device in accordance with at least one predetermined use criterion are disclosed. The disclosed examples include passively gathering data for assessing an identity of a user of the portable research device, processing the passively gathered data to produce assessment data indicating a possibility that the user is not a predetermined correct user of the portable research device, based on the assessment data, displaying a message to the user requesting a response from which the user's identity may be determined, and processing a response to the message to produce data indicating whether the user is the predetermined correct user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Eugene L. Flanagan
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Patent number: 10418039Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for research data gathering are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein to recover a code from media include memory including computer readable instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions to at least process the media based on a sample corresponding to a first window of time to determine whether the code is recoverable from the media using the first window of time, and in response to determining that the code is not recoverable from the media using the first window of time, process the media again based on a sample corresponding to a second window of time larger than the first window of time to recover the code from the media.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Patent number: 10387618Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for monitoring use of a research device is disclosed. The disclosed example includes producing monitored data by monitoring at least one of the user's heart activity, the user's breathing activity, the user's borborygmus (gastrointestinal noise), the user's vascular pattern, the user's facial and/or ear patterns, the user's fingerprint and/or handprint, and the user's retinal and/or iris pattern, and determining the user's compliance with a predetermined criterion for use of the portable research device based on the monitored data.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Eugene L. Flanagan, III
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Publication number: 20180068668Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for research data gathering are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein to recover a code from media include memory including computer readable instructions, and a processor to execute the instructions to at least process the media based on a sample corresponding to a first window of time to determine whether the code is recoverable from the media using the first window of time, and in response to determining that the code is not recoverable from the media using the first window of time, process the media again based on a sample corresponding to a second window of time larger than the first window of time to recover the code from the media.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Patent number: 9824693Abstract: An ancillary code is extracted from the media signal by monitoring the media signal during a first time interval according to a first monitoring parameter, evaluating the media signal to detect an ancillary code and optionally monitoring the media signal during a second monitoring time interval depending on an outcome of the evaluation of the media signal. In different iterations, different data acquisition window durations and/or overlaps are applied according to a factor such as an iteration count or a detection confidence level.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2008Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Publication number: 20170039337Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for monitoring use of a research device is disclosed. The disclosed example includes producing monitored data by monitoring at least one of the user's heart activity, the user's breathing activity, the user's borborygmus (gastrointestinal noise), the user's vascular pattern, the user's facial and/or ear patterns, the user's fingerprint and/or handprint, and the user's retinal and/or iris pattern, and determining the user's compliance with a predetermined criterion for use of the portable research device based on the monitored data.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Eugene L. Flanagan, III
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Patent number: 9489640Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for monitoring use by a user of a portable research device based on one or more kinds of monitored data. Methods and systems are disclosed for monitoring use by a user of a portable research device in accordance with at least one predetermined use criterion using actively and/or passively gathered data.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2007Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Eugene L. Flanagan, III
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Patent number: 9317865Abstract: Methods and apparatus for research data gathering with a portable monitor and a stationary device are described. An example method includes gathering, via a stationary monitoring system, first data concerning exposure to media output by a media receiver, wherein gathering the first data comprises collecting a first code encoded in the media, gathering second data concerning exposure to the media output by the media receiver with a portable monitor carried on the person of a user, wherein the second data comprises a second code encoded in the media, gathering, via the portable monitor, location data encoded in the media by the stationary monitoring system, the location data providing information on a physical location of the portable monitor, and producing the audience measurement data concerning exposure to the media output by the receiver from the first data, the second data, and the location data.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2014Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLCInventors: Jack C. Crystal, James M. Jensen, William K. Krug, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser, Eugene L. Flanagan, III
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Patent number: 9132689Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring and gathering data relating to publication usage by participants in publication readership studies. Some methods and systems employ portable monitors carried by participants of the studies along with publications fitted with various devices, such as piezoelectric transducers, RFID tags and others devices and circuits.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2005Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Jack C. Crystal, James M. Jensen, Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack K. Zhang, Daniel W. Pugh
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Publication number: 20150242864Abstract: Methods and systems for setting up, promoting, operating, maintaining and/or terminating a research operation carried out with the use of a portable user appliance (PUA) are disclosed. An example method to collect user feedback includes detecting, via a portable device worn by a user, an external environmental stimulus fixedly located proximate to a location of the portable device. The example method includes presenting via the portable device a survey sent to the portable device from a mobile telecommunication device carried by the user. The survey requests feedback associated with the environmental stimulus. The example method also includes receiving a user response associated with the survey at the portable device. The example method further includes sending the user response from the portable device to the mobile telecommunication device carried by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: Vijoy K. Gopalakrishnan, Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang
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Patent number: 8949074Abstract: Methods and systems for testing an ability of a Portable User Appliance (PUA) and/or a research data gathering system coupled therewith including a method for testing an ability of a PUA to carry out a research operation, comprises communicating a testing message to the PUA and/or research data gathering system coupled therewith, the testing message comprising one of a test command to test its ability to carry out a research operation, and test data to establish, enable or provide a capability thereof to test its ability to carry out a research operation.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Jack C. Crystal, Alan R. Neuhauser
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Publication number: 20150032239Abstract: An ancillary code is extracted from the media signal by monitoring the media signal during a first time interval according to a first monitoring parameter, evaluating the media signal to detect an ancillary code and optionally monitoring the media signal during a second monitoring time interval depending on an outcome of the evaluation of the media signal. In different iterations, different data acquisition window durations and/or overlaps are applied according to a factor such as an iteration count or a detection confidence level.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2015Inventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, Jack C. Crystal
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Patent number: 8849182Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring and gathering data relating to publication usage by participants in publication readership studies. Some methods and systems employ portable monitors carried by participants of the studies along with publications fitted with various devices, such as piezoelectric transducers, RFID tags and others devices and circuits.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2005Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Alan R. Neuhauser, James M. Jensen, Jack C. Crystal, Jack K. Zhang, Daniel W. Pugh, Douglas J. Visnius, Eugene L. Flanagan, III
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Publication number: 20140229232Abstract: Methods and apparatus for research data gathering with a portable monitor and a stationary device are described. An example method includes gathering, via a stationary monitoring system, first data concerning exposure to media output by a media receiver, wherein gathering the first data comprises collecting a first code encoded in the media, gathering second data concerning exposure to the media output by the media receiver with a portable monitor carried on the person of a user, wherein the second data comprises a second code encoded in the media, gathering, via the portable monitor, location data encoded in the media by the stationary monitoring system, the location data providing information on a physical location of the portable monitor, and producing the audience measurement data concerning exposure to the media output by the receiver from the first data, the second data, and the location data.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLCInventors: Jack C. Crystal, James M. Jensen, William K. Krug, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser, Eugene L. Flanagan, III