Patents Assigned to The Nielsen Company (US)
  • Patent number: 11940475
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and tangible computer readable storage media are disclosed to determine an operational status of a device. Disclosed example apparatus include memory and processor circuitry to execute computer readable instructions to at least measure with a first sensor, a first magnetic field in at least three dimensions, the first magnetic field including a device magnetic field caused by a wire attached to a device to supply electricity to the device, the first sensor proximately arranged to the wire, measure with a second sensor, a second magnetic field associated with an environment at least a first distance from the wire, and compare (a) the first magnetic field as measured by the first sensor arranged proximate to the wire and (b) the second magnetic field as measured by the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Bostjan Valencic, Igor Sotosek
  • Patent number: 11941646
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to estimate population reach from marginals. Example apparatus disclosed herein are to determine an audience relationship value based on first audience exposure values for a recorded audience of a media and a first de-duplicated audience value for the recorded audience of the media, determine bounds of a pseudo universe estimate of a population audience of the media based on the audience relationship value and second audience exposure values for the population audience of the media, and iteratively determine the pseudo universe estimate of the population audience and a second de-duplicated audience value for the population audience of the media based on the audience relationship value and the second audience exposure values, the pseudo universe estimate of the population audience to be within the bounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Michael Sheppard, DongBo Cui, David Forteguerre, Jessica Lynn White, Edward Murphy
  • Patent number: 11935081
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for determining a probability of presence for a user of a first device at a second media presentation with a second device. An example apparatus includes memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to determine a first probability of presence based on a first demographic impression, a non-demographic impression, and a shared data item, the first demographic impression logged by a database proprietor for a first device, the shared data item provided by the first device, the first probability of presence indicative of a likelihood that a user of the first device corresponds to the non-demographic impression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Jan Besehanic, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 11936945
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed that improve short content identification in an audio stream through channel change detection and audio block realignment. Example instructions cause one or more processors to form a first audio block from an audio stream, detect whether the first audio block contains a channel change, the first audio block being one of a plurality of audio blocks the accessed audio, determine an offset of time from a beginning of the first audio block to when the channel change occurs in response to the channel change being detected in the first audio block, and create a new audio block aligned to start at the offset of time beyond the beginning of the first audio block using audio information from the audio stream, the new audio block to include a single channel of audio stream data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Kevin Keqiang Deng
  • Patent number: 11934399
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for efficiently estimating the number of unique elements in a collection of elements comprises generating, via hash logic, hash values associated with the elements. The hash values specify bit positions within an array of bits. Hash values output from the hash logic conform to a geometric distribution such that bit positions of the array of bits corresponding to lower orders bits are more likely to be generated than bit positions corresponding to higher-order bits. Bits of the array of bits corresponding to the bit positions are set. The number of bits of the array of bits that are set is counted. Estimation logic estimates the number of unique elements of the collection of elements as a function of the number of bits of the array of bits that are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Michael Sheppard, Edward Murphy, Jonathan Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11936931
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform media device asset qualification are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, and at least one processor to execute instructions to at least identify a first set of candidate media device assets for disqualification, the candidate media device assets including A) a signature and B) a media identifier that identifies media, generate a hash table using a second set of the candidate media device assets, determine one or more counts of matches between C) a first signature and a first media identifier of a first candidate media device asset of the second set and D) respective signatures and media identifiers of multiple ones of the second set using the hash table, the multiple ones of the second set not including the first candidate media device asset, and load the first signature into a reference database as a reference signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Nelson, James Petro, Albert T. Borawski
  • Publication number: 20240086953
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to implement calibration of convenience panel data to reduce behavioral bias are disclosed. Disclosed example apparatus include a distribution estimator to determine a first behavioral distribution for first convenience panel data associated with a first market and a measurement period, determine a second behavioral distribution for second convenience panel data associated with a second market and the measurement period, and determine a third behavioral distribution for probabilistic panel data associated with the second market and the measurement period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: William Deshong, Jonathon Wells, Stephen S. Bell, Behiye Karayaka
  • Publication number: 20240089533
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to identify an episode number based on fingerprint and matched viewing information are disclosed. An example method includes processing meter data to identify a presented media based on a bumper included in a media, filtering the meter data based on the identification of the media, selecting a candidate episode, the candidate episode not associated with a known episode label, determining whether the candidate episode appears sequentially after a known episode for a threshold number of presentation locations, and labeling the candidate episode as the next sequential episode after the known episode in response to determining that the candidate episode appears sequentially after the known episode for the threshold number of presentation locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: James Petro, Sandeep Tapse, Albert T. Borawski
  • Patent number: 11928707
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for pre-scaling media content to facilitate audience measurement are disclosed. An example method includes encoding a media content sample in accordance with a first encoding configuration and playing the encoded sample. The example method also includes attempting to detect the codes in the sample, and computing a ratio between the codes encoded in the sample and the codes detected when the sample is played.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Brian Fuhrer, Morris Lee, Alexander Topchy
  • Patent number: 11930251
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to credit commercial broadcasts are disclosed. Example commercial crediting apparatus disclosed herein compare first identification information and first timing information obtained from a first monitored data feed with second identification information and second timing information in a second monitored data feed to identify a first final distributor code represented in the second monitoring data feed, the first identification information and the first timing information corresponding to a first commercial represented in the first monitored data feed. Disclosed example apparatus also access data that maps a first original distributor code to the first final distributor code, identify the first commercial in lineup data based on the first original distributor code, and adjust, based on a duration of the first commercial, a duration obtained for a first media program listed in the lineup data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Narasimha Reddy Goli, Gangadhar Jakkula, Michael Allen Bivins, Thomas A. Potter, Venkata Lakshmi Kumar Pittu, Kevin J. Rini
  • Publication number: 20240079026
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to measure engagement of media consumers based on acoustic environment are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein are to identify media device audio data and ambient environment audio data from sensed audio data collected from an environment, and determine classification data for the media device audio data and the ambient environment audio data. Disclosed example apparatus are also to process the classification data with a machine learning model to calculate an engagement metric. Disclosed example apparatus are further to determine whether at least one individual is engaged with media in the environment based on the engagement metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Meryem Berrada, John Stavropoulos
  • Patent number: 11924488
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to estimate population reach from marginal ratings with missing information. An example apparatus includes a pseudo universe calculator to (i) determine a first pseudo universe estimate for a first audience of media corresponding to a first union of first margins, the first margins corresponding to known audience totals, and (ii) determine a second pseudo universe estimate for a second audience of the media corresponding to a second union of second margins, the determination based on an audience constant, the second margins including a margin corresponding to an unknown audience total. The example apparatus also includes a reach calculator to (i) determine an estimate of the unknown audience total of the second audience based on the second pseudo universe estimate for the second audience, and (ii) determine a reach estimate for the second union based on the first and second pseudo universe estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Michael Sheppard, Dipti Shah, Ajete Junuzi, Molly Poppie
  • Patent number: 11924509
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine engagement levels of audience members are disclosed. An example apparatus includes means for detecting whether an environment associated with a first device includes a second device with a display that is illuminated. The example apparatus also includes means for calculating an engagement of a user with respect to the first device based on a proximity between the user and the illuminated display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Alejandro Terrazas
  • Patent number: 11924486
    Abstract: Example apparatus disclosed herein are to cause meter software to be provided to a compute device, the meter software executable by the compute device to monitor use of the compute device associated with presentation of media. Disclosed example solutions are also to collect demographic data of a user associated with the compute device, the demographic data collected from a source different from the compute device. Disclosed example solutions are further to obtain meter data from the compute device, the meter data generated by the meter software, and associate the meter data with the demographic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Howell Wright, Arun Ramaswamy, Dan Nelson, Glen Vilches
  • Patent number: 11924487
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to determine synthetic total audience ratings are disclosed. Disclosed example apparatus are to access census data including census viewing statements associated with media content presented by census devices, access panel data including panelist viewing statements associated with media content presented by panel devices, the panel data including weights to represent numbers of individuals to be represented by corresponding panelists, determine scores representing similarities between ones of a first group of census devices determined to having matching panel devices in the panel data and ones of a second group of census devices determined to be unmatched in the panel data, and assign the census devices to the panel devices based on the scores and the weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Chiara Frisardi, Claudio Meraviglia, Stefano Pedretti, Fabio Filatrella, Davide Rindori, Stefano Ghiotto, Valerio Maretti, Gianmarco Ria, Marco Abrate, Fabio Scantamburlo, Gianluca Costante, Michela Papandrea, Tiziano Leidi, Andrea Quattrini, Davide Nasi
  • Patent number: 11924508
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to measure audience composition and recruit audience measurement panelists are disclosed. An example media device disclosed herein includes processor circuitry to execute instructions to: detect a first code embedded in a video stream of media presented by the media device, the first code to reference first audience measurement data to identify the media; after detection of the first code, provide a prompt to request input of second audience measurement data; and cause transmission of at least one of the first audience measurement data or the second audience measurement data to a remote data processing facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Nelson, Madhusudhan Reddy Alla
  • Patent number: 11917267
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to use station identification to enable confirmation of exposure to live media. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark data segmenter to determine a media identifier conveyed by a watermark, a detection time determiner to determine a time at which a media meter detected the watermark from a media presentation by a media device, a reference identifier to query a library of reference signatures for a reference signature associated with the media identifier of the watermark and associated with a reference timestamp corresponding to the time at which the media meter detected the watermark, and a viewing type determiner to determine whether the media presentation is live or time-shifted based on whether a result of the query indicates the reference signature does not exist in the library of reference signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Jeremey M. Davis, Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11916769
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to onboard return path data providers for audience measurement are disclosed herein. Example apparatus disclosed herein to predict return path data quality include a classification engine to compute a first data set of model features from validation tuning data reported from media metering devices and a second data set of model features from return path data reported from return path data devices. The example apparatus also include a prediction engine to train a machine learning algorithm based on the first data set, apply the trained machine learning algorithm to the second data set to predict quality of the return path data reported from the return path data devices, and determine an onboarding status for a return path data provider based on an aggregate predicted quality of the return path data reported from the return path data devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David J. Kurzynski, Samantha M. Mowrer, Michael Grotelueschen, Vince Tambellini, Demetrios Fassois, Jean Guerrettaz
  • Patent number: 11917270
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes first means for performing a first mapping of a first media identifier and timestamp to a second media identifier in a look-up table (LUT), the first media identifier and timestamp based on media obtained from a server, the first media identifier to identify the media, means for determining a third media identifier and a second timestamp based on media monitoring information (MMI) obtained from the server, the MMI obtained from the server in response to an access of the media identified by the third media identifier by a media device, second means for performing a second mapping of the third media identifier and the second timestamp to the first media identifier and timestamp in the LUT, and means for crediting access of the media to the media device based on the second mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy, Kevin K. Gaynor, Chris G. Nicotra, Alan N. Bosworth
  • Publication number: 20240062251
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to expand panelist enrollment are disclosed. An example first media device includes processor circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to scan at least one local area network to which the first media device is connected, store an identification of a second media device connected to the at least one local area network, in response to scan of the at least one local area network indicating that the second media device is commonly connected to the at least one local area network with the first media device, add the identification of the second media device to a fingerprint, and transmit the fingerprint to a central facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Achilleas Papakostas, Susan Cimino