Patents by Inventor Christen V. Nielsen

Christen V. Nielsen 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).

  • Publication number: 20200351436
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to capture images are disclosed. An example device disclosed herein includes an image sensor to observe a first image of a face and a logic circuit. The logic circuit is to determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image sensor. When the face in the first image is in the first orientation, the logic circuit is trigger the image sensor to capture a second image of the face, and perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10803545
    Abstract: An example symbol-based watermark detection method disclosed herein includes, in response to a comparison of a first count of occurrences of a first potential symbol value corresponding to a first symbol within a watermark and a second count of occurrences of a second potential symbol value corresponding to the first symbol, (i) determining a first accumulated signal to noise ratio value corresponding to the occurrences of the first potential symbol value, (ii) determining a second accumulated signal to noise ratio value corresponding to the occurrences of the second potential symbol value, and (iii) selecting one of the first or the second potential symbol value having a greatest accumulated signal to noise ratio value as a likely symbol value for the first symbol. The example method also includes concatenating the likely symbol value with other likely symbol values corresponding to other symbols of the watermark to detect the watermark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10785532
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods to identify and credit media using ratios of media characteristics are disclosed herein. An example apparatus to identify media includes a memory including computer readable instructions and a processor to execute the instructions to at least determine a first ratio based on a first time interval and a second time interval of a plurality of time intervals of a monitored media signature, determine a second ratio based on a third time interval and a fourth time interval of the plurality of time intervals of the monitored media signature, generate a monitored media ratio signature based on the first and second ratios, and compare the monitored media ratio signature with a reference ratio signature to identify the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, David H. Wright, Charles C. Conklin, Daniel Nelson
  • Patent number: 10750354
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least two audio sensors to receive audio at an audience metering device and a selection tester to identify a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying respective gain values to be applied to the plurality of audio sensors. The selection tester is further to select one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of a first quality metric and a second quality metric. The example apparatus further includes a media identifier to identify audio received at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, James J. Vitt, Timothy Scott Cooper, Douglas Brent Turnbow
  • Publication number: 20200204875
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for associating different watermarks detected in media. An example method disclosed herein includes determining whether a first watermark detected in a media signal is represented in a watermark data structure and associating the first watermark with a first media presentation record associated with a second watermark in response to the first watermark being associated in the watermark data structure with the second watermark. The example method further includes transmitting monitoring data including the first media presentation record to an audience measurement entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, David Gish, Ken Joseph Frett, Timothy Scott Cooper, Alexander Topchy
  • Publication number: 20200195917
    Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example display activity detectors disclosed herein are to extract regions from respective ones of captured video frames, the regions corresponding to a depiction of a display of a monitored media device Disclosed example display activity detectors are also to compute a distance metric that is to represent an amount a first one of the regions of a first one of the captured video frames differs from a corresponding second one of the regions of a second one of the captured video frames. Disclosed example display activity detectors are further to compare the distance metric to a threshold to determine whether the monitored media device is ON or OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Patent number: 10506226
    Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example display activity detectors disclosed herein are to extract regions from respective ones of captured video frames, the regions corresponding to a depiction of a display of a monitored media device Disclosed example display activity detectors are also to compute a distance metric that is to represent an amount a first one of the regions of a first one of the captured video frames differs from a corresponding second one of the regions of a second one of the captured video frames. Disclosed example display activity detectors are further to compare the distance metric to a threshold to determine whether the monitored media device is ON or OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Publication number: 20190342610
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods to identify and credit media using ratios of media characteristics are disclosed herein. An example apparatus to identify media includes a memory including computer readable instructions and a processor to execute the instructions to at least determine a first ratio based on a first time interval and a second time interval of a plurality of time intervals of a monitored media signature, determine a second ratio based on a third time interval and a fourth time interval of the plurality of time intervals of the monitored media signature, generate a monitored media ratio signature based on the first and second ratios, and compare the monitored media ratio signature with a reference ratio signature to identify the media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, David H. Wright, Charles C. Conklin, Daniel Nelson
  • Publication number: 20190272554
    Abstract: Example metering apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a stencil and a housing having a display area. The display area has a first recessed cavity and a second recessed cavity adjacent the first recessed cavity. The first recessed cavity is offset relative to the second recessed cavity such that the second recessed cavity defines a front surface of the display area and a peripheral lip of a front side of the housing. A cover is removably coupled to the housing to enable access to the display area. The second recessed cavity of the housing is to receive the cover. The cover is received by the second recessed cavity such that an outer surface of the cover is substantially flush mounted relative to a peripheral lip of the housing, and wherein a perimeter of the cover is substantially similar to a perimeter of the peripheral lip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Scott Cooper, James Joseph Vitt, Douglas Brent Turnbow, Christen V. Nielsen, Marko Usaj, Andrej Barbis, Saso Vranek
  • Publication number: 20190273917
    Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example display activity detectors disclosed herein are to extract regions from respective ones of captured video frames, the regions corresponding to a depiction of a display of a monitored media device Disclosed example display activity detectors are also to compute a distance metric that is to represent an amount a first one of the regions of a first one of the captured video frames differs from a corresponding second one of the regions of a second one of the captured video frames. Disclosed example display activity detectors are further to compare the distance metric to a threshold to determine whether the monitored media device is ON or OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Publication number: 20190261162
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least two audio sensors to receive audio at an audience metering device and a selection tester to identify a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device, the plurality of audio sensor configurations identifying respective gain values to be applied to the plurality of audio sensors. The selection tester is further to select one of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations based on a comparison of a first quality metric and a second quality metric. The example apparatus further includes a media identifier to identify audio received at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, James J. Vitt, Timothy Scott Cooper, Douglas Brent Turnbow
  • Patent number: 10368127
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods to identify and credit media using ratios of media characteristics are disclosed herein. An example apparatus to identify media includes a delta calculator to determine a first ratio based on a first time interval and a second time interval of a monitored media signal, and determine a second ratio based on the second time interval and a third time interval of the monitored media signal. The example apparatus also includes a signature generator to generate a monitored media ratio signature based on the first and second ratios. The example signature generator also is to initiate transmission of the monitored media ratio signature to a recipient that is to compare the monitored media ratio signature with a reference ratio signature to identify the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, David H. Wright, Charles C. Conklin, Daniel Nelson
  • Patent number: 10306221
    Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example metering apparatus disclosed herein include a current detector to measure an electrical current drawn by a monitored media device from a power source, and an audio sensor. Disclosed example metering apparatus also include a processor to compare the electrical current to a first threshold and to compare a level associated with audio sensed by the audio sensor to a second threshold to determine whether the monitored media device is ON or OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Publication number: 20190089894
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to capture images are disclosed. An example device disclosed herein includes an image sensor to observe a first image of a face and a logic circuit. The logic circuit is to determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image sensor. When the face in the first image is in the first orientation, the logic circuit is trigger the image sensor to capture a second image of the face, and perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10225730
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to perform audio sensor selection in an audience metering device are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a plurality of audio sensor configurations supported by the audience metering device. A first quality metric of a first media identifier determined from first audio received via a first one of the audio sensor configurations is computed. A second quality metric of a second media identifier determined from second audio received via a second one of the audio sensor configurations is computed. One of the first one of the audio sensor configurations or the second one of the audio sensor configurations is selected based on a comparison of the first quality metric and the second quality metric. Media monitoring is performed at the audience metering device using the selected one of the audio sensor configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, James J. Vitt, Timothy Scott Cooper, Douglas Brent Turnbow
  • Publication number: 20190058878
    Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example metering apparatus disclosed herein include a current detector to measure an electrical current drawn by a monitored media device from a power source, and an audio sensor. Disclosed example metering apparatus also include a processor to compare the electrical current to a first threshold and to compare a level associated with audio sensed by the audio sensor to a second threshold to determine whether the monitored media device is ON or OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Publication number: 20190014377
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods to identify and credit media using ratios of media characteristics are disclosed herein. An example apparatus to identify media includes a delta calculator to determine a first ratio based on a first time interval and a second time interval of a monitored media signal, and determine a second ratio based on the second time interval and a third time interval of the monitored media signal. The example apparatus also includes a signature generator to generate a monitored media ratio signature based on the first and second ratios. The example signature generator also is to initiate transmission of the monitored media ratio signature to a recipient that is to compare the monitored media ratio signature with a reference ratio signature to identify the media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, David H. Wright, Charles C. Conklin, Daniel Nelson
  • Patent number: 10165177
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to operate a mobile phone are disclosed. An example mobile phone disclosed herein includes an illumination source and an image sensor to capture a first image of a face. The disclosed example mobile phone also includes a logic circuit to determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image sensor. When the face in the first image is in the first orientation, the logic circuit is to trigger the image sensor to capture a second image and perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20180336657
    Abstract: An example symbol-based watermark detection method disclosed herein includes, in response to a comparison of a first count of occurrences of a first potential symbol value corresponding to a first symbol within a watermark and a second count of occurrences of a second potential symbol value corresponding to the first symbol, (i) determining a first accumulated signal to noise ratio value corresponding to the occurrences of the first potential symbol value, (ii) determining a second accumulated signal to noise ratio value corresponding to the occurrences of the second potential symbol value, and (iii) selecting one of the first or the second potential symbol value having a greatest accumulated signal to noise ratio value as a likely symbol value for the first symbol. The example method also includes concatenating the likely symbol value with other likely symbol values corresponding to other symbols of the watermark to detect the watermark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10110889
    Abstract: Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example metering apparatus disclosed herein include first means for sensing an audio signal output from a media device. Disclosed example metering apparatus also include second means for performing audio code detection to detect audio codes in the audio signal, and third means for determining an audio gain level applied to the audio signal. Disclosed example metering apparatus further include fourth means for determining whether the media device is ON or OFF based on the audio gain level applied to the audio signal and whether a valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson