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).

  • Patent number: 9332306
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes determining an actual frequency spectrum of the media monitored by a meter, and determining absolute values of differences between amplitudes of corresponding frequency components of the actual frequency spectrum and an expected frequency spectrum, the expected frequency spectrum stored in a database in association with a media identifier corresponding to the media. An example method also includes determining whether spillover occurred based on a summation of the absolute values satisfying a threshold, crediting the media with a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9264748
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes comparing a first crest factor stored in association with a media identifier to a second crest factor calculated by a first meter, the second crest factor corresponding to a ratio of a peak amplitude of an audio signal and a root mean square value of the audio signal. The example method also includes determining that spillover did not occur if a difference between the first crest factor and the second crest factor satisfies a threshold, and when the spillover did not occur, crediting a media exposure to media associated with the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20160037211
    Abstract: An example method includes determining if first media monitoring data provided by a first meter in a first location identifies a same media as second media monitoring data provided by a second meter in a second location. When the first and second media monitoring data identify the same media, the example includes determining whether spillover occurred based on a time difference between a first timestamp associated with the first media monitoring data and a second timestamp associated with the second media monitoring data. Based on an occurrence of the spillover, the first media monitoring data is stored as credited media monitoring data for the first location indicative of a media exposure to an audience at the first location, and the second media monitoring data is not stored as credited media monitoring data for the second location when the first timestamp is earlier than the second timestamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9223297
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a user of an electronic device are disclosed. An example method includes capturing body characteristic data associated with a user via a sensor on a computing device. The body characteristic data is captured as the user interacts with the computing device for a purpose different from user identification. The example method includes determining an identifier associated with the user based on the captured body characteristic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9219969
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter. The example method includes comparing the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20150365721
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to collect media identifying data are disclosed. An example system to monitor media includes a printed circuit board defining a sound hole, the sound hole including a cylindrical portion and a chamfered opening, the sound hole having an effective length-to-width ratio of about 1.25; a memory including machine readable instructions; and a processor to execute the instructions to process the audio data collected through the sound hole to obtain media identifying data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9191704
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing exposure crediting errors due to spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes determining if first media monitoring data provided from a first meter identifies a same media as second media monitoring data provided from a second meter. If the first media monitoring data identifies the same media as the second media monitoring data, the example method includes detecting if spillover occurred by determining if an absolute value of a difference between a first timestamp associated with the first media monitoring data and a second timestamp associated with the second media monitoring data is less than a threshold. If spillover occurred, the example method includes determining which of the first media monitoring data or the second media monitoring data to credit as a media exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20150319491
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes determining an actual frequency spectrum of the media monitored by a meter, and determining absolute values of differences between amplitudes of corresponding frequency components of the actual frequency spectrum and an expected frequency spectrum, the expected frequency spectrum stored in a database in association with a media identifier corresponding to the media. An example method also includes determining whether spillover occurred based on a summation of the absolute values satisfying a threshold, crediting the media with a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9148695
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to collect media identifying data are disclosed. An example method includes collecting audio data through a sound hole. The sound hole has a chamfered opening. The sound hole has an effective length-to-width ratio which is equal to or less than about 1.25 and analyzing the audio data to obtain media identifying data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20150271390
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to capture images are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an image capturing device to operate in a first illumination mode or a second illumination mode; and a logic circuit to determine whether a head detected in a first frame captured at a first time is oriented such that a facial recognition process on a second frame has greater than a threshold likelihood to succeed; place the image capturing device in the first illumination mode at the second time when the head detected in the first frame is oriented such that the facial recognition process has greater than the threshold likelihood to succeed; and place the image capturing device in the second illumination mode at the second time when the head detected in the first is not oriented such that the facial recognition process has greater than the threshold likelihood to succeed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9118960
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected frequency spectrum associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected frequency spectrum to an actual frequency spectrum collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9082004
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to capture images are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a resolution determiner to determine that a first frame of image data is to undergo processing at a first resolution and that a second frame of image data is to undergo processing at a second resolution lower than the first resolution; and a controller to activate an illuminator when an image sensor is to capture the first frame and to deactivate the illuminator when the image sensor is to capture the second frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC.
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20150195592
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes comparing a first crest factor stored in association with a media identifier to a second crest factor calculated by a first meter, the second crest factor corresponding to a ratio of a peak amplitude of an audio signal and a root mean square value of the audio signal. The example method also includes determining that spillover did not occur if a difference between the first crest factor and the second crest factor satisfies a threshold, and when the spillover did not occur, crediting a media exposure to media associated with the audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9021516
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected crest factor associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected crest factor to a received crest factor to determine if spillover occurred. The received crest factor is received from the first meter. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20140344841
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to detect carrying of a portable audience measurement device are disclosed herein. An example portable audience measurement device including a housing; a media detector in the housing to collect media exposure data; a hinge having an arm to rotate in response to an applied, the arm to secure the housing to an object associated with a person; a rotation sensor to detect a magnitude of rotation of the arm relative to the housing; and a detector to compare the magnitude of rotation of the arm to a threshold angle to determine whether the device is being carried by the person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Daniel J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8843948
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to detect carrying of a portable audience measurement device are disclosed herein. An example portable audience measurement device includes a housing; a media detector in the housing to collect media exposure data; an attachment mechanism coupled to the housing to secure the housing to a person; and a sensor to detect a status of the attachment mechanism to enable determination of whether the device is being carried by the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Daniel J. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20140282640
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing exposure crediting errors due to spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes determining if first media monitoring data provided from a first meter identifies a same media as second media monitoring data provided from a second meter. If the first media monitoring data identifies the same media as the second media monitoring data, the example method includes detecting if spillover occurred by determining if an absolute value of a difference between a first timestamp associated with the first media monitoring data and a second timestamp associated with the second media monitoring data is less than a threshold. If spillover occurred, the example method includes determining which of the first media monitoring data or the second media monitoring data to credit as a media exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20140270195
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter. The example method includes comparing the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20140259039
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected frequency spectrum associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected frequency spectrum to an actual frequency spectrum collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20140250448
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected crest factor associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected crest factor to a received crest factor to determine if spillover occurred. The received crest factor is received from the first meter. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen