Patents by Inventor Craig M. Smithpeters

Craig M. Smithpeters 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: 20110179447
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a meter to record a media link embedded in a first program tuned by a tuner. The media link is activatable to retrieve content different from the first program from a content provider. The content is different from the first program to be presented to a user. The media link is broadcast with at least the first program and a second program different from the first program such that the media link does not uniquely identify either the first program, the second program or a tuned station. The apparatus further includes a program identifier to activate the media link to retrieve the content from the content provider to facilitate identification of the program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters
  • Patent number: 7941816
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters
  • Publication number: 20100235853
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters
  • Patent number: 7757248
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters
  • Publication number: 20080282303
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters
  • Patent number: 7421723
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Nielsen Media Research, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters
  • Publication number: 20020059633
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: David H. Harkness, Daozheng Lu, William A. Feininger, Craig M. Smithpeters