Patents by Inventor Dan Nelson

Dan Nelson 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: 11469841
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed selectively generating and storing hashed reference signatures. An example method disclosed herein determining whether watermark coverage of a first media segment satisfies a dropout constraint, the first media segment corresponding to a first monitoring time interval of a media source feed and, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment does not satisfy the dropout constraint hashing first media signatures associated with the first media segment to generate corresponding first hashed signatures and generating first reference data for the first media segment, the first reference data including the first hashed signatures and the first media signatures. The example method further includes, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment satisfies the dropout constraint, generating second reference data for the first media segment, the second reference data including the first media signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 11438649
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to optimize reference signature matching using watermark matching. An example disclosed herein includes selecting first unhashed reference signatures to evaluate for a second time segment of monitoring data based on watermark coverage of a first time segment of the monitoring data, the monitoring data obtained from a meter monitoring media presented by a media device and comparing the first unhashed reference signatures with first unhashed monitored signatures from the second time segment of the monitoring data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 11388460
    Abstract: An example apparatus disclosed herein includes means for collecting demographic data of a user, including a phone number for a mobile device, via a website associated with an information gathering entity, the demographic data collected via the website from a personal computer, separate from the mobile device, used to access the website. The disclosed example apparatus also includes means for sending a message to the mobile device, the sent message, when responded to, resulting in downloading of a metering software module to the mobile device. The disclosed example apparatus further includes means for receiving, from the mobile device and at a system associated with the information gathering entity, information indicative of events associated with use of the mobile device, and means for associating the received information with the demographic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Howell Wright, Arun Ramaswamy, Dan Nelson, Glen Vilches
  • Publication number: 20220069931
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to reduce false positive signature matches due to similar media segments in different reference media assets are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a signature matcher to compare monitored media signatures with a library of reference media signatures, the monitored media signatures associated with monitored media, the library of reference media signatures including sequences of reference signatures associated with respective reference media assets. Disclosed example apparatus also include a match information identifier to identify a number of different matched reference media assets associated with ones of the sequences of reference media signatures that match a sequence of matched monitored media signatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: David H. Wright, Dan Nelson, Raghuram Ranganathan, Derrick McCulley
  • Publication number: 20210258566
    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: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Patent number: 11088772
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to reduce false positive signature matches due to similar media segments in different reference media assets are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a signature matcher to compare monitored media signatures with a library of reference media signatures, the monitored media signatures associated with monitored media, the library of reference media signatures including sequences of reference signatures associated with respective reference media assets. Disclosed example apparatus also include a match information identifier to identify a number of different matched reference media assets associated with ones of the sequences of reference media signatures that match a sequence of matched monitored media signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David H. Wright, Dan Nelson, Raghuram Ranganathan, Derrick McCulley
  • Publication number: 20210175989
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed selectively generating and storing hashed reference signatures. An example method disclosed herein determining whether watermark coverage of a first media segment satisfies a dropout constraint, the first media segment corresponding to a first monitoring time interval of a media source feed and, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment does not satisfy the dropout constraint hashing first media signatures associated with the first media segment to generate corresponding first hashed signatures and generating first reference data for the first media segment, the first reference data including the first hashed signatures and the first media signatures. The example method further includes, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment satisfies the dropout constraint, generating second reference data for the first media segment, the second reference data including the first media signatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20210160568
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to optimize reference signature matching using watermark matching. An example disclosed herein includes selecting first unhashed reference signatures to evaluate for a second time segment of monitoring data based on watermark coverage of a first time segment of the monitoring data, the monitoring data obtained from a meter monitoring media presented by a media device and comparing the first unhashed reference signatures with first unhashed monitored signatures from the second time segment of the monitoring data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram RANGANATHAN
  • Publication number: 20210152862
    Abstract: An example apparatus disclosed herein includes means for collecting demographic data of a user, including a phone number for a mobile device, via a website associated with an information gathering entity, the demographic data collected via the website from a personal computer, separate from the mobile device, used to access the website. The disclosed example apparatus also includes means for sending a message to the mobile device, the sent message, when responded to, resulting in downloading of a metering software module to the mobile device. The disclosed example apparatus further includes means for receiving, from the mobile device and at a system associated with the information gathering entity, information indicative of events associated with use of the mobile device, and means for associating the received information with the demographic data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: David Howell Wright, Arun Ramaswamy, Dan Nelson, Glen Vilches
  • Patent number: 10911749
    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: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Christen V. Nielsen, Dan Nelson
  • Patent number: 10868620
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed selectively generating and storing hashed reference signatures. An example method disclosed herein determining whether watermark coverage of a first media segment satisfies a dropout constraint, the first media segment corresponding to a first monitoring time interval of a media source feed and, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment does not satisfy the dropout constraint hashing first media signatures associated with the first media segment to generate corresponding first hashed signatures and generating first reference data for the first media segment, the first reference data including the first hashed signatures and the first media signatures. The example method further includes, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment satisfies the dropout constraint, generating second reference data for the first media segment, the second reference data including the first media signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 10863236
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to optimize reference signature matching using watermark matching. An example disclosed herein includes selecting first unhashed reference signatures to evaluate for a second time segment of monitoring data based on watermark coverage of a first time segment of the monitoring data, the monitoring data obtained from a meter monitoring media presented by a media device and comparing the first unhashed reference signatures with first unhashed monitored signatures from the second time segment of the monitoring data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 10848804
    Abstract: An example apparatus disclosed herein includes means for collecting demographic data of a user, including a phone number for a mobile device, via a website associated with an information gathering entity, the demographic data collected via the website from a personal computer, separate from the mobile device, used to access the website. The disclosed example apparatus also includes means for sending a message to the mobile device, the sent message, when responded to, resulting in downloading of a metering software module to the mobile device. The disclosed example apparatus further includes means for receiving, from the mobile device and at a system associated with the information gathering entity, information indicative of events associated with use of the mobile device, and means for associating the received information with the demographic data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Howell Wright, Arun Ramaswamy, Dan Nelson, Glen Vilches
  • Publication number: 20200213666
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to optimize reference signature matching using watermark matching. An example disclosed herein includes selecting first unhashed reference signatures to evaluate for a second time segment of monitoring data based on watermark coverage of a first time segment of the monitoring data, the monitoring data obtained from a meter monitoring media presented by a media device and comparing the first unhashed reference signatures with first unhashed monitored signatures from the second time segment of the monitoring data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram RANGANATHAN
  • Publication number: 20200213021
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed selectively generating and storing hashed reference signatures. An example method disclosed herein determining whether watermark coverage of a first media segment satisfies a dropout constraint, the first media segment corresponding to a first monitoring time interval of a media source feed and, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment does not satisfy the dropout constraint hashing first media signatures associated with the first media segment to generate corresponding first hashed signatures and generating first reference data for the first media segment, the first reference data including the first hashed signatures and the first media signatures. The example method further includes, when the watermark coverage of the first media segment satisfies the dropout constraint, generating second reference data for the first media segment, the second reference data including the first media signatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: James Petro, Dan Nelson, Deborah Cross, Raghuram Ranganathan
  • 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: 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
  • 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: 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