Patents by Inventor Iain Merrick
Iain Merrick 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).
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Patent number: 10499117Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing customized television advertisements. In one aspect, television advertising templates are used for generating customized television advertisements. The television advertisement templates include targeting criteria specifying targeting conditions for the television advertising template, which are conditions for selecting the television advertisement template for an advertisement availability, and content selection criteria specifying availability content associated with an advertisement availability for use in selecting variable advertisement content elements for inclusion in a customized television advertisement generated from the television advertising template. The variable advertisement content elements can include video elements, audio elements, and text elements.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2019Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Simon M. Rowe, Alastair Peter William Maw, Nicholas Salvatore Arini, Iain Merrick, Ant Oztaskent, Yaroslav Volovich, Kyle Maddison, Andrew Gildfind, Raimundo Mirisola
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Publication number: 20190253770Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing customized television advertisements. In one aspect, television advertising templates are used for generating customized television advertisements. The television advertisement templates include targeting criteria specifying targeting conditions for the television advertising template, which are conditions for selecting the television advertisement template for an advertisement availability, and content selection criteria specifying availability content associated with an advertisement availability for use in selecting variable advertisement content elements for inclusion in a customized television advertisement generated from the television advertising template. The variable advertisement content elements can include video elements, audio elements, and text elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2019Publication date: August 15, 2019Inventors: Simon M. Rowe, Alastair Peter William Maw, Nick Salvatore Arini, Iain Merrick, Ant Oztaskent, Yaroslav Volovich, Kyle Maddison, Andrew Gildfind, Raimundo Mirisola
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Patent number: 10321202Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing customized television advertisements. In one aspect, television advertising templates are used for generating customized television advertisements. The television advertisement templates include targeting criteria specifying targeting conditions for the television advertising template, which are conditions for selecting the television advertisement template for an advertisement availability, and content selection criteria specifying availability content associated with an advertisement availability for use in selecting variable advertisement content elements for inclusion in a customized television advertisement generated from the television advertising template. The variable advertisement content elements can include video elements, audio elements, and text elements.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Simon M. Rowe, Alastair Peter William Maw, Nick Salvatore Arini, Iain Merrick, Ant Oztaskent, Yaroslav Volovich, Kyle Maddison, Andrew Gildfind, Raimundo Mirisola
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Publication number: 20170223428Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing customized television advertisements. In one aspect, television advertising templates are used for generating customized television advertisements. The television advertisement templates include targeting criteria specifying targeting conditions for the television advertising template, which are conditions for selecting the television advertisement template for an advertisement availability, and content selection criteria specifying availability content associated with an advertisement availability for use in selecting variable advertisement content elements for inclusion in a customized television advertisement generated from the television advertising template. The variable advertisement content elements can include video elements, audio elements, and text elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Simon M. Rowe, Alastair Peter William Maw, Nick Salvatore Arini, Iain Merrick, Ant Oztaskent, Yaroslav Volovich, Kyle Maddison, Andrew Gildfind, Raimundo Mirisola
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Patent number: 9392310Abstract: A computer-implemented method for collecting and managing TV viewership data from multiple TV metering data providers is disclosed. The method includes: receiving an event log file at a distributed computer system that includes multiple computers; dynamically selecting one or more computers according to a predefined sharding function; at each of the selected computers: allocating a set of compressed event records, which corresponds to a subset of the event log file, at predetermined locations within the memory of the computer; and in accordance with a predefined schedule, replicating the compressed event records from a respective one of the selected computers to one or more other computers of the distributed system such that there are at least two replicas of any event record on at least two computers of the distributed computer system.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2012Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Yaroslav Volovich, Raimundo Mirisola, Simon Michael Rowe, Nick Arini, Andrew Gildfind, Ant Oztaskent, Iain Merrick
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Patent number: 9204189Abstract: Methods and systems for determining and collecting information about channels being displayed on a display device are described. Such methods and systems provide an effective way for entities to collect reliable and detailed viewership information. Conditional access modules are associated with panelists who are part of a viewership measurement program. A conditional access module is also associated with a display device, and sends messages to a server. The messages include data that can be used to identify the channel to which the display device is tuned. The server collects and compiles data about a group of TV channels. The server determines a match between the stored data and the received message to determine what TV channel is being displayed at the display device.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2012Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Ant Oztaskent, Iain Merrick, Simon Michael Rowe
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Patent number: 9197929Abstract: A method for providing efficient and accurate estimates of TV viewership ratings through a distributed computer system that includes multiple computers is disclosed. The method includes: receiving a query from a client at the distributed computer system; dynamically selecting one or more computers according to a predefined sharding function; at each of the selected computers, determining a count of qualified event records that satisfy the query; aggregating the respective counts of qualified event records determined by the selected computers; statistically projecting the aggregated count of qualified event records into an estimated total count of qualified event records on the distributed computer system; and returning the estimated total count of qualified event records to the requesting client.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2012Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Yaroslav Volovich, Raimundo Mirisola, Simon Michael Rowe, Nick Arini, Andrew Gildfind, Ant Oztaskent, Iain Merrick
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Publication number: 20150089523Abstract: A computer-implemented method for collecting and managing TV viewership data from multiple TV metering data providers is disclosed. The method includes: receiving an event log file at a distributed computer system that includes multiple computers; dynamically selecting one or more computers according to a predefined sharding function; at each of the selected computers: allocating a set of compressed event records, which corresponds to a subset of the event log file, at predetermined locations within the memory of the computer; and in accordance with a predefined schedule, replicating the compressed event records from a respective one of the selected computers to one or more other computers of the distributed system such that there are at least two replicas of any event record on at least two computers of the distributed computer system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2012Publication date: March 26, 2015Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Yaroslav Volovich, Raimundo Mirisola, Simon Michael Rowe, Nick Arini, Andrew Gilfind, Ant Oztaskent, Iain Merrick
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Publication number: 20150089522Abstract: A method for providing efficient and accurate estimates of TV viewership ratings through a distributed computer system that includes multiple computers is disclosed. The method includes: receiving a query from a client at the distributed computer system; dynamically selecting one or more computers according to a predefined sharding function; at each of the selected computers, determining a count of qualified event records that satisfy the query; aggregating the respective counts of qualified event records determined by the selected computers; statistically projecting the aggregated count of qualified event records into an estimated total count of qualified event records on the distributed computer system; and returning the estimated total count of qualified event records to the requesting client.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2012Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Yaroslav Volovich, Raimundo Mirisola, Simon Michael Rowe, Nick Arini, Andrew Gilfind, Ant Oztaskent, Iain Merrick
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Patent number: 8966516Abstract: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2014Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey R. Smith, Iain Merrick, Michael A. Killianey, John Alastair Hawkins, Greg Hecht, Simon M. Rowe
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Publication number: 20140223458Abstract: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Google Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey R. Smith, Iain Merrick, Michael A. Killianey, John Alastair Hawkins, Greg Hecht, Simon M. Rowe
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Patent number: 8739199Abstract: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey R. Smith, Iain Merrick, Michael A. Killianey, John Alastair Hawkins, Greg Hecht, Simon M. Rowe
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Patent number: 8698746Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for calibrating a pointing device. A virtual movement of a position indicator is generated based on current acceleration parameters of an acceleration curve applied to a physical movement made at a pointing device and terminating at a target action. A plurality of virtual path segments are determined based on the physical movement, and an overall error representative of a deviation of the endpoint of each segment from the target action is generated. One or more hypothetical acceleration parameters are calculated that, when applied to the changing position information, generate an overall hypothetical error value less than the overall error. The current acceleration parameters are set equal to the one or more hypothetical acceleration parameters to calibrate the pointing device.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventor: Iain Merrick
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Patent number: 8438591Abstract: Reporting data related to content processing devices, e.g., television devices, are processed to identify channel tunes and corresponding tune times of the content processing devices. Automatically generated channel tunes based on the corresponding tune times are identified. Content items that are aired during a time period defined by the corresponding tune times can be adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey R. Smith, Kaustuv, Daniel J. Zigmond, Jay Shrauner, John Alastair Hawkins, Simon M. Rowe, Michael A. Killianey, Yaroslav Volovich, Iain Merrick
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Patent number: 8302122Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for verifying content distribution authority. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request for broadcast content for a broadcast feed from a requestor. In response to the request, specifying verification content for inclusion in the broadcast feed, the verification content being scheduled for presentation at a specified time. The broadcast feed is monitored for presentation of the verification content at the specified time. In turn, a determination is made whether the verification content was presented by the broadcast feed at the specified time. In response to determining that the verification content was presented by the broadcast feed at the specified time, the requestor is verified as an entity having content distribution authority over the broadcast feed.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2010Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Greg Hecht, Iain Merrick, David D. Redell
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Publication number: 20120124619Abstract: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2012Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Simon M. Rowe, Iain Merrick, Michael A. Killianey, John Alastair Hawkins, Greg Hecht, Geoffrey R. Smith
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Publication number: 20120072935Abstract: Reporting data related to content processing devices, e.g., television devices, are processed to identify channel tunes and corresponding tune times of the content processing devices. Automatically generated channel tunes based on the corresponding tune times are identified. Content items that are aired during a time period defined by the corresponding tune times can be adjusted.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Geoffrey R. SMITH, KAUSTUV, Daniel J. ZIGMOND, Jay SHRAUNER, John Alastair HAWKINS, Simon M. ROWE, Michael A. KILLIANEY, Yaroslav VOLOVICH, Iain MERRICK
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Patent number: 8127325Abstract: Set top box logs are received from a television provider and processed to identify channel tunes and channel tune times. The channel tunes and channel tune times of the log data can be compared to expected air times of television advertisements on channels, and an impression values, e.g., projected viewers, can be generated for each television advertisement.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2007Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey R. Smith, Iain Merrick, Michael A. Killaney, John Alastair Hawkins, Greg Hecht, Simon Rowe
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Patent number: 8091101Abstract: Reporting data related to content processing devices, e.g., television devices, are processed to identify channel tunes and corresponding tune times of the content processing devices. Automatically generated channel tunes based on the corresponding tune times are identified. Content items that are aired during a time period defined by the corresponding tune times can be adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey R. Smith, Kaustuv, Daniel J. Zigmond, Jay Shrauner, John Alastair Hawkins, Simon M. Rowe, Michael A. Killianey, Yaroslav Volovich, Iain Merrick
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Publication number: 20110197220Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing customized television advertisements. In one aspect, television advertising templates are used for generating customized television advertisements. The television advertisement templates include targeting criteria specifying targeting conditions for the television advertising template, which are conditions for selecting the television advertisement template for an advertisement availability, and content selection criteria specifying availability content associated with an advertisement availability for use in selecting variable advertisement content elements for inclusion in a customized television advertisement generated from the television advertising template. The variable advertisement content elements can include video elements, audio elements, and text elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2010Publication date: August 11, 2011Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Simon M. Rowe, Alastair Peter William Maw, Nicholas S. Arini, Iain Merrick, Ant Oztaskent, Yaroslav Volovich, Kyle Maddison, Andrew Gildfind, Raimundo Mirisola