Patents by Inventor Paul M. Mears

Paul M. Mears 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: 9936234
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20160323615
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9426508
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9326034
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to collect audience information associated with a media presentation are described herein. An example method includes detecting, at a base meter located in proximity to a media presentation device, registration information from a portable metering device within proximity of the base meter, the registration information identifying a user associated with the portable metering device. A content identifier associated with media presented by the media presentation device is determined. A polling query is sent to the portable metering device for presentation to the user. A response to the polling query, the registration information, and the content identifier are communicated to a data collection facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy, Venugopal Srinivasan, Dan Nelson, Kevin K. Deng, John Peiffer
  • Patent number: 9185457
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes determining whether a portable device is within a vicinity of a household monitoring system based on detecting an identifier via a first radio frequency (RF) signal, when the identifier from the first RF signal is associated with the portable device, determining whether a second acoustic signal includes the identifier associated with the portable device, deactivating a media detection circuit of the portable device when the identifier is detected via both the first RF signal and the second acoustic signal, and activating the media detection circuit of the portable device when the identifier is detected from the first RF signal and the second acoustic signal is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Charles C. Conklin, Wayne A. Olmsted, Karin Johnson, Fred Martensen, Daniel Nelson, Alexander Topchy, Paul M. Mears
  • Publication number: 20150312606
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9167298
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine compliance with usage guidelines of an audience measurement system. Initially, location information associated with an audience member is obtained. It is then determined whether the audience member is in compliance with the usage guidelines based on the location information. Media monitoring information corresponding to the location information is then tagged as non-compliant if the audience member is not in compliance with the usage guidelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Morris Lee, Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Arun Ramaswamy, Stanley F. Seagren, Weston P. Headley
  • Publication number: 20150271549
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes determining whether a portable device is within a vicinity of a household monitoring system based on detecting an identifier via a first radio frequency (RF) signal, when the identifier from the first RF signal is associated with the portable device, determining whether a second acoustic signal includes the identifier associated with the portable device, deactivating a media detection circuit of the portable device when the identifier is detected via both the first RF signal and the second acoustic signal, and activating the media detection circuit of the portable device when the identifier is detected from the first RF signal and the second acoustic signal is absent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Charles C. Conklin, Wayne A. Olmsted, Karin Johnson, Fred Martensen, Daniel Nelson, Alexander Topchy, Paul M. Mears
  • Patent number: 9118962
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine compliance with usage guidelines of an audience measurement system. Initially, location information associated with an audience member is obtained. It is then determined whether the audience member is in compliance with the usage guidelines based on the location information. Media monitoring information corresponding to the location information is then tagged as non-compliant if the audience member is not in compliance with the usage guidelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Morris Lee, Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Arun Ramaswamy, Stanley F. Seagren, Weston P. Headley
  • Patent number: 9088821
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9055336
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes transmitting a first discovery inquiry message in response to a wakeup timer expiration signal, disabling a media detection circuit of the portable device when a base unit responds to the discovery inquiry message, and enabling the media detection circuit of the portable device when the base unit response to the discovery inquiry message is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Charles C. Conklin, Wayne A. Olmsted, Karin Johnson, Fred Martensen, Daniel Nelson, Alexander Topchy, Paul M. Mears
  • Patent number: 8914819
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented by portable and computer media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a headset configured to be communicatively coupled to a media presentation device and a speaker coupled to the headset and configured to emit audio based on audio information received from the media presentation device. The example apparatus also includes a metering information generator coupled to the headset and configured to be communicatively coupled to the media presentation device to receive the audio information and generate metering information associated with the received audio information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Robert Joel Stokes, Arun Ramaswamy, Charles Clinton Conklin, Brian Scott Mello, Seth Alan Pelletier, Perry Joseph Fisch
  • Publication number: 20140259033
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes transmitting a first discovery inquiry message in response to a wakeup timer expiration signal, disabling a media detection circuit of the portable device when a base unit responds to the discovery inquiry message, and enabling the media detection circuit of the portable device when the base unit response to the discovery inquiry message is absent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Charles C. Conklin, Wayne A. Olmsted, Karin Johnson, Fred Martensen, Daniel Nelson, Alexander Topchy, Paul M. Mears
  • Patent number: 8752081
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes acquiring a rate of data transfer to/from the monitored location and comparing the acquired rate of data transfer to a threshold. The example method also includes setting at least one media monitoring device in a first bandwidth mode when the acquired rate of data transfer exceeds the threshold, and setting the at least one media monitoring device in a second bandwidth mode when the acquired rate of data transfer is below the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC.
    Inventors: Arun Ramaswamy, Charles C. Conklin, Wayne A. Olmsted, Karin Anne Johnson, Fred Martensen, Daniel Nelson, Alexander Topchy, Paul M. Mears
  • Publication number: 20140115616
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine compliance with usage guidelines of an audience measurement system. Initially, location information associated with an audience member is obtained. It is then determined whether the audience member is in compliance with the usage guidelines based on the location information. Media monitoring information corresponding to the location information is then tagged as non-compliant if the audience member is not in compliance with the usage guidelines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Morris Lee, Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Arun Ramaswamy, Stanley F. Seagren, Weston P. Headley
  • Publication number: 20140115617
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine compliance with usage guidelines of an audience measurement system. Initially, location information associated with an audience member is obtained. It is then determined whether the audience member is in compliance with the usage guidelines based on the location information. Media monitoring information corresponding to the location information is then tagged as non-compliant if the audience member is not in compliance with the usage guidelines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Morris Lee, Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Arun Ramaswamy, Stanley F. Seagren, Weston P. Headley
  • Patent number: 8650586
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine compliance with usage guidelines of an audience measurement system. Initially, location information associated with an audience member is obtained. It is then determined whether the audience member is in compliance with the usage guidelines based on the location information. Media monitoring information corresponding to the location information is then tagged as non-compliant if the audience member is not in compliance with the usage guidelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Morris Lee, Paul M. Mears, Robert A. Luff, Arun Ramaswamy, Stanley F. Seagran, Weston P. Headley
  • Publication number: 20140040929
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to collect audience information associated with a media presentation are described herein. An example method includes detecting, at a base meter located in proximity to a media presentation device, registration information from a portable metering device within proximity of the base meter, the registration information identifying a user associated with the portable metering device. A content identifier associated with media presented by the media presentation device is determined. A polling query is sent to the portable metering device for presentation to the user. A response to the polling query, the registration information, and the content identifier are communicated to a data collection facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy, Venugopal Srinivasan, Dan Nelson, Kevin K. Deng, John Peiffer
  • Publication number: 20140020007
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to adaptively gather audience information data are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus monitor system factor(s) and select one or more sensors from a plurality of sensors positioned to gather audience measurement data based on the monitored factor(s). Thus, the disclosed methods and apparatus adapt to the conditions they face by selecting an amount and/or type of audience measurement data they gather.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 8555304
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to collect audience information associated with a media presentation are described herein. In an example method includes counting a first number of individuals proximate to a media presentation device, counting a second number of signals received from one or more portable devices, each of which is associated with a respective one of one or more monitored individuals, comparing the first number of individuals to the second number of signals, and determining a third number of unidentified ones of the individuals proximate to the media presentation device based on the comparison of the first number of individuals to the second number of signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Paul M. Mears, Arun Ramaswamy, Venugopal Srinivasan, Dan Nelson, Kevin K. Deng, John Peiffer