Patents by Inventor Steven J. Splaine

Steven J. Splaine 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: 10192228
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine ratings information for online media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes receiving pingback messages corresponding to presentation of media at a client device, determining a portion of the media that was presented at the client device based on the pingback messages, obtaining demographic information associated with the client device, and determining a demographic characteristic associated with the presentation of the portion of the media based on the pingback messages and the demographic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Kevin K. Gaynor, Narasimha Reddy Goli
  • Patent number: 10158488
    Abstract: An example apparatus to collect distributed user information for media impressions and search terms includes means for collecting first and second identifiers based on use of an application that does not employ cookies, the first identifier identifying at least one of a device or a user of the device to a first database proprietor that stores first user information associated with the first identifier, and the second identifier identifying the at least one of the device or the user of the device to a second database proprietor that stores second user information associated with the second identifier, and means for sending identifiers to: send the first identifier to a first server associated with the first database proprietor, send the second identifier to a second server associated with the second database proprietor, and send to a data collection server at least one of a media identifier indicative of media accessed via the application at the device or a search term used via the application at the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth, Madhusudhan Reddy Alla, Steven J. Splaine, Brahmanand Reddy Shivampet, Kevin K. Gaynor
  • Publication number: 20180359605
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to associate geographic locations with user devices. An example apparatus includes a network classifier to classify a network that connects a user device to an audience measurement entity based on source identifying information transmitted from the user device and a location mapper to determine a geographic location associated with an impression indicated by media identifying information based on a location identifier including at least one of a network address included in the source identifying information and a first mapping that maps the network address to the geographic location when the network is a fixed network and location services information included in the source identifying information and a second mapping that maps the location services information to the geographic location when the network is a mobile network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 10129610
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a network interface to obtain media monitoring information from a content publisher. The apparatus further includes a media identifier to determine a first media identifier based on the obtained media monitoring information corresponding to media presented at a media device, map the first media identifier to a second media identifier in a look-up table, the second media identifier based on an audience measurement entity (AME) media analyzer obtaining the media before the media device accessed the media, and credit the presentation of the media to the media device based on the mapping. The apparatus further includes a report generator to generate a media crediting report based on the crediting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy, Kevin K. Gaynor, Chris G. Nicotra, Alan N. Bosworth
  • Publication number: 20180270062
    Abstract: An example apparatus to collect distributed user information for media impressions and search terms includes means for collecting first and second identifiers based on use of an application that does not employ cookies, the first identifier identifying at least one of a device or a user of the device to a first database proprietor that stores first user information associated with the first identifier, and the second identifier identifying the at least one of the device or the user of the device to a second database proprietor that stores second user information associated with the second identifier, and means for sending identifiers to: send the first identifier to a first server associated with the first database proprietor, send the second identifier to a second server associated with the second database proprietor, and send to a data collection server at least one of a media identifier indicative of media accessed via the application at the device or a search term used via the application at the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth, Madhusudhan Reddy Alla, Steven J. Splaine, Brahmanand Reddy Shivampet, Kevin K. Gaynor
  • Patent number: 10057718
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to associate geographic locations with user devices. An example apparatus includes a beacon handler to: extract source identifying information from a beacon transmitted from a user device to an audience measurement entity in response to the user device accessing a webpage, and extract media identifying information from the beacon; a location identifier to, in response to detecting that the source identifying information indicates that the beacon was received from a mobile network query a location service of a provider of the mobile network to retrieve a location associated with the user device; and a location mapper to store the location in association with the media identifying information to credit an impression of the media identifying information to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20180192104
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to associate audience members with over-the-top device media impressions. An example audience measurement apparatus includes an impression monitoring system to monitor and log media impressions based on impression requests received via network communications from over the top devices. A linkage database system is to implement the impression monitoring system. A processor in circuit with the impression monitoring system is to: generate Internet protocol (IP) address-to-cookie mappings; associate household identifiers of households with ones of the IP address-to-cookie mappings; and associate ones of the household identifiers to the logged media impressions based on IP addresses associated with the media impressions and based on the household identifiers associated with the ones of the IP address-to-cookie mappings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Harith Gandhi, Kevin K. Gaynor, Gangadhar Jakkula, Narasimha Reddy Goli, Chris Nicotra, Kumar Rao
  • Patent number: 9979544
    Abstract: An example method to monitor usage of a device includes collecting first and second identifiers based on use of an application that does not employ cookies, the first identifier identifying at least one of the device or a user of the device to a first database proprietor, and the second identifier identifying the at least one of the device or the user of the device to a second database proprietor; sending the first identifier to a first server associated with the first database proprietor, sending the second identifier to a second server associated with the second database proprietor; and sending to a data collection server at least one of a media identifier indicative of media accessed via the application at the device or a search term used via the application at the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth, Madhusudhan Reddy Alla, Steven J. Splaine, Brahmanand Reddy Shivampet, Kevin K. Gaynor
  • Publication number: 20180084313
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a network interface to obtain media monitoring information from a content publisher. The apparatus further includes a media identifier to determine a first media identifier based on the obtained media monitoring information corresponding to media presented at a media device, map the first media identifier to a second media identifier in a look-up table, the second media identifier based on an audience measurement entity (AME) media analyzer obtaining the media before the media device accessed the media, and credit the presentation of the media to the media device based on the mapping. The apparatus further includes a report generator to generate a media crediting report based on the crediting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy, Kevin K. Gaynor, Chris G. Nicotra, Alan N. Bosworth
  • Publication number: 20180077528
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to associate geographic locations with user devices. An example apparatus includes a beacon handler to: extract source identifying information from a beacon transmitted from a user device to an audience measurement entity in response to the user device accessing a webpage, and extract media identifying information from the beacon; a location identifier to, in response to detecting that the source identifying information indicates that the beacon was received from a mobile network query a location service of a provider of the mobile network to retrieve a location associated with the user device; and a location mapper to store the location in association with the media identifying information to credit an impression of the media identifying information to the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 9826359
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to associate geographic locations with user devices. An example method includes receiving, at a server, a request including source identifying information and monitoring information, the monitoring information sent by a device in response to accessing media, the source identifying information associated with a router connecting a private network to a public network. The example method also includes identifying a location identifier of the device based on the source identifying information and the monitoring information. The example method also includes attributing a geographic location to the device based on the location identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20170201374
    Abstract: An example method to monitor usage of a device includes collecting first and second identifiers based on use of an application that does not employ cookies, the first identifier identifying at least one of the device or a user of the device to a first database proprietor, and the second identifier identifying the at least one of the device or the user of the device to a second database proprietor; sending the first identifier to a first server associated with the first database proprietor, sending the second identifier to a second server associated with the second database proprietor; and sending to a data collection server at least one of a media identifier indicative of media accessed via the application at the device or a search term used via the application at the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth, Madhusudhan Reddy Alla, Steven J. Splaine, Brahmanand Reddy Shivampet, Kevin K. Gaynor
  • Publication number: 20170180797
    Abstract: A disclosed example method involves obtaining a third-party device identifier or user identifier corresponding to a client device; obtaining an opt-out flag indicative of whether a user of the client device has elected not to participate in third-party tracking corresponding to online activities; sending the third-party device identifier or user identifier, the opt-out flag, and a media identifier to an audience measurement entity, the media identifier corresponding to media accessed via the Internet; and receiving, from the audience measurement entity, an impression report corresponding to the media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Adrian Swift
  • Patent number: 9641336
    Abstract: An example method includes facilitating installation of a data collector on a media device; collecting, via the data collector, a media identifier indicative of media presented at the media device; encrypting a user identifier that identifies the user of the media device, the encrypting of the user identifier based on a first encryption key corresponding to a first database proprietor having first user information associated with the user identifier; encrypting a device identifier that identifies the media device, the encrypting of the device identifier based on a second encryption key corresponding to a second database proprietor having second user information associated with the device identifier; sending the media identifier to a data collection server; sending the encrypted user identifier to a second server associated with the first database proprietor; and sending the encrypted device identifier to a third server associated with the second database proprietor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Alan N. Bosworth, Madhusudhan Reddy Alla, Steven J. Splaine, Brahmanand Reddy Shivampet, Kevin K. Gaynor
  • Publication number: 20170039581
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine ratings information for online media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes receiving pingback messages corresponding to presentation of media at a client device, determining a portion of the media that was presented at the client device based on the pingback messages, obtaining demographic information associated with the client device, and determining a demographic characteristic associated with the presentation of the portion of the media based on the pingback messages and the demographic information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Kevin K. Gaynor, Narasimha Reddy Goli
  • Patent number: 9519914
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to determine ratings information for online media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes receiving pingback messages corresponding to presentation of media at a client device, determining a portion of the media that was presented at the client device based on the pingback messages, obtaining demographic information associated with the client device, and determining a demographic characteristic associated with the presentation of the portion of the media based on the pingback messages and the demographic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Kevin K. Gaynor, Narasimha Reddy Goli
  • Publication number: 20160323706
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to associate geographic locations with user devices. An example method includes receiving, at a server, a request including source identifying information and monitoring information, the monitoring information sent by a device in response to accessing media, the source identifying information associated with a router connecting a private network to a public network. The example method also includes identifying a location identifier of the device based on the source identifying information and the monitoring information. The example method also includes attributing a geographic location to the device based on the location identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Arun Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20160225002
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to collect impressions associated with over-the-top media devices are disclosed. Example disclosed methods involve receiving, at a first Internet domain, a first request from a first client device, the first request including a client device identifier associated with a second client device, and associating the client device identifier with demographics at the first Internet domain, the demographics corresponding to a user of the first client device. Example disclosed methods involve receiving, at the first Internet domain, a second request from the second client device, the second request indicative of media accessed at the second client device, and storing an impression of the media at the first Internet domain by associating a media identifier obtained from the second request with the demographics based on the same client device identifier being associated with the media identifier in the second request and being associated with the demographics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Steven J. Splaine, Robert F. Pierce, Adrian Swift, Ankur Tandon
  • Patent number: 9344343
    Abstract: An example method to monitor media exposure involves receiving, at a first internet domain, a first request from a client computer, the first request indicative of access to the media at the client computer. The example method also involves determining if the client computer is known. If the client computer is not known, a response is sent from the first internet domain to the client computer, the response to instruct the client computer to send a second request to a second internet domain, the second request to be indicative of access to the media at the client computer. If the client computer is known, an impression of the media is logged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Mainak Mazumdar, Kevin Geraghty, Ronan Heffernan, Mark Kalus, Ari Paparo, Steven J. Splaine
  • Publication number: 20160134700
    Abstract: An example involves, in response to a first request from a first client device, logging a first impression in association with a first identifier corresponding to media accessed by the first client device that generated the first request, and sending a communication to the first client device. The communication is to cause the first client device to send the first identifier to a database proprietor in association with a cookie identifier of the first client device. Second impressions are logged in response to second requests received from second client devices. The second impressions are associated with the first identifier and correspond to access to the media by the second client devices. A report is generated based on the first impression and corresponding first demographic information from the database proprietor, and based on the second impressions and corresponding second demographic information from an audience measurement entity different from the database proprietor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Mainak Mazumdar, Kevin Geraghty, Ronan Heffernan, Mark Kalus, Ari Paparo, Steven J. Splaine