Patents by Inventor Wendell D. Lynch

Wendell D. Lynch 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: 12073485
    Abstract: Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark detector to detect watermarks in a media signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a controller to operate the watermark detector to (1) detect a first watermark in the media signal, and (2) cycle between sleep intervals and active intervals based on a repetition rate of the watermarks in the media signal to perform a detection operation for a second watermark at a second location in the media signal relative to a first location of the first watermark in the media signal. In some examples, the controller is to search a buffer of prior detected watermark symbols to detect a third watermark at a third location prior to the second location in the media signal in response to the second watermark not being detected at the second location in the media signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Sadhana Gupta, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser
  • Patent number: 12033642
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for supplementing partially readable and/or inaccurate codes. An example apparatus includes a watermark analyzer to select a first watermark and a second watermark decoded from media; a comparator to compare a first decoded timestamp of the first watermark to a second decoded timestamp of the second watermark; and a timestamp adjuster to adjust the second decoded timestamp based on the first decoded timestamp of the second watermark when at least a threshold number of symbols of the second decoded timestamp match corresponding symbols of the first decoded timestamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Jeremey Davis, Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20240185375
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to extend a timestamp range supported by a watermark without breaking backwards compatibility are disclosed. An example watermark encoder includes a counter to increment symbols of a watermark timestamp and a controller to control the counter to increment the symbols of the watermark timestamp based on a key, the controller to cause the counter to restrict ones of the symbol values to increment over one of a first range of symbol values or a second range of symbol values based on a value of the key, the second range of symbol values different from the first range of symbol values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, David Gish, Wendell D. Lynch
  • Publication number: 20240146998
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes at least one processor circuitry to execute or instantiate instructions to identify a media file is scheduled to be accessed by a media device within a first time period after a publishing of the media file was published by a media provider; select a first symbol to be inserted at a first symbol position and a second symbol to be inserted at a second symbol position to identify an access of the media file is to be accessed by the media device within the first time period, the first symbol position in a first bit sequence, the second symbol position in a second bit sequence; encode the first bit sequence in the media file on a first encoding layer of a multilayered watermark, and encode the second bit sequence in the media file on a second encoding layer of the multilayered watermark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen, Alexander Topchy, Khaldun Karazoun, Jeremey M. Davis
  • Publication number: 20240029190
    Abstract: Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark detector to detect watermarks in a media signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a controller to operate the watermark detector to (1) detect a first watermark in the media signal, and (2) cycle between sleep intervals and active intervals based on a repetition rate of the watermarks in the media signal to perform a detection operation for a second watermark at a second location in the media signal relative to a first location of the first watermark in the media signal. In some examples, the controller is to search a buffer of prior detected watermark symbols to detect a third watermark at a third location prior to the second location in the media signal in response to the second watermark not being detected at the second location in the media signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Sadhana Gupta, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser
  • Patent number: 11854556
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for supplementing partially readable and/or inaccurate codes. An example apparatus includes a watermark analyzer to select a first watermark and a second watermark decoded from media; a comparator to compare a first decoded timestamp of the first watermark to a second decoded timestamp of the second watermark; and a timestamp adjuster to adjust the second decoded timestamp based on the first decoded timestamp of the second watermark when at least a threshold number of symbols of the second decoded timestamp match corresponding symbols of the first decoded timestamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Jeremey M. Davis, Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11843825
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes at least one processor circuitry to execute or instantiate instructions to identify a media file is scheduled to be accessed by a media device within a first time period after a publishing of the media file was published by a media provider; select a first symbol to be inserted at a first symbol position and a second symbol to be inserted at a second symbol position to identify an access of the media file is to be accessed by the media device within the first time period, the first symbol position in a first bit sequence, the second symbol position in a second bit sequence; encode the first bit sequence in the media file on a first encoding layer of a multilayered watermark, and encode the second bit sequence in the media file on a second encoding layer of the multilayered watermark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen, Alexander Topchy, Khaldun Karazoun, Jeremey M. Davis
  • Patent number: 11842422
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to extend a timestamp range supported by a watermark without breaking backwards compatibility are disclosed. An example watermark encoder includes a counter to increment symbols of a watermark timestamp and a controller to control the counter to increment the symbols of the watermark timestamp based on a key, the controller to cause the counter to restrict ones of the symbol values to increment over one of a first range of symbol values or a second range of symbol values based on a value of the key, the second range of symbol values different from the first range of symbol values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, David Gish, Wendell D. Lynch
  • Patent number: 11825167
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods for viewer authentication are disclosed. An example system comprises memory, first instructions, and processor circuitry to execute the first instructions to send one or more second instructions to the device, the second instructions to cause the device to trigger collection of audio metering data from a sensed audio signal based on a programming schedule that is to identify when the program is to be broadcast, the program associated with a first time duration, the audio metering data associated with a second time duration, accept voting data from the user for a ballot presented in the program, and transmit the audio metering data and the voting data, determine a level of exposure of the user to the program based on the first time duration and the second time duration, and adjust the voting data based on the level of exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Wendell D. Lynch
  • Patent number: 11720990
    Abstract: Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark detector to detect watermarks in a media signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a controller to operate the watermark detector to (1) detect a first watermark in the media signal, and (2) cycle between sleep intervals and active intervals based on a repetition rate of the watermarks in the media signal to perform a detection operation for a second watermark at a second location in the media signal relative to a first location of the first watermark in the media signal. In some examples, the controller is to search a buffer of prior detected watermark symbols to detect a third watermark at a third location prior to the second location in the media signal in response to the second watermark not being detected at the second location in the media signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Sadhana Gupta, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser
  • Publication number: 20230206377
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to perform time alignment for watermarks. An example apparatus adjusts a power value of an element of a template based on respective average magnitudes and respective tonality ratios corresponding to a plurality of frequency representations of a media signal, the media signal to be encoded with at least one watermark, the element corresponding to one of the plurality of frequency representations. Additionally, the example apparatus computes an alignment of the template to the media signal based on respective power values of elements of the template, the template corresponding to a type of the at least one watermark. The example apparatus also encodes the media signal with the at least one watermark according to the alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, Wendell D. Lynch
  • Publication number: 20230116206
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for supplementing partially readable and/or inaccurate codes. An example apparatus includes a watermark analyzer to select a first watermark and a second watermark decoded from media; a comparator to compare a first decoded timestamp of the first watermark to a second decoded timestamp of the second watermark; and a timestamp adjuster to adjust the second decoded timestamp based on the first decoded timestamp of the second watermark when at least a threshold number of symbols of the second decoded timestamp match corresponding symbols of the first decoded timestamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: David Gish, Jeremey M. Davis, Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20230028470
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods for viewer authentication are disclosed. An example system comprises memory, first instructions, and processor circuitry to execute the first instructions to send one or more second instructions to the device, the second instructions to cause the device to trigger collection of audio metering data from a sensed audio signal based on a programming schedule that is to identify when the program is to be broadcast, the program associated with a first time duration, the audio metering data associated with a second time duration, accept voting data from the user for a ballot presented in the program, and transmit the audio metering data and the voting data, determine a level of exposure of the user to the program based on the first time duration and the second time duration, and adjust the voting data based on the level of exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventor: Wendell D. Lynch
  • Patent number: 11564003
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to improve watermark detection in acoustic environments are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute and/or instantiate the instructions to encode a first symbol in a media file at a first symbol position on a first encoding layer of a multilayered watermark, and encode a second symbol in the media file at a second symbol position on a second encoding layer of the multilayered watermark, the first encoding layer and the second encoding layer including a plurality of symbol positions, one or more of the plurality of the symbol positions on at least one of the first encoding layer or the second encoding layer to be empty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen, Alexander Topchy, Khaldun Karazoun, Jeremey M. Davis
  • Patent number: 11501786
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for supplementing partially readable and/or inaccurate codes. An example apparatus includes a watermark analyzer to select a first watermark and a second watermark decoded from media; a comparator to compare a first decoded timestamp of the first watermark to a second decoded timestamp of the second watermark; and a timestamp adjuster to adjust the second decoded timestamp based on the first decoded timestamp of the second watermark when at least a threshold number of symbols of the second decoded timestamp match corresponding symbols of the first decoded timestamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Jeremey M. Davis, Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20220351324
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to extend a timestamp range supported by a watermark without breaking backwards compatibility are disclosed. An example watermark encoder includes a counter to increment symbols of a watermark timestamp and a controller to control the counter to increment the symbols of the watermark timestamp based on a key, the controller to cause the counter to restrict ones of the symbol values to increment over one of a first range of symbol values or a second range of symbol values based on a value of the key, the second range of symbol values different from the first range of symbol values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Vladimir Kuznetsov, David Gish, Wendell D. Lynch
  • Patent number: 11463777
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods for viewer authentication are disclosed. An example system includes processing circuitry to execute computer readable instructions to send one or more instructions to cause the user device to: trigger collection of audio metering data from a sensed audio signal based on a programming schedule that is to identify when the program is to be broadcast; accept voting data from the user for a ballot presented in the program; transmit the audio metering data; and transmit the voting data. The processing circuitry also is to determine a level of exposure of the user to the program based on the audio metering data received from the user device; calculate a weighting score based on the level of exposure; and adjust the voting data based on the weighting score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
    Inventor: Wendell D. Lynch
  • Publication number: 20210343297
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for supplementing partially readable and/or inaccurate codes. An example apparatus includes a watermark analyzer to select a first watermark and a second watermark decoded from media; a comparator to compare a first decoded timestamp of the first watermark to a second decoded timestamp of the second watermark; and a timestamp adjuster to adjust the second decoded timestamp based on the first decoded timestamp of the second watermark when at least a threshold number of symbols of the second decoded timestamp match corresponding symbols of the first decoded timestamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: David Gish, Jeremey M. Davis, Wendell D. Lynch, Christen V. Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20210183001
    Abstract: Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark detector to detect watermarks in a media signal. Disclosed example apparatus also include a controller to operate the watermark detector to (1) detect a first watermark in the media signal, and (2) cycle between sleep intervals and active intervals based on a repetition rate of the watermarks in the media signal to perform a detection operation for a second watermark at a second location in the media signal relative to a first location of the first watermark in the media signal. In some examples, the controller is to search a buffer of prior detected watermark symbols to detect a third watermark at a third location prior to the second location in the media signal in response to the second watermark not being detected at the second location in the media signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: David Gish, Sadhana Gupta, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser
  • Patent number: 10937116
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to implement power efficient detection of watermarks in media signals are disclosed. Example metering apparatus disclosed herein include detector means for detecting watermarks in a media signal. Disclosed example metering apparatus also include controller means for operating the detector means to (1) detect a first watermark in the media signal, and (2) cycle between sleep intervals and active intervals to detect a second watermark at a second location in the media signal relative to a first location of the first watermark in the media signal after the first watermark has been verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventors: David Gish, Sadhana Gupta, Vladimir Kuznetsov, Wendell D. Lynch, Alan R. Neuhauser