METHODS AND APPARATUS TO IDENTIFY WIRELESS CARRIER PERFORMANCE EFFECTS

• US 20110053513A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Papakostas, Achilleas, Yonker, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to identify wireless carrier performance effects are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving an indication of media content presentation on a wireless communication device, monitoring a wireless carrier operating parameter in response to receiving the indication of media content presentation, and monitoring the wireless communication device for a media content presentation command. The example method also includes associating the media content presentation command and the wireless carrier operating parameter with a scoring factor indicative of subscriber preferences, and generating a report including the scoring factor.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method to score a wireless carrier, comprising:

receiving an indication of media content presentation on a wireless communication device;

monitoring a wireless carrier operating parameter in response to receiving the indication of media content presentation;

monitoring the wireless communication device for a media content presentation command;

associating the media content presentation command and the wireless carrier operating parameter with a scoring factor indicative of subscriber preferences; and

generating a report including the scoring factor.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of media content presentation further comprises a first request command for a first media content initiated by the wireless communication device.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the media content presentation command occurs after the first request command, the media content presentation command comprising a retransmit request.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the retransmit request comprises a request for retransmission of the first media content.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the scoring factor is based on the retransmission request of the first media content.

6. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the retransmit request comprises a request for transmission of a second media content, the second media content unrelated to the first media content.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the scoring factor is based on the retransmission request of the second media content.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising assigning a first value to the scoring factor when the media content presentation command is a subscriber generated cancel request and assigning a second value to the scoring factor when the media content presentation command is a subscriber generated retransmission request.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising assigning a third value to the scoring factor when the subscriber generated cancel request is associated with a wireless carrier operating parameter not meeting a quality requirement.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising assigning a fourth value to the scoring factor when the subscriber generated retransmission request is associated with a wireless carrier operating parameter not meeting a quality requirement.

11. An apparatus to score a wireless carrier, comprising:

a wireless monitor interface to receive an indication of a media content control command from a wireless communication device;

a data acquisition engine to acquire operating parameters associated with an instance of media content presentation;

a heuristics engine to identify a heuristic set of the media content control command and the operating parameters; and

a scoring engine to associate the identified heuristic set with a scoring factor.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a data structure representing a heuristics matrix, comprising:

a plurality of media actions;

a plurality of wireless carrier parameters, each associated with one of the plurality of media actions; and

a plurality of scoring factors, each associated with a combination of one of the plurality of media actions and one of the plurality of scoring factors.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein one of the plurality of media actions comprises a subscriber ending transmission of media.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein one of the plurality of media actions comprises a wireless carrier network transmission interruption.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the plurality of carrier parameters comprises at least one of a frame rate, a bandwidth, a resolution, a bit rate, a latency, a signal strength, or a channel power.

16. A computer implemented method to score a wireless carrier, comprising:

receiving an indication of media content presentation on a wireless communication device;

monitoring the wireless carrier associated with the indication of media content presentation for carrier operating parameters;

receiving a media content control command associated with the indication of media content presentation;

generating a wireless carrier score based on the control command and the carrier operating parameters; and

outputting the wireless carrier score to a user.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, further comprising identifying a heuristic set based on a combination of the control command and one or more of the carrier operating parameters.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the identified heuristic set is associated with a scoring factor.

19. A method as defined in claim 16, further comprising generating a plurality of wireless carrier scores over a time period for a plurality of wireless carriers to identify a carrier rank.

20. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein generating the wireless carrier score comprises assigning a first negative scoring factor to the carrier when the control command is indicative of a retransmission request, and assigning a second negative scoring factor to the carrier when the control command is indicative of a cancellation request, the first negative scoring factor having a magnitude greater than the second negative scoring factor.

21. A computer implemented method to identify an advertisement impression, comprising:

receiving an indication of an advertisement presentation attempt;

measuring a plurality of wireless carrier operating parameter values during the advertisement presentation attempt;

detecting a subscriber presentation command during the advertisement presentation attempt;

identifying the advertisement presentation attempt as a failed advertisement impression when the subscriber presentation command is indicative of a presentation interruption command and the wireless carrier operating parameter values are below a quality threshold value; and

generating a report including the advertisement impression.

22. An article of manufacture storing machine accessible instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

receive an indication of media content presentation on a wireless communication device;

monitor a wireless carrier operating parameter in response to receiving the indication of media content presentation;

monitor the wireless communication device for a media content presentation command;

associate the media content presentation command and the wireless carrier operating parameter with a scoring factor indicative of subscriber preferences; and

generate a report including the scoring factor.

23. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 22, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to receive a first request command for a first media content initiated by the wireless communication device.

24. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 22, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to assign a first value to the scoring factor when the media content presentation command is a subscriber generated cancel request and assigning a second value to the scoring factor when the media content presentation command is a subscriber generated retransmission request.

25. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 24, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to assign a third value to the scoring factor when the subscriber generated cancel request is associated with a wireless carrier operating parameter not meeting a quality requirement.

26. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 24, wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to assign a fourth value to the scoring factor when the subscriber generated retransmission request is associated with a wireless carrier operating parameter not meeting a quality requirement.