METHODS AND APPARATUS TO COMMUNICATE AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT INFORMATION

• US 20140047468A1
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Christen
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to communicate audience measurement information are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing a plurality of media identifiers collected over a first period of time to identify a dominant one of the media identifiers for the first period of time; and communicating the dominant media identifier for the first period of time via a text-only messaging service to a storage facility.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

analyzing, via a processor, a plurality of media identifiers collected over a period of time to identify a dominant one of the media identifiers for the period of time; and

communicating the dominant media identifier for the period of time via a text messaging service to a storage facility.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein communicating the dominant media identifier via the text messaging service comprises incorporating the dominant media identifier into a text message and omitting non-dominant ones of the media identifiers from the text message.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the text messaging service includes a restriction on a payload size for messages sent via the text messaging service.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the text messaging service is part of a subscription that includes a cellular data service plan.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein communicating the dominant one of the media identifiers to the storage facility occurs in response to an unavailability of transmission via the cellular data service plan.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the dominant one of the media identifiers comprises determining which of the media identifiers was most frequently detected over the period of time at the collection device.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the media identifiers comprises at least one of a channel number, a signature, a watermark, a program name, metadata or a source identification code.

8. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

analyze a plurality of media identifiers collected over a period of time to identify a dominant one of the media identifiers for the period of time; and

communicate the dominant media identifier for the period of time via a text messaging service to a storage facility.

9. A storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the machine to communicate the dominant media identifier via the text messaging service by incorporating the dominant media identifier into a text message and omitting non-dominant ones of the media identifiers from the text message.

10. A storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the text messaging service includes a restriction on a payload size for messages sent via the text messaging service, and the text messaging service is part of a subscription that includes a cellular data service plan.

11. A storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the instructions cause the machine to communicate the dominant one of the media identifiers to the storage facility in response to an unavailability of transmission via the cellular data service plan.

12. A storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the machine to identify the dominant one of the media identifiers by determining which of the media identifiers was most frequently detected over the period of time at the collection device.

13. A storage medium as defined in claim 8, wherein at least one of the media identifiers comprises at least one of a channel number, a signature, a watermark, a program name, metadata or a source identification code.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a detector to detect media identifying information over a plurality of periods of time;

an identifier to determine which of the media identifying information was most frequently detected during one of the periods of time; and

a text message constructor to incorporate the most frequently detected media identifying information into a text message to be communicated to a remote device via a text messaging service.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the text message constructor is to omit the media identifying information detected less frequently than the most frequently detected media identifying information.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising an encrypter to encrypt the text message before transmission to the remote device.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the text messaging service includes a restriction on a payload size for messages sent via the text messaging service.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, further comprising a cellular component to facilitate transmission of the text message via the text messaging service.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the text message constructor is to incorporate a people count and a time stamp corresponding to the most frequently detected media identifying information into the text message.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the media identifying information comprises at least one of a channel number, a signature, a watermark, a program name, metadata or a source identification code.

21-70. -70. (canceled)