METHODS AND APPARATUS TO IDENTIFY WIRELESS CARRIER PERFORMANCE EFFECTS

• US 20140113620A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• 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 9,185,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• 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:

monitoring a wireless carrier for carrier operating parameters, the wireless carrier associated with an indication of a media content presentation on a wireless device;

detecting a subscriber action associated with the indication of the media content presentation; and

generating a wireless carrier score based on the subscriber action and the carrier operating parameters.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising generating a report including the wireless carrier score.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying a heuristic set based on a combination of the subscriber action and one or more of the carrier operating parameters.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the identified heuristic set is associated with a scoring factor.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a plurality of wireless carrier scores over a time period for a plurality of wireless carriers; and

identifying a carrier rank of the wireless carrier based on the plurality of wireless carrier scores.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the wireless carrier score comprises assigning a first negative scoring factor to the wireless carrier when the subscriber action is indicative of a subscriber generated retransmission request, and assigning a second negative value scoring factor to the wireless carrier when the subscriber action is indicative of a subscriber generated cancel request, the first negative scoring factor having a magnitude greater than the second negative scoring factor.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the carrier operating parameters include a frame rate, a bandwidth, a resolution, a bit rate, a latency, a signal strength or a channel power.

8. An apparatus to score a wireless carrier, the apparatus comprising:

a data acquisition engine to monitor a wireless carrier for carrier operating parameters, the wireless carrier associated with an indication of a media content presentation on a wireless device;

a heuristics engine to detect a media action associated with the indication of the media content presentation; and

a scoring engine to generate a wireless carrier score based on the media action and the carrier operating parameters.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, further comprising a carrier measurement entity to generate a report including the wireless carrier score.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the heuristics engine is to identify a heuristic set based on a combination of the media action and one or more of the carrier operating parameters.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the heuristics engine is to associate the heuristics set with a scoring factor.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, further comprising the scoring engine to generate a plurality of wireless carrier scores over a time period for a plurality of wireless carriers, and the scoring engine to identify a carrier rank of the wireless carrier based on the plurality of wireless carrier scores.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein to generate the wireless carrier score further comprises the heuristics engine to assign a first negative scoring factor to the wireless carrier when the media action is indicative of a subscriber generated retransmission request, and the heuristics engine to assign a second negative value scoring factor to the wireless carrier when the media action is indicative of a media generated cancel request, the first negative scoring factor to have a magnitude greater than the second negative scoring factor.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the carrier operating parameters include a frame rate, a bandwidth, a resolution, a bit rate, a latency, a signal strength or a channel power.

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

monitor a wireless carrier for carrier operating parameters, the wireless carrier associated with an indication of a media content presentation on a wireless device;

detect a media action associated with the indication of the media content presentation; and

generate a wireless carrier score based on the media action and the carrier operating parameters.

16. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to generate a report including the wireless carrier score.

17. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to identify a heuristic set based on a combination of the media action and one or more of the carrier operating parameters.

18. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to associate the heuristics set with a scoring factor.

19. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to:

generate a plurality of wireless carrier scores over a time period for a plurality of wireless carriers; and

identify a carrier rank of the wireless carrier based on the plurality of wireless carrier scores.

20. A machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to:

assign a first negative scoring factor to the wireless carrier when the media action is indicative of a subscriber generated retransmission request; and

assign a second negative value scoring factor to the wireless carrier when the media action is indicative of a media generated cancel request, the first negative scoring factor to have a magnitude greater than the second negative scoring factor.