Methods and apparatus to count audience members

• US 8,739,194 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Donato, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US13/328,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 725 10- 21, 725/46, 348/327, 348/565, 348/587, 348/592, 348/906, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to count audience members are disclosed. An example method includes identifying a first audience member present at a first time, incrementing a stored first count of a number of times the first audience member is present during a day part corresponding to the first time, incrementing a stored tuning occasion count, identifying a second audience member present at a second time, incrementing a stored second count of a number of times the second audience member is present during the day part, incrementing the stored tuning occasion count, determining a probability that an unidentified audience member is the first audience member based on the first count, the second count, and the tuning occasion count, and counting the first audience member based on a comparison of the probability to a threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first audience member present in a statistically selected location at a first time, the statistically selected location comprising a receiver presenting first media in association with a source identification of the first media at the first time;

incrementing a stored first count of a number of times the first audience member is in the statistically selected location during a day part corresponding to the first time, wherein the first count corresponds to the source identification of the first media tuned by the receiver at the first time;

incrementing a stored tuning occasion count of a number of times the receiver in the statistically selected location was used during the day part, the stored tuning occasion count corresponding to the source identification of the first media;

identifying a second audience member present in the statistically selected location at a second time, the receiver presenting second media in association with the source identification of the first media at the second time;

incrementing a stored second count of a number of times the second audience member is in the statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the second count corresponds to the source identification of the first media;

incrementing the stored tuning occasion count for the statistically selected location for the day part and the source identification of the first media;

determining a probability that an unidentified audience member in the statistically selected location at a third time is the first audience member based on the first count, the second count, and the tuning occasion count; and

incrementing a count associated with the first audience member based on a comparison of the probability to a threshold.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the probability is based on a third count of a number of times the first audience member is in the statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the third count corresponds to a second source identification of the first media tuned to by the receiver.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the probability is based on a third count of a number of times the first audience member is in a second statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the third count corresponds to the source identification of the first media.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising suppressing an identification prompt when the probability is greater than a threshold.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing machine readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

identify a first audience member present in a statistically selected location at a first time, the statistically selected location comprising a receiver presenting first media in association with a source identification at the first time;

increment a stored first count of a number of times the first audience member is in the statistically selected location during a day part corresponding to the first time, wherein the first count corresponds to the source identification of the first media tuned by the receiver at the first time;

increment a stored tuning occasion count of a number of times the receiver in the statistically selected location was used during the day part, the stored tuning occasion count corresponding to the source identification of the first media;

identify a second audience member present in the statistically selected location at a second time, the receiver presenting second media in association with the source identification of the first media at the second time;

increment a stored second count of a number of times the second audience member is in the statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the second count corresponds to the source identification of the first media;

increment the stored tuning occasion count for the statistically selected location for the day part and the source identification of the first media;

determine a probability that an unidentified audience member in the statistically selected location at a third time is the first audience member based on the first count, the second count, and the tuning occasion count; and

increment a count associated with the first audience member based on a comparison of the probability to a threshold.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to determine the probability is based on a third count of a number of times the first audience member is in the statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the third count corresponds to a second source identification of the first media tuned to by the receiver.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to determine the probability based on a third count of a number of times the first audience member is in a second statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the third count corresponds to the source identification of the first media.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor suppress an identification prompt when the probability is greater than a threshold.

9. A tangible computer-readable storage device or storage disc comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

identify a first audience member present in a statistically selected location at a first time, the statistically selected location comprising a receiver presenting first media in association with a source identification of the first media at the first time;

increment a stored first count of a number of times the first audience member is in the statistically selected location during a day part corresponding to the first time, wherein the first count corresponds to the source identification of the first media tuned by the receiver at the first time;

increment a stored tuning occasion count of a number of times the receiver in the statistically selected location was used during the day part, the stored tuning occasion count corresponding to the source identification of the first media;

identify a second audience member present in the statistically selected location at a second time, the receiver presenting second media in association with the source identification of the first media at the second time;

increment a stored second count of a number of times the second audience member is in the statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the second count corresponds to the source identification of the first media;

increment the stored tuning occasion count for the statistically selected location for the day part and the source identification of the first media;

determine a probability that an unidentified audience member in the statistically selected location at a third time is the first audience member based on the first count, the second count, and the tuning occasion count; and

increment a count associated with the first audience member based on a comparison of the probability to a threshold.

10. A computer-readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to determine the probability is based on a third count of a number of times the first audience member is in the statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the third count corresponds to a second source identification of the first media tuned to by the receiver.

11. A computer-readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to determine the probability based on a third count of a number of times the first audience member is in a second statistically selected location during the day part, wherein the third count corresponds to the source identification of the first media.

12. A computer-readable storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor suppress an identification prompt when the probability is greater than a threshold.