Methods and apparatus to identify wireless subscriber activity status

• US 8,792,855 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation), Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Alla, Madhusudhad Reddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US13/757,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20130149992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/435.1, 455/466, 455/2.01
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to identify wireless subscriber activity status are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes identifying a market of interest associated with wireless services, and creating a list of telephone numbers (TNs) from the identified market of interest. The example method also includes initializing each TN in the list of TNs as dormant, monitoring each TN in the list of TNs during a monitoring duration for an indication of activity, and when the indication of activity is received, associating one of the TNs in the list of TNs with an active status.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method to identify a status associated with a wireless telephone number, comprising:

sending a short message service (SMS) message to a list of telephone numbers to a response of associated wireless devices;

monitoring for a response message resulting from the SMS message prompt;

removing a first telephone number (TN) from the list of telephone numbers with an active status when the SMS message is associated with the first TN and causes an event message;

removing a second TN from the list of telephone numbers when a registration message is identified independently of the SMS message prompt; and

monitoring the second TN in the list with a provisionally dormant status when the second TN is associated with neither the response message nor the registration message.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising changing the status of the second TN from provisionally dormant to active when the event message is received within a threshold duration.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising changing the status of the second TN from provisionally dormant to dormant when the event message is absent for a threshold duration.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the registration message is detected in response to a wireless device power up.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising reducing a market share calculation skew by removing telephone numbers that remain in the list after sending the SMS message and after waiting for a threshold duration.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising detecting a mobile switching center number associated with the event message.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, further comprising identifying a service provider based on the mobile switching center number.

8. An apparatus to identify a status associated with a wireless telephone number, comprising:

a short message service (SMS) manager to send an SMS message to a list of telephone numbers to prompt a response of associated wireless devices; and

a host register interface to;

monitor for a response message resulting from the SMS message prompt;

remove a first telephone number (TN) from the list of telephone numbers with an active status when the SMS message associated with the first TN causes an event message;

remove a second TN in the list when a registration message is identified independently of the SMS message prompt; and

monitor the second TN in the list with a provisionally dormant status when the second TN is associated with neither the response message nor the registration message.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the host register interface is to change the status of the second TN from provisionally dormant to active when the event message is received within a threshold duration.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the host register interface is to change the status of the second TN from provisionally dormant to dormant when the event message is absent for a threshold duration.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 the host register interface is to detect at least one of a wireless device registration, a wireless device location update, or an alert service center message.

12. A machine storage device or storage disk having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

send a short message service (SMS) message to a list of telephone numbers to prompt a response of associated wireless devices;

monitor for a response message resulting from the SMS message prompt;

remove a first telephone number (TN) from the list of telephone numbers with an active status when the SMS message associated with the first TN causes an event message;

remove a second TN from the list of telephone numbers when a registration message is identified independently of the SMS message prompt; and

monitor the second TN in the list with a provisionally dormant status when the second TN is associated with neither the response message from the SMS message nor the registration message.

13. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to change the status of the second TN from provisionally dormant to active when the event message is received within a threshold duration.

14. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to change the status of the second TN from provisionally dormant to dormant when the event message is absent for a threshold duration.

15. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect the registration message in response to a wireless device power up.

16. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to reduce a market share calculation skew by removing telephone numbers that remain in the list after sending the SMS message and after waiting for a threshold duration.

17. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect a mobile switching center number associated with the event message.

18. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to identify a service provider based on the mobile switching center number.