Methods and apparatus to associate a mobile device with a panelist profile

• US 9,220,008 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Williamson, Ralph K., Hannaoui, Mohamad
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US14/053,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/405, 455/410, 455/418, 455/419, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to associate a mobile device with a panelist profile. An example method includes initializing a metering application on the mobile device to operate with partial functionality, parsing a message log with the metering application to identify an installation message, extracting a telephone number from the installation message and saving to a memory of the mobile device, sending an initialization message based on the extracted telephone number to prompt an authorization message, and enabling full functionality of the metering application in response to receiving the authorization message.

Claims

1. A method to verify authorized use of a wireless device application, comprising:

generating a first parameter pair including a panelist identifier and a first telephone number, the first telephone number associated with a panelist authorized to use the wireless device application;

sending a first application invitation message to the first telephone number via a wireless network, the first application invitation message including the first parameter pair;

retrieving a second parameter pair from a device associated with the wireless network, the second parameter pair including a second panelist identifier and a second telephone number;

verifying authorized use of the wireless device application on the device by detecting that the first parameter pair is equal to the second parameter pair received from the wireless network, the second telephone number in the second parameter pair being equal to the first telephone number; and

blocking authorization to use the wireless device application in response to detecting that the second telephone number in the second parameter is pair different than the first telephone number.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further including generating the panelist identifier in response to receiving an indication of consent to at least one of a terms of service agreement, a membership agreement, or a privacy agreement.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first application invitation message includes at least one of a short message service message or an electronic mail message.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the detecting that the first parameter pair is dissimilar to the second parameter pair includes detecting the second telephone number in the second parameter pair is not associated with the authorized panelist.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, further including generating a second invitation message to the second telephone number when the first and second telephone numbers do not match.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further including identifying an unauthorized attempt to use the wireless device application when the first parameter pair is dissimilar to the second parameter pair, the unauthorized attempt to use the wireless device application caused by sharing of the first application invitation message with an unauthorized panelist.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, further including inviting the unauthorized panelist to participate in a market study by sending a second invitation message to the unauthorized panelist having the second telephone number.

8. An apparatus to verify authorized use of a wireless device application, comprising:

an identification generator to generate a first parameter pair including a panelist identifier and a first telephone number, the first telephone number associated with a panelist authorized to use the wireless device application; and

an on device meter (ODM) server to;

send a first application invitation message to the first telephone number via a wireless network, the first application invitation message including the first parameter pair;

retrieve a second parameter pair from a device associated with the wireless network, the second parameter pair including a second panelist identifier and a second telephone number;

verify authorized use of the wireless device application on the device when the first parameter pair is equal to the second parameter pair received from the wireless network, the second telephone number in the second parameter pair equal to the first telephone number; and

block authorization to use the wireless device application when the second telephone number in the second parameter pair is different than the first telephone number.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the identification generator is to generate the panelist identifier in response to receiving an indication of consent to at least one of a terms of service agreement, a membership agreement, or a privacy agreement.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, further including a server SMS generator to generate the first application invitation message having at least one of a short message service message or an electronic mail message.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the ODM server manager is to detect the first parameter pair is dissimilar to the second parameter pair by detecting the second telephone number in the second parameter pair that is not associated with the authorized panelist.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the identification generator is to generate a second invitation message to the second telephone number when the first and second telephone numbers do not match.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the ODM server is to identify an unauthorized attempt to use the wireless device application when the first parameter pair is dissimilar to the second parameter pair, the unauthorized attempt to use the wireless device application caused by sharing of the first application invitation message with an unauthorized panelist.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the ODM server is to invite the unauthorized panelist to participate in a market study by sending a second invitation message to the unauthorized panelist having the second telephone number.

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

generate a first parameter pair including a panelist identifier and a first telephone number, the first telephone number associated with a panelist authorized to use a wireless device application;

send a first application invitation message to the first telephone number via a wireless network, the first application invitation message including the first parameter pair;

retrieve a second parameter pair from a device associated with the wireless network, the second parameter pair including a second panelist identifier and a second telephone number;

verify authorized use of the wireless device application on the device when the first parameter pair is equal to the second parameter pair including the second telephone number in the second parameter pair being equal to the first telephone number; and

block authorization to use the wireless device application in response when the the second telephone number in the second parameter pair is different than the first telephone number.

16. A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to generate the panelist identifier in response to receiving an indication of consent to at least one of a terms of service agreement, a membership agreement, or a privacy agreement.

17. A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to send the first application invitation message having at least one of a short message service message or an electronic mail message.

18. A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to generate a second invitation message to the second telephone number when the first and second telephone numbers do not match.

19. A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to identify an unauthorized attempt to use the wireless device application when the first parameter pair is dissimilar to the second parameter pair, the unauthorized attempt to use the wireless device application caused by sharing of the first application invitation message with an unauthorized panelist.

20. A storage medium as defined in claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to invite the unauthorized panelist to participate in a market study by sending a second invitation message to the unauthorized panelist having the second telephone number.