Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations

• US 9,503,536 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Bosworth, Alan N., Borawski, Albert T., Cooper, Scott, Gaynor, Kevin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Golabbakhsh, Ebrahim
• Application Number:
  US13/828,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/34 Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/77 Software metrics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 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 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media presentations are disclosed. An example method includes collecting demographic information from a user. The demographic information is transmitted to a central facility. A panelist identifier identifying the user is generated. The panelist identifier is stored in a shared memory of the media device, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by a monitoring enabled application, the monitoring enabled application to collect monitoring information if the panelist identifier is in the shared memory and to disable collection of the media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the shared memory.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a media device, the method comprising:

collecting demographic information from a user with a registrar of a media device;

transmitting the demographic information to a central facility from the registrar; and

storing, with a processor executing the registrar, a panelist identifier identifying the user in a shared memory of the media device, the panelist identifier accessible to a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application separate from the registrar, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to present media, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect monitoring information if the panelist identifier is in the shared memory and to disable collection of the media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the shared memory.

2. The method as described in claim 1, further including requesting, with the registrar, permission from the user to enable monitoring.

3. The method as described in claim 2, further including:

if permission is received, storing a consent identifier enabling the collection of media monitoring information by the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application; and

if permission is not received, at least one of not storing or deleting the consent identifier.

4. The method as described in claim 3, wherein the consent indicator enabling monitoring is the panelist identifier.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the panelist identifier is based on the demographic information.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the panelist identifier is requested from the central facility.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the panelist identifier is an encrypted panelist identifier.

8. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the first monitoring-enabled application is not capable of decrypting the encrypted panelist identifier.

9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the shared memory is a pasteboard.

10. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the first monitoring-enabled application is installed on the media device without reference to the user having provided consent for the first monitoring-enabled application to collect monitoring information.

11. A media device comprising:

a registrar to receive demographic information from a user, to transmit the demographic information to a central facility, and to store a consent identifier in a data store of the media device, the consent identifier accessible to a first instrumented application and a second instrumented application executed in a sandbox environment, the consent identifier to indicate to the first instrumented application and the second instrumented application that monitoring is allowed, the registrar implemented by a processor; and

the first instrumented application to access the consent identifier from the data store, the first instrumented application to present media, the first instrumented application to generate monitoring information if the consent identifier permits collection of monitoring information, the first instrumented application to not generate monitoring information if the consent identifier does not permit the collection of the monitoring information, and the first instrumented application to transmit the monitoring information to the central facility.

12. The media device as described in claim 11, wherein the registrar is to store a panelist identifier identifying a panelist associated with the media device.

13. The media device as described in claim 12, wherein the panelist identifier is received from the central facility.

14. The media device as described in claim 12, wherein the panelist identifier is determined by the registrar.

15. The media device as described in claim 11, wherein the first instrumented application is to present media via at least one of a game, a media presenter, or a news presenter.

16. The media device as described in claim 11, wherein the registrar is installed on the media device prior to a time of sale of the media device.

17. The media device as described in claim 11, wherein the first instrumented application is installed via an application store.

18. The media device as described in claim 11, wherein the first instrumented application is installed without reference to the consent identifier.

19. The media device as described in claim 12, wherein the panelist identifier is based on user-identifying information received from the panelist.

20. The media device as described in claim 19, wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

21. The media device as described in claim 11, wherein the registrar is installed on the media device at a time of sale of the media device.

22. A machine-readable disk or device comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

collect demographic information from a user at a registrar of a media device;

transmit the demographic information to a central facility from the registrar; and

store a panelist identifier identifying the user in a shared memory of the media device, the panelist identifier accessible to a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application separate from the registrar, the panelist identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to present media, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is in the shared memory and to disable collection of the media monitoring information if the panelist identifier is not in the shared memory.

23. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 22, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to request permission from the user to enable monitoring.

24. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

if permission is received, store a consent identifier enabling the collection of media monitoring information by the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application; and

if permission is not received, at least one of not store or delete the consent identifier.

25. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 24, wherein the consent indicator enabling monitoring is the panelist identifier.

26. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 22, wherein the panelist identifier is based on the demographic information.

27. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 22, wherein the panelist identifier is requested from the central facility.

28. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 22, wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

29. The machine-readable disk or device of claim 22, wherein the shared memory is a pasteboard.

30. A method for monitoring a media device, the method comprising:

obtaining consent to enable monitoring functionality of a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application from a user, the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application being different than an application requesting the consent; and

storing, with a processor, a consent identifier indicating the consent of the user in a pasteboard of the media device, the consent identifier accessible to the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application, the consent identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect monitoring information if the consent identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the media monitoring information if the consent identifier is not in the pasteboard.

31. The method as described in claim 30, further including requesting demographic information from the user.

32. The method as described in claim 31, further including:

transmitting the demographic information to a central facility;

generating a panelist identifier to identify the user; and

storing the panelist identifier in the pasteboard.

33. The method as described in claim 32, wherein the panelist identifier is based on the demographic information.

34. The method as described in claim 32, wherein the panelist identifier is requested from the central facility.

35. The method as described in claim 34, wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

36. The method as described in claim 34, wherein the first monitoring-enabled application is to transmit the panelist identifier in association with the monitoring information to the central facility.

37. The method as described in claim 36, wherein the panelist identifier is an encrypted panelist identifier, and the first monitoring-enabled application is not capable of decrypting the encrypted panelist identifier.

38. The method as described in claim 30, wherein the first monitoring-enabled application is installed on the media device without reference to the consent to enable the monitoring functionality of the first monitoring-enabled application.

39. A machine-readable disk or device comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a processor of a media device to at least:

obtain consent to enable monitoring functionality of a first monitoring-enabled application and a second monitoring-enabled application from a user, the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application being different than an application requesting the consent; and

store a consent identifier indicating the consent of the user in a pasteboard of the media device, the consent identifier accessible to the first monitoring-enabled application and the second monitoring-enabled application, the consent identifier to be retrieved by the first monitoring-enabled application, the first monitoring-enabled application to collect monitoring information if the consent identifier is in the pasteboard and to disable collection of the media monitoring information if the consent identifier is not in the pasteboard.

40. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 39, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to request demographic information from the user.

41. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 40, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

transmit the demographic information to a central facility;

generate a panelist identifier to identify the user; and

store the panelist identifier in the pasteboard.

42. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 41, wherein the panelist identifier is based on the demographic information.

43. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 41, wherein the panelist identifier is requested from the central facility.

44. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 43, wherein the panelist identifier is encrypted.

45. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 43, wherein the first monitoring-enabled application is to transmit the panelist identifier in association with the monitoring information to the central facility.

46. The machine readable disk or device as described in claim 45, wherein the panelist identifier is an encrypted panelist identifier, and the first monitoring-enabled application is not capable of decrypting the encrypted panelist identifier.