Methods, apparatus, and systems to collect audience measurement data

• US 9,942,607 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Fuhrer, Brian Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Hance, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/363,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20170085949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems to collect audience measurement data are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes collecting first media data and audience identification data via a metering device. Audience member behavior data is developed based on the first media data and the audience identification data. Second media data is accessed after the metering device has been removed. The second media data is collected by a service provider associated with the second media data. The removal of the metering device occurring after the audience member behavior data has been developed. Audience members associated with the second media data are identified based on the audience member behavior data.

Claims

1. A system to collect audience measurement data, the system comprising:

a metering device to collect audience identification data and first media identification data during a first time period, the metering device to be deactivated during a second time period after the first time period; and

a behavior processor to;

develop audience member behavior data based on the first media identification data and the audience identification data, the metering device to be deactivated after the audience member behavior data has been developed;

access second media identification data during the second time period, the second media data collected via a service provider; and

identify an audience member associated with the second media identification data based on the audience member behavior data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the metering device does not collect the audience identification data during the second time period and does not prompt audience members to self-identify during the second time period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the metering device further includes a communication interface to collect Internet usage data without collecting the audience identification data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the behavior processor is to identify audience members associated with the Internet usage data based on the audience member behavior data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the metering device is to be deactivated in response to the audience member behavior data having been developed.

6. A method of collecting audience measurement data, the method comprising:

collecting first media data and audience identification data via a metering device;

developing, by executing an instruction with a first processor, audience member behavior data based on the first media data and the audience identification data;

accessing second media data after the metering device has been deactivated, the second media data collected by a service provider associated with the second media data, the deactivation of the metering device occurring after the audience member behavior data has been developed; and

identifying, by executing an instruction with at least one of the first processor or a second processor, an audience member associated with the second media data based on the audience member behavior data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first media data is collected in association with a first media presentation of a first media system, and the second media data is collected in association with a second media presentation of a second media system different from the first media system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first media system is a television, and the second media system is at least one of a computer, a cell phone, a smartphone, a laptop, or a tablet.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first media presentation is television media and the second media presentation is Internet media.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the collecting of the second media data occurs without prompting the audience member to self-identify.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the developing of the audience member behavior data occurs over a first time period that is more than one year.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the audience member behavior data includes at least one of times of day, days of week, or media accessed the audience member.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifying of the audience member associated with the second media data further includes obtaining demographic data for the audience member and associating the demographic data with the second media data to generate audience composition data.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the collecting of the second media data extends a panelist term for a monitored household by eliminating button pushing.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the second media data is collected via a set top box provided by the service provider.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the metering device is deactivated in response to the audience member behavior data having been developed.

17. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

collect first media data and audience identification data via a metering device;

develop audience member behavior data based on the first media data and the audience identification data;

access second media data after the metering device has been deactivated, the second media data collected by a service provider associated with the second media data, the deactivation of the metering device occurring after the audience member behavior data has been developed; and

identify an audience member associated with the second media data based on the audience member behavior data.

18. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first media data is collected in association with a first media presentation of a first media system, and the second media data is collected in association with a second media presentation of a second media system different from the first media system.

19. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first media system is a television, and the second media system is at least one of a computer, a cell phone, a smartphone, a laptop, or a tablet.

20. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first media presentation is television media and the second media presentation is Internet media.

21. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to collect the second media data without prompting the audience member to self-identify.

22. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second media data is collected via a set top box provided by the service provider.

23. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the metering device is deactivated in response to the audience member behavior data having been developed.