Presence and authentication for media measurement

• US 10,764,634 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2017
• Issued: 09/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Krieger, Ken, Gildfind, Andrew Joseph Alexander, Arini, Nicholas Salvatore, Rowe, Simon Michael, Mirisola, Raimundo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengesha, Mulugeta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tilahun, Alazar
• Application Number:
  US15/628,279
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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

A method, executed by a processor, is used to determine presence of a viewer at a media device. The method includes receiving viewer biometric data captured by a biometric capture device associated with the media device; determining a category of the viewer based on the captured viewer biometric data; comparing the captured viewer biometric data to a reference to determine a possible identity of the viewer, by: determining a presence probability for the viewer based on a match between the biometric data and the reference, and determining a confidence level for the probability; and when the probability and confidence level equal or exceed a threshold, determining the viewer is present at the media device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more servers comprising one or more processors and memory;

an interface of the one or more servers to receive an audio-based input detected by a microphone of a remote computing device;

a feature recognition engine of the one or more servers to generate an audio fingerprint based on the audio-based input;

the interface to receive an input from a second computing device different from and associated with the remote computing device;

an authentication engine of the one or more servers to;

determine, based on the audio fingerprint, a probability level that the audio-based input is from a registered user of the remote computing device having a profile stored on the one or more servers;

increase, responsive to the input received from the second computing device different from and associated with the remote computing device, the probability level determined based on the audio fingerprint;

identify, responsive to the probability level increased by the input received from the second computing device and being above a predetermined threshold, an action identified within the audio-based input, the action corresponding to a request by the registered user to activate or control a feature of the remote computing device;

select a content item based on the action identified within the audio-based input and the profile of the registered user; and

transmit, to the remote computing device via the interface, the content item to cause the remote computing device to present the content item via an output interface of the remote computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the interface to receive an image comprising a facial feature;

the feature recognition engine to generate a facial recognition score based on a comparison between the image and a preregistered image; and

the authentication engine to determine the probability level based on the facial recognition score.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the authentication engine to determine the probability level is below the predetermined threshold;

the interface to transmit a request for an active authentication; and

the authentication engine to increase the probability level above the predetermined threshold responsive to receiving the active authentication.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the request for the active authentication comprises a request for a password.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the authentication engine to;

determine a category associated with the audio fingerprint; and

determine the probability level based on the category associated with the audio fingerprint.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the interface to receive an identification of a location associated with the remote computing device; and

the authentication engine to determine the probability level based on the identification of the location associated with the remote computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the interface to receive the input received from the second computing device associated with the remote computing device, the input indicating a location;

the authentication engine to;

determine a probability the remote computing device is located at the location; and

determine the probability level based on the probability the remote computing device is located at the location.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the interface to receive biometric data from the second computing device;

the authentication engine to determine the probability level based on the biometric data.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the interface to receive a video-based input detected by the remote computing device;

the feature recognition engine to generate a video fingerprint based on the video-based input.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the video-based input comprises input from a plurality of users.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving, by one or more servers, an audio-based input detected by a microphone of a computing device remote from the one or more servers;

generating, by a feature recognition engine of the one or more servers, an audio fingerprint based on the audio-based input;

determining, by an authentication engine of the one or more servers, based on the audio fingerprint, a probability level that the audio-based input is from a registered user of the computing device having a profile stored on the one or more servers;

receiving, by the authentication engine, input from a second computing device different from and associated with the computing device;

increasing, by the authentication engine responsive to the input received from the second computing device different from and associated with the remote computing device, the probability level determined based on the audio fingerprint;

identifying, by the authentication engine and responsive to the probability level increased by the input received from the second computing device and being above a predetermined threshold, an action identified within the audio-based input, the action corresponding to a request by the registered user to activate or control a feature of the computing device;

selecting, by the authentication engine, a content item based on the action identified within the audio-based input and the profile of the registered user; and

transmitting, from the one or more servers to the computing device, the content item to cause the computing device to present the content item via an output interface of the computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the one or more servers, an image comprising a facial feature;

generating, by the feature recognition engine, a facial recognition score based on a comparison between the image and a preregistered image; and

determining, by the authentication engine, the probability level based on the facial recognition score.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining, by the authentication engine, the probability level is below the predetermined threshold;

transmitting, to the computing device, a request for active authentication; and

increasing, by the authentication engine, the probability level above the predetermined threshold responsive to receiving the active authentication from the computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the request for the active authentication comprises a request for a password.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining, by the authentication engine, a category associated with the audio fingerprint; and

determining, by the authentication engine, the probability level based on the category associated with the audio fingerprint.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the one or more servers, an identification of a location associated with the computing device; and

determining, by the authentication engine, the probability level based on the identification of the location associated with the computing device.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the one or more servers, the input received from the second computing device associated with the computing device, the input indicating a location;

determining, by the authentication engine, a probability the computing device is located at the location; and

determining, by the authentication engine, the probability level based on the probability the computing device is located at the location.

18. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the one or more servers, biometric data from the second computing device;

determining, by the authentication engine, the probability level based on the biometric data.

19. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the one or more servers, a video-based input detected by the computing device;

generating, by the feature recognition engine, a video fingerprint based on the video-based input.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the video-based input comprises input from a plurality of users.