METHODS AND APPARATUS TO ANALYZE MARKETS BASED ON AERIAL IMAGES

• US 20130226667A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, David, Donato, Paul, Terrazas, Alex
• Application Number:
  US13/774,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226667A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to analyze market channels based on aerial images are disclosed. An example method includes determining, using a processor, whether a first element in an aerial image of a geographic area represents a man-made object; determining, using the processor, whether a second element in the aerial image represents a natural object; and estimating a market channel for the geographic area based on a second market channel for a second geographic area when the first element represents a man-made object and the second element represents a natural object

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, using a processor, whether a first element in an aerial image of a geographic area represents a man-made object;

determining, using the processor, whether a second element in the aerial image represents a natural object; and

estimating a market channel for the geographic area based on a second market channel for a second geographic area when the first element represents a man-made object and the second element represents a natural object.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein estimating the market channel comprises estimating at least one of a number of stores or a type in the geographic area.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein estimating the market channel comprises estimating at least one of a number of a designated product available for purchase in the geographic area or a number of different products of a designated type that are available for purchase in the geographic area.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein estimating the market channel comprises determining at least one of an upper limit or a lower limit on the market channel based on the second market channel.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining a path through the geographic area to be sampled based on a market channel estimation for the geographic area.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising generating a Radon transform of the aerial image, wherein determining whether the first element represents a man-made object is based on the Radon transform.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the aerial image to a second aerial image of the geographic area; and

sampling the market channel when there is at least a threshold difference between the aerial image and the second aerial image.

8-16. -16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a man-made object identifier to determine whether a first element in an aerial image of a geographic area represents a man-made object;

a natural object identifier to determine whether a second element in the aerial image represents a natural object; and

a channel estimator to estimating a market channel for the geographic area based on a second market channel for a second geographic area when the first element represents a man-made object and the second element represents a natural object.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising a border area identifier to identify a border between a first subregion including the first element and a second subregion including the second element, the channel estimator to estimate the market channel for the geographic area in response to the border area identifier identifying the border.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the channel estimator is to estimate at least one of a number of stores or a type of a store in the geographic area.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the channel estimator is to estimate at least one of a number of a designated product available for purchase in the geographic area or a number of different products of a designated type that are available for purchase in the geographic area.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the channel estimator is to determine at least one of an upper limit or a lower limit on the market channel based on the second market channel.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising a sampling path generator to determine a path to be sampled through the geographic area based on a market channel estimation for the geographic area.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the man-made object identifier is to generate a Radon transform of the aerial image, the man-made object identifier to determine whether the first element represents a man-made object based on the Radon transform.

24-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

determine whether a first element in an aerial image of a geographic area represents a man-made object;

determine whether a second element in the aerial image represents a natural object; and

estimate a market channel for the geographic area based on a second market channel for a second geographic area when the first element represents a man-made object and the second element represents a natural object.

33. A storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to estimate the market channel by estimating at least one of a number of stores or a type of a store in the geographic area.

34. A storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to estimate the market channel by estimating at least one of a number of a designated product available for purchase in the geographic area or a number of different products of a designated type that are available for purchase in the geographic area.

35. A storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to estimate the market channel by determining at least one of an upper limit or a lower limit on the market channel based on the second market channel.

36. A storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to determine a path through the geographic area to be sampled based on a market channel estimation for the geographic area.

37. A storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to generate a Radon transform of the aerial image, wherein determining whether the first element represents a man-made object is based on the Radon transform.

38. A storage medium as defined in claim 32, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to:

compare the aerial image to a second aerial image of the geographic area; and

sample the market channel when there is at least a threshold difference between the aerial image and the second aerial image.

39-46. -46. (canceled)