# US 11,451,867 B2 · Methods and apparatus to monitor digital media > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,867 B2 - Document ID: US11451867B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/135,983 - Filed: 2020-12-28 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-27 - Assignees: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Applicants: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Inventors: Bo Qiang; Jone M. Burr; Lois Price; Scott L. Brown; Chris Nicotra; Arun Ramaswamy; Matthew M. Campbell; Kevin K. Gaynor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451867B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/44213: {Monitoring of end-user related data (arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33)} - 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)} - H04N 21/44224: {Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing} - 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)} - H04N 21/812: {involving advertisement data (advertising per se G06Q30/02)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an orderer to order metadata according to timing information, the metadata corresponding to digital media from a media provider; a data shifter to adjust the ordered metadata using a plurality of offsets to generate a plurality of adjusted ordered metadata; a comparator to perform a plurality of comparisons by comparing the plurality of adjusted ordered metadata to reference data; and compute a plurality of errors corresponding to the plurality of comparisons; and the data shifter to identify an offset of the plurality of offsets corresponding to a lowest computed error of the plurality of errors; and adjust the ordered metadata using the offset. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus to increase an accuracy of inaccurate timing information of metadata, the apparatus comprising: means for generating a plurality of errors by comparing (a) a plurality of ordered metadata adjusted using a plurality of offsets and (b) reference data, the adjusted ordered metadata corresponding to metadata with inaccurate timing information for media; and means for adjusting timing information to: identify an offset of the plurality of offsets based on the plurality of errors; and adjust the timing information of the metadata using the offset to increase an accuracy of the timing information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metadata is included in an ID3 tag encoded in the media. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ID3 tag includes the inaccurate timing information due to an inaccurate clock of a media device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the timing information corresponds to a sum of a transcoding time of the ID3 tag and a second offset of the metadata. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metadata corresponds to ancillary codes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for generating is to calculate an error of the plurality of errors by determining a difference between a first code in the adjusted ordered metadata and a second code in the reference data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further including means for performing a validation process based on the adjusted ordered metadata and a commercial pod corresponding to an agreement. ### Claim 8 An apparatus to increase an accuracy of inaccurate timing information of metadata, the apparatus comprising: memory; instructions in the apparatus; and a processor to execution the instructions to: generate a plurality of errors by comparing (a) a plurality of ordered metadata adjusted using a plurality of offsets and (b) reference data, the adjusted ordered metadata corresponding to metadata with inaccurate timing information for media; identify an offset of the plurality of offsets based on the plurality of errors; and adjust timing information of the metadata using the offset to increase an accuracy of the timing information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the metadata is included in an ID3 tag encoded in the media. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the ID3 tag includes the inaccurate timing information due to an inaccurate clock of a media device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the timing information corresponds to a sum of a transcoding time of the ID3 tag and a second offset of the metadata. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the metadata corresponds to ancillary codes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to calculate an error of the plurality of errors by determining a difference between a first code in the adjusted ordered metadata and a second code in the reference data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to perform a validation process based on the adjusted ordered metadata and a commercial pod corresponding to an agreement. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause one or more processors to at least: generate a plurality of errors by comparing (a) a plurality of ordered metadata adjusted using a plurality of offsets and (b) reference data, the adjusted ordered metadata for metadata with inaccurate timing information corresponding to media; identify an offset of the plurality of offsets based on the plurality of errors; and adjust timing information of the metadata using the offset to increase an accuracy of the timing information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the metadata is included in an ID3 tag encoded in the media. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the ID3 tag includes the inaccurate timing information due to an inaccurate clock of a media device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the timing information corresponds to a sum of a transcoding time of the ID3 tag and a second offset of the metadata. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the metadata corresponds to ancillary codes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to calculate an error of the plurality of errors by determining a difference between a first code in the adjusted ordered metadata and a second code in the reference data.