# US 12,010,384 B2 · Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations

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- Number: US 12,010,384 B2
- Document ID: US12010384B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/083,263
- Filed: 2022-12-16
- Published: 2023-06-22
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-07
- Assignees: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
- Applicants: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
- Inventors: Mark C. Zimmerman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010384B2

## CPC

- H04N 21/4667: {Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections}
- G06Q 30/0224: {based on user history}
- G06Q 30/0236: {Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user}
- G06Q 30/0241: Advertisements
- 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)}
- 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 programme (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)}
- H04N 21/44222: {Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programmes or purchase activity (monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33)}
- H04N 21/44227: {Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network (configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811)}
- 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)}
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus to monitor media presentations are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include presenting information via a display of a media device, the information indicating that monitor software in the media device can be enabled, the monitor software to monitor media presented by the media device, the monitor software to be disabled by default. Disclosed example methods also include detecting a first user input that is to authorize the monitor software in the media device to be enabled, and in response to detection of the first user input: (i) enabling the monitor software in the media device to generate and report at least one of video fingerprints, audio fingerprints, video watermarks or audio watermarks representative of media presented by the media device, and (ii) transmitting, via a network interface, a notification to a remote monitoring entity to indicate that the monitor software in the media device has been enabled.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A television comprising:
a display;
a control interface configured to receive an instruction from a remote control dimensioned to be held by a user;
memory including monitor software to monitor media presented by the television, the monitor software disabled by default;
instructions in the memory that are executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform a set of acts comprising
causing the display to present information to request permission to enable the monitor software,
detecting a first user input, the first user input from the remote control, the first user input indicative of the permission to enable the monitor software,
enabling the monitor software to report media monitoring information including at least one of a video fingerprint, an audio fingerprint, a video watermark, or an audio watermark corresponding to media presented by the television,
selecting the television to operate as a primary media monitor based on a comparison of a storage capacity of the television and a storage capacity of a secondary media monitor, the secondary media monitor separate from the television; and
a network interface configured to transmit the media monitoring information to a remote monitoring entity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The television of claim 1, wherein the set of acts further comprises receiving a command indicative of the first user input from the remote control.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The television of claim 2, wherein the command is received via a network communication.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The television of claim 2, wherein the monitor software causes the one or more processors to generate information concerning operation of the television.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The television of claim 3, wherein the information identifies the network interface.

### Claim 6

A television comprising:
a display;
memory including monitor software to monitor media presented by the television; and
one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to: collect first usage information including at least one of a video fingerprint, an audio fingerprint, a video watermark or an audio watermark, the first usage information representative of media presented by the television, and select the television to operate as a primary media monitor based on a comparison of a storage capacity of the television and a storage capacity of a secondary media monitor, the secondary media monitor separate from the television, the secondary media monitor to provide second usage information to the television; and
a network interface to transmit the first usage information to a remote monitoring entity, the remote monitoring entity to aggregate the first usage information with other usage information to determine usage statistics of a plurality of televisions, the plurality of televisions including the television.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The television of claim 6, herein the usage information further includes information concerning an operational state of a component of the television.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The television of claim 7, wherein the component is the network interface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The television of claim 8, wherein the operational state indicates whether the network interface is connected to a network.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The television of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a command from a remote device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The television of claim 10, wherein the command is received via the network interface.

### Claim 12

A media device comprising:
video output circuitry;
audio output circuitry;
user input receiver circuitry;
a network interface;
memory to store media application instructions and media monitoring instructions; and
one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to:
cause presentation of a monitoring agreement via at least one of the video output circuitry or the audio output circuitry;
enable collection of media monitoring information in response to user acceptance of the monitoring agreement;
when collection of media monitoring information is enabled, collect monitoring information identifying media presented by at least one of the video output circuitry or the audio output circuitry;
select the media device to operate as a primary media monitor based on a comparison of a storage capacity of the media device and a storage capacity of an auxiliary media device, the auxiliary media device separate from the media device; and
cause transmission of the collected media monitoring information to a central facility of an audience measurement entity via the network interface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The media device of claim 12, further including Bluetooth communication circuitry.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The media device of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause presentation of the media via the at least one of the video output circuitry or the audio output circuitry.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The media device of claim 12, wherein the media device is a wearable device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The media device of claim 12, wherein the user input receiver circuitry is to receive user input information from a control device dimensioned to be held by a user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The media device of claim 12, further including imaging circuitry to capture an image of a physical area proximate the media device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The media device of claim 12, wherein the collection of the monitoring information is implemented using at least one of a video fingerprint, an audio fingerprint, a video watermark or an audio watermark representative of the media.

### Claim 19

A system comprising:
a first television configured to collect first audience measurement information concerning media presented by the first television in a first household, the first television to operate as a primary media monitor within the first household based on a comparison of a storage capacity of the first television and a storage capacity of an auxiliary media device operated within the first household, the auxiliary media device separate from the first television;
a second television configured to collect second audience measurement information concerning media presented by the second television in a second household different from the first household; and
a server configured to aggregate the first and second audience measurement information.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the server is configured to aggregate the first and second audience measurement information with third audience measurement information from the auxiliary media device, the third measurement information different from the first and second audience measurement information.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein the auxiliary media device is not a television.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the first audience measurement information includes information received from the auxiliary media device present within the first household, the auxiliary media device separate from the first television.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the first audience measurement information is collected by monitoring circuitry of the first television.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the monitoring circuitry is to generate information concerning operation of the first television.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein the information identifies a network interface of the first television.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the monitoring circuitry is to identify media presented by the first television using at least one of a video fingerprint, an audio fingerprint, a video watermark, or an audio watermark.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the collection of the first audience measurement information is enabled in response to a user of the first television agreeing to enable the collection of the first audience measurement information.