# US 9,521,456 B2 · Methods, apparatus, and systems to collect audience measurement data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,456 B2 - Document ID: US9521456B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/724,401 - Filed: 2015-05-28 - Published: 2015-09-17 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-21 - Assignees: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Applicants: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Inventors: Brian Shane Fuhrer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521456B2 ## CPC - 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)} - H04H 60/31: Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services - H04H 60/45: for identifying users - H04H 60/46: for recognising users' preferences - H04H 60/66: for using the result on distributors' side - 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 21/25891: {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)} - H04N 21/44213: {Monitoring of end-user related data (arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33)} - 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 21/44226: {on social networks} - 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: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) ## Abstract Methods, apparatus, and systems to collect audience measurement data are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes collecting first media data. Audience identification data is collected with a people meter. Audience member behavior is developed data based on the first media data and the audience identification data. Second media data is collected after the people meter has been removed, the removal of the people meter 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 ### Claim 1 A method of collecting audience measurement data in a monitored household, the method comprising: collecting first media data; collecting audience identification data with a people meter; developing, with a first processor, audience member behavior data based on the first media data and the audience identification data; collecting second media data after the people meter has been removed, the removal of the people meter occurring after the audience member behavior data has been developed; and identifying, with at least one of the first processor or a second processor, audience members associated with the second media data based on the audience member behavior data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first media presentation is television media and the second media presentation is Internet media. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting of the second media data occurs without prompting the audience members to self-identify. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the developing of the audience member behavior data occurs over a first time period that is more than one year. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audience member behavior data includes at least one of times of day, days of week, or media accessed by individual ones of the audience members. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the audience members associated with the second media data further includes obtaining demographic data for the identified audience members and associating the demographic data with the second media data to generate audience composition data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting of the second media data extends a panelist term for the monitored household by eliminating button pushing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first media data is collected via a base metering device, and the second media data is collected via a mailable meter without the people meter being present in the household. ### Claim 11 An apparatus to collect audience measurement data comprising: a people meter to collect audience identification data during a first time period; a media measurement device to collect first media identification data during the first time period and second media identification data during a second time period after the first time period, the second media identification data collected without collecting audience measurement data from the people meter, the people meter removed during the second time period; and a behavior processor to: develop audience member behavior data based on the first media identification data and the audience identification; and identify the audience members associated with the second media identification data based on the audience member behavior data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the people meter does not collect the audience identification data and does not prompt audience members to self-identify during the second time period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the media measurement device further includes a communication interface to collect Internet usage data without collecting audience identification data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the behavior processor is to identify audience members associated with the Internet usage data based on the audience member behavior data. ### Claim 15 A machine-readable storage device or storage disk comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least: develop audience member behavior data based on first media data and audience identification data collected with a people meter over a first time period; collect second media data after the people meter has been removed, the removal of the people meter occurring after the audience member behavior data has been developed; and identify audience members associated with the second media data based on the audience member behavior data and without collecting audience identification data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The machine-readable storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to obtain demographic data for the audience members associated with the second media. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The machine-readable storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify the audience members associated with Internet usage based on the audience member behavior data. ### Claim 18 A method of collecting audience measurement data in a monitored household, the method comprising: collecting first media data via a base metering device; collecting audience identification data with a people meter; developing, with a first processor, audience member behavior data based on the first media data and the audience identification data; collecting second media data after the people meter has been removed, the second media data collected by a service provider associated with the second media data, the removal of the people meter occurring after the audience member behavior data has been developed; and identifying, with at least one of the first processor or a second processor, audience members associated with the second media data based on the audience member behavior data.