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US 9,870,486 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus to assign demographic information to panelists
AssigneeThe Nielsen Company (US), LLC
InventorsJonathan Sullivan, Shelli Kashriel, Michelle Christian, ChoongKoo Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus to assign demographic information to panelists are disclosed. Example disclosed methods include generating decoy database proprietor identifiers based on probability density functions. The example method also include querying a database proprietor using panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers to obtain demographic information associated with the panelist database proprietor identifiers. The example method also include assigning the panelist database proprietor identifiers to panelists based on the demographic information obtained from the database proprietor.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- generating decoy database proprietor identifiers based on probability density functions;
- querying a database proprietor using panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers to obtain demographic information associated with the panelist database proprietor identifiers;
- in response to querying the database proprietor using the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers:
- receiving (a) demographic information corresponding to the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers that are associated with subscribers to the database proprietor, and (b) errors indicating that particular ones of the decoy database proprietor identifiers are not associated with the subscribers to the database proprietor;
- and
- regenerating the probability density functions based on the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers that are associated with the subscribers to the database proprietor;
- and
- assigning the panelist database proprietor identifiers to panelists based on the demographic information obtained from the database proprietor.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a query handler, implemented in a circuit, to query a database proprietor using panelist database proprietor identifiers and decoy database proprietor identifiers to obtain demographic information associated with the panelist database proprietor identifiers and, in response to querying the database proprietor using the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers, to receive (a) demographic information corresponding to the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers that are associated with subscribers to the database proprietor, and (b) errors indicating that particular ones of the decoy database proprietor identifiers are not associated with the subscribers to the database proprietor;
- a decoy generator, implemented in a circuit, to generate decoy database proprietor identifiers based on probability density functions and, in response to the query handler querying the database proprietor, to regenerate the probability density functions based on the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers that are associated with the subscribers to the database proprietor;
- and
- a panelist comparator, implemented in a circuit, to assign the panelist database proprietor identifiers to panelists based on the demographic information obtained from the database proprietor.
1 more element
A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
- generate decoy database proprietor identifiers based on probability density functions;
- query a database proprietor using panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers to obtain demographic information associated with the panelist database proprietor identifiers;
- in response to querying the database proprietor using the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers:
- receive (a) demographic information corresponding to the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers that are associated with subscribers to the database proprietor, and (b) errors indicating that particular ones of the decoy database proprietor identifiers are not associated with the subscribers to the database proprietor;
- and
- regenerate the probability density functions based on the panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers that are associated with the subscribers to the database proprietor;
- and
- assign the panelist database proprietor identifiers to panelists based on the demographic information obtained from the database proprietor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.