Methods and apparatus to detect and rectify false set top box tuning data

US10542316B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Nielsen Company (US), LLC · US

Inventors

• Balachander Shankar · Tampa, US
• Jonathan Sullivan · Hurricane, US
• Molly Poppie · Arlington Heights, US
• John Charles Coughlin · Clearwater, US
• Neung Soo Ha · Bethesda, US
• Paul Chimenti · Tampa, US
• Rachel Worth Olson · Elk Grove Village, US
• Samantha M. Mowrer · San Francisco, US
• David J. Kurzynski · South Elgin, US
• Joshua Ivan Friedman · New York, US
• Adam E. Hasinski · Chicago, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 21, 2017
• Grant date: Jan 21, 2020
• Expiry date: Nov 21, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04N21/84
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to rectify false set top box tuning data. Disclosed examples methods include identifying in return path data a first group of set top boxes classified as likely to exhibit machine events in tuning data of the return path data more frequently than a second group of set top boxes represented in the return path data. Additionally, in some examples, the method includes determining whether the first group of set top boxes includes a machine event based on a pattern of the tuning data in the return path data for respective ones of the first group of set top boxes and improving an accuracy of return path data by rectifying the machine event.