Methods and apparatus to characterize households with media meter data

US9219928B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Nielsen Company (US), LLC · US

Inventors

• Balachander Shankar · Tampa, US
• Molly Poppie · Arlington Heights, US
• David J. Kurzynski · South Elgin, US
• Jarrett Garcia · Elgin, US
• Lukasz Chmura · Chicago, US
• Huaxin You · Princeton Junction, US
• Peter Campbell Doe · Ridgewood, US
• Christine Bourquin · Wheeling, US
• Timothy Dolson · Palm Harbor, US
• Jone M. Burr · Palm Harbor, US
• Samantha M. Mowrer · San Francisco, US
• Anthony P. Venetucci · Hampshire, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 24, 2014
• Grant date: Dec 22, 2015
• Expiry date: Jun 24, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04H60/45
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to characterize households with media meter data. An example method includes identifying, with a processor, a household minute credited to a station in a household by a first media meter (MM) device, the first MM device collecting only audio data, determining whether a panelist audience meter device is crediting the station at the same time in the household, when the panelist audience meter device is crediting the same station, associating the household minute with an ambient tuning status, identifying a first automatic gain control (AGC) value and a first code status of the household minute, calculating model coefficients based on the ambient tuning status, the first AGC value and the first code status, and calculating a probability of ambient tuning based on the model coefficients.