Methods and apparatus for detecting space-shifted media associated with a digital recording/playback device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11368750-B2
Application number	US-202017001320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2004
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for detecting space-shifted media content associated with a digital recording/playback device are disclosed. An example apparatus includes means for detecting that first data associated with media is being written to a first storage of a first media device on a home network at a monitored location, the means for detecting to receive information on the first data from a first metering device and, in response to detecting the first data being written, request, from a second metering device, second data being read from a second storage of a second media device on the home network. The example apparatus also include means for determining that the media has been space-shifted to the first media device from the second media device when the first data that is being written to the first storage matches the second data being read from the second storage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
means for detecting that first data associated with media is being written to a first storage of a first media device on a home network at a monitored location, the means for detecting to receive information on the first data from a first metering device and, in response to detecting the first data being written, request, from a second metering device, second data being read from a second storage of a second media device on the home network; and
means for determining that the media has been space-shifted to the first media device from the second media device when the first data that is being written to the first storage matches the second data being read from the second storage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including means for monitoring communications on the home network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the means for determining is to determine if the media has been space-shifted by determining if the media was transmitted on the home network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the means for detecting is to monitor access to data in at least one of the first and second storages.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including means for at least one of associating a timestamp with the media or modifying a timestamp associated with the media.

6. An apparatus, comprising:
means for detecting a data packet transmitted from a first media device of a home network to a second media device of the home network; and
means for determining that media associated with the data packet is space-shifted, the means for determining to:
determine that the media associated with the data packet is space-shifted when the data packet includes at least one of media data or command data; and
update viewing data associated with the media to indicate that the second media device is a location of consumption of the media.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the means for determining is to:
identify a source address in the data packet, the source address identifying the first media device; and
indicate that the media associated with the data packet was space-shifted from the first media device to the second media device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the means for determining is to:
identify a source address in the data packet, the source address identifying the second media device; and
indicate that the media associated with the data packet was space-shifted from the second media device to the first media device.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the means for detecting is to detect the data packet by:
identifying a source address of the data packet, the source address identifying the first media device; and
identifying a destination address of the data packet, the destination address identifying the second media device.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the command data includes data to control playback of the media.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the means for determining is to identify time-shift tricks from the command data, the time-shift tricks including at least one of pausing media, fast-forwarding media, rewinding media, or slow motion viewing of media.

12. An apparatus, comprising:
means for detecting presentation of media by a media device;
means for analyzing data packets, the means for analyzing to:
detect a data packet transmitted via a network; and
detect a source and a destination of the data packet; and

means for determining the media was space-shifted, the means for determining to:
determine that the data packet corresponds to the media when the source of the data packet is a network database and the destination is the media device; and
in response to determining that the data packet corresponds to the media, update viewing data associated with the media to (i) indicate the destination of the data packet is a location of consumption of the media, and (ii) indicate the media was space-shifted.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the means for analyzing is to detect the data packet during presentation of the media.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the means for determining is to update the viewing data to identify the media device.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the media is received from a first network, and the network database communicates with the media device via a second network.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the media device is a first media device, and a second media device transmitted the data packet to the network database for storage.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the means for analyzing is to identify a source address in the data packet, the source address is associated with the second media device, and the means for determining is to update the viewing data to indicate that the media was space-shifted from the second media device to the first media device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further including means for sending the updated viewing data to a data collection facility.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the means for determining is to update the viewing data to include a destination address, the destination address identifying the media device.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the data packet includes command data, and the means for analyzing is to identify time-shift tricks from the command data, the time-shift tricks including at least one of a pause command, a fast forward command, a rewind command, or a slow motion command.

Assignees

• Nielsen Co Us Llc
• The Nielsen Company U S Llc

Inventors

• Wright David Howell
• Croy David James
• Ramaswamy Arun
• Besehanic Jan
• Mello Brian

Classifications

• H04N5/907

  using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories (H04N5/91 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N5/775

  between a recording apparatus and a television receiver · CPC title

• H04H60/31 Primary

  Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services · CPC title

• H04N5/765

  Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus · CPC title

• H04N7/163

  by receiver means only · CPC title