Methods and apparatus to collect distributed user information for media impressions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200299-B2
Application number	US-202318463229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2023
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A disclosed example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to store a logged media impression for a media identifier representative of media accessed via the Internet, cause transmission of a device identifier or a user identifier to a database proprietor when a user has not elected to not participate in third-party tracking corresponding to online activities, access user information from the database proprietor based on the device identifier or the user identifier, log a demographic impression based on the media impression and the user information, and generate an impression report corresponding to the media based on the demographic impression.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system, comprising:
a network interface;
a processor; and
memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
storing a logged media impression for a media identifier representative of media accessed via the Internet;
determining that a client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities;
based on the determination that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities, causing transmission, via the network interface and to a database proprietor, of a device identifier or a user identifier associated with the client device;
accessing, via the network interface, user information from the database proprietor based on the device identifier or the user identifier; and
logging a demographic impression based on the logged media impression and the user information.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities comprises:
receiving, via the network interface and from a server associated with a provider of the media, an opt-out flag indicating that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities,
wherein the server is located remotely from the computing system.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the media is accessed via the Internet using an over-the-top device or a smart television.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the device identifier or the user identifier is at least one of an Ad-ID, an Identifier for Advertisers, a Google® Advertising ID, or a Roku® ID.

5. The computing system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
generating the demographic impression by associating demographic information from the user information with the logged media impression corresponding to the media.

6. The computing system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
generating an impression report corresponding to the media based on the demographic impression.

7. The computing system of claim 6 , the operations further comprising:
causing transmission of the impression report via the network interface and to a server associated with a provider of the media.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:
storing a logged media impression for a media identifier representative of media accessed via the Internet;
determining that a client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities;
based on the determination that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities, causing transmission, via a network interface and to a database proprietor, of a device identifier or a user identifier associated with the client device;
accessing, via the network interface, user information from the database proprietor based on the device identifier or the user identifier; and
logging a demographic impression based on the logged media impression and the user information.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities comprises:
receiving, via the network interface and from a server associated with a provider of the media, an opt-out flag indicating that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the media is accessed via the Internet using an over-the-top device or a smart television.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the device identifier or the user identifier is at least one of an Ad-ID, an Identifier for Advertisers, a Google® Advertising ID, or a Roku® ID.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
generating the demographic impression by associating demographic information from the user information with the logged media impression corresponding to the media.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
generating an impression report corresponding to the media based on the demographic impression.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , the operations further comprising:
causing transmission of the impression report via the network interface and to a server associated with a provider of the media.

15. A method performed by a computing system comprising a processor and a network interface, the method comprising:
storing a logged media impression for a media identifier representative of media accessed via the Internet;
determining that a client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities;
based on the determination that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities, causing transmission, via the network interface and to a database proprietor, of a device identifier or a user identifier associated with the client device;
accessing, via the network interface, user information from the database proprietor based on the device identifier or the user identifier; and
logging a demographic impression based on the logged media impression and the user information.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities comprises:
receiving, via the network interface and from a server associated with a provider of the media, an opt-out flag indicating that the client device has not opted-out of third-party tracking associated with online activities,
wherein the server is located remotely from the computing system.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the media is accessed via the Internet using an over-the-top device or a smart television.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the device identifier or the user identifier is at least one of an Ad-ID, an Identifier for Advertisers, a Google® Advertising ID, or a Roku® ID.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
generating the demographic impression by associating demographic information from the user information with the logged media impression corresponding to the media.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
generating an impression report corresponding to the media based on the demographic impression; and
causing transmission of the impression report via the network interface and to a server associated with a provider of the media.

Assignees

• Nielsen Co Us Llc

Inventors

• Splaine Steven J
• Swift Adrian

Classifications

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04L67/53

  using third party service providers · CPC title

• H04N21/44222

  Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programmes or purchase activity (monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33) · CPC title

• H04N21/44226 Primary

  on social networks · CPC title

• H04N21/6582

  Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number (arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38) · CPC title