The Nielsen Comapny (us), LLC

Nielsen Media Research, Inc.

Glen Vilches

Arun Ramaswamy

David Howell Wright

Dan Nelson

Example apparatus disclosed herein are to cause meter software to be provided to a compute device, the meter software executable by the compute device to monitor use of the compute device associated with presentation of media. Disclosed example solutions are also to collect demographic data of a user associated with the compute device, the demographic data collected from a source different from the compute device. Disclosed example solutions are further to obtain meter data from the compute device, the meter data generated by the meter software, and associate the meter data with the demographic data.

Portable multi-purpose audience measurement systems, apparatus and methods

An example apparatus disclosed herein includes means for collecting demographic data of a user, including a phone number for a mobile device, via a website associated with an information gathering entity, the demographic data collected via the website from a personal computer, separate from the mobile device, used to access the website. The disclosed example apparatus also includes means for sending a message to the mobile device, the sent message, when responded to, resulting in downloading of a metering software module to the mobile device. The disclosed example apparatus further includes means for receiving, from the mobile device and at a system associated with the information gathering entity, information indicative of events associated with use of the mobile device, and means for associating the received information with the demographic data.

An example portable device disclosed herein includes means for halting execution of media metering software in response to determining the portable device is being used for a native purpose, the media metering software having been downloaded to the portable device. The example portable device also includes means, responsive to determining that the portable device is not being used for a native purpose, for executing the media metering software to monitor a media signal output by a media presentation device. The example portable device further includes means for determining whether an amount of available power is sufficient to continue execution of the media metering software, and means, responsive to determining that the amount of available power is insufficient, for causing execution of the media metering software to sleep for a first interval of time.

Portable multi-purpose audience measurement systems, apparatus and methods are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include executing media metering software downloaded onto a portable device. Such example methods also include halting execution of the media metering software in response to determining that the portable device is being used for a native purpose. Such example methods further include, in response to determining that the portable device is not being used for a native purpose, continuing execution of the media metering software to monitor a media signal output by a media presentation device separate from the portable device.

Portable multi-purpose audience measurement systems, apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example method to monitor a media presentation device disclosed herein comprises sensing a media content signal output by the media presentation device using a portable device separate from the media presentation device, the portable device supporting media metering functionality and native functionality, attempting to detect a code encoded in the sensed media content signal using the portable device, and generating a signature from the sensed media content signal using the portable device when the portable device is electrically coupled to an external power supply or the portable device has at least a threshold amount of local battery power, but not generating the signature when the portable device is not electrically coupled to the external power supply and the portable device does not have at least the threshold amount of local battery power.

Portable multi-purpose audience measurement systems, apparatus and methods are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises collecting demographic data of a user, including a phone number for a mobile device, via a website associated with an information gathering entity, sending a message to the mobile device, the sent message, when responded to, resulting in downloading of a metering software module to the mobile device, receiving, from the mobile device and at a system associated with the information gathering entity, information indicative of events associated with use of the mobile device, and associating the received information with the demographic data.

As disclosed herein, media metering functionality may be imparted to a panelists device that was not previously capable of media metering. According to one example, a method of providing a communication device with media metering functionality includes asking a potential panelist to participate in a survey, receiving an affirmative response from the potential panelist, and providing metering functionality to a portable device of the potential panelist.

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Dunedin, FL, United States of America

Glen Vilches