Videoamp Inc v. Nielsen Co US LLC

Prosecution History analysis

Examiner Search analysis

Invalidity Framework analysis

Petition

Petition Analysis

## 1. Case Identification
- Case Number: [IPR2025-00555](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555)
- Patent #: [11856250](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/patent/11856250)
- Filed: January 30, 2025
- Petitioner(s): [VideoAmp Inc.](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/party/videoamp-inc)
- Patent Owner(s): Michael Sheppard et al. / The [Nielsen Company (US), LLC](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/party/nielsen-co-us-llc)
- Challenged Claims: 1-23

## 2. Patent Overview
- Title: Methods and Apparatus to Determine a Duration of Media Presentation Based on Tuning Session Duration
- Brief Description: The [’250 patent](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1001) discloses methods for estimating media viewership. The system accesses data from a first subset of media devices where both "tuning session duration" (e.g., time a set-top box is tuned to a channel) and "presentation session duration" (e.g., time a TV is actually on) are known. It uses this data to generate a model that can then predict the presentation session duration for a second subset of devices where only the tuning session duration is available.

## 3. Grounds for Unpatentability

#### Ground 1: Obviousness over Pecjak and Mirisola - Claims 1-8, 11-13, and 15-21 are obvious over Pecjak in view of Mirisola.
- **Prior Art Relied Upon:** U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0249098 to Pecjak et al. (Pecjak), U.S. Patent No. 9,204,188 to Mirisola et al. ([Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006)).
- **Core Argument for this Ground:**
  - **Prior Art Mapping:** Petitioner argued that Pecjak discloses the core concept of the [’250 patent](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1001). Pecjak teaches a system for projecting person-level viewership from household-level data by creating a "demographic attribution model." This model is built using data from "rostered" households (panelists, analogous to the [’250 patent](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1001)'s first subset) and is then used to project viewership for "non-rostered" households where only tuning data is available (analogous to the second subset). However, Pecjak's "tuning data" does not definitively confirm a television was on. [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) was argued to supply this missing element by teaching a system that determines more precise viewership metrics by collecting the power status (on/off) of display devices (e.g., televisions) via their HDMI connection to set-top boxes. This power status data directly corresponds to the [’250 patent](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1001)'s "presentation session duration" or "on/off durations."
  - **Motivation to Combine:** A Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art (POSITA) would combine these references to improve the accuracy of Pecjak's viewership projection system. Incorporating [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006)'s teaching of monitoring television power status would provide a more reliable indicator of actual user engagement than relying on tuning data alone, a predictable improvement. [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) provides a specific, known technical solution (monitoring HDMI power status) to enhance the general statistical modeling framework disclosed by Pecjak.
  - **Expectation of Success:** A POSITA would have a reasonable expectation of success because both Pecjak and [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) are analogous art focused on television audience measurement. The proposed modification involved integrating a known data collection technique ([Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006)'s power monitoring) into a known system (Pecjak's modeling) using a standard interface (HDMI), which would yield the predictable result of more accurate viewership data.

#### Ground 2: Obviousness over Pecjak, Mirisola, and Shankar - Claims 9-10, 14, and 22-23 are obvious over Pecjak and Mirisola, with or without Shankar.
- **Prior Art Relied Upon:** Pecjak (’098 application), [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) (’188 patent), and U.S. Patent No. 9,185,435 to Shankar et al. ([Shankar](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1013)).
- **Core Argument for this Ground:**
  - **Prior Art Mapping:** This ground builds on the combination of Pecjak and [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) to address the limitations in claims 9-10, 14, and 22-23, which require determining that the data used to build the model meets a "threshold number." Petitioner asserted that [Shankar](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1013) teaches methods for calculating television exposure probabilities where the accuracy is improved by first ensuring the available sample size is above a "threshold value." [Shankar](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1013) discloses that different, more accurate probability techniques should be used only when the number of households in a data set exceeds a certain threshold, as using them on insufficient sample sizes yields unreliable results. This directly teaches the claimed concept of qualifying the input data for the model based on a minimum threshold number of data points (e.g., "five hundred tuning session durations" as recited in claims 10 and 23).
  - **Motivation to Combine:** A POSITA would be motivated to incorporate [Shankar](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1013)'s teachings into the Pecjak-[Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) system to ensure the statistical validity and accuracy of the viewership projections. It is a well-understood principle in statistical modeling that the reliability of a model depends on the size of the data set used to create it. [Shankar](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1013) provides a clear rationale and method for applying a sample size threshold to improve projection accuracy, a goal inherent in the systems of Pecjak and [Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006).
  - **Expectation of Success:** The combination was asserted to be predictable. Adding a data validation step (ensuring a minimum sample size per [Shankar](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1013)) to a statistical modeling system (the Pecjak-[Mirisola](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/case/ptab/IPR2025-00555/doc/1006) combination) is a routine and logical improvement to ensure robust and reliable outputs.

## 4. Arguments Regarding Discretionary Denial
- Petitioner argued that discretionary denial under 35 U.S.C. §314(a) based on *Fintiv* factors is not merited. A parallel district court proceeding exists, but it is in a very early stage with no schedule issued and minimal investment by the parties. Petitioner contended that the median time to trial in the district court is over 1,000 days, strongly favoring institution. Given the robust grounds presented and the minimal progress in the co-pending litigation, Petitioner argued that the *Fintiv* factors weigh heavily in favor of instituting the inter partes review (IPR).

## 5. Relief Requested
- Petitioner requests institution of IPR and cancellation of claims 1-23 of Patent [11856250](https://ai-lab.exparte.com/patent/11856250) as unpatentable.

Nielsen's media viewership patent faces obviousness challenges: Pecjak & Mirisola cited against all 23 claims for combining models with TV power status.