Methods and apparatus to reduce computer-generated errors in computer-generated audience measurement data

Abstract

An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to generate a reference demographic impression distribution based on first impressions of logged impressions at a first server corresponding to first client devices, access an inaccurate demographic impression distribution based on second impressions corresponding to second client devices, determine an estimated demographic impression distribution based on an inaccurate demographic impression distribution, the estimated demographic impression distribution representative of the second impressions distributed across the different demographic segments, determine a matrix based on a reference demographic impression distribution and Lagrange multiplier values, determine an error indicator value based on the matrix, generate, in response to the error indicator value satisfying a threshold, an accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution, and store, in the at least one memory, the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one memory;   instructions in the apparatus; and   processor circuitry to execute the instructions to:
 log a plurality of impressions at a first server of a first entity based on receiving a plurality of first network communications at the first server of the first entity from first client devices and second client devices, the impressions indicative of accesses to media; 
 instruct the second client devices, via redirect network communications, to send third network communications to a second server of a database proprietor, the third network communications to be indicative of the accesses to the media at the second client devices; 
 generate a reference demographic impression distribution based on first impressions of the logged impressions at the first server corresponding to the first client devices, the first impressions indicative of accesses to media, the reference demographic impression distribution representative of reference impression counts distributed across different demographic segments; and 
 access an inaccurate demographic impression distribution based on second impressions corresponding to second client devices, the second impressions indicative of accesses to media, and the inaccurate demographic impression distribution representative of first impression counts distributed across the different demographic segments; 
 determine an estimated demographic impression distribution based on the inaccurate demographic impression distribution, the estimated demographic impression distribution representative of the second impressions distributed across the different demographic segments; 
 determine a matrix based on the reference demographic impression distribution and Lagrange multiplier values; 
 determine an error indicator value based on the matrix; 
 generate, in response to the error indicator value satisfying a threshold, an accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution; and 
 store, in the at least one memory, the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impressions logged at the first server are based on audience members identifiable by the first server and based on corresponding audience member demographics. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second client devices include database proprietor identifiers recognizable by the second server of the database proprietor. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution represents an updated demographic impression distribution based on the estimated demographic impression distribution and the matrix. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the estimated demographic impression distribution is determined based on a weight, the weight representative of a number of audience members using at least some of the second client devices. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to, in response to determining the error indicator value does not satisfy the threshold, generate a plurality of second estimated demographic impression distributions by modifying the Lagrange multiplier values until determining a second error indicator value corresponding to one of the second estimated demographic impression distributions satisfies the threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is to execute the instructions to determine a constraint matrix based on the reference demographic impression distribution. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the matrix is based on the constraint matrix. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the error indicator value is a Lagrange multiplier change value. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 processor circuitry including one or more of:
 at least one of a central processing unit, a graphic processing unit, or a digital signal processor, the at least one of the central processing unit, the graphic processing unit, or the digital signal processor having control circuitry to control data movement within the processor circuitry, arithmetic and logic circuitry to perform one or more first operations corresponding to instructions, and one or more registers to store a result of the one or more first operations, the instructions in the apparatus; 
 a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), the FPGA including logic gate circuitry, a plurality of configurable interconnections, and storage circuitry, the logic gate circuitry and interconnections to perform one or more second operations, the storage circuitry to store a result of the one or more second operations; or 
 Application Specific Integrate Circuitry (ASIC) including logic gate circuitry to perform one or more third operations; 
   the processor circuitry to perform at least one of the first operations, the second operations, or the third operations to instantiate:   impression collector circuitry to:
 log a plurality of impressions at a first server of a first entity based on receiving a plurality of first network communications at the first server of the first entity from first client devices and second client devices, the impressions indicative of accesses to media; 
 instruct the second client devices, via redirect network communications, to send third network communications to a second server of a database proprietor, the third network communications to be indicative of the accesses to the media at the second client devices; 
 generate a reference demographic impression distribution based first impressions of the logged impressions corresponding to first client devices, the first impressions indicative of accesses to media, the reference demographic impression distribution representative of reference impression counts distributed across different demographic segments; and 
 access an inaccurate demographic impression distribution based on second impressions corresponding to second client devices, the second impressions indicative of accesses to media, and the inaccurate demographic impression distribution representative of first impression counts distributed across the different demographic segments; 
   probability generator circuitry to determine an estimated demographic impression distribution based on the inaccurate demographic impression distribution, the estimated demographic impression distribution representative of the second impressions distributed across the different demographic segments;   matrix processor circuitry to determine a matrix based on the reference demographic impression distribution and Lagrange multiplier values;   error determiner circuitry to determine an error indicator value based on the matrix; and   the probability generator circuitry to:
 generate, in response to the error indicator value satisfying a threshold, an accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution; and 
 store the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution in a memory. 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of impressions logged at the first server are based on audience members identifiable by the first server and based on corresponding audience member demographics. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the second client devices include database proprietor identifiers recognizable by the second server of the database proprietor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution represents an updated demographic impression distribution based on the estimated demographic impression distribution and the matrix. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the probability generator circuitry determines the estimated demographic impression distribution based on a weight, the weight representative of a number of audience members using at least some of the second client devices. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the probability generator circuitry is to, in response to the error determiner circuitry determining that the error indicator value does not satisfying the threshold, generate a plurality of second estimated demographic impression distributions by modifying the Lagrange multiplier values until the error determiner circuitry determines a second error indicator value corresponding to one of the second estimated demographic impression distributions that satisfies the threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the matrix processor circuitry is to determine a constraint matrix based on the reference demographic impression distribution. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the matrix processor circuitry is to determine the matrix based on the constraint matrix. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the error indicator value is a Lagrange multiplier change value. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for collecting impressions to:
 log a plurality of impressions at a first server of a first entity based on receiving a plurality of first network communications at the first server of the first entity from first client devices and second client devices, the impressions indicative of accesses to media; 
 instruct the second client devices, via redirect network communications, to send third network communications to a second server of a database proprietor, the third network communications to be indicative of the accesses to the media at the second client devices; 
 generate a reference demographic impression distribution based on first impressions of the logged impressions corresponding to first client devices, the first impressions indicative of accesses to media, the reference demographic impression distribution representative of reference impression counts distributed across different demographic segments; and 
 access an inaccurate demographic impression distribution based on second impressions corresponding to second client devices, the second impressions indicative of accesses to media, and the inaccurate demographic impression distribution representative of first impression counts distributed across the different demographic segments; 
   means for determining an estimated demographic impression distribution based on the inaccurate demographic impression distribution, the estimated demographic impression distribution representative of the second impressions distributed across the different demographic segments;   means for determining a matrix based on the reference demographic impression distribution and Lagrange multiplier values;   means for determining an error indicator value based on the matrix; and   the means for determining the estimated demographic impression distribution to:
 generate, in response to the error indicator value satisfying a threshold, an accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution; and 
 store the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution in a memory. 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of impressions logged at the first server are based on audience members identifiable by the first server and based on corresponding audience member demographics. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the second client devices include database proprietor identifiers recognizable by the second server of the database proprietor. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the accuracy-improved demographic impression distribution represents an updated demographic impression distribution based on the estimated demographic impression distribution and the matrix. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the means for determining the estimated demographic impression distribution is to determine the estimated demographic impression distribution based on a weight, the weight representative of a number of audience members using at least some of the second client devices. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the means for determining the estimated demographic impression distribution is to, in response to the error indicator value not satisfying the threshold, generate a plurality of second estimated demographic impression distributions by modifying the Lagrange multiplier values until a second error indicator value corresponding to one of the second estimated demographic impression distributions satisfies the threshold. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the means for determining the matrix is to determine a constraint matrix based on the reference demographic impression distribution. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the means for determining the matrix is to determine the matrix based on the constraint matrix. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the error indicator value is a Lagrange multiplier change value.