Methods, systems and program products for tracking information distribution

• US 20020124246A1
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Louis Kaminsky, David Mark Ogle
• Original Assignee: David Louis Kaminsky, David Mark Ogle
• Inventors: Kaminsky, David Louis, Ogle, David Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/084,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124246A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Methods, systems and program products for tracking the distribution of information (e.g., television programming) to viewers. Tracking is accomplished by inserting a tracking identifier within the information. When a client (e.g., a television set top box) receives the content, it extracts the tracking identifier, and transmits the identifier to a server. When the server receives the tracking identifier, it records the tracking identifier on a storage device for analysis. In one embodiment, the information includes television programs, and the tracking identifier is transmitted in the programs'"'"' blanking intervals.

Claims

1. ) A method for measuring access patterns of content transmitted from a server to a client said method comprising the steps of:

A) Transmitting at said server content containing a tracking identifier identifying the content;

B) Receiving at said client said content containing said tracking identifier;

C) In response to receiving said content at said client, extracting from said content said tracking identifier; and

D) transmitting from said client to said server said tracking identifier;

2. ) The method of claim 1 where the tracking identifier comprises a URL.

3. ) The method of claim 1 where the content is a television broadcast, and said tracking identifier is encoded in said content'"'"'s VBI.

4. ) The method of claim 3 where said tracking identifier comprises a URL.

5. ) The method of claim 1 in which said content is digital.

6. ) The method of claim 1 in which said content is analog.

7. ) The method of claim 1 in which said content is received from an information provider.

8. ) The method of claim 1 in which said client transmits to said server auxiliary information along with said tracking identifier.

9. ) The method of claim 8 in which said auxiliary information includes at least one of:

identification of viewer and geographic location.

10. ) The method of claim 1 in which said client also displays said information to a viewer.

11. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising:

A) Receiving at said server said tracking identifier.

B) Recording at said server said tracking identifier.

12. ) The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

A) Recording auxiliary information at said server.

13. ) The method of claim 12 in which said auxiliary information comprises at least one of time of day and date.

14. ) The method of claim 3 in which said tracking identifier is encoded in the VBI according to the ATVEF standard.

15. ) The method of claim 1 in which said tracking identifier is an industry standard code.

16. ) The method of claim 15 in which said industry standard code is defined by the AAAA.

17. ) The method of claim 1 in which said content is an advertisement and said tracking identifier comprises an ISCI code.

18. ) The method of claim 1 in which said client constructs URL comprising the tracking identifier and transmits said URL to said server.

19. ) The method of claim 18 in which said server comprise a web server.

20. ) The method of claim 19 in which said web server receives from said client said URL comprising the tracking identifier.

21. ) The method of claim 20 in which, in response to said receipt of said URL from said client, said web server record said URL comprising said tracking identifier.

22. ) The method of claim 21 in which said web server records said URL in said web server'"'"'s log file.

24. ) The system of claim 23 where the tracking identifier comprises a URL.

25. ) The system of claim 23 where the content is a television broadcast, and said tracking identifier is encoded in said content'"'"'s VBI.

26. ) The system of claim 25 where said tracking identifier comprises a URL.

27. ) The system of claim 23 in which said content is digital.

28. ) The system of claim 23 in which said content is analog.

29. ) The system of claim 23 in which said content is received from an information provider.

30. ) The system of claim 23 in which said client transmits to said server auxiliary information along with said tracking identifier.

31. ) The system of claim 30 in which said auxiliary information includes at least one of:

identification of viewer and geographic location.

32. ) The system of claim 23 in which said client also displays said information to a viewer.

33. ) The system of claim 23 further comprising:

A) Receiving at said server said tracking identifier.

B) Recording at said server said tracking identifier.

34. ) The system of claim 33 further comprising the steps of:

A) Recording auxiliary information at said server.

35. ) The system of claim 34 in which said auxiliary information comprises at least one of time of day and date.

36. ) The system of claim 25 in which said tracking identifier is encoded in the VBI according to the ATVEF standard.

37. ) The system of claim 23 in which said tracking identifier is an industry standard code.

38. ) The system of claim 37 in which said industry standard code is defined by the American Association of Advertising Agencies.

39. ) The system of claim 23 in which said content is an advertisement and said tracking identifier comprises an ISCI code.

40. ) The system of claim 23 in which said client constructs URL comprising the tracking identifier and transmits said URL to said server.

41. ) The system of claim 40 in which said server comprise a web server.

42. ) The system of claim 41 in which said web server receives from said client said URL comprising the tracking identifier.

43. ) The system of claim 42 in which, in response to said receipt of said URL from said client, said web server record said URL comprising said tracking identifier.

44. ) The system of claim 43 in which said web server records said URL in said web server'"'"'s log file.

46. ) A computer program as described in claim 45 further comprising:

A) Computer executable program code means for receiving at said server said tracking identifier.

B) Computer executable program code means for recording at said server said tracking identifier.

23. ) A system for measuring access patterns of content transmitted from a server to a client comprising the steps of:

A) Transmitting at said server content containing a tracking identifier identifying the content;

B) Receiving at said client said content containing said tracking identifier;

C) In response to receiving said content at said client, extracting from said content said tracking identifier; and

D) Transmitting from said client to said server said tracking identifier.

45. ) A computer program for measuring access patterns of content transmitted from a server to a client comprising:

A) Computer executable program code means for transmitting at said server content containing a tracking identifier identifying the content;

B) Computer executable program code means for receiving at said client said content containing said tracking identifier;

C) Computer executable program code means for, in response to receiving said content at said client, extracting from said content said tracking identifier; and

D) Computer executable program code means for transmitting from said client to said server said tracking identifier.