Cooperative system for measuring electronic media

• US 20030066070A1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: One River Worldtrek, Inc.
• Inventors: Houston, John S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side

Abstract

A cooperative electronic media measurement system is disclosed that measures the electronic media usage of one or more individuals by a media research entity. The media research entity defines at least one specialized task useful to the media research entity. The at least one specialized task is performed by a media handler provided by another entity and concerns a handling of electronic media by the media handler. The individual is tracked with at least one software agent of the media research entity. At least one software agent obtains a product of the specialized task performed by the media handler via at least one defined interface that provides interoperability between the media handler and the at least one software agent. Cooperative media handlers automatically obtain information from, or otherwise obtain information about, presented media objects including identification tags, if present, and other information, for collection by the research data collection agents.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the electronic media usage of an individual by a media research entity, including the steps of:

defining at least one specialized task useful to the media research entity for a media handler provided by a second entity to perform, the at least one specialized task concerning a handling of electronic media by the media handler;

tracking the individual with at least one software agent of the media research entity, wherein at least one of the software agents obtains a product of the specialized task performed by the media handler via at least one defined interface that provides interoperability between the media handler and the at least one software agent; and

receiving from at least one of the software agents the product of the specialized task.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further including the step of the media research entity providing an information product to the second entity, which is developed at least in part using information produced by the media handler and provided to the software agent via the at least one defined interface.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes measuring interactions of the individual with the media handler.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes measuring interactions of the individual with the electronic media.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining metadata associated with the electronic media.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining presentation information associated with the presentation of the electronic media.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining contextual information associated with the electronic media.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining an identifier of the media handler.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining an identifier of the host of the media handler.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes producing a timestamp related to the presentation of the electronic media.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining identifying information associated with the electronic media.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the performance of the specialized task by the media handler may be configured by a software agent of the media research entity via the at least one defined interface.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying information includes an identification tag.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying information includes an identification tag provided by the media research entity.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying information is based on an AMOL code.

16. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifying information is based on an ISCII code.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of the identifying information is encrypted.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media includes streaming audio content.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media includes streaming video content.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media includes recorded content.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media includes television content.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media includes radio content.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media handler handles MPEG-encoded electronic media.

24. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media handler handles high-definition television content.

25. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media handler handles digital television content.

26. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one defined interface includes an API.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one defined interface includes a communication protocol.

28. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a network.

29. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a local source.

30. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a removable storage device.

31. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic media is obtained from an optical recording medium.

32. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the software agents is hosted in a people meter.

33. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the software agents is hosted in a device worn on the person of the individual.

34. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a definition of the at least one specialized task is provided by the media research entity.

35. A method of measuring the electronic media usage of an individual by a software agent of a media research entity, including the steps of:

the software agent obtaining a product of a specialized task performed by a media handler provided by a second entity via at least one defined interface that provides interoperability between the media handler and the software agent, wherein the specialized task concerns a handling of electronic media by the media handler; and

providing the product of the specialized task to the media research entity.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein at least one of the steps is initially disabled until activated.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes measuring interactions of the individual with the media handler.

38. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes measuring interactions of the individual with the electronic media.

39. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining metadata associated with the electronic media.

40. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining presentation information associated with the presentation of the electronic media.

41. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining contextual information associated with the electronic media.

42. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining an identifier of the media handler.

43. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining an identifier of the host of the media handler.

44. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes producing a timestamp related to the presentation of the electronic media.

45. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining identifying information associated with the electronic media.

46. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the performance of the specialized task by the media handler may be configured by the software agent via the at least one defined interface.

47. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the identifying information includes an identification tag.

48. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the identifying information includes an identification tag provided by the media research entity.

49. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the identifying information is based on an AMOL code.

50. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the identifying information is based on an ISCII code.

51. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein at least some of the identifying information is encrypted.

52. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media includes streaming audio content.

53. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media includes streaming video content.

54. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media includes recorded content.

55. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media includes television content.

56. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media includes radio content.

57. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the media handler handles MPEG-encoded electronic media.

58. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the media handler handles high-definition television content.

59. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the media handler handles digital television content.

60. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the at least one defined interface includes an API.

61. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the at least one defined interface includes a communication protocol.

62. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a network.

63. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a local source.

64. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a removable storage device.

65. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic media is obtained from an optical recording medium.

66. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the software agent is hosted in a people meter.

67. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the software agent is hosted in a device worn on the person of the individual.

68. A method for a media handler provided by a first entity to perform at least one specialized task concerning a handling of electronic media that is useful to a media research entity distinct from said first entity, including the steps of:

performing at least one specialized task concerning the handling of electronic media that is useful to the media research entity; and

providing the product of the at least one specialized task to a software agent of the media research entity via at least one defined interface which provides interoperability between the media handler and a software agent.

69. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein at least one of the steps is initially disabled until activated.

70. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes measuring interactions of the individual with the media handler.

71. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes measuring interactions of the individual with the electronic media.

72. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining metadata associated with the electronic media.

73. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining presentation information associated with the presentation of the electronic media.

74. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining contextual information associated with the electronic media.

75. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining an identifier of the media handler.

76. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining an identifier of the host of the media handler.

77. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes producing a timestamp related to the presentation of the electronic media.

78. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the specialized task includes obtaining identifying information associated with the electronic media.

79. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the performance of the specialized task by the media handler may be configured by the software agent via the at least one defined interface.

80. The method as recited in claim 78, wherein the identifying information includes an identification tag.

81. The method as recited in claim 78, wherein the identifying information includes an identification tag provided by the media research entity.

82. The method as recited in claim 78, wherein the identifying information is based on an AMOL code.

83. The method as recited in claim 78, wherein the identifying information is based on an ISCII code.

84. The method as recited in claim 78, wherein at least some of the identifying information is encrypted.

85. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media includes streaming audio content.

86. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media includes streaming video content.

87. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media includes recorded content.

88. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media includes television content.

89. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media includes radio content.

90. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the media handler handles MPEG-encoded electronic media.

91. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the media handler handles high-definition television content.

92. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the media handler handles digital television content.

93. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the at least one defined interface includes an API.

94. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the at least one defined interface includes a communication protocol.

95. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a network.

96. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a local source.

97. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media is obtained from a removable storage device.

98. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the electronic media is obtained from an optical recording medium.

99. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the software agent is hosted in a people meter.

100. The method as recited in claim 68, wherein the software agent is hosted in a device worn on the person of the individual.