Method and apparatus for collecting and analyzing the sale and use of pre-recorded entertainment products
First Claim
1. A method for collecting and analyzing sales of pre-recorded entertainment products comprising:
- collecting point-of-sale information identifying each purchase of at least one of said pre-recorded products;
creating a database of said point-of-sale information;
creating a file of said point-of-sale information;
transferring said file on a periodic basis over a network to a specified address;
receiving said file at said specified address;
parsing said point-of-sale information into individual data fields;
expanding said point-of-sale information to include data relating to each pre-recorded product identified in said point-of-sale information;
storing said expanded point-of-sale information in a data repository;
and accessing selected portions of said expanded point-of-sale information to determine consumer preferences.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are described for collecting and analyzing information relating to the sale of pre-recorded entertainment products. The point-of-sale information is collected to identify the purchase of pre-recorded product from traditional retail outlets as well as from on-line facilities where such products are sold. The information is collected at a common collection agent, and the information is parsed into various fields and expanded to include data relating to each pre-recorded product identified from the point-of-sale and on-line information. The expanded point-of-sale information is stored in a data repository where clients and affiliates can access the data using various filtering criteria. Real-time sales and marketing information becomes available on a demand basis for the clients and affiliates.
-
Citations
52 Claims
-
1. A method for collecting and analyzing sales of pre-recorded entertainment products comprising:
-
collecting point-of-sale information identifying each purchase of at least one of said pre-recorded products;
creating a database of said point-of-sale information;
creating a file of said point-of-sale information;
transferring said file on a periodic basis over a network to a specified address;
receiving said file at said specified address;
parsing said point-of-sale information into individual data fields;
expanding said point-of-sale information to include data relating to each pre-recorded product identified in said point-of-sale information;
storing said expanded point-of-sale information in a data repository;
and accessing selected portions of said expanded point-of-sale information to determine consumer preferences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for collecting and analyzing information relating to the sale of entertainment products comprising:
-
receiving point-of-sale information identifying each sale of at least one of said entertainment products from a remote sales location;
parsing said point-of-sale information into individual data fields;
expanding said point-of-sale information to include data relating to each pre-recorded product identified in said point-of-sale information;
storing said expanded point-of-sale information in a data repository; and
accessing selected portions of said expanded point-of-sale information to determine consumer preferences. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A system for collecting and analyzing customer purchasing preferences for entertainment products comprising:
-
a plurality of point-of-sale terminals, each of said terminals including;
(a) means for inputting sales data for each pre-recorded product sold;
(b) means for storing said sales data; and
(c) means for exporting said sales data at periodic intervals;
a network connected to each of said point-of-sale terminals;
an agent connected to said network to receive exported data from said plurality of point-of-sale terminals, said agent including a processor, a data repository and a graphical user interface, said processor being programmed to;
(a) parse said exported data into individual data fields;
(b) expand said parsed data with locally stored data; and
(c) store said expanded data in said data repository; and
at least one of a client terminal and an affiliate terminal connected to said network for accessing said expanded data in said data repository. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A system for collecting and analyzing customer listening preferences for pre-recorded audio and video products that are accessible over a network comprising:
-
at least one server connected to said network, said at least one server having a library of pre-recorded audio and video products that are selectable by at least one of a client and an affiliate connected to said network;
said at least one server including;
(a) means for identifying each of said pre-recorded products accessed by a client said at least one of a client and an affiliate;
(b) means for storing sales data identifying at least one of said pre-recorded products; and
(c) means for exporting said sales data at periodic intervals;
an agent connected to said network, having an address to receive data exported by said at least one server, said agent including a processor, a data repository and graphical user interface, said processor being programmed to;
(d) parse said exported data into individual data fields;
(e) expand said parsed data with locally stored data; and
(f) store said expanded data in said data repository. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method for analyzing and presenting data collected by a collected by a collection agent comprising:
-
providing different levels of access to the data collected for clients and affiliates;
accepting data analysis requests from said clients and affiliates;
accepting user preference inputs from said clients and affiliates to filter the analysis of the data collected;
accepting filter inputs from said clients and affiliates to further filter the analysis of the data collected;
analyzing the data collected according to the data analysis requests, user preference inputs and filter inputs; and
presenting the results of the analysis of the data collected. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
-
48. A method for analyzing sales and use data of prerecorded entertainment products which identify said products by date and time of sale or use which are collected by an agent on a substantially real time basis comprising:
-
establishing a data link between a client or affiliate terminal and said collection agent;
selecting through a graphical interface of said collection agent filter parameters representing a time period in which said products were sold or used;
recovering data from a data repository of said agent matching said filter parameters; and
reporting to said client and affiliate terminals said recovered data. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
-
Specification