System and method for obtaining comprehensive vehicle radio listener statistics
First Claim
1. A system for allowing a user to obtain comprehensive vehicle radio listener statistics within a specific market, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicles, wherein a vehicle-mounted field unit is coupled to the radio of each of said plurality of vehicles;
means, within each of said plurality of vehicle-mounted field units, for receiving global positioning system data indicative of position and time information of each of said plurality of vehicles;
a base station server capable of receiving radio parameter information from each of said plurality of vehicle-mounted field units located in each of said plurality of vehicles, and producing statistics based on said received radio parameter information;
a communications means for facilitating two-way communications between said base station server, and said plurality of vehicle-mounted field units; and
a graphical user interface (GUI), provided by said base station server, in order to deliver reports to the user containing said statistics based on said received radio parameter information.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, apparatus, method and computer program product to obtain comprehensive vehicle radio listener statistics based on parameters such as radio status (e.g., on/off status and CD/Tape/AM/FM setting), radio volume, station preset information, current frequency setting (i.e., station identification), and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system coordinates is disclosed. A vehicle-mounted field unit for collecting and transmitting such parameters to a base station is also disclosed. The system monitors and stores all events related to the occupants'"'"' interaction with the vehicle'"'"'s radio, including automatic detection of the selected radio station through a speaker port. The stored data is then transmitted to a base station'"'"'s central collection computer for immediate compilation and analysis. The system is capable of producing detailed reports containing error-free, unbiased, audience measurement statistics which can be made available to subscribers such as broadcasters, corporate advertisers, advertising agencies and the like.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for allowing a user to obtain comprehensive vehicle radio listener statistics within a specific market, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicles, wherein a vehicle-mounted field unit is coupled to the radio of each of said plurality of vehicles;
means, within each of said plurality of vehicle-mounted field units, for receiving global positioning system data indicative of position and time information of each of said plurality of vehicles;
a base station server capable of receiving radio parameter information from each of said plurality of vehicle-mounted field units located in each of said plurality of vehicles, and producing statistics based on said received radio parameter information;
a communications means for facilitating two-way communications between said base station server, and said plurality of vehicle-mounted field units; and
a graphical user interface (GUI), provided by said base station server, in order to deliver reports to the user containing said statistics based on said received radio parameter information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for allowing a user to obtain comprehensive vehicle radio listener statistics within a specific market, comprising the steps of:
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receiving, via a two-way communications network, time and global positioning system coordinate data from a vehicle-mounted field unit coupled to the radio of a vehicle;
receiving, via said two-way communications network, radio parameter information from said vehicle-mounted field unit located in said vehicle;
producing statistics based on said received radio parameter information and said received time and global positioning system coordinate data; and
delivering, via a graphical user interface (GUI), a report to the user containing said statistics based on said received radio parameter information and said received time and global positioning system coordinate data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to allow a user to obtain comprehensive vehicle radio listener statistics within a specific market, said control logic comprising:
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first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive, via a two-way communications network, time and global positioning system coordinate data from a vehicle-mounted field unit attached to the radio of a vehicle;
second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive, via said two-way communications network, radio parameter information from said vehicle-mounted field unit located in said vehicle;
third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to produce statistics based on said received radio parameter information and said received time and global positioning system coordinate data; and
fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to deliver, via a graphical user interface (GUI), a report to the user containing said statistics based on said received radio parameter information and said received time and global positioning system coordinate data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for detecting the tuned station of a radio tuner connected to an antenna and a speaker, comprising:
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a directional coupler that is coupled in between the antenna and the radio tuner;
a modulator coupled to said directional coupler;
a processor connected to said modulator and coupled between the radio tuner and the speaker;
said modulator comprising;
an FM code modulator for generating a coded signal having a pre-determined FM modulation frequency;
an AM code modulator for generating a coded signal having a pre-determined AM modulation frequency;
an FM synthesizer for creating an FM test signal by generating an FM carrier frequency signal corresponding to an FM station under test and receiving said coded signal injected into said carrier frequency signal by said FM code modulator, and capable of injecting said FM test signal into the radio tuner via said directional coupler; and
an AM synthesizer for creating an AM test signal by generating an AM carrier frequency signal corresponding to an AM station under test and receiving said coded signal injected into said carrier frequency signal by said AM code modulator, and capable of injecting said AM test signal into the radio tuner via said directional coupler; and
said processor comprising;
a code correlator for analyzing signals received from the speaker output of the radio tuner to determine whether said FM or AM coded signal is recoverable from said received signal, thereby indicating the radio tuner is tuned to said FM or AM station under test. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for detecting the tuned station of a tuner connected to an antenna and a speaker, comprising the steps of:
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(1) monitoring the speaker output of the tuner by taking a sample of said output, said sample being taken once every pre-determined time interval;
(2) determining whether a consecutive, pre-determined number of said samples are indicative of a tuning pause, and performing the following steps when said determination is positive;
(a) selecting a station carrier frequency to be tested;
(b) generating a pre-determined coded signal having a pre-determined modulation frequency;
(c) creating a test signal by injecting said coded signal into a carrier frequency signal corresponding to said station carrier frequency under test;
(d) injecting said test signal into the tuner; and
(e) receiving a signal from the speaker output of the tuner and determining whether said coded signal is recoverable from said received signal;
whereby recovering said coded signal indicates that the tuner is tuned to the station carrier frequency being tested. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to detect the tuned station of a tuner connected to an antenna and a speaker, said control logic comprising:
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first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to monitor the speaker output of the tuner by taking a sample of said output, said sample being taken once every predetermined time interval;
second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to determine whether a consecutive, predetermined number of said samples are indicative of a tuning pause;
third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to select a station carrier frequency to be tested;
fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to generate a predetermined coded signal having a predetermined modulation frequency;
fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to create a test signal by injecting said coded signal into a carrier frequency signal corresponding to said station carrier frequency under test;
sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to inject said test signal into the tuner; and
seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive a signal from the speaker output of the tuner and determining whether said coded signal is recoverable from said received signal;
whereby recovering said coded signal indicates that the tuner is tuned to the station carrier frequency being tested. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification