Universal display exposure monitor using personal locator service

• US 20050035857A1
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arbitron Inc. (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Jack K., Crystal, Jack C., Jensen, James M., Flanagan, Eugene L. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,592,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems, methods and devices for gathering data concerning exposure of predetermined survey participants to media displays are provided. A portable monitor is arranged to receive certain types of terrestrial-based signals, and in some specific cases, satellite-based signals, and to use such signals to generate location data indicative of a location of the portable monitor. The location data and stored media display data is analyzed to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

Claims

1. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

generating location data indicative of a location of a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant based upon a technique comprising at least one of an angle of arrival technique, a time difference of arrival technique, an enhanced signal strength technique, a location fingerprinting technique, and an ultra wideband location technique; and

analyzing the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating step is performed periodically or from time to time.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a monitor enabling signal when the portable monitor is in the vicinity of one or more media displays, and wherein the generating step is performed only when the monitor enabling signal is received.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating step comprises the steps of:

generating, with a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on a vehicle, location data indicative of a location of the vehicle based upon a technique comprising at least one of an angle of arrival technique, a time difference of arrival technique, an enhanced signal strength technique, a location fingerprinting technique, and an ultra wideband location technique; and

receiving the location data from the vehicle monitor with a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step is performed by the portable monitor.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the location data to a processing system, and wherein the analyzing step is performed by the processing system.

7. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant riding in a vehicle to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

generating, with a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on the vehicle, location data indicative of a location of the vehicle monitor;

receiving the location data from the vehicle monitor with a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant; and

analyzing the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the generating step employs satellite-based signals in order to generate the location data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the satellite-based signals comprise global positioning system signals.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the generating step employs terrestrial-based signals in order to generate the location data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the generating step employs a technique comprising at least one of an angle of arrival technique, a time difference of arrival technique, an enhanced signal strength technique, a location fingerprinting technique, and an ultra wideband location technique in order to generate the location data.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the receiving step is performed periodically or from time to time.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of receiving a monitor enabling signal when the portable monitor is in the vicinity of one or more media displays, and wherein the receiving the location data step is performed only when the monitor enabling signal is received.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the analyzing step is performed by the portable monitor.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting the location data to a processing system, and wherein the analyzing step is performed by the processing system.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of receiving, with the portable monitor, media exposure data indicative of the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to media data other than a media display or media displays.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the media exposure data is indicative of the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to radio media data.

18. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, with a media display location receiver/transmitter on or adjacent the media display, position indicative signals;

generating and transmitting, with the media display location receiver/transmitter, media display location data at least in part based upon the received position indicative signals; and

receiving the media display location data from the media display location receiver/transmitter with a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the position indicative signals comprise satellite-based signals.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the satellite-based signals comprise global positioning system signals.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the position indicative signals comprise terrestrial-based signals.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the generating and transmitting step employs a technique comprising at least one of an angle of arrival technique, a time difference of arrival technique, an enhanced signal strength technique, a location fingerprinting technique, and an ultra wideband location technique in order to generate the media display location data.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of receiving a monitor enabling signal when the portable monitor is in the vicinity of one or more media displays, and wherein the receiving the media display location data step is performed only when the monitor enabling signal is received.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of analyzing the media display location data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the analyzing step is performed by the portable monitor.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of transmitting the media display location data to a processing system, and wherein the analyzing step is performed by the processing system.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein the media display location data is transmitted at a different frequency than, in a different format than, or both at a different frequency than and in a different format than the position indicative signals.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the media display location data is transmitted acoustically.

29. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving location signals from a server assisted satellite positioning system;

generating location data indicative of a location of a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant based upon the received location signals; and

analyzing the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the receiving and generating steps are performed periodically or from time to time.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of receiving a monitor enabling signal when the portable monitor is in the vicinity of one or more media displays, and wherein the receiving location signals step and the generating step are performed only when the monitor enabling signal is received.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the generating step comprises the steps of:

generating, with a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on a vehicle, location data indicative of a location of the vehicle based upon the received location signals; and

receiving the location data from the vehicle monitor with a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the analyzing step is performed by the portable monitor.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of transmitting the location data to a processing system, and wherein the analyzing step is performed by the processing system.

35. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

generating location data indicative of a location of a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the location data being based upon signals generated by an inertial monitoring unit; and

analyzing the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of calibrating the inertial monitoring unit based upon location signals received by the inertial monitoring unit.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the location signals comprise satellite-based location signals.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the satellite-based location signals comprise global positioning system location signals.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the location signals comprise terrestrial-based location signals.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the calibrating step is performed periodically or from time to time.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the calibrating step is performed whenever the location signals are received.

42. The method of claim 35 wherein the generating step is performed periodically or from time to time.

43. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of receiving a monitor enabling signal when the portable monitor is in the vicinity of one or more media displays, and wherein the generating step is performed only when the monitor enabling signal is received.

44. The method of claim 35 wherein the generating step comprises the steps of:

generating, with a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on a vehicle, location data indicative of a location of the vehicle based upon signals generated by an inertial monitoring unit; and

receiving the location data from the vehicle monitor with a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant.

45. The method of claim 35 wherein the analyzing step is performed by the portable monitor.

46. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of transmitting the location data to a processing system, and wherein the analyzing step is performed by the processing system.

47. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant riding in a vehicle to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

generating, with a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on the vehicle, location data indicative of a location of the vehicle monitor;

analyzing the location data and stored media display data to generate exposure data indicative of the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays; and

receiving the exposure data from the vehicle monitor with a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the generating step employs satellite-based signals in order to generate the location data.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the satellite-based signals comprise global positioning system signals.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein the generating step employs terrestrial-based signals in order to generate the location data.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the generating step employs a technique comprising at least one of an angle of arrival technique, a time difference of arrival technique, an enhanced signal strength technique, a location fingerprinting technique, and an ultra wideband location technique in order to generate the location data.

52. The method of claim 47 wherein the receiving step is performed periodically or from time to time.

53. The method of claim 47 further comprising the step of receiving a monitor enabling signal when the portable monitor is in the vicinity of one or more media displays, and wherein the receiving the exposure data step is performed only when the monitor enabling signal is received.

54. The method of claim 47 further comprising the step of transmitting the exposure data to a processing system.

55. The method of claim 47 further comprising the step of receiving media exposure data indicative of the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to a media other than a media display or media displays.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the media exposure data is indicative of the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to radio media.

57. A method for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering location data of the survey participant within an area including an exposure area of the media display;

at a location of the survey participant, processing the location data with media display location data to produce media display exposure data indicating exposure of the survey participant to the media display; and

communicating the media display exposure data to a media exposure estimate producing system for producing media exposure data.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein a portable monitor carried on the person of the survey participant processes the location data to produce the media display exposure data.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein a vehicle monitor carried in or on a vehicle in which the survey participant is riding processes the location data to produce the media display exposure data.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein a processor located in a household of the survey participant processes the location data to produce the media display exposure data.

61. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the system comprising:

a portable media monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the portable media monitor being operative to generate location data indicative of a location of the survey participant based upon a technique comprising at least one of an angle of arrival technique, a time difference of arrival technique, an enhanced signal strength technique, a location fingerprinting technique, and an ultra wideband location technique; and

a processor, the processor being operative to analyze the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

62. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant riding in a vehicle to a media display, the system comprising:

a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on the vehicle, the vehicle monitor being operative to generate location data indicative of a location of the vehicle monitor;

a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the portable monitor being operative to receive the location data from the vehicle monitor; and

a processor, the processor being operative to analyze the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

63. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the system comprising:

a media display location receiver/transmitter on or adjacent the media display, the media display location receiver/transmitter being operative to receive position indicative signals, and to generate and transmit media display location data at least in part based upon the received position indicative signals; and

a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the portable monitor being operative to receive the media display location data from the media display location receiver/transmitter.

64. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the system comprising:

a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the portable monitor being operative to receive location signals from a server assisted satellite positioning system, and to generate location data indicative of a location of the survey participant based upon the received location signals; and

a processor, the processor being operative to analyze the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

65. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the system comprising:

a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the portable monitor comprising an inertial monitoring unit, and the portable monitor being operative to generate location data indicative of a location of the survey participant based upon signals generated by the inertial monitoring unit; and

a processor, the processor being operative to analyze the location data and stored media display data to evaluate the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays.

66. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant riding in a vehicle to a media display, the system comprising:

a vehicle monitor arranged to be carried in or on the vehicle, the vehicle monitor being operative to generate location data indicative of a location of the vehicle monitor, and to analyze the location data and stored media display data to generate exposure data indicative of the survey participant'"'"'s exposure to one or more media displays; and

a portable monitor arranged to be carried on the person of the survey participant, the portable monitor being operative to receive the exposure data from the vehicle monitor.

67. A system for measuring the exposure of a survey participant to a media display, the system comprising:

a receiver operative to gather location data representing a location of the survey participant within an area including an exposure area of the media display;

a processor at a location of the survey participant and coupled with the receiver to receive the location data, the processor being operative to process the location data with media display location data to produce media display exposure data indicating exposure of the survey participant to the media display; and

a communications device coupled with the processor to communicate the media display exposure data to a media exposure estimate producing system for producing media exposure data.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein the processor is included in a portable monitor carried on the person of the survey participant.

69. The system of claim 67, wherein the processor is included in a vehicle monitor carried in or on a vehicle in which the survey participant is riding.

70. The system of claim 67, wherein the processor is located in a household of the survey participant.