Apparatus and methods for tracking and analyzing digital recording device event sequences

• US 20050286860A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Media Research, Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: Conklin, Charles Clinton
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device are disclosed. Example methods and apparatus read first information transmitted on a data bus in communication with a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device and identify a set of digital information to be stored on the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information. The example methods and apparatus read second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information. Additionally, the example methods and apparatus store time information together with the storage location information to generate a sequence of events record corresponding to the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

a processor;

a first memory in communication with the processor, wherein the processor executes instructions stored on the first memory to;

read first information transmitted to a mass storage device on a data bus associated with the digital recording device;

identify a set of digital information to be stored on the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information;

read second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information; and

store time information together with the storage location information on a second memory in communication with the processor to generate a sequence of events record thereon corresponding to the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of digital information includes one or more of text, image information, video information, and audio information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mass storage device includes one or more of a magnetic and an optical storage medium.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the mass storage device is a disk drive.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the storage location information corresponds to a cylinder, head and sector of the disk drive.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage location information corresponds to a location on the mass storage device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data bus uses one of a serial and a parallel configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data bus is based at least in part on an integrated drive electronics standard.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first information is associated with a write operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second information is associated with a physical memory location on the mass storage device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second memories are integrated within a single device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second memories is a non-volatile memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage location information is associated with a logical block address of the mass storage device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the time information is associated with a current local time.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor executes the instructions stored on the first memory to store source information associated with the set of digital information together with the time information and the storage location information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the source information includes a source identifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the source identifier is associated with one of an analog and a digital information content provider.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sequence of events record stored on the second memory is based at least in part on a look-up table format.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor executes the instructions stored on the first memory to:

read third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the set of digital information is to be retrieved from the mass storage device;

read fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information;

map the storage location information to the storage location information stored in the sequence of events record; and

associate a playback time of the set of digital information with the time information stored together with the location information in the sequence of events record.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is associated with a digital video recording device.

21. A method of tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

reading first information transmitted on a data bus in communication with a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device;

identifying a set of digital information to be stored on the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information;

reading second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information; and

storing time information together with the storage location information on a memory in communication with the processor to generate a sequence of events record corresponding to the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying the set of digital information includes identifying one or more of image information, video information, and audio information.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein reading the second information transmitted on the data bus to derive the storage location information associated with the set of digital information includes reading information associated with a cylinder, head and sector of a disk drive.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein reading the second information transmitted on the data bus to derive the storage location information associated with the set of digital information includes reading information associated with a logical block address of the mass storage device.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein storing the time information together with the storage location information on the memory in communication with the processor includes storing a current local time.

26. The method of claim 21, further including storing source information associated with the set of digital information together with the time information and the storage location information in the sequence of events record.

27. The method of claim 21, further including:

reading third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the set of digital information is to be retrieved from the mass storage device;

reading fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information;

mapping the storage location information to the storage location information stored in the sequence of events record; and

associating a playback time of the set of digital information with the time information stored together with the location information in the sequence of events record.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein reading the first information transmitted on the data bus in communication with the mass storage device includes reading a data bus associated with a digital video recording device.

29. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a machine to:

read first information transmitted on a data bus in communication with a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device;

identify a set of digital information to be stored on the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information;

read second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information; and

store time information together with the storage location information on a memory in communication with the processor to generate a sequence of events record corresponding to the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

30. The machine readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions stored thereon, when executed by the processor, cause the machine to identify the set of digital information by identifying one or more of image information, video information, and audio information.

31. The machine readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions stored thereon, when executed by the processor, cause the machine to:

read third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the set of digital information is to be retrieved from the mass storage device;

read fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information;

map the storage location information to the storage location information stored in the sequence of events record; and

associate a playback time of the set of digital information with the time information stored together with the location information in the sequence of events record.

32. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

a processor;

a first memory in communication with the processor, wherein the processor executes instructions stored on the first memory to;

read first information transmitted on a data bus in communication with a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device;

identify a set of digital information to be retrieved for playback from the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information;

read second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information to be retrieved for playback;

match the storage location information to location information stored in a sequence of events record on a second memory in communication with the processor; and

associate playback time information with the location information stored in the sequence of events record to track the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the set of digital information includes one of image information, video information, and audio information.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the mass storage device includes one of a magnetic and an optical storage medium.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the mass storage device is a disk drive.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the storage location information corresponds to a cylinder, head and sector of the disk drive.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the data bus uses one of a serial and a parallel configuration.

38. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the first information is associated with a write operation.

39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the second information is associated with a physical memory location on the mass storage device.

40. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the first and second memories are integrated within a single device.

41. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the time information is associated with a current local time.

42. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor executes the instructions stored on the first memory to store source information associated with the set of digital information together with the time information and the storage location information.

43. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the mass storage device is associated with a digital video recording device.

44. A method for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

reading first information transmitted on a data bus in communication with a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device;

identifying a set of digital image information to be retrieved for playback from the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information;

reading second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information to be retrieved;

matching the storage location information to location information stored in a sequence of events record stored on a second memory in communication with the processor to retrieve a record associated with the set of digital information; and

associating playback time information with the record associated with the set of digital information to track the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein identifying the set of digital image information to be retrieved for playback from the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information includes identifying information including one or more of image information, video information, and audio information.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein associating the playback time information with the record associated with set of digital information includes associating a current local time with the record associated with the set of digital information.

47. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

a time stamp generator;

an access detector in communication with a data bus, wherein the access detector determines digital information is to be stored on or retrieved from a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device and determines the locations on the mass storage device to which the digital information is to be stored or from which the digital information is to be retrieved; and

an event record generator in communication with the access detector and the time stamp generator that generates event records containing time information and location information uniquely corresponding to the digital information and to events within sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the digital information is one or more of audio information, image information and video information.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the time stamp generator includes a real-time clock that generates time stamp information.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the time stamp information includes date information and time of day information.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the location information includes one of logical block addresses and cylinder/head/sector information.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the access detector monitors control signals transmitted to the mass storage device via the data bus to detect one or more of a write operation and a read operation.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the mass storage device is a disk drive, the data bus is based at least in part on an integrated drive electronics standard and the monitored control signals include control register selection signals.

54. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the access detector monitors control signals transmitted to the mass storage device via the data bus to determine the locations on the mass storage device to which the digital information is to be stored or from which the digital information is to be retrieved.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the mass storage device is a disk drive, the data bus is based at least in part on an integrated drive electronics standard and the monitored control signals include control register selection signals and data line signals.

56. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the event record generator sends each of the event records containing the time information and the location information to be stored together with its corresponding digital information on the mass storage device.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein each of the event records is stored as a header with its corresponding digital information on the mass storage device.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein in response to retrieving the digital information from the mass storage device, the event record generator adds playback time information to the event record containing the time information and the location information corresponding to the retrieved digital information.

59. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the event record generator stores each of the event records on a memory separate from the mass storage device.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein each of the event records is stored using a look-up table format on the memory separate from the mass storage device.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the memory separate from the mass storage device is a non-volatile memory.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein in response to retrieving the digital image information from the mass storage device, the event record generator adds playback time information to the event record that corresponds to the retrieved digital image information.

63. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the event record generator is in communication with a source identification unit that provides source information associated with the digital information to be stored on the mass storage device, and wherein the event record generator generates the records containing the time information and the location information to include the source information.

64. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the access detector determines digital information is to be stored on the mass storage device based at least in part on a signal indicative of the amount of data to be transmitted via the data bus to the mass storage device.

65. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the processor executes instructions stored on the memory to;

determine digital information is to be stored on or retrieved from a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device;

determine the locations on the mass storage device to which the digital information is to be stored or from which the digital information is to be retrieved; and

generate event records containing time information and location information uniquely corresponding to the digital information and to events within sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the digital information is one or more of text information, audio information, image information and video information.

67. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the processor executes the instructions stored on the memory to monitor control signals transmitted to the mass storage device via the data bus to detect one or more of a write operation and a read operation.

68. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the processor executes the instructions stored on the memory to send each of the event records containing the time information and the location information to be stored together with its corresponding digital information on the mass storage device.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein each of the event records is stored as a header with its corresponding digital information on the mass storage device.

70. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the processor executes the instructions stored on the memory to store each of the event records on a memory separate from the mass storage device.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein each of the event records is stored using a look-up table format on the memory separate from the mass storage device.

72. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:

a write detector that detects a write operation sent from a local data processing unit to a mass storage device via a data bus;

a time stamper that generates current local time information;

a header packet generator that generates a header packet containing the current local time information in response to detection of the write operation; and

a first switch that routes the header packet to be stored on the mass storage device together with digital information associated with the sequence of events.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, further including:

a read detector that detects a read operation sent from the local data processing unit to the mass storage device via the data bus; and

a second switch that routes the header packet stored on the mass storage device to a playback record output in response to detection of the read operation.