Audience analysis

• US 20060075421A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TNS Group Holdings Ltd.
• Original Assignee: TNS Group Holdings Ltd.
• Inventors: Roberts, Andrew Clive, Wheatley, Mark Adrian, Wilcox, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side

Abstract

According to the present invention there is provided a method of analysis of the audience for channels selectable by a channel selector device for presentation on a presentation device, the channel selector device providing data indicating which channels are selected and the lengths of time for which selected channels remain selected. The data relating to the lengths of time for which channels remain selected is subject to a capping procedure, whereby the indicated length of time for which a channel remains selected is reduced to a capped maximum permitted length of time if the indicated length of time exceeds the maximum permitted length, to provide capped data. The capped data is employed to select, in dependence upon the indication of the channel selected and length of time for which the channel is selected, an array of probabilities of individuals'"'"' exposure (PIVs) to the presentation of the channel on a presentation device, for individuals of different demographies, whereby the data provided by the channel selector device can be resolved into data estimating the likelihood of individuals of different demographies participating in the audience.

Claims

1. A method of analysis of the audience for channels selectable by a channel selector device for presentation on a presentation device, the channel selector device providing data indicating which channels are selected and the lengths of time for which selected channels remain selected, the method comprising:

subjecting the data relating to the lengths of time for which channels remain selected to a capping procedure, whereby the indicated length of time for which a channel remains selected is reduced to a capped maximum permitted length of time if the indicated length of time exceeds the maximum permitted length, to provide capped data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein respective capped maximum permitted lengths of time are provided for respective selectable channels, so that different capped maximum permitted lengths can be applied to data relating to different channels.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein respective capped maximum permitted lengths of time are provided for respective groups of selectable channels, so that different capped maximum permitted lengths can be applied to data relating to channels belonging to different groups.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein respective capped maximum permitted lengths of time are provided for respective time of day periods at which a channel is selected, so that different capped maximum permitted lengths can be applied to data relating to channels selected in different time of day periods.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein respective capped maximum permitted lengths of time are provided for respective days of the week on which a channel is selected, so that different capped maximum permitted lengths can be applied to data relating to channels selected on different days of the week.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capped maximum permitted length of time is derived from reference information indicating differences between measurements of lengths of time for which channels are selected by a channel selector device and measurements of lengths of time for which a presentation device is on and operative to present the channels, whereby periods of time for which channels are selected by the channel selector device but the presentation device is off and not operative to present channels can be taken into account to provide the capped maximum length of time.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data employed to select the array is capped data provided by the method of claim 1.

23. A method as claimed in claim 1, the channel selector device being a set top box and the presentation device being a TV.

7. A method of analysis of an audience for channels selectable for presentation on a presentation device by a channel selector device, the channel selector device providing data indicating which channels are selected and the lengths of time for which selected channels remain selected, the method comprising:

employing the data to select, in dependence upon the indication of the channel selected and length of time for which the channel is selected, an array of probabilities of individuals'"'"' exposure (PIVs) to the presentation of the channel on a presentation device, for individuals of different demographies, whereby the data provided by the channel selector device can be resolved into data estimating the likelihood of individuals of different demographies participating in the audience.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data is employed to select the array of PIVs in dependence upon an additional parameter applicable to the data, beyond the channel selected and the length of time, the additional parameter being a time of day period to which the data relates

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data is employed to select the array of PIVs in dependence upon an additional parameter applicable to the data, beyond the channel selected and the length of time, the additional parameter being the day of the week to which the data relates.

11. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the PIVs in the array are derived from reference information indicating, for samples of individuals of the different demographies, their probabilities of participation in audiences for respective selectable channels and for respective lengths of time.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the PIV'"'"'s in the array are derived from the reference information indicating, for samples of individuals of the different demographies, their probabilities of participation in audiences for respective selectable channels and for respective lengths of time, the PIV'"'"'s taking into account the dependence of the probability of an individual of participating in an audience for a channel in one time of day period upon whether or not the individual was participating in the audience for the same channel in the immediately preceding time of day period.

13. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the PIVs in the array are derived from the reference information indicating, for samples of individuals of the different demographies, their probabilities of participation in audiences for respective selectable channels and for respective lengths of time, taking into account a need for there to be at least one individual, of any demography, participating in the audience for a presentation device, whereby an allowance is made for occasions on which a channel is selected and is presented on the presentation device but no audience is present.

24. A method as claimed in claim 7, the channel selector device being a set top box and the presentation device being a TV.

14. A system comprising a presentation device operable to present a channel selected by a channel selector device, the channel selector device providing data indicating which channels are selected and measurements of lengths of time for which selected channels remain selected, and further comprising a detector operable to detect whether a presentation device is on and operative to present a channel selected for presentation thereon, and to provide data indicating when the presentation device is on, and a reference information generator operable to generate indications of differences between measurements of lengths of time for which channels are selected as provided by the channel selector device and measurements of lengths of time for which the presentation device is on and operative to present the channels, as provided by the detector, whereby periods of time for which channels are selected by the channel selector device but the presentation device is off and not operative to present channels can be determined.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the detector detects the mains current supplied to the presentation device, thereby to determine whether or not the presentation device is on and operative to present a channel selected for presentation thereon.

16. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the detector has a memory which is operable to store the data indicating when the presentation device is on.

17. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the detector comprises a transmitter which transmits to the channel selector device the data indicating when the presentation device is on.

18. A system as claim in claim 14, wherein the detector comprises a transmitter operable to transmit the data indicating when the presentation device is on, and the system further comprises an audience participation recognition device capable of being carried by an individual, the recognition device having a receiver operable to receive data transmitted by the detector device and a memory operable to store the received data.

19. A system as claim in claim 14, further comprising an audience participation recognition device capable of being carried by an individual, the recognition device having a transmitter operable to transmit a recognition device identifier, the detector device comprising an receiver operable to receive the transmitted recognition device identifier and a memory operable to store the received recognition device identifier and data indicating when the identifier was received by the detector device.

20. The detector of the system of claim 14.

21. The audience participation recognition device of claim 18.

22. The audience participation recognition device of claim 19.

25. A system as claimed in claim 14, the channel selector device being a set top box and the presentation device being a TV.

26. A system comprising:

a service provider facility which is a source of multiple selectable channels,

a delivery network operable to deliver the channels to a multiplicity of households comprising individual members of the audience for the channels,

in each household a channel selector device operable by individual members of the audience in the household to select from time to time one channel from amongst the delivered channels, and a presentation device operable to present the selected channel to the household, the channel selector device providing data indicating which channels are selected and the lengths of time for which selected channels remain selected,

each household having a return channel operable to return said data to an audience monitoring facility,

the audience monitoring facility including a data processor operable to subject said data from each of the multiplicity of households to a procedure in which information in said data relating to the lengths of time for which channels remain selected is subjected to capping, whereby the indicated length of time for which a channel remains selected is reduced to a capped maximum permitted length if the indicated length of time exceeds the maximum permitted length, to provide capped data,

the data processor being further operable to employ the capped data to select, in dependence upon the indication of the channel selected and length of time for which the channel is selected, an array of probabilities of individuals exposure (PIVs) to the presentation of the channel on a presentation device, for individuals of different demographies, whereby the data provided by the channel selector device can be resolved into data estimating the likelihood of individuals of different demographies participating in the audience.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

in each one of a sample of the multiplicity of households, a detector operable to detect whether a presentation device in the household is on and operative to present a channel selected for presentation thereon by the channel selector device in the household, and to provide data indicating when the presentation device is on,

and a reference information generator operable to generate indications of differences between measurements of lengths of time for which channels are selected as provided by the channel selector device and measurements of lengths of time for which the presentation device is on and operative to present the channels, as provided by the detectors, whereby periods of time for which channels are selected by the channel selector device but the presentation device is off and not operative to present channels can be determined, and said capped maximum permitted length determined therefrom.

28. A system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the detector in each one of said sample of the multiplicity of households comprises a transmitter operable to transmit the data indicating when the presentation device is on, and

the system further comprising:

in each one of said sample of the multiplicity of households, audience participation recognition devices capable of being carried by the individuals in the household concerned, each recognition device having a receiver operable to receive said data indicating when the presentation device is on, transmitted by the detector device, when the recognition device is in range of data transmitted by the detector device, and thereby to generate audience participation indications when the individual concerned is an audience member for the presentation device concerned,

wherein said reference information generator is operable to derive the PIV'"'"'s in the array from said audience participation indications, relating to the individuals in each one of said sample of the multiplicity of households and their probabilities of participation in audiences for respective selectable channels and for respective lengths of time in terms of the different demographies of the individuals concerned, the PIV'"'"'s taking into account the dependence of the probability of an individual of participating an audience for a channel in one time of day period upon whether or not the individual was participating in the audience for the same channel in the preceding time of day period.

29. A computer program for use in the processor of an audience monitoring facility of a system as claimed in claim 26, operable to enable the processor to cap and resolve data from channel selector devices in accordance with claim 26.

30. A medium carrying a computer program as claimed in claim 29.

31. A computer programmed to act as the processor or an audience monitoring facility of a system as claimed in claim 26.