System for gathering and recording real-time market survey and other data from radio listeners and television viewers utilizing telephones including wireless cell phones

• US 20070107008A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Andrew Dybus
• Original Assignee: Radiostat LLC
• Inventors: Dybus, Donnelly
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/44 for identifying broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting

Abstract

The invention records real-time radio and television listener data utilizing automated, interactive questions and radio and television broadcast audio segments recorded by telephone, including wireless cell phones. Telephone users are asked to hold their phone in the direction of any broadcast audio they are hearing or listening to. Streaming program audio directly from radio and television broadcasts is matched to the program audio recorded from telephone users using computer audio matching technology. When an audio match is made, recorded data will automatically populate an alpha/numeric database creating a record including fields for identifying the radio or TV station, time of recording, the phone user'"'"'s 10 digit telephone number and demographic information on the listener. Demographics may be obtained prior to the call or by automated interactive questioning, during a call, with the phone user responding to questions verbally or by pushing appropriate keys on the telephone keypad.

Claims

1. A system, process and method to obtain from radio listeners and television viewers on a real time, accurate and verifiable basis said radio listeners'"'"' and television viewers'"'"' radio and television listening and viewing habits and preferences, survey data, demographic and other information, comprising a:

(a) Means for making individual computer-automated, interactive telephone calls to each of said radio listeners and television viewers;

(b) Means for (i) receiving and recording radio and television broadcast audio segments then being listened to or heard by and (ii) posing computer-automated, prerecorded questions to and receiving and recording answers thereto from—

each said radio listener and television viewer during a completed computer-automated, interactive telephone call, constituting a “

completed telephone call”

;

(c) Means for giving during each said completed computer-automated, interactive telephone call prerecorded information and instructions for each said radio and television listener and viewer to point the mouthpiece (i.e., microphone portion) of his or her telephone in the direction of the source of any radio and television broadcast program audio then being heard or listened to by said radio listener and television viewer;

(d) Means for receiving and recording during each said completed computer-automated, interactive telephone call a segment of said radio and television broadcast program audio then being heard or listened to by each said radio listener and television viewer, using said mouthpiece of each said radio listener'"'"'s and television viewer'"'"'s telephone to capture each said segment of radio and television broadcast program audio and transmit said segment to the call center that made said computer-automated, interactive telephone calls over wireless or other telephone transmission systems and networks utilized to make said computer-automated, interactive telephone telephone calls;

(e) Means for recording answers to each said computer-automated, prerecorded questions posed to each said radio listener and television viewer during each said completed telephone call (A) by means of each said radio listener and television viewer depressing the designated key(s) on the keypad of each said radio listener'"'"'s and television viewer'"'"'s telephone to give said answers, or (B) by recording verbal responses made by each said radio listener and television viewer to said automated, recorded questions into each said radio listener'"'"'s and television viewer'"'"'s telephone mouthpiece to give said answers, all as directed and instructed in said computer-automated, prerecorded information and instructions given to each said radio listener and television viewer during each said completed telephone call;

(f) Means to monitor, receive, record and save indefinitely, on a real time basis, and identify by each radio and television station of origin, date and time, streaming radio and television broadcast program audio emanating from each of the radio and television broadcast stations operating in said radio listeners'"'"' and television viewers'"'"' radio and television broadcast market(s), and emanating from all current and future sources of said radio and television broadcast program audio available to said radio listeners and television viewers, including from RF signals received over the airwaves transmitted from terrestrial and space-based antennas, and transmissions over the Internet and cable systems;

(g) Means to match each segment of radio and television broadcast program audio received and recorded during completed telephone calls to radio listeners and television viewers, as described in Subsection 1 (d), above, to its identical counterpart within said streaming radio and television broadcast program audio emanating from each of the radio and television broadcast stations operating in said radio listeners'"'"' and television viewers'"'"' radio and television broadcast market(s), by computer, using current and future computer audio matching technology, including technologies that decode inaudible or subaudible signals imbedded in said radio and television broadcast program audio (“

audio match”

);

(h) Means to identify and confirm the radio and television station of origin and date and time of broadcast of said radio and television broadcast program audio segments recorded during each said completed telephone call to each said radio listener and television viewer by comparing and matching by computer, using current and future computer audio matching technology as described in subsection 1 (g) above;

(A) each radio and television broadcast program audio segment received and recorded during each said completed telephone call to each said radio listener and television viewer as described in Subsection 1 (d) above to—

(B) the streaming radio and television broadcast program audio emanating from each of the radio and television broadcast stations in said radio and television listener'"'"'s and viewer'"'"'s radio and television broadcast market(s) that is received and recorded, as described in Subsection 1 (f) above, at the same time as the radio and television broadcast program audio segments from each said completed telephone call to each said radio listener and television viewer to be compared are received and recorded, as described in Subsection 1 (d), above;

(i) Means to determine duration of listening or hearing of radio and television station broadcast program audio by said radio listeners and television viewers;

(A) by means of timed recalls to said radio listeners and television viewers, (for example, 15 minutes after the original completed call) giving automated, prerecorded instructions to repeat the audio recording process described in Subsection 1 (d), above, to determine whether said radio listeners and television viewers are then still listening or hearing the same radio or television broadcast station and programming audio that was recorded during the immediately preceding completed call, or

(B) by means of recording answers to computer-automated, prerecorded questions on the issue of said duration given by said radio listeners and television viewers posed either in an original completed call or a recall, as described in Subsection (A) immediately above, by depressing designated keys on the keypads of said telephones, as instructed during said telephone calls, or by recording verbal responses given by said radio listeners and television viewers to said questions using the means described in Subsection 1 (e), above;

(j) Means to determine the identity of each said radio or television broadcast station, and the radio and television programming listened to or heard and recorded over the telephone by said radio listeners and television viewers during each said computer-automated, interactive telephone call;

(k) Means to determine the date and time said radio or television broadcast station programming is listened to or heard and recorded over the telephone by said radio listeners and television viewers;

(l) Means, upon an audio match as described in Subsections (g) and (h), above, to automatically populate a computer database using current and future computer, software and database technology with records that include fields for (i) the identity of each said radio listener, and television viewer (ii) each said radio listener'"'"'s and television viewer'"'"'s 10 digit telephone number, (iii) the specific radio and television broadcast station, by call sign, and source of program audio listened to, heard and recorded, as described in Subsection 1 (d), above, by each said radio listener and television viewer during each said computer-automated, interactive telephone call, (iv) the date, time and duration each said radio listener and television viewer listened to or heard each said radio and television broadcast program audio segment received and recorded as described in Subsection 1 (d), above, (v) demographic and other information, including each said radio listener'"'"'s and television viewer'"'"'s age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, market and geographic location and (v) other data and information obtained and recorded by means of said computer-automated, prerecorded questions and answers during each said computer-automated, interactive telephone call to each said radio listener and television viewer, as described in Subsection 1 (e), above, or otherwise in the event said radio listener or television viewer is pre-enrolled by his or her telephone company or carrier as part of a promotion or inducement for said radio listener and television viewer to accept said computer-automated, interactive telephone calls from the operator of the invention and said other data and information is given at that time;

(m) Means to capture, analyze and deliver to advertisers, advertising agencies, radio and television broadcast companies and others data and information on radio listener and television viewer listening and viewing behavior and habits, radio and television station and programming preferences, demographic and other information, on a real time basis in any current and future electronic, software or other format and by any other current or future delivery means available, including by facsimile, the Internet, email, US Postal Service and private or commercial couriers;

(n) Means to rate competing radio and television broadcast stations and programming based on comparative listenership and viewership levels in a radio and television market, based on the data and information gathered by the invention;

for the purposes of gathering and recording on a real time basis, analyzing and disseminating accurate, comprehensive, verifiable, market survey data and other information from radio listeners and television viewers regarding said radio listeners'"'"' and television viewers'"'"' radio and television broadcast station and programming preferences, listening and viewing habits and attitudes, demographics and other information (collectively “

market survey data”

) utilizing ordinary telephones, including wireless cell phones, to receive and record said market survey data, including radio and television broadcast program audio segments actually being listened to or heard by each said radio listener and radio listener and television viewer answers to automated, prerecorded questions utilizing current and future computer automated, interactive telephony, audio matching, tone frequency identification, audible and subaudible signal detection, voice recognition, computer software and database technologies, and providing radio and television broadcast companies, advertisers and other interested parties with statistically significant, timely, accurate and useful market survey data necessary or useful for making programming, advertising and other decisions by said radio and television broadcast companies, advertisers and other interested parties.

2. A system, process and method comprising a means to receive, identify and match to other audio sources radio and television broadcast audio carried on signals from any source including terrestrial RF, satellite RF, Internet feeds and cable signals.

3. A system, process and method comprising a means to record and save indefinitely recorded radio and television broadcast program audio segments recorded during each said completed telephone call to each said radio listener and television viewer and matching segments of said streaming radio and television broadcast program audio emanating from radio and television broadcast stations in said radio listener'"'"'s and television viewer'"'"'s radio and television broadcast market for all purposes including the audit and review of the system'"'"'s data collection results for accuracy either routinely or when requested such as in the event of a dispute by end-users of said data.

4. A system, process and method comprising a means to create and populate with radio listener and television viewer preferences and demographic data a computer, alpha/numeric market data base in real time, as data is received, which data can be stored and formatted in any commercially available, “

off-the shelf”

database computer program.

5. A system, process and method comprising a means to create and populate with radio listener and television viewer preferences and demographic data a computer, alpha/numeric market data base in real time, as data is received, for the purposes of rating the relative listenership and viewership of radio and television broadcast programming in a particular market or markets and detecting and analyzing trends and anomalies, giving advertisers and others the ability to determine during the actual radio and television broadcast of programming whether to modify or pull advertisements based on saturation, demographics or other information thereby obtained.

6. A system, process and method comprising a means to make a number of computer-automated, interactive telephone calls to said radio listeners and television viewers that will generate survey data that is statistically significant.

7. A system, process and method comprising a means to gather and make available on an accurate, verifiable, real time basis data and information regarding whether surveyed radio listeners and television viewers are actually listening to and paying attention to or merely hearing the radio and television broadcast program audio, that their radio or television set is tuned to and receiving.

8. A system, process and method comprising a means, on a real time basis, during computer-automated, interactive telephone calls to radio listeners and television viewers, to gather and record segments of radio and television broadcast program audio being heard or listened to by each said radio listener and television viewer and other accurate, comprehensive, verifiable, market survey and other data and information from each said radio listener and television viewer obtained by means of automated, interactive questioning regarding each said listener'"'"'s and viewer'"'"'s radio and television broadcast station and programming preferences, listening and viewing habits, listening durations, attitudes, demographic and other information utilizing telephones, including wireless cell phones and current and future computer-automated, interactive telephony, audio matching, tone frequency identification, audible and subaudible signal detection and decoding, voice recognition, Internet, computer software and database technologies for the purposes of:

(a) obtaining timely, accurate, comprehensive, verifiable, market survey and other data needed or desired by the radio and television broadcast and advertising industries and others;

(b) distinguishing between listening and hearing of radio and television broadcast programming by radio listeners and television viewers by querying radio listeners and television viewer specifically on the listening vs. hearing issue;

(c) eliminating the human error and statistical bias that is present when relatively small numbers of the same individuals (from a statistical standpoint) are relied upon to submit historical handwritten paper logs or carry specially manufactured electronic devices, especially those electronic devices with no other function or purpose;

(d) providing relevant market data on a more affordable basis than is currently available or proposed to date by all others;

(e) eliminating the large capital expenditures involved with the designing and manufacture of specialized, electronic listening devices, specialized cell phones and the encoding and other equipment needed to be installed at broadcast facilities in order to utilize the other proposed systems;

(f) reducing the general business expenses and costs of a “

radio or television ratings”

company by eliminating most of manual labor and taking advantage of available computer technology and automation;

(g) increasing the size and statistical integrity of the data pool using mass, automated, interactive calling and computer technology thereby making retrieved data and other information more meaningful and useful, statistically and otherwise;

(h) allowing for specialized and targeted market research studies, as data gathering telephone calls can be directed to specific markets, age groups, gender groups, ethnic groups, occupation groups, etc.;

(i) using mass, computer-automated calling to contact statistically significant numbers of diverse radio listeners and television viewers thereby reducing certain human factors including faulty memories or favoritism of and by persons who fill-out Arbitron or other paper diaries or carry specially-made electronic devices like Arbitron'"'"'s PPM, resulting in receiving data from the same members of a statistically small, select group of participants on a continuous basis which skews results, adds bias and compromises the statistical integrity of the radio and television industry ratings process;

(j) reducing reliance on humans to be proactive in the data gathering process in that other systems require human participants to initiate the data gathering and reporting process, as with the Arbitron PPM system which depends on survey participants to actually wear, activate, and periodically return the Arbitron PPM device to a base cradle to upload its stored information and re-charge the PPM'"'"'s batteries;

(k) providing inducements to participating telephone users, especially wireless cell telephone users in the form of “

free minutes”

or credits against said wireless cell telephone users'"'"' cell phone bills and other promotional inducements, such as tickets to concerts and other prizes from participating telephone companies

(l) providing inducements to participating phone companies in the form of full or partial payment or reimbursement for said “

free minutes” and

credits and other inducements given to said participating telephone users in the form of free or reduced-cost advertising time on participating radio and television stations.

(m) providing inducements to participating radio and television stations in the form of full or partial payment or reimbursement for said free or reduced-cost advertising time to said participating telephone companies in the form of a discounts from the operator of the invention to said participating radio and television stations in connection with market survey data and ratings services purchased by said participating radio and television stations from said operator of the invention.