SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RFID-BASED PRINTED MEDIA READING ACTIVITY DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS

• US 20070138251A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GfK US, LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: GFK Mediamark Research and Intelligence LLC
• Inventors: Fletcher, Richard, Mattlin, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

The subject invention provides a means of automatically detecting and recording a person'"'"'s use of magazines, i.e. printed media exposure, for the purpose of market research. The present invention comprises one or more electrically conductive marker regions applied to certain specific locations on one or more magazine pages. In one general embodiment, the presence and relative separation of the marker regions are detected by a capacitive sensors and electronic device that stores, processes and communicates the data wirelessly to an external device. In another embodiment, a passive chip less tag is used to indirectly measure the change in conductivity of the conductive regions caused by prolonged exposure to air or light. Exemplary methods are described for acquiring readership and exposure data using the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for media exposure data acquisition comprising:

determining when an exposure event occurs or has occurred in printed media that includes including a marker region and a sensor element; and

generating an exposure event indicator in the sensor element when said determination is made indicating that the marker region has been displaced with relation to the sensor element of the printed media.

2. The method of transferring the exposure event indicator to a data reader or a data analysis system from the sensor element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data reader is configured as furniture publicly accessible.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the data reader is a personal device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor element is detached from the printed media and mailed to the location of the data analysis system.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the exposure event indicator is generated by a RFID sensor card;

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the RFID sensor card implements an real-time RFID data acquisition process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the RFID sensor card conducts the determination marker region displacement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the RFID sensor card further comprises:

a power source;

electromagnetic sensing circuitry; and

an internal clock.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic sensing circuitry is capacitive sensing circuitry.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic sensing circuitry is inductive sensing circuitry

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID sensor card is attached to the printed media along a perforated joint.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID sensor card is attached to the printed media adjacent to a back cover of the printed media.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the marked media portion is situated along a common axis with the capacitive sensing circuitry perpendicular to the surface of a page of the marked media portion.

15. The method of claim 7, includes a rechargeable battery, which is configured to be rechargeable when brought within a certain charging proximity of the data reader.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the rechargeable battery enables sensor elements to transfer exposure event information when the RFID sensor card is situated within a certain data transfer proximity of the data reader.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising transferring the exposure event indicator to the data extraction/distribution element only after the charge/transmission indicator has been generated.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the RFID sensor element implements a cumulative exposure data acquisition process and does not include a battery.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the RFID sensor element further comprises a passive RFID tag or a passive resonant circuit.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein electromagnetic characteristics of the marker region are changed based on exposure.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the passive resonant circuit is detuned when the marker region with changed electromagnetic characteristics is brought back to an initial marker region position with respect to the sensor element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the exposure event indicator is transferred when the sensor element is brought within a data transfer proximity with respect to the data reader.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the sensor card also transmits identifying information associated with the RFID tag reader in addition the exposure event indicator.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the exposure event information is derived from the exposure event indicator.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event information includes data related to the printed media incorporating the sensor element

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the exposure event information includes the name of the printed media.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the exposure event information includes the publishing date of the printed media.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the exposure event information includes the name of the owner of the printed media.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein a modification of capacitive characteristics of the marker region is correlated with an exposure characteristic.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event information includes the date the exposure was recorded.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event information includes the date the exposure indicator was transferred.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event information includes the time exposure indicator was transferred.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event information includes a measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics of the marker region.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics is based on exposure of the marker region to light.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics is based on exposure of the marker region to air.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics of the marker region indicate an exposure duration.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the exposure duration is a measure of the time from when the media element was separated from a local exposure data extraction module and when it was replaced

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the exposure duration is a measure of the time from when the marker region was displaced from the sensor element and when it was returned to substantially its initial position.

39. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event information includes an indication of a particular area of interest within the printed media.

40. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event indicator characteristics include an exposure count indicator.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event indicator characteristics include a marked portion identifier.

42. The method of claim 24, wherein the marked portion identifier is correlated to an advertisement.

43. The method of claim 24, wherein the marked portion identifier is correlated to a page within the printed media.

44. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event indicator characteristics include a consumer exposure identifier.

45. The method of claim 24, wherein the exposure event indicator characteristics include a consumer exposure information.

46. A media data acquisition system comprising:

a printed media module configured with a marker region and a sensor element, wherein the marker region and the sensor element are electromagnetically coupled;

the marker region is configured with an exposure-variable material; and

the sensor element is configured to detect when the marker region is displaced from an initial marker region position.

47. The media data acquisition system of claim 47, further comprising:

a data reader configured to the acquire exposure information from the sensor element.

49. The media data acquisition system of claim 47, wherein the data acquisition is conducted as a real-time data acquisition process.

53. The media data acquisition system of claim 47, wherein the data acquisition is conducted as cumulative exposure data acquisition process.

54. The media data acquisition system of claim 53, wherein the printed media module further comprises:

the sensor element configured with sensory circuitry and without a power supply;

the marker region configured with a capacitive ink, wherein the capacitive ink'"'"'s electromagnetic characteristics can be changed based on exposure to air or light; and

55. The sensor element of claim 54, wherein the sensory circuitry includes inductive elements.

56. The sensor element of claim 54, wherein the sensory circuitry includes conductive elements.

48. The media data acquisition system of claim 48, further comprising:

a data analysis system that is configured to process and analyze acquired exposure information.

50. The media data acquisition system of claim 48, wherein the printed media module further comprises:

the sensor element configured with sensory circuitry, an internal timing mechanism and memory;

the marker region configured with a capacitive ink, wherein the capacitive ink'"'"'s electromagnetic characteristics can be changed based on exposure to air or light; and

a power supply.

51. The sensor element of claim 50, wherein the sensory circuitry includes inductive elements.

52. The sensor element of claim 50, wherein the sensory circuitry includes conductive elements.

57. A printed media module comprising:

a marker region and a sensor element, wherein the marker region includes electrically conductive material and are electromagnetically coupled;

58. The printed media module of claim 57, wherein the properties of the conductive material are modified by exposure.

59. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the properties of the conductive material are changed based on exposure to air.

60. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the properties of the conductive material are changed based on exposure to light.

61. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the sensor element does not include a power source.

62. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the sensor element further comprises capacitive sensing circuitry.

63. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the sensor element further comprises inductive sensing circuitry.

64. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the characteristics of the sensor element are modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

65. The printed media module of claim 58, wherein the sensor element comprises a resonant circuit with a resonant frequency that is modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

66. The printed media module of claim 59, wherein the modification to the sensor element occurs, after the marker region has been exposed.

67. The printed media module of claim 60, wherein the sensor element is modified to reflect multiple exposure instances.

68. A cumulative exposure data acquisition system with the printed media module of claim 65 further comprising:

a data reader element; and

a data analysis system.

69. The cumulative exposure data acquisition system of claim 68, wherein the data reader is configured to record at least one modification of the sensor element.

70. The cumulative exposure data acquisition system of claim 68, wherein the data reader transmits the recorded data to the data analysis system.

71. The data analysis system from claim 70, wherein the recorded data is processed to determine at least one printed media exposure characteristic.

72. The data analysis system from claim 71, wherein consumer tag information is included with the recorded data for processing.

73. A data acquisition method comprising:

incorporating a marker region and a sensor element into a printed media module;

configuring the marker region with electrically conductive material and wherein the marker region and sensor element are electromagnetically coupled.

74. The data acquisition method of claim 73, wherein the properties of the conductive material are modified by exposure.

75. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the properties of the conductive material are changed based on exposure to air.

76. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the properties of the conductive material are changed based on exposure to light.

77. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the sensor element does not include a power source.

78. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the sensor element further comprises capacitive sensing circuitry.

79. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the sensor element further comprises inductive sensing circuitry.

80. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the characteristics of the sensor element are modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

81. The data acquisition method of claim 80, wherein the sensor element comprises a resonant circuit with a resonant frequency that is modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

82. The data acquisition method of claim 81, wherein the modification to the sensor element occurs, after the marker region has been exposed.

83. The data acquisition method of claim 82, wherein the sensor element is modified to reflect multiple exposure instances.

84. The data acquisition method of claim 83, wherein at least one exposure characteristic is recorded when the sensor element is brought within a communication proximity with a data reader element.

85. The data acquisition method of claim 84, wherein the data reader is configured to transfer recorded data to a data analysis system.

86. The data acquisition method of claim 85, wherein the data reader is incorporated into a publicly accessible element.

87. The data acquisition method of claim 85, wherein the data reader is incorporated into a personal data recording device.

88. The data acquisition method of claim 85, wherein the data reader is configured to record exposure data from a plurality of sensor elements.