Methods and apparatus to determine audience viewing of video-on-demand programs

• US 20070186228A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Media Research, Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: Wright, David, Ramaswamy, Arun, Feininger, William
• Application Number:
  US10/589,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070186228A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/44 for identifying broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/59 of video recognising characters or patterns in general G06F18/00, G06V20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to determine audience viewing of video-on-demand programs are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises creating a reference database corresponding to a set of VOD programs, determining whether a VOD program is selected at a subscriber site, extracting at least one identifier from a signal carrying the VOD program, and cross-referencing the at least one identifier with the reference database.

Claims

1. A method to monitor exposure to selected video-on-demand (VOD) content, the method comprising:

determining server metering data corresponding to a VOD server configured to provide a plurality of VOD content to a plurality of subscribers;

determining subscriber metering data corresponding to media content provided to a subscriber site; and

combining the subscriber metering data and the server metering data to monitor the selected VOD content provided to the subscriber site.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the server metering data comprises VOD content metadata.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the server metering data comprises VOD content identification information.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the server metering data comprises subscriber identification information.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the server metering data comprises VOD server information.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the VOD server information describes a status of a VOD session initiated between the VOD server and the subscriber site.

11. A method as described in claim 10 wherein the status of the VOD session corresponds to at least one of beginning the VOD session, ending the VOD session, providing informational status, starting a VOD stream during the VOD session, stopping a VOD stream during the VOD session, performing a navigation operation during the VOD session or performing a trickmode during the VOD session.

16. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises VOD activity information.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 wherein the VOD activity information comprises a VOD virtual channel selected to receive the selected VOD content.

18. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises VOD content identification information.

20. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises VOD content metadata.

21. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises at least one of a public or private content identifier included in a data bit stream used to carry the selected VOD content.

22. A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the at least one of the public or private content identifier corresponds to at least one of an MPEG-2 data field or an AC3 data field.

23. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises viewing information.

24. A method as defined in claim 23 wherein the viewing information comprises at least one of content codes or content signatures.

25. A method as defined in claim 23 wherein the viewing information comprises an indicator corresponding to whether a subscriber viewing device is turned ON.

26. A method as defined in claim 23 wherein the viewing information corresponds to operating states associated with presenting the selected VOD content.

27. A method as defined in claim 26 wherein the operating states comprise at least one of a play state, a resume state, a mute state, a pause state, a rewind state or a fast-forward state.

28. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises subscriber identification information.

29. A method as defined in claim 28 wherein the subscriber identification information comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a VOD content order request or VOD billing information.

31. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber metering data is stored in at least one viewing record.

32. A method as defined in claim 31 wherein the viewing record comprises at least one of a home unit identifier or a set-top box identifier.

33. A method as defined in claim 31 wherein the subscriber metering data is timestamped.

37. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein combining the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises augmenting the subscriber metering data with at least selected portions of the server metering data.

38. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein combining the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises projecting the server metering data onto the subscriber metering data based on statistical characteristics common to the subscriber metering data and the server metering data.

39. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein combining the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises projecting a plurality of subscriber metering data onto the server metering data based on statistical characteristics common to the plurality of subscriber metering data and the server metering data.

42. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein combining the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises verifying the subscriber metering data based on the server metering data.

2-3. -3. (canceled)

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8. (canceled)

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30. (canceled)

34-36. -36. (canceled)

40-41. -41. (canceled)

43-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A method to generate VOD server metering information to monitor exposure to selected video-on-demand (VOD) content, the method comprising:

generating a start session indicator corresponding to initiation of a VOD session between a VOD server and a subscriber site;

generating a start stream indicator corresponding to initiation of a VOD stream during the VOD session;

generating an information indicator comprising status information for the VOD session;

generating an end stream indicator corresponding to termination of the VOD stream; and

generating an end session indicator corresponding to termination of the VOD session.

46. A method as defined in claim 45 wherein the start session indicator comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a VOD session identifier or a timestamp.

47. A method as defined in claim 45 wherein the start stream indicator comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a VOD session identifier, a timestamp, a VOD stream identifier, an asset identifier to identify the selected VOD content, an asset title corresponding to the selected VOD content, an asset type corresponding to a format of the selected VOD content, a source identifier corresponding to source of the selected VOD content, an asset genre corresponding to a genre of the selected VOD content or a content rating assigned to VOD content

48. A method as defined in claim 45 wherein the information indicator comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a VOD session identifier, a timestamp, a bitrate associated with the VOD session, a connection type associated with the VOD session, a number of stream errors associated with the VOD session, a number of communications errors associated with the VOD session, a number of system errors associated with the VOD session or a channel number associated with a VOC channel used to carry the VOD session.

49. A method as defined in claim 45 wherein the end stream indicator comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a VOD session identifier, a timestamp or a VOD stream identifier.

50. A method as defined in claim 45 wherein the end session indicator comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a VOD session identifier or a timestamp.

51. A method as defined in claim 45 wherein the information indicator is generated corresponding to at least one of the initiation of the VOD session, the initiation of the VOD stream, the termination of the VOD stream or the termination of the VOD session.

52. A method as defined in claim 45 further comprising generating a navigation indicator when a navigation operation associated with a navigation menu is performed during the VOD session.

55. A method as defined in claim 52 wherein the information indicator is generated corresponding to the navigation operation.

56. A method as defined in claim 45 further comprising generating a trickmode indicator when a trickmode operation is performed during the VOD session.

59. A method as defined in claim 56 wherein the information indicator is generated corresponding to the trickmode operation.

53-54. -54. (canceled)

57-58. -58. (canceled)

60. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

determine server metering data corresponding to a VOD server configured to provide a plurality of VOD content to a plurality of subscribers;

determine subscriber metering data corresponding to media content provided to a subscriber site; and

combine the subscriber metering data and the server metering data to monitor the selected VOD content provided to the subscriber site.

61. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 60 wherein the server metering data comprises at least one of VOD content metadata, VOD content identification information, subscriber identification information or VOD server information.

63. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 60 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises at least one of VOD activity information, VOD content identification information, VOD content metadata, viewing information, subscriber identification information or audience demographics.

65. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 60 wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, cause the machine to combine the subscriber metering data and the server metering data by at least one of augmenting or verifying the subscriber metering data with at least selected portions of the server metering data.

62. (canceled)

64. (canceled)

66. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

generate a start session indicator corresponding to initiation of a VOD session between a VOD server and a subscriber site;

generate a start stream indicator corresponding to initiation of a VOD stream during the VOD session;

generate an information indicator comprising status information for the VOD session;

generate an end stream indicator corresponding to termination of the VOD stream; and

generate an end session indicator corresponding to termination of the VOD session.

67. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 66 wherein the machine readable instructions cause the machine to generate the information indicator corresponding to at least one of the initiation of the VOD session, the initiation of the VOD stream, the termination of the VOD stream or the termination of the VOD session.

68. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 66 wherein the machine readable instructions further cause the machine to generate a navigation indicator when a navigation operation associated with a navigation menu is performed during the VOD session.

69. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 68 wherein the machine readable instructions cause the machine to generate the information indicator corresponding to the navigation operation.

70. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 66 wherein the machine readable instructions further cause the machine to generate a trickmode indicator when a trickmode operation is performed during the VOD session.

71. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 70 wherein the machine readable instructions cause the machine to generate the information indicator corresponding to the trickmode operation.

72. A system to monitor exposure to selected VOD content, the system comprising:

a metering server interface to determine server metering data corresponding to a VOD server configured to provide a plurality of VOD content to a plurality of subscribers;

a metering home interface configured to determine subscriber metering data corresponding to media content provided to a subscriber site; and

a central facility configured to combine the subscriber metering data and the server metering data to monitor the selected VOD content provided to the subscriber site.

74. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the server metering data comprises at least one of VOD content metadata, VOD content identification information, subscriber identification information or VOD server information.

76. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the subscriber metering data comprises at least one of VOD activity information, VOD content identification information, VOD content metadata, viewing information, subscriber identification information or audience demographics.

78. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the metering server interface comprises a back-channel monitor to monitor back-channel information received by a VOD service provider from the subscriber site.

80. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the metering server interface comprises a VOD server information generator configured to generate VOD server information to describe a status of a VOD session initiated between the VOD server and the subscriber site.

81. A system as defined in claim 80 wherein the status of the VOD session corresponds to at least one of beginning the VOD session, ending the VOD session, providing informational status, starting a VOD stream during the VOD session, stopping a VOD stream during the VOD session, performing a navigation operation during the VOD session or performing a trickmode during the VOD session.

82. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the metering home interface comprises a set-top box monitoring interface to monitor operation of a set-top box configured to receive the media content provided to the subscriber site.

95. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the metering home interface comprises an on-screen display reader to process a display of a presentation device located at the subscriber site.

102. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the metering home interface comprises sniffer device to monitor at least one of back-channel communications or broadcast channel communications between a VOD service provider and the subscriber site.

107. A system as defined in claim 72 further comprising a metadata tagger unit to include VOD content metadata in the selected VOD content.

108. A system as defined in claim 107 wherein the metering server interface comprises a metadata tag collector configured to collect metadata from at least one of the plurality of VOD content.

109. A system as defined in claim 107 wherein the metering home interface comprises a metadata tag extractor configured to extract metadata from the selected VOD content.

110. A system as defined in claim 72 wherein the central facility is configured to select at least a portion of the server metering data based on the subscriber metering data.

111. A system as defined in claim 110 wherein the central facility is configured to select the portion of the server metering data based on a set-top box identifier included in the subscriber metering data.

112. A system as defined in claim 111 wherein the central facility is configured to at least one of augment or verify the subscriber metering data with the portion of the server metering data.

73. (canceled)

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