STIMULUS PLACEMENT SYSTEM USING SUBJECT NEURO-RESPONSE MEASUREMENTS

• US 20090062629A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: NeuroFocus Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Inventors: GURUMOORTHY, Ramachandran, PRADEEP, Anantha, KNIGHT, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/395 Details of stimulation, e.g. nerve stimulation to elicit EMG response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements

Abstract

A system evaluates and selects temporal and spatial locations for introduction of stimulus material. Video streams, physical locations, print advertisements, store shelves, images, commercials, etc. are analyzed to identify locations for introducing stimulus material, such as messages, brand images, products, media, marketing and/or other sales materials. The system analyzes neuro-response measurements from subjects exposed to stimulus material in different temporal and spatial locations. Examples of neuro-response measurements include Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding measurements. Neuro-response measurements are analyzed to select temporal and spatial locations for introduction of stimulus material.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data collection device having a plurality of modalities, the data collection device operable to use the plurality of modalities to obtain neuro-response data from a subject exposed to source material;

a response integration system operable identify a plurality of candidate locations for introduction of stimulus material into the source material, wherein the response integration system is operable to select a location from the plurality of candidate locations by using combined neuro-response data from the plurality of modalities.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the source material is a first media stream.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the source material is an advertisement.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the stimulus material is a brand image.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the stimulus material is a second media stream.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidate locations comprises a plurality of temporal and spatial locations.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidate locations are determined by identifying lulls in the source material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidate locations are identified by evaluating the source material for locations that elicit insignificant neuro-response measurements from a subject.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modalities comprise EEG and EOG.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of modalities further comprise GSR, EKG, pupilary dilation, and eye tracking.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data collection device is further operable to obtain target and distracter ERP measurements to determine differential measurements of ERP time domain components at multiple regions of the brain (DERP).

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the data collection device is further operable to obtain event related time-frequency analysis of the differential response to assess the attention, emotion and memory retention (DERPSPs) across multiple frequency bands.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the multiple frequency bands comprise theta, alpha, beta, gamma and high gamma.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein neuro-response data from a first modality is aligned and combined with neuro-response data from a second modality.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein aligning neuro-response data from a first modality with neuro-response data from a second modality comprises time and phase shifting.

16. A method, comprising:

obtaining neuro-response data from a subject exposed to source material using a plurality of modalities;

identifying a plurality of candidate locations for introduction of stimulus material into the source material;

combining neuro-response data from the plurality of modalities;

selecting a location from the plurality of candidate locations by analyzing the combined neuro-response data from the plurality of modalities.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of candidate locations comprises a plurality of temporal and spatial locations.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of candidate locations are determined by identifying lulls in the source material.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of candidate locations are identified by evaluating the source material for locations that elicit insignificant neuro-response measurements from a subject.

20. A system, comprising:

means for obtaining neuro-response data from a subject exposed to source material using a plurality of modalities;

means for identifying a plurality of candidate locations for introduction of stimulus material into the source material;

means for combining neuro-response data from the plurality of modalities;

means for selecting a location from the plurality of candidate locations by analyzing the combined neuro-response data from the plurality of modalities.