GATHERING RESEARCH DATA

• US 20090193052A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arbitron Inc. (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Flanagan, Eugene L., Frost, Carol J., FitzGerald, Joan G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,124,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Systems and methods for gathering research data using multiple monitoring devices are provided. At least a pair of the monitoring devices each read ancillary codes contained within media data and which represents research data. The decoded data read by at least one of the pair is associated with a further set of data offering a correspondence between each of the sets of decoded data. Such correspondence allows a determination that the data decoded by each of the pair of monitoring devices is the same.

Claims

1. A method of gathering research data using a plurality of monitoring devices, comprising:

receiving first data encoded with first research data as a first ancillary code at a first monitoring device;

reading the first ancillary code to provide first research data from which data is omitted;

receiving second data encoded with second research data as a second ancillary code at a second monitoring device,

reading the second ancillary code to provide second research data, the second research data comprising a data portion corresponding to the omitted data;

obtaining correspondence data indicating a correspondence between the first research data and the second research data; and

augmenting the first research data with the data portion of the second research data.

2. A system for processing research data, comprising:

an input for receiving first research data omitting first data and provided from a first monitoring device;

second research data provided from at least one second monitoring device, the second research data comprising the omitted first data; and

correspondence data indicating a correspondence between the first research data and the second research data; and

a processor coupled with the input to receive the first research data, the second research data and the correspondence data, and configured to process the received data to augment the partially recovered first research data with the omitted first data.

3. A method for processing research data gathered by a plurality of monitoring devices, the research data comprising message data read by the monitoring devices from media data encoded with ancillary codes encoding the message data, the message data as read by one or more of the monitoring devices omitting one or more data portions, the method comprising:

processing the research data to produce a database of corresponding message data;

receiving the one or more omitted data portions from a source other than the one or more monitoring devices; and

processing the corresponding message data and the one or more data portions to produce complete message data associated with the one or more monitoring devices.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising storing the complete message data in a media exposure data database for use in producing reports of media data exposure.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising determining whether the corresponding message data have been received from at least N monitoring devices, where N is a natural number, and wherein N is statistically established as a number of the message data omitting expected data which is sufficiently large to satisfy a probability that the message data were correctly read by the plurality of monitoring devices;

and

on the condition that. the corresponding message data have been received from at least N monitoring devices, processing the corresponding message data and the expected data to produce the complete message data.

6. The method of claim 3, comprising matching the message data to produce match data indicating which of the message data correspond and producing the database of corresponding message data based on the match data.

7. The method of claim 3, comprising producing the database of corresponding message data based on timing data indicating times or time periods at which the monitoring devices gathered the message data.

8. The method of claim 3, comprising producing the database of corresponding message data based on further message data gathered by the monitoring devices by reading further ancillary codes encoded in the media data, the further message data representing information differing from information represented by the message data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the ancillary codes and the further ancillary codes are encoded as layers in the media data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the message data represents at least one of program content of the media data, a network distributing the media data and a station or channel providing the media data, and the further message data represents a different one of such program content, network and station or channel.

11. The method of claim 3, comprising producing the database of corresponding message data based on data indicating a location or locations of the monitoring devices.

12. The method of claim 3, comprising receiving the omitted data portions from a reference database.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the omitted data portions are obtained from data produced by one or more monitoring devices other than the monitoring devices omitting the one or more data portions.

14. A method for processing research data gathered by a monitoring device, the research data comprising message data read by the monitoring device from media data encoded with an ancillary code encoding the message data, the message data as read by the monitoring device omitting a data portion, the method comprising:

receiving the omitted data portion from a source other than the monitoring device; and

processing the message data and the omitted data portion to produce complete message data including the omitted data portion.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising storing the complete message data in a media exposure data database for use in producing reports of media data exposure.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising receiving the omitted data portion from a reference database.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the omitted data portion is obtained from data produced by one or more monitors other than the monitoring device.

18. A method for processing research data gathered by a plurality of monitoring devices, the research data comprising message data read by the monitoring devices from media data encoded with ancillary codes encoding the message data, the method comprising:

for each of the message data, determining whether it represents an ancillary code encoded in the media data, and if so, storing an indication that the message data is valid;

processing a plurality of the valid message data to determine portions of the media data that are encoded and portions that are unencoded; and

storing data in a database indicating portions of the media data that are encoded.

19. A method for processing research data gathered by a plurality of monitoring devices, the research data comprising message data read by the monitoring devices from media data encoded with ancillary codes encoding the message data, comprising:

processing a plurality of the message data to determine portions of the media data that are encoded and portions that are unencoded; and

storing encoded portions data in a database indicating portions of the media data that are encoded.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising producing reports of media data exposure based on the encoded portions data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein at least some of the message data as read by the monitoring devices omit expected data, comprising augmenting the at least some of the message data with the expected data.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising receiving the expected data from a reference database.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the expected data is obtained from one or more of the monitoring devices that have read the expected data.

24. The method of claim 19, comprising for each of the message data, determining whether it represents an ancillary code encoded in the media data, and if so, storing an indication that the message data is valid

25. A method for processing message data gathered by a plurality of monitoring devices, the message data being encoded as ancillary codes in media data by at least one encoder and read at least in part by the monitoring devices from the encoded media data, comprising:

receiving media data encoded data produced by the at least one encoder indicating that the media data is encoded; and

processing the message data and the media data encoded data to produce media data exposure and/or exposure data.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising storing the media data exposure data in a database.

27. The method of claim 25, comprising producing reports of media data exposure based on the media data exposure data.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein at least some of the message data as read by the monitoring devices omit expected data, comprising augmenting the at least some of the message data with the expected data.

29. The method of claim 25, comprising for each of the message data, determining whether it represents an ancillary code encoded in the media data, and if so, storing an indication that the message data is valid.

30. A method for processing first message data gathered by a monitoring device, the message data being read by the monitoring device from media data encoded with a first ancillary code encoding the first message data and included in a media data exposure database of the monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device fails to read the first message data at least in part, the method comprising:

providing a complete copy of the first message data based on a message read by at least one other monitoring device; and

augmenting the media data exposure database of the monitoring device using the complete copy of the first message data.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first message data as read by the monitoring devices omits a data portion, comprising augmenting the first message data with the omitted data portion.

32. The method of claim 30, comprising determining whether the first message data represents an ancillary code encoded in the media data, and if so, storing an indication that the message data is valid.

33. The method of claim 30, comprising storing the first message data and the second message data in a database.

34. The method of claim 30, comprising producing reports of media data exposure based on the first message data and the second message data.

35. A method of processing research data, comprising:

providing a first data set produced by a research data monitor by reading an ancillary code encoded in media data, the first data set omitting data expected therein;

providing a second data set comprising data corresponding to the media data from a source other than the research data monitor; and

processing the first data set and the second data set to produce processed data comprising at least one of;

a completed first data set comprising the data omitted from the first data set;

code omission data indicating that a portion of the media data is unencoded; and

further data characterizing the media data in addition to that represented by the first data set.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the processed data comprises the completed first data set.

37. The method of claim 36, comprising augmenting the first data set with data from the second data set to produce the completed first data set.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the processed data comprises the code omission data.

39. The method of claim 38, comprising processing the second data set to produce code absence data indicating an absence of an ancillary code in at least one portion of the media data and associating the code absence data with the first data set.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the processed data comprises the further data.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising processing the second data to extract the further data therefrom and associating the further data with the first data set.

42. A method of detecting a proximity of two portable research data monitors, comprising transmitting a presence message from a first portable research data monitor;

and detecting the presence message in a second portable research data monitor.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the first research data monitor transmits the presence message wirelessly.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the first research data monitor transmits an identification message including data identifying the first research data monitor.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the second research data monitor responds to the identification message by transmitting a second identification message including data identifying the second research data monitor.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the second research data monitor responds to the message by transmitting a second presence message.

47. A system for detecting a proximity of two portable research data monitors, comprising a first research data monitor comprising a first short range transmitter operative to transmit a first presence message indicating a presence of the first research data monitor;

and a second research data monitor comprising a receiver operative to receive the first presence message.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the second research data monitor comprises a second transmitter operative to transmit a second presence message indicating a presence of the second research data monitor;

and the first research data monitor comprises a receiver operative to receive the second presence message.

49. A method of synchronizing widely dispersed devices in a research data gathering system, comprising:

receiving widely available timing data from a source external to the research data gathering system in each of a plurality of research data gathering devices located remotely from one another, adjusting internally produced timing data in each of the plurality of research data gathering devices based on the widely available timing data, receiving the widely available timing data at a processing facility of the research data gathering system, and adjusting system timing data of the processing facility based on the widely available timing data.

50. The method of claim 49, comprising receiving the widely available timing data wirelessly in the plurality of research data gathering devices.

51. The method of claim 50, comprising receiving the widely available timing data as a radio frequency signal in the plurality of research data gathering devices.

53. The method of claim 49, comprising receiving the widely available timing data via a wired link.

54. A research data gathering system, comprising:

a plurality of research data gathering devices located remotely from one another, each of the research data gathering devices comprising an internal clock operative to produce internal clock data, an input coupled to receive widely available timing data from a source external to the research data gathering system and a processor coupled with the internal clock and the input to receive the internal clock data and the widely available timing data and configured to adjust the internal clock data based on the widely available timing data;

the system further comprising a processing facility configured to process research data gathered by the plurality of research data gathering devices and comprising a system clock operative to produce system clock data for the research data gathering system, an input coupled to receive the widely available timing data and a processor coupled with the internal clock and the input to receive the system clock data and the widely available timing data and configured to adjust the system clock data based on the widely available timing data.

55. A research data gathering system, comprising:

a plurality of research data gathering devices located remotely from one another and a processing facility configured to process research data gathered by the plurality of research data gathering devices, each of the research data gathering devices and the processing facility comprising an input coupled to receive widely available timing data from a source external to the research data gathering system and a processor configured to produce clock data based on the widely available timing data.