METHODS AND APPARATUS TO COLLECT WIRELESS INFORMATION

• US 20150223091A1
• Filed: 04/08/2015
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Petersen, David, Stapleton, Padraig
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to collect information on a wireless device are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves executing collecting information instructions in a firmware layer of a wireless device and outside of an operating system context to store collected information about the usage of the wireless device and to send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device. The collected information indicates when a media access occured on the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of collecting information on a wireless device, the method comprising:

executing collecting information instructions in a firmware layer of a wireless device and outside of an operating system context of the wireless device to;

store collected information about the usage of the wireless device, the collected information indicating when a media access occurred on the wireless device; and

send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media access is an access to advertising.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further indicates at least one of when the wireless device operated for commerce activity or a duration for which the wireless device operated as a mobile television.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting information instructions are to communicate with components installed within an operating system layer, the firmware layer and a kernel layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further indicates a server or website at which the wireless device accessed media.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further includes at least one of:

an indication of a type of shortcut on the wireless device,

an indication of a short messaging service activity, or

an indication of signal strength.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting information instructions cause the firmware layer to communicate with an operating system layer to collect the collected information about the usage of the wireless device.

8. A wireless device comprising:

a firmware layer including collection information instructions; and

a processor to execute the collecting information instructions in the firmware layer and outside of an operating system context of the wireless device, the collecting information instructions to cause the processor to at least;

store collected information about usage of the wireless device, the collected information indicating when an access to media occurred on the wireless device; and

send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the collected information further indicates at least one of when the wireless device operated for commerce activity or a duration for which the wireless device operated as a mobile television.

10. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the collecting information instructions are further to cause the processor to communicate with components installed within an operating system layer, the firmware layer and a kernel layer.

11. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the collected information further indicates a server or a website at which the wireless device accessed the media.

12. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the collected information further includes at least one of:

an indication of a type of shortcut on the wireless device,

an indication of a short messaging service activity, or

an indication of signal strength.

13. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the collecting information instructions cause the firmware layer to communicate with an operating system layer to collect the collected information about the usage of the wireless device.