Apparatus for storing data relating to television viewing
First Claim
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1. An arrangement for storing data received from a TV monitoring system and for transmitting the data to a remote computer by means of a telephone line, the arrangement comprising:
- a memory for storing the data;
means for measuring successive periods of time;
means for defining a plurality of data access time slots in each of the successive periods of time;
a telephone instrument coupled to the telephone line;
a first switch for selectively isolating the telephone instrument from the telephone line during the data access slots;
means for detecting an incoming call during a data access slot and for seizing the line;
a second switch for selectively isolating the detection means from the telephone line outside of the data access slots;
means for ascertaining whether the incoming call is from the remote computer;
means responsive to the ascertaining means for causing the data to be transmitted from the memory to the remote computer when the incoming call is ascertained as being from the remote computer;
means for dropping the line and then actuating the first switch to reconnect the telephone instrument to the telephone line for the remainder of the current data access slot, when the ascertaining means ascertains that the incoming call is not from the remote computer;
means for actuating the second switch to connect the detecting means to the telephone line for the next available data access slot; and
means for controlling the second switch actuating means to inhibit connection of the detection means to the telephone line during the data access slots of a period which follows successful transmission of the data to the remote computer in an access slot of the period.
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Abstract
An arrangement is disclosed which stores data received from a people monitoring unit which produces information relating to the number of people watching a television set and/or from a television channel detection unit of a television monitoring system. The arrangement transmits such data to a remote computer by means of a telephone line (87) of a public telephone network upon interrogation by the computer.
116 Citations
6 Claims
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1. An arrangement for storing data received from a TV monitoring system and for transmitting the data to a remote computer by means of a telephone line, the arrangement comprising:
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a memory for storing the data; means for measuring successive periods of time; means for defining a plurality of data access time slots in each of the successive periods of time; a telephone instrument coupled to the telephone line; a first switch for selectively isolating the telephone instrument from the telephone line during the data access slots; means for detecting an incoming call during a data access slot and for seizing the line; a second switch for selectively isolating the detection means from the telephone line outside of the data access slots; means for ascertaining whether the incoming call is from the remote computer; means responsive to the ascertaining means for causing the data to be transmitted from the memory to the remote computer when the incoming call is ascertained as being from the remote computer; means for dropping the line and then actuating the first switch to reconnect the telephone instrument to the telephone line for the remainder of the current data access slot, when the ascertaining means ascertains that the incoming call is not from the remote computer; means for actuating the second switch to connect the detecting means to the telephone line for the next available data access slot; and means for controlling the second switch actuating means to inhibit connection of the detection means to the telephone line during the data access slots of a period which follows successful transmission of the data to the remote computer in an access slot of the period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A television monitoring apparatus comprising:
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a system having means for providing data relating to the number of people watching a television set and means for detecting to which channel a television receiver is tuned; an arrangement for storing the data from the system and for transmitting the data to a remote computer by means of a telephone line having a memory for storing the data; means for resettably measuring successive periods of time; means for defining a plurality of data access time slots in each of the successive periods of time; a telephone instrument coupled to the telephone line; a first switch for selectively isolating the telephone instrument from the telephone line during the data access slots; means for detecting an incoming call during one of the data access slots and for seizing the line; a second switch for selectively isolating the detection means from the telephone line outside the data access slots; means for ascertaining whether the incoming call is from the remote computer; means responsive to the ascertaining means for transmitting the data from the memory to the remote computer when the incoming call is from the remote computer; means for dropping the line and then actuating the first switch to reconnect the telephone instrument to the telephone line for the remainder of the current data access slot, when the ascertaining means ascertains that the incoming call is not from the remote computer; means for actuating the second switch to connect the detection means to the telephone line for the next available data access slot; means for controlling the second switch actuating means to inhibit connection of the detection means to the telephone line during the data access slots of a period which follow successful transmission of the data to the remote computer in an access slot of the period; and means for transmitting the data from the system to the arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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Specification