Method for polling headphones of a passive TV audience meter system

• US 4,652,915 A
• Filed: 11/12/1985
• Issued: 03/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Control Data Corporation (Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Control Data Corporation (Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heller, Edward P. III
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US06/797,341
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 AS, 358/84, 455/2, 381/25, 381/74, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 725/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users

Abstract

A method for polling headphones of a passive tv audience meter system. Tv audience members wear headphones by which they may receive the audio portion of the tv programs. The headphones are enabled to receive the audio for a short time by periodic polls transmitted by a tv audience meter. The headphones in turn acknowledge to the polls to indicate to the meter which members of the audience are watching tv. The method uses short and long period polls in conjunction with a timer whose period is shorter than the long period poll. The long period poll permits activation of headphone but also prevents adequate audio reception until the headphone acknowledges the poll. The short period poll is entered in response to the receipt of an acknowledgement and permits uninterrupted audio.

Claims

1. A method of polling headphones having means for receiving a headphone unique identification ("ID") poll, means responsive to the receipt of a headphone unique ID poll for enabling a timer and headphone audio and for transmitting an acknowledge signal, and means responsive to the timer for disabling the headphone audio when it times out comprising:

polling the headphones of an audience metering system with a headphone unique ID signal having a long time period between polls;

the headphone polled by the headphone unique ID code responding to the receipt of the poll by

enabling audio,

transmitting an acknowledge signal, and

terminating audio after a predetermined period of time shorter than said long time period unless another poll having the unique ID code of this headphone is received;

and in response to the receipt of an acknowledge signal from the headphone polled, continuing polling this particular headphone with a short time period between polls, the short time period being less than the predetermined time of the headphone to disable audio.

2. The method of claim 1 further including logging listening start time in response to receipt of the first acknowledge from a headphone and logging listening stop time after a predetermined number (E/V) of failures to acknowledge polls.

3. The method of claim 2 further including maintaining the polling of a headphone in the short sequence until a predetermined number (S/P) of failures to acknowledge have occurred, where S/P is greater than E/V.

4. A method of polling headphones having means for receiving a headphone unique identification ("ID") poll, means responsive to the receipt of an headphone unique ID poll for enabling a timer and headphone audio and for transmitting an acknowledge signal, said means for transmitting an acknowledge signal further responsive to on-head sensor means for determining when the headphones are on a wearer'"'"'s head, and means responsive to the timer for disabling the headphone audio when it times out including permitting a predetermined number of failures of a headphone to respond to a poll addressed to it after having been responding to them for a period of time before concluding that the non-responsive headphone is no longer on a wearer'"'"'s head.

5. A method of polling headphones having means for receiving a headphone unique identification ("ID") poll, means responsive to the receipt of an headphone unique ID poll for enabling a timer and headphone audio and for transmitting an acknowledge signal, said means for transmitting an acknowledge signal further responsive to on-head sensor means for determining when the headphones are on a wearer'"'"'s head, and means responsive to the timer for disabling the headphone audio when it times out including continuing to poll a headphone for only a predetermined time after it has been concluded that that headphone is are no longer on a wearer'"'"'s head.

6. A method of polling headphones having means for receiving a headphone unique identification ("ID") poll, means responsive to the receipt of an headphone unique ID poll for enabling a timer and headphone audio and for transmitting an acknowledge signal, said means for transmitting an acknowledge signal further responsive to on-head sensor means for determining when the headphones are on a wearer'"'"'s head, and means responsive to the timer for disabling the headphone audio when it times out including maintaining polling to a particular headphone for a predetermined time using a short polling period after it has been concluded that the particular headphone is no longer on a wearer'"'"'s head.