System and method for estimating characteristics of broadcast radio audiences

• US 5,749,043 A
• Filed: 09/27/1995
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Consyntrix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: David G. Worthy
• Inventors: Worthy, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Christopher C.
• Application Number:
  US08/534,508
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 455/226.1, 455/226.4, 348/1, 348/2, 348/3, 348/4, 348/5, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13
• US Class Current: 455/2.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/44 for identifying broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A system for estimating listening audience characteristics in response to radio broadcast programming includes a central office, a plurality of remote survey sites, and a plurality of remote access sites. The survey sites collect survey data describing radio stations to which vehicle-mounted tuners are tuned. The survey data is downloaded to the central office, where the survey data is associated with a radio program broadcast by a radio station. The survey data and the radio program are presented at the remote access sites in a substantially synchronous format such that audience responses to specific radio programming can be observed.

Claims

1. A method for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a radio program broadcast by a radio station during a time period;

collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during said time period;

associating said radio program with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format;

communicating an audio representation of said radio program to a remote access site; and

displaying a visual representation of said survey data at said remote access site;

wherein

the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said radio program and said survey data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said collecting step occurs at a remote survey site in data communication with a central office;

said method further comprises the step of downloading said survey data from said remote survey site to said central office; and

said downloading step occurs after said collecting step.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said monitoring step is performed for a plurality of radio program broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; and

said associating step associates said plurality of radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said collecting step is performed at a plurality of remote survey sites during said time period.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said collecting step comprises the step of detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period; and

said detected LO signals are associated with said radio stations.

6. A method for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a radio program broadcast by a radio station during a time period;

collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during said time period by detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations, and said collecting step being performed at a remote survey site in data communication with a central office;

associating said radio program with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; and

calibrating, prior to said collecting step, an LO detection threshold for said remote survey site such that said LO signals are selectively detected, said calibrating step being controlled remotely by said central office.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

determining when previously collected survey data is substantially inaccurate; and

adjusting said LO detection threshold when said previously collected survey data is substantially inaccurate;

wherein

said adjusting step is controlled remotely by said central office; and

said determining and adjusting steps occur before said monitoring step.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said calibrating step comprises the steps of:

obtaining a noise level for each of a plurality of LO frequencies;

selecting a maximum noise level from said obtained noise levels; and

establishing said LO detection threshold such that it is greater than said maximum noise level.

9. A method for estimating characteristics representative of a population of vehicles in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a multiplicity of remote survey sites, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with a central office;

passively collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, said collecting step being performed at each of said remote survey sites by detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations;

compiling said survey data at said central office, said compiling step occurring after said collecting step; and

calibrating, for each of said remote survey sites, a site-specific LO detection threshold such that said LO signals are selectively detected, said calibrating step being performed before said collecting step, and said calibrating step being controlled remotely by said central office.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of downloading said survey data from said remote survey sites to said central office, said downloading step occurring after said collecting step.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining when previously collected survey data from at least one of said remote survey sites is substantially inaccurate; and

adjusting said site-specific LO detection threshold for said at least one remote survey site when said previously collected survey data is substantially inaccurate;

wherein

said adjusting step is controlled remotely by said central office; and

said determining and adjusting steps occur before said collecting step.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein, for each of said remote survey sites, said calibrating step comprises the steps of:

obtaining a noise level for each of a plurality of LO frequencies;

selecting a maximum noise level from said obtained noise levels; and

establishing said site-specific LO detection threshold such that it is greater than said maximum noise level.

13. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations; and

associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.

14. A method for estimating characteristics representative of a population of vehicles in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a multiplicity of remote survey sites, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with a central office;

passively collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, said collecting step being performed at each of said remote survey sites;

compiling said survey data at said central office, said compiling step occurring after said collecting step;

monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations;

associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format;

communicating an audio representation of said at least one radio program to a remote access site; and

displaying a visual representation of said survey data at said remote access site;

wherein

the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said at least one radio program and said survey data.

15. An audience survey system for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said system comprising:

a central office;

a plurality of remote survey sites for collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with said central office;

means for monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period;

means for associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; and

at least one remote access site having a data presentation device in data communication with said central office, said data presentation device being configured to communicate an audio representation of said at least one radio program and to display a visual representation of said survey data, wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said at least one radio program and said survey data.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein:

each of said remote survey sites comprises a receiver configured to detect local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners; and

said detected LO signals are associated with said radio stations.

17. An audience survey system for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said system comprising:

a central office;

a plurality of remote survey sites for collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with said central office, and each of said remote survey sites including a receiver configured to detect local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations, and said receiver being calibrated with a site-specific LO detection threshold such that said LO signals are selectively detected and such that calibration of said site-specific LO detection threshold is controlled remotely by said central office;

means for monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; and

means for associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.

18. A system according to claim 17, further comprising:

means, located at said central office, for remotely adjusting said site-specific LO detection threshold associated with each of said remote survey sites.