Technique for surveying a radio or a television audience

• US 5,826,164 A
• Filed: 10/26/1995
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Winmore, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lee S. Weinblatt
• Inventors: Weinblatt, Lee S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/548,591
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 455/6.3, 455/67.2, 348/1, 348/2, 348/3, 348/4, 368/47
• US Class Current: 455/2.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72

Abstract

A surveying technique transmits a combined signal made up of a programming signal and a surveying signal, both of which are in the audible range. The surveying signal is uniquely coded to identify a signal source such as a radio station or television channel. At the receiver, the surveying signal is separated from the programming signal and then modified so as to be reproduced outside the audible range for detection by a portable unit worn by a person being monitored for his listening and/or viewing habits. The detection of the inaudible survey signal by the portable unit identifies the signal source to which the person was tuned.

Claims

1. An apparatus for surveying an audience to determine whether a tuning device is tuned to a given signal source which is transmitting a survey signal at preset intervals and is characteristic of said signal source, comprising:

means to detect a first occurrence of the survey signal received by said tuning device and to store a first time signal in response to said first occurrence;

means to inhibit storing a time signal in response to receptions of said survey signal following said first time signal;

means to generate a stop signal upon stoppage of said survey signal being received; and

means to store a second time signal in response to said stop signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first time signal is a start time and said second time signal is an end time indicative of an interval of time during which the receiver unit was tuned to the signal source.