Method and device for obtaining audience data on TV program

• US 7,039,928 B2
• Filed: 12/12/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Access Company Limited, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Kamada, Tomihisa, Kuwana, Eiji, Motohashi, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, HAI V
• Application Number:
  US09/319,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,063 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/109, 725/110, 725 34- 35, 725/51, 725/46, 725/116, 725/2, 725/14, 725/20, 709/236, 709219-220
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The TV program table data in the area where a viewer resides are received through the Internet or a broadcasting medium by using the TV set with an internet connection function at the viewer. While the viewer is watching a TV program, the audience data including viewed channel information and viewed time information are automatically obtained. The obtained audience data are compared with the TV program table data to identify the watched program. The program ID of the identified program and the viewed time information are transferred to a data collecting center through the Internet together with the viewer ID data. By utilizing the Internet for the distribution of the TV program table data to the viewers and for the collection of the audience data, the nationwide TV audience data can be easily collected and used to make statistics. Since viewed channel and viewed time information are correlated with programs on the viewer'"'"'s side, the load of processing the data on the center side can be relieved.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs, in an audience data obtaining device which uses a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area;

detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer;

detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended;

identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current time with the channel and time information of said TV program table data;

obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on said TV program table data and results of the detecting of times, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and

transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained audience data along with ID data of the viewer.

2. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining TV program table data includes automatically and regularly obtaining said TV program table data by use of the Internet or a broadcasting medium, and said step of transferring includes automatically and regularly performing the transmission to the collection center.

3. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining TV program table data includes automatically obtaining said TV program table data, and said step of transferring includes automatically performing the transmission to the collection center, both by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

4. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining audience data includes ignoring a continuously viewed time of a program when the viewed time is shorter than a predetermined time.

5. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 1, wherein said step of transferring includes transmitting said data to be transferred as an HTML text document or an electronic mail.

12. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 2, wherein said first step includes automatically obtaining said TV program table data, and said forth step includes automatically performing the transmission to the collection center, both by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

14. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 1, wherein said TV program table is a matrix data table which defines program ID'"'"'s of programs specified by channels in one axis of the matrix and time zones in another axis.

6. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs, comprising:

a program table data obtaining means far obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area;

a first detector for detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer;

a second detector for detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended;

a program identification means for identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current time with the channel and time information of said TV program table data;

an audience data obtaining means for obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on results of the detecting of times and said TV program table data, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and

a transfer means for transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained program ID and the viewed time information along with ID data of the viewer.

7. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 6, wherein said program table data obtaining means automatically and regularly acquires said TV program table data by making use of the Internet or a broadcasting medium.

8. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 6, wherein said program table data obtaining means acquires said TV program table data by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

9. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 6, wherein said program identification means ignores a continuously viewed time of a program when the viewed time is aborter than a predetermined time.

10. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 6, wherein said transfer means transmits said data to be transferred, as an HTML text document or an electronic mail.

13. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 7, wherein said program table data obtaining means acquires said TV program table data by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

15. A device according to claim 6, wherein said TV program table is a matrix data table which defines program ID'"'"'s of programs specified by channels in one axis of the matrix and time zones in another axis.

11. A recording medium storing a computer, readable program for carrying out the steps of:

obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area;

detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer;

detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended;

identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current tune with the channel and time information of said TV program table data;

obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on said TV program table data and results of the detecting of times, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and

transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained audience data along with ID data of the viewer.

16. A recording medium according to claim 11, wherein said TV program table is a matrix data table which defines program ID'"'"'s of programs specified by channels in one axis of the matrix and time zones in another axis.

17. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs, in an audience data obtaining device which uses a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area;

detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer;

detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended;

identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current time with the channel and time information of said TV program table data;

obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on said TV program table data and results of the detecting of times, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and

transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained audience data along with ID data of the viewer by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

18. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 17, wherein said step of transferring is performed during an operation of a WWW browsing software.

19. A method far obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 18, wherein unsent audience data is transmitted upon request for terminating the operation of the WWW browsing software.

20. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 17, further comprising a step of connecting to the Internet before the step of transferring.

21. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs according to claim 17, wherein said step of obtaining TV program table data is achieved by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

22. A device for obtaining audience data on TV programs, comprising:

a program table data obtaining means for obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area;

a first detector for detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer;

a second detector for detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended;

a program identification means for identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current time with the channel and time information of said TV program table data;

an audience data obtaining means for obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on results of the detecting of times and said TV program table data, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and

a transfer means for transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained program ID and the viewed time information along with ID data of the viewer by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

23. A device for obtaining audience data of TV programs according to claim 22, wherein said step of transferring is performed during an operation of a WWW browsing software.

24. A recording medium storing a computer readable program for carrying out the steps of:

obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area;

detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer;

detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended;

identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current time with the channel and time information of said TV program table data;

obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on said TV program table data and results of the detecting of times, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and

transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained audience data along with ID data of the viewer by making use of opportunities of the viewer'"'"'s accessing the Internet.

25. A recording medium according to claim 24, wherein said step of transferring is performed during an operation of a WWW browsing software.