Audience detection
First Claim
1. Apparatus for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising:
- stationary means including transmitter means for periodically emitting a query signal and positioned at a reception location with reproduction equipment to perform the program;
a plurality of portable means carried by members of the audience, including first detecting means to detect said query signal and, responsive thereto, emit respective audience-member identification signals, andsaid stationary means including second detecting means to detect said identification signals;
wherein the broadcast program is transmitted by the programming signal source in combination with a surveying code, and the stationary means further comprises third detecting means for detecting said surveying code and associating said surveying code with said identification signals.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An audience surveying technique for identifying individual members of an audience listening to and/or watching a program performed from a programming signal source. A stationary apparatus is operatively arranged at a reception location with a plurality of portable devices designed to be worn by the audience members. The stationary apparatus detects and stores a surveying code transmitted with the program, and it also periodically emits a trigger signal which causes the portable devices to respond by emitting a unique identification signal pre-stored in each one. The stationary apparatus also detects and stores the identification signals. By associating the detected surveying code with the detected identification signals it is possible to quickly, accurately and reliably identify the individual audience members tuned to a particular program.
155 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising:
-
stationary means including transmitter means for periodically emitting a query signal and positioned at a reception location with reproduction equipment to perform the program; a plurality of portable means carried by members of the audience, including first detecting means to detect said query signal and, responsive thereto, emit respective audience-member identification signals, and said stationary means including second detecting means to detect said identification signals; wherein the broadcast program is transmitted by the programming signal source in combination with a surveying code, and the stationary means further comprises third detecting means for detecting said surveying code and associating said surveying code with said identification signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising:
-
storing personal identification data in a plurality of portable devices to be carried by members of the audience; periodically emitting a trigger signal at a reception location; transmitting said identification data from the portable devices of audience members in attendance at the reception location in response to said trigger signal; and detecting said transmitted identification data; wherein the broadcast program is transmitted by the programming signal source in combination with a surveying code, and the method further comprises detecting said surveying code and associating said surveying code with said identification signals. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. Apparatus for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising;
-
a plurality of portable means carried by members of the audience, including means to periodically emit respective audience-member identification signals, and stationary means positioned at a reception location with reproduction equipment to perform the program, said stationary means including means to detect said identification signals; wherein the broadcast program is transmitted by the programming signal source in combination with a surveying code, and the stationary means further comprises third detecting means for detecting said surveying code and associating said surveying code with said identification signals. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising:
-
storing personal identification signals in a plurality of portable devices to be carried by members of the audience; periodically transmitting said identification signals from the portable devices; and detecting the identification signals from those of said portable devices that are carried by audience members in attendance at a reception location; wherein the broadcast program is transmitted by the programming signal source in combination with a surveying code, and the method further comprises detecting said surveying code and associating said surveying code with said identification signals. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification