System and method for maintaining an association between a distribution device and a shared end user characteristic
First Claim
1. A system for determining at least one geographic area served by each of a plurality of receiver units, comprising:
- a central system, including a processor and a memory, for distributing national content to the plurality of receiver units and for instructing the receiver units to generate local content, wherein the central system instructs the receiver units to generate local content that includes a unique ID associated with the receiver unit providing the local content; and
the plurality of receiver units, each receiver unit serving at least one geographic area wherein each receiver unit generates local content that displays the unique ID associated with the receiver unit to a plurality of end viewers served by the receiver unit;
wherein the central system receives from a subset of the end viewers served by the receiver units communications identifying the unique IDs that were communicated by the receiver units and the geographic areas where the unique IDs were displayed and the central system determines at least one geographic area served by each of the receiver units by associating the unique ID for each receiver unit with the geographic areas identified in the communications from the subset of the end viewers having the same unique ID, andwherein the central system maintains a database that associates each of the unique IDs with the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit associated with the unique ID.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An association between a distribution device and one or more characteristics shared by the end users served by the distribution device is created and maintained. The characteristics can include end user location, as well as any other type of characteristic or demographic. An initial association between a distribution device and an end user characteristic is created when the device is installed. In one embodiment, the distribution device is a receiver unit and the end user characteristic is viewer location. After installation, a request is made to the end users to provide end user information. The information provided by the end users is used to update and maintain the association between the distribution devices and the shared end user characteristics.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for determining at least one geographic area served by each of a plurality of receiver units, comprising:
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a central system, including a processor and a memory, for distributing national content to the plurality of receiver units and for instructing the receiver units to generate local content, wherein the central system instructs the receiver units to generate local content that includes a unique ID associated with the receiver unit providing the local content; and the plurality of receiver units, each receiver unit serving at least one geographic area wherein each receiver unit generates local content that displays the unique ID associated with the receiver unit to a plurality of end viewers served by the receiver unit; wherein the central system receives from a subset of the end viewers served by the receiver units communications identifying the unique IDs that were communicated by the receiver units and the geographic areas where the unique IDs were displayed and the central system determines at least one geographic area served by each of the receiver units by associating the unique ID for each receiver unit with the geographic areas identified in the communications from the subset of the end viewers having the same unique ID, and wherein the central system maintains a database that associates each of the unique IDs with the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit associated with the unique ID. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for obtaining information to determine at least one geographic area served by each of a plurality of receiver units, comprising:
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providing a unique ID for each of the receiver units; transmitting a request to at least a subset of a plurality of end viewers served by each receiver unit to communicate information to a central system by; transmitting the unique ID that identifies the receiver unit to the subset of end viewers served by the receiver unit so that the unique ID is displayable on a television to the subset of end viewers served by the receiver unit; at the central system; receiving the information from the subset of the end viewers, wherein the information received from one of the subset of the end viewers includes a particular ID displayed to the end viewer and the geographic area where the particular ID was displayed; based on the received information that includes the particular ID, identifying at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit having the particular ID, and maintaining a database that associates the particular ID with the at least one geographic areas served by the receiver unit having the particular ID. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions, said instructions comprising instructions for:
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instructing a plurality of receiver units to generate local content to a plurality of end viewers, wherein the local content includes a unique ID associated with the receiver unit providing the local content; receiving from a subset of the end viewers served by the receiver units communications identifying the unique IDs that were communicated by the receiver units and the geographic areas where the unique IDs were displayed; determining at least one geographic area served by each of the receiver units by associating the unique ID for each receiver unit with the geographic areas identified in the communications from the subset of the end viewers having the same unique ID; and maintaining a database that associates each of the unique IDs with the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit associated with the unique ID. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification