Media data usage measurement and reporting systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user within a user system, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a plurality of media data in the user system, said user system comprising a processing device serving to process and present the media data locally to the user, said media data being received from one of a network source external to the user system, and a source local to the user system;
using each of a plurality of media data usage gathering objects running on the user system to collect data reflecting usage of at least one of (1) a respectively different portion of the plurality of media data received by the user system, and (2) a user agent for the plurality of media data received by the user system, wherein each of the media usage gathering objects are configured to collect the data reflecting usage and to produce media usage data regardless whether the media data was received from the network source or the source local to the user system;
encapsulating the produced media usage data in at least one of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects;
using at least one of a plurality of session objects to merge predetermined ones of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects corresponding to at least one of a respective (a) user session and (b) RCL session; and
producing a report comprising at least one of the plurality of session objects with the use of a report object, wherein one or more session objects are selected and merged into the report object.
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Abstract
An audience measurement system for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user by means of a user system. The user system preprocesses the gathered data into micro-level report objects.
234 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user within a user system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of media data in the user system, said user system comprising a processing device serving to process and present the media data locally to the user, said media data being received from one of a network source external to the user system, and a source local to the user system; using each of a plurality of media data usage gathering objects running on the user system to collect data reflecting usage of at least one of (1) a respectively different portion of the plurality of media data received by the user system, and (2) a user agent for the plurality of media data received by the user system, wherein each of the media usage gathering objects are configured to collect the data reflecting usage and to produce media usage data regardless whether the media data was received from the network source or the source local to the user system; encapsulating the produced media usage data in at least one of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects; using at least one of a plurality of session objects to merge predetermined ones of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects corresponding to at least one of a respective (a) user session and (b) RCL session; and producing a report comprising at least one of the plurality of session objects with the use of a report object, wherein one or more session objects are selected and merged into the report object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A user system for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user, comprising:
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a hardware processing device serving to process and present the media data locally to the user, said media data being received from one of a network source external to the user system and a source local to the user system; a plurality of media data usage gathering objects, each for collecting data reflecting usage of at least one of (1) a respectively different portion of a plurality of media data received by the user, and (2) a user agent for a plurality of media received by the user, wherein each of the media usage gathering objects are configured to collect the data reflecting usage and to produce media usage data regardless whether the media data was received from the network source or the source local to the user systems, and wherein the produced media usage data is encapsulated in at least one of the plurality of media data usage gathering object; at least one of a plurality of session objects to merge predetermined ones of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects corresponding to at least one of (a) a respective user session and (b) a respective RCL session; and a report object to produce a report comprising at least one of the plurality of session objects, wherein the report object merges a selected one or more of the plurality of session objects into itself. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer-implemented method for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of media data in a user system comprising a processing device serving to display the media data locally to the user, wherein the plurality of media data are received from one of a network source external to the user system, and a source local to the user system; using each of a plurality of media data usage gathering objects running on the user system to collect and preprocess usage data reflecting usage of at least one of (1) a respectively different portion of the plurality of media data, and (2) a user agent for the plurality of media data received from the network by the user system, wherein the collecting step comprises the step of selecting the usage data based on predetermined criteria, and wherein the usage data is configured to be collected regardless of whether the media data is received from the network source or a source local to the user system; encapsulating usage data in at least one of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects; a session object merging predetermined ones of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects corresponding to a respective user session and/or RCL session, wherein the session object encapsulate demographic data of the user in the user session and/or RCL session; using a micro-level reporting object running on the user system to gather usage data from the plurality of media data usage gathering objects by merging the session object into itself, the usage data being preprocessed by the user system to associate the usage data with at least one of (a) demographic data of a user or users of the media data, (b) one or more RCL sessions, (c) one or more user sessions, (d) user-specific data, and (e) system data; and using an object transmission process running on the user system for communicating the micro-level reporting object to a reporting system over the network for producing reports concerning usage of media data. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user, comprising:
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a user system, comprising a hardware processing device serving to process and present the media data locally to the user, wherein the media data is received from one of a network source external to the user system and a source local to the user system; a plurality of media data usage gathering objects running on the user system, wherein each media data usage gathering object collects and preprocesses usage data, reflecting at least one of (1) usage of a respectively different portion of a plurality of media data received by the user system, and (2) a user agent for a plurality of media data received by the user system, by selecting the usage data based on predetermined criteria, wherein the media data usage gathering objects are configured to collect and preprocess usage data regardless of whether the media data was received from the network source or the source local to the user system; encapsulating usage data in at least one of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects; at least one of a plurality of session objects merging predetermined ones of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects corresponding to a respective user session and/or RCL session, wherein at least one of the plurality of session objects encapsulate qualitative data; a micro-level reporting object running on the user system to gather usage data from the plurality of media data usage gathering objects by merging a selected one or more of the plurality of session objects into itself, the usage data being preprocessed by the user system to associate the usage data with at least one of (a) data demographic data of one or more users of the media data, (b) one or more RCL sessions, (c) one or more user sessions, (d) user-specific data, and (e) system data; and an object transmission process running on the user system for communicating the microlevel reporting object to a reporting system over a network for producing reports relating to usage of the media data. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification