Gathering data concerning publication usage

• US 7,650,793 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arbitron Inc. (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Crystal, Jack C., Neuhauser, Alan R., Zhang, Jack K., Pugh, Daniel W., Visnius, Douglas J., Jensen, James M., Flanagan, Eugene L. III
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MASOUD H
• Application Number:
  US11/083,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20050272015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 73760-800
• US Class Current: 73/800
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/00 Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2221/00 Books or filing appliances with additional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33

Abstract

Methods and systems for measuring and gathering data relating to publication usage by participants in publication readership studies. Some methods and systems employ portable monitors carried by participants of the studies along with publications fitted with various devices, such as piezoelectric transducers, RFID tags and others devices and circuits.

Claims

1. A method of gathering data concerning usage of a publication by a person, comprising:

producing first data representing a first condition comprising at least one of disposition of a publication, stress applied to a publication, exposure of a publication to light, proximity of a person to a publication, proximity of a portable monitor to a publication, disposition of a person, and disposition of a portable monitor;

producing second data representing a second condition comprising at least one of disposition of a publication, stress applied to a publication, exposure of a publication to light, proximity of a person to a publication, proximity of a portable monitor to a publication, disposition of a person, and disposition of a portable monitor, the second condition differing from the first condition; and

producing usage data based on the first data and the second data, wherein the usage data is dependent upon a time base in which the first data is produced, relative to the second data produced.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising sensing the first condition by a first element disposed in or on the publication;

and sensing the second condition by a second element disposed in or on the publication.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising sensing one of the first and second conditions by a piezoelectric element disposed in or on the publication.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising sensing one of the first and second conditions by a motion sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising sensing one of the first and second conditions by sensing at least one of acceleration, speed, velocity and movement of the publication.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising sensing one of the first and second conditions by sensing exposure of the publication to light.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising sensing one of the first and second conditions by a photosensor.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating the usage data to a portable monitor carried by a person.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the motion sensor is operative to sense at least one of acceleration, speed, velocity and movement.

14. The system of claim 13, comprising a light sensor disposed in or on the publication and operative to sense exposure of the publication to light.

9. A system for gathering data concerning usage of a publication by a person, comprising:

a processor disposed in or on a publication operative to produce first data representing a first condition comprising at least one of disposition of the publication, stress applied to the publication, exposure of the publication to light, proximity of a person to the publication, proximity of a portable monitor to the publication, disposition of a person, and disposition of a portable monitor;

the processor operative to produce second data representing a second condition comprising at least one of disposition of a publication, stress applied to a publication, exposure of a publication to light, proximity of a person to a publication, proximity of a portable monitor to a publication, disposition of a person, and disposition of a portable monitor, wherein the second condition is different from the first condition,

wherein the processor is further operative to produce usage data based on the first data and the second data, wherein the usage data is dependent upon a time base in which the first data is produced, relative to the second data produced.

10. The system of claim 9, comprising a first element disposed in or on the publication and operative to sense the first condition;

and a second element disposed in or on the publication and operative to sense the second condition.

11. The system of claim 9, comprising a piezoelectric element disposed in or on the publication and operative to sense one of the first and second conditions.

12. The system of claim 9, comprising a motion sensor disposed in or on the publication and operative to sense one of the first and second conditions.

15. The system of claim 9, comprising a photosensor disposed in or on the publication and operative to sense one of the first and second conditions.

16. The system of claim 9, comprising a communication device disposed in or on the publication and operative to communicate the usage data to a portable monitor carried by a person.

17. The system of claim 9, comprising a substrate affixed to the publication, the processor being disposed in or on the substrate.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the substrate has an edge embedded in a binding of the publication, the system comprising a piezoelectric transducer in or on the substrate adjacent the edge thereof, and a light sensor in or on the substrate, the processor being coupled with the piezoelectric transducer to receive transducer output data therefrom and with the light sensor to receive sensor output data therefrom, the processor being operative to produce the first data and the second data based on the transducer output data and the sensor output data.

19. A system for gathering data concerning usage of a publication by a person, comprising:

a substrate having an edge to be embedded in a binding of a publication;

a piezoelectric sensor in or on the substrate adjacent the edge thereof;

a light sensor in or on the substrate and displaced from the edge thereof;

a processor coupled with the piezoelectric sensor to receive first data therefrom and with the light sensor to receive second data therefrom, the processor being operative to produce usage data representing usage of a publication based on the first data and the second data, wherein the usage data is dependent upon a time base in which the first data is produced, relative to the second data produced; and

a communication device coupled with the processor to communicate the usage data from the system.