System and method for RFID-based printed media reading activity data acquisition and analysis

• US 7,740,179 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GfK US, LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: Mediamark Research, Inc. (GfK Nürnberg eV)
• Inventors: Fletcher, Richard, Mattlin, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US11/419,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20070138251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/451, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations

Abstract

The subject invention provides a means of automatically detecting and recording a person'"'"'s use of magazines, i.e. printed media exposure, for the purpose of market research. The present invention comprises one or more electrically conductive marker regions applied to certain specific locations on one or more magazine pages. In one general embodiment, the presence and relative separation of the marker regions are detected by a capacitive sensors and electronic device that stores, processes and communicates the data wirelessly to an external device. In another embodiment, a passive chip less tag is used to indirectly measure the change in conductivity of the conductive regions caused by prolonged exposure to air or light. Exemplary methods are described for acquiring readership and exposure data using the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for media exposure data acquisition comprising:

determining when an exposure event occurs or has occurred in printed media that includes one or more marker regions and a sensor element, wherein the one or more marker regions comprise patches of conductive material configured as loops and wherein the conductive material has time-variable conductive properties that change permanently in correlation with an exposure duration associated with the media exposure event; and

generating a media exposure event indicator in the sensor element when said determination is made indicating that at least one marker region has been displaced with relation to the sensor element of the printed media.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transferring the media exposure event indicator to a data reader or a data analysis system from the sensor element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data reader is configured as furniture publicly accessible.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the data reader is a personal device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor element is detached from the printed media and mailed to the location of the data analysis system.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the media exposure event indicator is generated by a RFID sensor card.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor element is configured as a RFID sensor card and implements a real-time RFID data acquisition process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the RFID sensor card conducts the determination marker region displacement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the RFID sensor card further comprises:

a power source;

electromagnetic sensing circuitry; and

an internal clock.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic sensing circuitry is inductive sensing circuitry including one or more sensor coils.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transferring the media exposure event indicator to the data extraction/distribution element only after the charge/transmission indicator has been generated.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID sensor card is attached to the printed media along a perforated joint.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the RFID sensor card is attached to the printed media adjacent to a back cover of the printed media.

14. The method of claim 7, includes a rechargeable battery, which is configured to be rechargeable when brought within a certain charging proximity of the data reader.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rechargeable battery enables sensor elements to transfer media exposure event information when the RFID sensor card is situated within a certain data transfer proximity of the data reader.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the media exposure event information is derived from the media exposure event indicator.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event information includes data related to the printed media incorporating the sensor element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the media exposure event information includes the name of the printed media.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the media exposure event information includes the publishing date of the printed media.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the media exposure event information includes the name of the owner of the printed media.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event information includes the date the media exposure was recorded.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event information includes the date the media exposure event indicator was transferred.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event information includes the time the media exposure event indicator was transferred.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event information includes a measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics of the marker region.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics is based on exposure of the marker region to light.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics of the marker region indicates an exposure duration.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the exposure duration is a measure of the time from when the media element was separated from a local exposure data extraction module and when it was replaced.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the exposure duration is a measure of the time from when the marker region was displaced from the sensor element and when it was returned to substantially its initial position.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics is based on exposure of the marker region to air.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event information includes an indication of a particular area of interest within the printed media.

31. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event indicator characteristics include an exposure count indicator.

32. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event indicator characteristics include a marked portion identifier.

33. The method of claim 16, wherein the marked portion identifier is correlated to an advertisement.

34. The method of claim 16, wherein the marked portion identifier is correlated to a page within the printed media.

35. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event indicator characteristics include a consumer exposure identifier.

36. The method of claim 16, wherein the media exposure event indicator characteristics include consumer exposure information.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the printed media includes two or more marker regions and said determination is made indicating that at least one marker region has been displaced with relation to the sensor element and at least one other marker region of the printed media.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said determination is based on electromagnetic coupling between each marker region and the sensor element.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein a shift in position of the at least one marker region changes the electromagnetic coupling of the at least one other marker region based on displacement with regard to the at least one other marker region.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein a shift in position of the at least one marker region changes the electromagnetic coupling of the at least one marker region based on displacement with regard to the at least one other marker region.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the at least one marker region and the at least one other marker region are situated on a page in the printed media directly before and directly after a designated page of interest, respectively.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the at least one marker region and the at least one other marker region are situated in substantially the same position on each respective page.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the sensor element detects a change in inductive characteristics caused by a displacement of the at least one marker region.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein the at least one marker region is spatially offset in relation to the at least one other marker region in a plane parallel to a page of the printed media in an initial sensing position.

45. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

correlating a media exposure event with a section of the printed media interjacent between the at least one marker region and the at least one other marker region.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor element is configurable to interact with at least two marker regions.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-variable conductive properties comprise electrical conductivity characteristics of the conductive material which permanently change after a media exposure event.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the media exposure event comprises exposure of the conductive material to ambient factors in a reading environment.

49. A media data acquisition apparatus comprising:

a printed media module configured with a marker region and a sensor element, wherein the marker region and the sensor element are electromagnetically coupled;

the marker region is configured with an exposure-variable material, wherein the exposure-variable material has time-variable conductive properties that change permanently in correlation with an exposure duration associated with a media exposure event; and

the sensor element is configured to detect when the marker region is displaced from an initial marker region position.

50. The media data acquisition apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:

a data reader configured to the acquire exposure information from the sensor element.

51. The media data acquisition apparatus of claim 50, further comprising:

a data analysis system that is configured to process and analyze acquired exposure information.

52. The media data acquisition apparatus of claim 51, wherein the printed media module further comprises:

the sensor element configured with sensory circuitry, an internal timing mechanism and memory;

the marker region configured with electrically conductive ink, wherein the conductive ink'"'"'s electromagnetic characteristics can be changed based on exposure to air or light; and

a power supply.

53. The sensor element of claim 52, wherein the sensory circuitry includes inductive elements.

54. The sensor element of claim 52, wherein the sensory circuitry includes electrically conductive elements.

55. The media data acquisition apparatus of claim 50, wherein the data acquisition is conducted as a real-time data acquisition process.

56. The media data acquisition apparatus of claim 50, wherein the data acquisition is conducted as cumulative exposure data acquisition process.

57. The media data acquisition apparatus of claim 56, wherein the printed media module further comprises:

the sensor element configured with sensory circuitry and without a power supply;

the marker region configured with electrically conductive ink, wherein the electrically conductive ink'"'"'s electromagnetic characteristics can be changed based on exposure to air or light.

58. The sensor element of claim 57, wherein the sensory circuitry includes inductive elements.

59. A printed media module comprising:

a marker region and a sensor element, wherein the marker region comprises a patch of electrically conductive material configured as a loop and are electromagnetically coupled and wherein the conductive material has time-variable conductive properties that change permanently in correlation to an exposure duration associated with a media exposure event that is detected by the sensor element.

60. The printed media module of claim 59, wherein the properties of the electrically conductive material are modified by exposure.

61. The printed media module of claim 60, wherein the properties of the electrically conductive material are changed based on exposure to air.

62. The printed media module of claim 61, wherein the modification to the sensor element occurs, after the marker region has been exposed.

63. The printed media module of claim 60, wherein the properties of the electrically conductive material are changed based on exposure to light.

64. The printed media module of claim 63, wherein the sensor element is modified to reflect multiple exposure instances.

65. The printed media module of claim 60, wherein the sensor element further comprises inductive sensing circuitry.

66. The printed media module of claim 60, wherein the characteristics of the sensor element are modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

67. The printed media module of claim 60, wherein the sensor element comprises a resonant circuit with a resonant frequency that is modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

68. A cumulative exposure data acquisition system with the printed media module of claim 67 further comprising:

a data reader element; and

a data analysis system.

69. The cumulative exposure data acquisition system of claim 68, wherein the data reader is configured to record at least one modification of the sensor element.

70. The cumulative exposure data acquisition system of claim 68, wherein the data reader transmits the recorded data to the data analysis system.

71. The data analysis system from claim 70, wherein the recorded data is processed to determine at least one printed media exposure characteristic.

72. The data analysis system from claim 71, wherein consumer tag information is included with the recorded data for processing.

73. A data acquisition method comprising:

incorporating a marker region and a sensor element into a printed media module;

configuring the marker region as a patch of electrically conductive material configured as a loop, wherein the marker region and sensor element are electromagnetically coupled, and wherein the conductive material has time-variable conductive properties that change permanently in correlation with an exposure duration associated with a media exposure event that is detected by the sensor element.

74. The data acquisition method of claim 73, wherein the conductive properties of the electrically conductive material change permanently after an exposure event.

75. The data acquisition method of claim 73, wherein the properties of the electrically conductive material are changed based on exposure to air.

76. The data acquisition method of claim 73, wherein the properties of the electrically conductive material are changed based on exposure to ambient light.

77. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the sensor element further comprises inductive sensing circuitry.

78. The data acquisition method of claim 74, wherein the characteristics of the sensor element are modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

79. The data acquisition method of claim 78, wherein the sensor element comprises a resonant circuit with a resonant frequency that is modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the marker region.

80. The data acquisition method of claim 79, wherein the modification to the sensor element occurs, after the marker region has been exposed.

81. The data acquisition method of claim 80, wherein the sensor element is modified to reflect multiple exposure instances.

82. The data acquisition method of claim 81, wherein at least one exposure characteristic is recorded when the sensor element is brought within a communication proximity with a data reader element.

83. The data acquisition method of claim 82, wherein the data reader is configured to transfer recorded data to a data analysis system.

84. The data acquisition method of claim 83, wherein the data reader is incorporated into a publicly accessible element.

85. The data acquisition method of claim 83, wherein the data reader is incorporated into a personal data recording device.

86. The data acquisition method of claim 83, wherein the data reader is configured to record exposure data from a plurality of sensor elements.