System and method for verifying content displayed on an electronic visual display by measuring an operational parameter of the electronic visual display while displaying the content

• US 7,937,723 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NExT-e Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Automated Media Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Weissmueller, William Robert Jr., Tell, Ernest Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US12/549,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 725/22, 725/9, 725/14, 705/14.4, 705/14.41, 705/14.43, 345/204, 715/962, 348/180, 348/189
• US Class Current: 725/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/48 for recognising items expressed in broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/59 of video recognising characters or patterns in general G06F18/00, G06V20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales

Abstract

One embodiment of a system and method may include communicating visual content via a visual content signal to an electronic visual display for displaying between a start time and an end time. The visual content signal may be displayed between the start and end times, and an operational parameter (e.g., voltage or current) of the electronic visual display may be sensed between the start and end times. An indicator indicative of the sensed operational parameter may be recorded. The recorded indicator provides for verification of the visual content being displayed by the electronic visual display. Signature analysis may be performed on the sensed operational parameter to determine that the visual content signal was properly displayed. In addition, a visual content signal may be uniquely identified based on the signature analysis.

Claims

1. A method for verifying display of visual content, said method comprising:

communicating the visual content via a visual content signal to an electronic visual display for displaying between a start time and an end time;

displaying the visual content signal between the start and end times;

sensing an operational parameter of the electronic visual display between the start and end times;

determining a sensed operational parameter value from the sensed operational parameter;

determining whether the sensed operational parameter value is indicative of the visual content signal being properly displayed; and

if the sensed operational parameter value is indicative of the visual content being properly displayed, recording an indicator indicative of the visual content being properly displayed by the electronic visual display,

otherwise, recording an indicator indicative of the visual content not being properly displayed, the recorded indicator being available for determining whether the visual content was properly displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising recording a second indicator indicative of the occurrence of the communication of the visual content signal to the electronic visual display to verify that the content signal was communicated to the electronic visual display.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the sensed operational parameter is indicative of the visual content being properly displayed includes comparing the sensed operational parameter value with an expected sensed operational parameter value range associated with the visual content.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said determining includes determining whether the visual content is substantially properly displayed based on the recorded indicator.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communicating is performed via an analog transmission path.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communicating is performed via a digital transmission path.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the start and end times represent the times for a single display of the visual content.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the start and end times represent the times between which the visual content is displayed multiple times.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the visual content is displayed multiple times if the visual content is dynamic.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said recording of the indicator is performed for each display of the visual content.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sensing of the operational parameter is performed each time the visual content signal is displayed between the start and end times.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said recording of the indicator is performed each time said sensing occurs.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a measured value indicative of the sensed operational parameter to form the recorded indicator.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising determining if the measured value indicative of the sensed operational parameter is inside an expected measured value range.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising forming a notification identifier indicative of the measured value indicative of the sensed operational parameter being inside or outside the expected range.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a database having the recorded indicator being recorded therein.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining that the visual content was displayed based on the recorded indicator.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the sensed operational parameter value includes determining a plurality of operational parameter values between the start and end times, and wherein comparing the sensed operational parameter value includes comparing the sensed operational parameter values with an expected operational parameter profile associated with the visual content.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein determining the sensed operational parameter values includes determining the sensed operational parameter values discretely over the entire duration between the start and end times.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein determining the sensed operational parameter values includes determining the sensed operational parameter values continuously over the entire duration between the start and end times.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein recording the indicator includes recording a Boolean flag.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein recording the indicator includes recording an indicator uniquely associated with the visual content.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein not being properly display includes not being displayed.

24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a timestamp in association with displaying the visual content;

recording the timestamp; and

associating the recorded timestamp with the recorded indicator.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining that the visual content was displayed with substantially correct colors based on the recorded indicator.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a report showing a first indicia representative of the visual content and a second indicia indicative that the visual content was properly displayed.

27. A system for verifying display of visual content, said system comprising:

means for communicating the visual content via a visual content signal to an electronic visual display for displaying between a start time and an end time;

means for displaying the visual content signal between the start and end times;

means for sensing an operational parameter of the electronic visual display between the start and end times;

means for determining a sensed operational parameter value from the sensed operational parameter;

determining whether the sensed operational parameter value is indicative of the visual content signal being properly displayed; and

means for recording an indicator indicative of the visual content being properly displayed by the electronic visual display if the sensed operational parameter value is indicative of the visual content being properly displayed or recording an indicator indicative of the visual content not being properly displayed if the sensed operational parameter value is not indicative of the visual content being properly displayed.

28. The system according to claim 27, further comprising means for determining whether the sensed operational parameter is indicative of the visual content being properly displayed.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said means for determining includes means for determining whether the visual content is substantially properly displayed based on the recorded indicator.

30. The system according to claim 27, further comprising means for determining if the sensed operational parameter value is inside an expected measured value range.

31. The system according to claim 30, further comprising means for forming a notification identifier indicative of the sensed operational parameter value being inside or outside the expected measured value range.

32. The system according to claim 27, further comprising means for storing the recorded indicator in a database.

33. A system for verifying display of visual content on an electronic visual display, said system comprising:

a processing unit operable to receive a communication of the visual content via a visual content signal and to display the visual content between a start time and an end time;

a video display driver on the electronic visual display operable to display the visual content signal between the start and end times;

a sensor configured to sense an operational parameter of the electronic visual display between the start and end times;

said processor further configured to;

determine a sensed operational parameter value from the sensed operational parameter;

determine whether the sensed operational parameter value is indicative of the visual content signal being properly displayed; and

if the sensed operational parameter value is indicative of the visual content being properly displayed, record an indicator indicative of the visual content being properly displayed by the electronic visual display,

otherwise, record an indicator indicative of the visual content not being properly displayed, the recorded indicator being available for determining whether the visual content was properly displayed.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said sensor is at least one of a voltage and a current sensor.

35. The system according to claim 33, wherein said processing unit is further configured to record a second indicator indicative of the occurrence of the communication of the visual content signal to the electronic visual display, and wherein the second indicator includes information associated with the visual content.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the second indicator includes a timestamp.

37. The system according to claim 33, wherein the recorded indicator is at least one of a voltage and current measured value.

38. The system according to claim 33, further comprising determining if the sensed operational parameter value is within an operating parameter range.

39. The system according to claim 33, wherein said processing unit is further configured to form a results value indicative of the results of said determining.

40. The system according to claim 33, further comprising a database including the first and second indicators.

41. The system according to claim 33, wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine that the visual content was displayed based on the recorded indicator.

42. The system according to claim 33, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

determine a plurality of operational parameter values between the start and end times; and

compare the determined operational parameter values with an expected operational parameter profile associated with the visual content.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine the determined operational parameter values discretely over the entire duration between the start and end times.

44. The system according to claim 42, wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine the determined operational parameter values continuously over the entire duration between the start and end times.

45. The system according to claim 33, wherein the recorded indicator is a Boolean flag.

46. The system according to claim 33, wherein the recorded indicator is uniquely associated with the visual content.

47. The system according to claim 33, wherein not being properly display includes not being displayed.

48. The system according to claim 33, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

generate a timestamp in association with displaying the visual content;

record the timestamp; and

associate the recorded timestamp with the recorded indicator.

49. The system according to claim 33, wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine that the visual content was displayed with substantially correct colors based on the recorded indicator.

50. The system according to claim 33, further comprising a report showing a first indicia representative of the visual content and a second indicia indicative that the visual content was properly displayed.