Method and system for collecting wireless information transparently and non-intrusively

• US 8,014,726 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Petersen, David, Stapleton, Padraig
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US11/809,464
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/445, 455/418, 455/419, 455/423, 455/566, 709/224, 709/223, 370/252, 345/2.1, 379/21
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method of collecting information on a wireless device. A wireless device may comprise a processor, a transceiver, a memory and a data collecting component. The data collecting component is operable to monitor the wireless device and collect information (e.g., wireless network information, wireless device information and wireless device usage information). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the data collecting component is installed within and/or below the operating system. For example, at least a portion of the data collecting component may be embedded within the operating system, the kernel, the firmware and/or on top of the firmware, the kernel or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the collected information may be processed, stored and transmitted. Accordingly, the data collector component operates in a non-intrusive/transparent manner by utilizing less memory space and produces fewer errors without causing a system slowdown while maintaining high level of privacy and security.

Claims

1. A method of collecting information on a wireless device, the method comprising:

monitoring the wireless device such that the monitoring is substantially undetectable by a user of the wireless device;

collecting information on the wireless device such that the collecting is substantially undetectable by the user of the wireless device, wherein at least a first portion of a collecting information component that collects the information on the wireless device executes outside a context of an operating system of the wireless device and is embedded within a layer comprising a firmware layer and a kernel layer of the wireless device, wherein the firmware layer is operable to control at least one hardware component, and wherein the kernel layer is operable to manage resources and communication between software and hardware; and

outputting the collected information.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising processing the collected information.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the collecting information component communicates with the operating system.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising storing the collected information.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the collected information comprises:

indications of when the wireless device operated for commerce activity;

indications of when advertising occurred on the wireless device; and

indications of durations for which the wireless device operated as a mobile television.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein outputting the collected information comprises transmitting the collected information.

7. A method of collecting information on a cellular telephone, the method comprising:

executing a collecting information component in a kernel layer of the cellular telephone by executing the collecting information component outside an operating system context of the cellular telephone, wherein the kernel layer is operable to manage resources and communication between software and hardware;

monitoring usage of the cellular telephone via the collecting information component; and

collecting information about the usage of the cellular telephone via the collecting information component, the information including when the cellular telephone operated for commerce activity, when advertising occurred on the cellular telephone, and a duration for which the cellular telephone operated as a mobile television.

8. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising processing the collected information.

9. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the collecting information component communicates with components installed within multiple layers comprising an operating system layer, a firmware layer and the kernel layer of the cellular telephone.

10. The method as described in claim 7, wherein a first portion of the collecting information component is installed in a firmware layer and a second portion of the collecting information component is installed in the kernel layer of the cellular telephone.

11. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising storing the collected information.

12. The method as described in claim 7, wherein the collected information further comprises at least one of:

types of shortcuts on the cellular telephone;

indications of short messaging service activity;

or indications of signal strength.

13. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising transmitting the collected information.

14. A wireless device comprising:

a processor coupled to a bus for processing information comprising cellular network configuration information, the processor for communicating on a cellular communication network and for processing instructions operable to render applications;

a transceiver coupled to the bus;

a memory coupled to the bus; and

a data collecting component coupled to the bus, wherein the data collecting component is operable to monitor the wireless device, and wherein the data collecting component is further operable to collect information on the wireless device, and wherein the data collecting component executes in a kernel layer of the wireless device to collect information about the usage of the wireless device via the data collecting component, the information including when the wireless device operated for commerce activity, when advertising occurred on the wireless device, and a duration for which the wireless device operated as a mobile television.

15. The wireless device as described in claim 14, wherein the processor is operable to process the collected information.

16. The wireless device as described in claim 14, wherein execution of the data collecting component in the kernel layer of the wireless device comprises executing the data collecting component outside an operating system context of the wireless device, and wherein the kernel layer is operable to manage resources and communication between software and hardware.

17. The wireless device as described in claim 14, wherein the data collecting component communicates with components installed within multiple layers comprising an operating system layer, a firmware layer and the kernel layer of the wireless device.

18. The wireless device as described in claim 14, wherein a first portion of the data collecting component is installed in a firmware layer and a second portion of the data collecting component is installed in the kernel layer of the wireless device.

19. The wireless device as described in claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the collected information is stored in a protected memory component.

20. The wireless device as described in claim 14, wherein the collected information further comprises at least one of:

types of shortcuts on the cellular telephone;

indications of short messaging service activity;

or indications of signal strength.

21. A method for producing a wireless handheld device, comprising:

during a manufacturing stage of the wireless handheld device, installing a firmware component on the wireless handheld device;

installing an operating system on the wireless handheld device, the firmware component including a data collector component that executes outside a context of the operating system;

performing a testing process to ensure the functionality of the wireless handheld device;

installing at least one application on the wireless handheld device for execution in the context of the operating system, wherein the data collector component is configured to collect usage information regarding the at least one application and provide the usage information to a network provider; and

distributing the wireless handheld device for use.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data collector component communicates with at least another component that executes in the context of the operating system.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless handheld device includes communications hardware operable for communicating with a CDMA network, a WCDMA network, a TDMA network, a GSM network, or a FDMA network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data collector component is configured to collect the usage information over a period of time and to upload the usage information via the communications hardware in response to a received command.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the data collector is configured to collect usage information for user applications installed after the wireless handheld device has been distributed for use.