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

• US 8,033,478 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GfK US, LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: GFK Mediamark Research and Intelligence LLC
• Inventors: Fletcher, Richard, Mattlin, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savusdiphol; Paultep
• Application Number:
  US12/772,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20100206949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 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 comprising:

obtaining measurements of time variable electromagnetic characteristics in at least one marker region of conductive material in printed media, wherein a permanent change in the time-variable electromagnetic characteristics correlates to a duration of media exposure;

wherein the at least one marker region is disposed to electromagnetically couple to a sensor element configured to detect changes of the electromagnetic characteristics of the at least one marker region associated with the media exposure; and

determining the duration of media exposure that has occurred in the printed media based on an observed permanent change in said time-variable electromagnetic characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

generating a media exposure indicator when said determination is made.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

transferring the media exposure indicator to a data reader or a data analysis system.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a sensor element for performing said generating, wherein the sensor element is configured as furniture publicly accessible.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a sensor element for performing said generating, wherein the sensor element is a personal device.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a sensor element for performing said generating, wherein the sensor element is configurable to interact with at least two marker regions.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the media exposure indicator further includes exposure information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure information includes data related to the printed media.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the exposure information includes the name of the printed media.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the exposure information includes the publishing date of the printed media.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the exposure information includes the name of the owner of the printed media.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure information includes the date the exposure was recorded.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure information includes a measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics of the at least one marker region.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics is based on exposure of the at least one marker region to light.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the measure of the changed electromagnetic characteristics is based on exposure of the at least one marker region to air.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure information includes an indication of a particular area of interest within the printed media.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure indicator includes an exposure count indicator.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure indicators include a marked portion identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the marked portion identifier is correlated to an advertisement.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the marked portion identifier is correlated to a page within the printed media.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein the exposure indicator includes consumer exposure information.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the media exposure comprises exposure of the conductive material to ambient factors in a reading environment.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein electromagnetic characteristics of the at least one marker region are changed based on exposure to ambient environmental factors.

24. A media data acquisition system comprising:

a printed media module configured with at least one marker region comprising conductive material having time-variable electromagnetic characteristics that change permanently in correlation with an exposure duration associated with media exposure;

a sensor element, electromagnetically coupled to the at least one marker region, and configured to detect changes of the electromagnetic characteristics of the at least one marker region associated with the media exposure; and

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

25. The media data acquisition system of claim 24, further comprising:

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

26. The media data acquisition system of claim 24, wherein the data acquisition is conducted as a real-time data acquisition process.

27. The media data acquisition system of claim 24, wherein the data acquisition is conducted as cumulative exposure data acquisition process.

28. A method to configure printed media for data acquisition, comprising:

incorporating at least one marker region into printed media;

configuring the at least one marker region with electrically conductive material having time-variable electromagnetic characteristics that change permanently in correlation with an exposure duration associated with media exposure;

wherein the at least one marker region is disposed to electromagnetically couple to a sensor element configured to detect changes of the electromagnetic characteristics of the at least one marker region associated with the media exposure; and

determining the duration of media exposure that has occurred in the printed media based on an observed permanent change in said time-variable electromagnetic characteristics.

29. The data acquisition method of claim 28, wherein the electromagnetic characteristics of the conductive material change based on exposure to air.

30. The data acquisition method of claim 28, wherein the electromagnetic characteristics of the conductive material are changed based on exposure to light.

31. The data acquisition method of claim 28, wherein the characteristics of the sensor element are modified after being brought within a certain proximity of the at least one marker region.

32. The data acquisition method of claim 28, wherein the at least one marker region is incorporated into the printed media via a printed media module.