Apparatus and methods for tracking and analyzing digital recording device event sequences
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:
- a processor to be in communication with a data bus that is between a second processor and a mass storage device of the digital recording device at a household; and
a first memory coupled to the processor, wherein, while the digital recording device is recording media having been received over a broadcast medium, the processor executes instructions stored on the first memory to;
read information as it is transmitted on the data bus from the second processor to the mass storage device;
store, at a memory location separate from the mass storage device and the second processor, time information in association with an address at which the media is to be stored on the mass storage device, the address derived from the information read from the data bus, wherein storing the time information in association with the address comprises selectively storing the time information and the address in response to determining that the information transmitted on the data bus exceeds a data size threshold indicating that the recording of the media is to be tracked, and further comprising selectively ignoring second information transmitted on the data bus when the second information does not exceed the data size threshold;
read third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the media is to be retrieved from the mass storage device;
read fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the media;
map the storage location information to the address; and
associate a playback time of the media with the time information stored together with the address.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device are disclosed. Example methods and apparatus read first information transmitted on a data bus in communication with a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device and identify a set of digital information to be stored on the mass storage device based at least in part on the first information. The example methods and apparatus read second information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the set of digital information. Additionally, the example methods and apparatus store time information together with the storage location information to generate a sequence of events record corresponding to the sequence of events associated with the digital recording device.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:
-
a processor to be in communication with a data bus that is between a second processor and a mass storage device of the digital recording device at a household; and a first memory coupled to the processor, wherein, while the digital recording device is recording media having been received over a broadcast medium, the processor executes instructions stored on the first memory to; read information as it is transmitted on the data bus from the second processor to the mass storage device; store, at a memory location separate from the mass storage device and the second processor, time information in association with an address at which the media is to be stored on the mass storage device, the address derived from the information read from the data bus, wherein storing the time information in association with the address comprises selectively storing the time information and the address in response to determining that the information transmitted on the data bus exceeds a data size threshold indicating that the recording of the media is to be tracked, and further comprising selectively ignoring second information transmitted on the data bus when the second information does not exceed the data size threshold; read third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the media is to be retrieved from the mass storage device; read fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the media; map the storage location information to the address; and associate a playback time of the media with the time information stored together with the address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of tracking a sequence of events associated with a digital recording device, comprising:
-
reading information as it is transmitted on a data bus that is connected between a processor and a mass storage device associated with the digital recording device, the digital recording device located at a household, and the reading of the information occurring while the digital recording device is recording media having been received over a broadcast medium; storing, at a memory location separate from the mass storage device and the processor, time information in association with an address at which the media is to be stored on the mass storage device, the address derived from the information read from the data bus, wherein storing the time information in association with the address comprises selectively storing the time information and the address in response to determining that the information transmitted on the data bus exceeds a data size threshold indicating that the recording of the media is to be tracked, and further comprising selectively ignoring second information transmitted on the data bus when the second information does not exceed the data size threshold; reading third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the media is to be retrieved from the mass storage device; reading fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the media; mapping the storage location information to the address; and associating a playback time of the media with the time information stored together with the address. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A tangible machine readable medium, the medium excluding propagating signals, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a machine to at least:
-
read information as it is transmitted on a data bus that is connected between a second processor and a mass storage device associated with a digital recording device located at a household, the reading of the information occurring while the digital recording device is recording media having been received over a broadcast medium; store, at a memory location separate from the mass storage device and the second processor, time information in association with an address at which the media is to be stored on the mass storage device, the address derived from the information read from the data bus, wherein storing the time information in association with the address comprises selectively storing the time information and the address in response to determining that the information transmitted on the data bus exceeds a data size threshold indicating that the recording of the media is to be tracked, and further comprising selectively ignoring second information transmitted on the data bus when the second information does not exceed the data size threshold; read third information transmitted on the data bus to determine that the media is to be retrieved from the mass storage device; read fourth information transmitted on the data bus to derive storage location information associated with the media; map the storage location information to the address; and associate a playback time of the media with the time information stored together with the address. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
-
Current AssigneeThe Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
-
Original AssigneeThe Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
-
InventorsConklin, Charles Clinton
-
Primary Examiner(s)Vaughn, Jr., William C
-
Assistant Examiner(s)KHAN, ASHER R
-
Application NumberUS11/138,576Publication NumberTime in Patent Office2,581 DaysField of Search386/46US Class Current386/200CPC Class CodesH04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring...H04N 5/76 Television signal recordingH04N 5/781 on disks or drumsH04N 5/85 on discs or drumsH04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. s...
