Methods and systems for mapping locations of wireless transmitters for use in gathering market research data

• US 8,229,469 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arbitron Inc. (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Jack K., Jensen, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US10/800,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20050201826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,053 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/507, 455/517, 455/67.11, 455/566, 455/90.3, 455/573, 455/556.2, 455/9, 340/995.12, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 340/825
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for mapping locations of wireless transmitters for use in gathering market research data. A layout map includes location data representing a plurality of locations within a market research area. Transmitter data representing respective ones of the wireless transmitters is provided and the transmitter data is associated with the location data.

Claims

1. A method for mapping locations of wireless transmitters having associated transmitter representative data and positioned for processing exposure of one or more market research participants for a market research area, comprising:

storing data in a portable device representing locations within the market research area;

inputting transmitter location data in the portable device representing selected locations of the wireless transmitters relative to the market research area; and

associating transmitter representative data with respective transmitter location data in the portable device to produce data that maps the locations of the wireless transmitters with the associated transmitter representative data, wherein said transmitter representative data comprises information regarding at least a part of the exposure of the one or more market research participants to one or more commercial items in the market research area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the research area comprises an interior of a commercial establishment.

3. A system for mapping locations of wireless transmitters having transmitter representative data and positioned for processing exposure of one or more market research participants for a market research area, comprising:

a portable device storing location data representing locations within the market research area; and

a processor within the portable device operative to associate the location data with data representing respective wireless transmitters positioned at the locations to produce data for mapping the locations of the wireless transmitters with the data representing the respective wireless transmitters, wherein the data representing the respective wireless transmitters comprises information regarding at least a part of the exposure of one or more market research participants to one or more commercial items in the market research area.

4. The system of claim 3, comprising an interactive display coupled with the processor, the processor being operative to control the interactive display to display a layout map representing the research area, the system further comprising a user interface coupled with the processor to input transmitter data representing a wireless transmitter, the processor being operative to control the interactive display to display transmitter-representative data representing the wireless display on the layout map, the interactive display being operative to receive data representing repositioning of the transmitter-representative data on the layout map by a user and providing the location data, the interactive display being operative to supply the location data to the processor.

5. A method for mapping locations of wireless transmitters having associated transmitter representative data and positioned for processing exposure of one or more market research participants for a market research area, comprising:

providing a layout map to a portable device including location data representing a plurality of locations within the market research area;

providing transmitter data to the portable device representing respective ones of the wireless transmitters, wherein the transmitter data comprises information regarding at least a part of the exposure of the one or more market research participants to one or more commercial items in the market research area; and

associating the transmitter data with the location data in the portable device to produce data mapping the locations of the wireless transmitters with the transmitter data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing transmitter data comprises receiving the transmitter data in a portable device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the transmitter data comprises receiving the transmitter data in a wireless transmission from the wireless transmitters.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the transmitter data comprises scanning indicia on the wireless transmitters.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the transmitter data comprises communicating the transmitter data to the portable device from a database storing the transmitter data.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving the layout map including the database in the portable device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein associating the transmitter data with the location data comprises, in the portable device, associating the transmitter data with the location data included in the layout map to produce associated data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein producing the associated data comprises producing an interactive display of the layout map by means of the portable device, producing transmitter-representative data on the display representing a respective one of the wireless transmitters, positioning the transmitter-representative data at a location on the display corresponding to a location of the wireless transmitter within the market research area and to predetermined location data included in the layout map and associating the predetermined location data with the transmitter-representative data to produce the associated data.