Logging individuals for TV measurement compliance
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for determining the TV viewing activities of an individual using a master device adjacent a TV and a tag carried by the individual, the method comprising:
- at the master device having memory and one or more processors;
detecting a plurality of audio signals from the TV;
in response to detecting the plurality of audio signals, generating a plurality of TV broadcast records, each TV broadcast record including an audio fingerprint derived from the plurality of audio signals;
detecting a plurality of heartbeat signals from the tag;
in response to detecting the plurality of heartbeat signals, generating a TV audience record for the individual, the TV audience record including a plurality of audience status update entries, wherein the plurality of audience status update entries keep track of the individual'"'"'s locations relative to the master device;
sending the plurality of TV broadcast records and the TV audience record to a remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to correlate the plurality of TV broadcast records with the TV audience record to determine one or more TV programs watched by the individual;
generating an alert message indicating that the individual has not watched the TV if a time gap between two consecutive heartbeat signals is more than a predefined threshold;
inserting a new audience status update entry into the TV audience record indicating that the individual has been outside a predefined TV watching zone; and
notifying the individual of the alert message.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A TV audience survey system for determining the TV viewing activities of a plurality of individuals in a household includes a master device and multiple tags, each tag assigned to an individual. After an individual logs into the system and starts watching the TV, the master device communicates with the corresponding tag repeatedly to accumulate data representing the individual'"'"'s TV viewing activities. Such data can be used to determine when the individual stops watching the TV for an extended period of time without logging out of the system and when the household member remains watching the TV after logging or being logged out of the system. The master device then reports the accumulated data to a remote server, which uses the data to determine whether the individual complies with the logging protocol defined by the TV audience survey system and update the TV viewership data associated with this household.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for determining the TV viewing activities of an individual using a master device adjacent a TV and a tag carried by the individual, the method comprising:
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at the master device having memory and one or more processors; detecting a plurality of audio signals from the TV; in response to detecting the plurality of audio signals, generating a plurality of TV broadcast records, each TV broadcast record including an audio fingerprint derived from the plurality of audio signals; detecting a plurality of heartbeat signals from the tag; in response to detecting the plurality of heartbeat signals, generating a TV audience record for the individual, the TV audience record including a plurality of audience status update entries, wherein the plurality of audience status update entries keep track of the individual'"'"'s locations relative to the master device; sending the plurality of TV broadcast records and the TV audience record to a remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to correlate the plurality of TV broadcast records with the TV audience record to determine one or more TV programs watched by the individual; generating an alert message indicating that the individual has not watched the TV if a time gap between two consecutive heartbeat signals is more than a predefined threshold; inserting a new audience status update entry into the TV audience record indicating that the individual has been outside a predefined TV watching zone; and notifying the individual of the alert message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented method for determining the TV viewing activities of an individual using a master device adjacent a TV and a tag carried by the individual, the method comprising:
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at the master device having memory and one or more processors; detecting a plurality of audio signals from the TV; in response to detecting the plurality of audio signals, generating a plurality of TV broadcast records, each TV broadcast record including an audio fingerprint derived from the plurality of audio signals; detecting a plurality of heartbeat signals from the tag; in response to detecting the plurality of heartbeat signals, generating a TV audience record for the individual, the TV audience record including a plurality of audience status update entries, wherein the plurality of audience status update entries keep track of the individual'"'"'s locations relative to the master device; sending the plurality of TV broadcast records and the TV audience record to a remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to correlate the plurality of TV broadcast records with the TV audience record to determine one or more TV programs watched by the individual; generating an alert message indicating that the individual has been watching the TV without logging into the master device if a time gap between a first and a last of the plurality of heartbeat signals is more than a predefined threshold; inserting a new audience status update entry into the TV audience record indicating that the individual has been within a predefined TV watching zone; and notifying the individual of the alert message.
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17. A TV audience survey system, comprising:
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a tag, wherein the tag is carried by an individual; and a master device including memory and one or more processors, wherein the master device is located adjacent a TV, wherein the memory of the master device stores one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors of the master device, the one or more programs comprising instructions for; detecting a plurality of audio signals from the TV; in response to detecting the plurality of audio signals, generating a plurality of TV broadcast records, each TV broadcast record including an audio fingerprint derived from the plurality of audio signals; detecting a plurality of heartbeat signals from the tag; in response to detecting the plurality of heartbeat signals, generating a TV audience record for the individual, the TV audience record including a plurality of audience status update entries, wherein the plurality of audience status update entries keep track of the individual'"'"'s locations relative to the master device; sending the plurality of TV broadcast records and the TV audience record to a remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to correlate the plurality of TV broadcast records with the TV audience record to determine one or more TV programs watched by the individual; generating an alert message indicating that the individual has not watched the TV if a time gap between two consecutive heartbeat signals is more than a predefined threshold; inserting a new audience status update entry into the TV audience record indicating that the individual has been outside a predefined TV watching zone; and notifying the individual of the alert message.
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Specification