Neuro-response data synchronization

• US 9,336,535 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Pradeep, Anantha K., Knight, Robert T., Gurumoorthy, Ramachandran
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANU, ETSUB D
• Application Number:
  US14/177,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements

Abstract

An example system includes a headset to gather first data comprising first neuro-response data and second neuro-response data from a user while the user is exposed to stimulus material. In the example system, the headset comprises a first sensor to gather the first neuro-response data, the first neuro-response data comprising at least one of electroencephalographic data or magnetoencephalographic data, and a second sensor to gather the second neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data comprising facial emotion encoding data. The headset also comprises a processor to synchronize the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data and the stimulus material to generate synchronized data and determine an effectiveness of a portion of the stimulus material based on the synchronized data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a headset to gather data including first neuro-response data and second neuro-response data from a user while the user is exposed to stimulus material, the headset including;

a band;

a first sensor extending from the band to be located on a first position on a head of the user when the user is wearing the headset, the first sensor to gather the first neuro-response data, the first neuro-response data including at least one of electroencephalographic data or magnetoencephalographic data;

a second sensor extending from the band to be located on a second position on the head of the user when the user is wearing the headset, the second sensor to gather second neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data including at least one of electroencephalographic data or magnetoencephalographic data, wherein when coupled to the band, the first sensor and the second sensor are rotatably positionable relative to the band, wherein rotation of the first sensor from the first position to a third position on the head of the user rotates the second sensor relative to the band from the second position to a fourth position on the head of the user when the user is wearing the headset; and

a processor programmed to;

synchronize the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data and the stimulus material to generate synchronized data; and

determine an effectiveness of a portion of the stimulus material based on the synchronized data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the headset further includes an identifier to identify the stimulus material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are electrodes and the processor is programmed to process signals from active ones of the electrodes for analysis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are electrodes and the processor is programmed to process signals from a subset of the plurality of electrodes for analysis that are active channels.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the headset is a first headset, the data is first data, and the user is a first user, further including a second headset to gather second data from a second user while the second user is exposed to the stimulus material.

6. The system of claim 5, further including a receiver to receive the first data from the first user and the second data from the second user, the effectiveness based on the first data and the second data.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a third sensor to gather eye-tracking data, wherein the processor is programmed to analyze the eye-tracking data to determine a direction of the attention of the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the headset further includes a first rotatable hub and the first sensor includes a first electrode coupled to the first hub at a first distance.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second sensor includes a second electrode coupled to the first hub at a second distance, the second distance different than the first distance.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the headset further includes a second rotatable hub and a third electrode and a fourth electrode extend from the second hub.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a third sensor to gather facial data, the facial data including facial emotion encoding data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the third sensor includes a facial affect graphic and video analyzer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the headset further includes a recorder to record the stimulus material.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the headset further includes a transmitter to transmit the recorded stimulus material and one or more of the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data, the facial data, the synchronized data, or the determined effectiveness to a remote processor.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is programmed to determine when the user is not paying attention to the stimulus material based on at least one of the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data, the facial data, or the synchronized data.

16. A method comprising:

collecting data with a headset worn by a user while the user is exposed to stimulus material, the data including (1) first neuro-response data gathered by a first sensor carried by a band, the first neuro-response data including at least one of electroencephalographic data or magnetoencephalographic data, and (2) second neuro-response data gathered by a second sensor carried by the band, the second neuro-response data including at least one of electroencephalographic data or magnetoencephalographic data, wherein when coupled to the band, the first sensor and the second sensor are rotatably positionable relative to the band, wherein rotation of the first sensor from a first position on a head of the user to a second position on the head of the user rotates the second sensor relative to the band from a third position on the head of the user to a fourth position on the head of the user;

generating synchronized data with a processor by synchronizing the first neuro-response data, the second neuro-response data and the stimulus material; and

determining an effectiveness of a portion of the stimulus material based on the synchronized data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the headset is a first headset, the data is first data, and the user is a first user, further including collecting second data with a second headset worn by a second user while the second user is exposed to the stimulus material.

18. The method of claim 17, further including synchronizing the synchronized data from the first user and the second data from the second user to determine a synchronized measure of effectiveness.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first user and the second user are in different geographical locations when exposed to the stimulus material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the different geographical locations are different buildings.

21. The method of claim 16 further including analyzing eye-tracking data gathered by a third sensor to determine a direction of attention of the user.

22. The method of claim 16 further including receiving, via a clock signal receiver on the headset, a clock signal representing timing information of the stimulus material, wherein the synchronized data is generated by the processor based on the timing information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the clock signal receiver is a cell tower signal receiver or a satellite signal receiver, and wherein receiving the clock signal includes receiving the clock signal from a cell tower or a satellite.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving the clock signal includes receiving the clock signal from a stimulus presentation device that presents the stimulus material to the user.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the data further includes facial data gathered by a third sensor, the facial data including facial emotion encoding data.