Wearable advertising ratings methods and systems

• US 9,373,123 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clear Channel IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: iHeartMedia Management Services, Inc. (iHeartMedia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Alan, Wooden, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): NETZLOFF, ERIC R
• Application Number:
  US12/829,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,182 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 705/14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic

Abstract

A wearable advertising ratings method and system is disclosed. The location of a advertising media can be identified and a human eye can be located and tracked when the user of the ratings system, such as a pedestrian, is wearing eye polarity-sensing earphones. The earphones collect data when a user views media, as well as process and transmit such data through the user'"'"'s communications device. Changes in the eye'"'"'s polarity, perception, and reaction to viewing media are correlated to human brain reactions to acquire ratings for viewed media. The system allows for an advertiser to acquire and evaluate audience feedback and ratings related to presentation and content displayed on media (e.g., billboards, digital signage, window displays, etc.), as well as provide incentives for rating such media through use of an applications store.

Claims

1. A method for acquiring user viewing data, said method comprising:

determining a location, an outline, and particular content presented by at least one sign in at least three-dimensional space, by executing a program instruction in a wearable data-processing apparatus;

determining, utilizing data received from a head-mounted eye tracking device detecting at least eye position of the user and coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus, a location and orientation of an eyeball of the user in the at least three-dimensional space, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus, the head-mounted eye tracking device detecting the at least eye position by monitoring at least polarity and direction of an eyeball of the user relative to the location;

determining, utilizing at least the location and orientation of the eyeball of the user, a field of view of the eye of the user in the at least three dimensional space, the field of view defining a three-dimensional section of space visible to the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus;

determining a probability that the outline of the at least one sign is located in the three-dimensional section of space visible to the user based on the orientation and the location of the signage and the field of view of the eye of the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus;

determining and recording that the particular content presented by the at least one sign has provided an impression to the user, based on the determining of the probability that the outline is located in the three-dimensional section of space visible to the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus; and

sending the recorded impressions to a remote computer processor communicatively coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a direction of movement of the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus; and

utilizing the direction of movement of the user to assist in determining the field of view of the eye of the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user views the at least one sign utilizing parameters comprising:

a dwell time;

the location of the at least one sign;

the location of the user;

the field of view of the eye of the user; and

the direction of the field of view of the eye of the user.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising utilizing the parameters at a remote location to determine advertising campaign success metrics.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein detecting the direction of the field of view further comprises the head-mounted eye tracking device detecting a difference in electric potential proximate to the eye of the user, and an orientation sensor that provides directional information, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising configuring the orientation sensor to comprise a head orientation sensor and an electrooculograms-type sensor for detecting changes in the polarity in the eye of the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein detecting the field of view in at least three dimensional space further comprises utilizing at least one of:

a direction of movement of the user,

a head orientation of the user;

or

at least one predetermined distance to limit the locus of points that defines the field of view of the eye of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a rating valuation of the at least one sign based on a probability that a first number of users have viewed content associated with the at least one sign, and a probability that a second number of users have viewed one or more signs among a plurality of signs by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising defining the at least one sign utilizing a locus of points in three-dimensional space, wherein the locus of points defines a portion of a plane in three-dimensional space, the portion of the plane defining the at least one sign in three-dimensional space, the portion of the plane having latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining an intersection of the locus of points defining the field of view with the locus of points defining the at least one sign, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising;

determining a time frame of the intersection, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus; and

determining particular content presented by the at least one sign during the time frame, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

monitoring brain activity associated with the user utilizing a brain activity-sensing device coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus;

correlating the brain activity of the user during the time frame; and

assigning a probability that the user has a predefined emotional state during the time frame.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising defining the field of view utilizing a locus of points in three dimensional space, the field of view defined substantially as in a shape of one of a cone or a pyramid, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring brain activity associated with the user utilizing a brain activity-sensing device coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus;

identifying content presented by the at least one sign as particular content by generating a real-time view of the section of space including the at least one sign, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus; and

relating the brain activity, and the particular content presented by the at least one sign when the particular content presented by the at least one sign is within the field of view of the eye of the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising correlating user viewing data with the brain activity of the user and the particular content, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising downloading instructions to a communications device wearable by the user and coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus, said instructions facilitating operations of the head-mounted eye-tracking device, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising conducting a rewards program with respect to the user of the head-mounted eye-tracking device, the brain activity-sensing device, and the communications device, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving, at the head-mounted eye-tracking device, a beacon transmission that indicates that the eye-tracking device is proximate to the location of the sign; and

activating the locating of the section of space based on receipt of the beacon.

19. The method of claim 16 detecting a location of the field of view utilizing at least one of the following:

a Global Position Satellite receiver;

a wireless network signal;

a beacon;

or

a triangulation calculation system to locate the at least one sign and transmit location data associated with the at least one sign to a remote location.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising integrating the head-mounted eye-tracking device and the brain activity-sensing device and a pressure transducer into a head mountable apparatus.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising locating the head-mounted eye-tracking device and the brain activity-sensing device proximate to an ear mountable pressure transducer.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising electronically associating data from the head-mounted eye-tracking device and the brain activity-sensing device with a location sensor, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to a determination that the user is in close proximity to the at least one sign, querying the user regarding the user'"'"'s current activity; and

accepting feedback from the user with respect to the at least one sign.

24. A method, comprising:

defining an orientation and a location of signage in three-dimensional space, by executing a program instruction in a wearable data-processing apparatus;

determining a location and orientation of an eyeball of a user in three-dimensional space utilizing data provided by a wearable eye-tracking sensor device detecting at least eye position of the user and coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus, the wearable eye-tracking sensor device detecting the at least eye position by monitoring at least polarity and direction of an eyeball of the user relative to the location;

calculating a field of view of the eyeball of the user in three-dimensional space, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus;

determining a probability that the signage is being viewed by the user based on the orientation and the location of the signage and the field of view of the eyeball of the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus; and

determining and recording that signage content associated with the signage has provided an impression to the user, based at least in part on the determining of the probability; and

sending the recorded impressions to a remote computer processor communicatively coupled to the wearable data-processing apparatus.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising defining the orientation and the location of the signage as a plane in three-dimensional space utilizing parameters including latitude, longitude and elevation, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising defining the location and the orientation of the eyeball of the user as a point in three-dimensional space using latitude parameters including a longitude and an elevation, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising determining the elevation based on the latitude and the longitude of the eyeball utilizing a look up table and data contained therein, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus:

calculating the field of view of the eyeball as a locus of points; and

determining an intersection of the signage location data with the locus of points.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus:

monitoring brain activity of the user via a brain activity-sensing device;

generating brain activity data, in response to monitoring the brain activity of the user via the brain activity-sensing device; and

transmitting the brain activity data to a remote location.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising correlating the brain activity data with the probability that signage content associated with the signage is being viewed by the user, by executing a program instruction in the wearable data-processing apparatus.

31. A system for acquiring user viewing, said system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer code, said computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

determining a location, an outline, and particular content presented by at least one sign in at least three-dimensional space;

determining, utilizing data received from a head-mounted eye-tracking device coupled to the processor, a location and orientation of an eyeball of the user in the at least three-dimensional space, the head-mounted eye-tracking device detecting the orientation by monitoring at least polarity and direction of the eyeball of the user relative to the location;

determining, based on the location and orientation of an eyeball of the user, a three-dimensional field of view of the eye of the user in the at least three-dimensional space;

determining a probability that the outline of the at least one sign is within the three-dimensional field of view of the eye of the user at the remote location based on the orientation and the location of the sign and the field of view of the eye of the user;

determining and recording that the particular content presented by the at least one sign has provided an impression to the user, based on the determining of the probability that the outline is within the field of view of the eye of the user; and

sending the recorded impressions to a remote computer processor communicatively coupled to the processor.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said instructions are further configured for:

communicating a direction of movement of the user; and

determining the direction of the field of view of the eye of the user based on the direction of movement of the user.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein the user views the at least one sign utilizing parameters comprising:

the location of the at least one sign;

the location of the user;

the field of view of the eye of the user; and

the direction of the field of view of the eye of the user.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein determining the field of view in at least three dimensional space further comprises utilizing at least one of:

a direction of movement of the user,

a head orientation of the user,

or

at least one predetermined distance to limit a locus of points that defines the field of view of the user.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein said instructions are further configured for:

monitoring brain activity associated with the user utilizing a brain activity-sensing device coupled to the processor;

identifying content presented by the at least one sign as particular content by generating a real-time view of the section of space including the at least one sign; and

relating the brain activity and the particular content presented by the at least one sign when the particular content presented by the at least one sign is within the field of view of the eye of the user.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein said instructions are further configured for correlating user viewing data with the brain activity of the user, and particular content presented by the at least one sign.