Methods and apparatus to collect wireless information

• US 9,432,868 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Petersen, David, Stapleton, Padraig
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US14/681,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20150223091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/445, 455/423, 455/566, 455/405, 455/418
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to collect information on a wireless device are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves executing collecting information instructions in a firmware layer of a wireless device and outside of an operating system context to store collected information about the usage of the wireless device and to send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device. The collected information indicates when a media access occured on the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of collecting information on a wireless device, the method comprising:

executing collecting information instructions in a firmware layer of a wireless device and outside of an operating system context of the wireless device to;

store collected information about usage of the wireless device, the collected information indicating when an access to advertising occurred on the wireless device; and

send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further indicates at least one of when the wireless device operated for commerce activity or a duration for which the wireless device operated as a mobile television.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting information instructions are to communicate with a component installed within a kernel layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further indicates a server or website at which the wireless device accessed media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected information further includes at least one of:

an indication of a type of shortcut on the wireless device,

an indication of a short messaging service activity, or

an indication of signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting information instructions are to collect the collected information about a user application installed in the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, further including rendering the collected information on a display of the wireless device using at least one of a graph, a chart, or a table to represent an amount of time the wireless device is used for voice transmission and an amount of time the wireless device is used as a mobile television.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the rendering of the collected information on the display of the wireless device further includes representing short messaging service usage, email usage, commerce usage, and advertising activity.

9. A wireless device comprising:

a firmware layer including collecting information instructions; and

a processor to execute the collecting information instructions in the firmware layer and outside of an operating system context of the wireless device, the collecting information instructions to cause the processor to at least;

store collected information about usage of the wireless device, the collected information indicating when an access to an advertisement occurred on the wireless device; and

send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device.

10. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the collected information further indicates at least one of when the wireless device operated for commerce activity or a duration for which the wireless device operated as a mobile television.

11. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the collecting information instructions are further to cause the processor to communicate with a component installed within a kernel layer.

12. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the collected information further indicates a server or a website at which the wireless device accessed the media.

13. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the collected information further includes at least one of:

an indication of a type of shortcut on the wireless device,

an indication of a short messaging service activity, or

an indication of signal strength.

14. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the collecting information instructions are to collect the collected information about a user application installed in the wireless device.

15. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the collecting information instructions are further to cause the processor to render the collected information on a display of the wireless device using at least one of a graph, a chart, or a table to represent an amount of time the wireless device is used for voice transmission and an amount of time the wireless device is used as a mobile television.

16. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the collecting information instructions are further to cause the processor to render the collected information on the display of the wireless device using the at least one of the graph, the chart, or the table, to represent short messaging service usage, email usage, commerce usage, and advertising activity.

17. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk comprising instructions to be executed in a firmware layer of a wireless device and outside of an operating system context of the wireless device, the instructions to cause a processor of the wireless device to at least:

store collected information about usage of the wireless device, the collected information indicating when an access to an advertisement occurred on the wireless device; and

send the collected information to a data center separate from the wireless device.

18. The machine accessible storage device or storage disk of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to render the collected information on a display of the wireless device using at least one of a graph, a chart, or a table to represent an amount of time the wireless device is used for voice transmission and an amount of time the wireless device is used as a mobile television.

19. The machine accessible storage device or storage disk of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to render the collected information on the display of the wireless device using the at least one of the graph, the chart, or the table, to represent short messaging service usage, email usage, commerce usage, and advertising activity.