Methods and apparatus for sampling usage information from a pool of terminals in a data network

• US 20070277182A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Gordon Kent, Chen, An Mei, Chandhok, Ravinder Paul, Jain, Ajit L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for sampling usage information from a pool of terminals in a data network. A method is provided to perform usage tracking in a data network. The method includes determining a targeted set of terminals from a pool of terminals on the data network, and transmitting tracking parameters to the pool of terminals. The method also includes receiving tracking data from the targeted set of terminals, and mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to device log identifiers. The method also includes associating the device log identifiers with the tracking data.

Claims

1. A method for performing usage tracking in a data network, the method comprising:

determining a targeted set of terminals, wherein the targeted set of terminals comprises one or more terminals from a pool of terminals on the data network;

transmitting tracking parameters to the pool of terminals;

receiving tracking data from the targeted set of terminals;

mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to device log identifiers; and

associating the device log identifiers with the tracking data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the tracking data with the device log identifiers in a database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the targeted set of terminals using a percentage factor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the targeted set of terminals using a deterministic function so that the same terminals are the in targeted set of terminals for multiple usage tracking sessions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the targeted set of terminals using the deterministic function wherein the deterministic function utilizes a seed value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the tracking parameters to the pool of terminals using an overhead notification mechanism.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mapping comprises mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to the device log identifiers using a hash function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises transmitting a time window indicator as part of the tracking parameters.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprises transmitting a terminate tracking parameter to any terminal of the targeted set of terminals to terminate usage tracking.

10. Apparatus to perform usage tracking in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

selection logic that operates to determine a targeted set of terminals from a pool of terminals on the data network;

transmitting logic that operates to transmit tracking parameters to the pool of terminals;

receiving logic that operates to receive tracking data from the targeted set of terminals; and

mapping logic that operates to map the identities of the targeted set of terminals to device log identifiers, and associate the device log identifiers with the tracking data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a memory for storing the tracking data with the device log identifiers in a database.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selection logic comprises logic to determine the targeted set of terminals using a percentage factor.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the selection logic comprises logic to determine the targeted set of terminals using a deterministic function so that the same terminals are in the targeted set of terminals for multiple usage tracking sessions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the deterministic function utilizes a seed value.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transmitting logic comprises logic to transmit the tracking parameters to the pool of terminals using an overhead notification mechanism.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the mapping logic comprises logic to map the identities of the targeted set of terminals to the device log identifiers using a hash function.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tracking parameters comprise a time window indicator.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising logic to transmit a terminate tracking parameter to any terminal of the targeted set of terminals.

19. Apparatus to perform usage tracking in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a targeted set of terminals from a pool of terminals on the data network;

means for transmitting tracking parameters to the pool of terminals;

means for receiving tracking data from the targeted set of terminals;

means for mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to device log identifiers; and

means for associating the device log identifiers with the tracking data.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for storing the tracking data with the device log identifiers in a database.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining the targeted set of terminals using a percentage factor.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining the targeted set of terminals using a deterministic function so that the same terminals are in the targeted set of terminals for multiple usage tracking sessions.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining the targeted set of terminals using the deterministic function wherein the deterministic function utilizes a seed value.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for transmitting the tracking parameters to the pool of terminals using an overhead notification mechanism.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for mapping comprises means for mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to the device log identifiers using a hash function.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for transmitting further comprises means for transmitting a time window indicator as part of the tracking parameters.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprises means for transmitting a terminate tracking parameter to any terminal of the targeted set of terminals.

28. A computer-readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, operate to perform usage tracking in a data network, the computer-readable media comprising:

instructions for determining a targeted set of terminals from a pool of terminals on the data network;

instructions for transmitting tracking parameters to the pool of terminals;

instructions for receiving tracking data from the targeted set of terminals;

instructions for mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to device log identifiers; and

instructions for associating the device log identifiers with the tracking data.

29. The computer-readable media of claim 28, further comprising instructions for storing the tracking data with the device log identifiers in a database.

30. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions for determining comprise instructions for determining the targeted set of terminals using a percentage factor.

31. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions for determining comprise instructions for determining the targeted set of terminals using a deterministic function so that the same terminals are in the targeted set of terminals for multiple usage tracking sessions.

32. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions for determining comprise instructions for determining the targeted set of terminals using the deterministic function wherein the deterministic function utilizes a seed value.

33. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions for transmitting comprise instructions for transmitting the tracking parameters to the pool of terminals using an overhead notification mechanism.

34. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions for mapping comprise instructions for mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to the device log identifiers using a hash function.

35. The computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions for transmitting further comprise instructions for transmitting a time window indicator as part of the tracking parameters.

36. The computer-readable media of claim 28, further comprising instructions for transmitting a terminate tracking parameter to any terminal of the targeted set of terminals.

37. A method for operating a terminal on a data network to perform usage tracking, the method comprising:

receiving tracking parameters;

determining whether the terminal is a targeted terminal;

performing usage tracking according to the tracking parameters to determine tracking data if the terminal is a targeted terminal; and

transmitting the tracking data on the data network.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the tracking parameters comprise a time window indicator and the method further comprises performing usage tracking during a time period defined by the time window indicator to determine the tracking data.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising terminating any pending usage tracking upon the receipt of a terminate parameter.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the tracking data with a terminal identifier.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of determining whether the terminal is the targeted terminal comprises determining whether the terminal is the targeted terminal based on a percentage indicator.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of determining whether the terminal is the targeted terminal comprises determining whether the terminal is the targeted terminal based on a seed value.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the tracking parameters via an overhead notification mechanism.

44. Apparatus to perform usage tracking in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

receiving logic that operates to receive tracking parameters;

processing logic that operates to determine whether the terminal is a targeted terminal, and perform usage tracking according to the tracking parameters to determine tracking data if the terminal is a targeted terminal; and

transmitting logic that operates to transmit the tracking data on the data network.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the tracking parameters comprise a time window indicator and the apparatus further comprises scheduling logic that operates to enable usage tracking during a time period defined by the time window indicator.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processing logic operates to terminate any pending usage tracking operation upon the receipt of a terminate parameter.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the transmitting logic operates to transmit the tracking data with a terminal identifier.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processing logic operates to determine whether the terminal is the targeted terminal based on a percentage indicator.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the processing logic operates to determine whether the terminal is the targeted terminal based on a seed value.

50. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein receiving logic that operates to receive tracking parameters via an overhead notification mechanism.