Back-channel media delivery system

• US 20080183560A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Ip Holdings Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Portals Incorporated
• Inventors: Garcia, Johann, Kaplan, Robert E., Graham, Stuart, Arora, Ajay, Tanumihardja, Mars
• Granted Patent: US 9,171,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A back-channel media delivery system that may be used for tracking the number and type of human impressions of media content rendered by the system during the time the media was rendered is provided. The back-channel media delivery system includes a rendering device for rendering media, an environmental sensor for sensing impressions and other environmental variables and a computing device configured to play media on the rendering device, and gather data related to the external states detected by the environmental sensor. The system may include rules that interpret that data and may cause the system to custom select, tailor or control future playback of media on the system.

Claims

1. A media playback system comprising:

at least one rendering device;

at least one environmental sensor;

a data queue; and

a computing device coupled to the at least one rendering device and the at least one environmental sensor and configured to;

select an instance of media stored in the computing device;

render the instance of media on the at least one rendering device;

while rendering the instance of media, gather environmental data using the at least one environmental sensor to be provided to the data queue;

process the queued environmental data; and

save a record of the environmental data.

2. The media playback system of claim 1 wherein the computing device is configured to process the queued environmental data when media is not being rendered and environmental data is not being gathered.

3. The media playback system of claim 1 wherein the computing device is further configured to cross-reference the environmental data with a database containing identity data for persons of interest.

4. The media playback system of claim 1 wherein the computing device is further configured to calibrate the at least one sensor.

5. A media playback system comprising:

at least one rendering device;

at least one environmental sensor; and

a computing device coupled to the at least one rendering device and the at least one environmental sensor and configured to;

select an instance of media stored in the computing device;

render the instance of media on the at least one rendering device;

while rendering the instance of media, gather environmental data using the at least one environmental sensor;

verify the environmental data; and

save a record of the environmental data.

6. The media playback system of claim 5 wherein the computing device is configured to verify the environmental data by at least one of:

detecting fraudulent environmental data, detecting invalid duplicate environmental data, and detecting environmental data corresponding to predetermined environmental data that should not be gathered.

7. The media playback system of claim 5 wherein the computing device is configured to provide the environmental data for manual inspection and the record of the environmental data is based on the inspection.

8. The media playback system of claim 5 wherein the computing device is further configured to cross-reference the environmental data with a database containing identity data for persons of interest.

9. The media playback system of claim 5 wherein the computing device is further configured to calibrate the at least one sensor.

10. A media playback system comprising:

at least one rendering device;

at least one environmental sensor; and

a computing device coupled to the at least one rendering device and the at least one environmental sensor and configured to;

select an instance of media stored in the computing device;

render the instance of media on the at least one rendering device;

while rendering the instance of media, gather environmental data using the at least one environmental sensor;

save a record of the environmental data; and

gather audit data and store a record of the audit data.

11. The media playback system of claim 10 wherein the computing device is configured to gather audit data by capturing images of the vicinity of the rendering devices to confirm environmental data gathered using the at least one environmental sensor.

12. The media playback system of claim 10 wherein the computing device is configured to provide the environmental data for manual inspection and the record of the environmental data is based on the inspection.

13. The media playback system of claim 10 wherein the computing device is further configured to cross-reference the environmental data with a database containing identity data for persons of interest.

14. The media playback system of claim 10 wherein the computing device is further configured to calibrate the at least one sensor.

15. A media playback system comprising:

at least one rendering device;

at least one environmental sensor; and

a computing device coupled to the at least one rendering device and the at least one environmental sensor and configured to;

select an instance of media stored in the computing device;

render the instance of media on the at least one rendering device;

while rendering the instance of media, gather environmental data using the at least one environmental sensor;

save a record of the environmental data; and

detect and log system errors of the media playback system.

16. The media playback system of claim 15 wherein the computing device is configured to provide the environmental data for manual inspection and the record of the environmental data is based on the inspection.

17. The media playback system of claim 15 wherein the computing device is further configured to cross-reference the environmental data with a database containing identity data for persons of interest.

18. The media playback system of claim 15 wherein the computing device is further configured to calibrate the at least one sensor.

19. A media playback system comprising:

at least one rendering device;

at least one environmental sensor;

a communication medium interface; and

a computing device coupled to the at least one rendering device, the communication medium interface, and the at least one environmental sensor and configured to;

select an instance of media stored in the computing device;

render the instance of media on the at least one rendering device;

while rendering the instance of media, gather environmental data using the at least one environmental sensor;

save a record of the environmental data; and

to be accessed through the communication medium interface for remote administration of the media playback system.

20. The media playback system of claim 19 wherein the computing device is configured for remote administration, including at least one of examining system settings, adjusting system settings, and monitoring the at least one environmental sensor.

21. The media playback system of claim 19 wherein the computing device is configured to provide the environmental data for manual inspection and the record of the environmental data is based on the inspection.

22. The media playback system of claim 19 wherein the computing device is further configured to cross-reference the environmental data with a database containing identity data for persons of interest.

23. The media playback system of claim 19 wherein the computing device is further configured to calibrate the at least one sensor.