Media usage monitoring and measurement system and method

• US 20090077578A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anonymous Media Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Anonymous Media LLC (Sizmek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Otto, Christopher W., Steuer, Jonathan S.
• Application Number:
  US12/283,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077578A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Media monitoring and measurement systems and methods are disclosed. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a media measurement system and method that utilizes audience data to enhance content identifications. Some embodiments analyze media player log data to enhance content identification. Other embodiments of the present invention analyze sample sequence data to enhance content identifications. Other embodiments analyze sequence data to enhance content identification and/or to establish channel identification. Yet other embodiments provide a system and method in which sample construction and selection parameters are adjusted based upon identification results. Yet other embodiments provide a method in which play-altering activity of an audience member is deduced from content offset values of identifications corresponding to captured samples. Yet other embodiments provide a monitoring and measurement system in which a media monitoring device is adapted to receive a wireless or non-wireless audio signal from a media player, the audio signal also being received wirelessly by headphones of a user of the monitoring device.

Claims

1. A media measurement system comprising:

a plurality of monitoring devices; and

a system adapted to receive and process audio data received from the monitoring devices, the system being adapted to measure media usage by users of the monitoring devices wherein;

a device of the plurality of monitoring devices is adapted to receive a signal that is received wirelessly by headphones being used by an audience member monitored by the monitoring device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal is received wirelessly by the monitoring device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein a device of the plurality of monitoring devices is adapted to connect to a media player and headphones associated with an audience member using the monitoring device such that the monitoring device receives an audio signal from the media player and passes the received audio signal to the headphones via wireless transmission.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the headphones receive a signal from the media player and pass that signal to the monitoring device.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a synchronizing element adapted to synchronize the headphones and the monitoring device to receive the same wireless signal from a media player.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the synchronizing element synchronizes the headphones and the monitoring device automatically.