Method and system for tracking network use
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for collecting and processing information about subscribers'"'"' selection and use of programming distributed over a media delivery network, the system comprising:
- a) merge processor coupled via means for communication tob) a plurality of set top boxes, each comprising a processor for(1) collecting a plurality of event records that describe selected commands from a subscriber to a particular set top box and(2) transmitting event records to the merge processor;
c) wherein the merge processor forms an event timeline describing a subscriber'"'"'s selection of distributed programming for a discrete time period by merging the event records with programming data describing programming available via the media delivery system.
9 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive media delivery system enables interactive media programming to a multimedia device and also tracks a subscriber'"'"'s use of the multimedia device. For example, the device tracks events, such as a change in programming, a change in channel selection, and/or the subscriber'"'"'s interaction with a particular interactive services application. Each event may be stored as an event record in a database, and one or more of the event records may be merged with content data to form event timelines of programming or other activity to the multimedia device over a selected time period. Further, timelines may be analyzed to generate ratings and other information about programming and may also be correlated with demographics data for marketing analysis.
748 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for collecting and processing information about subscribers'"'"' selection and use of programming distributed over a media delivery network, the system comprising:
-
a) merge processor coupled via means for communication to b) a plurality of set top boxes, each comprising a processor for (1) collecting a plurality of event records that describe selected commands from a subscriber to a particular set top box and (2) transmitting event records to the merge processor; c) wherein the merge processor forms an event timeline describing a subscriber'"'"'s selection of distributed programming for a discrete time period by merging the event records with programming data describing programming available via the media delivery system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for journaling information about subscriber use of a media delivery network for delivering programming and a merge processor for analyzing the resulting journaled information, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) collecting information about a plurality of subscribers'"'"' use of a media delivery network, the collecting step comprising; i) identifying commands of interest from each subscriber; ii) forming event records that record at least the commands of interest and a time associated with the command; b) transmitting event records to the merge processor; c) merging the event records with data describing the programming delivered over the media network in order to form event timelines of which describes the programming selected by a particular subscriber over a discrete time period. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A system for determining the viewing habits of subscribers to a media delivery network for delivering programming, the system comprising:
-
a) a collector for collecting event records describing subscribers'"'"' selection and use of programming; b) means, coupled to the collector, for communicating event records to c) a merge processor for processing the event records to form a selected subscriber an event timeline describing the programming delivered to a selected subscriber over a particular time period via the media delivery network; d) means for storing demographics information about selected groups of subscribers; and e) wherein the merge processor forms a plurality of event timelines and correlates the demographics information with the event timelines. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
Specification