Interactive service device metering systems

• US 7,607,147 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Feininger, William A., Harkness, David H., Bhatia, Manish, Lu, Daozheng, Samson, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US08/763,750
• Time in Patent Office: 4,696 Days
• Field of Search: 455/2, 345 1- 55, 725 1- 22, 705/5, 709/224
• US Class Current: 725/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• 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: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A metering system meters usage of on-line and off-line services by way of interactive service devices. Interactive service devices may include personal computers and non-personal-computers. Non-personal-computers may include network computers, gaming devices, Internet televisions, Internet telephones, and the like. The on-line service usage may include Internet usage such as which home pages, advertisements, and other Internet resources are accessed by a user. The off-line service usage may include application program usage such as which application programs are executed by a user.

Claims

1. A metering system comprising:

passive data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from an interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device, wherein said passive data acquiring means is configured to;

distinguish between an on-line communication protocol and an off-line communication protocol;

identify which of the on-line communication protocol or the off-line communication protocol is employed by the interactive service device;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying the on-line communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying the off-line communication protocol; and

extract the usage data using the designated first or second data extraction technique; and

data communicating means for communicating the usage data to a remote facility.

2. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a personal computer.

3. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means comprises software resident on a storage device of the passive data acquiring means.

4. The metering system of claim 3 wherein the software comprises means for monitoring scrolling of a display and for including data related to the monitored scrolling in the usage data.

5. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the data communicating means communicates the usage data to the remote facility through an on-line service communication.

6. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the data communicating means communicates the usage data to the remote facility in real time.

7. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a personal computer which is arranged to share a monitor with a television.

8. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a non-personal-computer.

9. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means is coupled to a communication input to the interactive service device by way of a tapping device.

10. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means is coupled to a television/internet input to the interactive service device.

11. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means includes means for grabbing video frames.

12. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a vertical blanking interval of a video signal.

13. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires off-line usage data.

14. The metering system of claim 13 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires on-line usage data.

15. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires on-line usage data.

16. The metering system of claim 1 further comprising user identifying means for identifying a user independently of a password and/or a logon identification.

17. The metering system of claim 16 wherein the user identifying means implements biometrics recognition.

18. The metering system of claim 16 wherein the user identifying means is a personal characteristic detector.

19. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the data communicating means communicates the usage data to the remote facility though an on-line service communication.

20. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the data communicating means communicates the usage data to the remote facility by way of a phone call.

21. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the data communicating means communicates the usage data to the remote facility by way of cable.

22. The metering system of claim 1 wherein the passive data acquiring means is at a first statistically selected facility, wherein the data communicating means is at the first statistically selected facility, and wherein the metering system further comprises:

a plurality of other passive data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from a plurality of other interactive service devices, wherein each of the other passive data acquiring means and a corresponding other interactive service device are located in a corresponding one of a plurality of other statistically selected facilities; and

a plurality of other data communicating means for communicating the usage data acquired by the other data acquiring means to the remote facility, wherein each of the other data communicating means is located in a corresponding one of the plurality of other statistically selected facilities.

23. A metering system comprising:

communication line tapping means for tapping into a communication line coupled to an interactive service device, wherein said communication line tapping means is a probe coupled to a signal being processed by the interactive service device; and

passive data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from communications on the communication line without intercepting communications of the interactive service device, wherein the passive data acquiring means is configured to;

distinguish between at least two communication protocols;

identify which of the at least two communication protocols is employed by the interactive service device;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying a first communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol; and

extract the usage data using the designated first or second data extraction technique.

24. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the communication line tapping means taps into a phone line coupled to the interactive service device.

25. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the communication line tapping means taps into a local area network coupled to the interactive service device.

26. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the communication line tapping means taps into a video feed to the interactive service device.

27. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a vertical blanking interval of the video signal.

28. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the passive data acquiring means is arranged to acquire on-line usage data from communications on the communication line, wherein the passive data acquiring means includes software resident on the interactive service device, and wherein the software is arranged to acquire off-line usage data from the interactive service device.

29. The metering system of claim 28 wherein the software is arranged to monitor scrolling of video displayed with respect to the interactive service device.

30. The metering system of claim 28 wherein the passive data acquiring means includes means for grabbing video frames.

31. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a personal computer.

32. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires the usage data from a non-personal-computer.

33. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires off-line usage data.

34. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the passive data acquiring means acquires on-line usage data.

35. The metering system of claim 23 further comprising user identifying means for identifying a user independently of a password and/or a logon identification.

36. The metering system of claim 35 wherein the user identifying means implements biometrics recognition.

37. The metering system of claim 35 wherein the user identifying means is a personal characteristic detector.

38. The metering system of claim 23 further comprising data communicating means for communicating the usage data to a remote facility through an on-line service communication.

39. The metering system of claim 23 further comprising data communicating means for communicating the usage data to a remote facility in real time.

40. The metering system of claim 23 wherein the communication line tapping means is at a first statistically selected facility, wherein the passive data acquiring means is at the first statistically selected facility, and wherein the metering system further comprises:

a plurality of other communication line tapping means for tapping into a plurality of communication lines, wherein each of the other communication line tapping means is coupled to a corresponding one of the communication lines which is coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of other interactive service devices, and wherein each of the other communication line tapping means and a corresponding other interactive service device are located in a corresponding one of the plurality of other statistically selected facilities; and

,

a plurality of other passive data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from communications on the plurality of communication lines, wherein each of the other passive data acquiring means and a corresponding other interactive service device are located in a corresponding one of the plurality of other statistically selected facilities.

41. A metering system comprising:

data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from an interactive service device,

wherein the data acquiring means includes code detecting means for detecting an identification code in content being processed by the interactive service device,

wherein the data acquiring means acquires usage data from the interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device, and

wherein the data acquiring means is configured to;

distinguish between at least two communication protocols;

identify which of the at least two communication protocols is employed by the interactive service device;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying a first communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol; and

extract the usage data using the designated first or second data extraction technique; and

data storing means for storing the usage data and the identification.

42. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the content being processed by the interactive service device is an application program being executed by the interactive service device.

43. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the content being processed by the interactive service device is an on-line service communication received by the interactive service device.

44. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the identification code is in video content being processed by the interactive service device.

45. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the identification code is in audio content being processed by the interactive service device.

46. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the identification code is in graphics being processed by the interactive service device.

47. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the data acquiring means comprises communication line tapping means for tapping into a communication line coupled to an interactive service device, and wherein the code detecting means detects the identification code from the communications on the communication line.

48. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the data acquiring means is coupled to receive a video output of the interactive service device, and wherein the code detecting means detects the identification code from the video output.

49. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the data acquiring means is coupled to receive an audio output of the interactive service device, and wherein the code detecting means detects the identification code from the audio output.

50. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the data acquiring means comprises software resident on a storage device of the interactive service device.

51. The metering system of claim 50 wherein the software is arranged to monitor scrolling of video displayed with respect to the interactive service device.

52. The metering system of claim 41 further comprising user identifying means for identifying a user independently of a password and/or a logon identification.

53. The metering system of claim 52 wherein the user identifying means implements biometrics recognition.

54. The metering system of claim 52 wherein the user identifying means is a personal characteristic detector.

55. The metering system of claim 41 further comprising data communicating means for communicating the usage data to a remote facility through an on-line service communication.

56. The metering system of claim 41 further comprising data communicating means for communicating the usage data to a remote facility in real time.

57. The metering system of claim 41 wherein the data acquiring means is at a first statistically selected facility, wherein the data storing means is at the first statistically selected facility, and wherein the metering system further comprises:

a plurality of other data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from a plurality of other interactive service devices, wherein each of the other data acquiring means includes a corresponding code detecting means for detecting an identification code in content being processed by a corresponding one of the other interactive service device, and wherein each of the other data acquiring means and a corresponding other interactive service device are located in a corresponding one of a plurality of other statistically selected facilities; and

a plurality of other data storing means for storing the usage data acquired by the other data acquiring means, wherein each of the other data storing means is located in a corresponding one of the plurality of other statistically selected facilities.

58. A metering system comprising:

usage data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from an interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device, wherein the usage data acquiring means is configured to;

distinguish between at least two communication protocols;

identify which of the at least two communication protocols is employed by the interactive service device;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying a first communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol; and

extract the usage data using the designated first or second data extraction technique;

television ratings data acquiring means for acquiring ratings data relating to the tuning of television signals by a television;

data communicating means for communicating the usage data and the ratings data to a remote facility; and

wherein the usage data acquiring means acquires data relating to on-line usage by way of the television.

59. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the usage data acquiring means comprises a frame grabber.

60. The metering system of claim 59 wherein the usage data acquiring means comprises means for detecting an identification code in frames grabbed by the frame grabber.

61. The metering system of claim 59 wherein the usage data acquiring means comprises means for employing pattern recognition in order to recognize content in frames grabbed by the frame grabber.

62. The metering system of claim 59 wherein the usage data acquiring means acquires on-line usage data from frames grabbed by the frame grabber.

63. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the usage data acquiring means comprises means for detecting an identification code in content being processed by the television.

64. The metering system of claim 58 further comprising user identifying means for identifying a user of the television independently of a password and/or a logon identification.

65. The metering system of claim 64 wherein the user identifying means implements biometrics recognition.

66. The metering system of claim 64 wherein the user identifying means is a personal characteristic detector.

67. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the data communicating means electronically communicates the usage data and the ratings data to the remote facility.

68. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the television ratings data acquiring means comprises identification code reading means for reading program identification codes from television signals tuned by a television.

69. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the usage data acquiring means acquires off-line usage data from the interactive service device.

70. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the usage data acquiring means is at a first statistically selected facility, wherein the television ratings data acquiring means is at the first statistically selected facility, wherein the data communicating means is at the first statistically selected facility, and wherein the metering system further comprises:

a plurality of other usage data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from a plurality of other interactive service devices, wherein each of the other usage data acquiring means and a corresponding other interactive service device are located in a corresponding one of a plurality of other statistically selected facilities;

a plurality of other television ratings data acquiring means for acquiring ratings data relating to the tuning of television signals by a plurality of other televisions, wherein each of the other television ratings data acquiring means and a corresponding other television are located in a corresponding one of the plurality of other statistically selected facilities;

a plurality of other data communicating means for communicating the usage data and ratings data acquired by the other usage data acquiring means and the other television ratings data acquiring means to the remote facility, wherein each of the other data communicating means is located in a corresponding one of the plurality of other statistically selected facilities.

71. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the television from which the television ratings data is acquired is a conventional television.

72. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the television from which the television ratings data is acquired is an Internet television.

73. The metering system of claim 58 wherein the television from which the television ratings data is acquired is a computer having a television tuner.

74. A metering system comprising:

usage data acquiring means for acquiring usage data from an interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device, wherein the usage data acquiring means is configured to;

distinguish between at least two communication protocols;

identify which of the at least two communication protocols is employed by the interactive service device;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying a first communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol; and

extract the usage data using the designated first or second data extraction technique;

television ratings data acquiring means for acquiring ratings data relating to the tuning of television signals by a television;

data communicating means for communicating the usage data and the ratings data to a remote facility; and

wherein the television ratings data acquiring means comprises signature extracting means for extracting signatures from television signals tuned by the television.

75. A metering system for use with an interactive service device, the metering system comprising:

a memory; and

a passive communication listener coupled to the memory and the interactive service device, the passive communication listener being configured to;

distinguish between an on-line and an off-line communication protocol;

identify which of the on-line communication protocol or the off-line communication protocol is employed by the interactive service device;

designate a first usage information extraction technique based on identifying the on-line communication protocol or a second usage information extraction technique based on identifying the off-line communication protocol;

extract usage information from a signal associated with the interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device using the designated first or second usage information extraction technique; and

store the extracted usage information in the memory.

76. A metering system as defined in claim 75, wherein the passive communication listener is configured to monitor communications between an operating system and a communication device driver.

77. A metering system as defined in claim 75, wherein the passive communication listener is in communication with at least one of an operating system, a communication device driver, an application or a log file.

78. A metering system as defined in claim 75, wherein the passive communication listener is configured to detect on-line communications and to monitor applications in response to detecting communications other than on-line communications.

79. A metering system as defined in claim 75, wherein the communication protocols include an Internet communication protocol.

80. A metering system as defined in claim 79, wherein the Internet communication protocol is a hyper-text transport protocol.

81. A metering system as defined in claim 75, wherein the usage information is associated with one of on-line information or off-line information.

82. A metering system as defined in claim 75, wherein the interactive service device is at least one of a personal computer, an Internet device, a non-personal computer, a television or a set-top box.

83. A metering system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and programmed to;

acquire a signal associated with an interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device;

distinguish between an on-line communication protocol and an off-line communication protocol;

determine if the signal is conveyed using the on-line or the off-line communication protocol;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying the on-line communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying the off-line communication protocol; and

extract usage data from the acquired signal using the designated first or second usage data extraction technique.

84. A metering system as defined in claim 83, wherein the processor is programmed to monitor communications between an operating system and a communication device driver.

85. A metering system as defined in claim 83, wherein the interactive service device is at least one of a personal computer, an Internet device, a non-personal computer, a television or a set-top box.

86. A metering system as defined in claim 83, wherein one of the communication protocols includes an Internet communication protocol.

87. A metering system as defined in claim 83, wherein the Internet communication protocol is a hyper-text transport protocol.

88. A metering system as defined in claim 83, wherein the usage data includes one of on-line information or off-line information.

89. A metering system as defined in claim 83, wherein the usage data includes information associated with an application program.

90. A method of metering usage data comprising:

acquiring a signal associated with an interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device;

distinguishing between an on-line communication protocol and an off-line communication protocol;

determining if the acquired signal is conveyed using the on-line or the off-line communication protocol;

designating a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying the on-line communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying the off-line communication protocol; and

extracting the usage data from the acquired signal using the designated first or second usage data extraction technique.

91. A method of metering usage data as defined in claim 90, further comprising monitoring communications between an operating system and a communication device driver.

92. A method as defined in claim 90, wherein the interactive service device is at least one of a personal computer, an Internet device, a non-personal computer, a television or a set-top box.

93. A method as defined in claim 90, wherein the communication protocols include an Internet communication protocol.

94. A method as defined in claim 90, wherein the Internet communication protocol is a hyper-text transport protocol.

95. A method as defined in claim 90, wherein the usage data includes one of on-line information or off-line information.

96. A method as defined in claim 90, wherein the usage data includes information associated with an application program.

97. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:

acquire a signal associated with an interactive service device without intercepting communications of the interactive service device;

distinguish between an on-line communication protocol and an off-line communication protocol;

determine if the signal is conveyed using the non-line or the off-line communication protocol;

designate a first usage data extraction technique based on identifying the on-line communication protocol or a second usage data extraction technique based on identifying the off-line communication protocol; and

extract usage data from the acquired signal using the designated first or second usage data extraction technique.

98. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 97 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to monitor communications between an operating system and a communication device driver.

99. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 97, wherein the interactive service device is at least one of a personal computer, an Internet device, a non-personal computer, a television or a set-top box.

100. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 97, wherein the communication protocols include an Internet communication protocol.

101. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 97, wherein the Internet communication protocol is a hyper-text transport protocol.

102. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 97, wherein the usage data includes one of on-line information or off-line information.

103. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 97, wherein the usage data includes information associated with an application program.