Content reaction display

• US 7,739,140 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maggio Media Research LLC
• Inventors: Vinson, Michael J., Foster, IV, Frank S., Parker, Noreen
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US10/282,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20030172374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,786 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/10, 725/14
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

Content reaction evaluation and display systems and methods. Through the present invention, a user can easily identify how content changes impact content reactions. The present invention preferably includes a content presentation region, which allows a user to experience the content, and a content reaction display region, which allows a user to view content reactions as the content is experienced. A preferred embodiment of the present invention uses content reactions collected from set-top box event data, viewership logs, and other such data to generate the content reaction display. A preferred embodiment of the present invention also analyzes content reaction data to determine content ratings, content market share, and other such data and can present such data to the user along with the content reaction information.

Claims

1. A method of automatically evaluating audience reactions to media content, comprising:

anonymously collecting media content reaction data associated with a particular media content in a privacy compliant manner, wherein the media content reaction data is associated with audience reactions to the particular media content;

associating with a processor the collected media content reaction data with only one or more regional identifiers associated with a viewer/listener;

storing the media content reaction data and the at least one identifier in at least one database; and

presenting the particular media content and the associated media content reaction data to a customer in a synchronized manner;

wherein the particular media content associated with the media content reaction data is at least one of a group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a television advertisement, a radio advertisement, Internet content and Internet advertisements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content reaction data includes a media content reaction and a time at which the media content reaction was recorded.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected media content reaction data includes a list of television channels experienced by the viewer/listener and the times at which the television channels were experienced by the viewer/listener.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected media content reaction data comprises a list of radio channels experienced by the viewer/listener and the times at which the radio channels were experienced by the viewer/listener.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected media content reaction data includes set-top box event data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content reaction data includes an identifier associated with the particular media content experienced while the associated media content reaction data was collected.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifier associated with the particular media content experienced while the associated media content reaction data was collected includes a broadcast channel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the broadcast channel is a television channel.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the broadcast channel is a radio channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewer/listener represents members of a household.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer is associated with at least one of a television station, a television network, a radio station, and a radio network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content reaction data is presented as a graphical display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the graphical display is a time based display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content reaction data is collected from a plurality of viewers/listeners, and at least one identifier is associated with the media content reaction data from each of the respective viewers/listeners.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

allowing the customer to interact with the media content reaction data presentation.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the customer to interact with the media content presentation.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the customer to interact with the media content reaction data and the media content presentation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content reaction data presentation includes an analysis of the media content reaction data.

19. A method of automatically evaluating audience reactions to media content, comprising:

anonymously collecting with a device media content reaction data associated with a particular media content from a plurality of viewers/listeners in a privacy compliant manner, wherein the media content reaction data is associated with a processor with audience reactions to the particular media content, wherein the media content reaction data includes only one or more first regional identifier associated with each of the plurality of viewers/listeners and at least one second identifier associated with the particular media content to which the plurality of viewers/listeners is reacting;

storing the media content reaction data in at least one database; and

presenting the particular media content and the associated media content reaction data to a customer in a synchronized manner;

wherein the particular media content associated with the media content reaction data is at least one of a group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a television advertisement, a radio advertisement, Internet content and Internet advertisements.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

allowing the customer to interact with the media content reaction data presentation.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

allowing the customer to interact with the media content presentation.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

allowing the customer to interact with the media content and the media content reaction presentations.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the media content reaction data includes set-top box event data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the media content reaction data presentation includes an analysis of the media content reaction data.

25. A method of automatically evaluating audience reactions to media content, comprising:

anonymously collecting set-top box event data from a set-top box of a viewer/listener using a processing device, wherein the set-top box data includes at least one of a set-top box event, a time at which the set-top box occurred, at least one media content identifier, and only one or more regional identifiers associated with the viewer/listener;

storing the set-top box event data in at least one database; and

presenting media content associated with the set-top box event data stored in the at least one database to a customer in a synchronized manner;

wherein the particular media content associated with the media content reaction data is at least one of a group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a television advertisement, a radio advertisement, Internet content and Internet advertisements.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the presentation of set-top event data includes an analysis of the set-top box event data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the set-top box event data analysis includes a content viewership rating.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the set-top box event data analysis includes a media content market share.

29. A method of automatically evaluating audience reactions to television programming, comprising:

anonymously collecting television programming reaction data associated with a particular television programming content from a viewer/listener in a privacy compliant manner, wherein the television programming reaction data is associated with audience reactions to the particular television programming content;

associating with a processor the collected television programming reaction data with only one or more regional identifiers associated with the viewer/listener;

storing the collected television programming reaction data in at least one database;

presenting the television programming content and the associated television programming reaction data to a customer in a synchronized manner;

allowing the customer to interact with the television programming content and the associated television programming reaction data.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the television programming reaction data includes the time at which a first television channel was changed by the viewer/listener to a second television channel, and the identity of the first and second television channels.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the customer can interact with the television programming to achieve a plurality of effects including at least one of creating a storyboard, controlling television programming playback direction, controlling television programming playback speed, marking positions within television programming, and moving to discrete locations within the television programming.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the television programming includes television advertisements.

33. An apparatus that automatically evaluates audience reactions to media content, comprising:

at least one media content reaction database;

a media content reaction data collector that anonymously collects media content reaction data associated with a particular media content in a privacy compliant manner, wherein the media content reaction data is associated with audience reactions to the particular media content;

a media content reaction analyzer that associates the collected media content reaction data with only one or more regional identifiers associated with a viewer/listener, stores the media content reaction data and the at least one identifier in the at least one database, and presents the particular media content and the associated media content reaction data to a customer in a synchronized manner, wherein the particular media content associated with the media content reaction data is at least one of a group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a television advertisement, a radio advertisement, Internet content and Internet advertisements.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the media content reaction data collector is a set-top box.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the media content reaction analyzer calculates content ratings and content market share.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the media content reaction analyzer causes presentation of media content, media content reaction data, and media content reaction analysis information in a plurality of arrangements.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the presentation arrangements include at least one of a video stream page, a video details page, a demographics page, and a detailed demographics page.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the presentation arrangements further include a weekly report.