Apparatus and method for objectively determining human response to media

• US 9,215,996 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Hans C., Wilson, Josh, Fettiplace, Michael, Lee, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIAN, SHIRLEY XUEYING
• Application Number:
  US11/681,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20080214902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,217 Days
• Field of Search: 600/378, 600544-545
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/372 Analysis of electroencephalograms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a media analysis apparatus and method in which human mental response to media is objectively determined.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

applying, using a processor, a first adjustment factor to first data gathered from a subject exposed to a stimulus to form first adjusted data;

applying, using the processor, a second adjustment factor to the first data to form second adjusted data;

applying, using the processor, a third adjustment factor to second data gathered from the subject to form third adjusted data;

applying, using the processor, a fourth adjustment factor to the second data to form fourth adjusted data;

calculating, using the processor, a sum based on the first adjusted data, the second adjusted data, the third adjusted data, and the fourth adjusted data;

determining, using the processor, a mental state of the subject based on the sum; and

adjusting, using the processor, at least one of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on a characteristic of at least one of the first data or the second data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first adjustment factor is based on a first proportion of the first data used relative to the second data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second proportion of the second data used relative to the first data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second adjustment factor is based on a first confidence in the first data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first confidence is based on a first diagnosis of data quality of a first sensor used to gather the first data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the third adjustment factor is based on a second confidence in the second data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second confidence is based on a second diagnosis of data quality of a second sensor used to gather the second data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second adjustment factor is based on a first derivative of the first data and a first offset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second derivative of the second data and a second offset.

10. The method of claim 1 further including applying a fifth adjustment factor to the sum to form fifth adjusted data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein one of the first adjustment factor or the second adjustment factor is based on a first confidence in the first data and one of the third adjustment factor or the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second confidence in the second data, and the fifth adjustment factor is based on a coherence of the first confidence and the second confidence.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the mental state of the subject is based on the fifth adjusted data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is gathered from a first modality and the second data is gathered from a second modality.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is heart rate data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is blood oxygen level data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the blood oxygen level data is based on a breathing pattern.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is head movement data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the head movement data includes movement in three directions.

19. The method of claim 18 further including applying a fifth adjustment factor to the head movement data, the fifth adjustment factor determined by:

calculating a first square of movement data in an x direction;

calculating a second square of movement data in a y direction;

calculating a third square of movement data in a z direction;

summing the first, second and third squares; and

calculating a square root of the sum of the first, second and third squares.

20. The method of claim 1 further including changing one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on a rate of change of at least one of the first data or the second data.

21. The method of claim 1 further including changing one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor during gathering of at least one of the first data or the second data.

22. The method of claim 1 further including changing one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on at least one of the first data or the second data exceeding a threshold.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the threshold is based on a physiological response.

24. A system comprising:

a memory including machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to analyze first data and second data gathered from a subject exposed to a stimulus by;

applying a first adjustment factor to the first data to form first adjusted data;

applying a second adjustment factor to the first data to form second adjusted data;

applying a third adjustment factor to second data gathered from the subject to form third adjusted data;

applying a fourth adjustment factor to the second data to form fourth adjusted data; and

calculating a sum based on the first adjusted data, the second adjusted data, the third adjusted data, and the fourth adjusted data;

the instructions to cause the processor to determine a mental state of the subject based on the sum, and to adjust at least one of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on a characteristic of at least one of the first data or the second data.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first adjustment factor is based on a first proportion of the first data used relative to the second data.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second proportion of the second data used relative to the first data.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the second adjustment factor is based on a first confidence in the first data.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the first confidence is based on a first diagnosis of data quality of a first sensor used to gather the first data.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the third adjustment factor is based on a second confidence in the second data.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the second confidence is based on a second diagnosis of data quality of a second sensor used to gather the second data.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the second adjustment factor is based on a first derivative of the first data and a first offset.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second derivative of the second data and a second offset.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor is to apply a fifth adjustment factor to the sum to form fifth adjusted data.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein one of the first adjustment factor or the second adjustment factor is based on a first confidence in the first data and one of the third adjustment factor or the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second confidence in the second data, and the fifth adjustment factor is based on a coherence of the first confidence and the second confidence.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is to determine the mental state of the subject based on the fifth adjusted data.

36. The system of claim 24, wherein the first data is gathered from a first modality and the second data is gathered from a second modality.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is heart rate data.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is blood oxygen level data.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the blood oxygen level data is based on a breathing pattern.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is head movement data.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the head movement data includes movement in three directions.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the processor is to apply a fifth adjustment factor to the head movement data, the processor to determine the fifth adjustment factor by:

calculating a first square of movement data in an x direction;

calculating a second square of movement data in a y direction;

calculating a third square of movement data in a z direction;

summing the first, second and third squares; and

calculating a square root of the sum of the first, second and third squares.

43. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor is to change one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on a rate of change of at least one of the first data or the second data.

44. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor is to change one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor during gathering of at least one of the first data or the second data.

45. The system of claim 24, wherein the processor is to change one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on at least one of the first data or the second data exceeding a threshold.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the threshold is based on a physiological response.

47. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

apply a first adjustment factor to first data gathered from a subject exposed to a stimulus to form first adjusted data;

apply a second adjustment factor to the first data to form second adjusted data;

apply a third adjustment factor to second data gathered from the subject to form third adjusted data;

apply a fourth adjustment factor to the second data to form fourth adjusted data;

calculate a sum based on the first adjusted data, the second adjusted data, the third adjusted data, and the fourth adjusted data;

determine a mental state of the subject based on the sum; and

adjust at least one of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on a characteristic of at least one of the first data or the second data.

48. The medium of claim 47, wherein the first adjustment factor is based on a first proportion of the first data used relative to the second data and the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second proportion of the second data used relative to the first data.

49. The medium of claim 47, wherein the second adjustment factor is based on a first confidence in the first data and the third-fifth adjustment factor is based on a second confidence in the second data.

50. The medium of claim 49, wherein the first confidence is based on a first diagnosis of data quality of a first sensor used to gather the first data and the second confidence is based on a second diagnosis of data quality of a second sensor used to gather the second data.

51. The medium of claim 47, wherein the second adjustment factor is based on a first derivative of the first data and a first offset and the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second derivative of the second data and a second offset.

52. The medium of claim 47, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to apply a fifth adjustment factor to the sum to form fifth adjusted data.

53. The medium of claim 52, wherein one of the first adjustment factor or the second adjustment factor is based on a first confidence in the first data, one of the third adjustment factor or the fourth adjustment factor is based on a second confidence in the second data, and the fifth adjustment factor is based on a coherence of the first confidence and the second confidence.

54. The medium of claim 52, wherein the instructions cause the machine to determine the mental state of the subject based on the fifth adjusted data.

55. The medium of claim 47, wherein the first data is gathered from a first modality and the second data is gathered from a second modality.

56. The medium of claim 55, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is heart rate data.

57. The medium of claim 55, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is blood oxygen level data.

58. The medium of claim 57, wherein the blood oxygen level data is based on a breathing pattern.

59. The medium of claim 55, wherein the first data is electroencephalographic data and the second data is head movement data.

60. The medium of claim 59, wherein the head movement data includes movement in three directions.

61. The medium of claim 60, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to apply a fifth adjustment factor to the head movement data, the fifth adjustment factor determined by:

calculating a first square of movement data in an x direction;

calculating a second square of movement data in a y direction;

calculating a third square of movement data in a z direction;

summing the first, second and third squares; and

calculating a square root of the sum of the first, second and third squares.

62. The medium of claim 47, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to change one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on a rate of change of at least one of the first data or the second data.

63. The medium of claim 47, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to change one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor during gathering of at least one of the first data or the second data.

64. The medium of claim 47, wherein the instructions further cause the machine to change one or more of the first adjustment factor, the second adjustment factor, the third adjustment factor, or the fourth adjustment factor based on at least one of the first data or the second data exceeding a threshold, the threshold based on a physiological response.