Audience measurement system utilizing ancillary codes and passive signatures
US5481294A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 27, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jan 2, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 27, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N2007/17372
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An audience measurement system collects data representative of tuned programs rather than of tuned channels, and includes (i) a household metering apparatus which records ancillary codes or extracts program signatures from the programs if no ancillary codes are found therein, (ii) a reference apparatus which monitors broadcast programs to be monitored, which extracts reference signatures therefrom, which records whatever ancillary codes may be associated with these broadcast programs and, if no ancillary codes are present, which compresses and stores a digital replica representative of the broadcast programs to be monitored, (iii) a data collection apparatus which compares the household and reference data to determine (a) which of the broadcast programs to be monitored were selected for viewing and/or listening, (b) which of the metered households selected the broadcast programs to be monitored for viewing and/or listening, and (c) at which times the broadcast programs to be monitored were selected for viewing and/or listening.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.