Rating multimedia programs accessed from a provider network
US8938747B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 6, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 27, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04H60/66
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system measures viewership of multimedia programs such as television programs, pay-per-view sporting events, and video-on-demand movies. Viewership data from a plurality of multimedia programs may be compared to determine ratings for the multimedia programs. Multimedia streams en route to set top boxes may be monitored using packet inspection to identify the multimedia program or programs included in the multimedia streams. An electronic table or array may be stored and updated with viewership statistics of monitored multimedia programs. Some embodiments track the total number of households or televisions that are powered on in a viewing area. Ratings are available substantially in real time by accessing a stored table with viewership information or by frequently polling a plurality of stored values to determine which multimedia program is being viewed by all or substantially all viewers in an area.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.