CA1241737A - Television and market research data collection system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

TELEVISION AND MARKET RESEARCH
DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A remote data collection unit is provided at each of a plurality of panelist locations. The remote unit is adapted to be coupled to one or more television receivers or cable television converters.
The data collection unit monitors and stores infor-mation as to what TV mode is in use, identification of the TV viewing audience and events such as channel changes and the like. The data collection unit further includes means for optically scanning bar codes and the like and storing that information, which can be representative of product purchase information or panelist responses to market research surveys.
Substitute programming information may be supplied to selected panelist locations, as by transmission over an otherwise unused channel in a cable system along with control information. Information stored in data collection unit is periodically collected, either by interrogation of the data collection unit by a central computer, or by manual transfer of information to a portable data collector.

Description

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T~L~VISION A~D ~RRET ~S~RC~
~TP~ L~I~ ST~ ~ D ~ OD

Bac~GRonND o~ T~æ I~NTI~N

~he present invention relates to data storage and transmission systems and more particularly relates to monitoring ~ys~ems for accumulating data at remote locations and transmitting the data to a central location. ~ore particularly, the present invention relates to a 10 data collection system and method for collecting at remote panelist location~ data relative to television viewing habits and preferences as well as product purchases and preferences of a plurality of panelists, and tran3mitting the collected data to a 15 central location. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a da~a collection system is provided in which individual television receivers may be controlled from a central location to display 8ubstitute programming.
The prior art is replete with variou3 ~ys~ems and arrangements for monitorinq viewing h~bits of television viewersO The earliest such 3ystems merely collected data on site for eventual ~anual collection as to the televi~ion channels 25 viewed and the times of viewing for various panels o viewers in order to determine market ~hare and ratings o~ various television programs. Later, ~y~ems came into being for use with cable television systems with two way communication~ over 30 the cable ~ystem between the head end thereof and ~arious cable ~ubscribers. In such a system the televi~ion ~ets are typi~ally interrogated periodically from this central location over the 73~

cable, with the channel selection and time information being ~ent back ~o the central location and loqged for sta~istical compilation~ Such 3ystems have also been used in the past in 30~alled 5 pay television systems in which ~illiny information is sent over the ~able system to a central location from ~he various subscribers to the pay television system. The prior art also includes such systems in wh~ch a memory means is provided at the remote 10 location, i.e. at the television receiver, for accumulatin~ data as to the channel being viewed and time. The accumulated data is then periodically transmitted over conventional ~elephone lines from the remote locations to the central location, by 15 telephone calls initiated by either the remote stations or the central location.
Systems for remotely accumulating data regarding the habits of television viewers and their qualitative reaction to material have today become 20 important from the standpoint of market research.
For example, the effectivene~s of television commercials can be monitored by correlating viewing of those commercials with subsequent purchase decisions made by panelists whose viewing habits are 25 being monitored. One manner of achieving this which has been utili2ed in the past is to have the cooperatin~ panelists keep a diary as to purchase of products~ The purchase information recorded in these diaries is then correlated with the 30 commercials viewed by those cooperating panelists.
In an alternative arrangement disclosed in the prior art, in areas where universal product code au~om~ed check-outs are available, such as grocery ~tores and the like, a panelist makes his or her purchases and 35 at the check-out counter presents a card coded with '73~

a unique scanner panelist identification similar to the univer~al product code symbol on the products purchased. Th~ 3tore's compu~er can automatically retain such purchase data ~or subsequent ~ran~fer to 5 a market rese~rch company computer data base for correlation with the data regarding the various panelists viewing of commercials. Such arrangements of course require cooperation of stores within the area of the panelist locations, and are therefore 10 more suited for limited geographic groupings of panelists in a sing~e locale or city, and are not readily applicable to a national assemblage of panelists extending across an entire country.
In market research relating to commercials 1~ and their effectiveness, it also is sometimes important to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative forms of a commercial. One way of achieving this in the context of a cable ~elevision system is to split the subscribers or panelists into 20 two or more groups, and then show the alternative forms of commercials to the respective groups o paneli~ts. Correlation of product purchase information regarding those panelists with the forms of the commercials they viewed can then be u~ed ~o 25 assess the effectiveness of the various alternative forms o~ the commercial. The prior art also includes examples of systems wherein certain portions of a viewing audience can be selected on a dynamic basis and furnished with substitute 30 programming. Such a syctem is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,639,686 to Walker et al. In accordance with that system, an auxiliary television signal is broadcast which contain~ not only substitute programming, i.e. video signal information, but also control information such as ~2~737 pulse code information for remotely selecting panelists which are to receive the substitute programming. Digital addres~ information is provided for each of the panelists, and the portion 5 of the panelists which are to receive the substitute programming are selected by the pulse code information. The Walker et al patent no~es that in selecting the panelists which are to receive the substitute programming, the number of categories 10 available is dependent on the number of digital information bits that are ir.corporated in the system~ A later United States Patent No. 4,331,974 to Cogswell et al also discloses an arrangement for selectinq portions of a viewing audience on a 15 dynamic basis and furnishing those portions with su~stitute progra~ming.
The present invention relates to an improved system and me~hod which is of particular utility in market research type applications, but 20 which is not limited thereto.

BJECTS AND SU~ARY OF T~E IN9ENTIQN

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for collecting at remote panelists locations data relative to those 25 panelists, and transmitting the collected data to a central location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a data collection system for collecting data relative to panelists television viewing habits and preferences as well as market research data regarding panelists product purchases and preferences.

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It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system and method in which the remote locations are provided with ~emory for storing collected da~a, with collected data 5 being periodically transmi~ted ~o a central locat;on over non-dedicated telephone lines.
It is still another object of the present invention, in accord nce with one embodiment, to provide such a system and method in which substitute 10 programming can be provided to selected of the panelists.
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a remote data collection unit i3 provided at each of a plurality of panelist 15 locations. The remote unit is adapted to be coupled to one or more tPlevision receivers at each panelist location, or to one or more cable televi~ion converters in the context of a cable television system. The data collection unit includes a memory 20 and means for monitoring and storing information regarding which of a plurality of television modes are in use, as well as viewer identi~ication data.
~eans are provided to monitor and store events concerning television viewing, such as channel 25 changes or the like. Purther, the data collection unit includes means for optically scanning bar codes and the like and storing information regarding s~me. Such bar codes and the like can be represen~ative of product purchase information or 3~ panelist responses to market research surveys and the like. In one embodiment, telephone communica-tion is periodically established between a ~entral location and each of the remote units, and the contents of each data collection unit memory are 35 transmitted to the central location. Alternatively, 7~7 s a portable memory device can be taken to the loca-tion of eaeh data collPction unit to transfer the memory content thereof to ~ tape or disc or o~her ~torage device. In accordance with one embodi~ent 5 of the invention, during telephone communication between the central location and a remote unit, questionnaires can be downloaded from the central location to the memory of a remote data collection unit. Such questionnaires can be displayed on a 10 television receiver coupled to the remote data collection unit, with means provided for a viewer or panelist registering answers to questions in the questionnaire, and the memory of the remote data collection unit storing the answers to the questions 15 for transmission to the central location at the next telephone communication therewith.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a viewer control is associated with each remote data collection unit. The viewer control 20 includes a ~elevision channel selector, which can be utilized not only in a normal mode for selecting channels but also to place the unit in a channel lock or a non-channel loc~ position~ When the data collection unit is in the channel lock position, the 25 t~levision set associated therewith stays tuned to whatever channel was previously selected, but subsequent changes in the channel selec~or are stored in the data collection unit memory. This feature is useful for recording data relating to viewer response, individual viewer identification, re ponses to questionnaires and he like.
In accordance with one embodiment o~ the invention, substitute programming information may be supplied to each o~ the panelist locations, as by 35 transmission over an otherwise unused channel in a 73~

cable system, Control information is al~o transmitted along with the substi~ute progra~Ming, with the control information being utilized to select on a dynamic basis portions of the panelists 5 for receipt of substitute programming. The ~roups of panelists which are to receive the substitute programming information can be selected on a demographic bases or the like.
Other objects, advantages, and features of 10 the present invention will appear from the detailed description of the pref2rred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings~

~RIEF D~SCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWI~GS

Fi~ure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall system in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating signal flow in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating modification of a cable converter in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates the mode switches and 25 data wand of a data collection unit in accvrdance with the present invention.

Figure 5 is a detailed block diagram of a data collection unit in accordance with the pre~ent invention.

~ igure 6 is a block diagram of the telephone bloek interface and master/slave coupling in accordance with one embodiment of the inventiDn.

Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram of the S main loop of a data collection unit in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 8 is another logic flow diagram for converter control in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure g is a logic flow diagram of another subroutine in accordance wi~h ~he present invention.

Figure 10 is a logic 10w diagram or the data LED control subroutine of one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 is a logic flow diagram of a subroutine also relating to converter control.

Figure 12 is a logic flow diagram related to storing optically scanned data from a bar code reader in accordance with one embodiment of the 20 present invention.

Figure 13 is a loqic flow diagram relating to control of a time window fos telephone communications in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

~5 ~igure 14 is a logic flow diagram r~l~ting to the survey function of one embodiment of the present invention.

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Figure lS is a logic flow diagram for a communication subroutine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 16 is a block diagram relating to an 5 aspeet of the invention in which viewer identifi-cation prompts are overlayed on the television screen.

Figure 17 is a block diagram of an al~er-nate embodiment of ~he present invention in which a lO portable data collection device is used to retreive data from data collection units instead of telephone links.

DErAILED DESCRIPTION OF TEIE PRE:FE~RR13D lE:~)DIlqE~T5 The present invention relates to a data 15 gathering system which includes a plurality of remote units which are controlled from a central location. Each of the remote units is attached to a television receiver which is generally but not necessarily a~tached to a cable system. Each of the 20 remote units functions to determine which of several TV mode~ is in use as well as to store TV channel selector data and data from an optical input device.
All this data is ~tored for later transmission by each of the remote units to a central data

2$ collecting point. In accordance with some embodiment~ of the invention, a video message for a ~V viewer can be transmitted from the central loeation and ~tored at the remote units, for later display on the TV set associated with the remote 30 units. Further embodiments of the invention allow 73~

for subs~itution of al~ernat~ pr~gramming inf~r-mation by the central ~ontrol point on selected of the remote units.
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a S block diagram of the overall system. ~n accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the system is illustrated in the context of a cable ~V system; the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, however. In Fi~ure 1 signals on normal television 10 channels are received by head end antennas 11 associated with a CATV head end control ~ystem 12.
The signals from the normal television channels can be mixed with video~ape or film sources from auxiliary sources 13 and 1~. In accordance with the 15 invention, a control source 16 i~ al o provided for transmitting digital data from and under the control of a microcomputer 17. These will be discussed in more detail later.
All of ~hese various signals are mixed in 20 the CATV head end 12 and transmitted over a cable system, gsnerally indicated by reference numeral 1~.
Figure 1 illustrates one of the remote units of this system of this invention, although it should be understood that a plurality of such remote 25 units are provided, suitably situated in homes of panelists or the like who have agreed to serve on panels. As shown in Figure 1 r a cable converter 19 and a data collection unit 21 as provided in accordance with the present invention are both 30 coupled to the cable system 1~. A normal television receiver 22 is coupled to the cable converter 19.
There is also interconnection for passage of ~ontrol signals both ways.between the data collection unit 21 and the cable converter 19. This is explained in 35 more detail later.

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In accordance with the invention, the data collection unit 21 contains a ~emory, and stores data as to which of a plurality o~ TV modes are in usel which TV channel is being viewed, as well as 5 input from a sui~able optical scanning device, which will be discussed in more detail later. In accordance with some embodimen~s of the present invention, other data can be collected by ~he data collection unit, such as viewer ~ualitative rating 10 Of proqrams and responses to survey questionnaires and ~he like.
The data collection unit 21 is interconnected to a telephone block 22, through which incoming and outgoing telephone calls are 15 coupled to the panelist's home with suitable wiring and the like interconnecting telephone receivers 23 in the panelist's home.
A central data collec~ion point is provided for the system in accordance with this invention, 20 which need not be the same central location as the CA~V head end 120 ~he central location is indicated in Figure 1 by the central computer 24. The central location can include an appropriate computer with modems and the like for m~king connection over the 25 switched telephone network 25 to each of the remote locations. This is illustrated in Figure 1 by the connection between the ~witched telephone network 25 and the talephone block 22 for the particular remote location shown in Figure 1. Periodically, the 30 central computer 24 "dials-up" each of the remote locations, establishes appropriate telephone communications with each of the data collection units 21, and the data stored in each of the data collection units 21 is transmitted via the ~witched 35 telephone network 25 to the central computer 2qo 7~3~7 While in telephone communication, in addition to extractiny the stored data from the data collection unit 21, the central computer 24 can also download via the telephone lines data into each of the data S collection units 21, as discussed in more detail hereafterO Also as discussed in more detail hereafter, in accordance with one aspect and embodiment of the invention, appropriate interconnections are provided in the telephone block 10 22 so that when a telephone call comes in from the central computer 2~, the call is routed to the data collection unit 21, and does not activate the telephone receivers 23 in the panelist's home.
Referring now to Figure 2, ~here is shown lS an additional block diagram illustrating signal paths between the data collection unit 21, the cable converter 19, and a television receiver 22.
Referring to Figure 2, the data collection unit 21 includes an electronics portion 26 and a switching 20 portion 27. The switching portion 27 consists of a number of switches, five in the embodiment ~hown in Figure 2, for selecting which of a variety of TV
modes are to be utilized. Thus, for example in the embodiment shown in Figure 2 the inputs to the switching portion 27 are the normal TV signal from a cable or antenna, along with an interconnection to a computer, i.e. home computer, a VCR, and a game.
Depression of one of the five pushbuttons in the ~itching portion by a viewer or panelist selec~s one or the other of these TV modes. ~ TV mode ~ignal corresponding to and indicative of one of these ~V modes is stored in the data collection uni~
electronics section 26. As was briefly discu~ed in connection with the block diagram of Figure 1, in 35 accordance with one embodiment of the invention text ~2~73~

information, such as survey questionnaires and the like, can be downloaded from a central location over the telephone lines and s~ored in the data collection unit electronics 26. Selection of a 5 "survey" function by the panelists, actua~es this TV
mode and video text information is coupled through the corresponding switch in the switching portion 27 and coupled over RF signal line ~8 ~o the input of the cable converter lg. The output of the cable 10 converter 19 is of course suitably connected to the television receiver 22~
In accordance with the present invention, control information is coupled both ways between the cable converter 19 and the data collection unit 15 26. In fact r in accordance with the present invention, and as described more fully hereinafter, it is the data collection unit electronics 26 which controls the television program material displayed on the television receiver 22, rather than the cable 20 converter 19.
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a typical example of the way in which cable converters are modified in accordance with the present invention for application o the present invention 25 thereto. `Cable converters typically include a microprocessor section illustrated in Figure 3 by reference numeral 29 and a tuning section illustrated in Figure 3 by reference numeral 31. For example, in an exemplary arrangement, a ribbon cable is 30 normally supplied connecting the microprocessor board 29 to the tuning section 31. Typically, the micro-processor section controls a digital display and television receiver commands are received from a front panel on the cable converter, or a remote 3t~
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control as well know in the art. The microprocessor section sends commands to the tuning section via the ribbon cable normally connecting ~he two. In accordance wi~h the present invention, the ribbon 5 cable from the microprocessor board or section is interrupted and is connected ~o the data collection unit 21. ~he commands and the like from the microprocessor section 29 are interpreted by the data collection unit 21, which then in turn controls 10 selection of a channel by the ~uning section or board 31. As discussed more ully hereafter, the data collection unit 21 will normally cause ~he tuning sec~ion 31 to ~elec~ and display whatever channel was indicated in the command inormation 15 from the microprocessor ~ection 29. ~owever, when the present invention is in a substitute programming function, the data collection unit 21 will or can substitute programming, i.e. select a ~hannel for display other than the channel indicated by the 20 commands from the microprocessor board 29, for display at the television receiver. Also, the interconnection between the data collection unit 21 and the cable converter enables the data collection unit 21 to store information as to the channel b~ing ~5 viewed and at what times, etc.
Turning now to Figure 4, there is shown a representation of the physical appearance of the data collection unit 21 in accordance with the present invention. The unit is preferably 30 dimensioned such that a cable converter, such as the Teknika 6401 converter will sit right on top o~ the data collection unit. As illustrated in Figure 4, five TV mode selector switches are provided in the form of pushbutton switches. These correspond to 35 TV, game, computer, VCR, and ~urvey. As mentioned previously, in accordance with one aspect of the invention survey questionnaires and the like can be downloaded from the central location over the telephone lines to memory in ~he da~a collecti~n 5 unit. Selection of the survey pushbutton switch în the data collection unit will then cause the survey questionnaire to be displayed on the television screen at the viewer's or panelist's convenience, for recording of answers to ~he questionnaire by the 10 panelists. The manner in which these responses to the questionnaires are registered and stored is discussed hereinafter. ~owever, as illu~trated in Figure 4, a light emittin~ diode 32 is provided on the front panel of the data collection unit in 15 a5sociation with the survey pushbutton. When survey questionnaires are contained in the memory of the data collection unit and have not been responded to by the panelists, ~he light emitting diode 32 is lit in a manner discussed hereafter, so as to inform the 20 panelists that there is an unanswered questionnaire. An additional data light emitting diode 33 is provided on the front panel of the data collection unit and provides further communication with a panelist, as discussed in detail hereafter~
Also shown in Figure 4 is a receptacle 34 provided in the front panel of the data collection unit~ The receptacle 34 is adapted to receive a da~a wand 35, and an additional light emitting diode 36 is provided on the front panel of the data 30 collection uni~ for displaying indications relative to the data wand. The data wand 35 is an optical ~canning device which contains its own internal memory. The data wand 35 can be used for scannin~
bar codes, such as the UPC codes found on products, 35 and storing information relative to those bar-o'~7 codes. The data stored within the data wand 35 can be periodically transmit~ed to memory within ~he data collection unit, by inserting the data ~and 35 into the receptacle 34.
A suitable example of an optical scanning device 35 for r~cording bar codes is that manu-factured by MSI Corporation and sold under the trademark "DATA WAND." The MSI da~a wand is available with an RS-232C-type standard interface, 10 ~hich is incorporated into the data collection unit 21 in accordance with the present invention. This interface allows connection to the computer and memory provided in the data collection unit, as di~cussed more fully hereafter.
Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a functional block diagram of a data collection unit in accordance with the present invention. The heart of the data collection unit is a microprocessor 37 and suitable programming for the microprocessor is 20 contained in a ROM 38. Details of the programming are discussed hereafter. ~ RAM 39 is al~o provided for storing event information such as channel selection, ~V mode selection, data read by the optical scanner 35 and the like. A clock 40 is also 2S provided to run the microproces30r 37, with the clock 40 also functioning ts main~ain a time of day indication for recording times in connection with events in the RAM 39. The RAM 39 typically is p~ovided with 32k bytes storage. Also typically, 8k 30 bytes of ROM is provided.
The data collection unit contains a ~erial line driver 41, which is appropriately selected to be one of those available which has a program~able baud rate. This serial line driver 41 is connected 35 via a multiplexer 42 to a variety of interfaces.

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First, a wand interace 43 is pr~vided for accepting data from the optical scanner 35. ~s discuss2d previously, the wand interface provided with the ~SI
data wand has a standard RS-232 ou~put at a 1200 5 baud rate. Another input to the multiplexer 42 is a modem 44 contained within the data collection unit. The modem 44 is a Bell 202 compatible, half duplex modem with an auto answer capability. ~his modem 44 is coupled to the telephone block interface 10 22, which is described in more detail hereafter.
~he data transfer rate via the modem ~ is also 1200 baud.
The data collection unit also contains a receive only inter~ace, ~hown as simplex receiver 45 15 in Figure 5 which receives an input from the cable system. This simplex channel uses an FM carrier on the cable and originates as a broadcast from the CATV head end. As more fully discussed hereafter in connection with a discussion of the substitute 20 programmin~ aspect of this invention, certain control information is transmitted to the remote data collection units via this cable implex channel. The transmission speed of this channel in accordance with one embodiment is 9600 baud.
A master/slave communication block 46 is shown in Figure 5 as coupled to the telephone block interface 22. This master/slave communication block i3 only applicable where a plurality of television 3ets are provided in one panelist's home~ The

3~ 3pecific functioning of the master/slave relationship is described hereafter in connection with Figure 6.
A parallel interface 47 is provided for providing the interface between the data collection 35 unit and the cable converter. Thus the inputs and 73~7 outputs of this parallel interface are from the microprocessor in the cable converter and to the t~ning section of the cable converter (see Figure 3).
~ parallel interface 48 is al~o provided for decoding the mode or function select ~witches provided on the front panel of the data collection unit (see ~igure 4) ~nd for controlling the three light emitting diodes 32, 33 and 36 on the front 10 panel of the data collection unit.
A video interace 49 is provided for providing video output information to the television receiver through ~he cable converter ~o display survey questionnaires and the like on the television 15 receiver when the survey mode i5 selected. As mentioned previously, in accordance wi~h one aspect of this invention survey questionnaires can be downloaded over the telephone lines from the central location to the remote units while they are in 20 telephone communication. The survey questionnaires are stored in RAM 39 and li~ht emitting diode 32 is lit on the front panel of the data collection unit to inform the panelists tha~ there is an unanswered questionnaire. When the panelist selects the survey 25 function, the video interface 49 produces a composite video signal for display on the television ~eceiver to display the questions in the questionnaire.
A battery 50 is also shown in the 30 ~unctional block diagram of Figure 5. ~lthough normal power connection for powerin~ the data collection units is via the normal household power supply, a battery backup can be provided to ~n~ure that the data collection unit remains powered up during any temporary power outages at the panelist' 5 7.~

home, so as not to lose current time of day information in ~he clock ~0 or any of the data stored in the RAM 39.
All of the circuitry functionally 5 illustrated in the blsc~ d;agram of Figure 5, with the exception of the master slave communications 4S
and the telephone block interface 22, can be any appropriate inte~rated circuits or the like which are available on the market for the functions 10 indicated.
An important aspect of the d~ta collection unit in accordance with ~he present invention is its interface to the cable converter. Specifically9 it is the data collection unit itself which controls 15 the tuning of the cable converter. The viewer or panelist appears to control the cable converter normally, but the signals are actually intercepted by the data collection unit and i~ is the data collection unit that commands the tuning of the 20 converter, as has been described above in connection with ~igures 2 and 3. During most television viewing activity, the data collection unit will command the tuner to ~elect the ~ame channel ~hat the viewer has selected. ~owever, when in functions which are 25 de5cribed as "Channel-Lock" and during "Dynamic Allocation", the data collection unit will select channel~ other than ~he one being displayed.
Channel Lock is a data collection unit ~unction in which the cable converter remains locked 30 on one channel regardless of the activity occurring with the converter control and the channel nù~ber being digitally di~played on the cable converter.
Channel Lock is entered by selecting an unoccupied converter channel, such as channel 35. When the 3sdata collection unit decodes channel 35, it will 3~

freeze the converter on the channel previously selected and illuminate light emitting diode 33 on the front panel of the data collection unit ~ee Fi~ure 4). The viewer or panelist can now u~e the 5 converter control to display any channel nu~ber on the converter without changin~ the channel being viewed. The data collection unit will collect events, as in the normal viewing mode, including storing the subse~uent channels selected during the 10 Channel Lock condition as events. Each time the data collection unit collects events the light emitting diode 33 will be blinked off, correspondinq to an indication that an event has been captured by the data collection unit. This Channel Lock feature 15 is useful from a number of standpoints. For example, when in a Channel Lock condition the viewer could select various channels ~or entry as events with the various channel numbers selected corresponding to the viewers qualitative reaction to 20 programming. As another example, a particular channel number could be entered while in the Channel Lock condition which correspondR to ~he identifica-tion of particular individuals who are viewing the program within the hou~ehold. A particular 25 embodiment of identifying viewers is described hereafter in connection with Figure 1~. Likewise, selection of channel numbers while in a Channel ~ock condition is useful in connection with responding to survey questionnaires and the like, which is 30 described more fully later. A key feature of the present invention is that entry of such qualitative viewer reaction data and the like is achieved while bein~ able to use the normal channel selector associated with the cable converter, rather than any 35 kind of separate key pad or other data entry device. The "Channel-Lock~' condition is exited by selecting an unoccupied converter channel, ~uch as 36, ~t which time the light emitting diode ~3 is extinguished and normal tuning of the converter is 5 resumed.
A~ has been previously described, the select switches or mode switches provided on the front panel of the data collection unit (see Figure

4) allows the viewer to select one of a number o 10 alternate signal sources. For example, these possible alternative signal ~ources are TV (either cable or air), VCR, yame, computer and survey. TAe switches as shown in Figure 2 select one of the signal sources and route it to the input of the 15 cable converter. The data collection unit monitors the switch selection and controls the converter tuning accordingly. If TV viewing is selected, then normal converter operation is enabled. If one of the other four sources are selected, the data 20 collection unit will record an event and tune the converter to the appropriate channel to tune the signals which are selec~ed. For example, the game and VCR output may be on channel 3, while the computer output is on channel 10. The~e are 25 specific parame~ers that can be adjusted with respect to any particular in~tallation.
Dynamic allocation is a term used to describe the concept of blind or invisible channel ~ubstitution. As described earlier, United States 30 Patent No. 3,639,686 to Walker et al relates to such a dynamic allocation or ~ubstitute progra~ming kind of system. In accordance with one embodiment o$ the present invention, a ~ubstitute programming arrangement in accordance with the principles of the 35 Walker et al patent is incorporated. Basically, the 3~

dynamic allocation process is one in which one or more channels in selected households are subs~itu~ed with another test channel by the data collection unit.
The materials substituted usually are commercials, for purposes of market research with respect to the efficacy of commercials~ In practice, a set of substitute commercial cut-ins are ~cheduled each day. For example, each cut-in can be 10 assigned a two digit number. For each cut-in, a channel remap table is loaded into the data collection unit. The remap tables are simple and consist, for example, of one or more channel numbers and the channel they are to be remapped to. At any 15 given time, the memory in the data collection unit can hold a number of such remap tables. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the remap tables are downloaded over the cable channel and received by the ~implex receiver 45 (Figure 5).
ach data collection unit has an identification number. There can either be unique identification numbers for each data collection unit corresponding to each panelist location, or panelists can be grouped in accordance with ~5 demographic considerations and assigned a common iden~ification number. Identification numbers for each data control unit can be downloaded to the unit from the central location durin~ telephone communications between same.
Since the messages transmitted on the simplex channel over the cable are received by all data collection units, they must be addressed to particular data collection units or sroups of data collection units and be appropriately formatted with 35 message delimiters and the data collection unit '73~

identification numbers. As discusse~ above, ~he dynamic allocation remap tables are downloaded over the cable channel and received by the simplex receiYer 45 at each of ~he data collection units~

5 These remap tables are stored in ~A~ 39. A remap table is enabled, during the cut-in, by continually transmitting the cut-in number down the cable to the simplex communication channel. Whenever a data collection unit receives a cut-in number, the 10 particular remap table is enabled for some predetermined time, i.e. O~S seconds. When the remap table is enabled for a particular data collection unit, the data collection unit automatically provides substitute programming as lS indicated by the remap table to the television receiver of the panelist. This alternate programming is transmitted from the cable head and do~n channels normally not used for entertainment.
This dynamic allocation feature acilitates 20 market research. By displaying alternate forms of a co~mercial to different groups of panelists, and correlating ~hat display both with the demographic data concerning the panelists and the product purchases by the panelists, the efflcacy of the 25 commercials can be evaluated.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present inven~ion correlation of panelist viewing activity as to commercials and the like with product purchases made ~y the panelist has been greatly 30 ~acilitated. The earliest market research techniques relied upon a panelist filling out a purchase diary or the like with this information then being manually collected by the market research organization for sorrelation with viewing activity 35 of that particular panelist. Systems have been ~2~

proposed in which viewing activity o~ a panelist i5 correlated with product purchase in~ormation with respect to that panelist by monitoring at stores within a limited geographic area surrounding the 5 panelists the product purchase in~ormation with respect to that panelist. Specifically, each panelist has an identification card presented at a grocery store at the like which uses check out counters having the facility for optically reading 10 universal product codes on products. When the panelist makes purchases, the identifica~ion o that panelist i9 scanned into the computer at the store, along with the product purchase information with respect to that panelist. This information is 15 either coupled from the store's computers to the ~arket research organization, or collected at a later time from the stores by the market research organization.
For certain market re~earch activities, it 20 mi~ht be desirable to have a national group of panelists, ~pread across the geographic extent of ~he United 5tates or whatever other country that is the subject of the market research. For such an arran~ement, it would not really be feasible for ~he ~5 market research organization to have arrangements with ~nd be tied into the computers of stores spread all across the country. Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, collection of information regarding product purchases by a 30 panelist has been greatly facilitated.
As described in connection with Figure 4, the data collection unit in accordance with this one aspect iq equipped with an optical scanner, one suitable example of which is a product known as the 35 ~SI data wand. This is a hand held device that 7~

contains an internal memory and can be used for ~canning bar codes, such as universal product codes, contained on products purchased by a panelist.
Thus, in accordance with this one acpect of the 5 present invention, product purchase information wi~h respect to a particular panells~ is easily collected by the panelist simply scanning the data wand over the universal product code~ on the products purchased by the panelist. The M5I data wand has an 10 internal memory which can store approximately 4,000 digits. This memory is of a sufficient extent to store the product code and a price for about 300 items, which should be adequate for recording the daily purchases for a household. After scanning 15 products with the data wand, the data wand can be inserted into the receptacle in the front panel of the data collection unit and the memory contents of the data wand transferred to memory within the data collection unit. As explained previously, the MSI
20 data wand can be obtained with an RS-232 interface for this purpoce~ which interface is incorporated within the data collection unit. The procedure for transferring the data wand information into the data collection unit is as follows. The panelist turns 25 on the cable converter, enters the channel lock condition, and then selects an unu~ed channel, such as 34, which is pro~rammed to instruct the data collection unit to monitor the interface with the data wand. The panelist then scans the data wand 30 over a special code that is provided with the data wand which instructs the data wand to transmi~ data.
The data wand is then inserted into the holder or receptacle within the data collection unit. After the data has been received and verified by the data 35 collection unit, the light emitting diode 36 (see Figure 4) provided on the front panel of the data collection unit will blink off and on for fiYe seconds, so as to inform ~he panelist that the operation has been successfully completed~ Then, 5 the panelist extracts the wand from the data collection unit, clears the wand memory in accordance with features provided in the data wand, and reinserts the data wand into the data collection unit for storage in the receptacle~
Subse~uently, when telephone communieation is established between the central loca~ion and the individual data oollection units at the various panelists homes, the stored product purchase information with respect to the various panelists is 15 trans~erred from memory of the data collection unit to the central location. This greatly facilitates collection of such product purchase data with respect to individual panelists, and correspondingly facilitates correlation thereof with viewing 20 activity of those panelists. Using such an arrangement, a nationwide ~roup of panelists scattered over a wide geoyraphic area is practical.
As has been previously mentioned, when a particular data collection unit is in contact with 25 the central location, a survey ~uestionnaire or the like may be downloaded over the telephone lines into memory of the data collection unit. Whenever the data collection unit contains an unanswered questionnaire, the data collection unit will 30 illuminate the survey light emitting diode 32 on the front panel of the data collection unit so a~ to inform a panelist that the data collection unit contains a survey which has not been answered.
Anytime that this light emitting diode 32 is 35 illuminated, the panelist may eleot to turn on the ~ ~ ~2~

television and depress ~he survey select mode select switch on the front panel of the data collection unit. The data collection unit will detect depression of the survey select switch, illuminate 5 the data light emitting diode 33, tune the able converter to the appropriate channel, and ou~put the first guestion to the television through the video interface 49 ~Figure 5). The converter is automatically placed in a channel lock condition at 10 this time by the data collection unit. The viewer can thus use the converter control or channel selector to enter channel numbers to answer whatever questions are presented in the questionnaire. For example, a questionnaire might ask a guestion and 15 give five possible responses, with a number be~ide each of the possible responses. The panelist enters a channel number corresponding to the number adjacent the answer the panelist is giving to the question. When all the questions have been answered 20 by the panelist, the data light emitting diode 33 on the front panel of the data collection unit will be extinguished. When the panelist then depresses another mode select switch, the survey light emitting diode 32 will also be extinguished.
As has been described previvusly, the trans~er of data from the remote data collection units to the central location is achieved in one embodiment by telephone communications over the switched telephone network between the central 30location in each of the various remote units. Also, situations arise in which there is more than one television receiver within a single panelist'~ home, and some means is necessary to collect viewer data and the like with respect to each of the television 3ssets, and store and communicate that data to the 7~
2~

central location at an apprGpriate time. Referring now to Figure 6, there ls shown one embodiment of the invention which illustrates the manner o effecting telephone communications from a remote 5 !ocation or panelist's home to ~he central loca~ion, and also the situation in which there is more than one television receiver in a single panelist~s home which have to be monitored.
Referring now to Figure 6, there is 10 illustrated a telephone block generally indicated by reference numeral 55. At each building or house there is a poin~ at which telephone service enters the building which iR referred to as the telephone ~block." ~his block includes terminals for the 15 telephone lines 56 and 57 and may also contain several other devices to protect telephone line service, such as lightening arresters and voltage limiters (not shown). Typically, the telephone block also contains a low voltage transformer 20 indicated by reference numeral 58 which is used to supply lighting power to the telephone. In accordance with standard color coding, the telephone lines 56 and 57 are respectively green and red and extend to a number of telephone jacks, two of which 25 59 and 60 are illustrated in Figure 6. Two signal lines 61 and 62 from the low voltage transformer 58 also extend to the various telephone jacks and are color coded yellow and black, respectiv21y.
In accordance with the presen~ invention, a 30 telephone block interface 22 is provided at the point of the telephone block within a building.
~his telephone block 22 is interfaced to the telephone lines 56 and 57 as well as the low voltage pow~r lines 61 and 62. Low voltage from the 35 transformer 68 is used to supply power via a power 7~

supply 63 to a tone detector 64. This tone detector b4 is a low ener~y d*tector used to detect the presence of a control tone, for example a 150K~z signal which can be imposed on the low voltage lines 5 ~1 and 62, in a manner discussed hereafter. Thus the tone detector 64 is connected to the power lines 61 and 62 via coupling capac;tors 65 and 66. The tone detector 64 is coupled to and controls a relay 67 which is actuated between the position shown in 10 Fiqure 6, wherein the telephone lines 56 and 57 are not interrupted, to a position where the telephone lines 56 and 57 are coupled through a load resistor ~8 and capacitors 69 and 70.
In Figure 6 there is shown a master data 15 collection unit 71 which is typically connected to a television receiver 72. Provided as part of the master data collection unit 71 is a modem 73, which as discussed previously can be a standard kind of modem, such as an auto-answer Bell 202 modem. This }s a 1200 baud, half-duplex device. The modem 73 in accordance with this invention i~ also connected to a telephone jack, for connection to the telephone lines 56 and 57.
A ~one generator-encoder 74 is coupled to the master data collection unit 71 and through a resistor 75 to one of the power lines 61 and ~2~
Similarly, a tone decoder 76 is also coupled through a load resistor 77 to one of the signal lines 61 and 62 and through an amplifier 78 to the master data collection unit 71.
In operation, the master data collection unit 71 will enable the modem 73 for a limited period of time or "window" each day. Typically, a call-in window of a two hour duration will be opened once per day at a time when the telephone system is 3~

normally not in use, i.e. 4-6 a.m. in the morning.
During this time window, the master ~a~a collection unit ~1 will answer each incoming telephone call~
and quickly determine if the call originates from 5 the central loca~ion. The manner in which ~hi~ i~
done is as follows.
During the call in window, a ring signal occurring at the telephone block 55 is a signal o about 45 volts at 25Hz. This is impressed across 10 the telephone signal lines 56 and 57, and would normally cause telephone ~ets c~nnected to the telephone service to ring. ~owever, th~ master data collection unit 71 samples the first half cycle of any incoming signal durinq the call in window ~or 15 voltage and pulse duration. If the microprocessor within the master data collection unit 71 determines the signal is a ring signal, tbe tone generator encoder 74 is caused by the data collection unit 71 to impress a 150K~z tone on the low voltage lines 61 20 and 62. In response to thi~ tone, the tone detector 64 actuates the relay 67. With the relay 67 actuated, the remainder of the ring signal is absorbed by the load resistor 68. ~ince load resistor 68 is sufficiently low in value to indicate 25 to the telephone system that a connect has been made, th~re will be no further ring~.
The modem 73 i5 a stand~rd telephone modem well known to those skilled in the art. This modem is caused by the microprocessor within the master 30 data collection unit 71 to send a two to four second tone, such as a 380~z side tone, back to the calling source via the telephone lines 56 and 57 and the coupling capacitors 69 and 70. If the calling source is in fact the computer at the central 35 location, the computer at the central location will 3t~

respond with an answering tone, and two way computer-~o-compu~er conversation will be established. I~, on the other hand~ there i~ no answering tone from the source of the telephone 5 call, indicative that the calling party is not the central location computer, the data collection unit 71 removes the 150K~z carrier tone on the low voltage leads 61 and 62, causing a disconnect.
If the call coming in during the call in 10 window is in fact not the central computer, but a normal telephone caller, the telephone caller would haar the side tone and the disconnect, and a dial tone would be returned. If such a call comes in and a disconnect occurs, the data collectior. unit 71 is 15 programmed to disable the tone generator encoder 74 for a predetermined period of time, such as twenty minutes. Thus, any calls coming in during this next predetermined time period of twenty minutes or the like would cause normal telephone ringing. The caller, having been disconnected, would then be able to dial his call again, this time with successl Inasmuch as the sequence of event~ occurs outside of normal telephone usage hours, it is not believed that such a sequence of events represent any serious 25 impairment to normal telephone usage.
I it is determined that the calling source i~ the central computer, ~o that computer-to-computer communication is established, upon establishment of that communication the central 30 computer, under appropriate programming, calls on the master data collection unit for the informa~ion stored during the day. Upon receiving this inormation, the central location may cause a new program to be loaded into the data collection unit 35 71 memory, ~uch as a questionnaire or the like as ~_~J~ ~73~

discussed previously. If the master data collection unit 71 is the only data collection unit to be ~ommunicated with by the cen~ral loca~ion, the central computer upon completion of receiving the 5 stored in~ormation and loading any new program information into the master da~a collection unit 71 simply disconnects, and all circuits return ~o normal.
Referring to ~igure 6, one embodiment of 10 the invention is also illustrated in which there are multiple television receivers within a single panelist's home which must be monitored. As illustrated in Figure 6, two additional television receivers 81 and 83 might exist in a panelist's 15 home, and slave data collection units ~0 and 82 are associated therewith as illustrated in Figure ~.
These slave data collection units 80 and 82 are coupled to the low voltage lines 61 and 62. Thus, the slave data collection units can be connected to 20 any of the various telephone jacks within the paneli~t's house, and coupling to the master data collection unit and the other circuitry is by means of the existing telephone wiring wi~hin the household. In accordance with one embodiment of the 25 invention, all signals received from the central location via the modem 73 are sent first to the master data ~ollection unit 71, then echoed via the tone generator 74 to the signal lines 61 and 62 so that the slave data collection units 80 and 82 30 receive the incoming data. Tone generator 74 generates a multiplicity of tones to keep the relay 67 closed, plus an additional variable frequency tone representing the data being transmitted. These tones range, for example, from a 150KHz to 350K~z 35 and are impressed as carrier currents on the signal 7~

lines ~1 and 62. Each of the slave data collection units contains a microprocessor and would re~uire a tone generator and tone decoder similar to the tone generator 74 and tone decoder 76, but would not 5 require any separate modem. Each o~ the slave data collection units receives the identical data to the master data collection unit 71. By addressing the data stream, the slave da~a collection units can be caused to act independently. When a slave data 10 collection unit is called upon to respond, so as to transmit data stored in ~he slave data collec~ion units the carrier current signal impressed on the low voltage lines 61 and 62 reverses direction, the tone decoder 76 receives the signal from the slave 15 data collection unit, decodes it into standard data which is then echoed by the master data collection unit 71 through the modem 73 to the central location.
In the manner described above, each of the 20 data collection units, which are coupled together via the exi~ting telephone wiring in a panelist's home, receives all of the incoming information from the central location, and can be caused to respond independently to transmit data stored in each of the ~5 data collection unit3 back to the telephone lines to the central location. Of course, other variations are possible, For example, at a preset programmed time programmed into the microprocessor of the master data collection unit 71, the master data 30 collection unit can poll each of the slave data collection units by carrier current over the low voltage telephone wiring 61 and 62 to collect the available data at each of the slave da~a collection units, addressing each of these slave data 35 collection units seriatum by cvde as necessary.

f~ 2 Thus t all of the data from all of the various data collection units within a panelist's home w~uld be stored in the master data collection unitO ~hen~
upon contact of the master data collection unit 71 with the central location, the central lvcation would obtain the data by simply contacting the master data collection unit. Similarly, the central location would load the master data collection uni~
with any new programs, such as questionnaires and 10 the like, which are to be stored in memory at the various data collection unit~. Then, when the central location disconnected the telephone connection with the master data collection unit 71, the master data collection unit can then relay the 15 new programs to the slave data collection units, addressing each by code as necessary.
Thus, in accordance with the above described arrangement and as illustrated in Figure

6, a plurality of data collection units can be 20 provided within a ~ingle panelist's home as~ociated with a respective different plurality of television receivers, for monitoring each of the television receivers in the same ~ashion as a single data collection unit is provided to monitor one single ~5 television receiver. ~lthough the various ~lave data collection units have been shown as coupled to the master data collection unit through the existing telephone wiring in a panelist's home, it should be clear that existing power wiring within a panelist's 30 home can also be used for the same function. That is, carrier signals can be i~pressed upon th~ power wiring within a panelist's hsme for transferring data to and from various slave data collection units to the master data collection unit. Of course, as a 3s further alternative, dedisated wiring could be installed in a panelist~s home for connecting the various slave data eollection units to the master data collection unit. J
~urning now to Figure 7, there is 3hown a 5 logic flow diagram for the software controlling the main loop (ML) of the microprocessor within the data control unit. The first decision block is as to whether or not there is a cut-in message present, I~
will be recalled as discussed previously that remap 10 tables for achieving dynamic allocation or substitute programming are s~ored in the memory of the data collection units and are enabled by transmission of a cut-in number down ~he cabIe. If there is a cut-in message present, ~he cut-in 15 activation event i5 logged, and all 1ags in ~he system are cleared. If there is no cut-in message present, then the logic flow is to the next decision block as to whether or not the channel lock is on.
If the channel lock is on, the next decision block 20 is to whether or not a data wand start condition exists. If a data wand start condi~ion exists, the logic flow iR jump subroutine (JSR) to data wand read module. The no conditions to the decision block for the channel lock on and data wand start ~5 lead to a decision block as to whether or not connection to central site is established. If it is, the next block is a jump subroutine (JSR) to communication module. ~f connection to central cite is not established, then the next decision block is 30 to whether or not the clock is advanced to the next second. If it is not advanced to ~he next secondt the logic flow is back to the upper portion o~ the main loop (ML). If the clock i~ advanced to the next second, the next decision block is to whether 35 or not the converter is on. If the converter is on, ~2~ 7 the logic flow progresses to a main loop 1 (ML1).
If the converter is not on, the next decision block is to whether or not the converter was on. I it was not, the logic ~low is back through the ~ain 5 loop ML. If ~he conver~er W2S on, ~hen the next decision block is to log an off event, and turn off the data light emitting diode (light emitting diode 33 in Figure 4). The timing of the lower portion of the logic flow diagram indicated in Figure 7 i.e. as 10 to whether the converter i9 on, is executed once per 3econd in accordance with the progra~ming. Other aspects of subroutines, such as the converter control subroutine discussed heseafter, are interrupt driven and operate asynchronously to the 15 bottom portion of the ML loop in Figure 7.
Components of the data collection unit system which are interrupt driven pass flags and values to this main loop ML for logqing and dispatchin~.
Turning now to Figure 8, there is shown the 20 logic flow diagram for the main loop 1 l~Ll). This loop is entered when the logic flow in Figure 7 has a yes decision as to whether or not the converter is on. The first decision block in the loop MLl is to whether or not the converter was off. I the converter was off, an on event is logged, and the blink flag is set (which as discussed later causes the data light emitting diode to blink). If there is a no decision to the logic block as to whether the converter was off, the logic flow is to the 30 decision block as to whether or not there is a change in the select switches. If there is, an event is logged and the logic flow passes to a decision block as to whether or not a non-TV
position is ~elected. I f the decision is yes, the 35 appropriate output channel is set on the converter ~2~ ~73~

for whatever position is 5elec~ed, iOe. c~mputer, VCR, etc. The next decision block is ~o whether or not the select switches are in the survey position. If so, there is a jump subroutine ~JSR) 5 to the survey module. Next, there is a jump subroutine to data LED control, and following that a jump subroutine to test converter rhannel.
Following that, there is a jump subroutine to window control. This window control refers to whether or 10 not ~he time window permitting call in rom the central location to the remote unit is open or closed. As previously discussed, advantageously a two hour window may be employed at a time when it i5 not expected that the telephone in the panelist's 15 home will be in u~e, i.e. early in the morning hours.
Referring now to Figure 9, there is shown the main subroutine for clock housekeeping and converter control. The subroutine illustrated in 20 logic flow diagram form in Figure 9 is interrupt driven with the rate thereof set as a system parameter. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the interrupt rate is nominally set for 0.1 second. The flags and values set in the 25 subroutine illustrated in Figure 9 are monitored by the main loop illustrated in Figure 7~ Referring now specifically to the subroutine illustrated in Figure 9, the first decision block is to whether or not the converter is on. If the converter is on, 30 the select switches are read and the converter channel is read. The next decision block i~ a~ to whether or not the channel lock is on. If the channel lock is not on, the next decision block is whether or not the TV is selected. IE the TV is 35 selected, the next decision block is whether or not 73~

the channel has been changed. If the channel has been changed, ~hen the subroutine commands the converter to tune to the new channel.
The bottom portion of the logic flow 5 diagram o Figure 9 relates to clock housekeeping.
The first decision block is whether or not there is an increment in the second of day. If there is, the subroutine executes an incremen~ to the seconds of day value. The next decision block is as to whether 10 or not there is a day overflow. If there is, the subroutine resets the second of day and sets a midnight 1ay, indicative that a day has passed.
~he block labeled RTl is an exit from this subroutine. As indicated, the subrou~ine is 15 interrupt driven at a rate system parameter, which in accordance with one embodiment is nominally set for 0.1 second.
Turning now to Figure 10~ there is illustrated a logic flow diagram for the data LED
20 control module, referring to the data light emitting diode provided on the front panel of the data collection unit. This is the data LED control block illustrated in Figure 8. In the subroutine of Figure 10, the first decision block is as to whether 25 or not the channel lock is on. If it is, the data LED is turned on. The next decision block is as to whether or not the blink flag is set. I~ i~ is, the data LED is toggled on and off. The next decision block i5 whether or not the current time is greater 30 than the blink time. If it is not, there is an exit from ~he subroutine (RTS). If it is, the blink flag is set if the channel lock is off and the ne~t blink time is calculated. The subroutine then loop~ back to reenter the decision block as to whether or not 35 the current time is greater than the blink time.

3~

Turning now to Figure 11, there is illustrated in logic flow diagram form the subroutine relating to the test conver~er channel module referred to in ~iqure 8. In Pigure 11, the 5 first decision block is as to whether or not the channel has changed. If it has, an event is logged. Next decision block is as to whether or not the channel lock is on. If it is, the data ~ED is 10 turned of (which will appear as a blink when the LED is turned on later) and there is an exit from the subroutine i.e. a return to start. If, on the other hand the channel lock is not on, the next decision block is as to whether or not this is a 15 channel ~ock entry, i.e. has a channel been selected that corresponds to entering channel lock. If it does, the channel lock is set on, the data LED is ~urned on, and the blink flay is turned off and there is a return to start. If, on the other hand, 20 this is not a channel lock entry, the next decision block is~as to whether or not the channel entered is a channel lock exit. If it is, the channel lock is cleared and the data LED is turned off. If it is not a channel lock exit, there is a return to start 25 for the subroutine.
Turning now to Figure 12, there is shown a logic flow diagram for the data wand read mod-~le.
The first step in the logic flow is to initialize memory pointers, 30 that the data read in from the data wand is placed in the proper portion o~ the memory of the data collection unit. The next step in the logic flow is to connect the universal asynchronous receiver transmitter to the data w~nd interface. Characters are then read out one by one 35 from the data ~and interface and stored in ~emory.

~, 2L~ ~7~3~
~o Figure 13 illustrates the logic flow for the window control module. ~s illustrated, the only decisions are whether or not it is ~ime to spen the window or closP the window so as to permit 5 establishing telephone communications between the data collection unit and the central location.
Referring now to Figure 14, there is shown a logic flow diagram for the survey module the first step in the subroutine is to retrieve the respondent 10 i.d. In connection with the survey function, it is useful to have different members of a panelist's household separately answer the questions in a survey. For this purpose, each of the members of the household are assigned an i.d. number. When the 15 survey s~lect switch is selected to enter the survey mode, the channel lock condition of the converter is automatically entered and the converter is tuned to the appropriate channel to di~play the survey questions. The first ~uestion presented is to ask 20 the person answering the survey to enter his or her i.d. number, which is simply a preassigned channel number which the respondent enters. The next decision block is with respect to whether or not there is an exit code in the information coming from 25 the survey data storage in memory. If there is, the subroutine i5 exited. The next decision block i ~here is no exit code is as ~o whether or not there are questions to ask. If there are, various pointers with respect to memory location and the 3Q like are initialized and the next question in the survey data is displayed. The respondent re~ponds to the question by entering a channel number that corresponds to one of a plurality of possible answers to the question. This response is retrieved 35 and stored in memory. The next decision block is to 73~

whether or not there are any questions remaining for this i.d., i.e. whether or not this particular member of the household has ~urther guestion3 which need to be answered. If there are, the next 5 question is displayed, the response retrieved and stored, and 50 on. If there are no questions remaining for this particular respondent~ a "questions finished" message is displayed. The next decision block is to whether or not there are 10 questions remaining for any i.d., that is, whether or not there are further survey questions for any other members of the panelist's household. If there are not any further questions remaining for any i.d., the survey light emitting diode is 15 extinguished. As previously discussed, this survey li~ht emitting diode on the ~ront face of the data collection unit ls illuminated whenever there are any unanswered survey questions in memory.
Turning now to Figure 15, there is 20 illustrated a logic flow diagram with respect to the communication module. The f irst step in the subroutine is a fetch command, which is simply a receipt of a character stream. The character stream i5 decoded, and the command di~patch step involves 2S referencing the place in the memory corresponding to the decoded command, and execution of the relevant ~urther commands stored at that loc~tion in memory. The final decision block in this subroutine is as to whether or not there is a bye command. That 30 is, at the end of the character stre m an entry signaling that it is the end of the character ~tream is inserted, and this decision block decides whether or not the communication is ended.
Polling the data collection units from a 35 central location using telephone lines and modems ~2 may not always be ~h~ best technique for retrieving stored data from the memories of t~e data collection units. For example, there are markets where the incidence of private household telephones is 5 small. As another example, ~here may be so~e applications in which assembled and analyzed market research data as not needed until a fairly long time interval after the raw data is collected. For these kinds of applications, a different embodiment of the 10 present invention has been developed which uses a portable data collector for collecting data from the data collection unit.
~ his alternate embodiment is illustrated in block diagram form in Figure 17. The system as 15 shown in Figure 17 is somewhat similar to the system shown in Figure 1, and like system components in the two drawings are identified by the same reference numerals. The data collection unit 21' shown in Figure 17 can be almost the same data collection 20 unit 21 as referred to previously, with the difference that the modem is eliminated from the data collection unit and an external electrical connector (reference numeral 100 in Figure 17) is instead provided. Also, in the system shown in 2S Figure 17 the telephone block and switched telephone network are not utilized; that is, there are no telephone connections. Instead of daily transfers of data ~rom the RAM memory of the data collection units to a central computer via telephone, data 30 simply accumulates in the RAM. Periodically, such as once every week or every two weeks, a "meter reader" visits each panelist household with a protable~data collector 101. The portable data collector is simply a digital data recorder 35 including a microprocessor with associated operating

7~7 ROM and R~M and storage medium, s~ch as magnetic cassette ape or disc. The ROM holds all the executable code required to enable the device to communicate with the data collection units and the RAM is used ~o buffer data extracted from the data collection units. Such devi~es are commercially available, and one suitable device is available from Pegasus Data Systems of Middlesex, New Jersey and identified as Buffered Digital Data Recorder Model PDI-BF. That particular device utili~es a magnetic 10 cassette tape. In operation, the portable data collector i3 simply cnnnected to the external electrical connector 100 of the data collection unit 29'. The microprocessor in the portable data collector is suitably programmed to input the 15 appropriate si~nals and commands to ~he data collection unit for transfer of .he data stored therein to the portable data collector. These are simply the ~ame commands as would be given the data collection unit by a central computer over telephone 20 lines in the earlier described embodiment and~ for example, would include commands of retrieve data collection unit status, retrieve event data, clear data collection unit data area, reset data collection unit clock (if required), and resume 25 normal data collec~ion unit activity.
The portable data collection unit is used to play back the recorded data from the data collection units to the central computer 24 as illu~trated in Figure 17. The data collection unit 30 serial numbers, which are written onto the tape or disc of the portable dat~ collector along with the data, permit the central computer to identify which particular panelist household corresponds to each 73~
~4 block of data recorded in the portable data collection unit.
Instead of a digital data recorder ~
referred to above, the portable data recorder ~ay be 5 a suitable programmed minicomputer or the like, with data extracted from ~he data collection unit writ~en onto a floppy disc.
OnP of the advantageous features of the remote data collection unit~ in accordance with the 10 present invention is the ability to collect data defining the composition of the television viewing audience in each panelist household. As explained previously, one way of achieving this in the present invention is to use the channel selector to cause 15 the cable converter or tuner to enter a channel-lock condition. When in the channel-lock condition, the data collection unit disables normal channel tuning 80 that the channel selector can be ~sed to enter numbers which are stored in the data collection unit 20 memory. Each member of the panelist household is a~signed a viewer identification number. These viewer identification numbers are entered into the data collection unit via the channel selec~or to indicate which members of the panelist household are ~5 in the room. While viewers are'allowed to enter viewer identiication numbers at any time, in an effort to remind viewers to enter the viewer identification numbers, the data collection unit will periodically i~sue a prompt.
In one version of a data collection unit, a viewer identification prompt is implemented u~ing the light emitting diode 33 labeled "data.~' When viewer identifications are required, the data collection units flashes the light emitting diode on 35 and off at a rate of once per se~ond. When viewers see the flashing li~ht emitting diode 33, they are expected to enter channel-lock and en~er their viewer iden~îfications via the ~hannel selector.
Entering channel-lock causes light emitting diode 33 5 to stop flashing and be illuminated continuou~ly.
Each time a viewer iden~ification number i~ entered, the light emi~ting diode 33 will blink off for half a second to indicate to the viewer that the identification number has been accepted by the data 10 collection unit. When all the viewer identification numbers have been entered, the channel-lock mode is exited, and light emitt;ng diode 33 is extinguishedO
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, viewer identification data is 15 obtained in a somewhat different manner. As has been previously explained , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the data collection unit includes hardware and programming which permits presentation of text and graphics on 20 the television receiver to which it is connected.
This arràngement can be used to implement the Survey function of the data collection unit. In accordance with one arran~ement of the present invention, and referring to Figur~ 16, a technique is implemented 25 to have the viewer identification prompt appear on the television screen itself, no matter what channel is selected.
In ~igure 16 a video generator 91 is provided which communicates with and reads the 30 contents of a RAM 92 and produces a video output.
The RAM 92 can be part of the RAM 39 illustrated in Figure 5 and the video generator 91 can be part ~f the video interface 49 illustrated ;n Figure 5. In both the Survey mode and the viewer identification 35 sequence, the contents of the video data stored in 3~
~6 RAM 9~ are read as lines o~ 8 bit ASCII characters.
The output of video generator 91 is passed through an RF modulator 93 which is~ in effect, a ~all TV
transmitter tha~ sends a pic~ure displaying th2 characters stored in the R~M 92. The carrier 5 frequency for this signal is fixed to be identical to that of the output of the cable converter, which is usually channel 3.
In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention which uses a cable converter, the 10 cable converter converts all incoming television signals to a single output channel, for example, channel 3. A small receiver 94 i5 used to demodulate this RF signal and extract the vertical sync pul~e. This pulse i5 fed into a synchroni~er 15 circuit 96, which starts the RF modulator 93 and video genera~or 91. The RF signal from RF modulator 93 is presented to a ~witch 97. The ~witch 97 is a suitable electronic switch for hiqh ~peed switching of an RF signal. This switch selects the RF signal 20 from either the cable converter or the RF modulator ~3 and directs the selected signal to ~he television receiver.
Switch 97 is controlled by a switch control circuit 98. This switch control circuit 98 detects 25 the border that appears around the area on the television screen where the text is written. The ~ignal level change that occurs at the left edge of a ~creen of text is a trigger causing the switch control circuit 98 to set the switch 97 to select 30 the output of RF modulator 93. The switch control circuit can also detect the transfer of a byte of data in which all the bits are set (i.e. he~adecimal FF) from the RAM 92 to the video generator 91. The detection of a data byte with all bits set causes 3~
~7 the switch control circuit 98 to reset switch 97 to select the converter output.
The text can appear anywhere on the television screen. Each line of text is di~played 5 until the end of the line or un~il a byte containing hexadecimal FF is read from the RAM 92. If a text line is not to be displayed, the byte corresponding to the first character of that line is set to hexadecimal FF. Full lines or portions of lines can 10 be switched. ~he overall effect is that of lines of character~ being displayed over the picture from the cable converter.
The microproce~sor controls this display via the RAM 92 and an overlay enable line 99. The 15 microprocessor first loads R~M 9~ with the characters to be displayed and bytes of hexadecimal FF to define areas of the screen that are to remain unaffected. When the microprocessor ~ets the overlay enable line 99, the text is displayed over 20 the normal picture. The overlayed text is removed when the microprocessor clears the overlay enable line.
In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, the viewer identification, prompting ~ignal takes the form of two flashing symbols (such as **) in the upper left portion of ~he televi~ion screen. When the data collection unit requests viewer identifications, the two symbols (~*) appaar on thP screen and blink 30 continuously back and forth between two colors at a rate of once per second. These symbols continue to flash until a viewer causes the data collectiQn unit to enter the channel-lock mode. When the data collection unit enters channel-lock, the symbols ~7~3~

stop flashing and the overlay on the television screen is the following:
** 2 ~ 6 ~ 10 12 14 16 18 71 72 PR:E:SENCE OF GUES~ ML FM

S Each of the numbers 2 to 18 corresponds to a valid viewer identification for a membes of the panelist household~ The purpose of the special identification numbers 71 and 72 ;s explained hereafter.
Each time a viewer identification number is entered, the corresponding n~mber in the display shown above is inverted in color to indicate to the person entering the data that the data collection unit has accepted that input. Should a number that is already ;nverted on the display be entered, that number on ~he display reverts to its normal color.
Thus, multiple entries of the same number will cause the number on the display to toggle back and forth between normal color and inverted color. This 20 allows the person entering the data to change a particular viewer identification entry should that be required.
The special viewer identification numbers 71 and 72 are used to indicate the presence of male and ~emale guests, respectively. If a 71 is entered as a viewer identification number, the following three line display appears as an overlay on the television scre2n:

- ML GU~ST COUNT BY AGE 2-6:
7~ 12-17: 18-24: 25-34:
35-49: 50-54: 554:

~4~3'~
~9 This is a request for the number of male guests in each of the age eategcries ~hat are present in ~e room. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of ~he present inven~ion the channel S selector includes a scan up and scan down co~rol ordinarily used to scan television programming.
When in the viewer identification mode, this scan control can be used to position or move a cursor on the television screen to "jump" among the various 10 categories displayed in response to entry of the special viewer identifications numbers Entry of a number through the channel selector while the cursor is positioned at one of the categories is an indication of the number of guests in the specified 15 age categories presented in the room.
In a similar manner, entry of the viewer identification number 72 produces an overlay on the television screen with corresponding age categories and directed to female guests present in the room.
20 When the composition of the complete viewing audience has been specified, the per on entering data can exit from the channel-lock condition and the display overlay is removed from the screen.
Upon subsequent entries into the 25 channel-lock condition, the text overlays on the television screen are presented with the audience composition information displayed as it was defined the previous time that viewer identification data was entered. If the audience has not changed, this can be si~nified by merely ~ntering and exiting channel-lock. If the audience has changed, the channel selector and scan control can be used to change any entries that are no longer connected.
In accordance with a preferred embodimen~
3s of the invention, the viewer identification prompt 3~

i5 first issued when the television set is turned on. The viewer identification prompt is also presented whenever a 30 minute period passes with no viewer identification data being entered. In this 5 manner, a complete account of audience composition i5 recorded by the data collection unit on a current basis for the programming being viewed on the television set.
Although the present invention has been 10 described and illustrated with respect to preferred and exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be clear that various modifications are within the skill of those in this art, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A system for collecting data with respect to cooperating television viewers or panelists, including a centrally located computer and a plurality of remote units at a corresponding plurality of panelist locations, each of said remote units being for connection to a television broadcast receiver and comprising receiving means for receiving a television broadcast signal; a viewer control means including a channel selector coupled to said means for receiving a television broadcast signal; a data collection unit for coupling said receiving means to the television broadcast receiver, said data collection unit including a microprocessor and memory means for storing programming information for said microprocessor and for storing data, said viewer control means being monitored by said micro-processor which stores data representing the state of said viewer control means in said memory means, means under control of said microprocessor in said data collection units for initiating at the remote locations on-screen prompts overlayed on normal programming on the television receiver inquiring as to the identity of persons viewing the television receiver at the time of the prompts, said micro-processor functioning to place said viewer control means in a channel lock condition in association with the on-screen prompts, whereby changes entered in the viewer control means during on-screen prompts are stored in said memory means as representations of the identity of persons viewing the television receiver; and means for periodically establishing telephone communications between the centrallly located computer and each of the remote units for transferring stored data with respect to the viewer control means back to the central computer.