CA2298569C - Systems and methods for audience monitoring - Google Patents
Systems and methods for audience monitoring Download PDFInfo
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- CA2298569C CA2298569C CA002298569A CA2298569A CA2298569C CA 2298569 C CA2298569 C CA 2298569C CA 002298569 A CA002298569 A CA 002298569A CA 2298569 A CA2298569 A CA 2298569A CA 2298569 C CA2298569 C CA 2298569C
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- television
- viewer
- interaction data
- viewer interaction
- input device
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
- H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
- H04N21/442—Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk
- H04N21/44213—Monitoring of end-user related data
- H04N21/44222—Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
- H04N21/25—Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies
- H04N21/258—Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data
- H04N21/25866—Management of end-user data
- H04N21/25891—Management of end-user data being end-user preferences
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
- H04N21/81—Monomedia components thereof
- H04N21/812—Monomedia components thereof involving advertisement data
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
- H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
- H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
- H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
- H04N7/162—Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
- H04N7/163—Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing by receiver means only
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Multimedia (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
- Social Psychology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
- Computer Graphics (AREA)
- Testing, Inspecting, Measuring Of Stereoscopic Televisions And Televisions (AREA)
- Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
A method of acquiring television viewer interaction data, the method comprising monitoring usage of a television input device, producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
Description
SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR AUDIENCE MONITORING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention The present invention relates generally to television systems, and more particularly, to the communication of, statistics and characteristics concerning viewer interactions with a television, including the viewer's interactions with an interactive electronic program guide ~"'EPG").
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention The present invention relates generally to television systems, and more particularly, to the communication of, statistics and characteristics concerning viewer interactions with a television, including the viewer's interactions with an interactive electronic program guide ~"'EPG").
2. Description of Related Art It is highly desirable to be able to monitor various television viewer interactions with the viewer's television set. For instance, an advertiser would find it instructive to know which television programs a viewer watches, which advertisements a viewer watches, the number of times a viewer changes channels, and what the viewer was watching immediately before changing channels. An advertiser would also find it instructive to know the number of times a viewer of an EPG, such as Guide Plus+TM, accesses the guide during a specific time period, what program or advertisement the viewer was watching immediately before entering the EPG, and other information concerning the viewer's interaction with the viewer's television and the EPG.
Such information can be used to analyze the valuation of advertising on television through an EPG.
The traditional way to monitor some of this information has been to equip a select number of television sets with modems, as is done to collect the Nielsen statistics. Typically, the modem-equipped television sets are placed in selected homes, whereby data concerning the viewing habits of the persons in the monitored homes is collected and is transmitted to a central location on some periodic basis, such as on a nightly basis. The above-described modem-equipped television method is expensive and cumbersome, and only provides data for a limited number of selected households.
U.S. Patent No. 6,177,931 discloses an extensive system and method for capturing raw viewer profile data and for analyzing that date. Such viewer profile information would provide advertisers with information with which further advertising decisions can be made. For instance, such information can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular advertisement. Such viewer profile information can be used to filter program listings or advertisements, and can be used to customize delivery of advertisements to particular viewers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides systems and methods for communicating viewer profile data to a centralized data center at which analysis of sample viewer profiles can be performed and feedback for advertisers developed. The present invention provides for such communication without the use of a modem in each target household.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of acquiring television viewer interaction data. The method involves monitoring usage of a television input device, producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing a viewer profile representing the television viewer interaction, in response to instructions sent to the television from the television input device.
Storing data may involve storing at least one of the following: date of issuance of an instruction communicated from the television input device to the television, time of issuance of the instruction, channel tuned immediately prior to the instruction, channel tuned immediately following the instruction, operating mode of the television imrnediately prior the instruction, operating mode of the television immediately following the instruction, identity of advertisements displayed on the television, identity of an advertisement displayed immediately prior to receiving the instruction, identity of television program displayed immediately before an instruction to change channels was received, identity of programs displayed, and identity of program displayed immediately after receiving the instruction to change channels.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing at least one of data relating to the status of the television, data related to a tuner of the television, and data relating to the content of a signal tuned by the tuner immediately prior to receiving an instruction from the television input device.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing at least one of:
data relating to the status of an electronic program guide displayed on the television, data relating to the content of the electronic program guide immediately prior to receiving an instruction from the television input device, and data relating to the content of the electronic program guide immediately after to receiving an instruction from the television input device.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing at least one of:
data relating to the identity of every displayed program title for which a viewer requests additional information, the identity of every set of news data for which the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every set of sports data for which the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every program title that the viewer selects for recording, and the identity of every program title that the viewer selects to be watched.
The method may further involve storing the viewer interaction data to accumulate the viewer interaction data over a period of time. Storing may involve storing the viewer interaction data in memory at the television controlled by the television input device.
The method may further involve prompting a viewer of the television to communicate the encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
Accessing may involve displaying the encoded viewer interaction data on the television.
Prompting may involve prompting the viewer to speak the displayed encoded viewer interaction data into a telephone, the telephone being used to communicate spoken encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
Displaying may involve displaying the encoded viewer interaction data as a set of numbers on an information screen on the television and/or displaying the encoded viewer interaction data as at least one term from a dictionary of terms.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for acquiring television viewer interaction data. The apparatus includes means for monitoring usage of a television input device, means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, means for encoding the viewer interaction data to _5_ produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, means for accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and means for causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor circuit to monitor usage of a television input device by carrying out the method described above.
In accordance with another' aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of acquiring television viewer interaction data. The method involves monitoring usage of a television input device, producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and prompting a viewer of the television to communicate the encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
The method may further involve causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for acquiring television user interaction data., The apparatus comprises means for monitoring usage of a television input device, means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, means for encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, means for accessing the viewer interactian data far transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and means for prompting a viewer of the television to communicate the encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor circuit to acquire television viewer interaction data by carrying out the method above.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for audience monitoring according to one ernbadiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a sample of an on screen television display of an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) employed on a television set in the system shown in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a system for audience monitoring according to one embodiment of the invention, in which a television set 10 is operable to _7_ controlled by a viewer's input device 12. The television set 10 is operable to tune to television signals assigned to different channels to permit a viewer to watch television programming an any of said channels. Such programming may include television programs and advertising, for example. The television set may also have the capability of presenting to the user an electronic program guide (EPG) such as shown at 14 in Figure 2 that may provide television scheduling data 15, including program titles 16, advertising data and other types of information including but not limited to news data (not shown), sports data (not shown) and program information data 20. Further details of the EPG may be obtained from U.S. Patent No. 5,581,614, for example. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the viewer's input device 12 may be used to allow the viewer to interact with the television 10 and/or the electronic program guide 14 to control the television to tune to a particular channel, for example and to permit interaction with the electronic program guide to permit the viewer to select for viewing, program schedule data, program data, news data, sports data, advertising data and/or to select particular programs to be recorded.
A microprocessor 22 in the television set 10 is programmed to monitor each viewer interaction with the television through the viewer's input device 12.
The microprocessor 22 is further programmed to translate and convert the data representing a viewer's interaction profile data ("viewer profile") into data according to a coding scheme. The interaction profile data may include binary data, alpha numeric strings and/or terms selected from a pre-established dictionary of terms, for example. A traditional telephone handset may be used to transmit an audio presentation of the encoded data to a computer at a central location programmed to decode the encoded data.
In one embodiment of the invention, the microprocessor 22 in the television set 10 is programmed to collect viewer interaction data by storing in RAM 24 local to the microprocessor 22 (i.e., at the television set) a representation of _g_ every viewer instruction sent to the television set by the viewer's input device 12. For example, the microprocessor 22 may store in the RAM 24, data related to the status of the television set 10, the status of a television tuner 26 in the television set and the content of the signal tuned immediately prior to and/or immediately following receipt of an instruction to the television set from the viewer's input device 12. Such data may include, the date and/or time of receipt of the instruction, the channel tuned by the television set 10 immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, the channel tuned by the television set immediately following receipt of the instruction, the operating mode of the television set immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, the operating mode of the television set immediately following receipt of the instruction, the identity of advertisements watched by the user, the identity of an advertisement seen immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, the identity of an advertisement seen immediately following receipt of the instruction, the identity of programs watched by the user, the identity of a program seen immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, and/or the identity of a program seen immediately after receipt of the instruction.
In addition, or alternatively, the microprocessor 22 may store in the RAM 24, data related to the instructions sent by the viewer's input device 12 to an on screen electronic television program guide 14 of the television as shown in Figure 2, relating to the content of the guide immediately prior to receipt of an instruction and/or immediately following receipt of an instruction. Such data may include, the identity of every displayed program title 16 for which the viewer requests additional information 20, the identity of every set of news data for which the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every program title 16 that the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every program title that the viewer selects to be recorded and/or the identify of every program title that the viewer selects to be watched.
The viewer profile data may be stored as binary data, alphanumeric strings, digital audio data representing audio tones representing the viewer profile data (e.g. digital audio sounds) and/or terms selected from a pre-established dictionary of terms, for example.
The data can be stored and accumulated over a specific period of time, for instance, a one month period, after which the data is refreshed for the next month. An identification of the time interval may be encoded and stored in the RAM 24. For example, in this embodiment, 0701970801971436 might stand for the time period from July 1 to August 1, 1997, during which time the user accessed the EPG 14 143fi times.
Referring to Figure 1, the television viewer may be prompted to communicate via telephone 30 with a collection service 32 that includes a computer 34. The television viewer may be prompted to press a unique combination of keys 36 on the viewer's input device 12.
Upon pressing this unique combination of keys 3fi, the stored data may be retrieved by the microprocessor 22 in the TV set 10. The microprocessor 22 may be further programmed to cooperate with a display monitor 38 of the TV
set 10 to cause the viewer interaction data to be displayed as a string 40 of numbers in an information screen 42 on the television display monitor 38. As an alternative to pressing the unique combination of keys 36, the user can be prompted to select an appropriate information screen from an EPG menu.
In this embodiment, a staff representative 44 of an EPG information provider at the collection service 32, e.g., a staff representative for the Guide Plus customer service center, could call television viewersIEPG users (hereinafter, EPG user) to ask the EPG users to read aloud the encoded information. The computer 34 at the EPG information provider office could generate requests for EPG users to be called. The request could automatically dial the telephone -~ 10 -number of each selected EPG user. Phone numbers for EPG users could, for example, be collected from warranty card information for television sets in which the software was installed.
In this embodiment, the staff representative 44 would ask the EPG user to access the encoded information by, for instance, pressing a unique key 36 combination on the viewer's remote control device 12, or by selecting a particular information screen option from the EPG's menu. The selected information screen option may display the string 40 of numbers representing encoded viewer profile information. The EPG user would then be asked to read aloud into the telephone 30 the numbers displayed on the information screen.
The encoded viewer profile information read alo~.~d by the EPG user must be provided to the centralized EPG information service provider's computer 34.
One way to do so is for the audio signal from the telephone to be connected directly to a computer with speech recognition capabilities. Another way to provide the information to the centralized computer is for the EPG information provider staff representative 44 to enter the encoded information online to the computer 34 as the numbers are read aloud by the EPG user.
Once the EPG user finishes reading the numbers from the screen, the EPG
staff representative 44 would signal the computer 34 that the data collection for the particular user has been completed. At that point, the computer 34 could generate the next request and dial the telephone number for the next EPG user.
In another embodiment of the invention, the viewer profile information is collected and is converted into digital representations of audio tones, i.e., digital audio data. Then, when the special key 36 combination is pressed, or when the user selects the special information screen 42, the viewer profile information is output as digital audio sounds 4~, e.g., audio tones from the television speaker.
In this embodiment, the EPG information provider staff representative 44 would call EPG users, as described above, and request or prompt the EPG
user to place the telephone handset 48 near a speaker 50 of the television set before pressing the appropriate remote control device 12 key combination, or selecting the appropriate information screen 42. In this embodiment, there is, at the EPG service provider's location, a telephone connection 52 directly 10 to the centralized EPG service provider's computer 34. When the EPG user enters the information screen, the digital audio sounds 46 (encoded tones) are emitted by the television speaker 50, transmitted by the telephone connection 52 to the central EPG information service provider's computer 34, and stored. A second microprocessor 54 at the service provider's computer 34 may be programmed to recognize and decode the digital audio sounds 46, to produce binary representations of the sounds and to convert the binary representations of the sounds into binary representations of the viewer profile information. The tones may be decoded using, for instance, DTMF decoding.
In still another embodiment of this invention, a dictionary of 256 words, for example may be created, each word representing a unique combination of 8 bits. The objective in selecting the words is that the words should be distinctive and easily identifiable. The approach of using only a select list of words recognized by a "dictionary" of terms improves recognition by the EPG
representative andlor by speech recognition equipment at the central computer. The limited term dictionary approach reduces transcription and/or recognition errors.
In this embodiment, each word could represent a particular ASCII character, which in turn represents certain information about the television viewer/EPG
user. Each such word could represent a single, discrete piece of information ~12~
about the viewer. Alternatively, each word could represent one of 256 possible combinations of YESINO flags for eight (8) different categories of information about the television viewer/EPG user.
In this embodiment, the viewer profile information is collected and converted, using a translation table, into one or more of the terms of the dictionary.
When an EPG user is called, as is described above, the EPG user is asked to press the appropriate key 36 combination, or select the appropriate information screen 38, and read aloud into the telephone handset the words 56 listed on the information screen 42. As described above, there is, at the EPG service provider's office 32, a direct connection 52 to the centralized computer 34.
As the EPG user reads the words 56 aloud, they are recorded by the computer 34. Alternatively, the EPG staff representative 44 can enter the words 56 online by keying them, or can complete an online "questionnaire". The words 56 read by the EPG user can then be translated by the centralized computer 34 into the appropriate binary data for advertising auditing purposes. Because the words 56 represent binary data, industry standard error checking and correction techniques can be used.
This embodiment can be used in combination with the above-described embodiment in which the television speaker SO emits sounds. That is, instead of asking the user to read the words, the user is asked to place the telephone handset 48 next to the television speaker 50 so that when the user enters the appropriate key 36 combination or selects a particular information screen 42 from the EPG menu, the television speaker 50 will emit audible sounds that represent the dictionary terms that represent the viewer profile information.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are only considered to be preferred and/or illustrative of the inventive concept; the scope of the invention is not to be restricted to such embodiments. Various and numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, alternative terms for the dictionary of terms can be used. As an other example, the number of words in the dictionary can vary; any number of words could be used.
Such information can be used to analyze the valuation of advertising on television through an EPG.
The traditional way to monitor some of this information has been to equip a select number of television sets with modems, as is done to collect the Nielsen statistics. Typically, the modem-equipped television sets are placed in selected homes, whereby data concerning the viewing habits of the persons in the monitored homes is collected and is transmitted to a central location on some periodic basis, such as on a nightly basis. The above-described modem-equipped television method is expensive and cumbersome, and only provides data for a limited number of selected households.
U.S. Patent No. 6,177,931 discloses an extensive system and method for capturing raw viewer profile data and for analyzing that date. Such viewer profile information would provide advertisers with information with which further advertising decisions can be made. For instance, such information can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular advertisement. Such viewer profile information can be used to filter program listings or advertisements, and can be used to customize delivery of advertisements to particular viewers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides systems and methods for communicating viewer profile data to a centralized data center at which analysis of sample viewer profiles can be performed and feedback for advertisers developed. The present invention provides for such communication without the use of a modem in each target household.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of acquiring television viewer interaction data. The method involves monitoring usage of a television input device, producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing a viewer profile representing the television viewer interaction, in response to instructions sent to the television from the television input device.
Storing data may involve storing at least one of the following: date of issuance of an instruction communicated from the television input device to the television, time of issuance of the instruction, channel tuned immediately prior to the instruction, channel tuned immediately following the instruction, operating mode of the television imrnediately prior the instruction, operating mode of the television immediately following the instruction, identity of advertisements displayed on the television, identity of an advertisement displayed immediately prior to receiving the instruction, identity of television program displayed immediately before an instruction to change channels was received, identity of programs displayed, and identity of program displayed immediately after receiving the instruction to change channels.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing at least one of data relating to the status of the television, data related to a tuner of the television, and data relating to the content of a signal tuned by the tuner immediately prior to receiving an instruction from the television input device.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing at least one of:
data relating to the status of an electronic program guide displayed on the television, data relating to the content of the electronic program guide immediately prior to receiving an instruction from the television input device, and data relating to the content of the electronic program guide immediately after to receiving an instruction from the television input device.
Producing the viewer interaction data may involve storing at least one of:
data relating to the identity of every displayed program title for which a viewer requests additional information, the identity of every set of news data for which the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every set of sports data for which the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every program title that the viewer selects for recording, and the identity of every program title that the viewer selects to be watched.
The method may further involve storing the viewer interaction data to accumulate the viewer interaction data over a period of time. Storing may involve storing the viewer interaction data in memory at the television controlled by the television input device.
The method may further involve prompting a viewer of the television to communicate the encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
Accessing may involve displaying the encoded viewer interaction data on the television.
Prompting may involve prompting the viewer to speak the displayed encoded viewer interaction data into a telephone, the telephone being used to communicate spoken encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
Displaying may involve displaying the encoded viewer interaction data as a set of numbers on an information screen on the television and/or displaying the encoded viewer interaction data as at least one term from a dictionary of terms.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for acquiring television viewer interaction data. The apparatus includes means for monitoring usage of a television input device, means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, means for encoding the viewer interaction data to _5_ produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, means for accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and means for causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor circuit to monitor usage of a television input device by carrying out the method described above.
In accordance with another' aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of acquiring television viewer interaction data. The method involves monitoring usage of a television input device, producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, accessing the viewer interaction data for transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and prompting a viewer of the television to communicate the encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
The method may further involve causing the television to emit sounds representing the encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby the television, the telephone being used to communicate the tones to the remote location.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for acquiring television user interaction data., The apparatus comprises means for monitoring usage of a television input device, means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by the television input device in response to usage of the television input device, means for encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location, means for accessing the viewer interactian data far transmission to the central location in response to input received from the television input device, and means for prompting a viewer of the television to communicate the encoded viewer interaction data to the central location.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor circuit to acquire television viewer interaction data by carrying out the method above.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for audience monitoring according to one ernbadiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a sample of an on screen television display of an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) employed on a television set in the system shown in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a system for audience monitoring according to one embodiment of the invention, in which a television set 10 is operable to _7_ controlled by a viewer's input device 12. The television set 10 is operable to tune to television signals assigned to different channels to permit a viewer to watch television programming an any of said channels. Such programming may include television programs and advertising, for example. The television set may also have the capability of presenting to the user an electronic program guide (EPG) such as shown at 14 in Figure 2 that may provide television scheduling data 15, including program titles 16, advertising data and other types of information including but not limited to news data (not shown), sports data (not shown) and program information data 20. Further details of the EPG may be obtained from U.S. Patent No. 5,581,614, for example. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the viewer's input device 12 may be used to allow the viewer to interact with the television 10 and/or the electronic program guide 14 to control the television to tune to a particular channel, for example and to permit interaction with the electronic program guide to permit the viewer to select for viewing, program schedule data, program data, news data, sports data, advertising data and/or to select particular programs to be recorded.
A microprocessor 22 in the television set 10 is programmed to monitor each viewer interaction with the television through the viewer's input device 12.
The microprocessor 22 is further programmed to translate and convert the data representing a viewer's interaction profile data ("viewer profile") into data according to a coding scheme. The interaction profile data may include binary data, alpha numeric strings and/or terms selected from a pre-established dictionary of terms, for example. A traditional telephone handset may be used to transmit an audio presentation of the encoded data to a computer at a central location programmed to decode the encoded data.
In one embodiment of the invention, the microprocessor 22 in the television set 10 is programmed to collect viewer interaction data by storing in RAM 24 local to the microprocessor 22 (i.e., at the television set) a representation of _g_ every viewer instruction sent to the television set by the viewer's input device 12. For example, the microprocessor 22 may store in the RAM 24, data related to the status of the television set 10, the status of a television tuner 26 in the television set and the content of the signal tuned immediately prior to and/or immediately following receipt of an instruction to the television set from the viewer's input device 12. Such data may include, the date and/or time of receipt of the instruction, the channel tuned by the television set 10 immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, the channel tuned by the television set immediately following receipt of the instruction, the operating mode of the television set immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, the operating mode of the television set immediately following receipt of the instruction, the identity of advertisements watched by the user, the identity of an advertisement seen immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, the identity of an advertisement seen immediately following receipt of the instruction, the identity of programs watched by the user, the identity of a program seen immediately prior to receipt of the instruction, and/or the identity of a program seen immediately after receipt of the instruction.
In addition, or alternatively, the microprocessor 22 may store in the RAM 24, data related to the instructions sent by the viewer's input device 12 to an on screen electronic television program guide 14 of the television as shown in Figure 2, relating to the content of the guide immediately prior to receipt of an instruction and/or immediately following receipt of an instruction. Such data may include, the identity of every displayed program title 16 for which the viewer requests additional information 20, the identity of every set of news data for which the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every program title 16 that the viewer requests additional information, the identity of every program title that the viewer selects to be recorded and/or the identify of every program title that the viewer selects to be watched.
The viewer profile data may be stored as binary data, alphanumeric strings, digital audio data representing audio tones representing the viewer profile data (e.g. digital audio sounds) and/or terms selected from a pre-established dictionary of terms, for example.
The data can be stored and accumulated over a specific period of time, for instance, a one month period, after which the data is refreshed for the next month. An identification of the time interval may be encoded and stored in the RAM 24. For example, in this embodiment, 0701970801971436 might stand for the time period from July 1 to August 1, 1997, during which time the user accessed the EPG 14 143fi times.
Referring to Figure 1, the television viewer may be prompted to communicate via telephone 30 with a collection service 32 that includes a computer 34. The television viewer may be prompted to press a unique combination of keys 36 on the viewer's input device 12.
Upon pressing this unique combination of keys 3fi, the stored data may be retrieved by the microprocessor 22 in the TV set 10. The microprocessor 22 may be further programmed to cooperate with a display monitor 38 of the TV
set 10 to cause the viewer interaction data to be displayed as a string 40 of numbers in an information screen 42 on the television display monitor 38. As an alternative to pressing the unique combination of keys 36, the user can be prompted to select an appropriate information screen from an EPG menu.
In this embodiment, a staff representative 44 of an EPG information provider at the collection service 32, e.g., a staff representative for the Guide Plus customer service center, could call television viewersIEPG users (hereinafter, EPG user) to ask the EPG users to read aloud the encoded information. The computer 34 at the EPG information provider office could generate requests for EPG users to be called. The request could automatically dial the telephone -~ 10 -number of each selected EPG user. Phone numbers for EPG users could, for example, be collected from warranty card information for television sets in which the software was installed.
In this embodiment, the staff representative 44 would ask the EPG user to access the encoded information by, for instance, pressing a unique key 36 combination on the viewer's remote control device 12, or by selecting a particular information screen option from the EPG's menu. The selected information screen option may display the string 40 of numbers representing encoded viewer profile information. The EPG user would then be asked to read aloud into the telephone 30 the numbers displayed on the information screen.
The encoded viewer profile information read alo~.~d by the EPG user must be provided to the centralized EPG information service provider's computer 34.
One way to do so is for the audio signal from the telephone to be connected directly to a computer with speech recognition capabilities. Another way to provide the information to the centralized computer is for the EPG information provider staff representative 44 to enter the encoded information online to the computer 34 as the numbers are read aloud by the EPG user.
Once the EPG user finishes reading the numbers from the screen, the EPG
staff representative 44 would signal the computer 34 that the data collection for the particular user has been completed. At that point, the computer 34 could generate the next request and dial the telephone number for the next EPG user.
In another embodiment of the invention, the viewer profile information is collected and is converted into digital representations of audio tones, i.e., digital audio data. Then, when the special key 36 combination is pressed, or when the user selects the special information screen 42, the viewer profile information is output as digital audio sounds 4~, e.g., audio tones from the television speaker.
In this embodiment, the EPG information provider staff representative 44 would call EPG users, as described above, and request or prompt the EPG
user to place the telephone handset 48 near a speaker 50 of the television set before pressing the appropriate remote control device 12 key combination, or selecting the appropriate information screen 42. In this embodiment, there is, at the EPG service provider's location, a telephone connection 52 directly 10 to the centralized EPG service provider's computer 34. When the EPG user enters the information screen, the digital audio sounds 46 (encoded tones) are emitted by the television speaker 50, transmitted by the telephone connection 52 to the central EPG information service provider's computer 34, and stored. A second microprocessor 54 at the service provider's computer 34 may be programmed to recognize and decode the digital audio sounds 46, to produce binary representations of the sounds and to convert the binary representations of the sounds into binary representations of the viewer profile information. The tones may be decoded using, for instance, DTMF decoding.
In still another embodiment of this invention, a dictionary of 256 words, for example may be created, each word representing a unique combination of 8 bits. The objective in selecting the words is that the words should be distinctive and easily identifiable. The approach of using only a select list of words recognized by a "dictionary" of terms improves recognition by the EPG
representative andlor by speech recognition equipment at the central computer. The limited term dictionary approach reduces transcription and/or recognition errors.
In this embodiment, each word could represent a particular ASCII character, which in turn represents certain information about the television viewer/EPG
user. Each such word could represent a single, discrete piece of information ~12~
about the viewer. Alternatively, each word could represent one of 256 possible combinations of YESINO flags for eight (8) different categories of information about the television viewer/EPG user.
In this embodiment, the viewer profile information is collected and converted, using a translation table, into one or more of the terms of the dictionary.
When an EPG user is called, as is described above, the EPG user is asked to press the appropriate key 36 combination, or select the appropriate information screen 38, and read aloud into the telephone handset the words 56 listed on the information screen 42. As described above, there is, at the EPG service provider's office 32, a direct connection 52 to the centralized computer 34.
As the EPG user reads the words 56 aloud, they are recorded by the computer 34. Alternatively, the EPG staff representative 44 can enter the words 56 online by keying them, or can complete an online "questionnaire". The words 56 read by the EPG user can then be translated by the centralized computer 34 into the appropriate binary data for advertising auditing purposes. Because the words 56 represent binary data, industry standard error checking and correction techniques can be used.
This embodiment can be used in combination with the above-described embodiment in which the television speaker SO emits sounds. That is, instead of asking the user to read the words, the user is asked to place the telephone handset 48 next to the television speaker 50 so that when the user enters the appropriate key 36 combination or selects a particular information screen 42 from the EPG menu, the television speaker 50 will emit audible sounds that represent the dictionary terms that represent the viewer profile information.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are only considered to be preferred and/or illustrative of the inventive concept; the scope of the invention is not to be restricted to such embodiments. Various and numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, alternative terms for the dictionary of terms can be used. As an other example, the number of words in the dictionary can vary; any number of words could be used.
Claims (21)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method of acquiring television viewer interaction data, the method comprising:
monitoring usage of a television input device;
producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from said television input device; and causing said television to emit sounds representing said encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby said television, said telephone being used to communicate said tones to said remote location.
monitoring usage of a television input device;
producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from said television input device; and causing said television to emit sounds representing said encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby said television, said telephone being used to communicate said tones to said remote location.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein producing the viewer interaction data comprises storing a viewer profile representing said television viewer interaction, in response to instructions sent to said television from said television input device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein producing the viewer interaction data comprises storing at least one of:
data relating to the status of said television;
data related to a tuner of said television; and data relating to the content of a signal tuned by said tuner immediately prior to receiving an instruction from said television input device.
data relating to the status of said television;
data related to a tuner of said television; and data relating to the content of a signal tuned by said tuner immediately prior to receiving an instruction from said television input device.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein producing the viewer interaction data comprises storing at least one of:
data relating to the status of an electronic program guide displayed on said television;
data relating to the content of said electronic program guide immediately prior to receiving an instruction from said television input device; and, data relating to the content of said electronic program guide immediately after to receiving an instruction from said television input device.
data relating to the status of an electronic program guide displayed on said television;
data relating to the content of said electronic program guide immediately prior to receiving an instruction from said television input device; and, data relating to the content of said electronic program guide immediately after to receiving an instruction from said television input device.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein producing the viewer interaction data comprises storing at least one of:
data relating to the identity of every displayed program title for which a viewer requests additional information;
the identity of every set of news data for which said viewer requests additional information;
the identity of every set of sports data for which said viewer requests additional information;
the identity of every program title that said viewer selects for recording; and the identity of every program title that said viewer selects to be watched.
data relating to the identity of every displayed program title for which a viewer requests additional information;
the identity of every set of news data for which said viewer requests additional information;
the identity of every set of sports data for which said viewer requests additional information;
the identity of every program title that said viewer selects for recording; and the identity of every program title that said viewer selects to be watched.
6. The method of claim 2 wherein storing data comprises storing at least one of the following:
date of issuance of an instruction communicated from said television input device to said television;
time of issuance of said instruction;
channel tuned immediately prior to said instruction;
channel tuned immediately following said instruction;
operating mode of said television immediately prior said instruction;
operating mode of said television immediately following said instruction;
identity of advertisements displayed on the television;
identity of an advertisement displayed immediately prior to receiving said instruction;
identity of television program displayed immediately before an instruction to change channels was received;
identity of programs displayed; and, identity of program displayed immediately after receiving said instruction to change channels.
date of issuance of an instruction communicated from said television input device to said television;
time of issuance of said instruction;
channel tuned immediately prior to said instruction;
channel tuned immediately following said instruction;
operating mode of said television immediately prior said instruction;
operating mode of said television immediately following said instruction;
identity of advertisements displayed on the television;
identity of an advertisement displayed immediately prior to receiving said instruction;
identity of television program displayed immediately before an instruction to change channels was received;
identity of programs displayed; and, identity of program displayed immediately after receiving said instruction to change channels.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the viewer interaction data to accumulate the viewer interaction data over a period of time.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein storing comprises storing the viewer interaction data in memory at said television controlled by said television input device.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising prompting a viewer of the television to communicate said encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing comprises displaying said encoded viewer interaction data on said television.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising prompting a viewer of said television to communicate said displayed encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein prompting comprises prompting said viewer to speak said displayed encoded viewer interaction data into a telephone, said telephone being used to communicate spoken encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein displaying comprises displaying said encoded viewer interaction data as a set of numbers.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein displaying comprises displaying said encoded viewer interaction data as at least one term from a dictionary of terms.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein displaying comprises displaying said set of numbers on an information screen on said television.
16. An apparatus for acquiring television viewer interaction data, the apparatus comprising:
means for monitoring usage of a television input device;
means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
means for encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
means for accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from the television input device; and means for causing said television to emit sounds representing said encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby said television, said telephone being used to communicate said tones to said remote location.
means for monitoring usage of a television input device;
means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
means for encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
means for accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from the television input device; and means for causing said television to emit sounds representing said encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby said television, said telephone being used to communicate said tones to said remote location.
17. A computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor circuit to acquire television viewer interaction data by carrying out the method steps of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15.
18. A method of acquiring television viewer interaction data, the method comprising:
monitoring usage of a television input device;
producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from said television input device; and prompting a viewer of the television to communicate said encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
monitoring usage of a television input device;
producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from said television input device; and prompting a viewer of the television to communicate said encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
19. The method of claim 18 further comprising causing said television to emit sounds representing said encoded viewer interaction data, for reception by a telephone nearby said television, said telephone being used to communicate said tones to said remote location.
20. An apparatus for acquiring television user interaction data, the apparatus comprising:
means for monitoring usage of a television input device;
means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
means for encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
means for accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from said television input device; and means for prompting a viewer of the television to communicate said encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
means for monitoring usage of a television input device;
means for producing viewer interaction data representing viewer interaction with a television controlled by said television input device in response to usage of the television input device;
means for encoding the viewer interaction data to produce encoded viewer interaction data for transmission to a central location;
means for accessing said viewer interaction data for transmission to said central location in response to input received from said television input device; and means for prompting a viewer of the television to communicate said encoded viewer interaction data to said central location.
21. A computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a processor circuit to acquire television viewer interaction data by carrying out the method steps of claim 18 or 19.
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| US6314398B1 (en) * | 1999-03-01 | 2001-11-06 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | Apparatus and method using speech understanding for automatic channel selection in interactive television |
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| KR100971696B1 (en) | 2000-10-11 | 2010-07-22 | 유나이티드 비디오 프로퍼티즈, 인크. | Systems and methods for providing storage of data on servers in an on-demand media delivery system |
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