DE4238681C2 - Method and detection device for registering the listener behavior of radio and television programs - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for registering the listener behavior of radio and television programs according to the preamble of claim 1 and a detection device as an aid in the Performing this procedure.

Registration of listener behavior from broadcasting and TV programs, especially a statistical evaluation advertising radio is not yet flexible enough takes place in a wide range. This is because the listener over the course of a day or a longer period of time Broadcasting from various radio and television receivers gladly, be it at home, in the car or in a restaurant, receives, but a registration so far from tech was not possible for certain reasons.

There is GfK television viewer research on television, being at a stationary remote located in a room a GfK meter is connected, which represents tive households is available and all necessary for measurement, recording and data transmission steps are followed. So there will be up to 98 Channels / programs and the use of video recorders knows. The switching on / off of the TV and the program that is currently switched on (including possible switchovers).

The remote data obtained in this way Visual usage is recorded in the GfK meter down to the second  and saved; the retrieval of the stored data now follows over the phone line. This way the Da To be able to use transmission of data is the GfK meter above a modem is connected to the Telekom telephone network. The Data retrieval takes place every night between 2:00 And 5:00 a.m. by a central for this purpose installed computer. This is able to do so dig up to 13 households at the same time Retrieve TV use the previous day. For the transfer The computer needs approx. 30 to 50 seconds.

From DE-OS 30 39 842 is a radio transmission System for distribution automation and remote measurement known. In doing so, several are transmitted via one radio transmission system remote devices selectively addressed and controlled. The digital addresses and control signals who transmitted to a local AM radio station and are sent from there. Several distant ones addressable digital radio receivers control several ex ternal devices such as circuit breakers or wattage counter.

From DE-OS 36 05 915 is a control and performance supply unit for implanted electromedical Measuring, control and regulation systems known. Doing so will a wristwatch with solar cells and a keypad Control signals, for example to a pacemaker, spent. The coupling of these control pulses ge happens via a transformer whose primary winding is located on the underside of the wristwatch and its Se secondary winding is implanted in the back of the hand, the electrical lead to the implanted cardiac pacemaker cher takes place over veins.

By US-PS 47 18 106 it is finally known ge the listener behavior in a very good quality  of radio and television programs to register, whereby a detection on the body of the test person device is used. For example, it is as modified wristwatch trained. Via a microphone station-specific data are recorded and shared with the reception time in a storage element the arm watch stored. The data can be used (for evaluation) be read out again after a certain period of time the registration devices were collected again. A procedure in which a detection device is always with the test person is very positive to rate. However, with the wristwatch mentioned no certainty that they are actually from the test person is worn. For example, it can after handover to the test person on a piece of furniture in whose apartment is filed and receives and stores there all radio transmissions in the area. The corresponding Test result is therefore only of limited use as it is strong is subjectively influenced.

The present invention is based on the object a method and a detection device for regi strate the listener behavior of radio and television to create shipments, which should make it possible to radio transmissions perceived by a test person at all ih their whereabouts for short-term evaluation si cher register, but the subjective leg flowability of the test result should be minimized and it must be guaranteed that the detection device is actually located directly at the test person.

This object is achieved by the features in the characterizing Part of claim 1 (method) or claim 3 (detection device) solved.

Further refinements of the invention are in each of the Subclaims specified.

The wristwatch The detection device is only ready to receive if this is in direct skin contact with an In dividuum is what is by integrating a tempera Door detection element is achieved. Only after one Thermistor has almost reached body temperature and  a switch has activated the detection device registration of data possible. This is done there through that in each broadcasting station the respective specific data word assigned to the program in one Frequency position of just below 15 kHz, preferably 14.8 kHz, within the frequency band of the message generated with amplitude modulation and together with the broadcasting program is broadcast, whereby in the broadcast and television receivers use the low frequency news signal with the specific amplitude modulated data word recovered and output through the speaker (s) is radiated, the specific data word from a mobile, preferably on a digital wristwatch assigned ultrasound microphone is recorded and above a bandpass with amplifier, a demodulator, Spei circuits and electronic components used in the digital wristwatch as integrated circuits are present, the data words are recorded with the transmission time and these values (data word plus transmission time) via a modem using a telephone and the like on the Wristwatch provided adapter at night central computer are transmitted so that in the computer an assignment-with regard to the transferred values and of the broadcast program based on the specific data word and the registered, saved broadcast time possible is so that a statement can be made as to which Program content, especially commercials, the listener has received.

An embodiment is shown in the figures. It shows:

Fig. 1 shows the stereo multiplex signal.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the digital wrist watch.

The present invention is intended to apply to both AM and also get FM radio.

The stereo multiplex signal for FM broadcasting shown in FIG. 1 shows with reference number 1 the frequency band for the mixture of left and right channel (L + R) for mono reception between 0.03 and 15 kHz. Just below 15 kHz, preferably at 14.8 kHz, the amplitude-modulated specific data word ( 6 ) is generated within the frequency band of the message useful signal and radiated out together with the transmission program after the total modulation. This measure is intended to ensure that commercially available mono radio and television receivers can also receive the specific data word. This is just above the hearing limit in the listening area emitted by the receiver's loudspeaker. It should be inaudible to the listener and registered by means of an ultrasound microphone and electronic components which are attached to a digital wristwatch and stored together with the transmission time in a memory chip. At 19 kHz of Figure 1 is the pilot tone ( 2 ), between 23 and 38 kHz or 53 and 38 kHz are the frequency bands for the left channel (L) minus the right channel ( 3 ) and ( 5 ); ( 4 ) shows a suppressed Ste reo subcarrier at 38 kHz. Corresponding conditions apply to AM broadcasting.

In radio and television receivers this becomes low current message useful signal with the specific ampli recovered and modulated data word the speaker (s) broadcast, the specific Data word from a mobile, preferably on a digi talen wristwatch arranged ultrasound microphone that  is preferably a piezo microphone is recorded.

The block diagram shown in Fig. 2 shows the elec tronic components that are necessary for processing the specifi c data word. The ultrasound piezo microphone is shown with reference number 7 . 8 shows a bandpass with amplifier. By means of the demodulator 9 , the digital specific data word 17 with the periods T _D and the pause time T _{P is} obtained in digitized form. The data word can consist of 8 or more bits, so that with 8 bits 28 different transmitter programs can be registered according to the number of different transmit programs and transmitters. 10 shows a counter which is controlled by the gate circuit 11 , which is also supplied with the digital data word. 12 shows the timer or the clock pulse, which is synchronized with the normal clock time and controls the read / write memory (RAM) 13 via control lines and a 16 bit bus. In it, the specific digital data words 17 from the counter 10 are read in via the address of the time via an 8-bit bus, for example. These values (data word plus transmission time) are transmitted via a modem 15 by means of a telephone line and the corresponding adapter provided on the wristwatch to a central computer at night, so that the computer assigns the transmitted values and the transmission program based on the specific Data word 17 and the registered, stored transmission time is possible, so that a statement can be made as to which program content, in particular commercials, the listener has received. This is done by the counter 14 , which is controlled by the clock pulse 12 and controls the read / write memory 13 and the modem 15 via a 16-bit data bus. A bit-serial signal is then present at point 16 , which consists of a received data word with the transmitted time.

The digital wristwatch has one of solar cells  powered battery-backed power supply.

The electronic components that are integrated Circuits are activated via a Switch in operative connection with a thermistor stands. This switch is activated as soon as the hot through the skin contact of the wristwatch on the body temperature is heated. It is therefore possible to create a regi to achieve listener behavior only if the watch is worn and the watch carrier also broadcasting hear.

The mode of operation of the system according to the invention are verified.

The system for registering listener behavior from Radio and television broadcasts stand out essentially lichen by the fact that in the broadcasters every pro grams, e.g. B. SWF3 or HR3 etc. an inaudible in ul specific data word located in the is broadcast or together with the program becomes. This applies to both FM and AM broadcasting.

Leave according to the number of bits of the data word ver, for example, with an 8-bit data word 256 mark different broadcast programs. The registration first takes place in one with integrated circuits equipped as electronic components digital Wristwatch by a selected group of subjects for usually worn during the day.

At the heart of the digital wristwatch are, in addition to the display and detection of the "normal" time via a clock pulse 12 , an ultrasound microphone 7 , which detects the amplitude-modulated specific data words that are emitted by the radio transmitters, lie in the ultrasound range, and for the others Processing electronic components, in particular memory are provided. As it were an inaudible dog whistle, the specific data word, for example in a time cycle of 10 seconds, is continuously sent out together with the message useful signal via the speaker (s) of a commercial radio and television receiver. In addition to the clock pulse 12 , the digital clock also has circuits such as read / write memory (RAM) 13 , counters 11 , 14 , control logic and a modem 15 . In the read / write memory 13 , the data word received at the respective time is stored under the address of the time. An example should explain this. At 12:45 p.m., the specific data word 11010011 is read into the read / write memory 13 . This data word stands for example for the broadcast program HR3 (Hessischer Rundfunk, 3rd program). At 2:12 p.m., the subject is in his car, for example, and receives data word 11100011 via his car radio, which can be synonymous with, for example, SWF3 (Südwestfunk, 3rd program). If, for example, the subject visits a restaurant around 5:00 p.m. in which radio is received by Bavaria 3 (Bavarian Radio, 3rd program), the data word received could be: 01010111.

The data words are only registered if the watch is actually worn. For this purpose, a thermistor is provided, which is heated by the body temperature to about 37 degrees Celsius when worn. Expediently, you will introduce this thermistor on the back of the watch facing away from the back with its metal layer. At night, the digital clock is connected to a central computer via the telephone network using an adapter and a modem 15 , which then reads the data contained in the read / write memory such as the time and the specific data words associated with the time.

In the central computer are based on a comparison list Broadcast programs, time and specific data words sure available for reference, so that for example due to the read time of 5:00 p.m. and the da tenwortes 01010111 to the last mentioned example remain, it is determined in the computer what content that had received broadcast program at this time, whether z. B. a certain commercial was content.

In this way, the listener behavior of Register radio and television broadcasts and later undergo a statistical analysis.

Claims (8)

1. A method of registering the behavior of listeners to radio and television broadcasts, in which

• - Transmitter-specific data ( 6 ) are transmitted at the upper end of the audio frequency range together with a broadcast program and are acoustically emitted by a radio or television receiver,
• - The acoustically emitted data ( 6 ) from an individual listener assigned, housed in a wristwatch and in the listening area of the radio or television receiver be sensitive detection device and stored together with the period of reception in a memory ( 13 ) of the detection device ,
• the stored data ( 6 ) are read out from the memory ( 13 ) for evaluation by a central evaluation device during the night,

characterized in that the Erfassungseinrich device is automatically switched to readiness only when a be in the wrist watch, serving as a temperature sensor Heißlei ter by skin contact has heated to body temperature. 2. A method for registering the listener behavior according to claim 1, characterized in that the reading of the data ( 6 ) stored in the memory ( 13 ) for evaluation in the central evaluation device is carried out via a telephone network which can be connected to the detection device. 3. Detection device for registering the behavior of listeners to radio and television programs, in which the program signal transmitter-specific data are added, which are emitted acoustically by a radio or television receiver, for carrying out the method according to claim 1 or 2, with

• - a microphone ( 7 ), which records the transmitter-specific data,
• - A storage element ( 13 ) in which the transmitter-specific data ( 6 ) are stored together with the reception time, and
• Means for reading out the stored data for the purpose of transmission to the central evaluation device, the entire recording device being accommodated in a wristwatch to be worn by the listener,

characterized in that the wristwatch has a Contains thermistor, when wearing the watch through skin contact approximately to body temperature is warmed and only in the warmed state the Erfas activated. 4. Detection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the broadcast from the radio or television receiver-specific data ( 6 ) are in a frequency range at about 15 kHz and that the microphone ( 7 ) a rich in this frequency working piezo microphone ( 7 ) is. 5. Detection device according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the wristwatch has a battery-buffered chip fed by solar cells power supply. 6. Detection device according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the following electronic components are provided:

• - a bandpass filter ( 8 ) which filters out the transmitter-specific data ( 6 ) recorded by the microphone ( 7 ),
• - A first counter ( 10 ) by a
• - Gate circuit ( 11 ) is controlled and these specific data ( 6 ) one
• - Read / write memory RAM ( 13 ) supplies, in which chem the respective transmitter-specific data word is stored under the address of the current time,
• - A second counter ( 14 ) in conjunction with the read / write memory ( 13 ) and with one
• - Modem ( 15 ) controls the serial transmission of the stored data ( 6 ) over the telephone network to a central evaluation computer
• - A timer ( 12 ) which is synchronized with the time electronics of the wristwatch and which emits both clock signals for the two counters ( 10 , 14 ) and the current time for the read / write memory ( 13 ).