Methods and apparatus for collecting media consumption data based on usage information
AssigneeThe Nielsen Company (US), LLC
InventorsWeston P. Headley, Kevin Deng, Dan Nelson
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for collecting media consumption data based on usage information of a media delivery device are disclosed. In an example method, media information is received by a portable metering device associated with a monitored individual such as a portable telephone, a personal digital assistant, and/or a handheld computer. Usage information indicative of a media delivery event associated with a media delivery device such as a television is monitored by the portable metering device. To form the media consumption data, the media information is associated with one of a first channel and a second channel based on the usage information.
Claims67
A method for collecting media consumption data comprising:
- receiving media information at a portable metering device;
- generating a probability factor associated with a first channel of a media delivery device based on the received media information;
- monitoring via the portable metering device for usage information indicative of a media delivery event associated with the media delivery device;
- and
- changing the probability factor and associating the media information with a second channel of the media delivery device based on the usage information to form the media consumption data.
An apparatus for collecting media consumption data comprising:
- a sensor configured to receive media information at a portable metering device;
- a probability generator to generate a probability associated with a first channel of a media delivery device;
- a monitor configured to monitor for usage information indicative of a media delivery event associated with the media delivery device;
- and
- a data collector configured to change the probability factor and associate the media information with a second channel of the media delivery device based on the usage information to form the media consumption data.
A machine accessible medium having instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to:
- receive media information at a portable metering device;
- generate a probability factor associated with a first channel of a media delivery device;
- monitor via the portable metering device for usage information indicative of a media delivery event associated with the media delivery device;
- and
- change the probability factor and associate the media information with a second channel of the media delivery device based on the usage information to form the media consumption data.
An apparatus for collecting media consumption data comprising:
- means for receiving media information at a portable metering device;
- means for generating a probability factor associated with a first channel of a media delivery device;
- means for monitoring via the portable metering device for usage information indicative of a media delivery event associated with the media delivery device;
- and
- means for changing the probability factor and associating the media information with a second channel of the media delivery device based on the usage information to form the media consumption data.
A system for collecting media consumption data comprising:
- a usage monitoring device configured to monitor for a signal indicative of a media delivery event associated with a media delivery device, to generate usage information based on the media delivery event, and to transmit the usage information to one or more portable metering devices;
- and
- a portable metering device configured to receive media information from the media delivery device, to monitor for the usage information from the usage monitoring device, to generate a probability factor associated with a channel to which the media delivery device was previously tuned, and to associate the media information with one of a first channel and a second channel based on the probability factor and the usage information to form media consumption data.
A method for collecting media consumption data comprising:
- receiving media information at a portable metering device;
- determining information associated with a likelihood a first channel of a media delivery device is currently tuned based on the received media information;
- monitoring via the portable metering device for usage information indicative of a media delivery event associated with the media delivery device;
- and
- associating the media information with a second channel of the media delivery device based on the information associated with the likelihood and the usage information to form the media consumption data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.