Apparatus and methods for data collection, analysis and validation including error correction in a content delivery network

A method of providing data collection in a content delivery network, said method comprising:

• collecting a plurality of data relating to interaction of a plurality of users with content or apparatus controlling said content;
• deriving an expected value for said plurality of data;
• based at least in part on said expected value, configuring a range of acceptable values for said plurality of data by utilizing sample data to determine instances of error given various operator-designated ranges;
• comparing said plurality of data to said range of acceptable values;
• when said plurality of data is within said range, transmitting said plurality of data to at least one entity for analyzing said plurality of data;
• and
• when said plurality of data is not within said range:
• generating at least one error message;
• implementing an error correction process to correct said plurality of data;
• and
• transmitting corrected data to at least one entity for analyzing.

A method of providing data collection in an operator-managed content delivery network, said method comprising:

• collecting a plurality of data relating to interaction of a plurality of users with content or apparatus controlling said content;
• deriving an expected value for said plurality of data;
• based at least in part on said expected value, configuring a range of acceptable values for said plurality of data;
• comparing said plurality of data to said range of acceptable values;
• when said plurality of data is within said range, transmitting said plurality of data to at least one entity for analyzing said plurality of data;
• and
• when said plurality of data is not within said range:
• generating at least one error message;
• implementing a manual error correction process to correct said plurality of data by said operator;
• and
• transmitting corrected data to at least one entity for analyzing.

In a content delivery network comprising a plurality of users receiving a plurality of content from a plurality of platforms, said plurality of platforms including at least one of:

• a video on demand (VOD) server, a linear broadcast content source, and an Internet content source, a method of collecting data comprising:
• collecting data relating to an interaction of said plurality of users with said plurality of contents received from said plurality of platforms;
• comparing values of individual ones of a plurality of data fields in said data to one or more acceptance criteria for each of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields;
• and
• when said one or more criteria are met, transmitting said data to at least one entity for analyzing said data.

In a content delivery network comprising a plurality of users receiving a plurality of content from a plurality of platforms, a method of collecting data comprising:

• collecting data relating to an interaction of said plurality of users with said plurality of contents received from said plurality of platforms;
• comparing values of individual ones of a plurality of data fields in said data to one or more acceptance criteria for each of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields;
• when said one or more criteria are met:
• anonymizing said data via at least one cryptographic hash function;
• and
• transmitting said data to at least one entity for analyzing said data.

In a content delivery network comprising a plurality of users receiving a plurality of contents from a plurality of platforms, a method of collecting data comprising:

• collecting data relating to an interaction of said plurality of users with said plurality of contents received from said plurality of platforms;
• deriving expected values for each of individual ones of a plurality of data fields in the data;
• based at least in part on said expected values, configuring a range of acceptable values for each of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields;
• comparing values of individual ones of a plurality of data fields in said data to said range of acceptable values for each of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields;
• and
• when said values of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields are within said range of acceptable values for each of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields, transmitting said data to at least one entity for analyzing said data.

In a content delivery network comprising a plurality of users receiving a plurality of contents from a plurality of platforms, a method of collecting data comprising:

• collecting data relating to an interaction of said plurality of users with said plurality of contents received from said plurality of platforms;
• comparing values of individual ones of a plurality of data fields in said data to one or more acceptance criteria for each of said individual ones of said plurality of data fields;
• when said one or more criteria are met, transmitting said data to at least one entity for analyzing said data;
• and
• implementing an error correction process to correct said data having values of individual ones of said plurality of data fields which do not meet said one or more acceptance criteria.

A method of correcting errors in one or more fields of a plurality of collected data, said method comprising:

• accessing an error indication, said error indication identifying said one or more fields of an individual one of said plurality of collected data having one or more errors;
• determining whether an error correction record exists for correction of said one or more fields;
• when said error correction record exists for correction of said one or more fields, automatically correcting said one or more fields;
• and
• when said error correction record does not exist for correction of said one or more fields:
• generating said error correction record for said one or more fields;
• and
• storing said error correction record for said one or more fields for subsequent substantially automatic correction of errors in said one or more fields.

A method of correcting errors in one or more fields of a plurality of collected data, said method comprising:

• accessing an error message identifying said one or more fields of an individual one of said plurality of collected data having one or more errors;
• determining whether an error correction record exists for correction of said one or more fields;
• when said error correction record exists for correction of said one or more fields, automatically correcting said one or more fields;
• and
• when said error correction record does not exist for correction of said one or more fields, causing a manual error correction process to be performed by an operator.

A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:

• collect data which relates to interaction of a plurality of users with a plurality of content received from a plurality of platforms, said data each comprising a plurality of data fields having values contained therein capable of being validated, and said plurality of platforms include at least one of a video on demand (VOD) server, a linear broadcast content source, and an Internet content source;
• compare said values of said plurality of data fields for each of said data to one or more acceptance criteria;
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are met, transmit said plurality of data to at least one entity for analysis;
• and
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are not met, implement a substantially automated error correction process.

A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:

• collect data from a plurality of user devices which relates to interaction of a plurality of users with a plurality of content received from a plurality of platforms, said data each comprising a plurality of data fields having values contained therein capable of being validated;
• compare said values of said plurality of data fields for each of said data to one or more acceptance criteria;
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are met, transmit said plurality of data to at least one entity for analysis;
• and
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are not met, implement a substantially automated error correction process.

A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:

• collect data which relates to interaction of a plurality of users with a plurality of content received from a plurality of platforms, said data each comprising a plurality of data fields having values contained therein capable of being validated;
• deriving one or more acceptance criteria using statistical log-linear, log-log, or linear regression analysis;
• compare said values of said plurality of data fields for each of said data to said one or more acceptance criteria;
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are met, transmit said plurality of data to at least one entity for analysis;
• and
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are not met, implement a substantially automated error correction process.

A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:

• collect data which relates to interaction of a plurality of users with a plurality of content received from a plurality of platforms, said data each comprising a plurality of data fields having values contained therein capable of being validated;
• compare said values of said plurality of data fields for each of said data to one or more acceptance criteria;
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are met, transmit said plurality of data to at least one entity for analysis;
• and
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are not met, utilize an existing error correction profile to automatically correct said plurality of data fields.

A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:

• collect data which relates to interaction of a plurality of users with a plurality of content received from a plurality of platforms, said data each comprising a plurality of data fields having values contained therein capable of being validated;
• compare said values of said plurality of data fields for each of said data to one or more acceptance criteria;
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are met, transmit said plurality of data to at least one entity for analysis;
• and
• when said one or more criteria of said plurality of data fields are not met, notify an administrator that manual error correction is necessary.