Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
  • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
  • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• • 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 programmes or purchase activity
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B3/00—Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes
  • A61B3/10—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
  • A61B3/113—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions for determining or recording eye movement
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/29—Arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services
  • H04H60/33—Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/35—Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users
  • H04H60/38—Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users for identifying broadcast time or space
  • H04H60/39—Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users for identifying broadcast time or space for identifying broadcast space-time
• • 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
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
  • H04N21/42201—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user
• • 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
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
  • H04N21/4223—Cameras

Definitions

• This invention is in the field of monitoring television viewers.
• the present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for monitoring the viewers of a television.
• This invention in particular relates to a method and apparatus for accurately monitoring the actual viewing habits and activities of individuals viewing television programs without requiring any action on the part of the viewer.
• This system suffers from the disadvantage that it merely detects the presence of persons in the designated monitored area while the television is receiving a certain program; it does not indicate whether the persons present are actually watching the program.
• This system contains a desired feature that the system is passive with respect to the television viewer, i.e., there is no action required on the part of the viewer to activate the information collection system; however, this system collects incomplete and inadequate information and data regarding the actual viewing of the television programs.
• time shift i.e., by recording television programs on a video cassette recorder (VCR) and viewing the program at a later time.
• this invention comprises apparatus for monitoring the television viewing acts of individuals comprising:
• This invention further comprises a method for monitoring the television viewing acts of an individual comprising: detecting energy emitted from the eyes of an individual in the viewing area of the television; and determining whether said detected energy indicate that the individual is viewing the television.
• the above method of this invention comprises transmitting a signal from the vicinity of the television and detecting the reflections of the transmitted signal.
• this invention comprises apparatus for monitoring television viewing acts of an individual, wherein the television comprises a television-VCR combination, which comprises: a monitor comprising means for collecting and storing data and means for placing a predetermined signal on a videotape when the VCR is recording a television program on the videotape; means for detecting whether there is at least one person in the viewing area of the television when the television is operating and for transmitting that data to the monitor; and means for determining whether the program on the television is:
• this invention provides a method for monitoring the television viewing acts of an individual using a television-VCR combination which comprises: placing a predetermined signal on a videotape when the VCR is recording a television program on the videotape; detecting whether there is at least one person in the viewing area of the television when the television is operating; and determining whether the program on the television is (a) from a broadcast channel or (b) from the VCR by detecting the information from the predeter- mined signal placed on the videotape when the program was recorded by the VCR.
• the means for detecting whether a person is in the viewing area preferably comprise the above referred to means for detecting energy emissions from the eyes of the individual in order to further determine whether the individual present in the viewing area is actually- viewing the television.
• FIG. 1 is a general diagram of an embodiment of the present invention showing a monitor device for detecting energy emissions from the eyes of a viewer, which monitor may also comprise means for transmitting a signal which is reflected from the eyes of a television viewer and detected by the receiver in the device monitoring the television viewer.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the aspect of this invention adapted for monitoring the viewing of broadcast programs recorded on a VCR.
• FIG. 1 shows the basic components of one aspect of the present invention, which comprises a monitor unit 10, according to the present invention, in combination with television 12.
• Monitor unit 10 is connected to television 12 by cable means 14, which provides channel information from the tuner of television 12 to monitor 10.
• monitor 10 is connected to television 12 by cable means 16, which provides control means to activate monitor 10 when the television 12 is turned on.
• Monitor 10 contains receiving and detection means which is capable of detecting reflections 11 from the eyes of viewer 20, which reflections may be any detectable energy form, including infra red or other radiation from the body heat of the eyes of the viewer, reflected ambient light 17 or reflections of the light 19 emitted by the television screen itself or may be a specifically transmitted signal 18.
• the signal transmitted and reflected may be light, ultrasonic sound, microwave or other desired signal which can be reflected from a viewer's eyes.
• the signal transmitted into the viewing area can include the light or other energy emitted by the television screen itself.
• the transmitted signal can be from the monitor or television, as illustrated in Fig.
• the means for receiving and/or detecting reflections of signals from the viewers eyes will be the means which is adapted for detection of the desired light or signal in the system designed for a particular monitoring application.
• monitor 10 contains transmitting means capable of transmitting a signal, such as an infrared signal 18, which is adapted to be reflected by the eyes of viewer 20, whereby the reflected signal 11 is received in a receiver means in monitor 10.
• Monitor 10 is capable of scanning and transmitting a signal and receiving a signal from the viewing area of the television, defined as being between lines 22 and 24.
• Monitor means 10 also includes power means 26 for an independent power supply to monitor 10 and communication line 28, which can be connected to a phone line to enable monitor 10 to communicate with a central computer for relaying information assembled by monitor 10 either at the time of viewing or at later time.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of monitor 10, which illustrates that monitor 10 comprises a computer/controller 30 for controlling the other components in monitor 10.
• the computer/controller can be connected to the television by means 35 for an on/off signal to activate monitor 10 when the tele ⁇ vision is turned on.
• Transmitter 32 transmits a signal toward the viewers of the television, which is a signal that is adapted to be reflected from the eyes of the viewers in the viewing area of the television.
• Receiver 34 is adapted to receive and detect the signals 11 reflected from the viewer's eyes and in combination with determining means 36, discriminates and filters the received reflections to determine which reflections are from the viewers' eyes and which reflections are from other objects.
• the signals determined to be reflections from the eyes of the viewers who are watching the television are transmitted to memory means 38, where the information is stored, along with the information from the television channel selector via means 37 regarding the program which is being watched.
• Memory means 38 and computer/controller means 30 communicate to compile the desired information in the predetermined form.
• the computer and memory means preferably also contain clock means whereby viewer information received and processed through receiver 34, determining means 36 and the television channel selector information from means 37 can all be correlated with a clock time reference in memory 38 for future retrieval and use.
• Computer means 30 can be connected to a central computer 29 via phone line 39 and can contain the appropriate modem and means whereby a signal through the phone line 39 from a central computer 29 or home office can activate the computer and retrieve the information stored in the memory 38 upon demand from the central computer without interfering with the operation of the monitor 10.
• Computer/controller means 30 can also be connected to other components for appropriate control and/or interaction, such as to determining means 36 by means 33 and to receiver means 34 (by means not shown) .
• each connection means can be two-way when desired for control and/or information, signal, data or sensing means transmission between the computer/controller means 30 and the other components in the system.
• the light sensor and detection means in the monitor can be adapted to either detect reflections from the viewers eyes of existing ambient light in the viewing area, reflections from the viewers eyes of the light emitted from the television screen or reflections of a specific light or other signal transmitted from a transmitter associated with the monitor. In some instances it will be preferred to rely on reflections of ambient light or reflections of the television screen light to detect and determine whether the viewer is actually viewing the television. In other instances it will be preferred to provide a specific transmitted signal for reflection from the viewers eyes for detection and determination whether the viewer is watching the television.
• the various and numerous advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the operation of the invention as illustrated by the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 1 and 2.
• One of the primary advantages is that the system is passive with respect to the television viewer. That is, the television viewer only needs to turn on the television set in order to activate the monitoring system of the present invention. The television viewer does not need to punch keyboards, wear headsets, keep logs or engage in any activity other than turning on the television set and watching the programs in the normal and conventional manner.
• the monitoring system of this invention provides far more reliable information than previous systems because of the absence of any require- ment of activity, special equipment use or record keeping on the part of the television viewer.
• the transmitter and receiver of the monitor of the present invention may be operated continuously to constantly monitor the persons watching the program which has been selected by the channel selector on the television set. By continuously monitoring the viewing area, the monitor of the present invention can determine the number of persons actually watching the program at any given time. In addition, the monitor, in combination with clock means, can precisely determine how much time and at what intervals each person is actually looking at the television set. In this regard, predetermined standards can be applied for particular programs to determine how much viewing time and at what intervals a person is actively viewing a television program or is engaged in some other activity without actually watching the program. By recording the viewing time and intervals of viewing, the monitor of the present invention can determine the level of interest in the program and/or what portion of the program was actually viewed by a particular viewer.
• the receiver can be designed to interpret signals which are reflected from the retina, iris and/or the cornea of the viewer's eyes or any combination thereof and the reflected signal analyzed to determine the unique characteristics of the reflected signal from each individual to thereby
• the receiver is designed to detect reflected ambient light, reflected light emitted by the television screen or a reflected signal which is specifically transmitted for reflection and detection by the receiver.
• the receiver determining means and memory in combination with the computer can continually track each individual to determine the viewing activities of each individual. In a preferred embodiment, it may be desirable that each individual in the household be
• “fingerprinted” and identified for the monitor's memory when the monitor is installed in the household can be established by having each individual, in turn, monitored by the monitor of the invention for an initial period of time to establish the unique characteristics of the reflected signals from that individual's eyes, including eye coordinates, i.e., the distance between the eyes, and other characteristics. Then the individual can be identified by digital or keyboard input into the computer and/or memory, which identification can include information desired by the organization conducting the marketing information survey; for example, the viewers may be identified by number or name and/or can be identified by age, sex, household status, educational level, etc.
• the monitor device of this invention can determine which persons and how many persons view a commercial or any particular segment of a broadcast on any particular channel.
• broadcast networks or cable networks can monitor and determine the viewership of their programs, commercials, special announcements, news programs, or any other specific segment of their broadcast for which it is important to know the degree and level at which the viewers actually view that part of the broadcast programming.
• the monitor of the present invention by monitoring the actual eye positions and eye characteristics of each individual viewer can also determine additional information which may be of interest to the broadcast companies or advertisers.
• changes in blink rate of each individual can be monitored, along with the changes in pupil dilation, which can be used as biofeedback variables to indicate the viewer's degree of interest in and emotional response to a particular segment of the broadcast programming.
• the device can incorporate computer and memory hardware of appropriate size to enable installation of software to control and provide any degree of sophistication of and detail of the monitoring desired. In this way, the device can be controlled so that it functions to record and discriminate among any or all of the data which can be collected by the device of the present invention as outlined above.
• the accumu- lated information and data can then be accessed immediately by a phone line by a central office or computer or can be accumulated over a period of time and accessed periodically by the central office or computer.
• the monitor device of the present invention requires no unusual action on the part of the viewer, such as record keeping or wearing a headset, it is believed that the actions of the viewer will be reflected as more natural, and the data will be more reliable than when the viewers are required to actively keep logs, wear equipment or type keyboard responses in order to accumulate the desired data. It will be recognized that through the technology of high speed scanning, multiple signal transmitters and reservers and multiplexing of signals, the monitor of the present invention can be designed and programmed to continually scan the entire television viewing area for any number of individuals.
• signals which can be used for reflections from the eye include ambient light, light emitted from the television screen or transmitted signals such as light, preferably not in the visible range such as infrared; low-power UV or IR lasers which do not stress or damage the eyes; microwaves, such as used for motion detectors; sound, such as ultrasonics or combinations thereof.
• Ambient light, light emitted by the television screen and specifically transmitted light and laser signals will generally be preferred because they can operate through eyeglasses and give the desired reflected signals for detection.
• the signal or signals used can be adapted for reflection from the retina, iris, or cornea of the eye or any combination thereof in order to provide the desired reflected signals for determining eye position, blinks, pupil dilation, and the like.
• this invention comprises apparatus, methods and systems for monitoring the actual viewing of broadcast and cable television programming, when viewed by individuals through "time shift" recording on video recorders, such as video cassette recorders (VCR's) .
• VCR's video cassette recorders
• This "time shift" television viewing is of considerable interest to the programmers of broadcast and cable television networks.
• the programmers and their advertising sponsors are particularly interested in the degree to which the television viewers use time shift VCR viewing to skip over or fast forward through commercial messages.
• the device of the present invention provides means for monitoring the television viewer even on VCR time shift program viewing and obtaining and assembling information regarding the viewing habits or time shift viewers.
• the invention provides a device adapted for being placed in combination with the television and a VCR as shown in FIG. 3.
• monitor device 40 which has the same interconnect means with the television 42 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, namely, a power input means 44, means 46 from the television to the monitor to indicate when the television is on and to activate the monitor, and means 48, whereby the signal is transmitted from the television tuner to the monitor to indicate which channel the television is tuned to when the television is in operation.
• it can also include communication means 49, such as a modem and phone line to the central office or central computer 29, by which the information and data accumulated in and stored in the monitor 40 can be retrieved upon demand from the central office or central computer 29.
• Monitor means 40 also contains an appropriate means, such as the means described above, for detecting reflections or energy 11 emanating from the eyes of the viewer 20 or means for transmitting a signal 18 and receiving the signal 11 reflected from the eyes of the viewer for determining the presence of a viewer in the television viewing area when the television and the associated monitor is in operation.
• the monitor can be designed to contain receiving and detection means for detection of reflected ambient light or reflected light from the television screen or for detecting a specifically transmitted signal or light transmitted by the monitor or a device associated with a monitor.
• the means for detecting and determining the presence of television viewers can be conventional means, but it is preferred that the above means for reflecting signals from the eyes of the viewers be used for the most accurate and meaningful informatio .
• FIG. 3 also shows the conventional arrangement of the antenna or cable means 50 connected to VCR 52, which in turn is connected by means 54 to television 42.
• the monitor device of the present invention also includes means 56 for transmitting a signal into the VCR to be recorded on the videotape recording of a program which is recorded from the antenna or cable input 50.
• This predetermined signal from monitor 40 to VCR 52 via means 56 is a signal which does not interfere with the audio or visual portion of the recorded program, but is detectable by the monitor when the recorded program is played for viewing on TV.
• This predetermined signal from monitor 40 which has been recorded on the videotape when the program is recorded is detected by monitor 40 by means 58, which allows the video signal from VCR 52 being transmitted to television 42 by means 54 to be monitored by monitor 40 by means of input 50 from means 58.
• monitor 40 will need an additional input means 60 from the VCR to the monitor to inform the monitor with respect to whether the VCR is on or off and with respect to which incoming channel from the antenna or cable 50 is actually being transmitted to the televis ⁇ ion through means 54 and being viewed by the viewer.
• the monitor can also determine, from the timing means contained in the predetermined signal recorded on the tape, the extent to which the viewer skips over or fast forwards through portions of the program, special announcements, commercial messages or other parts of the program which the programmers or sponsors want to determine whether the viewers actually watched.
• the monitor means 40 in this operation mode can also record the appropriate data to indicate the degree of time shift, i.e., the amount of time between recording the live program on the VCR and the time at which the television viewers actually watch the recorded program.
• this aspect of the invention involving the television-VCR combination being monitored by the monitoring device of this invention
• the hardware can be designed and installed so that the system can be controlled and driven by the software installed in the hardware.
• the software can then provide for any degree of sophistication of data and information desired and in any detail which is desired. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics hereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Social Psychology (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Neurosurgery (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

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ID=26929326

Family Applications (1)

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• 1989
  • 1989-08-23 EP EP19890910795 patent/EP0433384A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1989-08-23 WO PCT/US1989/003647 patent/WO1990002453A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1989-08-23 AU AU43034/89A patent/AU4303489A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1989-08-24 CA CA000609242A patent/CA1330368C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

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