US4258386A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Television audience measuring system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-10-30
•
Granted: 1981-03-24
•
Expires: 1998-10-30
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for television audience analysis comprising means for monitoring a television receiver, means responsive to a monitored signal for storing information representative of channel identification and of the time at which a channel is selected and at which the selection of a channel is terminated, and means for reading the stored information periodically.
Inventors
- 👤 Shiu H. Cheung
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17327; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/35; H04H60/38; H04H60/41; H04H60/43; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/002; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/442; H04N21/44213; H04N21/44222; H04H2201/00; H04H2201/30; H04H60/76; H04H60/81; H04H60/93; H04H60/94; H04N2007/1739
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
Apparatus for television audience analysis comprising means for monitoring a television receiver, said monitoring means comprising a plurality of bandpass filters connectable to a television receiver, each of said filters having a bandwidth selected for passing a signal representative of a specific channel of the receiver, means responsive to a monitored signal for storing information representative of channel identification and of the time at which a channel is selected and at which the selection of a channel is terminated, and means for reading the stored information periodically.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus for television audience analysis comprising means for monitoring a television receiver, said monitoring means comprising a plurality of bandpass filters connectable to a television receiver, each of said filters having a bandwidth selected for passing a signal representative of a specific channel of the receiver, means responsive to a monitored signal for storing information representative of channel identification and of the time at which a channel is selected and at which the selection of a channel is terminated, and means for reading the stored information periodically.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of signal generators responsive to the monitored signal for supply to a store a coded signal indicative of the selected channel of the receiver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the apparatus includes a time clock generator responsive to the monitored signal for feeding a time coded signal to a store when a channel is selected and when selection of a channel is terminated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein means are provided for transferring the stored information periodically to a line in communication with a remote analysis station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said line is a telephone line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein means are provided for inhibiting the transfer of information to the telephone line during other use of the line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the apparatus further includes means for providing a preselected delay between the moment of selection of a channel and the feeding to a store of information representative of the channel identification and the time at which the channel is selected.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3126513A
Cited
US3483327A
Cited
US3891802A
Cited
US3676580A
Cited
US3906450A
Cited
US3950618A
Cited
US3803349A
Cited
US3849729A
Cited
US4008369A
Cited
US4115807A
Cited
US4170782A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-03-23 | 1984-09-22 | 1985-03-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-03-23 | 1988-09-22 | 1989-03-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-03-23 | 1992-09-22 | 1993-03-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |