US5749043A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for estimating characteristics of broadcast radio audiences
Assignee: Consyntrix Inc
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Filing: 1995-09-27
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Granted: 1998-05-05
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Expires: 2015-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A system for estimating listening audience characteristics in response to radio broadcast programming includes a central office, a plurality of remote survey sites, and a plurality of remote access sites. The survey sites collect survey data describing radio stations to which vehicle-mounted tuners are tuned. The survey data is downloaded to the central office, where the survey data is associated with a radio program broadcast by a radio station. The survey data and the radio program are presented at the remote access sites in a substantially synchronous format such that audience responses to specific radio programming can be observed.
Inventors
- 👤 David G. Worthy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 17:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/35; H04H60/38; H04H60/41; H04H60/44; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17345; H04N7/17354; H04H20/00; H04H20/53; H04H20/57; H04H60/61; H04H60/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring a radio program broadcast by a radio station during a time period; collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during said time period; associating said radio program with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; communicating an audio representation of said radio program to a remote access site; and displaying a visual representation of said survey data at said remote access site; wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said radio program and said survey data.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring a radio program broadcast by a radio station during a time period; collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during said time period; associating said radio program with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; communicating an audio representation of said radio program to a remote access site; and displaying a visual representation of said survey data at said remote access site; wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said radio program and said survey data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein: said collecting step occurs at a remote survey site in data communication with a central office; said method further comprises the step of downloading said survey data from said remote survey site to said central office; and said downloading step occurs after said collecting step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein: said monitoring step is performed for a plurality of radio program broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; and said associating step associates said plurality of radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said collecting step is performed at a plurality of remote survey sites during said time period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein: said collecting step comprises the step of detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period; and said detected LO signals are associated with said radio stations.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring a radio program broadcast by a radio station during a time period; collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during said time period by detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations, and said collecting step being performed at a remote survey site in data communication with a central office; associating said radio program with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; and calibrating, prior to said collecting step, an LO detection threshold for said remote survey site such that said LO signals are selectively detected, said calibrating step being controlled remotely by said central office.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring a radio program broadcast by a radio station during a time period; collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during said time period by detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations, and said collecting step being performed at a remote survey site in data communication with a central office; associating said radio program with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; and calibrating, prior to said collecting step, an LO detection threshold for said remote survey site such that said LO signals are selectively detected, said calibrating step being controlled remotely by said central office.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of: determining when previously collected survey data is substantially inaccurate; and adjusting said LO detection threshold when said previously collected survey data is substantially inaccurate; wherein said adjusting step is controlled remotely by said central office; and said determining and adjusting steps occur before said monitoring step.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein said calibrating step comprises the steps of: obtaining a noise level for each of a plurality of LO frequencies; selecting a maximum noise level from said obtained noise levels; and establishing said LO detection threshold such that it is greater than said maximum noise level.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for estimating characteristics representative of a population of vehicles in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a multiplicity of remote survey sites, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with a central office; passively collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, said collecting step being performed at each of said remote survey sites by detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations; compiling said survey data at said central office, said compiling step occurring after said collecting step; and calibrating, for each of said remote survey sites, a site-specific LO detection threshold such that said LO signals are selectively detected, said calibrating step being performed before said collecting step, and said calibrating step being controlled remotely by said central office.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for estimating characteristics representative of a population of vehicles in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a multiplicity of remote survey sites, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with a central office; passively collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, said collecting step being performed at each of said remote survey sites by detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners during said time period, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations; compiling said survey data at said central office, said compiling step occurring after said collecting step; and calibrating, for each of said remote survey sites, a site-specific LO detection threshold such that said LO signals are selectively detected, said calibrating step being performed before said collecting step, and said calibrating step being controlled remotely by said central office.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of downloading said survey data from said remote survey sites to said central office, said downloading step occurring after said collecting step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: determining when previously collected survey data from at least one of said remote survey sites is substantially inaccurate; and adjusting said site-specific LO detection threshold for said at least one remote survey site when said previously collected survey data is substantially inaccurate; wherein said adjusting step is controlled remotely by said central office; and said determining and adjusting steps occur before said collecting step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein, for each of said remote survey sites, said calibrating step comprises the steps of: obtaining a noise level for each of a plurality of LO frequencies; selecting a maximum noise level from said obtained noise levels; and establishing said site-specific LO detection threshold such that it is greater than said maximum noise level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations; and associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for estimating characteristics representative of a population of vehicles in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a multiplicity of remote survey sites, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with a central office; passively collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, said collecting step being performed at each of said remote survey sites; compiling said survey data at said central office, said compiling step occurring after said collecting step; monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations; associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; communicating an audio representation of said at least one radio program to a remote access site; and displaying a visual representation of said survey data at said remote access site; wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said at least one radio program and said survey data.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for estimating characteristics representative of a population of vehicles in response to radio broadcast programming, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a multiplicity of remote survey sites, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with a central office; passively collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, said collecting step being performed at each of said remote survey sites; compiling said survey data at said central office, said compiling step occurring after said collecting step; monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations; associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; communicating an audio representation of said at least one radio program to a remote access site; and displaying a visual representation of said survey data at said remote access site; wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said at least one radio program and said survey data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
173 words
An audience survey system for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said system comprising: a central office; a plurality of remote survey sites for collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with said central office; means for monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; means for associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; and at least one remote access site having a data presentation device in data communication with said central office, said data presentation device being configured to communicate an audio representation of said at least one radio program and to display a visual representation of said survey data, wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said at least one radio program and said survey data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
173 words
An audience survey system for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said system comprising: a central office; a plurality of remote survey sites for collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with said central office; means for monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; means for associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format; and at least one remote access site having a data presentation device in data communication with said central office, said data presentation device being configured to communicate an audio representation of said at least one radio program and to display a visual representation of said survey data, wherein the temporal relationship between said audio representation and said visual representation is substantially equivalent to the temporal relationship between said at least one radio program and said survey data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 15, wherein: each of said remote survey sites comprises a receiver configured to detect local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners; and said detected LO signals are associated with said radio stations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
164 words
An audience survey system for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said system comprising: a central office; a plurality of remote survey sites for collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with said central office, and each of said remote survey sites including a receiver configured to detect local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations, and said receiver being calibrated with a site-specific LO detection threshold such that said LO signals are selectively detected and such that calibration of said site-specific LO detection threshold is controlled remotely by said central office; means for monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; and means for associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
164 words
An audience survey system for estimating listening audience preferences in response to radio broadcast programming, said system comprising: a central office; a plurality of remote survey sites for collecting survey data describing radio stations to which tuners are tuned during a time period, each of said remote survey sites being in data communication with said central office, and each of said remote survey sites including a receiver configured to detect local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from said tuners, said detected LO signals being associated with said radio stations, and said receiver being calibrated with a site-specific LO detection threshold such that said LO signals are selectively detected and such that calibration of said site-specific LO detection threshold is controlled remotely by said central office; means for monitoring a plurality of radio programs broadcast by a corresponding plurality of radio stations during said time period; and means for associating at least one of said radio programs with said survey data in a substantially synchronous format.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 17, further comprising: means, located at said central office, for remotely adjusting said site-specific LO detection threshold associated with each of said remote survey sites.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-04 | 2001-11-03 | 2002-05-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-04 | 2005-11-03 | 2006-05-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-04 | 2009-11-03 | 2010-05-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |