US6184918B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for monitoring viewing of broadcast data
Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC
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Filing: 1997-09-30
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Granted: 2001-02-06
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Expires: 2017-09-30
Abstract
Abstract A method for monitoring viewing of broadcast data includes detecting a lead tag corresponding to a program in the broadcast data. The broadcast data is monitored for a tail tag corresponding to the program. Whether the program was viewed in its entirety is determined by matching the lead tag with the tail tag.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean M. Goldschmidt Iki
- 👤 Anthony Alexander Shah-Nazaroff
- 👤 Christopher D. Williams
- 👤 Kathleen Lane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/442; H04N21/44204; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/29; H04H60/31; H04H60/32; H04H60/35; H04H60/37; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/235; H04N21/236; H04N21/23614; H04N21/60; H04N21/65; H04N21/658; H04N21/6582; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/835; H04N21/8352; H04N21/845; H04N21/8455; H04N7/00; H04N7/002; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0887
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for monitoring viewing of broadcast data, comprising: detecting a lead tag corresponding to a program in the broadcast data; monitoring the broadcast data for a tail tag corresponding to the program; determining whether the program was viewed in its entirety by matching the lead tag with the tail tag; and generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program; wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording whether volume of the program was adjusted.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for monitoring viewing of broadcast data, comprising: detecting a lead tag corresponding to a program in the broadcast data; monitoring the broadcast data for a tail tag corresponding to the program; determining whether the program was viewed in its entirety by matching the lead tag with the tail tag; and generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program; wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording whether volume of the program was adjusted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the lead tag of the program in the broadcast data comprises reading a message encoded in the program.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the lead tag of the program in the broadcast data comprises reading a message encoded in a vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the broadcast data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording a name of the program.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording whether the program was viewed in its entirety.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording a time when the program was viewed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein generating viewing data corresponding to the viewing of the program comprises recording a broadcast data source of the program; recording a name of the program; recording whether the program was viewed in its entirety; and recording a time when the program was viewed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the viewing data to a remote computer system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
99 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of: analyzing broadcast data to monitor said broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; generating, based on the analyzing, program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags; and recording in a log the program viewing data from the gene rating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of: analyzing broadcast data to monitor said broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; generating, based on the analyzing, program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags; and recording in a log the program viewing data from the gene rating.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein detecting the program identification tags in the broadcast data comprises reading a message signature encoded in the program.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein detecting the program identification tags in the broadcast data comprises reading a message encoded in a vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the broadcast data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording a name of the program.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording whether the program was viewed in its entirety.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the step of transmitting the viewing data to a remote computer system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
93 words
A broadcast data monitor, comprising: a broadcast data analyzer that monitors broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; and a program reference unit, coupled to the broadcast data analyzer, that generates a log of program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags. wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording whether volume of the program was adjusted.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
A broadcast data monitor, comprising: a broadcast data analyzer that monitors broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; and a program reference unit, coupled to the broadcast data analyzer, that generates a log of program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags. wherein generating viewing data relating to the viewing of the program comprises recording whether volume of the program was adjusted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
A broadcast data monitor, comprising: a broadcast data analyzer that monitors broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; a program reference unit, coupled to the broadcast data analyzer, that generates program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags; and a log, coupled to the program reference unit, that records the program viewing data generated by the program reference unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
A broadcast data monitor, comprising: a broadcast data analyzer that monitors broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; a program reference unit, coupled to the broadcast data analyzer, that generates program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags; and a log, coupled to the program reference unit, that records the program viewing data generated by the program reference unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The broadcast data monitor of claim 16 , further comprising an external interface, coupled to the log, that transmits the program viewing data to a remote computer system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
116 words
A broadcast data monitor, comprising: a broadcast data analyzer that monitors broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; and a program reference unit, coupled to the broadcast data analyzer, that generates program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags; wherein the program reference unit comprises a program identification unit that stores names of programs and identification tags corresponding to the programs, and a source/time reference unit that indicates the time when the first program was viewed and the broadcast data source of the first program.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
116 words
A broadcast data monitor, comprising: a broadcast data analyzer that monitors broadcast data for program identification tags corresponding to programs in the broadcast data; and a program reference unit, coupled to the broadcast data analyzer, that generates program viewing data that includes a name of a first program in the broadcast data and information regarding whether the first program was viewed in its entirety based on the program identification tags; wherein the program reference unit comprises a program identification unit that stores names of programs and identification tags corresponding to the programs, and a source/time reference unit that indicates the time when the first program was viewed and the broadcast data source of the first program.
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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) | 2004-02-06 | 2004-08-07 | 2005-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-06 | 2008-08-07 | 2009-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-06 | 2012-08-07 | 2013-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |