Television and market research data collection system and method

Patent 4546382 Issued on October 8, 1985. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 8, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

CTBA Associates

Application

No. 06/559459 filed on 12/08/1983

US Classes:

725/14, By passively monitoring receiver operation379/902, AUTO-SWITCH FOR AN INCOMING VOICE DATA, OR FAX TELEPHONE CALL (E.G., COMP/FAX/TEL)379/910, BAR CODE OR OPTICAL CHARACTER READER WITH TELEPHONE379/92.04, Having subscriber station equipment725/110Connection to external network at receiver (e.g., set-top box)

Examiners

Primary: George, Keith E.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Parrett; Sherman O.

International Classes

G06Q 30/00 (20060101)
H04M 11/00 (20060101)
H04N 7/173 (20060101)
H04H 9/00 (20060101)
H04M 11/08 (20060101)
H04N 7/16 (20060101)

Abstract

A data gathering system includes a plurality of remote units which are controlled from a central location. Each of the remote units is attached to a television receiver which is generally but not necessarily attached to a cable system. Each of the remote units functions to determine which of several TV modes is in use as well as to store TV channel selector data and data from an optical input device. All this data is stored for later transmission by each of the remote units to a central data collecting point. A video message for a TV viewer, such as a survey, may be transmitted from the central location and stored at the remote units, for later display on the TV receiver associated with the remote units. Substitution of alternate programming information may also be achieved by the central control point on selected of the remote units.