Television and market research data collection system and method
October 5, 2004. 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.Patent References 3803349 Remote unit for a two-way cable communications system Data collecting and transmitting system Method and system for subscription television billing and access Television audience measuring system Interactive cable television system Panelist response scanning system Cable television with controlled signal substitution Apparatus for the storage and transfer of information Market survey data collection method Inventors
AssigneeApplicationNo. 06/658378 filed on 10/05/1984US Classes:725/14, By passively monitoring receiver operation725/11, With entry of user identification725/21Combined with detecting VCR operationExaminersPrimary: George, Keith E.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesG06Q 30/00 (20060101)H04M 11/00 (20060101) H04H 9/00 (20060101) H04N 7/173 (20060101) H04N 7/16 (20060101) AbstractA 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 can function to determine which of several TV modes is in use as well as to store TV channel selector data, data from an optical input device, and/or data input by viewers representative of the composition of the viewing audience. The data is stored for either later collection by a portable data collector, or for direct transmission to the central location. 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. | |
