| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090018895 | Technique for correlating purchasing behavior of a consumer to advertisements - A technique for correlating purchasing behavior of a consumer with advertisements to which the consumer has been exposed. The technique includes monitoring exposure of said consumer to advertisements to produce an advertisement monitoring signal, photographing an image related to an item purchased by the consumer to produce image data, processing the image data to derive consumer purchase data, and correlating the consumer purchase data with the advertisement monitoring signal. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090077593 | Interactive Reward Associated With A Broadcast - An interactive technique for generating a supplementary, program-related output. A programming signal and a supplementary, program-related data signal are combined into a broadcast signal which is then broadcast from a program signal source. The broadcast signal is received, and the programming signal of the received broadcast signal is performed with reproduction equipment for an audience. The supplementary, program-related data signal of the received broadcast signal is stored, and retrieval of the stored supplementary, program-related data signal is enabled interactively with the programming signal being performed. In response to a control signal being actuated by a member of the audience tuned to the programming signal being performed, the stored supplementary, program-related data signal is retrieved and used to generate the supplementary, program-related output. The supplementary, program-related data signal can be used, for example, to print a reward, such as a discount coupon for purchasing a product advertised as part of the programming signal. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090204494 | Technique for eliminating fraudulent use of printed coupons - A method for redeeming coupons, comprising the steps of storing on an electronic device an electronic coupon having encrypted data and unencrypted data, wherein the encrypted data is required for printing the coupon; reading data stored on the portable electronic device at purchase location, and comparing the unencrypted data with product data obtained at the purchase location, and if a match is detected, decrypting the encrypted data; and printing the coupon at the purchase location with the decrypted data | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090249382 | System and method for monitoring broadcast transmissions of commercials - A technique for determining whether a program transmitted in a programming signal by a signal source was perceived by audience members within a specified time period. The programming signal is combined with a code signal to form a broadcast signal, wherein occurrence of the code signal corresponds to an occurrence of the program, and wherein the code identifies the program. The broadcast signal is monitored at a central processing facility and each received code is stored with an adjacent segment of the programming signal to create a master data base. Using a device located in the vicinity of an audience member, code signals corresponding to a program as it is being performed by program reproduction equipment and perceived by the audience member are monitored, and each code signal is stored with its said adjacent segment of the programming signal to create audience monitoring data. Based on the master data base and the audience monitoring data, determining whether the audience member perceived the program within a specified time period. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090260027 | Monitoring TV Viewing with Programs from Cable/Satellite Providers - A technique is disclosed for monitoring viewership of programs being performed on reproduction equipment in response to a received broadcast signal. The technique comprises receiving the broadcast signal to provide a received output signal, adding a selected monitoring code to the received output signal to provide a combined output signal, inputting the received output signal to reproduction equipment for performing programs in the broadcast signal and for transmitting the monitoring code, detecting the transmitted monitoring code with a code detector positioned in proximity to the reproduction equipment; and providing viewership information based on the monitoring code. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090265729 | Audience Detection - A technique is disclosed for identifying members of an audience tuned to a program broadcast by a programming signal source, comprising the steps of storing personal identification signals in a plurality of portable devices to be carried by members of the audience; periodically transmitting said identification signals from the portable devices; providing a stationary detector to detect the identification signals if they exceed a selectable response of said detector; and setting the selectable response of said detector to a level such that the identification signals are detected only if the respective portable devices are located relative to the detector in positions where persons can perceive performance of the broadcast program. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090316000 | Utilizing an Audio Signal to Monitor a Program with a Technique that is Operable even During a Mute Mode - An apparatus for monitoring a program signal received from a broadcast source that is to be performed by reproduction equipment, wherein an audio portion of the program signal is broadcast in combination with a monitoring code to provide a combined audio signal, comprising a switch, a code detector, and a component configured to receive the combined signal from the broadcast source and to provide to each of the reproduction equipment and the switch a respective output signal related to the combined signal. The code detector is adapted to receive an audio output from the reproduction equipment which has a mute mode, the reproduction equipment transmitting at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if not in the mute mode and not transmitting the monitoring code to the code detector if in the mute mode. The switch is configured to transmit at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is in the mute mode and not transmit the monitoring code to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is not in the mute mode. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20100121905 | Visual Content Detection for Computer-Delivered Advertisement Exposure Measurements - Described are a method, a computer program product and apparatus for detecting visual display of content. Visual content data encoded with an identifier code is received at a computer device. Visual display data is transmitted, using a local communication bus of the computer device, to a visual display device coupled to the computer device. A processor on the computer device is used to determine whether the visual display data includes the encoded identifier code. Exposure information is generated using the processor. The exposure information is associated with whether the encoded identifier code is included in the visual display data. The exposure information is transmitted, from the computer device, to a remote server device. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100121907 | Cooperative Measurement Technique for the Determination of Internet Web Page Exposure and Viewing Behavior - Described are a method, a computer program product and apparatus for detecting visual display of content such as web pages. Visual content data encoded with an identifier code is received at a computer device. Visual display data is transmitted, using a local communication bus of the computer device, to a visual display device coupled to the computer device. A processor on the computer device is used to determine whether the visual display data includes the encoded identifier code. Exposure information is generated using the processor. The exposure information is associated with whether the encoded identifier code is included in the visual display data. The exposure information is transmitted, from the computer device, to a remote server device. | 05-13-2010 |
