Methods and apparatus to maintain audience privacy while determining viewing of video-on-demand programs

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to maintain audience privacy while determining viewing of video-on-demand programs are disclosed. An example method for monitoring a displayed VOD program disclosed herein comprises determining a first set of metering information based on a first set of data collected at a subscriber site, determining a second set of metering information based on a second set of data reported by at least one of a VOD server and a head-end, determining a third set of data based on the second set of data, and combining the first and third sets of metering information to credit the displayed VOD program.

1 . A method to monitor presentation of video-on-demand (VOD) content comprising: 
 determining subscriber metering data reflecting presentation of VOD media content to a subscriber site;    determining server metering data corresponding to a VOD server configured to provide the VOD content to the subscriber site;    manipulating at least a portion of the subscriber metering data and at least a portion of the server metering data to preserve anonymity of a subscriber associated with the subscriber site; and    merging the subscriber metering data and the server metering data based on the at least a portion of the subscriber metering data and the at least a portion of the server metering data.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein determining the subscriber metering data comprises generating a viewing record.  
   
   
       4 . A method as defined in  claim 3  wherein the viewing record comprises at least one of a VOD indicator, a home unit identifier, a set-top box identifier, channel tuning data or VOD selection data.  
   
   
       5 . A method as defined in  claim 3  wherein the viewing record comprises a set of entries corresponding to media content presented at the predetermined time intervals.  
   
   
       6 .- 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the subscriber metering data comprises at least one of content identification codes, content signatures, or audience demographics.  
   
   
       10 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the at least a portion of the subscriber metering data comprises subscriber identification information.  
   
   
       11 . A method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the subscriber identification information comprises a set-top box identifier or a home unit identifier.  
   
   
       12 .- 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the server metering data comprises at least one of VOD content information or subscriber identification information.  
   
   
       15 . A method as defined in  claim 14  wherein the VOD content information comprises a VOD content title.  
   
   
       16 . A method as defined in  claim 14  wherein the subscriber identification information comprises at least one of a set-top box identifier, a subscriber name or a subscriber address.  
   
   
       17 .- 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein manipulating the at least the portion of the subscriber metering data and the at least the portion of the server metering data comprises encrypting the at least the portion of the subscriber metering data or the at least the portion of the server metering data.  
   
   
       23 . A method as defined in  claim 22  wherein the at least the portion of the subscriber metering data or the at least the portion of the server metering data comprises subscriber identification information.  
   
   
       24 . A method as defined in  claim 23  wherein encrypting the at least the portion of the subscriber metering data or the at least the portion of the server metering data comprises processing the subscriber identification information with a hash function.  
   
   
       25 .- 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein manipulating the at least the portion of the subscriber metering data and the at least the portion of the server metering data comprises replacing subscriber identification information with a hash identifier.  
   
   
       28 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein merging the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises adding at least a portion of the server metering data corresponding to the subscriber site to the subscriber metering data.  
   
   
       29 . A method as defined in  claim 28  wherein merging the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises using the at least the portion of the subscriber metering data to identify a relevant portion of the server metering data while preserving the anonymity of the subscriber.  
   
   
       30 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein merging the subscriber metering data and the server metering data comprises augmenting the subscriber metering data with a selected portion of the server metering data.  
   
   
       31 . A method as defined in  claim 30  wherein augmenting the subscriber metering data with the selected portion of the server metering data comprises replacing a VOD indicator with the selected portion of the server metering data.  
   
   
       32 . A method as defined in  claim 31  wherein replacing the VOD indicator with the selected portion of the server metering data comprises comparing a first timestamp corresponding with the VOD indicator with a second timestamp associated with the selected portion of the server metering data.  
   
   
       33 .- 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . A method to exchange personal data, the method comprising: 
 providing a first set of personal data corresponding to a first set of individuals associated with a first entity to a second entity, wherein identities of the first set of individuals are hidden from the second entity;    creating a set of personal data keys corresponding to a second set of individuals associated with the second entity;    using the set of personal data keys to identify a portion of the first set of personal data corresponding to a particular individual in the first set of individuals and in the second set of individuals; and    merging the portion of the first set of personal data corresponding to the particular individual with a second set of personal data associated with the second entity without identifying the particular individual to the first entity.    
   
   
       42 . A method as defined in  claim 41  wherein the first set of personal data comprises an encrypted set of personal identification information corresponding respectively to the first set of individuals.  
   
   
       43 . A method as defined in  claim 41  wherein using the set of personal data keys to identify the portion of the first set of personal data corresponding to the particular individual comprises using a key representative of the particular individual created from personal identification information known to the second entity.  
   
   
       44 . A method as defined in  claim 43  wherein the key substantially matches encrypted personal identification information included in the first set of personal data and associated with the particular individual.  
   
   
       45 . A method as defined in  claim 41  wherein the second entity is a neutral party facilitating the exchange of personal data between the first entity and a third entity, and the second set of individuals and the second set of personal data originates at the third entity.  
   
   
       46 . A method to share data between a service provider and an audience measurement company, the method comprising: 
 providing a data set from the service provider to the audience measurement company, wherein the data set comprises service usage data and first identification data collected by the service provider from subscribers of the service provider, and the first identification data is encrypted to hide the subscribers' identities from the audience measurement company;    encrypting second identification data associated with audience members monitored by the audience measurement company;    identifying subscribers of the service provider who are also audience members monitored by the audience measurement company by comparing the encrypted second identification data with the encrypted first identification data in the data set; and    adding portions of the service usage data from the data set for the identified subscribers to a database of the audience measurement company, wherein the audience members monitored by the audience measurement company are not identified to the service provider and subscribers of the service provider who are not audience members monitored by the audience measurement company are not identified to the audience measurement company.    
   
   
       47 . A method as defined in  claim 46  wherein the service usage data and first identification data in the data set is for substantially all of the subscribers of the service provider.  
   
   
       48 . A method as defined in  claim 46  wherein the audience measurement company discards all portions of the service usage data from the data set which correspond to subscribers of the service provider that are not audience members monitored by the audience measurement company.  
   
   
       49 .- 59 . (canceled)