Method and apparatus for logging and reporting television viewing

Abstract

A multimedia logging and reporting system and method involves first obtaining some viewing information about a multimedia presentation such as a television program. The viewing information may be a name of the program and the time it was being watched on the television or may include other information depending on the multimedia, the device used for viewing the multimedia as well as other factors. The viewing information is recorded and then used to generate a viewing report, an example being a display on a television screen that lists a particular user, the time and name of the programs watched on any given day.

1 . A method of logging and reporting multimedia viewing information comprising: 
 obtaining viewing information about a multimedia presentation;    recording the viewing information; and    providing for generation of a viewing report as a function of the viewing information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the operation of recording the viewing information comprises: 
 receiving a selection of the multimedia presentation; and    recording viewing information about the multimedia presentation, the viewing information including an indicia of the selection of the multimedia presentation.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the operation of receiving a selection of the multimedia video signal comprises receiving a selection of the multimedia presentation initiated from a remote control device.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the multimedia presentation comprises a television program received from one of a plurality of channels; and further comprising: 
 receiving a selection of one of the plurality of channels; and    the viewing information comprises a time of selection and an indicia of the selected program.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving a signal providing data for the multimedia presentation; and    analyzing the data to extract the viewing information.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the viewing information includes a source of the signal, and further comprising: 
 recording an indicia of the source of the signal.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the source comprises at least one of a DVD player, a digital video recorder device, a satellite set top box, a cable set top box, a video game counsel, a VHS player, and a television broadcast.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the operation of obtaining viewing information comprises: 
 obtaining programming guide information.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the viewing report includes at least one of a viewing start time, a viewing end time, a viewing date, a channel, a program title, a program duration, and a parental rating.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 at a server, receiving a request for the viewing report from a client device; and    transmitting the viewing report to the client device.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 transmitting the viewing information to a remote storage device.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the multimedia presentation comprises a television program, and further comprising: 
 providing for selecting the television program presented on a channel selected from a plurality of channels; and    receiving additional programming information concerning the selected television program.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving an indicia of a user; and    providing for customizing the generation of the viewing report as a function of the user indicia.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 transmitting the viewing report to a remote device for display.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the remote device is a wireless communication device.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving a signal to block presentation of the multimedia presentation.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 receiving a signal from a wireless device to block presentation of the multimedia presentation.    
   
   
       18 . A system for logging and reporting multimedia viewing comprising: 
 an input logging module configured to obtain viewing information about a selected multimedia presentation;    an input log storage module configured to store viewing information about the selected multimedia presentation; and    a report generation module for generating a viewing report as a function of the stored viewing information.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein: 
 the input logging module is further configured to receive a transmission of a selection of the multimedia presentation; and    the viewing information includes an indicia of the selection of the multimedia presentation.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the selected multimedia presentation comprises a television channel selected with a remote control device.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 19  wherein: 
 the selected multimedia presentation comprises a television program received from one of a plurality of channels; and    the viewing information comprises a time of selection and an indicia of the selected television program.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a communication interface configured to receive a signal providing data for the multimedia presentation; and    the input logging module configured to analyze the data to extract the viewing information.    
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein: 
 the viewing information includes a source of the signal; and    the input log storage module is configured to store an indicia of the source of the signal.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the source comprises at least one of a DVD player, a digital video recorder device, a satellite set top box, a cable set top box, a video game counsel, a VHS player, and a television broadcast.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the viewing information comprises programming guide information.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the report includes at least one of a viewing start time, a viewing end time, a viewing date, a channel, a program title, a program duration, and a parental rating.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a server including the input log storage module and configured to receive a request for viewing the report from a client device, the server further including the report generation module configured to transmit the viewing report to the client device.    
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the multimedia presentation comprises a television program, and further comprising: 
 a tuner configured to provide for selecting the television program presented on a channel selected from a plurality of channels; and    the input logger configured to receive additional programming information concerning the selected television program.    
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a module configured to receive an indicia of a user; and    the report generation module configured to provide a customized viewing report as a function of the user indicia.    
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 a blocking module configured to receive a signal to block presentation of the multimedia presentation, the blocking module further configured to block presentation of the multimedia presentation.