Media usage monitoring and measurment system and method

Abstract

Media monitoring and measurement systems and methods are disclosed. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a media measurement system and method that utilizes audience data to enhance content identifications. Some embodiments analyze media player log data to enhance content identification. Other embodiments of the present invention analyze sample sequence data to enhance content identifications. Other embodiments analyze sequence data to enhance content identification and/or to establish channel identification. Yet other embodiments provide a system and method in which sample construction and selection parameters are adjusted based upon identification results. Yet other embodiments provide a method in which play-altering activity of an audience member is deduced from content offset values of identifications corresponding to captured samples. Yet other embodiments provide a monitoring and measurement system in which a media monitoring device is adapted to receive a wireless or non-wireless audio signal from a media player, the audio signal also being received wirelessly by headphones of a user of the monitoring device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for detecting user exposure to media items, comprising:
 a server, for receiving a plurality of reference media items from at least one media receiver;   at least one stream collection server, for receiving a representation of at least one target media item from at least one client device;   a stream store, coupled to the server and to the at least one stream collection server, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the received reference media items and for storing a representation of the at least one target media item;   a correlator server, coupled to the stream store, for identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item;   an output device, coupled to the correlator server, for generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item; and   a location tracking server for detecting a location for the client device; wherein the correlator server correlates the detected location with a location of at least one geographically identifiable sponsor of a reference media item.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the location tracking server detects the location via at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 GPS tracking;   RFID tracking;   Bluetooth tracking.   
     
     
         3 . A system for detecting user exposure to media items, comprising:
 a server, for receiving a plurality of reference media items from at least one media receiver;   at least one stream collection server, for receiving a representation of at least one target media item from at least one client device;   a stream store, coupled to the server and to the at least one stream collection server, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the received reference media items and for storing a representation of the at least one target media item;   a correlator server, coupled to the stream store, for identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item; and   an output device, coupled to the correlator server, for generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item; wherein the plurality of reference media items comprises at least one broadcast, and   wherein the representation of at least one target media item indicates user exposure at a time other than the time of the broadcast.   
     
     
         4 . A system for detecting user exposure to media items, comprising:
 a server, for receiving a plurality of reference media items from at least one media receiver;   at least one stream collection server, for receiving a representation of at least one target media item from at least one client device;   a stream store, coupled to the server and to the at least one stream collection server, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the received reference media items and for storing a representation of the at least one target media item;   a correlator server, coupled to the stream store, for identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item;   an output device, coupled to the correlator server, for generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item; and   a purchasing tracking server, for receiving consumer purchasing information;   wherein the output device generates a report correlating user purchasing information with user exposure to the identified reference media item.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the purchasing tracking server receives at least one indication of user use of a credit card. 
     
     
         6 . A system for detecting user exposure to media items, comprising:
 a server, for receiving a plurality of reference media items from at least one media receiver;   a plurality of stream collection servers for receiving a representation of at least one target media item from at least one client device;   a stream store, coupled to the server and to the stream collection servers, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the received reference media items and for storing a representation of the at least one target media item;   a correlator server, coupled to the stream store, for identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item;   an output device, coupled to the correlator server, for generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item; and   a stream collection server selector, for selecting, based on at least one of load and geographic proximity to the client device, one of the plurality of data signature stream collection servers to receive the representation of at least one target media item.   
     
     
         7 . A method for detecting user exposure to media items, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of reference media items from at least one media source;   for at least one client device:
 selecting, based on at least one of load and geographic proximity to the client device, one of a plurality of data signature stream collection servers; and 
 at the selected data signature stream collection server, receiving, from the client device:
 a representation of at least one target media item; and 
 an indication as to whether the client device is in the physical possession of a person at a time of exposure to the target media item; and 
 
   responsive to an indication that the client device is in the physical possession of a person at the time of exposure to the target media item:
 identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item; and generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 responsive to an indication that the client device is not in the physical possession of a person at the time of exposure to the target media item, ignoring the representation of the at least one target media item from the client device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 responsive to an indication that the client device is not in the physical possession of a person at the time of exposure to the target media item:   identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item; and   generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item, wherein the output is flagged as having reduced reliability.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the indication as to whether the client device is in the physical possession of a person is provided based on output of at least one sensor associated with the client device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor detects at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 vibration of the client device;   key presses on the client device;   temperature of the client device; and   movement of the client device.   
     
     
         12 . A system for detecting user exposure to media items, comprising:
 a server, for receiving a plurality of reference media items from at least one media receiver;   at least one stream collection server, for, receiving, from at least one client device:
 a representation of at least one target media item from at least one client device; 
 an indication as to whether the client device is in the physical possession of a person at a time of exposure to the target media item; and 
   a stream store, coupled to the server and to the at least one stream collection server, for:
 storing a representation of at least a subset of the received reference media items; and 
   responsive to an indication that the client device is in the physical possession of a person at the time of exposure to the target media item, storing a representation of the target media item;   a correlator server, coupled to the stream store, for, for each stored representation of a target media item, identifying one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item; and   an output device, coupled to the correlator server, for, for each identified reference media item, generating output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the stream store:
 responsive to an indication that the client device is not in the physical possession of a person at the time of exposure to the target media item, ignores the representation of the target media item.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein, responsive to an indication that the client device is not in the physical possession of a person at the time of exposure to the target media item:
 the stream store stores a representation of the target media item and an indication of reduced reliability of the stored representation;   the correlator server identifies one of the reference media items as corresponding to the target media item; and   the output device, generates output signaling user exposure to the identified reference media item and indicates reduced reliability of the indication of user exposure.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the indication as to whether the client device is in the physical possession of a person is provided based on output of at least one sensor associated with the client device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor detects at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 vibration of the client device;   key presses on the client device;   temperature of the client device; and   movement of the client device.   
     
     
         17 . A system for measuring audience member exposure to media content, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a plurality of known media content from at least one media broadcast;   a sample control processor for receiving a representation of monitored media from at least one audience member monitoring device;   a content recognition system, coupled to the interface and to the sample control processor, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the known media content and for storing a representation of the monitored media;   wherein the content recognition system identifies one of the known media content as corresponding to the monitored media;   a report generator, coupled to the content recognition system, for generating output signaling audience member exposure to the identified known media content; and   an audience data processor for detecting a location of the audience member monitoring device; wherein the audience data processor relates the detected location to retail traffic of an advertiser associated with the known media content.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the audience data processor detects the location via GPS tracking. 
     
     
         19 . A system for measuring audience member exposure to media content, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a plurality of known media content from at least one media broadcast;   a sample control processor for receiving a representation of monitored media from at least one audience member monitoring device;   a content recognition system, coupled to the interface and to the sample control processor, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the known media content and for storing a representation of the monitored media;   wherein the content recognition system identifies one of the known media content as corresponding to the monitored media; and   a report generator, coupled to the content recognition system, for generating output signaling audience member exposure to the identified known media content; wherein the plurality of known media content comprises at least one broadcast; and   wherein the representation of the monitored media indicates audience member exposure at a time other than the time of the broadcast.   
     
     
         20 . A system for measuring audience member exposure to media content, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a plurality of known media content from at least one media broadcast;   a sample control processor for receiving a representation of monitored media from at least one audience member monitoring device;   a content recognition system, coupled to the interface and to the sample control processor, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the known media content and for storing a representation of the monitored media;   wherein the content recognition system identifies one of the known media content as corresponding to the monitored media;   a report generator, coupled to the content recognition system, for generating output signaling audience member exposure to the identified known media content; and   a retail traffic data system; wherein the report generator generates a report matching retail traffic and audience member exposure to known media content.   
     
     
         21 . A system for measuring audience member exposure to media content, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a plurality of known media content from at least one media broadcast;   a sample control processor for receiving from at least one audience member monitoring device:
 a representation of monitored media from at least one audience member monitoring device; 
 data indicating that the monitoring device is in possession of an audience member at a time of exposure to the monitored media; and 
   a content recognition system, coupled to the interface and to the sample control processor, for:
 storing a representation of at least a subset of the received known media content; and 
 storing a representation of the monitored media based on the monitoring device being in the possession of an audience member at the time of exposure to the monitored media; 
   wherein the content recognition system, for each stored representation of monitored media, identifies one of the known media content as corresponding to the monitored media; and   a report generator, coupled to the content recognition system, for, for each identified known media content, generating output signaling audience member exposure to the identified known media content.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the data indicating the monitoring device is in the possession of an audience member is provided based on output of at least one sensor associated with the monitoring device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one sensor detects at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 key presses on a media player device coupled to the monitoring device; and   movement of the monitoring device.   
     
     
         24 . A system for measuring audience member exposure to media content, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a plurality of known media content from at least one media broadcast;   a sample control processor for receiving a representation of monitored media from at least one audience member monitoring device;   a content recognition system, coupled to the interface and to the sample control processor, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the known media content and for storing a representation of the monitored media;   wherein the content recognition system identifies one of the known media content as corresponding to the monitored media;   a report generator, coupled to the content recognition system, for generating output signaling audience member exposure to the identified known media content; and   an audience data processor for detecting a location of the audience member monitoring device and relating the detected location to content meta data associated with the known media content.   
     
     
         25 . A system for measuring audience member exposure to media content, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a plurality of known media content from at least one media broadcast;   a sample control processor for receiving a representation of monitored media from at least one audience member monitoring device;   a content recognition system, coupled to the interface and to the sample control processor, for storing a representation of at least a subset of the known media content and for storing a representation of the monitored media;   wherein the content recognition system identifies one of the known media content as corresponding to the monitored media;   a report generator, coupled to the content recognition system, for generating output signaling audience member exposure to the identified known media content; and   an audience data processor;   wherein the report generator, coupled to the audience data processor, generates a report matching audience data to audience member exposure to known media content.