Media usage monitoring and measurement 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 media measurement method comprising:
 using one or more computers to generate a play stream of content identification results corresponding to a sequence of submitted data samples, the submitted data samples corresponding to video data samples captured at a monitoring device associated with a monitored audience member; and   using one or more computers to utilize sample sequence data and content offset data to deduce play-altering actions of the monitored audience member, the sample sequence data corresponding to a sequence of the content identification results.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the content offset data including content offsets associated with the content identification results, a content offset indicating a time position of a content identification result within identified content, wherein to utilize comprises, for a particular plurality of submitted data samples and corresponding content identification results, comparing a progression of log times associated with capture timing of each of the particular plurality of submitted data samples and a progression of content offsets of the corresponding content identification results.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 generating a play list including content offset data as part of deducing media play-altering actions of a monitored audience member. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 utilizing sample sequence data together with corresponding channel data to deduce play-altering actions of a monitored audience member. 
 
     
     
         5 . The media measurement method of  claim 2  wherein a clean play list is generated including deduced play-altering actions. 
     
     
         6 . The media measurement method of  claim 2  wherein the play stream is a raw play stream. 
     
     
         7 . The media measurement method of  claim 2  wherein the play stream is a clean play stream. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein to utilize further comprises determining if one or more discontinuities exist in the progression of content offsets. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the content offset data is derived from a comparison conducted by a computerized content identification system comparing the submitted data samples against known content such that content offset data is obtainable without using time codes accompanying the captured video data samples. 
     
     
         10 . A media measurement method comprising:
 using one or more computers to generate a play stream of content identification results corresponding to a sequence of submitted data samples, the submitted data samples corresponding to video data samples captured at a monitoring device associated with a monitored audience member; and   using one or more computers to utilize sample sequence data and content offset data to deduce play-altering actions of the monitored audience member, the sample sequence data corresponding to a sequence of the content identification results, wherein play-altering actions include actions that alter at least one of a pace and a sequence of a media stream, the content offset data including content offsets associated with the content identification results, a content offset indicating a time position of a content identification result within identified content, wherein to utilize comprises, for a particular plurality of submitted data samples and corresponding content identification results, comparing a progression of log times associated with capture timing of each of the particular plurality of submitted data samples and a progression of content offsets of the corresponding content identification results.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein play-altering actions include at least one of fast forwarding, rewinding, and pausing a media stream. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein play-altering actions include at least one of skipping forward and skipping backward in a media stream.