Granted Patent B1

US 8,561,096 · App. 10/339,002 · Granted Oct 15, 2013

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A method of processing viewing usage data in a set-top box comprising:

receiving, in a set-top box, via broadcast, distinct programmable instructions for data collection, data manipulation, and data reporting for viewing usage data;

collecting and persistently storing, in the set-top box, raw viewing usage data in accordance with the instructions for data collection;

manipulating, in the set-top box, the raw viewing usage data to create a report in accordance with the instructions for data manipulation, wherein the report is stored persistently in the set-top box; and

transmitting the report from the set-top box to a centralized data mining system in accordance with the instructions for data reporting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distinct programmable instructions are addressed to one or more individual set-top boxes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distinct programmable instructions are addressed to a subset of set-top boxes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the raw viewing usage data includes any data that the set-top box can collect.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the programmable instructions are received from a distributed data mining control system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the raw viewing usage data remains resident in the set-top box subsequent to the transmitting.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the raw viewing usage data, from the set-top box to the centralized data mining system in accordance with the instructions for data reporting.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, in the set-top box, interesting programming and advertisements based on the report.

9. A set-top box comprising:

(a) a memory;

(b) instructions, received via broadcast, that are stored in the memory, wherein the instructions comprise distinct programmable instructions for data collection, data manipulation, and data reporting for viewing usage data;

(c) a microprocessor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the microprocessor is configured to:

(i) collect and persistently store raw viewing usage data in accordance with the instructions for data collection;

(ii) manipulate the raw viewing usage data to create a report in accordance with the instructions for data manipulation, wherein the report is stored persistently in the set-top box; and

(iii) transmit the report from the set-top box to a centralized data mining system in accordance with the instructions for data reporting.

10. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the distinct programmable instructions are addressed to one or more individual set-top boxes.

11. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the distinct programmable instructions are addressed to a subset of set-top boxes.

12. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the raw viewing usage data includes any data that the set-top box can collect.

13. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the programmable instructions are received from a distributed data mining control system.

14. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the raw viewing usage data remains resident in the set-top box subsequent to the transmitting.

15. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to transmit the raw viewing usage data, from the set-top box to the centralized data mining system in accordance with the instructions for data reporting.

16. The set-top box of claim 9 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to receive interesting programming and advertisements based on the report.

17. An article of manufacture for processing viewing usage data in a set-top box comprising:

means for receiving, in a set-top box, via broadcast, distinct programmable instructions for data collection, data manipulation, and data reporting for viewing usage data;

means for collecting and persistently storing, in the set-top box, raw viewing usage data in accordance with the instructions for data collection;

means for manipulating, in the set-top box, the raw viewing usage data to create a report in accordance with the instructions for data manipulation, wherein the report is stored persistently in the set-top box; and

means for transmitting the report from the set-top box to a centralized data mining system in accordance with the instructions for data reporting.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the distinct programmable instructions are addressed to one or more individual set-top boxes.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the distinct programmable instructions are addressed to a subset of set-top boxes.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the raw viewing usage data includes any data that the set-top box can collect.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the programmable instructions are received from a distributed data mining control system.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the raw viewing usage data remains resident in the set-top box subsequent to the transmitting.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , further comprising means for transmitting the raw viewing usage data, from the set-top box to the centralized data mining system in accordance with the instructions for data reporting.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , further comprising means for receiving, in the set-top box, interesting programming and advertisements based on the report.

Assignments (6)