MONITORING USAGE OF A PORTABLE USER APPLIANCE
Methods and systems for gathering data concerning usage of a portable user appliance are disclosed. Content created in the use of the portable user appliance is monitored to produce content related data. The content related data is communicated to a usage data processing facility for producing reports of interest to advertisers, media organizations, marketers and the like.
1 . A method of gathering data concerning usage of a PUA, comprising: monitoring content created in the use of the PUA to produce content related data; and communicating the content related data to a usage data processing facility.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PUA comprises communications operative to provide device-to-device communicating ability and/or wireless networking ability.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the PUA comprises one of a cellular telephone, a PDA, a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a PCS device, and a two-way radio.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a processor of the PUA monitors content created in the use of the PUA and carries out additional operations.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the content related data comprises data indicating the type of PUA function used, data indicating the time of use of the PUA function, data indicating the length of time of the use of the PUA function, data relating to the use of communications to send or receive messages with the use of the PUA and data relating to content generated by the use of the PUA function.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the data relating to the use of communications by the PUA comprises data relating to the time a message is communicated, the size of the message and the destination of the message.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data relating to the content generated by the use of the PUA comprises at least one of data relating to the subject of the generated content and data relating to words, phrases, names or concepts included in the content.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the usage data processing facility comprises a processor.
9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising gathering data with the use of the PUA from which an identification of a user thereof may be assessed.
10 . A system for gathering data concerning usage of a PUA comprises a monitor in or on the PUA and operative to monitor content created in the use of the PUA to produce content related data; and communications coupled with the monitor to receive the content related data and operative to communicate the content related data from the PUA to a usage data processing facility.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the PUA comprises communications operative to provide device-to-device communicating ability and/or wireless networking ability.
12 . The system of claim 10 , the PUA comprises one of a cellular telephone, a PDA, a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a PCS device, and a two-way radio.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein operations of the sensor/detector are implemented by a processor of the PUA that is operative to carry out additional operations beyond those of the sensor/detector.
14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the usage data comprises data indicating a type of PUA function used, data indicating a time of use of the PUA function, data indicating a length of time of the use of the PUA function, data relating to a use of communications to send or receive messages with the use of the PUA and data relating to content generated by the use of the PUA function.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the data relating to the use of communications by the PUA comprises data relating to the time a message is communicated, the size of the message and the destination of the message.
16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the data relating to the content generated by the use of the PUA comprises data relating to the subject of the generated content and data relating to words, phrases, names or concepts included in the content.
17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the monitor is operative to gather data from which an identification of a user of the PUA can be assessed.
18 . A method of monitoring use of a PUA by a user, the PUA including a communication interface for communicating with at least another PUA comprises detecting communication by the communication interface of the PUA; providing communication content data relating to content of the communication of the PUA; and providing trend data representing at least one trend of usage of the PUA by the user based on the communication data.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the communication content data comprises at least one of data relating to the subject of the generated content and data relating to words, phrases, names or concepts included in the content.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the trend data is stored in one of the PUA or an external storage.
21 . The method of claim 18 , comprising processing the trend data to produce market research data reflecting user preferences.
22 . A system for monitoring use of a PUA by a user, the PUA including a communication interface for communicating with at least another PUA comprises a monitor operative to detect data communicated by the communication interface of the PUA and to produce communication content data relating to content of the communicated data; and a processor coupled with the monitor to receive the communication content data and operative to provide trend data representing at least one trend of usage of the PUA by the user based on the communication content data.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the communication content data comprises at least one of data relating to the subject of the generated content and data relating to words, phrases, names or concepts included in the content.
24 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the trend data is stored in one of the PUA or an external storage.
25 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the trend data is processed to produce market research data reflecting user preferences.