IP Library Granted Patent US 9,015,739
Granted Patent B2
US 9,015,739 · App. 13/544,013 · Granted Apr 21, 2015

Systems and methods for improved audience measuring

Inventors: David M. Berezowski (Tulsa, OK); Michael D. Ellis (Boulder, CO)
Assignee: ROVI Guides, Inc.
H04N7/17354G06Q30/02H04H20/38H04H60/31H04H60/63H04H60/65H04N5/445H04N5/76H04N5/765H04N5/775H04N5/85H04N7/165H04N7/17318H04N9/8042H04N21/252H04N21/4147H04N21/4312H04N21/4314H04N21/44204H04N21/44222H04N21/47H04N21/4722H04N21/488H04N21/6582H04N21/812
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,015,739
App. No.
13/544,013
Granted
Apr 21, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for measuring audience information of programs are described. Systems and methods for providing audience information to users of interactive television applications are described.

Claims (41)

1. A method for providing audience size information, comprising:

receiving, over the Internet, data from a plurality of users indicating user actions performed in relation to a media item;

calculating the audience size information for the first media item based on the received data indicating user actions performed in relation to playback of the first media item;

transmitting the calculated audience size information for the first media item and calculated audience size information for a second media item over the internet to a user equipment associated with one of the plurality of users and

generating for simultaneous display the calculated audience size information for the first media and the calculated audience size information for the second media item.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, to the user equipment over the Internet, a sorted list of a plurality of listings for media items, wherein the list is sorted based on the audience size information.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an indication of the audience size information for display in an application operating on the user equipment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the application is a web browser.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user equipment comprises a personal computer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user actions comprise actions controlling playback of the media item.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the user actions comprise actions selected from the group consisting of: fast-forward, rewind, stop, pause, record, and play.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media item is a recorded media item.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the user actions comprise the number of times the recorded media item is played back.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first media item is an upcoming media item.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the user actions comprise actions selected from the group consisting of: viewing additional information about the upcoming media item, purchasing the upcoming media item in advance, setting a reminder for the upcoming media item, or scheduling to record the upcoming media item.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating the audience size information comprises calculating the audience size information based on a graded approach by assigning a predetermined quantity of points to each of the user actions.

13. A system for providing audience size information, comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

receive, over the Internet, data from a plurality of users indicating user actions performed in relation to a media item;

calculate the audience size information for the media item based on the received data indicating user actions performed in relation to playback of the first media item; and

transmit the calculated audience size information for the first media item and calculated audience size information for a second media item over the internet to a user equipment associated with one of the plurality of users and

generate for simultaneous display the calculated audience size information for the first media and the calculated audience size information for the second media item.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transmit, to the user equipment over the Internet, a sorted list of a plurality of listings for media items, wherein the list is sorted based on the audience size information.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate an indication of the audience size information for display in an application operating on the user equipment.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the application is a web browser.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the user equipment comprises a personal computer.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the user actions comprise actions controlling playback of the first media item.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the user actions comprise actions selected from the group consisting of: fast-forward, rewind, stop, pause, record, and play.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first media item is a recorded media item.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the user actions comprise the number of times the recorded media item is played back.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the media item is an upcoming media item.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the user actions comprise actions selected from the group consisting of: viewing additional information about the upcoming media item, purchasing the upcoming media item in advance, setting a reminder for the upcoming media item, or scheduling to record the upcoming media item.

24. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to calculate the audience size information by calculating the audience size information based on a graded approach by assigning a predetermined quantity of points to each of the user actions.

25. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating for display the calculated audience size information on the user equipment.

26. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display the calculated audience size information on the user equipment.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media item is a first media item, further comprising:

receiving, over the Internet, data from the plurality of users indicating user actions performed in relation to a second media item;

calculating audience size information for the second media item based on the received data indicating user actions performed in relation to the second media item.

28. The system of claim 13 , wherein the media item is a first media item, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, over the Internet, data from the plurality of users indicating user actions performed in relation to a second media item;

calculate audience size information for the second media item based on the received data indicating user actions performed in relation to the second media item.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 18, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 035193/0398 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 18, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 035193/0437 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 18, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 035258/0253 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2012
From: BEREZOWSKI, DAVID M.; ELLIS, MICHAEL D.
To: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 028511/0699 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 09823705 · Mar 30, 2001
Provisional Application 60193952 · Mar 31, 2000
Related Publication 20120304211A1 · Nov 29, 2012