Daozheng Etux Lu

US Patent:

6467089, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Dec 23, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/997316

Inventors:

Edgar W. Aust - Palm Harbor FL
Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL

Assignee:

Nielsen Media Research, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 900

US Classification:

725 13, 725 9, 725 11, 455 201

Abstract:

An audience measurement system for a receiver comprises monitoring equipment, such as a decoder, ON/OFF detector and transmitter, coupled to the receiver. The decoder reads program codes embedded in a program received by the receiver. The system also comprises a base unit and a mobile unit, such as a telephone handset. The handset receives the program codes transmitted from the decoder and prompts (via a visual display or audio tone) an audience member to enter personal data (i. e. who the audience member is) via a keypad or voice input. The program data (from the decoder) and personal data (input by the audience member) is provided to the base unit, where it is time stamped and stored. The base unit includes telephone circuitry to transmit the stored data to a data collection central facility via a public switched telephone network. If no program codes are found or if the monitoring equipment is eliminated, the mobile unit prompts the audience member to enter program data that may be selected from a previously downloaded program schedule.

US Patent:

6513161, Jan 28, 2003

Filed:

May 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/859764

Inventors:

Henry B. Wheeler - St. Petersburg FL
Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL

Assignee:

Nielsen Media Research, Inc. - Schaumburg IL

International Classification:

H04H 900

US Classification:

725 14, 725 21

Abstract:

A system determines an operating mode of a recording/playing device. The device generates a recording indicating signal during recording and operates in conjunction with a receiver. The system includes a tuning means for tuning to a program signal; four signal acquiring means for acquiring four signals; and determining means coupled to all four signal acquiring means for determining an operating mode of the device, based on the four acquired signals. The first of the four signals is acquired from an output of the device. The second signal is acquired from an output of the tuner. The third signal is acquired from an output of the receiver. The fourth signal is the recording indicating signal.

US Patent:

6647548, Nov 11, 2003

Filed:

Sep 6, 1996

Appl. No.:

08/709180

Inventors:

Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL
David H. Harkness - Wilton CT

Assignee:

Nielsen Media Research, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 900

US Classification:

725 20, 725 13

Abstract:

An audience measurement system identifies a program which is broadcast from a signal source and to which a receiver is tuned. The audience measurement system includes a code reader for reading an ancillary code of the program to which the receiver is tuned, a channel status detector for determining channel status relating to channels to which the receiver is tuned, a memory for storing ancillary codes read by the code reading means and for storing channel status determined by the channel status determining means if ancillary codes are not readable by the code reading means, and a communicator for communicating the ancillary code and/or the channel status to a central office computer.

US Patent:

6675383, Jan 6, 2004

Filed:

Jan 22, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/786270

Inventors:

Henry B. Wheeler - St. Petersburg FL
Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL

Assignee:

Nielsen Media Research, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 900

US Classification:

725 19, 725 14, 725 21

Abstract:

A system identifies which of first and second signal sources is supplying a program signal to a monitored receiver. The first and second signal sources and the monitored receiver are located in a household. The system extracts a reference program signature representative of an output of the monitored receiver and first and second source program signatures representative of an output of the first and second signal sources. The system identifies which of the first and second signal sources is a source of the program signal in response to the reference program signature and the first and second source program signatures.

US Patent:

7421723, Sep 2, 2008

Filed:

Sep 19, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/955691

Inventors:

David H. Harkness - Wilton CT, US
Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL, US
William A. Feininger - Palm Harbor FL, US
Craig M. Smithpeters - Safety Harbor FL, US

Assignee:

Nielsen Media Research, Inc. - New York NY

International Classification:

H04N 60/32
H04N 7/16

US Classification:

725 14, 725 15, 725 16, 725 17, 725 18, 725 20, 725 9

Abstract:

A detection apparatus includes a tuner tuned to the program and a meter coupled to the tuner and arranged to detect content ancillary information from the program tuned by the tuner. The content ancillary information may be a media link, closed captioning information, or the like. The meter may also be arranged to extract a broadcast signature from the program. A comparator compares the broadcast signature to a reference signature selected from a library of reference signatures based upon the content ancillary information. Broadcast signatures from unknown programs may be clustered at least partially on the basis of the content ancillary information.

US Patent:

7587728, Sep 8, 2009

Filed:

Jan 25, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/339269

Inventors:

Henry B. Wheeler - St. Petersburg FL, US
Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL, US
Paul C. Kempter - Palm Harbor FL, US
William A. Feininger - Palm Harbor FL, US

Assignee:

The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Schaumburg IL

International Classification:

H04H 60/32
H04H 60/33

US Classification:

725 19, 725 9, 725 14, 725 20

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus to monitor reception of programs and content by broadcast receivers are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to monitor reception of a broadcast program by a broadcast receiver located in a statistically selected site comprises retrieving an audience measurement data packet from the broadcast receiver in order to identify the broadcast program, detecting a code embedded in the broadcast program in order to identify the broadcast program, extracting a signature from the broadcast program in order to identify the broadcast program, identifying the broadcast program through use of a software agent, and selecting at least one of the audience measurement data packet, the embedded code, the extracted signature or the software agent to identify the received program.

US Patent:

7607147, Oct 20, 2009

Filed:

Dec 11, 1996

Appl. No.:

08/763750

Inventors:

Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL, US
David H. Harkness - Wilton CT, US
Manish Bhatia - Secaucus NJ, US
Jerome Samson - Belleair Beach FL, US
William A. Feininger - Palm Harbor FL, US

Assignee:

The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Schaumburg IL

International Classification:

G06F 13/00
G06F 17/00
H04L 9/32

US Classification:

725 14, 725 9, 709224

Abstract:

A metering system meters usage of on-line and off-line services by way of interactive service devices. Interactive service devices may include personal computers and non-personal-computers. Non-personal-computers may include network computers, gaming devices, Internet televisions, Internet telephones, and the like. The on-line service usage may include Internet usage such as which home pages, advertisements, and other Internet resources are accessed by a user. The off-line service usage may include application program usage such as which application programs are executed by a user.

US Patent:

7644422, Jan 5, 2010

Filed:

Oct 31, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/284409

Inventors:

Daozheng Lu - Dunedin FL, US
David H. Harkness - Wilton CT, US
Manish Bhatia - Secaucus NJ, US
Jerome Samson - Belleair Beach FL, US
William A. Feininger - Palm Harbor FL, US

Assignee:

The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Schaumburg IL

International Classification:

G06F 13/00
G06F 17/00
H04N 7/10
H04L 9/32

US Classification:

725 9, 725 14, 709224

Abstract:

A metering system meters usage of on-line and off-line services by way of interactive service devices. Interactive service devices may include personal computers and non-personal-computers. Non-personal-computers may include network computers, gaming devices, Internet televisions, Internet telephones, and the like. The on-line service usage may include Internet usage such as which home pages, advertisements, and other Internet resources are accessed by a user. The off-line service usage may include application program usage such as which application programs are executed by a user.