초록 ▼

A cooperative electronic media measurement system is disclosed which uses media handlers to obtain information from, or otherwise obtain information about, presented media objects, including identification tags, if present, for collection by research data collection agents and subsequent dispatch to

A cooperative electronic media measurement system is disclosed which uses media handlers to obtain information from, or otherwise obtain information about, presented media objects, including identification tags, if present, for collection by research data collection agents and subsequent dispatch to a centralized media research controller. The media research controller registers advertisements and other media for subsequent measurement and provides a unique identification tag that may be added to, or associated with, the existing media object. Media objects are presented to a panel member by a panel member-computing device which may receive media objects by means of a network connection, from one or more local sources, or generate media objects in real-time, or a combination thereof. One or more research data collection agents are assigned to measure each panel member's exposure to and interactions with electronic media. Cooperative media handlers automatically obtain information from, or otherwise obtain information about, presented media objects including identification tags, if present, and other information, for collection by the research data collection agents. A research data collection agent will track a panel member, and collect such transmissions from the cooperative media handlers, when a panel member is in the scope of the research data collection agent. The research data collection agent (i) creates log entry objects from transmissions received from the cooperative media handlers and places the log entry objects into an unfiltered media queue, (ii) confirms the integrity of the messages and filters out unnecessary log entry objects from the unfiltered media queue to create a filtered media queue, (iii) creates dispatch objects using objects from the filtered media queue and places created dispatch objects into a dispatch queue, and (iv) transmits dispatch objects from the dispatch queue to the media research controller, when resources are available.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method performed by an independent research entity for measuring the exposure of an individual to electronic media, said method comprising the steps of:associating one or more software agents with said individual, said one or more software agents being agents of said independent research entity

1. A method performed by an independent research entity for measuring the exposure of an individual to electronic media, said method comprising the steps of:associating one or more software agents with said individual, said one or more software agents being agents of said independent research entity, said one or more software agents obtaining information identifying said electronic media from one or more cooperative media handlers provided by a second entity using a defined interface that provides interoperability between said one or more software agents and said one or more cooperative media handlers such that each of said one or more software agents and said one or more cooperative media handlers can communicate without regard to an implementation of the defined interface of the other, said one or more cooperative media handlers providing said information identifying said electronic media to said one or more software agents; and obtaining a message from said one or more software agents containing said obtained information identifying said electronic media.