CA1227561A - Television and market research data collection system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

TELEVISION AND MARKET RESEARCH
DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A remote data collection unit is provided at each of a plurality of panelist locations The remote unit is adapted to be coupled to one or more television receivers or cable television converters.
The data collection unit monitors and stores infor-mation as to what TV mode is in use, identification of the TV viewing audience and events such as channel changes and the like. The data collection unit further includes means for optically scanning bar codes and the like and storing that information, which can be representative of product purchase information or panelist responses to market research surveys.
Substitute programming information may be supplied to selected panelist locations, as by transmission over an otherwise unused channel in a cable system along with control information. Information stored in data collection unit is periodically collected, either by interrogation of the data collection unit by a central computer, or by manual transfer of information to a portable data collector.

Description

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TEN VISIOIl AND ~RRI~ RES~ARC}I
D~A COLLECTIOIl SYSTE~I AIR OD

E~AClSt:R0~D OF g I~V~TION

The present invention relates to data storage and transmicsion systems and more particularly relates to monitoring systems for accumulating data at remote locations and transmitting the data to a central location. Gore particularly, the present invention relates to a data collection system and method for collecting at remote panelist location data relative to television viewing habits and preferences as well as product purchases and preferences of a plurality of panelists, and transmitting the collected data to a 15 central location. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a data collection system is provided in which individual television receivers may be controlled from a central location to display substitute programming.
The prior art i5 replete with various systems and arrangements for monitoring viewinq habits of television viewers. The earliest such systems merely collected data on site for eventual - manual collection as to the television channels 25 viewed and the times of viewing for various panels of viewers in order to determine market share and rating of various television programs. water, systems came into being for use with cable television systems with two way communications over 30 the cable system between the head end thereof and various cable subscribers. In such a system the television sets are typically interrogated periodically from this central location over the or æz7~6~

cable, with the channel selection and time information being sent back to the central location and logged for statistical compilation. Such systems have also been used in the past in ~o-called 5 pay television systems in which billing information is sent over the cable system to a central location from the various subscribers to the pay television system. The prior art also includes such systems in which a memory means is provided at the remote 10 location, i.e. at the television receiver, for accumulating data as to the channel being viewed and time. The accumulated data is then periodically transmitted over conventional telephone lines from the remote locations to the central location, by 15 telephone calls initiated by either the remote station or the central location.
Systems for remotely accumulating data regarding the habits of television viewers and their qualitative reaction to material have today become 20 important from the 9tandpoint of market research.
For example, the effectiveness of television commercials can be monitored by correlating viewing of those commercials with subsequent purchase decisions made by panelists whose viewing habits are 25 being monitored. One manner of achieving this which has been utilized in the past is to have the cooperating panelists keep a diary as tv purchase of products. The purchase information recorded in these diaries is then correlated with the 30 commercials viewed by those cooperating panelists.
In an alternative arrangement disclosed in the prior art, in ar2as where universal product code automated check-outs are available, such as grocery stores and the like, a panelist makes his or her purchases and 3g at the ~heck-out counter presents a card coded with ~æz7s~

a unique scanner panelist identification similar to the universal product code symbol on the products purchased. The store's computer can automatically retain such purchase data for subsequent transfer to 5 a market research company computer data base for correlation with the data regarding the various panelists viewing of commercials. Such arrangements of course require cooperation of stores within the area of the panelist locations, and are therefore 10 more suited for limited geographic groupings of panelists in a single locale or city, and are not readily applicable to a national assemblage of panelists extending across an entire country.
In market research relaying to commercials 15 and their effectiveness, it also is sometimes important to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative forms of a commercial. One way of achieving this in the context of a cable television system is to split the subscribers or panelists into 20 two or more groups, and then show the alternative forms of commercials to the respective groups of panelists. Correlation of product purchase information regarding those panelists with the forms of the commercials they viewed can then be used to 25 assess the effectiveness of the various alternative forms of the commercial. The prior art also includes examples of systems wherein certain portion of a viewing audience can be selected on a dynamic basis and furnished with substitute 30 programming. Such a system is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,639,686 to Walker et al. In accordance with that system, an auxiliary television signal is broadcast which contains not only substitute programming, i.e. video signal 35 information, but al50 control information such as ~L~2~

pulse code information for remotely selecting panelists which are to receive the substitute programming. Digital address information i8 provided for each of the panelists, and the portion 5 of the panelists which are to receive the substitute programming are selected by the pulse code information. The Walker et al patent notes that in selecting the panelists which are to receive the substitute programming, the number of categories 10 available is dependent on the number of digital information bits that are incorporated in the system. A later United States Patent No. 4,331,974 to Cogswell et al also discloses an arrangement for selecting portions of a viewing audience on a 15 dynamic basis and furnishing those portions with substitute programming.
The present invention relates to an improved system and method which is of particular utility in market research type applications, but 20 which is not limited thereto.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF TOE INVENTIOM

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for collecting at remote panelists locations data relative to those 25 panelists, and transmitting the collected data to a central location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a data collection system for collecting data relative to panelists television 30 viewing habits and preferences as well as market research data regarding panelists product purchases and preferences.

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s It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system and method in which the remote locations are provided with memory for storing collected data, with collected data 5 being periodically transmitted to a central location over non-dedicated telephone lines.
It is still another object of the present invention, in accordance with one embodiment, to provide such a system and method in which substitute 10 programming can be provided to selected of the panelists.
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a remote data collection unit is provided at each of a plurality of panelist 15 locations. The remote unit i9 adapted to be coupled to one or more television receivers at each panelist location, or to one or more cable television converters in the context of a cable television system. The data collection unit includes a memory 20 and means for monitoring and storing information regarding which of a plurality of television modes are in use, a well as viewer identification data.
Means are provided to monitor and store events concerning television viewing, such as channel 25 changes or the like. Further, the data collection unit includes means for optically scanning bar codes and the like and storing information regarding tame. Such bar codes and the like can be representative of product purchase information or 30 panelist responses to market research surveys and the like. In one embodiment, telephone communica-tion is periodically established between a central location and each of the remote units, and the contents of each data collection unit memory are 35 transmitted to the central location. Alternatively, ~7~

a portable memory device can be taken to the loca-tion of each data collection unit to transfer the memory content thereof to a tape or disc or other storage device. In accordance with one embodiment 5 of the invention, during telephone communication between the central location and a remote unit, questionnaires can be downloaded from the central location to the memory of a remote data collection unit. Such questionnaires can be displayed on a 10 television reaeiver coupled to the remote data collection unit, with means provided for a viewer or panelist registering answers to questions in the questionnaire, and the memory of the remote data collection unit storing the answers to the questions 15 for transmission to the central location at the next telephone communication therewith.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a viewer control is as30cia~ed with each remote data collection unit. The viewer control 20 includes a television channel selector, which can be utilized not only in a normal mode for selecting channels but also to place the unit in a channel lock or a non-channel lock position. When the data collection unit is in the channel lock position, the 25 television set associated therewith stays tuned to whatever channel was previously selected, but subsequent changes in the channel selector are stored in the data collection unit memory. This feature i9 useful for recording data relating to 30 viewer response, individual viewer identification, responses to questionnaires and the like.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, substitute programming information may be supplied to each of the panelist locations, a by 35 transmission over an otherwise unused channel in a

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cable system. Control information is also transmitted along with the substitute programming, with the control information being utilized to select on a dynamic basis portions of the panelists 5 for receipt of substitute programmingO The groups of panelists which are to receive the substitute programming information can be selected on a demographic base or the like.
Other objects, advantages, and features of 10 the prevent invention will appear from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TOE DR~WI~GS

Figure 1 i5 a block diagram illustrating an overall system in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 i9 a block diagram illustrating signal flow in accordance with the present 20 invention.

Figure 3 i5 a block diagram illustrating modification of a cable converter in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates the mode switches and 25 data wand of a data collection unit in accordance with the present inventionO

Figure 5 is a detailed block diagram of a data collection unit in accordance with the present invention.

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Figure 6 is a block diagram of the telephone block interface and master/slave coupling in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 is a logic flow diagram of the 5 main loop of a data collection unit in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 8 is another logic flow diagram for converter control in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a logic flow diagram of another subroutine in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 10 is a logîc flow diagram for the data LED control subroutine of one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 is a logic flow diagram of a subroutine al90 relating to converter control.

Figure 12 is a logic flow diagram related to storing optically scanned data from a bar code reader in accordance with one embodiment of the 20 present invention.

Figure 13 i5 a logic flow diagram relating to control of a time window for telephone communications in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 14 is a logic flow diagram relating to the urvey function of one embodiment of the present invention.

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Figure 15 is a logic flow diagram for a communication subroutine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 16 is a block diagram relating to an 5 aspect of the invention in which viewer identifi-cation prompts are overlayed on the television 5C reen.

Figure 17 is a block diagram of an alter-nate embodiment of the present invention in which a 10 portable data collection device is used to retreive data from data collection units instead of telephone links.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TEE PREFERRED EM~ODI~ENTS

The present invention relates to a data 15 gathering system which includes a plurality of remote units which are controlled from a central location. Each of the remote units i9 attached to a television receiver which i8 generally but not necessarily attached to a cable system. Each of the 20 remote units functions to determine which of several TV modes is in use as well as to store TV channel selector data and data from an optical input device.
All this data is stored for later transmission by each of the remote units to a central data 25 collecting point. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, a video message for a $V viewer can be transmitted from the central location and stored at the remote units, for later display on the TV set associated with the remote 30 units. Further embodiments of the invention allow so for substitution of alternate programming infor-Marion by the central control point on selected of the remote units.
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a 5 block diagram of the overall system. In accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the system is illustrated in the context of a cable TV system: the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, however In Figure 1 signals on normal television 10 channels are received by head end antennas 11 associated with a CATV head end control system 12.
The signals from the normal television channels can be mixed with videotape or film ounce from auxiliary sources 13 and 14. In accordance with the 15 invention, a control source 16 is also provided for transmitting digital data from and under the control of a microcomputer 17. These will be discu sed in more detail later.
All of these various signals are mixed in 20 the CATV head end 12 and transmitted over a cable system, generally indicated by reference numeral 18.
Figure 1 illustrate one of the remote units of this system of this invention, although it should be understood that a plurality of such remote 25 units are provided, suitably situated in homes of panelists or the like who have agreed to serve on panels. As shown in Figure 1, a cable converter 19 and a data collection unit 21 as provided in accordance with the present invention are both 30 coupled to the cable system 18. A normal television receiver 22 is coupled to the cable converter 19.
There is alto interconnection for pa sage of control signals both ways between the data collection unit Zl and the cable converter lg. This is explained in 35 more detail later.

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In accordance with the invention, the data collection unit 21 contains a memory, and store data as to which of a plurality of TV modes are in use, which TV channel is being viewed, as well as 5 input from a suitable optical scanning device, which will be discussed in more detail later. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, other data can be collected by the data collection unit, such as viewer qualitative rating 0 of programs and responses to survey questionnaires and the like.
The data collection unit 21 is interconnected to a telephone block 22, through which incoming and outgoing telephone calls are 15 coupled to the panelist's home with suitable wiring and the like interconnecting telephone receivers 23 in the panelist's home.
central data collection point i9 provided for the system in accordance with this invention, 20 which need not be the same central location as the CATV head end 12. the central location is indicated in Figure 1 by the central computer ~4. the central location can include an appropriate computer with modems and the like for making connection over the 25 switched telephone network 25 to each of the remote locations. This is illustrated in Figure 1 by the connection between the switched telephone network 25 and the telephone block 22 for the particular remote location shown in Figure 1. Periodically, the 30 central computer 24 "dials-up" each of the remote locations, establishes appropriate telephone communications with each of the data collection units 21, and the data stored in each of the data collection units l is transmitted via the switched 35 telephone network 25 to the central computer 24.

While in telephone communication, in addition to extracting the stored data from the data collection unit 21, the central computer 24 can also download via the telephone lines data into each of the data 5 collection units 21, as discussed in more detail hereafter. Also as discussed in more detail hereafter, in accordance with one aspect and embodiment of the invention, appropriate interconnections are provided in the telephone block 10 22 so that when a telephone call comes in from the central computer 24, the call is routed to the data collection unit 21, and does not activate the telephone receivers 23 in the panelist's home.
Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown 15 an additional block diagram illustrating signal paths between the data collection unit 21, the cable converter 19, and a television receiver 22.
Referring to figure 2, the data collection unit 21 includes an electronies portion 26 and a switching 20 portion 27. The switching portion 27 consists of a number of switches, five in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, for selecting which of a variety of TV
modes are to be utilized. Thus, for example in the embodiment shown in Figure 2 the inputs to the 25 switching portion 27 are the normal TV signal from a cable or antenna, along with an interconnection to a computer, i.e. home computer, a VCR, and a game.
Depression of one of the five pushbuttons in the switohing portion by a viewer or panelist selects 30 one or the other of these TV modes. A TV mode signal corresponding to and indicative of one of these TV modes is stored in the data collection unit electronics section 2S. As was briefly discu~ed in connection with the block diagram of Figure 1, in 35 accordance with one embodiment of the invention text ~L2~75~

information, such as survey questionnaires and the like, can be downloaded from a central location over the telephone lines and stored in the data collection unit electronics 26. Selection of a 5 "survey" function by the panelists, actuates this TV
mode and video text information is coupled through the corresponding switch in the switching portion 27 and coupled over RF signal line 28 to the input of the cable converter 19. The output of the cable 10 converter 19 is of course suitably connected to the television receiver 22.
In accordance with the present invention/
control information is coupled both ways between the cable converter 19 and the data collection unit 15 26. In fact, in accordance with the present invention, and as described more fully hereinafter, it is the data collection unit electronics 26 which controls the television program material displayed on the television receiver 22, rather than the cable 20 converter 19.
Referring to figure 3, there is shown a typical example of the way in which cable converters are modified in accordance with the present invention for application of the present invention 25 thereto. Cable converters typically include a microprocessor section illustrated in Figure 3 by reference numeral 29 and a tuning section illustrated in Figure 3 by reference numeral 31. For example, in an exemplary arrangement, a ribbon cable is 30 normally supplied connecting the microprocessor board 29 to the tuning section 31~ Typically, the micro-processor section controls a digital display and television receiver commands are received from a front panel on the cable converter, or a remote 7~6~L

control as well know in the art. The microprocessor section sends commands to the tuning section via the ribbon cable normally connecting the two. In accordance with the present invention, the ribbon 5 cable from the microprocessor board or section is interrupted and is connected to the data collection unit 21. The commands and the like from the microprocessor section 29 are interpreted by the data collection unit 21, which then in turn controls 10 selection of a channel by the tuning section or board 31. As discussed more fully hereafter, the data collection unit 21 will normally cause the tuning section 31 to select and di play whatever channel was indicated in the command information 15 from the microprocessor section 29. However, when the present invention is in a substitute programming function, the data collection unit 21 will or can substitute programming, i.e. select a channel for display other than the channel indicated by the 20 commands from the microprocessor board 29, for display at the television receiver. Also, the interconnection between the data collection unit 21 and the cabie converter enables the data collection unit 21 to store information as to the channel being 25 viewed and at what times, etc.
Turning now to Figure 4, there is shown a representation of the physical appearance of the data collection unit 21 in accordance with the present invention. The unit is preferably 30 dimensioned such that a cable converter, such as the Teknika 6401 converter will sit right on top of the data collection unitO As illustrated in Figure 4, five TV mode selector switches are provided in the form of pushbutton switches. These correspond to 35 TV, game, computer, VCR, and survey. As mentioned .

previously, in accordance with one aspect of the invention survey questionnaires and the like can be downloaded from the central location over the telephone lines to memory in the data collection 5 unit. Selection of the survey pushbutton switch in the data collection unit will then cause the survey questionnaire to be displayed on the television screen at the viewer's or panelist's convenience, for recording of answers to the questionnaire my the 10 panelists. The manner in which these responses to the questionnaires are registered and stored is discussed hereinafter however, as illustrated in Figure 4, a light emitting diode 32 is provided on the front panel of the data collection unit in 15 association with the survey pushbutton. When survey questionnaires are contained in the memory of the data collection unit and have not been responded to by the panelists, the light emitting diode 32 is lit in a manner discussed hereafter, 50 as to inform the 20 panelists that there is an unanswered questionnaire. An additional data light emitting diode 33 i5 provided on the front panel of the data collection unit and provides further communication with a panelist, as discussed in detail hereafter.
2~ Also shown in Figure 4 is a receptacle 34 provided in the front panel of the data collection unitO The receptacle 34 is adapted to receive a data wand 35, and an additional light emitting diode 36 is provided on the front panel of the data 30 collection unit for displaying indications relative to the data wand. The data wand 35 is an optical scanning device which rontains its own internal memory. The data wand 35 can be used for scanning bar codes, such as the UPC codes found on products, 35 and storing information relative to those bar ~2~7S6~L

codes. The data stored within the data wand 35 can be periodically transmitted to memory within the data collection unit, by inserting the data wand 35 into the receptacle 34.
A suitable example of an optical scanning device 35 for recording bar codes is that manu-factured by MSI Corporation and sold under the trademark "DATA WAND. Il The MSI data wand is available with an RS-232C-type standard interface, 10 which i5 incorporated into the data collection unit 21 in accordance with the present invention. This interface allows connection to the computer and memory provided in the data collection unit, as discussed more fully hereafter.
Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a functional block diagram of a data collection unit in accordance with the present invention. The heart of the data collection unit is a microprocessor 37 and suitable programming for the microprocessor is 20 contained in a ROM 3~. Details of the programming are discussed hereafter. A RAM 39 is also provided for storing event information such as channel selection, TV mode selection, data read by the optical scanner 35 and the like. A clock 40 is also 25 provided to run the microprocessor 37, with the clock 40 also functioning to maintain a time of day indication for recording times in connection with events in the RAM 39. The RAM 39 typically is provided with 32k bytes storage. Also typically, 8k 30 bytes of ROM is provided.
The data collection unit contains a cerial line driver 41, which is appropriately selected to be one of those available which has a programmable baud rate. This serial line driver 41 is connected 35 via a multiplexer 42 to a variety of interfaces.

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First, a wand interface 43 is provided for accepting data from the optical scanner 35. us discussed previously, the wand interface provided with the MSI
data wand has a etandard RS-232 output at a 1200 5 baud rate. Another input to the multiplexer 42 it a modem 44 contained within the data collection unit. The modem 44 is a Bell 202 compatible, half duplex modem with an auto answer capability. This modem 44 is coupled to the telephone block interface 10 22, which is described in more detail hereafter.
The data transfer rate via the modem 44 is also 1200 baud.
The data collection unit also contains a receive only interface, shown as simplex receiver 45 15 in Figure 5 which receives an input from the cable system. This simplex channel uses an FM carrier on the cable and originates as a broadcast from the CATV head end. As more fully discussed hereafter in connection with a discussion of the substitute 20 programming aspect of this invention, certain control information is transmitted to the remote data collection units via this cable simplex channel. The transmission speed of this channel in accordance with one embodiment is g600 baud.
A master/slave communication block 46 is shown in Figure 5 as coupled to the telephone block interface 22. This master/slave communication block it only applicable where a plurality of television sets are provided in one panelist's home. The 30 specific functioning of the master/slave relationship is described hereafter in connection with Figure 6.
A parallel interface 47 is provided for providing the interface between the data collection 35 unit and the cable converter. Thus the inputs and ~75~i~

outputs of this parallel interface are from the microprocessor in the cable converter and to the tuning section of the cable converter (see Figure

3).
A parallel interface 48 is al50 provided for decoding the mode or function select switches provided on the front panel of the data collection unit (see Figure 4) and for controlling the three light emitting diodes 32, 33 and 36 on the front 10 panel of the data collection unit.
A video interface 49 is provided for providing video output information to the television receiver through the cable converter to display survey questionnaires and the like on the television 15 receiver when the survey mode is selected. As mentioned previously, in accordance with one aspect of this invention survey questionnaires can be downloaded over the telephone lines from the central location to the remote units while they are in 20 telephone communication. The survey questionnaires are stored in RAM 39 and light emitting diode 32 is lit on the front panel of the data collection unit to inform the panelists that there is an unanswered questionnaire. When the panelist selects the survey function, the video interface 49 produces a composite video signal for display on the television receiver to display the questions in the questionnaire.
A battery 50 is also shown in the 30 functional block diagram of Figure 5. Although normal power connection for powering the data collection units is via the normal household power supply, a battery backup can be provided to ensure that the data collection unit remains powered up 35 during any temporary power outages at the panelist's ~2~

home, so a not to lose current time of day information in the clock 40 or any of the data stored in the RAM 39.
All of the circuitry functionally 5 illustrated in the block diagram of Figure 5, with the exception of the master slave communications 46 and the telephone block interface 22, can be any appropriate integrated circuits or the like which are available on the market for the functions 10 indicated.
An important aspect of the data collection unit in accordance with the present invention is its interface to the cable ronverter. Specifically, it is the data collection unit itself which controls 15 the tuning of the cable converter. The viewer or panelist appears to control the cable converter normally, but the signals are actually intercepted by the data collection unit and it is the data collection unit that commands the tuning of the 20 converter, as has been described above in connection with Figures 2 and 3. During most television viewing activity, the data collection unit will command the tuner to select the same channel that the viewer has selected. However, when in functions which are 25 described as "Channel-Lock" and during "Dynamic Allocation", the data collection unit will select channels other than the one being displayed.
Channel Lock is a data collection unit function in which the cable converter remains locked 30 on one channel regardless of the activity occurring with the converter control and the channel number heing digitally displayed on the cable converter.
Channel Lock is entered by selecting an unoccupied converter channel, such as channel 35. When the 35data collection unit decodes channel 35, it will ~L2~75~

freeze the converter on the channel previously selected and illuminate light emitting diode 33 on the Eront panel of the data collection unit (see Figure 4). The viewer or panelist can now use the 5 converter control to display any channel number on the converter without changing the channel being viewed. The data collection unit will collect events, as in the normal viewing mode, including storing the subsequent channels selected during the 10 Channel Lock condition as events. Each time the data collection unit collects events the light emitting diode 33 will be blinked off, corresponding to an indication that an event has been captured by the data collection unit. This Channel Lock feature 15 is uséful from a number of standpoints. For example, when in a Channel Lock condition the viewer could select various channels for entry as events with the various channel numbers selected corresponding to the viewers qualitative reaction to 20 programming. Ag another example, a particular channel number could be entered while in the Channel Lock condition which corresponds to the identifica-tion of particular individuals who are viewing the program within the household. A particular 2S embodiment of identifying viewers it described hereafter in connection with Figure 16. Likewise, selection of channel numbers while in a Channel Lock condition is useful in connection with responding to survey questionnaires and the like, which is 30 described more fully later. A key feature of the present invention is that entry of such qualitative viewer reaction data and the like is achieved while being able to use the normal channel selector associated with the cable converter, rather than any 35 kind of separate key pad or other data entry ,~

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device. The "Channel-Lock" condition is exited by selecting an unoccupied converter channel, such as 36, at which time the light emitting diode 33 is extinguished and normal tuning of the converter is 5 resumed.
As has been previously described, the select switches or mode switches provided on the front panel of the data collection unit (see Figure

4) allows the viewer to select one of a number of 10 alternate signal sources. For example, these possible alternative signal sources are TV neither cable or air), VCR, game, computer and survey. The switches as shown in Figure 2 select one of the signal sources and route it to the input of the 15 cable converter. the data collection unit monitors the switch selection and controls the converter tuning accordingly. If TV viewing i5 selected, then normal converter operation is enabled. If one of the other four souxces are selected, the data 20 collection unit will record an event and tune the converter to the appropriate channel to tune the signals which are selected. For example, the game and VCR output may be on channel 3 ! while the computer output is on channel 10. These are 25 specific parameters that can be adjusted with respect to any particular installation.
Dynamic allocation is a term used to describe the concept of blind or invisible channel substitution. As described earlier, United States 30 Patent No. 3,639,686 to Walker et al relates to such a dynamic allocation or substitute programming kind of system. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a substitute programming arrangement in accordance with the principles of the 3~ Walker et al patent is incorporated. Basically, the ~7~

dynamic allocation process is one in which one or more channels in selected households are substituted with another test channel by the data collection unit.
The materials substituted usually are commercials, for purposes of market research with respect to the efficacy of commercials. In practice, a set of substitute commercial cut-ins are scheduled each day. For example, each cut in can be 10 assigned a two digit number. For each cut-in, a channel remap table is loaded into the data collection unit. The remap tables are simple and consist, for example, of one or more channel numbers and the channel they are to be remapped to. At any 15 given timer the memory in the data collection unit can hold a number of such remap tables. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the remap tables are downloaded over the cable channel and received by the simplex receiver 45 ~Fi~ure 5).
Each data collection unit has an identification number. There can either be unique identification numbers for each data collection unit corresponding to each panelist location, or panelists can be grouped in accordance with 25 demographic considerations and assigned a common identification number. Identification numbers for each data control unit can be downloaded to the unit from the central location during telephone communications between same.
Since the mecsages transmitted on the simplex channel over the cable are received by all data collection unit, they must be addressed to particular data collection units or groups of data collection units and be appropriately formatted with 35 message delimiters and the data collection unit identification numbers. As discussed above, the dynamic allocation remap tables are downloaded over the cable channel and received by the simplex receiver 4; at each of the data collection units.

5 These remap tables are stored in RAM 39. A remap table is enabled, during the cut-in, by continually transmitting the cut-in number down the cable to the s;mplex communication channel. Whenever a data collection unit receives a cut-in number, the 10 particular remap table is enabled for some predetermined time, i.e. 0.5 seconds. When the remap table is enabled for a particular data collection unit, the data collection unit automatically provides substitute programming as 15 indicated by the remap table to the television receiver of the panelist. This alternate programming is transmitted from the cable head and down channel normally not used for entertainment.
This dynamic allocation feature facilitates 20 market research. By displaying alternate forms of a commercial to different groups of panelists, and correlating that display both with the demographic data concerning the panelists and the product purchases by tbe panelists, the efficacy of the 25 commercials can be evaluated.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention correlation of panelist viewing activity as to commercials and the like with product purchases made by the panelist has been greatly 30 facilitated. The earliest market research techniques relied upon a panelist filling out a purchase diary or the like with this information then being manually collected by the market research organization for correlation with viewing activity 35 of that particular panelist. Systems have been proposed in which viewing activity of a panelist is correlated with product purchase information with respect to that panelist by monitoring at stores within a limited geographic area surrounding the 5 panelists the product purchase information with respect to that panelist Specifically, each panelist has an identification card presented at a grocery store at the like which uses check out counters having the facility for optically reading 10 universal product codes on products. When the panelist makes purchases, the identification of that panelist is scanned into the computer at the store, along with the product purchase information with respect to that panelist. This information is 15 either coupled from the store's computers to the market research organization, or collected at a later time from the stores by the market research organization.
For certain market research activ.ities, it 20 might be desirable to have a national group of panelists, spread across the geographic extent of the United States or whatever other country that is the subject of the market research. For such an arrangement, it would not really be feasible for the 25 market research organization to have arrangements with and be tied into the computers of stores spread all across the country. Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, collection of information regarding product purchases by a 30 panelist has been greatly facilitated.
As described in connection with Figure 4, the data collection unit in accordance with this one aspect it equipped with an optical scanner, one suitable example of which is a product known as the 35 MSI data wand. This is a hand held device that :.

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contains an internal memory and can be used for scanning bar codes, such as universal product codes, contained on products purchased by a panelist.
Thus, in accordance with this one aspect of the 5 present invention, product purchase information with respect to a particular panelist is easily collected by the panelist simply scanning the data wand over the universal product codes on the products purchased by the panelist. The MSI data wand has an 10 internal memory which can store approximately 4,000 digits. This memory is of a sufficient extent to store the product code and a price for about 300 items, which should be adequate for recording the daily purchases for a household. After scanning 15 products with the data wand, the data wand can be inserted into the receptacle in the front panel of the data collection unit and the memory contents of the data wand transferred to memory within the data collection unit. As explained previously, the MSI
20 data wand can be obtained with an RS-232 interface for this purpose, which interface is incorporated within the data collection unit. The procedure for transferring the data wand information into the data collection unit is as follows. The panelist turns 25 on the cable converter, enters the channel lock condition, and then selects an unused channel, such as 34, which is programmed to instruct the data collection unit to monitor the interface with the data wand. The panelist then scans the data wand 30 over a special code that is provided with the data wand which instructs the data wand to transmit data.
The data wand is then inserted into the holder or receptacle within the data collection unit. After the data has been received and verified by the datd 35 collection unit, the light emitting diode 36 (see , Figure 4) provided on the front panel of the data collection unit will blink off and on for five seconds, so as to inform the panelist that the operation has been successfully completed. Then, 5 the panelist extracts the wand from the data collection unit, clears the wand memory in accordance with features provided in the data wand, and reinserts the data wand into the data collection unit for storage in the receptacle.
Subsequently, when telephone communication is established between the central location and the individual data collection units at the various panelists homes, the stored product purchase information with respect to the various panelists is 15 transferred from memory of the data collection unit to the central location. This greatly facilitates collection of such product purchase data with respect to individual panelists, and correspondingly facilitates correlation thereof with viewing 20 activity of those panelists. Using such an arrangement, a nationwide group of panelists scattered over a wide geographic area is practical.
As has been previously mentioned, when a particular data collection unit is in contact with 25 the central location, a survey questionnaire or the like may be downloaded over the telephone lines into memory ox the data collection unit. Whenever the data collection unit contains an unanswered questionnaire, the data collection unit will 30 illuminate the survey light emitting diode 32 on the front panel of the data collection unit so as to inform a panelist that the data collection unit contains a survey which has not been answered.
Anytime that this light emitting diode 32 is 35 illuminated, the panelist may elect to turn on the television and depress the survey select mode select switch on the front panel of the data collection unit. the data colle tion unit will detect depression of the survey select switch, illuminate 5 the data light emitting diode 33, tune the cable converter to the appropriate channel, and output the first question to the television through the video interface 49 (Figure 5). The converter is automatically placed in a channel lock condition at 10 this time by the data collection unit. The viewer can thus use the converter control or channel selector to enter channel numbers to answer whatever questions are presented in the questionnaire. For example, a questionnaire might ask a question and lS give five possible responses, with a number beside each of the possible responses. The panelist enters a channel number corresponding to the number adjacent the answer the panelist is giving to the question. When all the questions have been answered 20 by the panelist, the data light emitting diode 33 on the front panel of the data collection unit will be extinguished. When the panelist then depresses another mod select switch, the survey light emitting diode 32 will also be extinguished.
As has been described previously, the transfer of data from the remote data collection units to the central location i5 achieved in one embodiment by telephone communications over the switched telephone network between the central 30location in each of the various remote units. Also, ituations arise in which there is more than one television receiver within a single panelist's home, and some means is necessary to collect viewer data and the like with respect to each of the television 3~sets, and store and communicate that data to the central location at an appropriate time. Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown one embodiment of the invention which illustrates the manner of effecting telephone communications from a remote 5 location or panelist's home to the central location, and also the situation in which there is more than one television receiver in a single panelist's home which have to be monitored.
Referring now to Figure 6, there is 10 illustrated a telephone block generally indicated by reference numeral 55. At each building or house there is a point at which telephone service enters the building which is referred to as the telephone "block." This block includes terminals for the lS telephone lines 56 and 57 and may also contain several other devices to protect telephone line service, such as lightening arresters and voltage limiters (not shown). Typically, the telephone block also contains a low voltage transformer 20 indicated by reference numeral 58 which is used to supply lighting power to the telephone. In accordance with standard color coding, the telephone lines 56 and 57 are respectively green and red and extend to a number of telephone jacks, two of which 25 S9 and 60 are illustrated in Figure 6. Two signal lines 61 and 62 from the low voltage transformer 58 also extend to the various telephone jacks and are color coded yellow and black, respectively.
In accordance with the present invention, a 30 telephone block interface 22 is provided at the point of the telephone block within a building.
This telephone block 22 is interfaced to the telephone lines 56 and 57 as well as the low voltage power Hines 61 and 62. Low voltage from the 35 transformer 68 is used to supply power via a power supply S3 to a tone detector ~4. This tone detector 64 i5 a low energy detector used to detect the presence of a control tone, for example a 150K~z signal which can be imposed on the low voltage line 5 61 and 62, in a manner discussed hereafter. Thus the tone detector 64 is connected to the power lines 61 and 62 via coupling capacitors 65 and 66. The tone detector 64 is coupled to and controls a relay 67 which i5 actuated between the position shown in 10 Figure 6, wherein the telephone lines 56 and S7 are not interrupted, to a position where the telephone lines 56 and 57 are coupled through a load resistor 68 and capacitors 69 and 70.
In Figure 6 there is shown a master data 15 collection unit 71 which is typically connected to a television receiver 72. Provided as part of the master data collection unit 71 is a modem 73, which as discussed previously can be a standard kind of modem, such a an auto-answer Bell 202 modem. This Jo is a 1200 baud, half-duplex device. The modem 73 in accordance with this invention is also connected to a telephone jack, for connection to the telephone lines 56 and 57.
A tone generator-encoder 74 is coupled to the master data collection unit 71 and through a resistor 75 to one of the power lines 61 and 62.
Similarly, a tone decoder 76 i5 also coupled through a load resistor 77 to one of the signal lines 61 and 62 and through an amplifier 78 to the master data collection unit 71.
In operation, the master data collection unit 71 will enable the modem 73 for a limited period of time or "window" each day. Typically, a call-in window of a two hour duration will be opened once per day at a time when the telephone system is æz7~6~

normally not in use, i.e. 4-6 a.m. in the morning.
During this time window, the master data collection unit 71 will answer each incoming telephone call, and quickly determine if the call originates from 5 the central location. The manner in which this is dsne is as follows.
During the call in window, a ring signal occurring at the telephone block 55 is a signal of about 45 volts at 25Hz. This is impressed across 10 the telephone signal lines 56 and 57~ and would normally cause telephone sets connected to the telephone service to ring. however, the Easter data collection unit 71 samples the first half cycle of any incoming signal during the call in window for 15 voltage and pulse duration. If the microprocessor within the master data collection unit 71 determines the signal is a ring signal, the tone generator encoder 74 i5 caused by the data collection unit 71 to impress a 150KHz tone on the low voltage lines 61 20 and 62~ In response to this tone, the tone detector 64 actuates the relay 67. With the relay 67 actuated, the remainder of the ring signal is absorbed by the load resistor 68. Since load resistor 68 is sufficiently low in value to indicate 25 to the telephone system that a connect has been made, there will be no further rings.
The modem 73 is a standard telephone modem well known to those skilled in the art. This modem is caused by the microprocessor within the master 30 data collection unit 71 to send a two to four second tone, such as a 380Hz side tone, back to the calling source via the telephone lines 56 and 57 and the coupling capacitors 69 and 70. If the calling source is in fact the computer at the central 35 location, the computer at the central location will 7~

respond with an answering tone, and two way computer-to computer conversation will be established. If, on the other hand, there it no answering tone from the source of the telephone 5 call, indicative that the calling party is not the central location computer, the data collection unit 71 removes the 150KHz carrier tone on the low voltage leads 61 and 62, causing a disconnect.
If the call coming in during the call in 10 window is in fact not the central computer, but a normal telephone caller, the telephone caller would hear the side tone and the disconnect, and a dial tone would be returned. If such a call comes in and a disconnect occurs, the data collection unit 71 is 15 programmed to disable the tone qenerator encoder 74 for a predetermined period of time, such as twenty minutes. Thus, any calls coming in during this next predetermined time period of twenty minutes or the like would cause normal telephone ringing. The 20 caller, having been disconnected, would then be able to dial his call again, this time with success.
Inasmuch as the sequence of events occurs outside of normal telephone usage hours, it is not believed that such a sequence of events represent any sexious 25 impairment to normal telephone usage.
It it is determined that the calling source is the central computer, so that computer-to-computer communication is established, upon establi3hment of that communication the central 30 computer, under appropriate programming, calls on the master data collection unit for the information stored during the day. Upon receiving this information, the central location may cause a new program to be loaded into the data collection unit 35 71 memory, such as a questionnaire or the like as 5~

discussed previously. If the master data collection unit 71 is the only data collection unit to be communicated with by the central location, the central computer upon completion of receiving the 5 stored information and loading any new program information into the master data collection unit 71 simply disconnects, and all circuits return to normal.
Referring to Fiyure 6, one embodiment of 10 the invention is also illustrated in which there are multiple television receivers within a single panelist's home which must be monitored. As illustrated in Figure 6, two additional television receivers 81 and 83 might exist in a panelist's 15 home, and slave data collection units 80 and 82 are associated therewith as illustrated in Figure 6.
These slave data collection units 80 and 82 are coupled to the low voltage lines 61 and 62. Thus, the slave data collection units can be connected to 20 any of the various telephone jacks within the panelist's house, and coupling to the master data collection unit and the other circuitry is by means of the existing telephone wiring within the household. In accordance with one embodiment of the 25 invention, all signals received from the central location via the modem 73 are sent first to the master data collection unit 71, then echoed via the tone generator 74 to the signal lines 61 and 62 so that the slave data collection units 80 and 82 30 receîve the incoming data. Tone generator 74 generates a multiplicity of tones to keep the xelay 67 closed, plus an additional variable frequency tone representing the data being transmitted. These tones range, for example, from a 150R~z to 350K~z 35 and are impressed as carrier currents on the signal ~L2~7~

lines 61 and 62. Each of the slave data collection units contain a microprocessor and would require a tone generator and tone decoder similar to the tone generator 74 and tone decoder 76, but would not 5 require any separate modem. Each of the slave data collection units receives the identical data to the master data collection unit 71. By addressing the data stream, the slave data collection units can be caused to act independently. When a slave data 10 collection unit i5 called upon to respond, so as to transmit data stored in the slave data collection units the carrier current signal impressed on the low voltage lines 61 and 62 reverses direction, the tone decoder 76 receives the signal prom the slave 15 data collection unit, decodes it into standard data which is then echoed by the master data collection unit 71 through the modem 73 to the central location In the manner described above, each of the 20 data collection units, which are coupled tcgether via the existing telephone wiring in a panelist's home, receives all of the incoming information from the central location, and can be caused to respond independently to transmit data stored in each of the 25 data collection units back to the telephone lines to the central location. Of course, other variations are possible. For example, at a preset programmed time programmed into the microprocessor of the master data collection unit 71, the master data 30 collection unit can poll each of the slave data collection units by carrier current over the low voltage telephone wiring 61 and 62 to collect the available data at each of the slave data collection units, addressing each of these slave data 35 collection units Reri~tum by code as necessary.

, ~2~75~

Thus, all of the data from all of the various data collection units within a panelist's home would be stored in the master data collection unit. Then, upon contact of the matter data collection unit 71 with the central location, the central location would obtain the data by simply contacting the master data collection unit. Similarly, the central location would load the master data collection unit with any new programs, such as questionnaires and 10 the like, which are to be stored in memory at the various data collection units. Then, when the central location disconnected the telephone connection with the master data collection unit 71, the master data collection unit can then relay the 15 new programs to the slave data collection units, addressing each by code as necessary.
Thus, in accordance with the above described arrangement and as illustrated in Figure

6, a plurality of data collection units can be 20 provided within a single panelist's home associated with a respective different plurality of television receivers, for monitoring each of the television receivers in the 3ame fashion as a single data collection unit i5 provided to monitor one single 25 television receiver. Although the various slave data collection unit have been shown as coupled to the master data collection unit through the existing telephone wiring in a panelist's home, it should be clear that existing power wiring within a panelist's 30 home can also be used for the same function. That is, carrier signals can be impressed upon the power wiring within a panelist's home for transferring data to and from various slave data collection units to the master data collection unit. Of course, as a 35 further alternative, dedicated wiring could be installed in a panelist's home for connecting the various slave data collection units to the master data collection unit.
Turning now to Figure 7, there is 3hown a 5 logic flow diagram for the software controlling the main loop (ML) of the microprocessor within the data control unit. The first decision block is as to whether or not there is a cut-in message present. It will be recalled as discussed previously that remap 10 tables for achieving dynamic allocation or substitute programming are stored in the memory of the data collection units and are enabled by transmission of a cut-in number down the cable. If there is a cut-in message prevent, the cut-in 15 activation event is logged, and all flags in the system are cleared. If there is no cut-in message present, then the logic flow is to the next decision block a to whether or not the channel lock is on.
If the channel lock is on, the next decision block 20 i5 to whether or not a data wand start condition exists. If a data wand start condition exists, the logic flow is jump subroutine (JSR) to data wand read module. The no conditions to the decision block for the channel lock on and data wand start 25 lead to a decision block a to whether or not connection to central site is established. If it is, the next block is a jump subroutine (JSR) to communication module. If connection to central cite is not established, then the next decision block is 30 to whether or not the clock is advanced to the next second. If it is not advanced to the next second, the logic flow i5 back to the upper portion of the main loop (ML). If the clock i5 advanced to the next second, the next decision block is to whether 35 or not the converter it on. If the converter is on, ~L~22~

the logic flow progresses to a main loop 1 (MLl).
If the converter is not on, the next decision block is to whether or not the converter was on. If it was not, the fig flow is back through the main 5 loop ML. If the converter was on, then the next decision block is to log an off event, and turn off the data light emitting diode (light emitting diode 33 in Figure 43. The timing of the lower portion of the logic flow diagram indicated in Figure 7 i.e. as 10 to whether the converter it on, is executed once per second in accordance with the programming. Other aspects of subroutines, such as the converter control subroutine discusced hereafter, are interrupt driven and operate asynchronously to the 15 bottom portion of the ML loop in Figure 7.
Components of the data collection unit system which are interrupt driven pass flags and values to this main loop ML for logging and dispatching.
Turning now to Figure 8, there is shown the 20 logic flow diagram or the main loop 1 (MLl). This loop is entered when the logic flow in Figure 7 has a yes decision a to whether or not the converter is on. The first decision block in the loop MLl is to whether or not the converter was off. If the 25 converter was off, an on event is logged, and the blink flag is set (which as discussed later causes the data light emitting diode to blink). If there it a no decision to the logic block as to whether the converter was off, the loqic flow is to the 30 decision block as to whether or not there i8 a change in the select switches- If there i5, an event is logged and the losic flow passes to a decision block as to whether or not a non-TV
position i5 selected If the decision iB yes, the 35 appropriate output channel is set on the converter a for whatever position is selected, i.e. computer, VCR, etc. The next decision block is to whether or not the select witches are in the survey position. If so, there is a jump subroutine (JSR) 5 to the survey module. Next, there is a jump subroutine to data LED control, and following that a jump subroutine to test converter channel.
Following that, there is a jump subroutine to window control. This window control refers to whether or 10 not the time window permitting call in from the central location to the remote unit is open or closed. As previously discussed, advantageously a two hour window may be employed at a time when it is not expected that the telephone in the panelist ' 5 15 home will be in use, i.e. early in the morning hours.
Referring now to Figure 9, there is shown the main subroutine for clock housekeeping and converter control. The subroutine illustrated in 20 logic flow diagram form in Figure 9 is interrupt driven with the rate thereon set as a system parameter. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the interrupt rate is nominally set for 0.1 second. The flags and values set in the 25 subroutine illustrated in Figure 9 are monitored by the main loop illustrated in Figure 7. Referring now specifically to the subroutine illustrated in Figure 9, the first decision block is Jo whether or not the converter is on. If the converter is on, 30 the select switches are read and the converter channel is read. The next decision block is as to whether or not the channel lock is on. If the channel lock is not on, the next decision block is whether or not the TV is selected. It the TV is 35 selected, the next decision block is whether or not ,, .

~t75 AL

the channel has been changed. If the channel has been changed, then the subroutine commands the converter to tune to the new channel.
The bottom portion of the logic flow 5 diagram of Figure 9 relates to clock housekeeping.
The first decision block is whether or not there is an increment in the second of day. If there is, the subroutine executes an increment to the seconds of day value. The next decision block is as to whether 10 or not there is a day overflow. If there is, the subroutine resets the second of day and sets a midnight flag, indicative that a day has passed.
The block labeled RTl is an exit from this subroutine. As indicated, the subroutine is 15 interrupt driven at a rate system parameter, which in accordance with one embodiment is nominally set for 0.1 second.
Turning now to Figure 10, there is illustrated a logic flow diagram for the data LED
20 control module, referring to the data light emitting diode provided on the front panel of the data collection unit. This i9 the data LED control block illustrated in Figure B. In the subroutine of Figure 10, the first decision block is as to whether 25 or not the channel lock is on. If it is, the data LID is turned on. The next decision block is as to whether or not the blink flag is set. If it is, the data LED is toggled on and off. The next decision block is whether or not the current time is greater 30 than the blink time. If it is not, there is an exit from the subroutine (RTS). If it is, the blink flag i5 jet if the channel lock is off and the next blink time is calculated. The subroutine then loops back to reenter the decision block as to whether or not 35 the current time is greater than the blink time.

~2275i6~

Turning now to Figure 11, there is illustrated in logic flow diagram form the subroutine relating to the test converter channel module referred to in Figure 8. In Figure 11, the 5 first decision block is as to whether or not the channel has changed. If it has, an event is logged. Next decision block is as to whether or not the channel lock is on. If it is, the data LED is 10 turned off (which will appear as a blink when the LED is turned on later) and there is an exit from the subroutine i.e. a return to start. If, on the other hand the channel lock is not on, the next decision block is as to whether or not this is a 15 channel lock entry, i.e. has a channel been selected that corresponds to entering channel lock. If it does, the channel lock is set on, the data LED is turned on, and the blink flag is turned off and there is a return to start If, on the other hand, 20 this is not a channel lock entry, the next decision block i5 was to whether or not the channel entered is a channel lock exit. If it is, the channel lock is cleared and the data LED it turned off. If it is not a channel lock exit, there is a return to start for the subroutine.
Turning now to Figure 12, there is shown a logic flow diagram for the data wand read module.
The first step in the logic flow is to initialize memory pointers, Jo that the data read in from the 30 data wand is placed in the proper portion of the memory of the data collection unit. the next step in the logic flow is to connect the universal asynchronous receiver transmitter to the data wand interface. Characters are then read out one by one 35 from the data Rand interface and stored in memory.

75~

Figure 13 illustrates the logic flow for the window control module. As illustrated, the only decisions are whether or not it i5 time to open the window or close the window so as to permit 5 establishing telephone communications between the data collection unit and the central location.
Referring now to Figure 14, there is shown a loqic flow diagram for the survey module the first step in the subroutine is to retrieve the respondent 10 i.d. In connection with the survey function, it is useful to have different members of a panelist's household separately answer the questions in a survey. For this purpose, each of the members of the houqehold are assigned an i.d. number. When the 15 survey select switch is selected to enter the survey mode, the channel lock condition of the eonverter is automatically entered and the converter is tuned to the appropriate channel to display the survey questions. The first question presented is to ask 20 the person answering the survey to enter his or her i.d. number, which i9 simply a preassigned channel number which the respondent enters. The next decision block is with respect to whether or not there it an exit code in the information coming from Z5 the survey data storage in memory. If there i8, the subroutine i5 exited. The next decision block if there is no exit code it as to whether or not there are questions to ask. If there are, various pointers with respect to memory location and the like are initialized and the next question in the survey data is displayed. The respondent responds to the question by entering a channel number that corresponds to one of a plurality of possible answers to the question. This response is retrieved 35 and stored in memory. The next decision block is to i~Z~75~

whether or not there are any questions remaining for this i.d., i.e. whether or not this particular member of the household has further questions which need to be answered. If there are, the next 5 question is displayed, the response retrieved and stored and so on. If there are no questions remaining for this particular respondent, a "questions finished" message is displayed. The next decision block is to whether or not there are 10 questions remaining for any I'd., that is, whether or not there are further survey questions for any other members of the panelist's household. If there are not any further questions remaining for any i.d., the survey light emitting diode is 15 extinguished. As previously discussed, this survey light emitting diode on the front race of the data collection unit is illuminated whenever there are any unanswered survey questions in memory.
Turning now to Figure 15, there is 20 illustrated a logic flow diagram with respect to the communication module. The $irst step in the subroutine is a fetch command, which is simply a receipt of a character stream The character stream is decoded, and the command dispatch step involves 25 referencing the place in the memory corresponding to the decoded command, and execution of the relevant further commands stored at that location in memory. $he final decision block in this subroutine is as to whether or not there i5 a bye command. That 30 is, at the end of the character stream an entry signaling that it i5 the end of the character stream is inserted, and this decision block decides whether or not the communication is ended.
Polling the data collection units from a 35 central location using telephone lines and modems ~22~5~

may not always be the best technique for retrieving stored data from the memories of the data collection units. For example, there are markets where the incidence of private household telephones is 5 small. As another example, there may be some application in which assembled and analyzed market research data is not needed until a fairly long time interval after the raw data is collected. For these kinds of applications, a diferent embodiment of the 10 present invention has been developed which uses a portable data collector for collecting data from the data collection unit.
This alternate embodiment is illustrated in block diagram form in Figure 17. The system as 15 shown in Figure 17 is somewhat similar to the system shown in Figure 1, and like system components in the two drawings are identified by the same reference numerals. The data collection unit 21' shown in Figure 17 can be almost the same data collection 20 unit 21 as referred to previously, with the difference that the modem is eliminated from the data collection unit and an external electrical connector (reference numeral 100 in Figure 17) is instead provided. Also, in the system shown in 25 Figure 17 the telephone block and switched telephone network are not utilized; that is, there are no telephone connections. Instead of daily transfers of data from the RAM memory of the data collection units to a central computer via telephone, data 30 simply accumulates in the RAM. Periodically, such as once every week or every two weeks, a "meter reader" visits each panelist household with a protable data collector 101. The portable data col}ector is simply a digital data recorder 35 including a microprocessor with associated operating ~:27~

ROM and RAM and storage medium, such as magnetic cassette tape or disc. The ROM holds all the executable code required to enable the device ts communicate with the data collection units and the RAM is used to buffer data extracted from the data 5 collection units. Such devices are commercially available, and one suitable device is available from Pegasus Data Systems of Middlesex, New Jersey and identified as Buffered Digital Data Recorder Model PDI-BF. That particular device utilizes a magnetic 10 cassette tape. In operation, the portable data collector is simply connected to the external electrical connector 100 of the data collection unit 29'. The microprocessor in the portable data collector is suitably programmed to input the 15 appropriate signals and commands to the data collection unit for transfer of the data stored therein to the portzble data collector. rrhese are simply the same commands as would be given the data collection unit by a central computer over telephone 20 lines in the earlier described embodiment and, for example, would include commands of retrieve data collection unit status, retrieve event data, clear data collection unit data area, reset data collection unit clock if required), and resume 25 normal data collection unit activity.
The portable data collection unit is used to play back the recorded data from the data collection units to the central computer 24 as illustrated in figure 17. The data collection unit 30 serial number, which are written onto the tape or disc of the portable data collector along with the data, permit the central computer to identify which particular panelist household corresponds to each ~2~756~
~4 block of data recorded in the portable data collection unit.
Instead of a digital data recorder as referred to above, the portable data recorder may be 5 a suitable programmed minicomputer or the like, with data extracted from the data collection unit written onto a floppy disc One of the advantageous features of the remote data collection units in accordance with the 10 present invention is the ability to collect data def ining the composition of the television viewing audience in each panelist household. As explained previously, one way of achieving this in the present invention is to use the channel selector to cause 15 the cable converter or tuner to enter a channel-lock condition. When in the channel-lock condition, the data collection unit disables normal channel tuning so that the channel selector can be used to enter numbers which are stored in the data collection unit 20 memory. Each member of the panelist household i8 assigned a viewer identification number. These viewer identification numbers are entered into the data collection unit via the channel selector to indicate which members of the panelist household are 25 in the room. While viewers are allowed to enter viewer identification numbers at any time, in an effort to remind viewers to enter the viewer identification numbers the data collection unit will periodically issue a prompt.
In one version of a data collection unit, a viewer identification prompt is implemented using the light emitting diode 33 labeled "data." When viewer identifications are required, the data collection units flashes the light emitting diode on 35 and off at a rate of once per second. When viewers ~275~L

Lee the flashing light emitting diode 33, they are expected to enter channel-lock and enter their viewer identifications via the channel selector.
Entering channel-lock causes light emitting diode 33 5 to stop flashing and be illuminated continuously.
Each time a viewer identification number is entered, the light emitting diode 33 will blink off for half a second to indicate to the viewer that the identification number has been accepted by the data 10 collection unit. When all the viewer identification numbers have been entered, the channel-lock mode is exited, and light emitting diode 33 is extinguished.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, viewer identification data i5 15 obtained in a somewhat different manner. As has been previously explained , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the data collection unit includes hardware and programming which permits presentation of text and graphics on 20 the television receiver to which it it connected.
This arrangement can be used to implement the Survey function of the data collection unit. In accordance with one arrangement of the present invention, and referring to Figure 16, a technique is implemented 25 to have the viewer identification prompt appear on the television screen itself, no matter what channel i8 selected.
In Figure 16 a video generator 91 is provided which communicates with and reads the 30 contents of a RAM 92 and produces a video output.
The RAM 92 can ye part of the RAM 39 illustrated in Figure 5 and the video generator 91 can be part of the video interface 49 illustrated in Figure 5. In both the Survey mode and the viewer identification 35 sequence, the contents of the video data stored in ~L22~
g6 RAM 92 are read as lines of 8 bit ASCII characters.
The output of video generator 91 is passed through an RF modulator ~3 which i5, in effect, a small TV
transmitter that sends a picture displaying the characters stored in the RAM 92. The carrier 5 frequency for this signal is fixed to be identical to that of the output of the cable converter, which is usually channel 3~
In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention which uses a cable converter, the 10 cable converter converts all incoming television signals to a single output channel, for example, channel 3. A mall receiver 94 is used to demodulate this RF signal and extract the vertical sync pulse. This pulse is Ted into a synchronizer 15 circuit 96, which starts the RF modulator 93 and video generator 91. The RF signal from RF modulator 93 is presented to a switch 97. The qwitch 97 is a suitable electronic switch for high speed switching of an RF signal. This switch selects the RF signal 20 prom either the cable converter or the RF modulator 93 and directs the selected signal to the television receiver.
Switch 97 is controlled by a switch control circuit 98. This switch control circuit 98 detects 25 the border that appears around the area on the television screen where the text is written. The signal level change that occurs at the left edge of a screen of text i5 a trigger causing the switch control circuit 98 to set the switch 97 to select 30 the output of RF modulator 93. The switch control circuit can also detect the transfer of a byte of data in which all the bits are set (i.e. hexadecimal FF) from the RAM 92 to the video generator 91. The detection of a data byte with all bits set causes 756~

the switch control circuit 98 to reset switch 97 to select the converter output.
The text can appear anywhere on the television screen. Each line of text is displayed 5 until the end of the line or until a byte containing hexadecimal FF is read from the RAM 92. If a text line is not to be displayed, the byte corresponding to the first character of that line is set to hexadecimal FF. Full lines or portions of lines can 10 be switched. The overall effect is that of lines of characters being displayed over the picture from the cable converter.
The microprocessor controls this display via the RAM 92 and an overlay enable line 99. The 15 microprocessor first loads RAM 92 with the characters to be displayed and bytes of hexadecimal FF to define areas of the screen that are to remain unaffected. When the microprocessor sets the overlay enable line 99, the text i9 displayed over 20 the normal picture. The overlayed text is removed when the microprocessor clears the overlay enable line.
In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, the viewer identification, 25 prompting signal takes the form of two flashing symbols (such as **) in the upper left portion of the television screen. When the data collection unit requests viewer identifications, the two symbols (I*) appear on the screen and blink 30 continuously back and forth between two colors at a J'~ rate of once per second. TheRe symbols continue to flash until a viewer causes the data collection unit to enter the channel-lock mode. When the data collection unit enters channel-lock, the symbols ~2Z~

stop flashing and the overlay on the television screen is the following:

** 2 4 6 lO 12 14 16 18 71 72 PRESENCE OF GUEST ML FM

Each of the numbers 2 to 18 corresponds to a valid viewer identification for a member of the panelist household. The purpose of the special identification numbers 71 and 72 is explained hereafter.
Each time a viewer identification number is entered, the corresponding number in the display shown above is inverted in color to indicate to the person entering the data that the data collection unit has accepted that input. Should a number that is already inverted on the display be entered, that number on the display reverts to its normal color.
Thus, multiple entries of the same number will cause the number on the display to toggle back and forth between normal color and inverted color. This 20 allows the per90n entering the data to change a particular viewer identification entry should that be required.
The special viewer identification numbers 71 and 72 are used to indicate the presence of male and female guests, respectively. If a 71 is entered as a viewer identification number, the following three line display appears as an overlay on the television screen-- ML GUEST COUNT BY AGE 2-6:

7-ll; 12-17: 18-~4: 25-34:
35-49 50-54: 554:

~Z75~;~
~9 This is a request for the number of male quests in each of the age categories that are present in the room. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the channel S selector includes a scan up and scan down control ordinarily used to scan television programming.
When in the viewer identification mode, this scan control can be used to position or move a cursor on the television screen to "jump" among the various lO categories displayed in response to entry of the special viewer identifications numbers. Entry of a number through the channel selector while the cursor is positioned at one of the categories is an indication of the number of guests in the specified 15 aye categories presented in the room.
In a similar manner, entry of the viewer identification number 72 produces an overlay on the television screen with corresponding age categories and directed to female guests present in the room.
20 When the composition of the complete viewing audience has been specified, the person entering data can exit from the channel-lock condition and the display overlay is removed from the screen.
Upon subsequent entries into the 25 channel-lock condition, the text overlays on the television screen are presented with the audience composition information displayed as it was defined the previous time that viewer identification data was entered. If the audience has not changed, this 30 can be signified by merely entering and exiting channel-lock. If the audience has changed, the channel selector and scan control can be used to change any entries that are no longer connected.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment 35 of the invention, the viewer identification prompt ~7~

is first issued when the television set is turned on. The viewer identification prompt is also presented whenever a 30 minute period passes with no viewer identification data belng entered. In this 5 manner, a complete account of audience composition is recorded by the data collection unit on a current basis for the programming being viewed on the television set.
Although the present invention has been 10 described and illustrated with respect to preferred and exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be clear that various modifications are within the skill of those in this art, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (30)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. In a system for collecting data with respect to cooperating television viewers or panelists, including a central location and a plurality of remote units at a plurality of panelist locations, a remote unit for connection to a television broadcast receiver comprising:
receiving means for receiving a television broadcast signal;
a viewer control means including a channel elector coupled to said means for receiving a television broadcast signal;
a data collection unit for coupling said receiving means to the television broadcast receiver, said data collection unit including a microprocessor and memory mean for storing programming information for said microprocessor and for storing data;
said viewer control means being monitored by said microprocessor which stores data representing the state of said viewer control means in said memory means;
an optical reader associated with said data collection unit and for use by a panelist to scan data, said data being stored in said memory means under control of said microprocessor;
means for coupling said data collection unit to the switched telephone network;
and means for periodically establishing telephone communication between said data collection unit and the central location, whereby data stored in said memory means is transferred under control of said microprocessor to the central location.

2. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said receiving means for receiving a television broadcast signal comprises a cable converter for connection to a cable system.

3. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said optical reader is a bar code reader.

4. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said viewer control means includes a plurality of mode select switches for selecting one of a plurality of modes for use of the television receiver, and wherein said microprocessor is responsive to selection of a particular mode to tune the cable converter to an appropriate channel for the selected mode and to store in memory an indication of the mode selection.

5. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said data collection unit is responsive under control of said microprocessor to enter a channel lock condition upon selection of a first predetermined channel by said channel selector, whereby the cable converter under microprocessor control stays tuned to whatever channel is currently selected despite further changes in said channel selector, and wherein selection of a second predetermined channel by said channel selector exits the channel lock condition, the events of entering and exiting the channel lock condition being stored in said memory as event, and any channel numbers selected while in the channel lock condition also being stored in said memory as events.

6. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said memory is adapted to receive from the central location during telephone communications therewith and to store data in the form of alphanumeric characters, and wherein said data collection unit includes means under control of said microprocessor for generating on the television receiver a display of the data in the form of alphanumeric characters.

7. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 6 wherein said viewer control means includes a means for inputting to said data collection unit responses of a panelist to said display of alphanumeric characters, which responses are stored in said memory means.

8. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 2 wherein said data collection unit includes a receive only interface for receiving channel substitution data via a communication channel over a cable system, wherein each respective remote unit has identification data stored in said memory and wherein each respective remote unit is responsive to the presence of its identification data in the channel substitution data under control of said microprocessor to store same in said memory, and wherein said microprocessor controls the cable converter to effect channel substitution at selected predetermined times in accordance with the stored channel substitution data.

9. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 6 wherein said data collection unit includes a mode selector for selecting a television receiver display function wherein said alphanumeric data is displayed on the television receiver, and wherein said microprocessor is responsive to selection of the display function to tune the cable converter to an appropriate channel for the display function and to generate a display on the television receiver in accordance with the alphanumeric data stored in said memory

10. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 9 wherein upon selection of the display function said data collection unit is responsive under control of said microprocessor to enter a channel lock condition whereby the cable converter under microprocessor control stays tuned to the appropriate channel for the display function despite further changes in said channel selector by a panelist, and wherein selections of channel numbers by a panelist in response to the display are stored in said memory means as an indication of panelist response to said alphanumeric data.

11. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 10 wherein said alphanumeric data comprises market research survey data.

12. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 11 wherein said data collection unit includes a visible indicator under control of said micropro-cessor for providing a visible indication of the presence in said memory of market research survey data to alert a panelist to the presence of same.

13. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 3 wherein said bar code reader is adapted to read universal product codes, for storing in said memory data as to product purchases by a panelist.

14. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said means for coupling said data collection unit to the switched telephone network comprises a modem and a telephone block interface.

15. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 14 wherein said telephone block interface includes means for intercepting all incoming telephone calls under control of said microprocessor during a predetermined time window, and for otherwise not affecting incoming telephone calls outside of said time window.

16. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 15 wherein said telephone block interface is enabled during said time window to prevent ringing of a panelist's telephone receivers by an incoming call, to interrogate under microprocessor control an incoming telephone call to determine if it is from the central location, and to respond to the central location if it is and to disconnect the incoming call if it is not from the central location.

17. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 16 wherein telephone calls received during said time window which are not from the central location and which are thus disconnected, under microprocessor control inhibit said time window for a predetermined time to allow incoming calls to reach a panelist's telephone receiver.

18. A remote unit in accordance with Claim 17 wherein said remote unit comprises a plurality of data collection units, each respectively associated with a plurality of television receivers at a panelist location, and wherein each of said data collection units is coupled to a telephone system at the panelist location, whereby communication between the plurality of data collection units is via telephone wiring at the panelist location.

19. A system for collecting data with respect to cooperating television viewers or panelists comprising a central computer facility and a plurality of remote units at a respective plurality of panelist location, each of said remote units including:
receiving means for receiving a television broadcast signal;
a viewer control means including at least a channel selector coupled to said means for receiving a television broadcast signal;
a data collection unit for coupling said receiving means to a television broadcast receiver, said data collection unit including a microprocessor and memory means for storing programming information for said microprocessor and for storing data;
said viewer control means being monitored by said microprocessor which stores data in said memory means representing changes in said viewer control means;
an optical reader associated with said data collection unit and for use by a panelist to scan data, said data being stored in said memory means under control of said microprocessor;

means for coupling said data collec-tion unit to the switched telephone network; and means for periodically establishing telephone communication between each of the respective data collection units and said central computer facility, whereby data stored in said memory means is transferred under control of said microprocessor to said central computer facility.

20. A system in accordance with Claim 19 wherein said receiving means for receiving a television broadcast signal comprises a cable converter for connection to a cable system and said optical reader comprises a bar code reader.

21. A system in accordance with Claim 20 wherein each of said data collection units includes a receive only interface for reviewing channel substitution via a communication channel over a cable system, wherein each respective remote unit has identification data stored in said memory and wherein each respective remote unit is responsive to the presence of its identification data in the channel substitution data under control of said microprocessor to store same in said memory, and wherein said microprocessor controls the cable converter to effect channel substitution at selected predetermined times in accordance with the stored channel substitution data.

22. A system in accordance with Claim 21 wherein said memory of each of said data collection units is adapted to receive from the central location during telephone communications therewith and to store data in the form of alphanumeric characters, and wherein each of said data collection units includes means under control of said microprocessor for generating on the receptive associated television receiver a display of the data in the form of alphanumeric characters.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said viewer control means of each of said data collection units includes a means for inputting to said data collection unit responses of a panelist to said display of alphanumeric characters, which responses are stored in said memory means.

24. A method of collecting data from a plurality of cooperating panelists at a plurality of remote locations comprising the steps of:
providing at each remote location receiving means for receiving a television broadcasting signal for use with an associated television broadcast receiver;
providing at each remote location a viewer control mean coupled to the receiving means including at least a channel selector;
providing at each remote location an optical reader for use by a panelist to scan data;
monitoring the viewer control means and storing data indicative of changes therein; and periodically establishing telephone communications between a central location and each of the remote locations for transferring stored data with respect to the viewer control means and data optically scanned by a panelist to the central location.

25. A method in accordance with Claim 24 including the step of storing data optically scanned in by a panelist with the optical reader.

26. A method in accordance with Claim 25 wherein the optical reader which is provided is a bar code reader for scanning products purchased by a panelist.

27. A method in accordance with Claim 24 including the step of transmitting to each remote location during telephone communication with the central location market survey information and storing the information at the remote location and providing means under control of a panelist for calling up and displaying the information;
and providing means for panelists input of responses to the information; and storing the panelist response to the information for communication to the central location.

28. A method of collecting data from plurality of cooperating panelists at a plurality of remote locations comprising the steps of:
providing at each remote location receiving means for receiving a television broadcasting signal for use with an associated television broadcast receiver;
providing at each remote location a viewer control means coupled to the receiving means including at least a channel selector;
providing at each remote location an optical reader for use by a panelist to scan data and storing the data in a con at toe remove location, monitoring the viewer control means and storing data in said memory at the remote location indicative of changes therein;
periodically initiating at each remote location on-screen prompts overlayed on normal programming on the television broadcast receiver inquiring as to the identity of the persons in the audience viewing the television broadcast receiver with changes in the viewer control means in response thereto being indicative of identity of persons in the audience; and periodically establishing telephone communications between a central location and each of the remote locations for transferring data stored at each remote location in said memory with respect to the viewer control means and data optically scanned by a panelist to the central location.

29. A system for collecting data with respect to cooperating television viewers or panelists at locations having a television receiver provided with a screen for display and a channel selector, said system including a central computer and a plurality of remote units at a corresponding plurality of panelists locations, each unit comprising:
viewer control means;
data collecting means including a microprocessor and memory means for storing programming information for said microprocessor and for storing data, said viewer control means being monitored by said microprocessor which stores in said memory means data representing the state of said viewer control means;
an optical reader associated with said data collecting means and for use by a panelist to scan data, said data being stored in said memory means under control of said microprocessor;
means for coupling said data collection means to the switched telephone network; and means for periodically establishing telephone communication between said data collection means and the central computer, whereby data stored in said memory means is transferred under control of said microprocessor to the central computer.

30. A system for collecting data with respect to cooperating television viewers or panelists at locations having a television receiver provided with a screen for display and a channel selector, said system including a central computer and a plurality of remote units at a corresponding plurality of panelist locations, each unit comprising:
viewer control means;
data collecting means including a microprocessor and memory means for storing programming information for said microprocessor and for storing data, said viewer control means being monitored by said microprocessor which stores in said memory means data representing the state of said viewer control means;
an optical reader associated with said data collecting means and for use by a panelist to scan data, said data being stored in said memory means under control of said microprocessor;
means under control of said microprocessor in said data collecting means for initiating at the remote locations on-screen prompts overlayed on normal programming on said television screen inquiring as to the identity of persons viewing the television screen at the time of the prompts;
said viewer control means also including means for entering viewer identity data into said memory means in response to the on-screen prompts;
means for coupling said data collection means to the switched telephone network; and means for periodically establishing telephone communication between said data collection means and the central computer, whereby data stored in said memory means is transferred under control of said microprocessor to the central computer.