Method and system for ascertaining the consumption habits of a test population.

(42) Date of commencement of the patent: 15. 6.1990 (45) Date of issue: 27.12.1990 (56) References:

(73) Patent owner:

FUNKSCHAU 19/1985, pages 39-44 DE-0S2404074 DE-AS2622970 DE-0S2257460

SRG SWISS RADIO AND TELEVISION SOCIETY CH-3006 BERN (CH).

(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TELEVISION HABITS OF EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION (57) Data concerning programs recorded on a video tape recorder are recorded between synchronization pulses on the synchronization track of the video tape. During playback, the synchronization pulses are detected and after a Zeitaustastverfahren the recorded data are recorded, stored and evaluated. In addition, data about the operating mode of the video recorder can be recorded, stored and evaluated. The mentioned recording of the data is safe and has no adverse effect on the quality of the video recording.

CO

AT 391 968 ms «raaiß

No. 391 968

The invention relates to a method and a system for determining the TV viewing habits of a trial population, wherein data characteristic of the habits are automatically obtained by detecting the switched television channel or program or a video recording, and the stored data are transmitted to a central computer for evaluation ,

In radio show 19/1985, p 41, such systems are described in which data recorded on a VCR and reproduced television broadcasts relating to recorded on the video tape and read out and stored during playback. However, no information is given about the type of recording on the videotape.

It is also known that data received television broadcasts regarding recorded on tape and taken for evaluation from the tape (DE-OS 22 57 460).

The aim of the invention is to achieve a reliable recording of data on a videotape without adversely affecting the quality of the video recording. This object is achieved according to the invention that in video recordings, the data is recorded on the synchronization track by synchronization pulses detected and recorded between the same data, and that detects the recorded synchronization pulses in the video playback and detects the recorded data after a Zeitaustastverfahren and saved.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment. 2 is a block diagram of an adapter for channel detection, FIG. 3 is a circuit with a video recorder, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the function of the circuit according to FIG Fig. 3.

FIG. 1 shows the devices present in a household, in particular two television sets (la) and (lb), which are placed in different rooms. With the television receiver (la) is also a video recorder (2) connected. Both television receivers (la) and (lb) are each assigned a remote control device (3), of which FIG. 1 only one is shown. With the television receiver (la) and the video recorder (2), a monitoring device (4a) is connected, which in turn is connected via the interphone (5) with a central computer (6). To the television receiver (lb) is also a monitor (4b) is connected, which in turn is high-frequency via the mains (7) connected to the monitoring device (4a). The monitoring device (4b) differs from the monitoring device (4a) in that it has no module for connection to the telephone network. However, both monitoring devices are equipped with transmitting and receiving circuits for the digital transmission of data from the monitoring device (4b) in the monitoring device (4a), wherein the triggering of the transmission from the monitoring device (4a) takes place ago Finally, there is ever a remote control device (8) for the monitoring devices (4a, 4b) available. Both monitoring devices (4a) and (4b) are provided with a light display which can display any digits, texts and symbols.

The monitoring devices (4a) and (4b) store data on the use of the television receivers (la) and (lb) and the video recorder, in particular on the television broadcasts received at a given time, programs recorded with the video recorder and programs or their own reproduced by the video recorder Records and the like. Periodically, these data are retrieved by the central computer (6) from the monitoring device (4a), in which the data from the monitoring device (4b) are overstored, and then processed with data from many other households and stored centrally.

A first object of the illustrated system is now the respective operating state, in particular the respectively switched television channel or to record the TV program correctly and easily. It is of particular interest to make this detection of individual customization at the site in the households largely independent, as mentioned above. The capture should therefore be largely freed from individual circumstances of different types of televisions. For this purpose, for example, it is assumed that the carrier frequency of the television channel, which is permanently assigned to the channel and thus reliably identifies the channel. However, it is also possible to use the digitized tuning voltage as a characteristic and in the central computer in each case by interpolation or by systematically surveying the heirloom subscribers to identify the channel and also to correctly classify new or changed channel frequencies without intervention in the household. It can therefore be avoided to carry out checks and adjustments of the monitoring devices (4a) and (4b) in the household itself.

In the following, with reference to FIG. 2 an adapter for detecting the channel explained in more detail. With (9) the tuning circuit (tuner) for UHF and VHF is designated. The respective input frequency is fed via a broadband amplifier and frequency divider (10) and an RF interface (11) to a microprocessor (12). However, it is also possible to supply the tuning analog voltage to a DA converter (13) to which a channel memory (14) is assigned. There is further provided a digital interface (15) via which the processor (12) tuning information from the television receiver can be supplied. The circuit of FIG. 2 Thus, at will, various device-specific information about the switched television channel can be converted into digital information which is finally transmitted via an interface (16) to the monitoring devices (4a) or (4b). Preferably, however, the carrier frequency of the received channel is taken as information, since in this case misinterpretations are most unlikely. There will be some special specifications of the circuit of FIG. 2 specified.

-2Nr. 391 968

The digital adapter is used for practically all consumer electronics devices available on the market, which require a carrier signal acquisition based on the mixing principle in all band ranges. In particular, it finds application in televisions, video recorders and audio receiving devices. He has the task of selectively determining broadcast channels, which lead to signal extraction in the above-mentioned devices and can be converted into picture and sound. Integrated in the monitoring device, the adapter wins the necessary data, which are required for the state recognition for the demoscopy. The digital adapter basically has three different detection options:

a) Measurement of the oscillator frequency in the range of 30 MHz to 1 GHz. The measured frequency is assigned directly to a channel assignment according to CCIR standard B or G.

b) Analog acquisition: The adapter can also acquire analog measured values ​​or logic states that emerge from the receiving or processing part of the devices and assign them to a specific output value.

c) Sequential data acquisition: The adapter is capable of detecting and analyzing sequential signals on narrow-bus systems in the digital part of the devices. Bit repetition rates of up to 40 kbps are possible.

The adapter has a fast microprocessor system. On its periphery are three converter systems for analog-digital signal processing.

a) Measuring the oscillator frequency: In the immediate vicinity of the receiving unit, the high-sensitivity broadband RF amplifier (10) (Fig. 2) installed and coupled with a respective probe to the oscillator part of the device tuner (9) By RF-transmissive sites on the tuner housing, the oscillator signal is received, amplified and digitized fed to the processor. This acts as a frequency counter and can recognize the channel set on the device. The design of the RF amplifier allows the acquisition of the VHF and UHF receiver.

b) Analog input system: The analog inputs are fed via an AD converter (13) and a multiplex system to the processor. An input is specially designed to detect the tuning voltage of the capacitance. Six inputs are used to detect the threshold of status signals.

c) Digital acquisition: Various inputs of the interface (15) are used for direct parallel or serial data recognition. Synchronous or, depending on the software used, asynchronous data streams can be detected and analyzed. The input functions of the adapter are digitally filtered and the acquired data is formatted in accordance with the system, and its user programs can be created individually or retrieved partially from the permanent memory.

Whatever the channel detection, the central computer can decrypt the received digital information directly. All channel-specific data is stored in the computer, and the received channel can be associated with the stored data by comparing its characteristics. If there is no information in the memory, a survey of the audience can be made from the central computer. It appears on the monitor z. B. the question is channel X ?, assuming that the channel corresponds to a new or changed earlier channel (frequency). The answer yes confirms the guess, and the new data can be stored and assigned to the new or changed channel. In this case it is possible to determine erroneous information of the subscribers or to draw from such conclusions.

As mentioned, information about the use of the video recorder is desired. FIG. 3 schematically shows the essential circuits for collecting data on the use of the video recorder. In the monitoring device (4a), a video module (17) is installed, which is connected via a bus system to the processor (12). This video module is in turn connected to a sensor circuit (18) in the video recorder, which is connected to the head (19) of the video recorder. The detailed specifications are as follows:

The video module (17) as a subsystem to the TCG monitoring device (4a) allows data recording and playback. It is limited to the standardized systems VHS and Betamax. During tape playback, data is magnetically recorded on the videotape and can be read again during playback, without affecting the user of the VCR in its possibilities. The system has no qualitative influence on picture and sound recording.

With the video module (17) all VHS and Betamax video recorders can be equipped with data recognition. As a system-constant modulation option head synchronization was selected. The installation of the video module is very simple, since only a 2-wire cable must be routed to the audio head. In addition, an adapter still has to be mounted for the channel tuning voltage, on-off and play condition detection. On the synchronization track, the synchronization for the rotating video head is magnetized. Synchronous with the beginning of the image, needle impulses are put on the track, which keep the image reproduction stable when playing the videotape. With the video module, a data carrier is now set during the recording between the synchronization pulses. The data transmission takes place serially, d. H. 1 bit can be modulated per picture. The maximum data rate is therefore 25 bit / s. The video module has its own processor. It takes the data from the monitor (4a) serially and modulates the tape serially.

The sensor circuit (18) is a bidirectional analog amplifier module. The inputs are connected directly to the two taps of the recording and playback head. The input signal is conducted potential-free to the amplifiers via a magnetic coupler. Incoming and outgoing signals are decoupled from each other by a circulator circuit. The level differences of the incoming signals lead in the system

-3Nr. 391 968 automatically distinguishes between recording and playback as the operating status of the VCR. Furthermore, a keyed control and filters are installed, which limit the system dynamics to a minimum.

The video module (17) has its own processor and processes the signals read in according to certain filter methods for data acquisition. It locks in the VCR on the image synchronization signals when recording images and modulates a serial data stream in the image blanking gaps. During playback, it re-synchronizes to the same frame sync pulses and can recover the modulated data with high confidence with an accurate time blanking method. Distortions in the period range of the picture-blanking pulses are automatically controlled by the processor system. Also normal and slow tape speed are automatically detected and sealed by the system.

The recording track is used to synchronize the drive system to the image sequence (beginning of image). This signal is supplied to the recording head via a differentiator. This gives it a system-specific standard. In Fig. 4 shows

a) the differentiating signal during the Bespielungsphase. When playing, the same signal is obtained but at a level 60 dB lower;

b) the digital data sequence at the processor interface;

c) the data sync pulses determined by the digital processor filter; and

d) a data modulated synchronization signal (the burst after positive signal peak represents a logical 1).

It is thus possible to determine, store and transmit data on the type and timing of the recorded and reproduced programs to the central computer. It can also be determined whether recorded TV broadcasts, purchased video tapes or own video recordings are played. This determination can be made in the dialog method described above; namely, the central computer determines that the data coupled to a video playback no television channel or Program, a survey on the display of the TCG monitor (4a) on the nature of the video recording take place.

For the media and market research, it is also desirable to determine if and which pages are viewed by teletext. It must therefore be determined when and which teletext page is selected. But since many teletext decoders of the TV sets offer the possibility to store teletext pages in a memory without them appearing on the screen, a special adapter had to be developed. This adapter decodes the code (page number) from the RGB or the sample signal just before the picture tube. This allows the code (page number) of the teletext page that is really displayed on the screen to be recognized.

Image content of a teletext page is read into a digital memory with a sampling frequency of 6 MHz. The start command is given by the processor (12) after it has detected via a teletext status input that teletext has been turned on. The 6 MHz clock frequency is tapped on the Teletext decoder in the TV set so that the samples that are read in correspond to the pixels that the teletext decoder uses for character representation. The enable for the read cycle is linked to the image and line pulses to ensure that a complete image is read in synchronously. This is stored in rows according to lines. So that each sample in memory receives its address, an address counter is incremented with the clock frequency of 6 MHz, which takes over the RAM addressing when reading. The clock frequency is suppressed during the duration of the line pulses, so as not to waste memory space. An additional enable input on the clock link allows starting and stopping the clock anywhere in the lines of the image. Thus, only certain parts of an image can be read.

If an image is stored, the processor (12) can select each individual point and, computation of the address offset, combine all the associated points again into a matrix according to the teletext standard. This can then be analyzed. It is thus possible to recognize the page number on the teletext header or any page markers and to pass them to the monitoring device for evaluation. It is also possible to decode any bit sequence on a picture line.

As mentioned, it is possible and desirable to collect further data on consumption habits and transmit them to the central computer. Since today a high proportion of all products are provided with information in the EAN code (European Article Numbering System), a reader can be given to the consumer with whom they read the EAN codes on the purchased goods and into the monitoring device via a suitable adapter can enter. Further details can be entered by means of the remote control device (8). Accordingly, data can also be recorded at points of sale and thus consumption behavior can be researched.

The auxiliary device for reading the EAN code may preferably be equipped for network connection and transmit the determined data in the manner mentioned above high-frequency via the mains to the monitoring device. This reader can therefore at any point in the household, eg. In the kitchen, can be used to collect data. It can also provide a keyboard for entering non-readable data

-4Nr. 391 968. Other data can also be entered either by scanning tables with EAN code or manually, e.g. On reading newspapers and magazines, radio listening and other habits.