Global Patent Index - EP 0433384 A4

EP 0433384 A4 19911211 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING TELEVISION VIEWERS

Title (en)

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING TELEVISION VIEWERS

Publication

EP 0433384 A4 19911211 (EN)

Application

EP 89910795 A 19890823

Priority

  • US 23592788 A 19880824
  • US 29579089 A 19890111

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO9002453A1] The invention monitors television viewing acts by detecting body heat radiation (11) from viewers' eyes or reflections of light viewers' eyes to determine time intervals and total times each individual is viewing the television. Light reflections can be from ambient light (17), light emitted by the television screen (19) or specific transmitted light signals (18). Viewing information is correlated by monitor (38, 40) with program information from the television (12, 42). The invention can identify each individual viewing the televison and correlate program viewing information for each individual. Signals reflected from each individual's eyes can also be used to determine changes in blink rate and pupil dilation to determine the emotional response of each individual to the programs viewed. This invention also monitors the times at which particular programs are viewed even when the program is recoreded on a VCR (52) and viewed at a later time.

IPC 1-7

H04H 9/00; G06K 9/00

IPC 8 full level

A61B 3/113 (2006.01); H04H 60/33 (2008.01); H04H 60/39 (2008.01); H04N 7/173 (2011.01)

IPC 8 main group level

H04H 1/00 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP US)

A61B 3/113 (2013.01 - EP); H04H 60/33 (2013.01 - EP); H04H 60/39 (2013.01 - EP); H04N 7/17309 (2013.01 - EP); H04N 21/42201 (2013.01 - EP); H04N 21/4223 (2013.01 - EP); H04N 21/44222 (2013.01 - EP US)

Citation (search report)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI LU NL SE

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 9002453 A1 19900308; AU 4303489 A 19900323; CA 1330368 C 19940621; EP 0433384 A1 19910626; EP 0433384 A4 19911211

DOCDB simple family (application)

US 8903647 W 19890823; AU 4303489 A 19890823; CA 609242 A 19890824; EP 89910795 A 19890823