Patent ID: 7039928
Filing Date: 2006-05-02
Classification: H04H,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for obtaining audience data on TV programs, in an audience data obtaining device which uses a computer, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining, from outside, TV program table data for an area where a viewer resides, said TV program table data including channel information and time information for each of TV programs planned to be broadcast in that area; detecting a channel that is being viewed by the viewer; detecting times at which a viewing of the channel is started and ended; identifying a program ID of a currently viewed program from said TV program table data by comparing said detected channel and a current time with the channel and time information of said TV program table data; obtaining audience data which include at least the program ID and viewed time information of the viewed program based on said TV program table data and results of the detecting of times, said viewed time information including at least one of (1) a view start time of each viewed program, (2) a view end time of each viewed program, and (3) a difference between the view start time and the view end time; and transferring, via the Internet to a collection center, the obtained audience data along with ID data of the viewer.