Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for collecting program viewership information are described. A viewership monitoring module is provided access to decrypted program content allowing program information to be recovered without having to capture output program content using a microphone or camera. The monitoring module is loaded onto a secure device, e.g., a home network device, such as a router used to deliver content to a secure playback device. Alternatively the secure device which performs the monitoring maybe the secure playback device. Since a user of the secure device or a company implementing the viewership monitoring process loads the monitoring module onto the secure device, the network used to deliver the secure content need not be informed of which network customers are contributing to the viewership information which is being collected.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Various embodiments of the present invention are related to cable network systems, and more particularly, to method and apparatus for monitoring and collecting content viewership information to generate viewership statistics. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The collection of content presentation, e.g., viewership, information is important to networks, advertisers, content delivery companies and many other entities for a variety of purposes and applications. 
         [0003]    Traditionally, companies such as the Nielsen, relied on a group of viewers to keep a manual log of what they watched and when. The log information was collected and then compiled to generate program viewership information which might be reflected as TV viewership ratings and which also provided information about the number and age of viewers watching the programs. 
         [0004]    The viewership information collected by ratings companies is often used for targeting advertisements, determining what TV shows are maintained or dropped by a TV network and for a wide variety of other applications. 
         [0005]    While Television (TV) was and remains an important target for ratings services, as the distribution and presentation of a wide variety of programs has migrated to a wide variety of user devices in addition to TVs, there has been a growing need for methods and apparatus to track viewership information on a wide variety of different customer devices, e.g., handheld devices, personal computers, tablets, etc. 
         [0006]    While content delivery network operators, e.g. cable companies, can track viewer information since the content delivery network is often able to track which content is being delivered to individual set top boxes or other customer premise devices, the information which is available to the content delivery network operator is normally prohibited to being distributed without express consent of the customer to which the content is delivered. Thus, even if a content delivery network has detailed content and/or viewing information they normally are prohibited from sharing such information with an outside ratings company. 
         [0007]    While it might seem that a rating company could obtain authorization from the viewers who provide it with viewing information, this is often not a practical solution given that it would require the rating company to provide information about the viewers it is monitoring to generate the ratings statistics with the content delivery company, e.g., cable network operator. Ratings companies tend to try and keep the identify of the viewers who contribute to the ratings a carefully guarded secret to avoid a TV network or program producers targeting and/or somehow influencing the relatively limited set of viewers upon which the ratings are generated which are intended to be representative of the much larger viewing audience. 
         [0008]    In order to overcome various problems, e.g., manual viewer tracking and reporting requirements, of the log approach to obtaining viewership information, audio watermarking techniques have been used to embed content identification information into programs which are broadcast by TV and Radio broadcasters and/or other content distributors. The audio watermarks, while not being detectable by the human ear, can be detected by a machine which processes an electronic version of an audio signal including the audio watermark. 
         [0009]    In analog systems, the analog audio signal in electrical form may be monitored to detect the audio watermark. Simple signal pass through devices have been developed to be placed between the output of a set top box and the analog audio/video input of a television to monitor viewing of content that includes audio watermarks. 
         [0010]    While the audio watermarking has served well in the context of analog systems, advances in digital communications technology have made it difficult to use with current content delivery networks. This is because the content is often encrypted while being communicated over the network and/or between secure devices. Thus, if a simple pass through monitoring device is used in many modern digital networks, it will simply observe encrypted digital data and be unable to identify the content being delivered based on the audio watermarks due to the encryption of the program content. 
         [0011]    While the program content maybe decrypted in a secure playback device, the interface to the output device is often secure or integrated into the playback device eliminating the analog signal path into which an analog signal monitoring device may have previously been inserted. 
         [0012]    In an attempt to overcome the problem presented by a lack of an analog audio signal interface into which a monitoring device can easily be inserted, the audio output of a playback device is monitored in some systems using a microphone and the audio signal captured by the microphone is then processed to detect watermark information. 
         [0013]    While such an approach may be suitable for some applications, it has considerable disadvantages in that an acoustic signal needs to be generated and monitored. Furthermore, background noise and/or other acoustic problems may interfere with the reliable capture of generated audio signals and/or the recovery of program identification information. 
         [0014]    In view of the above, it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and apparatus which facilitate the collection of viewership information in an automated manner without relying on the capture of acoustic information, e.g., audio signals output by a speaker, and the processing of signals generated from the recovered acoustic signals. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Methods and apparatus for monitoring program content being output to viewers and collecting viewership information are described. 
         [0016]    In some embodiments a viewership monitoring application is loaded onto a secure device, e.g., such as a secure/trusted router, or a secure content playback device. The secure device then tracks viewership information relating to content which is supplied to the secure device, e.g., for communication to a playback device or for output in the case where the secure device is a playback device. 
         [0017]    The secure device maybe, and in some embodiments is, a secure router or server though which content passes as it is delivered to a secure playback device. In such embodiments, the secure device which tracks viewership information effectively snoops the content which passes to the device and combines this with information about the number and/or ages of viewers to whom the content is being presented, e.g., displayed on a display device and/or output in the form of an acoustic audio signal. 
         [0018]    The content for which viewership information is collected by the secure device is normally communicated through the communications network for delivery to a playback device in a secure, e.g., encrypted, form. Thus, in many cases the program content is communicated as encrypted digital program content. In various embodiments, an audio and/or video component of the program content is watermarked identifying the program, program source, content distributer supplying the content for playback, etc. 
         [0019]    The information communicated by the watermarks included in the program content can not be easily detected by observing the encrypted program content since the encryption process is intended to secure the content making it hard to access and/or recover information from while in encrypted form. 
         [0020]    In at least some embodiments, to facilitate recovery of program information from encrypted program content, the secure device is provided with decryption information, e.g., from a network security server and/or other device, allowing it to decrypt program content, intended for a playback device, which is supplied to the secure device. The secure device decrypts the encrypted program content and then processes the decrypted digital program content to recover program information, e.g., information identifying the program being viewed. In some embodiments, to recover the program information, the secure device decodes encoded audio and/or video data which is part of the decrypted digital program content and then processes the decoded audio and/or video data to recover information communicated by one or more watermarks included therein. While watermarks are often used to identify the program content, e.g., audio watermarks of the type used by some Nielsen viewership monitoring devices, metadata communicated with the digital program and/or other program identifying information can be, and in some embodiments is, recovered from the decrypted and decoded program content. 
         [0021]    Recovered program identification information is combined with viewership information obtained from a user of a playback device that is used to output the program content to one or more viewers. In the present application the term viewer is to be interpreted broadly and can include listener information in the case where a program includes only audio content. The number, age and/or other information about viewers can, and in some embodiments is, received from a user, e.g., at the time a program is presented to a user and/or prior to presentation. In some embodiments a user may set a default setting indicating that a particular device normally has one or a particular set of users. In some embodiments, if a user does not supply viewership information corresponding to a specific program, e.g., a program being viewed, the default viewership information for the playback device for which viewership information is being generated is used, i.e., the default viewership information for a playback device outputting a program may be used and combined with information about the date and time the program was viewed. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments the secure device which generates viewership information is a network router, server or other network device, e.g., a home network routing element located at a customer premise. In such cases, the viewership information may be entered by the user into a handheld playback device, set top playback device, or another type of secure playback device which supplies the viewership information to the router or other secure device generating the viewership information. Thus, the secure device tracking viewership information, through which program content is being supplied to the playback device, may receiver viewership information entered into a playback device by a user, e.g., viewer. In the case where the secure device is a playback device, the user may enter the information about the viewers viewing a program directly into the playback device. 
         [0023]    In order to keep the encrypted program content from existing in an unsecure digital form, digital data which is decrypted by a secure device is not transmitted to a playback device except over a secure communications link or in a secure manner, e.g., in encrypted form. 
         [0024]    In the case where the secure device is the playback device, the viewership monitoring module is implemented either as secure hardware, e.g., a secure circuit, or runs on a secure portion of the playback device which is allowed access to decrypted digital data. In the case where the viewership monitoring is performed in a home network device such a router, the encrypted program content is either forwarded in its original encrypted form to a secure playback device or the decrypted digital program content is re-encrypted prior to being delivered to the secure playback device. In the case where the encrypted program content is forwarded to the secure playback device, the secure playback device and router or other network element generating the viewership information share the security information, e.g., decryption key or shared secret, needed to decrypt the encrypted program content. In the case where the decrypted program content is re-encrypted for delivery to the secure playback device the router or other network device and the secure playback device have a security relationship with the router having an encryption key or shared secret with the secure playback device having a corresponding decryption key or shared secret. Thus, the communication of program content between the router and/or other network device can be secured but with potentially different encryption techniques and/or security information (different encryption/decryption keys) than is used to secure the delivery of the program content to the router or other network device. 
         [0025]    While the router embodiment has the advantage of centralizing viewership monitoring in a home or other customer premise, the embodiments where the viewership monitoring is performed on the secure playback devices has the advantage that a network device need not be enabled to decode the encrypted program content being delivered to secure playback devices. Thus, while the router embodiment offers some centralization and hardware advantages over the embodiment where viewership is monitored at the playback device, the embodiment where the monitoring is performed at the playback device offers security advantages and reduces the need to share the information needed to decrypt the program content between multiple devices or support different encryption over the link to the router than between the router and secure playback device. 
         [0026]    In many embodiments, the content delivery network is unaware of the viewership monitoring that is being performed. The viewership monitoring modules are loaded onto the secure devices by the end users of the devices, e.g., viewers who agree to participate in the monitoring process or program, and/or by the company implementing the monitoring program. Thus, the company implementing the monitoring program need not disclose or reveal which viewers are participating in the viewership monitoring process thereby helping to keep the identity of the viewers who are being monitoring and affecting program ratings secret from the public and/or content delivery companies, such as cable network service providers. 
         [0027]    In accordance with some embodiments an exemplary method of collecting presentation information, comprises: receiving, at a secure device, encrypted program content including audio or video information identifying the program content; operating the secure device to decrypt the encrypted program to produce decrypted digital program content; operating the secure device to process the decrypted digital program content to recover the information identifying the program content; and generating viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content. In some embodiments the viewership statistics is generated further based on viewership information provided by a viewer corresponding to the secure playback device to which the content is supplied for presentation. In some embodiments the generated viewership statistics is communicated to an external viewership information server. 
         [0028]    Numerous additional features, embodiments and benefits are described in the detailed description which follows. 
         [0029]    Various additional features and advantages of the present invention are discussed in the detailed description which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system implemented in accordance with the some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary system implemented in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the steps of an exemplary method performed in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating the steps of an exemplary method performed in accordance with some other embodiments of the invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary secure device implemented as a secure playback device in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary secure device implemented as a secure router in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  illustrates yet another exemplary system implemented in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary secure monitoring device implemented in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention which can be used in the exemplary system shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0038]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system  100  implemented in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The system  100  supports secure delivery of content to customer premise equipment (CPE), e.g., set top box, internet capable TVs, mobile phones etc., and monitoring of content viewership in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The system  100  includes a network headend  102 , a cable network  161 , e.g., a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network and/or internet, a plurality of customer premises  104 ,  106  and a viewership information server  110 . In various embodiments the content, e.g., multimedia content, is delivered from the headend  102  in encrypted form to a plurality customer premises including customer premise  104 ,  106 . As will discussed, in accordance with one aspect of some embodiments, a secure CPE at the customer premises decrypt and process the received content to recover information identifying the program content, and generates viewership statistics from the recovered information. 
         [0039]    The network headend  102  may be implemented at a cable network office or site including multiple servers and databases which are coupled together as shown. In the  FIG. 1  example, the headend  102  includes a content server, e.g., a broadcast file server (BFS) and/or a video on-demand (VOD) server  180 , content storage  182 , a security server/bulk encryptor  186 , a customer database  190 , and a business management server  192 . It should be appreciated that various servers and/or elements shown to be included in the headend  102  may reside outside the headend  102  in some embodiments and may be located anywhere in the system  100 , e.g., in a distributed manner. In the  FIG. 1  example, various servers and other elements included in the headend  102  are coupled together by a local network  193 . The local network  193  is coupled via one or more network interfaces  181  to other networks and/or devices. For example, the headend  102  is coupled via network interface  181  to communications network  161 , e.g., a cable network, and may also be coupled to one or more other external networks. System  100  may also include one or more mobile network(s) including one or more base stations (BS) for supporting communications, e.g., delivery of content and/or other signaling, with mobile devices such as cell phones. 
         [0040]    Via the cable network  161 , the elements shown in the network headend  102  can send and/or exchange various information with the devices located at the customer premises  104 ,  106 . The devices located at the customer premises  104 ,  106  are coupled to the cable network  161  via the modems  120 ,  150  as shown. In  FIG. 1  embodiments, each customer premise  104 ,  106  respectively includes a modem device  120 ,  150 , a secure/trusted router  136 ,  166 , and one or more CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170 , and an output device  134 ,  1146 ,  164 ,  176  coupled to each of the respective CPEs. In various embodiments the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  could be, e.g., set top box, internet capable TVs, personal computers, laptops, smart phones etc. In various embodiments the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  perform, among other things, the function of a content playback device to present the program content to a viewer, e.g., a customer/subscriber. The output device could be, e.g., standard television. It should be appreciated that each of the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170 can be integrated in a device which also includes a display. 
         [0041]    The CPEs, e.g., STBs, support video, audio and optionally, E-mail functionality. In some, but not all, embodiments the CPEs are IP capable set top box devices, e.g., STBs which support IP (internet protocol) and communications over the internet. The CPEs shown in the system  100  can be used to send information to the network headend  102  in addition to receiving programming content and/or information from the headend  102 . Each customer premise  104 ,  106  may include additional customer premise devices, e.g., internet capable TVs, computers, mobile devices etc. The modems  120 ,  150  in some embodiments are e.g., cable modems. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , communications link  194  traversing the cable network  161  couples the modem  120  to the various elements/servers shown in the network headend  102 . Similarly, modem  150  in the customer premise N  106  is coupled to the various elements/servers shown in the network headend  102  via link  196  which traverses the cable network  161 . Communications links  195 ,  197  traversing the cable network  161  couple the modems  120 ,  150  to the viewership information server  110 . In accordance with one feature, the CPEs and/or the routers  136 ,  166  can communicate and exchange information with the viewership information server  110 . 
         [0043]    In some embodiments the CPEs support internet browsing functionality. Thus the users at customer premise  104 ,  106  can browse the web and receive programming content through the CPEs. Additionally, the CPEs may, and often do, include DVR functionality and the storage of user selected content, e.g., data and/or video, and audio content. Although not shown, customer premise  104 ,  106  may also include additional STBs and display devices 
         [0044]    The content server  180 , e.g., a broadcast file server (BFS) and/or video on-demand (VOD) server, among other things, is responsible for delivering programming content and/or other information to one or more customer premise equipments (CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170 ), including video on-demand content ordered by one or more customers. In some embodiments BFS server and VOD servers are implemented as separate individual servers. The content server  180  accesses the content from the content storage  186  and generates a transport stream suitable for delivery to various CPEs via the communications network  161 . The content storage  186  stores content, e.g., audio, video and/or other multimedia content. As illustrated, the content storage  186  includes stored watermarked content  188 , e.g., content with audio and/or video watermarks. The content with audio and/or video watermarks  188  is generated by digitally inserting watermarks on audio and/or video content. 
         [0045]    The security server/bulk encryptor  186  includes an encryption module  188  responsible for encrypting the content stream generated by the content server  180  prior to delivery to the CPEs. The generated encrypted content stream is delivered to the CPEs over the communications network  161 . 
         [0046]    The customer database  190  includes, for a plurality of customers, customer information, account information and information regarding the devices installed at customer premises. In some embodiments customer account information includes, e.g., customer account number, customer subscription/service information, customer device capability and other billing related information. Customer database  190  also includes customer device information, e.g., identification and/or other information regarding customer devices such as secure routers, STBs, cable modems etc., installed at various customer premises served by the headend  102 . 
         [0047]    BM (Business management) server  192  processes billing information corresponding to customers serviced by the headend  102 . This may include updating billing charge information in response to changes in services being provided to the customer, upgrades, on-demand content purchases, and/or other activity. Business management server  190  also processes services bill payment information, e.g., bill payment transactions, deductions from debit accounts, mail bills, and/or processes discount and/or other information. 
         [0048]    Referring now to the customer premises  104 ,  106 . Each customer premise includes a secure/trusted router  136 ,  166  respectively. Each of the routers  136 ,  166  respectively includes a decryption module  122 ,  152 , a decoding module  125 ,  143 , an optional encryption module  126 ,  156 , a viewership monitoring module  124 ,  154 , and generated viewership information  127 ,  157 . In some embodiments the secure routers  136 ,  166  are configured to first decrypt the received digital program content, and then re-encrypt the decrypted digital content prior to outputting the digital content to the CPEs. In other embodiments the router also decodes the content prior to re-encrypting and sending it to the CPEs. In some embodiments the viewership monitoring module processes the decoded content, e.g., decompressed audio and/or video content. The decryption modules  122 ,  152  are configured to decrypt the received encrypted program content stream from the headend  102  using a first decryption key to recover digital program content. In some embodiments the optional encryption modules  126 ,  156  are provided and are configured to re-encrypt the decrypted digital program content before supplying the digital program content to the corresponding CPEs from the secure routers  136 ,  166 . In such embodiments the CPEs  124 ,  140  and  158 ,  170  then decrypt the digital content supplied by the secure routers  136 ,  166  using a second decryption key provided by the corresponding secure routers  136 ,  166 . 
         [0049]    In some other embodiments, the secure routers  136 ,  166  are configured to output the received encrypted digital content to the CPEs in encrypted form as received from the headend  102 . In such embodiments the CPEs receiving the encrypted digital content perform decryption using a decryption key provided by the headend  102  to recover the program content. The CPEs  128 ,  140  and  158 ,  170  perform the function of playback devices to present the content to the subscriber/customer. 
         [0050]    The viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154  monitor and collect viewership information, e.g., what content users are watching, when they are watching, how many individual are watching etc. In various embodiments the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154  are configured to process the decrypted program content from the corresponding decryption modules  122 ,  152  to recover information identifying the program content, e.g., by processing the decrypted content to identify the watermarks included in the received encrypted program content. Thus in some embodiments the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154  identify the program content and track what program content is being supplied to the CPEs from the routers  136 ,  166  to generate the viewership statistics. In some embodiments the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154  is configured to receive information indicating a number of viewers to which the decrypted program content is being output. 
         [0051]    The viewership information  127 ,  157  are outputs of the respective viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154 . The generated viewership information  127 ,  157  includes the viewership statistics collected by the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154  and is sent, e.g., periodically, for example, every  24  hours, to the viewership information server  110  which uses the collected viewership statistics for a variety of purposes and applications. The generated viewership information  127 ,  157  includes viewership statistics corresponding to a plurality of programming content, e.g., shows, movies, songs, etc. In some embodiments the viewership information  127 ,  157  is generated by the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  154  based on the knowledge of the identified decrypted program content being output to the CPEs and the received information indicating a number of viewers to which the decrypted program content is being output. 
         [0052]    Each of the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  respectively includes a decryption module  160 ,  142 ,  160 ,  172 , a decoding module  131 ,  141 ,  161 ,  175  for decoding decrypted audio and/or video and a secure interface to an output device  132 ,  144 ,  162 ,  174 . While the secure interface may output content in a secure, e.g., encrypted form, in accordance with the DLNA standard, it is to be understood that the encrypted content is normally not encoded, e.g., is not compressed thereby allowing a receiving device to easily use the content without having to perform a decoding operation thereon. Each CPE is coupled to an output device  134 ,  146 ,  164 ,  176  via the corresponding secure interface as shown in the Figure. In some embodiments the secure interface is e.g., an HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) interface or another secure interface. The output devices  134 ,  146 ,  164 ,  176  could be standard TVs, internet capable TVs, monitors, laptops, etc. Each of the decryption module  160 ,  142 ,  160 ,  172  is configured to decrypt the received digital program content from the secure routers  136 ,  166 , and provide the decrypted digital content to the corresponding output device  134 ,  146 ,  164  for presentation to the customers, via the corresponding secure interface  132 ,  144 ,  162 ,  174 . 
         [0053]    Viewership information server  110  gathers/collects viewership information from one or more secure devices at the customer premises  104 ,  106 . In some embodiment, the viewership information server  110  is included in the network headend  102 . Monitoring and tracking of viewership statistics corresponding to cable service subscribers, e.g., viewing information such as programming content being viewed, number of individuals/subscriber household that watch a particular programming content, can be desirable for a variety of purposes and use. 
         [0054]      FIG. 2  illustrates another exemplary system  200  implemented in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. Various servers, devices and/or modules shown in the  FIG. 2  embodiment that bear the same reference number as used to illustrate the various elements of system  100 , are the same or similar in function to the elements of system  100  discussed above. Accordingly, to avoid repetition, these elements will not be discussed again. One difference in the  FIG. 2  embodiment that can be appreciated from the figure is that in this embodiment a secure/trusted router is not implemented at the customer premises  104 ,  106 . Unlike the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , in  FIG. 2  embodiment the decryption key is not shared by two devices (the secure routers and the CPEs) at the customer premise  104 ,  106 . Rather only the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  are provided with the decryption key by the headend  102  to decrypt and recover the digital program content. 
         [0055]    Thus system  200  of  FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment where the encrypted digital content is received by the CPEs at the customer premises  104 ,  106  and the viewership monitoring function is implemented by the additional modules included in the secure CPEs devices  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  as shown. While in the  FIG. 2  embodiments decoders  131 ,  143 ,  165 ,  175  are not shown, it is to be understood that they are included in the CPE devices and operate to decode decrypted content as previously discussed with regard to the  FIG. 1  embodiment. 
         [0056]    In the  FIG. 2  embodiment, the CPEs  128 ,  140 , are coupled to the modem  120  while CPEs  158 ,  170  are coupled to modem  150 . In addition to the decryption module and a secure interface discussed with regard to  FIG. 1  embodiment, in the  FIG. 2  embodiment each of the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  further includes a viewership monitoring module  124 ,  125 ,  154 ,  171  and generated viewership information  127 ,  147 ,  157 ,  173  which is generated by the corresponding viewership monitoring module in the corresponding CPE as shown. As discussed above with regard to the viewership monitoring modules of system  100 , the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  125 ,  159 ,  171  monitor and collect viewership information. However in  FIG. 2  embodiment, the viewership monitoring function is performed in the secure CPEs where the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  125 ,  159 ,  171  is implemented. The function of various other elements is the same as discussed in the  FIG. 1  example. 
         [0057]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart  300  showing the steps of an exemplary method of collecting viewership information, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. 
         [0058]    The method  300  includes steps performed by various elements of an exemplary system, e.g., exemplary system  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . In some embodiment some of the steps are performed by a secure device, e.g., a secure/trusted router such as secure routers  136 ,  166  while various other steps are performed by various elements shown in the system  100  including a secure playback device, e.g., a customer premise equipment such as CPE  128 ,  158  etc. For the purpose of discussion of flowchart  300 , consider that the secure device is the secure router  136  and the secure playback device is a CPE such as CPE  128 . 
         [0059]    The method  300  starts in step  302 , e.g., with the secure device and various components in the system being initialized. 
         [0060]    Operation proceeds from step  302  to step  304 . In step  304  a viewership monitoring module, e.g., such as viewership monitoring module  124 , is loaded onto the secure device. The functionality of viewership monitoring module is discussed above with regard to  FIGS. 1-2 . The viewership monitoring module in some embodiments is implemented as an application and is loaded onto the secure device, e.g., by the user of the secure device or by a third party after getting user&#39;s/customer&#39;s input, e.g., approval, for loading the viewership monitoring module. Thus in some embodiments, step  304  of loading the monitoring module is performed in response to a user input. 
         [0061]    Operation proceeds from step  304  to steps  306  and  308 . In some embodiments, steps  306  and  308  are performed asynchronously and independently. In step  306  the secure device gets viewership information from the playback device, e.g., CPE, with which the secure device communicates based on the default settings set by the user on the playback device. The viewership information may include, e.g., default number of viewers, corresponding viewer ages etc., for the viewers corresponding to the playback device(s) that receive program content through the secure router. The default viewership information in some embodiments is communicated by the playback device(s) coupled (in a wired manner or wirelessly) to the secure router, e.g., in response to a request from the secure router for viewership information. As there may be one or more playback devices that provide the viewership information to the secure router, in some embodiments the secure router is configured to maintain a separate record of viewership information corresponding to the different playback devices. The secure router device keeps track of the default viewership Operation proceeds from step  306  to step  330 . 
         [0062]    Returning to step  308 . In step  308  the secure device is operated to receive encrypted program content including audio or video information identifying the program content, e.g., encrypted content with audio and/or video watermarks. Operation proceeds from step  308  to step  310 . In step  310  the secure device is operated to decrypt the received encrypted program content to produce decrypted digital program content. 
         [0063]    Operation proceeds from step  310  to step  312 . In step  312  the secure device processes the decrypted program content to recover the information identifying the program content received in the encrypted program stream. In various embodiments the secure device performs a decoding operation on the decrypted program content as part of the processing. Operation proceeds from step  312  to optional step  314  (shown in dashed box) which is performed in some embodiments while not in others. 
         [0064]    In step  314 , the secure device re-encrypts the decrypted digital program content. The re-encryption in various embodiments is performed by the secure device using a different encryption key/mechanism than the one used by the bulk encryptor  186  for encrypting the program content which is received by the secure device in encrypted form in step  308 . Thus the re-encryption is performed by the router using different security information (e.g., a different encryption key) than encryption used to generate the received encrypted program content. In various embodiments the secure device uses a security information (e.g., encryption key) known to the secure playback device, e.g., CPE. Operation proceeds from optional step  314  to step  316 . 
         [0065]    In embodiments where the optional step  314  is skipped, the operation proceeds from step  312  to step  316 . In step  316  the secure device is operated to supply the digital program content in encrypted form to the secure playback device, e.g., CPE, which may be a set top box, a cell phone (smart phone), a tablet computer device etc. In some embodiments the secure device supplies the original received encrypted digital program content to the secure playback device as shown in step  316 . In some other embodiments where step  314  is performed, step  316  includes performing optional step  318  wherein the secure device supplies the re-encrypted program content generated from the decrypted program content to the secure playback device. 
         [0066]    Operation proceeds from step  316  to step  320 . In step  320  the secure playback device is operated to output the program content, e.g., present the program content, to an output device, e.g., output device  134 . In some embodiments the output device may be a display device, e.g., a TV or another device where content can be presented. In some embodiments the output device is integral to the secure playback device or coupled to the secure playback device via a secure communications interface, e.g., an HDMI interface. As part of performing step  320 , in various embodiments step  322  is performed where the secure playback device decrypts the received encrypted program content or the re-encrypted program content to generate program content for presentation to one or more viewers corresponding to the playback device. Thus in step  320  the secure playback device decrypts the program content received in encrypted form from the secure router and presents the program content to the one or more viewers, e.g., on a display device. In some embodiments, step  324  is also performed as part of step  320 . In step  324  the secure playback device presents an option, e.g., as a prompt on the display device, to a viewer to provide viewership information, e.g., if different from the default viewership information. Thus in step  324  an option is provided to the viewer to enter/input viewership information, e.g., number of viewers watching the program content, their corresponding age and/or other information. The user provided viewership information may, and in some embodiments is, communicated from the playback device to the secure router device. 
         [0067]    Operation proceeds from step  320  to step  326  which is optional and is performed in some but not all embodiments. In step  326  the secure device receives viewership information indicating a number of viewers to which the decrypted program content is being output, e.g., number of viewers to which the program content is presented. In some embodiments, step  326  includes step  328  where the secure router device receives input indicating a number of viewers corresponding to the playback device to which the secure router supplies the encrypted program content or the re-encrypted program content generated from the decrypted program content. In some embodiments the received input in step  328  is received in response to the prompt presented by the playback device to the user to enter viewership information. The secure playback device receives the user input indicating viewership information and communicates it to the secure router. In some embodiments if the viewership information is not different from the default viewership information provided by the user earlier, the user may simply close the prompt window and not enter new viewership information. In accordance with one aspect, in such embodiments steps  326  and  328  are skipped and the secure router device uses the default viewership information to generate viewership statistics. 
         [0068]    Operation proceeds from step  326  to step  330 . In step  330  the secure device generates viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content (step  312 ) and viewership information, e.g., using default viewership information (step  306 ) or user provided viewership information (step  326 ). In various embodiments the viewership statistics is generated on an ongoing basis as represented in the flowchart  300  by the loopback in step  330 . Thus in the above described manner the secure device generates viewership statistics indicating, for example, what program content was being viewed, how many viewers watched the program content, corresponding ages of the viewers, etc. The viewership monitoring module loaded on the secure devices also monitors time duration for which some identified program content was output to the playback device and thus determines for how much time the program content was viewed by the viewers. This may be done in a variety of ways, but effectively the secure router device is able to detect for how long the identified program content was output to the viewers via the playback device. In various embodiments the viewership statistics also includes information indicating a time duration for which an identified program content was viewed. 
         [0069]    Operation proceeds from step  330  to step  332 . In step  332  the secure device is operated to communicate the generated viewership statistics to a viewership information server, e.g., server  110 . Operation proceeds from step  332  back to step  308  and the process continues. 
         [0070]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart  400  showing the steps of an exemplary method of operating a secure device, e.g., a secure playback device, for collecting viewership information, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. 
         [0071]    The method  400  includes steps performed by the secure play back device, e.g., a customer premise equipment such as CPE  128 ,  140 , 158 ,  170  shown in the exemplary system  200  of  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments the secure playback device implementing the method of flowchart  400  is a portable playback device including one of a cell phone or a tablet device. In some embodiments the secure playback device is one of a set top box (STB), an internet capable TV, or a computer, e.g., PC, or laptop device. Various steps in the flowchart  400  are similar to the steps of flowchart  300  discussed above, however it should be appreciated that the steps of flowchart  400  are implemented by a secure playback device and not a secure router. 
         [0072]    The method  400  starts in step  402 , e.g., with the secure playback device being initialized. Operation proceeds from step  402  to step  404 . In step  404  a viewership monitoring module, e.g., such as viewership monitoring module  124 , is loaded onto the secure playback device. The viewership monitoring module in some embodiments is implemented as an application and is loaded onto the secure playback device, e.g., by the user of the secure playback device or by a third party after getting user&#39;s/customer&#39;s approval for loading the viewership monitoring module. Thus in some embodiments, step  404  of loading the monitoring module is performed in response to a user input. 
         [0073]    Operation proceeds from step  404  to steps  406  and  408  which may be performed asynchronously and independently. In step  406  the secure playback device receives viewership information, e.g., viewership information entered by the user of the playback device as default settings on the playback device. The viewership information may include, e.g., default number of viewers, corresponding viewer ages etc., for the viewers corresponding to the playback device that receive program content through the secure router. The default viewership information in some embodiments is communicated by the playback device to the secure router, e.g., in response to a request from the secure router for viewership information. Operation proceeds from step  406  to step  430 . 
         [0074]    Returning to step  408 . In step  408  the secure playback device receives encrypted program content including audio or video information identifying the program content, e.g., encrypted content with audio and/or video watermarks. Operation proceeds from step  408  to step  410 . In step  410  the secure playback device is operated to decrypt the received encrypted program content to produce decrypted digital program content. 
         [0075]    Operation proceeds from step  410  to step  412 . In step  412  the secure playback device processes the decrypted program content to recover the information identifying the program content received in the encrypted program stream. Operation proceeds from step  412  to step  414 . In step  420  the secure playback device is operated to output the decrypted program content, e.g., present the program content, to an output device, e.g., output device  134 . In some embodiments the output device may be a display device, e.g., a TV or another device where content can be presented. In some embodiments the output device is integral to the secure playback device or coupled to the secure playback device via a secure communications interface, e.g., an HDMI interface. 
         [0076]    As part of performing step  414 , in various embodiments step  416  is performed where the secure playback device presents an option, e.g., as a prompt on the output device, to a viewer prompting the viewer to provide viewership information, e.g., if different from the default viewership information. Thus in step  416  an option is provided to the viewer to enter/input viewership information, e.g., number of viewers watching the program content, their corresponding age and/or other information. In some embodiments the user of the playback device responds to the prompt by entering viewership information. 
         [0077]    Operation proceeds from step  414  to step  418  which is optional and is performed in some but not all embodiments. In step  418  the secure playback device receives viewership information indicating a number of viewers to which the decrypted program content is being output, e.g., number of viewers to which the program content is presented. In some embodiments, step  418  includes step  420  where the secure playback device receives input indicating a number of viewers viewing the output of the playback device and the respective age of the individual viewers. In some embodiments step  418  is performed in response to receiving the user&#39;s response to the prompt presented to the user to provide viewership information in step  416 . Operation proceeds from step  418  to step  422 . 
         [0078]    If the viewership information is not different from the default viewership information provided by the user earlier, the user may simply close the prompt window and not enter new viewership information. In accordance with one aspect, in such embodiments steps  418  and  420  are skipped and the secure playback device uses the default viewership information to generate viewership statistics. In such embodiment the operation proceeds from step  414  to step  422 . 
         [0079]    In step  422  the secure playback device generates viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content (step  412 ) and viewership information, e.g., using default viewership information (step  406 ) or user provided viewership information (step  418 ). It should be appreciated that the various embodiments the viewership statistics is generated on an ongoing basis as represented in the flowchart  400  by the loopback in step  422 . Thus in the above described manner the secure device generates viewership statistics indicating, for example, what program content was being viewed, number of viewers watching the identified program content, corresponding ages of the viewers, for how much time the identified program content was viewed by the viewers etc. 
         [0080]    Operation proceeds from step  422  to step  424 . In step  424  the secure playback device is operated to communicate the generated viewership statistics to a viewership information server, e.g., server  110 . Operation proceeds from step  424  back to step  408  and the process continues. 
         [0081]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary secure device  500  implemented as a secure playback device, e.g., such as the CPE devices  128 ,  158  etc. shown in  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments the secure playback device  500  implements the method of flowchart  400 . Some of the modules shown in  FIG. 6  example are optional. 
         [0082]    As shown, the secure device  500  is coupled, via a secure interface  540 , to an output device  550 , e.g., a television (TV), a display device, or another device for presenting program content. In some embodiments the output device  550  is integral to the secure playback device  500  or coupled as shown via the secure communications interface  540 , e.g., an HDMI interface. 
         [0083]    As shown, the secure device  500  includes an Input/Output (I/O) interface  502 , a processor  506 , a codec (Coder/Decoder)  508 , and a storage device, e.g. a memory  512  coupled together via a bus  510 . The various elements of the secure device  500  can exchange data and information over the bus  510 . Via the I/O interface  502 , the secure device  500  can exchange signals and/or information with other devices and/or system elements such as the modem and/or servers in the network headend  102 , via the communications network  161 . The I/O interface  502  includes a receiver  504  and a transmitter  505  that support the receipt and/or transmission of content, and/or other information from/to different servers. In some embodiments the I/O interface  502  also includes, e.g., an infrared signal receiver to receive signals from a user remote control device. In some embodiments the I/O interface  502  includes an in-built modem which supports receiving content. 
         [0084]    The processor  506 , e.g., a CPU, executes routines  514  and one or more modules and controls the secure device  500  to operate in accordance with the invention. To control the secure device  500 , the processor  506  uses information, various modules and/or routines including instructions stored in memory  512 . The Codec  508  is implemented as a module and is capable of performing encoding and/or decoding operations on a digital data stream or signal. 
         [0085]    In addition to the routines, the memory  512  in some embodiments includes a tuner control module  516 , a decryption module  518 , a processing module  520 , a viewership monitoring module  522 , a presentation control module  524 , received encrypted program content  526 , decrypted program content  530 , security information  532 , e.g., decryption key(s), received viewership data  534 , and generated viewership statistics  536 . 
         [0086]    Routines  514  include communications routines and/or secure device control routines. The tuner control module  516  controls the playback device receiver to tune to a frequency corresponding to a program channel to be viewed. The decryption module  518  is configured to decrypt the received encrypted program content  526  to produce decrypted digital program content  530 . The received encrypted program content  526  may be the encrypted program content from the headend  102  or the re-encrypted program content generated by a secure router, e.g., router  136 . The decryption module  518  uses the security information, e.g., a decryption key, provided by the headend  102  and/or the secure router, to decrypt the encrypted program content  526 . 
         [0087]    The processing module  520  is configured to process the decrypted digital program content  530  to recover the information identifying the program content. The output of the processing module  520  is provided to the viewership monitoring module  522  in various embodiments. The control module  525  controls loading of the viewership monitoring module  522  onto said secure playback device  500  in response to a user input. 
         [0088]    The viewership monitoring module  522  is configured to generate viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content. In various embodiments the viewership monitoring module  522  is further configured to use viewership data  534 , e.g., user provided viewership information, in addition to the information identifying the program content to generate viewership statistics  536 . User input signals, e.g., communicating user entered viewership information and/or other instruction, from a remote control may be received via I/O module  502  which may include, in addition to a cable network interface, an IR or radio interface for receiving signals from a remote control device. 
         [0089]    The presentation control module  524  controls presentation of program content, prompts, specific messages, etc., on the user display device screen in accordance with the invention. 
         [0090]    In some embodiments one or more of the above discussed modules work under the control of the processor  506 . In some embodiments, one or more of the various modules discussed above work in coordination, e.g., with operations being merged to perform a function, to produce a desired output in accordance with the exemplary methods of the invention. 
         [0091]      FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary secure device  600  implemented as a secure router, e.g., such as any one of the secure routers shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments the secure router device  600  is used to implement one or more steps of the method of flowchart  300 . 
         [0092]    As shown, the secure device  500  is coupled, via a secure interface  540 , to an output device  550 , e.g., a television (TV), a display device, or another device for presenting program content. In some embodiments the output device  550  is integral to the secure playback device  500  or coupled as shown via the secure communications interface  540 , e.g., an HDMI interface. 
         [0093]    As shown, the secure router  600  includes an Input/Output (I/O) interface  602 , a processor  606 , an interface  608  to customer premise device(s), and a storage device, e.g. a memory  612  coupled together via a bus  610 . The various elements of the secure device  600  can exchange data and information over the bus  610 . Via the I/O interface  602 , the secure router  600  can exchange signals and/or information with other devices and/or system elements such as the modem and/or servers in the network headend  102  via the communications network  161 . The I/O interface  602  includes a receiver  604  and a transmitter  605  that support the receipt and/or transmission of content, and/or other information from/to different servers. 
         [0094]    The processor  606 , e.g., a CPU, executes routines  614  and one or more modules and controls the secure router  600  to operate in accordance with the invention. To control the secure router  600 , the processor  606  uses information, various modules and/or routines including instructions stored in memory  612 . 
         [0095]    In addition to the routines, the memory  612  in some embodiments includes a decryption module  618 , an optional encryption module  620 , a processing module  622 , a viewership monitoring module  624 , a supply control module  626 , received encrypted program content  630 , decrypted digital program content  632 , re-encrypted program content  634 , received viewership data  636 , security information  638 , e.g., encryption and decryption key(s), and generated viewership statistics  640 . 
         [0096]    Routines  614  include communications routines and/or secure device control routines. The decryption module  618  is configured to decrypt the received encrypted program content  630  to produce decrypted digital program content  632 . The decryption module  618  uses the security information, e.g., a decryption key, provided by, e.g., the headend  102 , to decrypt the encrypted program content  630 . The optional encryption module  620  is included in some embodiments and is used to re-encrypt the decrypted digital program content  632  to produce re-encrypted program content  634 . The encryption module  620  uses security information  638 , e.g., encryption/decryption keys, known to the secure playback device to which the secure router  600  supplies the encrypted program content. The encryption module  620  is configured to use different security information for re-encryption than used to generate said received encrypted program content  630 . 
         [0097]    The processing module  622  is configured to process the decrypted digital program content  632  to recover the information identifying the program content. In some embodiments a decoder module is also included in the memory  612  and is used for performing decoding operations on digital program content as part of the processing. The output of the processing module  622  is provided to the viewership monitoring module  624  in various embodiments. The control module  628  controls loading of the viewership monitoring module onto said secure router  600 . 
         [0098]    The viewership monitoring module  624  is configured to generate viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content. In various embodiments the viewership monitoring module  624  is further configured to use viewership data  636 , e.g., user provided viewership information, in addition to the information identifying the program content to generate viewership statistics  640 . In some embodiments the viewership data  636  is provided to the secure router  600  by the playback device. The supply control module  626  is configured to supply, e.g., via the interface  608 , the encrypted program content  630  or the re-encrypted program content  634  to a secure playback device, e.g., playback device  500 . 
         [0099]    In some embodiments one or more of the above discussed modules work under the control of the processor  606 . In some embodiments, one or more of the various modules discussed above work in coordination, e.g., with operations being merged to perform a function, to produce a desired output in accordance with the exemplary methods of the invention. 
         [0100]      FIG. 7  illustrates another exemplary system  700  implemented in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. Various servers, devices and/or modules shown in the  FIG. 7  embodiment that bear the same reference number as used to illustrate the various elements of systems  100  and  200 , are the same or similar in function or hardware to the elements of system  100  and  200  discussed above. Accordingly, to avoid repetition, these elements will not be discussed again. One difference in the  FIG. 7  embodiment that can be appreciated from  FIG. 7  is that in this embodiment the viewership monitoring function is implemented by a secure monitoring device that is coupled to a CPE device such as CPE  128 ,  140 ,  158  and/or  170 . For example secure monitoring device  735  is coupled to the secure interface of CPE  1   128 , e.g., via a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compliant communication link. In at least one such embodiment the CPE device  128  as well as the secure monitoring device  1   735  are DLNA certified devices, e.g., secure devices which have passed one or more certification requirements with regard to the handling and treatment of content which is to be treated in a secure manner. An exemplary secure monitoring device  735  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The secure monitoring device  1   735  may, and in various embodiments does, interact with the CPE device  128 , and receives audio secured using encryption, from the CPE device  128  in the same manner as a DLNA certified speakers. The audio, while encrypted, is normally decoded by the CPE  128 , after decryption of received content, prior to re-encryption for transmission to the secure monitoring device  1   175 . Thus, while the audio maybe encrypted it is normally not encoded, e.g., compressed, when it is communicated to the secure monitoring device  735 . However, in some embodiments the CPE device does output the content in encypted and compressed (encoded) form. The CPE device  128  may and in some embodiment does include a decoder module  131 ,  141 ,  161  or  175  for decoding decrypted content prior to it being supplied to the secure interface which may re-encrypt the content. The secure monitoring device  1   735  is capable, and does, decrypt and/or decode the content it receives from the CPE device and processes it in various embodiments to detect information, e.g., watermarks and/or other information, indicating the content being played, e.g., viewed or listened to, by a user of the CPE device  128 . The information about content being viewed is collected and communicated from the secure monitoring device  1   735 , via a network connection, e.g., through the cable modem  120  or via a wireless connection to the viewership monitoring information server  110 . 
         [0101]    Output device  134 , e.g., a DLNA certified display and/or speakers, are trusted along with the secure monitoring device  735  to handle video and/or other content in a secure manner with the link between CPE  1   128  and the secure monitoring device  735  being protected though the use of encryption in at least some embodiments. 
         [0102]    Since the secure monitoring device  735  is treated like one of a variety of DLNA supported output devices no special hardware or other modification is needed to CPEs which support DLNA certified output devices to implement the viewership data monitoring since it is implemented by a separate device. In fact, in some embodiments the secure monitoring device  735  simply presents and identifies itself to the secure interface  132  as a speaker which supports DLNA functionality with the secure monitoring device  735  appearing to the interface as one of a plurality of DLNA certified speakers which are coupled to the CPE device  128 . While the secure monitoring device  735  identifies itself as a supported speaker in some embodiments, it normally does not output audio signals from the audio information it receives from the CPE device  128  however, in some embodiments the secure monitoring device  735  does incorporate a speaker  807  shown in  FIG. 8  in which case acoustic audio signals are output in addition to the monitoring information. The link to the modem  120  and/or back to the viewership information server  110  may be a wireless communications link, e.g., via the wireless interface  813 . The wireless interface  813  may be coupled to an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless signals. In fact, in some embodiments the secure viewership monitoring device  735  includes a cellular network transceiver allowing it to communicate generated viewership information  727  via a cellular telephone and/or data network to the viewership information server  110  without the need for a communications link via the modem  120 . 
         [0103]    Thus system  700  of  FIG. 7  illustrates a system embodiment where the encrypted digital content is received by the CPEs at the customer premises  104 ,  106  and the viewership information monitoring is performed by external secure monitoring devices which receive the programming content from the CPEs through a secure interface, e.g., a DLNA interface. 
         [0104]    As discussed with regard to  FIG. 2  embodiment, the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  are provided with the decryption key by the headend  102  to decrypt and recover the digital program content. 
         [0105]    In the  FIG. 7  embodiment, the CPEs  128 ,  140 , are coupled to the modem  120  while CPEs  158 ,  170  are coupled to modem  150 . Each of the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170  further includes a decryption module and a secure interface which are the same as or similar to the secure interfaces discussed with regard to  FIG. 1  embodiment. The secure interfaces may be DLNA certified interfaces which are used for communicating with DLNA certified devices, e.g., speakers and/or other secure output device which protect content from being accessed, copied and/or distributed in unencrypted digital form. In addition to a CPE device ( 128 ,  140 ,  158 ,  170 ) and an output device ( 134 ,  146 ,  164 ,  176 ), each customer premise  104 ,  106  includes a secure monitoring device in the  FIG. 7  embodiment. As shown in the figure, secure monitoring devices  735 ,  745 ,  765  and  775  are coupled to the CPEs  128 ,  140 ,  158 , and  170  respectively through the secure interfaces. Each secure monitoring device  735 ,  745 ,  765  and  775  receives the programming content, e.g., the audio portion of a watermark television program that includes program identifying information in the audio data, from the corresponding CPE  128 ,  140 ,  158 , and  170  to which the monitoring device  735 ,  745 ,  765 , or  775  is coupled to, via the secure interface of the corresponding CPE. The content may be, and in some embodiments is, encrypted in the CPEs prior to being supplied to the secure monitoring devices  735 ,  745 ,  765  and  775  where it is decrypted and analyzed, e.g., by the viewership monitoring module  724 ,  725 ,  754 , or  771  included in the monitoring device to identify the content being output by the CPE device. Viewership information identifying the content being viewed is stored in memory, e.g., as viewership information  727 ,  747 ,  757  or  773  prior to being supplied to the viewership information server  110  by a communications interface of the secure monitoring device  735 . In some embodiments in addition to a memory  812  and the viewership monitoring module  724 , the secure monitoring device  735  includes a processor  806  for controlling the secure monitoring device  735  to collect the viewership information  727  and supply it via an interface (e.g., such as the I/O interface  802  and/or a wireless interface  813 ) to the viewership monitoring server  110 . The I/O interface  802  of monitoring device  735  includes a receiver  804  and a transmitter  805  for performing receiving and transmitting operations respectively. The secure interface  808  of the secure monitoring device  735  may be a DLNA interface capable of decrypting audio which is processed by the viewership monitoring module  724 . In  FIG. 8  embodiment the secure monitoring device  735  includes a decryption module  818  for decrypting content received from the CPE device  128 . Thus, the secure monitoring device  735  can decrypt content received from the secure interface  132  of the CPE  128  which may include an encryption module for encrypting content sent over the link to one or more output devices  134  and the secure monitoring device  735 . The decrypted content may be in encoded or unencoded form depending on the particular embodiment. The secure monitoring device, in some embodiments, also includes a decoder module  819  for decoding decrypted content which is in encoded rather than unencoded form. The decoder  819  maybe, e.g., an audio and/or video decoder capable of decompressing the content of a compressed audio and/or video stream. The decryption module  818  of secure monitoring device  735  uses security information  836 , e.g., decryption keys and/or a shared secret, to decrypt the received content and produce decrypted content  832 . 
         [0106]    Each of the secure monitoring devices  735 ,  745 ,  765  and  775  includes a viewership monitoring module  724 ,  725 ,  754 ,  771  and generated viewership information  727 ,  747 ,  757 ,  773  which is generated by the corresponding viewership monitoring module in the corresponding secure monitoring device. As discussed above with regard to the viewership monitoring modules  124 ,  125 ,  159 ,  171  of system  100 , the viewership monitoring modules  724 ,  725 ,  754 ,  771  monitor and collect viewership information in the manner discussed earlier with regard to modules  124 ,  125 ,  159 ,  171 . A user at the customer premise  104  may enter into the secure monitoring device  735 , e.g., via a keypad on the device  735  or via another input device, the viewership data  834 , e.g., the number of users viewing or listening to a program being presented at a particular point in time. Age information for the users may also be entered and included in the collected and stored viewership information along with information identifying the program or programs being observed by the user(s) as determined from the processed content, e.g., watermarked audio content with program identification information, corresponding to broadcast program or other program whether it be an audio program or a combined audio and video program. The generated viewership information  727 ,  747 ,  757 , and  773  generated by the viewership monitoring modules  724 ,  725 ,  754 ,  771  may, and in some embodiments is, communicated to the viewership information server  110 . The functions of various other elements, e.g., the viewership information server, in the  FIG. 7  embodiment is the same or similar to those of the  FIG. 1  embodiment and thus will not be discussed further. 
         [0107]    An exemplary method of collecting presentation, e.g., viewership, information, in accordance with some embodiments comprises: receiving, at a secure device, encrypted program content including audio or video information identifying the program content; operating the secure device to decrypt the encrypted program content to produce decrypted digital program content; operating the secure device to process the decrypted digital program content to recover the information identifying the program content; and generating viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content. 
         [0108]    In some embodiments the method further includes communicating the generated viewership statistics to a viewership information server. In some embodiments the method further comprises operating the secure device to receive information indicating a number of viewers to which decrypted content generated from said encrypted program content is being output. 
         [0109]    In some embodiments the secure device is a router in a home network. In some such embodiments, operating the secure device to receive information indicating a number of viewers includes receiving input indicating a number of viewers corresponding to a playback device to which the router supplies the encrypted program content or re-encrypted program content generated from the decrypted digital program content. 
         [0110]    In some embodiments the method further comprises re-encrypting the decrypted digital program content; supplying the re-encrypted program content to a secure playback device; operating the secure playback device to generate program content by decrypting the received re-encrypted program content; and operating the secure playback device to output said program content to an output device. In some embodiments the output device is integral to the secure playback device or coupled to the secure playback device via a secure communications interface, e.g., an HDMI interface. 
         [0111]    In some embodiments the re-encryption operation uses a security information (e.g., encryption key) known to the secure playback device, the re-encryption using different security information e.g., a different encryption key than encryption used to generate said received encrypted program content. 
         [0112]    In some other embodiments the secure device is a secure playback device; and operating said secure device to receive information indicating a number of viewers includes receiving user input indicating the number of users viewing the output of said playback device and the age of the individual users. In some such embodiments the secure playback device is a portable playback device including one of a cell phone and a tablet device. 
         [0113]    In some embodiments the exemplary method comprises loading a viewership monitoring module onto the secure playback device in response to a user input. 
         [0114]    An exemplary secure device, implemented in accordance with some embodiments comprises: an interface including a receiver configured to receive encrypted program content including audio or video information identifying the program content; a decryption module configured to decrypt the encrypted program content to produce decrypted digital program content; a processing module configured to process the decrypted digital program content to recover the information identifying the program content; and a viewership monitoring module configured to generate viewership statistics from the recovered information identifying the program content. 
         [0115]    In various embodiments the interface includes a transmitter for communicating the generated viewership statistics to a viewership information server. In various embodiments the receiver is further configured to receive information indicating a number of viewers to which decrypted content generated from said encrypted program content is being output. 
         [0116]    In some embodiments the exemplary secure device is a router in a home network, and the receiver is further configured to receive, as part of receiving information indicating a number of viewers, input indicating a number of viewers corresponding to a playback device to which said router supplies said encrypted program content or re-encrypted program content generated from said decrypted digital program content. 
         [0117]    In some embodiments the exemplary secure device, further comprises an encryption module configured to re-encrypt said decrypted digital program content; a supply control module configured to supply said re-encrypted program content to a secure playback device; a second decryption module configured to generate program content by decrypting said re-encrypted program content; and a presentation control module configured to output said program content to an output device. 
         [0118]    In some embodiments the output device is integral to said secure playback device or coupled to the secure playback device via a secure communications interface. In some embodiments the exemplary encryption module uses security information known to the secure playback device, the encryption module being configured to use different security information for re-encryption than used to generate said received encrypted program content. 
         [0119]    In some embodiments the secure device is implemented as a secure playback device; and the receiver is further configured to receive, as part of receiving information indicating a number of viewers, a user input indicating the number of users viewing the output of said playback device and the age of the individual users. In some embodiments the exemplary secure playback device is a portable playback device including one of a cell phone and a tablet device. 
         [0120]    In some embodiments the exemplary secure device further comprises a control module for controlling loading of a viewership monitoring module onto said secure playback device in response to a user input. 
         [0121]    In various embodiments system elements described herein are implemented using one or more modules which are used to perform the steps corresponding to one or more methods of the present invention, for example, receiving viewership and/or other information; receiving encrypted program content, decrypting the received encrypted program content, processing program content to recover information identifying the program content, generating viewership statistics, storing and/or communicating viewership statistics to an external server. 
         [0122]    In the above described methods, in some embodiments, each step may be performed by one or more different software instructions executed by a computer processor, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU). At least one system implemented in accordance with the present invention includes a means for implementing each of the various steps which are part of the methods of the present invention. Each means may be, e.g., an instruction, processor, hardware circuit and/or combination of elements used to implement a described step. 
         [0123]    Many of the above described methods or method steps can be implemented using machine, e.g., computer, executable instructions, such as software, included in a non-transitory machine, e.g., computer, readable medium used to control a machine, e.g., general purpose computer with or without additional hardware, to implement all or portions of the above described methods, e.g., in one or more nodes. The machine readable medium may be, e.g., a memory device, e.g., RAM, floppy disk, etc. Accordingly, among other things, the present invention is directed to a machine-readable medium including machine executable instructions for causing a machine, e.g., processor and associated hardware, to perform one or more of the steps of the above-described method(s). 
         [0124]    Numerous additional embodiments, within the scope of the present invention, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the above description and the claims which follow.