Patent Publication Number: US-2009222314-A1

Title: Electronic System for Compiling Information on Characteristics Relating to the Reading of Print Media and Portable Read Unit for Said System

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention belongs to the technical field of electronic systems used to compile information on the characteristics of communication media, and more particularly, of the characteristics of print media, such as newspapers, magazines, catalogues, advertising brochures and similar materials. 
     STATE OF THE PREVIOUS ART 
     Nowadays it is a common practice to compile information regarding the characteristics of the kind of access the public has had to the media, since it provides data about the type of public that is interested in certain subjects, the time of interest or prime time, the customs of the public, etc. The treatment of such information serves to determine, for instance, which are the most effective days and times of the day to issue advertising messages as a function of the type of public that is receiving them, of the evaluation of the contents and the corresponding fees. 
     In electronic media such as television, said compilation of information is done by measuring audience attention based on the selection of a group of persons that receive electronic devices connected to their television receptor and register automatically the turning on and off of the television, when the channel is changed, etc. 
     The most advanced media to date in terms of audimetry, is television, where, through a panel of individuals, that is through a constant sample, a sophisticated device (the “audiometer”), installed in the television receptor of the home selected, registers what the person is watching. This method requires the person selected to identify him or herself every time they sit in front of the television set by means of remote control. Once they have identified themselves, every time they change channels or turn off their television set are actions that are recorded, and every night the “Audimeter” sends the information recorded to a central data process center. This audience information is very consistent and allows measuring the television consumption in real time, and therefore it also allows the process to work effectively. In this manner, the characteristics of the audience can be evaluated in real time and the fees for the advertising messages, the success of a program or of a content, and even the degree of acceptance of the various advertising messages can be established very quickly. 
     However, this system is not free of disadvantages, since, for instance, it cannot measure the amount of TV the person selected consumes outside his or her home, such as when watching a soccer match in a bar, or during a trip in a hotel. In any case, this type of panelized measuring is always more reliable and representative to measure watcher&#39;s behavior than interviews. 
     In print media such as magazines, newspapers, books, catalogues, brochures, etc., “audience measuring” is more complex of a process, since once said printed media have been distributed it is hard to trace their whereabouts and which public they reach. Conventionally, the audience measuring system is in this case based on interviews and questionnaires in which selected persons are interviewed about which media(s) they have read in the last week and with which frequency. Said interviews are done periodically because once the answers are obtained they have to be entered in the appropriate data bases and be evaluated. Oftentimes said interviews are conducted quarterly (this interviewing activity frequency is also called the quarterly “wave”) and that during the evaluation of the data obtained the information accumulated in the three previous waves of interviews is also included. This makes the information obtained a mere indicator of the weekly average readership of each media. It also has the disadvantage that the data evaluated are based on the memory of and the assumption that the information given by the interviewee is accurate. Also, obtaining information in this manner is a costly process because it entails hiring interviewers and entering the data obtained in computer systems to be evaluated later. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages presented by the conventional print media audience measuring systems and to contribute new advantages by means of an electronic system for compiling information on characteristics relating to the reading of print media that comprises a central data processing unit, that comprises data processing means, a database that comprises at the least, a first file that contains the admissible identification codes of print media, each identified by an electronically readable code, such as for instance a bar code, or a radiofrequency tag, and a second file where the identification data obtained by the data receptor means is stored to be assigned an admissible identification code; and a plurality of local units each provided with identifying means to electronically identify the print media based on their electronically readable codes, and also provided with data transmission means associated to the identifying means to be able to transmit the identification data obtained to the data receptor means located in the central processing unit, in which system 
     each admissible identification code contained in the first file is associated to the electronically readable code of a print media; 
     the processing means comprise the first verifying means to verify if the data from the identifications obtained correspond to an admissible identification code contained in the first file. 
     The identifying means comprise an electronic reading device of the electronically readable code, individually assigned to a potential reader, and the electronic read device having been selected, for instance, amongst bar code reading devices and radiofrequency tag reading devices; 
     the local unit comprises, in addition to a local recording unit in which the first local records of the identification data obtained by the identifying means are, at least temporally, stored; 
     the data transmission means transmit, when they are connected to the data reception means, the first local records to the remote data processing unit. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each local recording unit contains, in addition, an individual admissible identification key, and the database comprises also a key register that contains in turn an identification key admissible for each of the local units, while the central data processing unit comprises also first verification means to verify in the key register whether an identification key received through the data reception means does indeed correspond to an admissible identification key. The central data processing unit comprises, in addition, routing means to transmit, whenever the verification means detect and admissible identification key, the first local records with the data of the identifications obtained thus far, and received together with an admissible identification key, to the assigning means. 
     The database may also comprise, in addition, a third file that contains admissible actions data that may be performed by the potential reader, a fourth file to store data of completed or performed actions, as well as second verification means that verify in the third file whether the data pertaining to performed actions received by the data reception means correspond to admissible actions data, and in that case, they transmit the data of performed actions to the assigning means. In this case, the assigning means assign the data of the done actions to the data of the processed identifications, and to the admissible identification key received together with said data, and store the done action data with the admissible identification codes together with said admissible identification key in the fourth file. In order to be able to select between said admissible actions, at least one of the local units may be provided with selection means associated to the identifying means that can also be independently operated in order to carry out admissible actions regarding each of the print media identified by the identifying means, and of file means to store data obtained from done actions in a second local record. In this manner, the local record unit keeps at least temporally, each of the second local records with the data of the actions done in regard to each identified print media, and the data transmission means transmit, when connected to the data reception means, the first local records and the second local records to the remote data processing unit. 
     The local register unit may be also equipped, in addition, with a third register that contains a plurality of actions available for each print media identified by the identifying means, while the selecting means are designed to allow the potential reader to select, at the least, one available action in regards to each print media identify by the identifying means. In this case, the assigning means may also be designed to associate each admissible identification key to the data that each performed action register, and to the data of each of the completed identifications. The available actions established in the third register may be, for instance, a purchasing action, a reading action, a transferring to a third party action, issuing an opinion actions, establishing the beginning and end of the act of reading, and/or a disposing of action of the print media identified by the identifying means. 
     The present invention also refers to an individual electronic portable unit that may be used in the system described above. Said portable electronic unit comprises, preferably, a casing or body that houses the identifying means, the transmitter means, the local recording unit, and its own power source. Preferably, this unit is equipped with a turn on button that can be actuated by the potential reader to activate the identifying means. 
     When said portable electronic unit is equipped with selection means as those described above, it is also, and preferably, equipped with a control logic mechanism that activates the selecting means when the identifying means have created a first local data record of a print media completed identification. These selection means may comprise, at the least, a multifunction selector button that the potential reader may activate to select an action from the plurality of actions available, and alternatively, may comprise an independent selector button that can be action by the potential reader to select an available action. When there are several independent selector buttons, there may exist, for instance, a first button that serves to activate only the identifying means, and a second button that, in addition to activating the identifying means also automatically selects one of the available actions. 
     The selection means of the electronic unit may be designed in such a manner that the actions that can be accessed may be related to the admissible identification code that corresponds to the identification completed, and thus, for instance, the action of detecting the admissible identification code of a first print media, such as a book or a magazine, may lead to accessing one or more actions of a first given type, while detecting the admissible identification code of another print media, such as another book or another magazine may lead to accessing one or more actions of a different type. 
     Preferably, the local register unit also comprises an internal clock, so that when the identifying means read an admissible identification code in a printed media, the local register unit assigns a date and a time to said register that will go to the performed identification data actions completed in the first local register. 
     In addition to the elements described above, the local register unit may also comprise a fifth local register containing the dates and times the identifying means have been activated but that have not resulted in identifications. This fifth local register, which records may also be transmitted to the central data processing unit, since the this data will help in the evaluation of whether the potential reader has really used the local unit appropriately. 
     The simplicity of the portable electronic unit makes possible that it may be manufactured in a very small size, such as that of a remote control device such as those used to open garage doors, so the potential reader may carry it comfortably, which in turns enhances the actual use of the unit and therefore increases the reliability of the data collection process. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       This section contains descriptions of the embodiments of the invention that refer to the figures listed below. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the system object of the present invention according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a printed media that has a conventional bar code identification. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a print media that has a conventional radiofrequency tag identification. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a lateral view of a local unit represented as a portable electronic unit according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a lateral view of a local unit represented as a portable electronic unit according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the lower plan view of the local units shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a local unit object of the invention according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a central data processing unit object of the invention according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram that shows the basic operation of the system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram that shows the basic operation of the local unit shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram that shows the basic operation of the local unit shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram that shows the basic operation of the central data processing unit shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram that shows the basic operation of the central data processing unit shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     The key below identifies the numerical references that accompany said figures refer to the following parts or components of the system: 
       1  central data processing unit 
       1   a  data reception means 
       1   b  data processing means 
       1   c  assigning means 
       1   d  second verification means 
       1   e  routing means 
       1   f  third verification means 
       1   g  first verification means 
       2  database 
       2   a  first file 
       2   a ′ admissible identification code 
       2   b  second file 
       2   b ′ performed identifications data 
       2   c  key register 
       2   c ′ admissible identification key 
       2   d  discarded data file 
       2   e  third file 
       2   e ′ admissible actions data 
       2   f  fourth file 
       2   f′  completed actions data 
       3  print media 
       4  portable electronic local unit 
       4   a  identifying means 
       4   b  file means 
       5  electronically legible code 
       5   a  bar code 
       5   b  radiofrequency tag 
       6  data transmission means 
       7  reading device 
       7   a  bar code reading device 
       7   b  radiofrequency tag reading device 
       8  local register unit 
       8   a  first local register 
       8   b  second local register 
       8   c  third local register 
       8   c ′ available actions 
       8   d  microprocessor 
       9  selection means 
       10  control logic means 
       11  individual portable electronic unit 
       11   a  body 
       12  own power source 
       13  on button 
       14  multifunction selector button 
       15  independent selector button 
       16  internal clock 
     EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     In the first embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  9  and  12 , the system object of the invention comprises portable electronic units of which only one is shown for example purposes, and one central data processing unit  1 . In this embodiment, each of the electronic units  4  is as those shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  9  and  10  and may be embodied as one of the individual portable electronic units as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  that will described further in this description and that serve to identify the print media  3 , such as newspapers provided of a legible electronic code  5 , that may be such as newspapers respectively provided of a bar code  5   a  or of a radio frequency tag  5   b.    
     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the portable electronic unit  4  comprises an electric power source  12 , such as a battery or a rechargeable battery, an internal clock  16 , identifying means  4   a  to electronically identify a plurality of print media  3  and data transmission means  6  associated to the identifying means  4   a  to transmit the data of completed identifications  2   b ′ to the reception means  1   a  of a central data processing unit  1 . 
     The identifying means  4   a  comprise in turn, an electronic reader device  7  assigned to a potential reader which device  7  enables it to read the electronically legible code  5  with which the print media has been provided. This electronic reader device may be a bar code reading device  7   a  or a radiofrequency tag reading device  7   b.    
     The portable unit  4  comprises also, a local register unit  8  that serves to store, at least temporally, the first local registers  8   a  of the data  2   b ′ identified by the identifying means  4   a,  and contains also an individual admissible identification key  2   c′.    
     The data transmission means  6  are designed to transmit, when connected to the data reception means  1   a,  the firs local registers  8   a  to the remote data processing unit  1 , and may be either a transmitter, such as for instance a conventional mobile telephone transmitter type (GSM, GPRS, etc.), a conventional Bluetooth transmitter, or a conventional infrared ray transmitter, or a port that can be directly connected to a conventional external transmission unit (not shown in the figures), such as a modem, a personal computer or a land line or mobile telephone. 
     The central data processing unit  1 , according to the first embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  9  and  12 , comprises said data reception means  1   a,  said data processing means  1   b,  and a database  2  having a first file  2   a  that contains the admissible identification codes  2   a ′ of the print media  3  identified by the electronically readable codes  5 . The central data processing unit  1  comprises, also, a second file  2   b  that serves to store the data of the completed identifications  2   b ′, received by the data reception means  1   a,  as well as assigning means  1   c  which function is to assign the data of the completed identifications  2   b ′ to an admissible identification code  2   a ′. Each admissible identification code  2   a ′ contained in the first file  2   a  is associated to the electronically legible code  5 ,  5   a  or  5   b  of a print media  3 . In order to process the completed identifications, the data processing means  1   b  comprise the first verification means  1   g  to verify whether the data from completed identifications  2   b ′ correspond to an admissible identification code  2   a ′ as contained in the first file  2   a.    
     The database  2  comprises, also, a key register  2   c  that contains an admissible admission key  2   c ′ to for each local unit  4 . To verify an identification key received by the data reception means, the data processing means  1   b  comprise, in addition, second verification means  1   d  that enable to verify in the key register  2   c  whether the identification received does correspond to an admissible verification key  2   c ′. When the verification means  1   d  detect an admissible verification key  2   c ′, the first local registers  8   a  with the data from completed identifications  2   b ′ received together with an admissible identification key  2   c ′, are transmitted by the routing means  1   e  to the assigning means  1   c.    
     According to what can be gathered from the combined information provided by  FIGS. 1 ,  9  and  12 , the first embodiment of the invention operates as follows: 
     Every time that the potential reader wishes to identify the electronically readable code  5  of a print media  3 , the reader activates the identifying means  4   a  of the local unit  4 , and passes the reader device  7  of the identifying means over or around the code  5  of the print media  3 . When the reading device  7  is activated, it also read the date and time in the internal clock  16 . The completed identification  2   b ′ and the date and hour of the reading data are combined in the first local register  8   a  together with the admissible identification code  2   c ′ of local unit  4 . 
     To transmit a first local register  8   a  to the central data processing unit  1 , the potential reader activates the data transmission means  6  that retrieve every local register  8   a  in such a manner that it is transmitted to the central data processing unit  1  where it is received via the data reception means  1   a . There, the second identification means  1   d  check the key register  2   c  to verify whether the identification key  2   c ′ contained in the first local register  8   a  received is an admissible identification key  2   c ′, and if affirmative, they transmit the admissible identification key  2   c ′ to the routing means  1   e,  that in turn, check with the first verification means  1   g,  whether the data from completed identifications  2   b ′ correspond to an admissible identification code  2   a ′. In order to accomplish this, the first verification means  1   g  completes the appropriate verification process in the first file  2   a,  and if the data from completed identifications  2   b ′ do correspond to an admissible identification code  2   a ′, they transmit this data from completed identifications  2   b ′ to the routing means  1   e  that transmit said data to the assigning means  1   c  that in turn assign the data of the completed identification  2   b ′ and the date and time of completion as contained in the first local register  8   a  received, to the identification key  2   c ′ and store the set comprising all this information in the second register  2   b.    
     According to the information provided by  FIG. 12 , the database  2  may also comprise a discarded data file  2   d  that serves to store the first registers  8   a  received in which no admissible identification key  2   c ′ or admissible identification code  2   a ′ has been detected. 
       FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  10  and  13  show a second embodiment of the present invention in which the potential reader may choose amongst several available actions. 
     In this second embodiment of the invention—because (sic)—the local unit  4  comprises also selection means  9  associated to the identifying means  4   a  that can be individually operated to perform admissible actions in regards to each of the printed media  3  identified by the identifying means  4   a,  and filing means  4   b  to file the data of the completed actions  2   f ′ in a second local register  8   b.  Local register unit  8  stores, at least temporally, each of the second local registers  8   b  containing the performed actions  2   f ′ in regards to each printed media  3 . To activate the selection means  9 , the local unit  4  comprises a control logic mechanism  10  that activates the selection means  9  when the identifying means  4   a  have already created a first local data register  8   a  of a completed identification  2   b ′ of a printed media  3 . 
     The selection means  9  are designed o enable the potential reader to select, at least, one available action in regards to the printed media  3  as identified by the identifying means  4   a,  and to do this, the local register unit  8  comprises, also, a third register  8   c  that contains a plurality of available actions  8   c ′ that correspond to each printed media  3  as identified by the identifying means  4   a.  The available actions  8   c ′ may be, for instance, a purchasing action, a reading action, a transfer or reception to or by a third person, emitting an opinion, establishing the beginning and/or end of the act of reading, and/or an act of disposal of the printed media  3  identified by the identifying means  4   a.  In this embodiment of the invention, the data transmission means  6  transmit, when they are connected to the data reception means  1   a,  the first records or local registers  8   a,  together with the second local registers  8   b,  to the remote data processing unit  1 . 
     According to what can be seen in  FIG. 10 , activating the electronic reading device  7  causes the identification code  5  to be read. Once code  5  has been recognized there is a reading and the first local register  8   a  containing the date and time of the reading and the data of the completed identification  2   b  is generated. Control logic  10  is also activated, which in turn activated the selection means  9  in order for the potential reader may carry out an action related to the printed media  3  to which the data from completed identifications  2   b ′ refers to. When the potential reader chooses a  2   f  action through the selection means  9  and when this action corresponds to an admissible or available action  8   c ′, the completed action  2   f  is transmitted, in the third local register  8   c,  to the file means  4   b,  that in turn generate the second local register  8   b  associated to the first local register  8   a.  Once this association has been produced and the corresponding combined file  8   a , 8   b  has been generated, a completed reading register is generated and the local register unit  4  is deactivated until new order of the potential reader. Also, said deactivation occurs when the completed action  2   f  does not correspond with an admissible action  8   c′.    
       FIG. 11  shows how the creation of the second local file  8   b  is produced when the potential reader carries out a plurality of consecutive actions. In the specific case shown in  FIG. 11 , the potential reader carries out 5 consecutive actions that may be, for instance, the following actions: 
     Action 1: identifying a purchasing operation
 
Action 2: identifying the beginning of a reading action
 
Action 3: identifying the end of a reading action
 
Action 4: identification of the pages read
 
Action 5: issuing an opinion on the text read
 
     When the potential reader chooses, by mean of the selection means  9 , action 1 or the first action, said action is processed analogously to the process of completed action  2   f  described before in relation to  FIG. 10 . Also, the successive actions 2 nd  to 5 th  are analogously processed, so the file means  4   b  generate successive parts of the second local register  8   b  with the admitted completed actions  2   f  and finally associate the second local register  8   b  to the first local register. 
     As it can be seen in  FIGS. 8 and 13 , in this embodiment, to process the second local registers  8   b,  the data base ( 2 ) comprises a third file  2   e  that contains admissible actions data  2   e ′ that the potential reader may carry out, and a fourth file  2   f  that serves to store data from completed actions  2   f ′. To do this, the data processing means  1   b  comprise third verification means  1   f  that verify the third file  2   e  if the data of completed actions  2   f ′ received by the data reception means  1   a  correspond to admissible actions data  2   e ′, and that if that is the case, they transmit the completed actions data  2   f ′ to the assigning means  1   c.  These assigning means  1   c  serve to assign the data of the completed actions  2   f ′ to the data from completed identifications  2   b ′, as well to assign to the admissible identification key  2   c ′ received with said data  2   f ′, 2   b ′, and store the data of the completed actions  2   f ′ with the admissible identification codes  2   c ′ in the fourth file  2   f.  Also, the assigning means  1   c  associate each admissible identification key  2   c ′ to the data of each completed action register  2   f ′ and to the data of each completed identification  2   b′.    
     According, especially, to  FIG. 13 , when the receptor means  1   a  of the central data processing unit receives a data package comprised by the second and first local registers  8   a , 8   b,  the second verification means  1   d  verify in the key register  2   c,  whether the identification key is an admissible identification key  2   c ′. When the second verification means do not recognize an admissible verification key  2   c ′, the data package  8   a , 8   b  is sent to the discarded data file  2   d,  while in the case of the admissible identification key  2   c ′ being recognized they send the identification key  2   c ′ and the hour of the reading contained in the first local register  8   a  received, to the routing means  1   e,  from which and through the assigning means  1   c,  a file identified by the admissible identification key  2   c ′ and the time and date of the reading comprised in the first local register  8   a  is created in the second file  2   b.    
     At the same time, the routing means  1   e  order the first verification means  1   g  to verify in the first file  2   a  whether the completed identification  2   b ′, also contained in the first local register  8   a,  correspond to an admissible identification code  2   a ′. When these first verification means  1   g  do not recognize an admissible verification code  2   a ′, they send the  8   a , 8   b  data package to the discarded data file  2   d,  while when the first local register  8   a  contains an admissible verification code  2   a ′, the first verification means send the data of the completed action  2   b ′ to the routing means  1   e,  from which through the assigning means  1   c,  the data of the completed identification  2   b ′ contained in the first data package  8   a  are stored in the second file  2   b  in association to the file identified by the admissible identification key  2   c ′ previously established. 
     Likewise, when the first verification means  1   g  have detected an admissible identification code in the first local register  8   a,  they transmit this fact to the routing means  1   e,  that then command the third means of verification  1   f  to verify in the third file  2   e  whether the data of the completed actions  2   f ′ contained in the second local register  8   b,  correspond to one or more admissible actions  2   e ′. When the third verification means  1   f  do not recognize the key as and admissible action key  2   e ′ the third means of verification send the data package  8   a,    8   b  to the discarded data file  2   d,  while when they do recognize and admissible action key  2   e ′ they send the data of the corresponding completed action  2   f  to the assigning means  1   c  that add these data to the file previously generated in the second file  2   b  that contains the data of the first local register  8   a  of the data package  8   a,    8   b.