Patent ID: 7627872

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for gathering data reflecting usage of media data by a user within a user system, comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of media data in the user system, said user system comprising a processing device serving to process and present the media data locally to the user, said media data being received from one of a network source external to the user system, and a source local to the user system; using each of a plurality of media data usage gathering objects running on the user system to collect data reflecting usage of at least one of (1) a respectively different portion of the plurality of media data received by the user system, and (2) a user agent for the plurality of media data received by the user system, wherein each of the media usage gathering objects are configured to collect the data reflecting usage and to produce media usage data regardless whether the media data was received from the network source or the source local to the user system; encapsulating the produced media usage data in at least one of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects; using at least one of a plurality of session objects to merge predetermined ones of the plurality of media data usage gathering objects corresponding to at least one of a respective (a) user session and (b) RCL session; and producing a report comprising at least one of the plurality of session objects with the use of a report object, wherein one or more session objects are selected and merged into the report object.