Patent ID: 7653341

Claim:
A method for logging usage activity on a media device, the media device configured to communicate with a network, the method comprising: accessing media content into with the media device that has access to the network; performing a usage activity on the media content with the media device; monitoring the usage activity on the media content, wherein the usage activity is monitored for information based at least in part on one of source of the media content, duration of the media content, audio volume change of the media content, download of the media content, metadata associated with the media content, and time stamps associated with a switch between a plurality of sources of media content; logging the monitored usage activity at the media device, wherein the media device is configured to log the monitored usage activity automatically and without user intervention; detecting a network connection to the network; and transmitting the monitored usage activity via the network connection to a ratings service, wherein the ratings service receives the usage activity from a plurality of media devices and uses the usage activity to rate the media content accessed by the media devices.