WO2002095996A1

WO2002095996A1 - System to enable the establishment of the presence of a used television channel

Info

Publication number: WO2002095996A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/000643
Authority: WO
Inventors: Per Valdemar Niva; Carl Jonas Wibom; Bengt-Åke ÄLGEVICK
Original assignee: Direct2Internet Ab
Priority date: 2001-04-12
Filing date: 2002-04-02
Publication date: 2002-11-28
Also published as: SE0101335D0; SE0101335L

Abstract

A system (1) for establishing with the aid of a telecommunications network (3) the extent to which a television channel selecting device (4) included in a plurality of such system-associated devices is switched on or off and in the event f being switched on determining the television channel that is being viewed or used at that time. The calling channel selecting unit (4) is connected to the telecommunications network (3). The unit (4) is adapted for calling a telephone number (B2) corresponding to a chosen television channel, and a called unit (5b, B2) corresponding to said telephone number is adapted to register initiated calls without causing a speech connection to be established through the telecommunications network (3).

Description

SYSTEM TO ENABLE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PRESENCE OF A

USED TELEVISION CHANNEL

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a system for establishing the existence of a currently connected television channel of a selected television apparatus, and more particularly, with the aid of a telecommunications network, to enable the extent to which a television channel selector included in a plurality of system-associated channel selectors is switched on or not and if the channel selector is switched on to establish the television channel being used at that moment in time.

To this end, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention that respective television channel selectors are connected to the telecommunications network as a calling unit. The present invention also relates more particularly to a system which is automated to a greater or lesser extent for determining at chosen points in time which television channel has been selected and is in use in respect of a chosen television apparatus and to determine the frequency at which a chosen television channel is currently being viewed, on the basis of the information obtained.

Description of the background art

Different types of systems of the kind defined in the introduction for determining relevant activity frequencies are thus known to the art.

The primary intention of the present invention is to provide a system which enables the frequency with which a chosen television channel is viewed to be determined, at least with an acceptable margin of error.

Thus, the object of the invention is to determine at chosen time points how many television channel selectors belonging to the system and included in a plurality of such selectors are in active use, i.e. switched on, and, in the event of a channel selectors being in active use, to determine the television channel that is being watched at the time of making the assay.

Many different methods and systems for determining the viewing frequency of a selected television channel are known to the art. One known method of this kind, which is encumbered with accepted serious error margins, is to allow a number of people to connect to chosen or randomly selectable telephone apparatus via the telecommunications network, preferably a telephone apparatus situated in the close proximity of a television apparatus, and to ask the called person one or more questions over an established speech channel, such as whether or not the television is switched on and, if so, which channel is being viewed at that moment in time.

In this case, it is usual to ask further questions through the established speech channel or speech connection, for example questions such as how many people are watching the television program, their ages, sex distribution and other demographic information that may be useful.

It is obvious that a method of this nature requires large personnel resources, it is also obvious that the requirement of using speech connections through the telecommunications network is expensive. Moreover, telephone calls of this nature may be considered disturbing and irritating by many people, the extent of which may well be reflected in the sharpness of the answers given to the questions or even in a reluctance to answer the questions.

Viewing frequency related to one or more television channels can also be determined and demographic information collected by choosing a number of persons that own a television apparatus and asking these persons to call and answer a number of questions at pre-set time points, such as the extent to which the television is switched on, the television channels that are viewed, together with other information of a demographic nature.

Summary of the present invention

Technical problems

When taking into consideration the technical deliberations that a person skilled in this particular art must make in order to provide a solution to one or more technical problems that he/she encounters, it will be seen that it is necessary to initially realise the measures and/or the sequence of measures that must be undertaken to this end on the one hand, and on the other hand to realise which means is/are required in solving one or more of said problems. On this basis, it will be evident that the technical problems listed below are highly relevant to the development of the present invention.

When considering the present state of the art, as described above, it will be evident that in the case of a system of the aforedescribed kind a technical problem resides in the ability to realise the measures that will be required to greatly simplify the extent of the procedures at present required for collecting information and data concerning the viewing frequency in respect of a given television channel and a given point in time.

In this regard, a technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by using an existing telecommunications network to collect a far greater volume of data/information per unit of time more automatically than was earlier the case and with the aid of less personnel.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by using a television channel selecting unit to this end, said unit being connected to the television apparatus information-wise.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by connecting said unit to the telecommunications network and including in said unit circuits that enable it to initiate a call to a telephone number chosen from a plurality of available telephone numbers and therewith exhibit the same properties as a calling telephone apparatus or corresponding device.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by adapting said unit in a manner which will prevent it from making a call to a telephone number corresponding to a currently selected television channel until it has received a trigger pulse.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by adapting a device that can be called on the chosen telephone number to register the call and its origin. Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing registration of an initiated call to be effected in said device through the medium of an A-number identification provided by the telecommunications network. Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing said initiation of a current telephone number to take place in response to a trigger signal or trigger pulse to circuits included in the unit. Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing said trigger signal to be generated via means external of the telecommunications network, such as wireless transmission of triggering adapted information to the unit.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing a trigger signal to be generated selectively between a pulse generated internally of the unit or externally of said unit.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing one and the same trigger signal to be generated and sent simultaneously to a chosen number of group-co-ordinated units from means external of the telecommunications network, such as by wireless transmission.

Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by allowing said called device to be adapted to solely receive control signals belonging to the telecommunications network and to store an A-number identification contained in said control signals as information relating to a selected television channel, without sending to the telecommunications network signals that represent the establishment of a speech channel or speech connection. Another technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by adapting said called device in a manner such that upon receipt of control signals from the telecommunications network said device will immediately store an A-number identification contained in said control signals and a B-number identification contained in said control signals as information relating to a selected television channel.

In this regard, a technical problem resides in the ability to realise the significance of and the advantages afforded by adapting the number of different callable telephone numbers to at least correspond to the number of relevant television channels allotted to said television channel selecting device. Solution

The present invention is thus based on a system which while using a telecommunication network enables the extent to which television channel selecting devices included in a plurality of such devices are switched on or not, and in the event of a channel selector being switched on to determine which of the available television channels is being viewed or used.

In this regard, the invention requires respective television apparatuses to be connected to a channel selection unit. With the intention of solving one or more of the aforesaid technical problems, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention that the channel selection device or unit shall be connected to the telecommunications network as a calling unit, that said unit shall be capable of initiating and/or calling a telephone number from among several available telephone numbers corresponding to a chosen television channel, and that a called device corresponding to said telephone number is adapted to register or record precisely the call initiated. By way of proposed embodiments that lie within the scope of the present invention, it is proposed that an initiated call is registered in the called device through the medium of number identification. It is also proposed that such registration of an initiated call shall be effected by means of an A-number identification and/or a B-number identification.

It is proposed in particular that the intended and desired registration of an initiated call is effected without establishing a speech connection through the telecommunications network. It is also proposed that initiation of a call to a relevant telephone number can take place in response to a trigger signal sent to one or more of the channel selection units.

The trigger signal may be such as to enable it to be sent to one or more of said channel selection units as triggering information, via transmission means external of the telecommunications network, such as via wireless transmission.

It is also proposed that the trigger signal used may be generated internally of said unit or may consist of a pulse generated externally of said unit.

Alternatively, a requisite trigger signal may very well be generated by an appropriate generator. It is particularly proposed in accordance with the invention that one and the same trigger signal is generated for a selected number of channel selecting units co-ordinated in a group of such units.

This enables one and the same trigger to be delivered to a chosen group of units in a co-ordinated fashion.

It is particularly proposed in accordance with the invention that said called device is adapted to receive control signals associated with the telecommunications network and to store an A-number identification contained by control signals as information indicative of a chosen television channel, without allowing signals that are representative of the establishment of a speech connection to be sent to and through said network.

In accordance with the invention, said called device may be adapted to store an A-number identification on the one hand and a B-number identification on the other hand, as information that clearly indicates a chosen television channel. It is also proposed that the number of different callable telephone numbers shall be adapted to correspond at least to the number of relevant television channel options.

It is also proposed that the calling channel selection unit shall be connected to the telecommunications network via a modem.

Advantages

Those advantages that can be considered primarily as significant to an inventive system that includes features characteristic of the invention reside in the provision of conditions which enable a statistic investigation to be carried out with respect to the extent to which television channel selection devices related to several chosen television apparatus are switched on or off in a manner that is much simpler than was earlier possible, and in the event of a channel selection device being switched on to determined the television channel that is currently being viewed or used, from among a number of available channels. The system utilises a telecommunications network in the form of the public telephone network to this end.

The television apparatuses are adapted to co-act with and are connected to a channel selection unit which is triggered at pre-set times to initiate a call to a telephone number corresponding to a chosen television channel, wherein the called device corresponding to the telephone number is adapted to register the initiated call.

It shall be possible to effect such registration without requiring the called device to re-send a signal representative of the establishment of a speech channel, thereby enabling desired registration to be effected solely by using a first system functional part that is based on the use of a signalling channel.

The primary characteristic features of a system with which it is possible to establish the number of television channel selection units included in a plurality of such units are switched to a television channel are set forth in the characterising clause of the accompanying Claim 1.

Brief description of the drawing

A system at present preferred for establishing the extent to which television channel selection devices included in a plurality of such devices are set to an available television channel comprising one of a plurality of available television channels will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an inventive system, partly in the form of a block diagram; Figure 2 is a block diagram which shows a device for registering an initiated call; and

Figure 3 is a block diagram, which illustrates a greatly simplified television channel selection unit.

Description of embodiments at present preferred

It is pointed out initially that we have chosen to use in the following description of embodiments at present preferred and including significant characteristic features of the invention and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings special terms and terminology with the intention of illustrating the inventive concept more clearly.

However, it will be noted that the expressions chosen here shall not be seen as limited solely to the chosen terms used in the description, but that each term chosen shall be interpreted as also including all technical equivalents that function in the same or at least essentially the same way so as to achieve the same or essentially the same intention and/or technical effect.

Figure 1 illustrates schematically part of the known technology from which the present invention can be considered to form a further development, and where the significant features associated with the present invention have been concretised generally in the proposed embodiment described in more detail below.

Figure 1 thus shows the blocks and units required in the use of a system constructed in accordance with the invention.

The system is generally referenced 1 in Figure 1 and is adapted to enable the extent to which a plurality of system-associated television apparatus 2 are switched on or off with the aid of a public telecommunications network 3, and also to establish the television channel being viewed or used at a set time.

Respective television apparatus are shown connected to a channel selecting unit 4, via a first connection 24. The channel selecting unit 4 is connected, via a connection 25, to a modem

6, which is connected to the network 3 via a second connection 6a.

It will be understood that the system 1 shall include a large number of television apparatus corresponding to the television apparatus 2, with each respective channel selecting unit 4 and associated modem 6 connected in the same way as that shown in Figure 1.

Accordingly, the description of the inventive system will be described hereinafter solely with reference to the television apparatus 2 and to the channel selecting unit 4 connected to one of the input ports 31 of a telecommunications system 3, via a modem 6 and its connecting line 6a, without departing from the concept of the invention.

Connecting lines 6b and 6c indicate corresponding connection of a set of other television apparatus having respective other channel selection units (4) and other modems (6). The inventive system builds on the use of a very large number of such arrays or sets.

The channel selection unit 4 has a block schematic structure, shown more specifically in Figure 3, although it will be noted already at this point that the unit 4 is allotted several telephone numbers, at least one telephone number for each available television channel, and that the unit 4 includes circuits which have been allotted alternative pertinent telephone numbers specific to selected television channels.

Figure 1 also shows the use of a call receiving device 5, which is connected to the network 3 for receiving and registering each call incoming to each of the alternative pertinent telephone numbers that can be chosen in the unit 4.

According to the present invention, the calling unit 4 shall be connected to the telecommunications network 3 as a calling telephone apparatus and shall be adapted to initiate a call and therewith activate a telephone number corresponding to a chosen television channel, wherein the device 5 includes circuits or functions 5a, 5b, 5c which correspond to said telephone numbers and respond to a chosen television channel, said circuits or functions being adapted to register calls initiated by different call numbers.

In order to clarify the significant features of the present invention, it can be mentioned that a complex telecommunications network 3 with associated telephone exchanges of the kind intended can be divided simply into at least two functional parts or functional blocks, i.e. a first functional part which produces different signal exchanges and a second functional part which establishes the through connection of a speech channel or a speech connection immediately the called device 5 responds to a ringing signal or the like sent by the network 3 via a telephone exchange 30, by lifting the telephone receiver or the like.

A first functional part can be assumed to send a coupling tone to the calling device 4, to note the subscriber number B2 or the like of the called circuit or the function 5b, to check that there is a free speech channel 34a through the network 3 that can be connected between the calling and the called subscribers belonging to the system, and to send a ringing signal to the called circuit or function 5b together with an A-number identification.

In the following, this is referred to as a control signal and a control signal related exchange. The second functional part 34 is activated immediately the call is answered by the called circuit or function 5b, via a signal referred to here as the B-response, and establish or set up a free speech channel between the calling and the called parties for an exchange of information over the thus established speech connection.

Figure 1 thus illustrates schematically an exchange unit 30 having input ports 31 and output ports 32, with a first functional part co-ordinated in a first block 33 and a second functional part co-ordinated in a second block 34.

The present invention is based on simple utilisation of the first functional part 33.

Registration of calls initiated from the channel selection unit 4, via a modem 6 and via the telecommunications network 3, shall take place in a device 5, and more particularly in a selected unit, such as a circuit or a function 5b, included among a plurality of available units, by number identification. However, in accordance with the invention, current telephone numbers are called in response to a trigger signal sent to or generated in the unit 4.

Such a trigger signal can be produced via the wireless transfer of triggering information to the unit 4, either via a television system that includes a receiver antenna 44 or via a satellite system that includes a receiver antenna 43, it being shown in Figure 3 that one of the signals arrives on a line 41.

Thus, in the illustrated case, the trigger signal is generated by the wireless transfer of triggering information to the channel selection unit 4.

The trigger signal may alternatively be generated by a pulse generated by a unit-external means, via a block 42 shown in Figure 3. As with the television system or the satellite system, the block 42 may include a generator 42a.

One and the same trigger signal can very well be generated via the television system and/or the satellite system for a selected number of units co-ordinated to form a group, said unit 4 being one of said co-ordinated units. Beneficially, the units will be co-ordinated in groups according to available demographic data/information obtained from informative sources.

The called devices and/or called circuits or units 5b are adapted to receive solely control signals associated with the telecommunications network and to store an A-number identification contained by said control signals as information relating to the chosen and activated television channel, without sending to the network 3 signals representative of the establishment of a speech channel as a B-response and which would therewith activate the second functional part 34.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a called circuit or unit 5b.

Referring back to Figure 1 , it will be understood that a first circuit or unit 5a in the device 5 is designed to receive a call to a first chosen telephone number B1 , a second circuit or unit 5b is designed to receive a call to a chosen second telephone number B2, a third circuit or unit 5c is designed to receive a call to a chosen third telephone number, and so on.

According to the present invention, a chosen telephone number, e.g. B2, representative of the activated and therewith chosen television channel is called in a known manner via unit-associated circuits and the unit 5b is called on the telephone number B2 via the first functional part 33, and ringing signals are sent on a line 21 as shown in Figure 2.

The circuit or the unit 5b is designed to receive solely a network-associated signal structure in a receiver 22 and to store this control signal as representing the choice of a currently activated television channel, by storing an A-number identification contained in the control signal in a block 23. According to the invention, this A-number identification can be achieved without re-sending to the network 3 signals representative of B-responses.

The circuit or unit 5b is also adapted to store an A-number identification and a B-number identification in a memory or a block 24, as identification of a given television channel. A significative identification allotted to the unit 4 can be stored in a circuit 25 and there related to an A-number allotted to the unit 4.

Figure 3 is a block diagram, which illustrates certain functions allotted to the channel selection unit 4.

As earlier mentioned, a trigger signal may be sent to a receiving circuit 40 from a block 42 either via wireless transmission on a line 41 , or via other means.

The trigger signal arriving at the receiving block 40 is sent to a block 45, which detects the current setting of a channel selector 46. The selector 46 has connected thereto a plurality of lines which are at least representative of the total number of television channels that can be used, said lines being referenced 4A, 4B, 4C and so on.

The proposed example in Figure 3 shows that the selector 46 points to a channel 4B and that information stored in a register 47 indicates that precisely this channel 4B corresponds to a callable, clearly determined, telephone number B2, wherewith a transmitting circuit 48 is activated to commence connection to the call number B2 via the modem 6 and also via the telecommunications network 3.

It will be apparent that the aforedescribed system is adapted to send a telephone number B2 corresponding to the setting of the selector 4B regardless of whether the television apparatus is switched on or not.

However, there is no obstacle to detecting whether or not the television apparatus 2 is switched on via a line 49, and to inhibit initiation of a call corresponding to the channel setting of the selector 4b when it is determined that the television has not been switched on.

Programming of the telephone numbers representative of the television channels in the unit 4 may be effected via the television system and its receiver antenna 44 or via a satellite system and its receiver antenna 43 in the case of the illustrated embodiment. It also lies within the scope of the invention to allow network-associated call circuits representative of chosen television channels to be activated each time a user switches from one television channel to another, and therewith register the channel selection habits of the viewers.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed and illustrated exemplifying embodiment thereof and that modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive concept as illustrated in the accompanying Claims.

Claims

1. A system for establishing the extent to which a system-associated television apparatus included among a plurality of system-associated apparatus is set to a television channel or not, characterised in that a channel selecting unit is connected to the telecommunications network as a calling unit; in that said unit is adapted for initiating a telephone number corresponding to a chosen and set television channel; and in that a device corresponding to said telephone number is adapted to register a thus initiated call.

2. A system according to Claim 1 , characterised in that an initiated call is registered by number identification.

3. A system according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that an initiated call is registered by means of an A-number identification and/or a B-number identification.

4. A system according to Claim 1 , characterised in that registration of an initiated call is adapted to take place without establishing a speech connection through the telecommunications network.

5. A system according to Claim 1 , characterised in that said initiation of a call via an applicable telephone number takes place in response to a trigger signal to one or more units.

6. A system according to Claim 5, characterised in that the trigger signal is generated by transmitting triggering information to the unit via means external of the telecommunications network, such as via wireless transmission means.

7. A system according to Claim 5, characterised in that the trigger signal used is generated internally of the unit.

8. A system according to Claim 5 or 7, characterised in that a trigger signal sent to the calling unit is generated via a generator and/or a channel selector.

9. A system according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that one and the same trigger signal is generated for a chosen number of units co-ordinated to form a group of such units.

10. A system according to Claim 5 or 6, characterised in that one and the same trigger signal is sent to a selective group of units that are co-ordinated with respect to demographic information.

11. A system according to Claim 1 , characterised in that said called device is adapted to receive network-associated control signals and to store A-number identification contained in said control signals as information concerning a chosen television channel, without sending to the telecommunications network signals that are representative of the establishment of a speech connection through the telecommunications network.

12. A system according to Claim 11 , characterised in that said called device is adapted to store an A-number identification and a B-number identification as information relating to a chosen television channel.

13. A system according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the number of different callable telephone numbers corresponds at least to the number of relevant television channel options.

14. A system according to Claim 1 , characterised in that said calling unit is connected to the telecommunications network via a modem.

15. A system according to Claim 1, characterised in that switching between television channels initiates a call to a telephone number corresponding to the new television channel.