The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2011
Aran London Sadja, La Jolla, CA (US);
Eric James Holcomb, San Marcos, CA (US);
Leo M. Pedlow, Jr., Ramona, CA (US);
Aran London Sadja, La Jolla, CA (US);
Eric James Holcomb, San Marcos, CA (US);
Leo M. Pedlow, Jr., Ramona, CA (US);
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Electronics Inc., Park Ridge, NJ (US);
Abstract
A cable television method for a cable television network involves sending a polling message to a modem forming a part of a television set top box from a cable television headend via a cable television cable connection to the set top box; wherein the polling message instructs the cable television set top box to report a currently tuned channel of the television set top box; receiving a response message from the cable television set top box transmitted by the modem and containing the currently tuned channel of the television set top box; and compiling the currently tuned channel information from a plurality of set top boxes received in response messages to determine actual program viewing statistics for a television time slot during which the polling responses were sent. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.