Method and system for tracking network use

Abstract

An interactive media delivery system enables interactive media programming to a multimedia device and also tracks a subscriber's use of the multimedia device. For example, the device tracks events, such as a change in programming, a change in channel selection, and/or the subscriber's interaction with a particular interactive services application. Each event may be stored as an event record in a database, and one or more of the event records may be merged with content data to form event timelines of programming or other activity to the multimedia device over a selected time period. Further, timelines may be analyzed to generate ratings and other information about programming and may also be correlated with demographics data for marketing analysis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for collecting information about viewing habits of subscribers to a media delivery network for delivering programming to numerous set top boxes, each capable of supporting different applications invoked and controlled by subscriber commands, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) programming each application to identify selected subscriber commands of interest;   b) determining an application identifier corresponding to a particular application to which a selected command is addressed; and   c) creating an event record comprising:
 1) the application identifier; 
 2) an identification code corresponding to the selected command; and 
 3) a time stamp. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of accessing a table in order to determine the identification code for the selected command. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising the step of accessing a table in order to determine the application identifier. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising the steps of repeating a through c to collect a plurality of event records and buffering the plurality of event records. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  further comprising the step of forwarding the plurality of event records to a merge processor. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  further comprising the step of coupling to the merge processor a data source, the data source comprising broadcast identification information, interactive application use information, national advertising information and local advertising information. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  in which the selected commands of interest comprise at least one of a channel change command, a volume change command, a VCR command, an application invocation command and an application control commands. 
     
     
         8 . A storage medium on which is encoded instructions for performing the following:
 a) programming an application to identify a selected subscriber command of interest, the application selected from a plurality of applications operating on a multimedia device;   b) determining an application identifier corresponding to the application to which the selected command of interest is addressed; and   c) creating an event record comprising:
 1) the application identifier; 
 2) an identification code corresponding to the selected command of interest; and 
 3) a time stamp, 
   wherein the multimedia device communicates with a media delivery network, the media delivery network communicating at least one of programming content and the application to a plurality of multimedia devices.