Satellite positioning system enabled traffic determination

Abstract

The present invention is directed to utilizing monitoring devices ( 200 ) for determining the demographics of individuals passing a particular geographic location. The monitoring devices ( 200 ) are distributed to a number of study respondents. The monitoring devices ( 200 ) track the movements of the respondents whose demographics are known. While various technologies may be used to track the movements of the respondents, at least some of the location tracking of the monitoring devices ( 200 ) utilize a satellite ( 105 ) location system such as the global positioning system (“GPS”). Geo data (movement data) collected by the monitoring devices is analyzed by a post-processing server ( 400 ) that determines the demographics of the study respondents that pass a chosen geographic location.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . Computer-readable media having stored thereon data representing the exposure of respondents to predetermined geographic locations (“geographic location exposure data”), said geographic location exposure data created by:
 (a) tracking paths of travel followed by a plurality of respondents utilizing a satellite positioning system (“SPS”) to:
 (i) independently track the movement of each of the respondents along the path of travel followed by the respondent; and 
 (ii) generate satellite data that represents the path of travel followed by the respondent (“respondent satellite data”); 
 
 (b) collecting the respondent satellite data; and 
 (c) analyzing said collected respondent satellite data to determine if said respondents have been exposed to predetermined geographic locations by matching geo data based at least in part on said respondent satellite data with geographic location data that describes said predetermined geographic locations. 
 
     
     
         2 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes respondent demographic data. 
     
     
         3 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes reach data created by analyzing the collected respondent satellite data to determine how many respondents were exposed to said predetermined geographic locations. 
     
     
         4 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the reach data includes respondent demographic data. 
     
     
         5 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes frequency data created by analyzing the collected respondent satellite data to determine the average number of geographic location exposures per respondent. 
     
     
         6 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the reach and frequency data includes demographic data. 
     
     
         7 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes the ratings of geographic locations, the rating begin based on the reach and frequency data. 
     
     
         8 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the reach and frequency data includes demographic data. 
     
     
         9 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes frequency data created by analyzing the collected respondent data to determine the average number of geographic location exposures per respondent. 
     
     
         10 . Computer-readably media as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the frequency data includes demographics. 
     
     
         11 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, prior to analyzing the collected respondent satellite data, the collected respondent satellite data is groomed for accuracy. 
     
     
         12 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein analyzing said collected respondent satellite data includes removing erroneous data. 
     
     
         13 . Computer-readable media as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the collected respondent satellite data is also analyzed to determine the dwell time of respondents at said predetermined geographic locations. 
     
     
         14 . A data processing system, comprising:
 (a) a data processor; and   (b) data storage coupled to the data processor, the data storage storing, in a form suitable for processing by the data processor, data representing the exposure of respondents to predetermined geographic locations (“geographic location exposure data”), said geographic location exposure data created by:
 (i) tracking paths of travel followed by a plurality of respondents utilizing a satellite position system (“SPS”) to:
 (1) independently track the movement of each of the respondents along the path of travel followed by the respondent; and 
 (2) generate satellite data that represents the path of travel followed by the respondent (“respondent satellite data”); 
 
 (ii) collecting the respondent satellite data; and 
 (iii) analyzing said collected respondent satellite data to determine if said respondents have been exposed to predetermined geographic locations by matching geo data based at least in part on said respondent satellite data with geographic location data that describes said predetermined geographic locations. 
   
     
     
         15 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes respondent demographic data. 
     
     
         16 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes reach data created by analyzing the collected respondent satellite data to determine how many respondents were exposed to said predetermined geographic locations. 
     
     
         17 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the reach data includes respondent demographic data. 
     
     
         18 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes frequency data created by analyzing the collected respondent satellite data to determine the average number of geographic location exposures per respondent. 
     
     
         19 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the reach and frequency data includes demographic data. 
     
     
         20 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes the ratings of geographic locations, the rating being based on the reach and frequency data. 
     
     
         21 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the reach and frequency data includes demographic data. 
     
     
         22 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the geographic location exposure data includes frequency data created by analyzing the collected respondent satellite data to determine the average number of geographic location exposures per respondent. 
     
     
         23 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the frequency data includes demographics. 
     
     
         24 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 14 , wherein, prior to analyzing the collected respondent satellite data, the collected respondent satellite data is groomed for accuracy. 
     
     
         25 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 14 , wherein analyzing said collected respondent satellite data includes removing erroneous data. 
     
     
         26 . The data processing system claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the collected respondent satellite data is also analyzed to determine the dwell time of respondents at said predetermined geographic locations.