Bluetooth RSSI Signal Strength for Media Exposure Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods are inadequate for accurately tracking media exposure and characterizing devices and their users using Bluetooth signals in conjunction with media consumption data, particularly in the context of media exposure tracking and web analytics.

Innovation Solution

Systems and methods that utilize Bluetooth signal characteristics, such as Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Transmit Power Level (TPL), and Link Quality (LQ), to determine media data exposure by pairing with portable computing devices and associating signal strength with media data, enabling the creation of research data that identifies and characterizes devices and their users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If Bluetooth signal characteristics are combined with media consumption data to identify devices and users, then media exposure tracking accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedia exposure tracking accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines Bluetooth signal characteristics (RSSI, TPL, LQ) with media consumption data by pairing portable computing devices with media players. The system merges proximity data from Bluetooth signals with media exposure data to create comprehensive research data that accurately identifies devices and users, resolving the contradiction by integrating multiple data sources to improve tracking accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses Bluetooth signal characteristics as an intermediary between device identification and media exposure tracking. The signal characteristics (RSSI, TPL, LQ) serve as a mediator that links portable computing devices to media consumption events, enabling accurate tracking without requiring direct complex interaction between all system components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If multiple Bluetooth signal characteristics (RSSI, TPL, LQ) are collected and analyzed, then device proximity characterization is improved, but data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice proximity characterizationVSAvoiddata processing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the Bluetooth signal characteristics into distinct components (RSSI for signal strength, TPL for transmit power, LQ for link quality) and processes each separately before integrating them. This segmentation allows for more efficient data processing while maintaining comprehensive proximity characterization, as each characteristic can be handled and analyzed independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms raw Bluetooth signal measurements into normalized proximity indicators by changing the parameter representation. The system converts RSSI, TPL, and LQ values into a unified proximity characterization that can be efficiently processed and compared, improving data processing efficiency while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3451556B1Media exposure linking utilizing bluetooth signal characteristics
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 THE NIELSEN CO (US) LLC
  • EP3451556B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3451556B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3451556B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for establishing media data exposure for a computer processing device, where media data received in the computer processing device. The computer processing device pairs itself with a plurality of portable computing devices using a Bluetooth connection when media data is received. A signal strength characteristic of the Bluetooth connection is established in the computer processing device for each of the paired plurality of portable computing devices. Each signal strength characteristic with the received media data is then established to determine which signal strength characteristic is the strongest when the media data was received in the computer processing device.