Systems and methods compensating for set top box overflow

摘要

A system and method for cleaning television viewing behavior data collected from set top boxes by detecting and correcting various problems that can occur in the viewing data. Three problems that may be detected and corrected by the system include: overflows of memory buffers; inclusion of non-human generated tuning events; and presence of clock offsets. After cleaning the television viewing behavior data, the cleaned data may be used to analyze audience viewing behavior in a manner that achieves a higher degree of accuracy than can be achieved by using uncleaned television viewing behavior data.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for cleaning television viewing data by detecting and compensating for a set top box buffer overflow, the method comprising:
accessing television viewing data associated with a set top box; determining a time threshold indicative of a buffer overflow for the set top box; calculating a duration between the last television viewing datum logged by the set top box in the accessed television viewing data and a time when the television viewing data was provided by the set top box; determining whether the calculated duration exceeds the time threshold; and compensating for a set top box buffer overflow in the television viewing data when the calculated duration exceeds the time threshold.