Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to evaluation of an effect of flow TV content provided to TV watchers, in particular evaluation of effects in terms of physical action, for example to detect if or when a TV watcher visits a website, e.g. a web shop related to a recent TV commercial.

Background of the invention

[0002] Advertising, including TV commercials, is a big business, and assessment of the actual effect on consumers of particular advertising efforts are therefore highly valuable to the advertisers. Conventional ways for a manufacturer, service provider or chain of shops to assess the effect of TV commercials include surveys and interviews among presumed TV consumers and closely measuring sales before and after a TV commercial campaign has aired. However, these are very loose and random measurements, which are hard to evaluate and derive factual information from, like whether consumers actually went to the shop, or whether consumers going to the shop actually watched the TV commercial or were prompted by something else.

[0003] In television programming for flow TV, flow is the predetermined "flow" of television material from one element to the next. It is how channels and networks try to hold their audience from program to program, or from one segment of a program to another. This is opposed to video-on-demand, where the user determines the flow.

[0004] When it comes to flow TV advertising, a campaign is often solely based on target demographics and the advertiser just "hopes for the best". Experts in the company and at the advertisement agency have approved the flow TV commercial, and it is confirmed that focus groups like the flow TV commercial as well. But the real world is more than demographic facts, experts and focus groups. Contrary to online advertising, where highly sophisticated measurements and tracking is utilized to substantiate advertising budgets, flow TV commercials worth thousands or even millions of dollars are booked based only on the feedback of a small group of people. This is because quantifying the impact of flow TV commercials is done mostly through surveys with small groups of people a few weeks after the campaign.

[0005] A technical and automated solution for use in relation so such assessment would be highly attractive and useful. Summary of the invention

[0006] The inventors have identified the above-mentioned problems and challenges related to determining to what extent watched flow television (TV) content affects which web locations are visited, and subsequently made the below-described invention which may solve or improve a number of these challenges. In a particular aspect, the inventors have conceived the idea that tracking what websites are visited by people can be correlated with measurements in a television distribution system to improve assessments of the effect of flow TV content on web behaviour.

[0007] The invention relates to a method of evaluating an effect of TV content provided to flow TV watchers of a flow TV channel, the method comprising any order of the following steps: logging a flow TV content indication of flow TV content accessed via a flow TV receiver associated with a flow TV subscriber identifier and storing said flow TV content indication with associated flow TV subscriber identifier in a flow TV log; associating said flow TV subscriber identifier with at least one web connected device identifier of a web connected device and storing said association in a user database; providing a web server and detecting by a web tracking server a web session between said web connected device and said web server; wherein said detecting of said web session comprises acquiring said web connected device identifier of said web connected device, establishing a web tracking indication on the basis of said web connected device identifier and said web session, and storing said web tracking indication in a web tracking log; correlating said web tracking log with said flow TV log using associations of web connected device identifiers and flow TV subscriber identifiers from said user database to provide a correlation result.

[0008] Flow TV in the present context refers to a centrally planned flow of TV content which may be broadcast to a large number of users. It should be noted that the users in a typical flow TV system are overall not individually identified due to the nature of flow TV and the typically means applied for displaying the broadcasted flow TV content. Evidently, flow TV does not rule out that some of the watchers are personally identified, but typical means for displaying broadcasted flow TV content does not facilitate or encourage such personal identification.

[0009] Thus, the invention does not prerequisite a personal identification, but it requires that flow TV content of the flow TV log can be associated to an associated web tracking log, therefore facilitating a reactional correlation between two worlds, i.e. the flow TV content-world and the web.

[0010] Flow TV content may in an aspect be referred to as a method of broadcasting time synchronized TV content to a large number of people and wherein the time synchronization is determined and established centrally in order to facilitate a technical efficient broadcast. The centrally determined time- synchronization of flow TV content in this context may therefore be seen as alternative to on-demand TV content, where no such time synchronization is performed under central control. Time synchronized is in this aspect of the invention therefore referring to a centrally distributed TV content, where the synchronization between end users, i.e. the flow TV watchers, are referring to a common synchronization defined centrally, whereas no such synchronization is offered through e.g. TV on demand, where individual users define their own view time and configure the flow between different programs individually, contrary to flow TV where the flow of programs are determined centrally.

[0011] Time synchronization between users of flow TV has historically become a challenge due to the fact that more and more TV broadcasting has been switched from flow-TV to different kinds of on-demand transmission of TV. This switching is technically not without challenge due to higher load requirements when applying on- demand services. This lack of centrally controlled time-synchronization may e.g. be addressed by different types of peer-to-peer unicasting techniques, but the advantage is that the TV content may be completely customized both with respect to what content the user demands but also with respect to e.g. what advertisement content the user is subjected to in relation to the demanded TV content.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention broadcasted flow TV content are semi-personalized by establishment of a flow TV-log of the flow TV content, associating this log with a web connected device. [0013] According to these provisions it is thereby possible to provide a tracking between a broadcast principally broadcasted to a large number of unknown recipients and a resulting specified web-tracking and the resulting tracking may be stored as anonymous correlation results.

[0014] The present invention therefore not only establishes a relational linking between broadcasted flow TV content and a resulting web traffic, it may by nature establish an anonymous correlation, which may nevertheless be applied as a technical measure for "broadcast tracking".

[0015] The present invention thereby expands the obtainable correlation results to a huge degree by addressing time varying flow TV content as a part of the correlation, thereby facilitating that detailed correlation results may be obtained even if the TV watcher does not switch between flow TV channels.

[0016] According to the invention is provided an advantageous method enabling tracking of the flow TV content a flow TV watcher has been watching and correlation thereof with websites visited by the flow TV watcher. In a particular aspect, the invention provides with the correlation result an indication of to what extent the flow TV watcher's web traffic include visits to web shops related to watched flow TV commercials. [0017] In an aspect, the invention provides an advantageous way to gather information about flow TV consumption and then measure if and to what extent which kind of content influences the online whereabouts of a consumer.

[0018] The present method is in particular relevant and advantageous in relation to big data applications in the sense that the use of tracking of a web connected device's web traffic may seem relatively far-fetched for the purpose of evaluating a response of flow TV watchers to flow TV content. It has nevertheless proven technically and conceptually possible to obtain this as a tangible measure for evaluation of flow TV content in relation to TV watchers by the application of a web connected device for effectually linking the flow TC content and the resulting web traffic on an individual basis.

[0019] Due to the individual linking between flow TV content and web tracking, it is in particular now possible to establish resulting web-traffic relative to a given exposure of broadcasted material. [0020] Advantageous aspects of the invention may include logging of flow TV content indications for a large number of flow TV subscriber identifiers and logging of resulting web sessions. In other words, information relating to several flow TV watchers, preferably hundreds, thousands or millions of persons, may preferably be logged according to the invention, whereby the correlation result may provide reliable and statistically substantial information about various segments of TV watchers, in particular when considering that the present invention offers the possibility of determining a ratio between a total number of watchers subjected to a given flow TV content and the individual resulting web-traffic.

[0021] A particular advantageous, useful and valuable correlation result may comprise an indication of the effect of a flow TV commercial to make a TV watcher actually go to a website related to or promoted by the TV commercial. Correlation results may further be highly valuable in scientific research, e.g. regarding how various movie genres or events seen on TV affects people, in particular if it changes their habits or make them consult specific websites, e.g. a weapon related website, a website for a peaceful or violent demonstration, a religious website, a travel agency web shop, informal websites, etc. The correlation result may also be useful for scheduling and decision making regarding which flow TV content to broadcast, etc. This is of course very interesting and advantageous in relation to flow TV, given the fact that the users have little or no influence on the centrally planned flow of TV programs but even more in relation to centrally planned flow TV content, which by nature will define TV content for a large number of watchers.

[0022] Flow TV content refers to material shown in flow TV, e.g. a TV show, a TV commercial, a movie, etc. Flow TV content indication refers to an indication of flow TV content, for example including one or more of a channel, program identifier, title, summary, subject, one or more categories, product, brand or company of advertisement, etc. Herein channel is used in the sense understood by a typical flow TV watcher when considering what channel to watch tonight. Hence, channel may in technical terms for example be one sub-channel or one stream from a multiplex of one digital video broadcast frequency carrying several alternative feeds from the same or different flow TV stations. The flow TV content indication preferably comprises at least a received channel and a timestamp or time period of reception.

[0023] A receiver for flow TV content is referred to as flow TV receiver, for example a set-top box standalone or integrated in a TV, a TV dongle, a smart TV app, a smartphone or tablet app, computer program or expansion card, an app for a standalone media player or gaming console, etc. The flow TV receiver is preferably a digital receiver with a processor and memory, whereby it is possible to supplement the firmware or install a software application with functionality to establish the flow TV content indications for the received flow TV channels and log them in the flow TV log locally or at a system database.

[0024] A flow TV receiver is TV content access unit specifically implemented to receive and decode a flow TV stream comprising said flow TV content and deliver said flow TV content to a display, e.g. a TV set. Again said flow TV receiver may be a standalone device connected to the display or integrated in, e.g., a TV set. [0025] Flow TV subscriber identifier refers to an identifier, e.g. a unique number, associated with a customer of flow TV services. In the case of set-top box (standalone or integrated) watching of TV, the flow TV subscriber identifier is typically stored in the set-top box, for example typed in by a user via an interface or removably as a chip card, also called smart card, inserted in the set-top box, or it is associated with a set- top box identifier so that the TV content customer can be derived from the set-top box identifier. In the case of flow TV apps or software for media players, smartphones, PCs, etc., the flow TV subscriber identifier could be a customer number used to identify the customer and verify his or her rights to access various content. [0026] The flow TV log refers to a database of flow TV content indications showing which flow TV content has been accessed via the flow TV receivers, each flow TV content indication in the flow TV log preferably comprises a timestamp or other time indication and is associated with a flow TV subscriber identifier, thereby making it possible to generate a list of flow TV content which a particular flow TV subscriber identifier has been accessing, even if different platforms, e.g. set-top box, smartphone, etc., have been used. The flow TV log may store all flow TV content indications, or a filtering may be applied to only store indications of particular flow TV content, e.g. according to a category, e.g. only storing indication of flow TV commercials, or only storing indications of flow TV content, commercials or not, mentioning a specific commercial brand or specific field of business.

[0027] The flow TV log may be a distributed database or relying on several databases. For example, in an embodiment, the flow TV receiver provides information about the flow TV subscriber identifier and which channel was received at which time, whereas information about the program content on that channel at that time, for example a movie, a break for flow TV commercials, etc., and which flow TV commercials, may be provided from a different source, e.g. in the form of an online TV schedule and advertising plan from the broadcaster.

[0028] A web connected device may e.g. be a desktop computer, laptop computer, smartphone, tablet computer, smartwatch or other electronic device preferably having wireless communication features, e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, etc. Each web connected device has one or more web connected device identifiers, which may for example be a MAC address of a wireless network or Bluetooth interface, a serial number, an ID for Advertisers (IDF A), a Google Advertiser ID (AAID), other advertiser identifiers, a browser cookie, a device fingerprint, locally stored information, an Evercookie, social media or online service accounts, email-address, etc., or any other device specific identifier, including the possibility of storing a proprietary web connected device identifier on the web connected device for specific use with embodiments of the present invention, etc.

[0029] The user database comprises users affected by embodiments of the present invention. The user database may preferably contain a mapping of the different identifiers which can be related to a user, for example a number of web connected device identifiers, a number of flow TV subscriber identifiers, a number of usernames, email-addresses, etc., used to access TV through smartphones, media players, PCs, etc. In a preferred embodiment, some or all identifiers relating directly or indirectly to a real person are anonymized, e.g. by encryption or by using an irreversible hashing algorithm. In preferred embodiments, the main purpose of the user database is not to be able to identify a real person, but rather to facilitate correlation data from the flow TV log, web tracking log and possibly other information about the person's online and physical whereabouts. Hence, in preferred embodiments, the user database may be considered a database of anonymous profiles.

[0030] The web tracking log refers to a database of which web connected devices have been detected at which web locations and preferably when. The web tracking log may be a database stored at the system server or it may be a distributed databased or combined from several data sources. [0031] The correlation of the flow TV log with the web tracking log may provide highly valuable and useful information regarding the web behavior of flow TV watchers in the context of, for example, which flow TV content, e.g. commercials, were watched before the flow TV watcher, i.e. user, initiated tracked web traffic. The correlation result may thereby for example be a combined database, e.g. in the form of a spreadsheet document file or a database query combining the data of flow TV log and web tracking log, or it may be a processed report, e.g. in the form of a pivot table, a few key figures, average numbers, a key performance indicator or an input to establish one, etc.

[0032] The correlation result is preferably based on the associations in the user database and logs to reflect reactional behaviour, so that the correlation result indicating something about web shop visitors, rates this against which of the visitors watched some specific flow TV content. This is contrary to simply measure the number of watchers and the number of visitors, without any knowledge about which of the visitors were also watchers. By being able to link the individual watchers with individual visitors during correlation is achieved a more detailed insight and more relevant and interesting analyses can be made. In a preferred embodiment, utilizing this linking does not lead to decreased privacy, as the individual watchers and visitors does not need to be evident from the correlation result. The individual watchers and visitors are mostly not relevant, but the fact which watchers are linked to which visitors is highly relevant, even if the watchers and visitors are anonymized.

[0033] For example, the correlation result may indicate the efficiency of a flow TV content, e.g. a particular flow TV commercial, to make its watchers go to a particular website, e.g. a web shop related to the particular flow TV commercial. This specific example of a correlation result may for example be achieved by comparing the total number of distinct flow TV receivers that were actually receiving that particular flow TV commercial during a certain period of interest with the number of distinct web connected devices that are associated with flow TV subscriber identifiers of these flow TV receivers and which were tracked at given website locations, e.g. payment platforms of given web shops. [0034] The present invention may also be used for other flow TV content than commercials. It may also be used to monitor and evaluate whether e.g. certain flow TV content may invoke a certain web traffic of watchers. This may e.g. include assessing if a weather forecast per se may invoke users to go to web shops selling clothes if the weather is predicted to be cold, or it may also monitor which types of news affects which types of users, i.e. TV watchers. [0035] The data described above as stored in a flow TV log, a user database and a web tracking log may in various embodiments be stored in more or less structured and more or less distributed databases. For example, everything can be stored in one table or database, in the three tables or databases mentioned, or split up in even further parts. For example, the flow TV content indication may be stored with other identifiers than the flow TV subscriber identifier, and the connection be derivable from another table. The user database may store web connected device identifiers associated with usernames or other identifiers, and the connection to a flow TV subscriber identifier be derivable from another table. For example, the web tracking log may comprise detected associations of web connected device identifier(s) and web tracking indications, with further tracking data derivable from another table. The tables or databases may be indexed, sorted, grouped and related in any way providing the general logical functionality of the above-mentioned information and associations being storable and obtainable as data extracts. [0036] In this context it should be noted that all the stored data may be anonymous but still provide a linking between flow TV content and specific web traffic.

[0037] All data may have the same data owner, e.g. a flow TV watcher logging and tracking service provider, or they may have different data owners, e.g. a flow TV distributor logging watched TV, a web shop owner logging detected web visits, and a flow TV watcher logging and tracking service provider associating flow TV subscriber accounts with web connected devices, and on that basis offers to correlate the other data owners' data to provide the correlation result.

[0038] In an embodiment is also performed logging of advertisements watched on websites and/or in mobile device apps via browser cookie technology and/or mobile device advertiser identifiers such as IDFA or AAID. In a preferred embodiment, the step of correlating further comprises correlating with the web advertisement logging mentioned here, providing a correlation result which may improve assessments on effects and consequences of both watched flow TV content, e.g. flow TV commercials, as well as website and app content, e.g. banner ads. [0039] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV receiver comprises a flow TV signal receiver.

[0040] According to the present invention flow TV is broadly referring to television over any signal technology generally used by TV networks, broadcasters and producers to distribute flow TV content to people.

[0041] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV receiver is arranged to receive and decode one or more flow TV signals selected from the group consisting of cable TV signals, satellite TV signals, digital terrestrial TV signals, IPTV signals and Internet TV signals. [0042] Flow TV signals may according to the invention for example comprise over- the-air antenna broadcast, also referred to as digital terrestrial TV (DTT) and conventional cable or satellite broadcast. It may also comprise IPTV, i.e. Internet Protocol television, here referring to television delivered over controlled networks such as subscriber-based telecommunications networks as an alternative to, e.g., cable TV, typically delivered to a set-top box or receiver module integrated in a TV set.

[0043] As a supplement to the present invention related to flow TV, the IPTV services may further include delivery of time-shifted TV and on-demand TV providing access to previously aired TV programs or supplemental content insofar these are correlated with the resulting web traffic. Further, Internet TV is also within the scope of the invention, here referring to flow TV content delivered over the public Internet, typically delivered to a web browser application or dedicated app on a PC, tablet computer, smartphone, gaming console or smart TV.

[0044] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV receiver is connected to a display for showing said flow TV content. [0045] In order to present the received flow TV content to TV watchers, the flow TV receiver is preferably connected to a TV set, a computer monitor, a flat screen, a video projector or other display. The connection may be wired or wireless and may for example apply any technology among HDMI, DisplayPort, SCART, S-video, composite video, USB, AirPlay, Miracast, WiDi, etc.

[0046] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV receiver is selected from the group consisting of set-top boxes, hardware media players and gaming consoles. [0047] These kinds of flow TV receivers are popular to use with conventional TV sets, e.g. flat screen TVs, for living rooms, bedrooms, children's rooms, etc., for TV distribution services such as cable, satellite, digital terrestrial and IPTV, and if up-to- date they typically have two-way communication and allow for installation and updating of software as firmware and/or apps to facilitate implementing the method steps of logging flow TV content indications and transmitting to a flow TV log at an external system server.

[0048] In an embodiment of the invention the flow TV receiver is integrated in a TV set.

[0049] For a TV set with an integrated tuner or receiver for the relevant type of TV signal, the flow TV receiver is part of the TV set itself. This may also include a TV set comprising a Common Interface according to the DVB standard or a CableCARD or AllVid interface according to the ATSC standard, when an appropriate Common Interface module, CableCARD module or AllVid adapter is inserted or integrated.

[0050] In an embodiment of the invention the flow TV receiver comprises a computer device comprising a processor, memory and a hardware interface to receive a TV signal, and a software application installed and executed on the computer device, wherein the computer device is selected from the group consisting of set-top box, smart TV, general purpose computer, gaming console, media player, tablet computer and smartphone. [0051] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV subscriber identifier is stored on a smart card.

[0052] In an embodiment, the flow TV receiver has a slot for receiving a smart card holding the flow TV subscriber identifier and/or indications of the channels and services that the particular flow TV subscriber has gained access to, typically by paying a subscription fee. Sometimes the smart card is referred to as a viewing card, TV subscriber card, etc. The flow TV receiver may read the flow TV subscriber identifier from the smart card and transmit it together with the flow TV content indications.

[0053] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV subscriber identifier is associated with a flow TV receiver identifier of said flow TV receiver.

[0054] In embodiments where the flow TV receiver does not store the flow TV subscriber identifier and/or does not transmit it together with the flow TV content indication to the flow TV log, the flow TV subscriber identifier is preferably and advantageously associated with an identifier of the flow TV receiver so that a flow TV content indication received from a flow TV receiver may be associated with the relevant flow TV subscriber identifier via the flow TV receiver identifier. The flow TV receiver identifier may for example be a media access control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address or a serial number of the flow TV receiver. In an embodiment, the flow TV receiver has access to the flow TV subscriber identifier, but only transmits it during first initialization or periodically, and the flow TV receiver identifier is used to assign the flow TV subscriber identifier to flow TV content indications received from the flow TV receiver. [0055] In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV subscriber identifier is associated with a username and password.

[0056] In an embodiment, the flow TV subscriber identifier is applied temporarily or indefinitely by means of a user interface and a username and password. The username may be identical to the flow TV subscriber identifier, or the flow TV subscriber identifier may be obtained from account data upon login with the username. The login by username and password may be temporary, e.g. terminating with the end of a TV watching session and requiring login again for the next session. This mode may for example be applied in embodiments where the TV content is watched in a web browser. The login by username and password may in other embodiments be indefinite, i.e. requiring active logout, for example for set-top boxes or apps for smart TV or smartphone where login is only required during initialization.

[0057] In an embodiment of the invention, one or more usernames are associated with one flow TV subscriber identifier. [0058] In an embodiment, several flow TV watchers, e.g. several family members, may be associated with one flow TV subscriber identifier. Typically, only one flow TV subscriber identifier is assigned to one household, but often several family members watch flow TV content on one or more TVs in the household. In a preferred embodiment, more than one of the family members have assigned a unique username to the household's common flow TV subscriber identifier, thereby causing more than one username to be associated with the one flow TV subscriber identifier. Whereas only the flow TV subscriber identifier and/or one of the usernames is used for watching flow TV content through one TV set, the different family members may use their different usernames to login to other flow TV receiver, e.g. their individual tablet computer, smartphone or smart TV, for accessing individual flow TV content within the rights assigned to the common flow TV subscriber identifier. The use of individual usernames advantageously facilitates individual flow TV watcher profiles with useful suggestions and history options for each family member.

[0059] The username may for example be an e-mail address, alias, real name, screen name or any combination of letters and/or numbers that are unique within the system, or in some embodiments where the associated TV subscriber identifier is always clear, simply unique among the usernames associated with the same TV subscriber identifier.

[0060] In an embodiment of the invention, a username is associated with said flow TV content indication in said flow TV log. [0061] When the flow TV content indications is not only associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier but also with a username, an advantageous embodiment is achieved facilitating distinguishing between flow TV content watched by different members of, e.g., a family using a common flow TV subscriber identifier. Embodiments that assign usernames to flow TV content indications, and in which usernames are unique throughout the system, may within the invention omit also storing the flow TV subscriber identifier directly with the flow TV content indication in the flow TV log but instead indirectly storing the associated flow TV subscriber identifier by storing a lookup table mapping flow TV subscriber identifiers to associated usernames.

[0062] In an embodiment of the invention, said logging a flow TV content indication is performed automatically.

[0063] According to the invention, the watched flow TV content may advantageously be logged automatically, preferably by transmissions of flow TV content indications from the flow TV receiver. The automatic logging may be performed at regular intervals, or each time a change occurs, e.g. a change of watched channel, or a TV program ends, or a commercial break occurs.

[0064] In an embodiment of the invention, said flow TV content indication is assigned a timestamp. [0065] By storing a time when the flow TV content was received and/or assumedly watched facilitates looking up additional information, and expands the range of correlations and assessments that may be based on the flow TV log.

[0066] In an embodiment of the invention, said flow TV log is stored on a system server. [0067] The system server may be a server computer, a network storage, a cloud storage, etc., possibly distributed and/or mirrored to several geographical locations. A preferred characteristic of the system server is that it is accessible for the step of correlating the web tracking log with the flow TV log, either by direct access or by providing a data extract for database queries. The system server is preferably implemented with a high level of data protection due to privacy concerns.

[0068] The flow TV log may be stored in the form of a database, preferably a relational database, a spreadsheet, a text file, an xml file, etc. [0069] In an embodiment of the invention, said logging a flow TV content indication is conditioned on a display connected to said flow TV receiver being switched on.

[0070] Some TV watchers finds the set-top box slow on booting up, and therefore let a set-top box or other external flow TV receiver stay on regardless if they are watching TV, and instead rely on just switching off the display, e.g. a TV set. In such scenarios, some flow TV receiver, depending on the technology and implementation, may continue receiving TV content from the TV distributor.

[0071] However, to avoid logging flow TV content indications of received flow TV content which has not been watched due to the TV being switched off, the flow TV receiver in a preferred embodiment determines the state of the display and only transmits a flow TV content indication if the display was on during at least a part of the duration of the flow TV content. The state of a connected display may for example be determined in accordance with the Display Data Channel (DDC) protocols of various versions implemented for prevalent display connection standards such as HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI and VGA. A preferred implementation uses HDMI as display connection, thereby enabling the Enhanced Display Data Channel (E-DDC) version of the protocol, and allowing flow TV receiver to determine if the display is disconnected, off, asleep or on. In a preferred embodiment, logging of flow TV content indications only takes place when the display is on, or was on during a part of the duration of the TV content.

[0072] In an embodiment, the logging of flow TV content indications is suspended for a particular flow TV receiver when the flow TV receiver has been receiving flow TV content for a predetermined extended period of time, e.g. 4 or 6 hours, without any content control received from a TV watcher, e.g. change of channel, switching on or off, changing audio volume, etc., as it may then be assumed that no one is watching the received flow TV content. The logging may be resumed upon a detected action from a TV watcher.

[0073] In an embodiment of the invention, said flow TV content indication is established by said flow TV receiver. [0074] In an embodiment of the invention, said flow TV content indication comprises information about a received flow TV channel and reception time information.

[0075] In an embodiment of the invention, said method comprises a step of supplementing said flow TV content indication stored in said flow TV log with additional information.

[0076] In an embodiment of the invention, said additional information is obtained from a data source different from said flow TV receiver.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment the flow TV receiver provides information about which channel is received at what times. Further information about what flow TV content, e.g. in terms of program type, program title, program genre, etc., or specific TV commercials, brands or stores promoted, product placement information, etc., may advantageously be obtained from one or more separate data sources. This additional information may e.g. be a TV schedule for the received channel, an advertising plan indicating the commercials shown during TV commercial breaks, a list of branded products placed in a movie, etc. The key for matching the schedules and other additional information with the received TV information from the flow TV receiver is the received channel and timestamp, which is preferably always obtainable by the flow TV receiver.

[0078] In an embodiment the additional information from the data source is retrieved by the flow TV receiver in order to establish a complete flow TV content indication to transmit to the flow TV log. In another embodiment, the additional information from the data source is retrieved by a central computer system, e.g. a system server, and applied to the timestamped channel information in the flow TV log to form a complete flow TV content indication. The forming of complete flow TV content indications in the flow TV log this way may in various embodiments be performed immediately at the time of receiving channel information from the flow TV receiver, or at regular or irregular intervals, e.g. a daily update, or not until the step of correlation is performed, thereby only needing to update flow TV content indications that are actually used in the step of correlation. In an embodiment, the content schedules are received prior to airing on TV. A central retrieval of the additional information from the data source may in an embodiment with several flow TV subscriber identities, i.e. access to information from many different families and households, be very advantageous as it allows for updating several flow TV content indications of several flow TV subscriber identities who have been receiving the same channels at the same times, with a single or few queries to the data source for additional information.

[0079] In an embodiment, the method is configured so that the flow TV log contains flow TV content indications identifying which flow TV commercials have been received, and thereby assumed watched, by which flow TV subscriber identities, at what times. Such information enables an advantageous possibility of assessing the effect of the received flow TV commercials if correlated with information about which stores are visited by persons related to the flow TV subscriber identities.

[0080] In an embodiment of the invention, said additional information is applied in said flow TV log automatically. [0081] In an embodiment of the invention, said step of associating said flow TV subscriber identifier with at least one web connected device identifier comprises providing a software application to said web connected device and associating said flow TV subscriber identifier with a web connected device identifier of said web connected device after a login to said software application on said web connected device.

[0082] In other words, the association of flow TV subscriber identifier with a web connected device may advantageously be performed by letting a person related to the flow TV subscriber identifier login to a software application, e.g. a smartphone app, on the web connected device using either the flow TV subscriber identifier itself or a username associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier. The software application may then read a web connected device identifier from the web connected device, and thereby obtain the association and transmit it to the user database.

[0083] The user database is preferably stored on a system server, e.g. a server computer, a network storage or a cloud storage, accessible for web connected devices to transmit associated flow TV subscriber identifiers, alternatively usernames, and mobile device identifiers, preferably via the Internet.

[0084] In an embodiment of the invention, said software application is a flow TV player app. [0085] By using a flow TV player app, also referred to as flow TV viewer app or simply flow TV app, as the software application, the login requirement using a flow TV subscriber identifier or a related username is natural for the user to gain access to the flow TV content subscribed to. Further, a large amount of people subscribing to conventional flow TV services for viewing on a TV set, are also installing a related flow TV player app on one or more web connected devices belonging to one or more members of their households.

[0086] In an embodiment of the invention, said login is performed with a username associated with said flow TV subscriber identifier.

[0087] As described above, several people, e.g. several family members, may in an embodiment be associated with one flow TV subscriber identifier. In a preferred embodiment, more than one of the family members have assigned a unique username to the household's common flow TV subscriber identifier, thereby causing more than one username to be associated with the one flow TV subscriber identifier. The different family members may use their different usernames to login to the software application for accessing individual flow TV content within the rights assigned to the common flow TV subscriber identifier.

[0088] In an embodiment of the invention, said login is performed with said flow TV subscriber identifier.

[0089] In an embodiment of the invention, one flow TV subscriber identifier in said user database is associated with one or more web connected device identifiers.

[0090] Some flow TV watchers may have more than one web connected device which they use for web sessions, for example a cell phone and a tablet, a cell phone and a laptop PC, etc. Preferably both of these web connected devices are associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier to facilitate detecting visits by the flow TV watcher to a certain web location regardless of which web connected device that was used.

[0091] In an embodiment, several flow TV watchers, e.g. several family members, may be associated with one flow TV subscriber identifier as mentioned above. Typically, only one flow TV subscriber identifier is assigned to one household, but often several family members watch flow TV content on one or more flow TVs in the household. Typically, several of the family members or other flow TV watchers accessing TV using the same flow TV subscriber identifier have individual web connected devices. In a preferred embodiment, as many web connected device identifiers of these web connected devices as possible are associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier in the user database.

[0092] In an embodiment of the invention, one flow TV subscriber identifier in said user database is associated with one or more usernames, and each username is associated with one or more web connected device identifiers.

[0093] In an embodiment of the invention, said web connected device identifier is an operating system advertising identifier.

[0094] The advertising identifiers facilitated by the major operating systems for web connected devices may advantageously be used for identifying the web connected device, as they are unique and associated with a particular web connected device instead of a particular app. A software application, e.g. a smartphone app, may thus read the advertising identifier from the web connected device and transmit it to the user database for association with a flow TV subscriber identifier. The operating system advertising identifier may presently for example be an Identifier for Advertising (IDF A) on iOS systems, a Google Advertising ID (AAID) on Android systems, or an Advertising ID on Windows systems.

[0095] In an embodiment of the invention, said method comprises the steps of displaying said flow TV content accessed via said flow TV receiver to a TV watcher; establishing said web session by said TV watcher.

[0096] The web session may refer to any web traffic at websites relevant for a final correlation. The websites may thus refer to websites related to the promoting flow TV content but it may also be relevant to track whether resulting web sessions are undesired or unexpected. As mentioned above, the web sessions are tracked by a web tracking server.

[0097] In an embodiment of the invention, said web tracking indication refers to one or more web locations.

[0098] A web location may for example be a website, e.g. a web shop, a sub-page of a website, a specific product page, an order confirmation page, a payment page, an article, or any other trackable web locations. The reference may be a domain name, an IP address, a uniform resource locator (URL), possibly with in-page reference or attached data, or any other way of referencing objects on the Internet or computer networks. The reference need not be absolute, but can also simply be a name of a website or company. Web locations to be tracked may be predetermined or determined dynamically.

[0099] In an embodiment of the invention, said web tracking indication comprises additional data regarding said web session.

[0100] Additional data may for example relate to search strings, shopping basket content, confirmed orders, time and/or duration of visit, details about the web connected device such as hardware specifications, software versions, etc.

[0101] In an embodiment of the invention, said correlation result is used to provide an assessment of a physical effect of said flow TV content.

[0102] In an embodiment of the invention, a measure of a physical effect of said flow TV content is established on the basis of said correlation result. [0103] In an embodiment of the invention, said correlation result is used to provide an assessment of an influence of said flow TV content on web sessions of a TV watcher.

[0104] In an embodiment of the invention, said correlation result is used to provide an assessment of a physical effect of a TV commercial.

[0105] In an embodiment of the invention, a measure of a physical effect of a TV commercial is established on the basis of said correlation result.

[0106] In an embodiment of the invention, a measure of a physical effect is established on the basis of one or more ratios between values derived from said web tracking log and values derived from said flow TV log.

[0107] In an embodiment of the invention, said correlation result is used as a basis for the providing of a measure for flow TV content effect in relation to a plurality of individual TV watchers.

[0108] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is possible to establish a correlation result linking a broadcasted flow TV content and the flow TV content effect in relation to a large number of individual flow TV watchers. The individual linking between an individual's flow TV content indications and resulting web tracking indications provides a measure which is anonymous, but even so it is now possible to establish a measure of a ratio between a total number who has actually been subjected to a particular flow TV content and, out of that group, who has web- reacted on the flow TV content.

[0109] In an embodiment of the invention, the method comprises determining a measure of an effect of flow TV content in relation to a plurality of flow TV watchers on the basis of said correlation result by: (a) out of logged flow TV content indications determining a specified flow

TV content; (b) out of a total group of TV watchers determining a first subset of flow TV watchers who has been subjected to the specified flow TV content;

(c) related to the first subset of flow TV watchers determining a first subset of web location(s) where subsequently web connected devices associated to said first subset of flow TV watchers have been tracked to;

(d) out of a total group of flow TV watchers determining a second subset of flow TV watchers who has not been subjected to the specified flow TV content;

(e) related to the second subset of TV watchers determining a second subset of web location(s) where subsequently web connected devices associated to said second subset of flow TV watchers have been tracked to.

(f) establishing said measure of an effect of said specified flow TV content on the basis of a comparison between said first subset of flow TV watchers, said second subset of flow TV watchers, said first subset of web location(s) and said second subset of web location(s). [0110] In the comparison of the subsets of flow TV watchers and subsets of web locations, the subsets may be represented by their size, after possibly segmenting in various ways.

[0111] In a preferred embodiment, a measure of how flow TV watchers are affected with regard to their subsequent visits to web locations, e.g. websites, e.g. web shops, by watching or not watching specified flow TV content, may be established by comparing the ratio of flow TV watchers who watched the specified flow TV content and later visited the related web location, with the ratio of flow TV watchers who did not watch the specified flow TV content but anyway visited the related web location.

[0112] The comparison between the first and second subsets of flow TV watchers and the first and second subsets of web locations may in an example scenario where a visit to a web location is considered a conversion, comprise calculating a conversion rate among the flow TV watchers who watched the specific flow TV content, e.g. a specified flow TV commercial, and a conversion rate among a control group being the flow TV watchers who did not watch that specific flow TV content but visited the web location anyway. The conversion rates of flow TV watchers who watched the flow TV content and the conversion rate of the control group may be calculated like this:

[0113]

Let Wbe the total number of logged flow TV watchers taken from the flow TV log;

let N be the total number of logged web location visitors taken from the web tracking log;

let w be the number of logged flow TV watchers who watched the specified TV content taken from the flow TV log;

let n be the number of logged web location visitors who watched the specified flow TV content taken as a joint of the web tracking log and the flow TV log; let CRtest be the conversion rate among the w watchers who watched the specified flow TV content, i.e. the group to test; and

let CRcontroi be the conversion rate among the W-w watchers who did not watch the specified flow TV content, i.e. the control group; then n

N - n

CR

¹ W - w

[0114] A measure of the efficiency E of the specified flow TV content to persuade watchers to visit particular web locations may be defined in several ways from CR _tes t and CRcontroi, for example one or more of these

E _m = (CR _test - CR _control )x l00 [percentage points]

CRtest

- ^• proportion J^

control

^„ CRt teesstt dec™ont ^m rol ^l v i nn rn _/ i

£lift,percent = ^{X l 0} ° - ^% - CRcontroi [0115] The above examples are relatively simple. More complex equations and considerations for both the conversion rate, the efficiency measure, and other correlation results are preferred and within the scope of invention. Complexity may preferably be added to confine the time period between watching and visiting, to take into consideration the number of times a TV watcher watched the specified flow TV content, to take into consideration the number of times a web location visitor visited the specified web location, whether or not a web location visitor placed an order in a specific web shop, to compensate for data distribution, to segment the data, to disregard outliers, to average or otherwise filter data, etc. [0116] In an embodiment of the invention determining said flow TV watchers who has been subjected to the specified flow TV content is based on flow TV receivers having logged the specified TV content, and wherein determining said TV watchers who has not been subjected to the specified TV content is based on flow TV receivers not having logged the specified TV content. [0117] In an embodiment of the invention, said specified flow TV content is a specified TV commercial.

[0118] In an embodiment of the invention, said correlation result is anonymized.

[0119] Thereby is facilitated compliance with data privacy obligations for storing and/or providing data about behavior and location of persons. Various embodiments of anonymization of the logged data and/or the correlation result are described in more detail herein.

[0120] In an embodiment of the invention, said correlating said web tracking log with said flow TV log is performed automatically to auto-generate said correlation result.

[0121] The methods according to the embodiments of the inventions described herein may be run automatically as a computer implemented method with little or no human interaction. The method may be executed by a computer or a group of computers, including one or more servers. [0122] The correlation or various different correlations with different filters, segmentations, tolerances, time frames, etc., may advantageously be performed automatically, at regular intervals or timed with the airing of particular TV programs, genres, TV commercials, etc., or times with a marketing campaign, etc. By auto- generating correlation results advertisers, decision-makers, researchers, government officers, etc., may conveniently monitor the correlation results on a regular basis. A TV watcher logging and tracking service provider or a TV commercial assessment service provider, etc., may advantageously use automatic correlation to ensure that they always have ready-made, up-to-date, correlation results to provide to customers. Another advantageous effect of automatic correlation and providing of correlation results is facilitation of machine processing of the correlation results, e.g. in an automated periodic market analysis, where the automatic correlation result of the present invention may be just one out of many inputs.

[0123] It should also be noted that the correlation result besides being based on the association of TV content indication with web locations also may be based on association with a subsequent transaction.

[0124] In an embodiment of the invention, said web location(s) is referring to one or a group of web locations.

[0125] In an embodiment of the invention, said web location(s) is referring to one or a group of web locations related to said flow TV content.

[0126] The web location(s) may be defined more or less precise, but the important thing is that the web location(s) is/are logically coupled to a place that relates to the content of the relevant TV program, e.g. a particular TV commercial, regardless of the definition of the web location is by fully qualified web address, or relative indications such as simply a name of the website.

[0127] Hence, in an embodiment the precise URL may not be so much of interest. It may be more relevant just to detect that a web connected device is browsing a particular web shop at domain example.com, rather than knowing exactly which sub- pages of the shop was visited. Thus, a TV commercial shown on TV promoting stuff sold by the Example chain of stores, can be evaluated just by knowing that a TV watcher according to the TV log assumedly has been exposed to a TV commercial related to the Example chain of stores and the TV watcher has been located at the example.com website, which is sufficient information to correlate the web tracking log with the TV log using associations of web connected device identifiers and flow TV subscriber identifiers from the user database to provide a correlation result.

[0128] For other purposes, such a correlation result may need to be much more precise and even include fully qualified web locations and possibly further information about specific user behavior on the website. [0129] In an embodiment of the invention, said detecting a web session and storing a web tracking indication in a web tracking log is performed automatically.

[0130] According to advantageous embodiments of the invention, the web connected device and/or the web server or web tracking server automatically performs the detection and automatically logs the incident in the web tracking log. [0131] In an embodiment of the invention, a timestamp is assigned to said stored association of web connected device identifier and web tracking indication in said web tracking log.

[0132] Storing a time or time period when the web connected device was detected at the web location, expands the range of correlations and assessments that may be based on the web tracking log.

[0133] In an embodiment of the invention, said web session comprises web communication between said web connected device and said web server.

[0134] In an embodiment of the invention, said web communication comprises at least one webpage transmitted from the web server to said web connected device. [0135] A web communication may for example involve an HTML document or other document which the web connected device may render as a webpage. Often further objects are also communicated from the same or different servers, e.g. images, videos, scripts, style sheets, etc.

[0136] In an embodiment of the invention, said web server comprises a web shop.

[0137] In an advantageous embodiment, the web tracking involves detecting when the web connected device visits specified web shops.

[0138] In an embodiment of the invention, said web server comprises said web tracking server, establishes said web tracking indication and transmits it for storage in said web tracking log.

[0139] As the web server is fully aware what content the web connected device is retrieving, including dynamic asynchronous requests, etc., it may establish web tracking indications accordingly.

[0140] In an embodiment of the invention, said web connected device comprises said web tracking server, establishes said web tracking indication and transmits it for storage in said web tracking log. [0141] As the web connected device is fully aware what content it is retrieving, including dynamic asynchronous requests, etc., it may establish web tracking indications accordingly.

[0142] In an embodiment of the invention, said web server by means of said web communication causes said web connected device to transmit at least one web connected device identifier and tracking data to said web tracking server for establishment of said web tracking indication.

[0143] In a preferred embodiment, a web tracking server external to the web connected device and the web server is employed for reporting web tracking indications to the system server. Besides being dedicated for the purpose, it is advantageous because it may use the same web tracking server for tracking several or all web servers and web connected devices interacting with the system. Thereby the web tracking server may recognize web sessions of a particular web connected device across visits to different web servers, e.g. if using tracking server cookies as described in more detail below.

[0144] In an embodiment of the invention, said web connected device identifier comprises a browser cookie identifier. [0145] In an embodiment of the invention, said web connected device identifier comprises an advertising identifier.

[0146] In an embodiment of the invention, said web connected device identifier comprises a device fingerprint.

[0147] In an embodiment of the invention, said web server transmits a redirection script to said web connected device.

[0148] The redirection script is preferably part of a webpage retrieved by the web connected device, and is in an advantageous embodiment arranged to cause the web connected device to contact the web tracking server. In other words, the web server is preferably serving webpages that causes the web connected device that is rendering them to report the web session to the web tracking server. Besides a web address for contacting the web tracking server, the redirection script may comprise further data that should be included in the web tracking indication, and which cannot be obtained by the web tracking server itself, for example data regarding an order placed in a web shop, etc. [0149] In an embodiment of the invention, said web tracking server retrieves a tracking server cookie from said web connected device for obtaining said web connected device identifier.

[0150] As browser cookie technology is integrated in current browsers and web servers, this is an efficient method of managing the web connected device identifier. [0151] In an embodiment of the invention, said web tracking server receives additional tracking data from said web server via said web connected device, preferably embedded in a web address query string. [0152] In an embodiment of the invention, said web server retrieves a web server cookie from said web connected device.

[0153] In an embodiment of the invention, a device identifier provider is provided to obtain at least one additional web connected device identifier from said web connected device.

[0154] In a preferred embodiment, several web connected device identifiers are obtained for each web connected device. It is useful for example when the flow TV subscriber identifier has been associated with a web connected device identifier being an advertising identifier, but the web tracking indications are associated with a web connected device identifier related to a tracking server cookie, and no association of the two different web connected device identifiers has been obtained.

[0155] In an embodiment of the invention, the device identifier provider is a software application installed on said web connected device and the method comprises steps of the device identifier provider obtaining a first web connected device identifier from the web connected device; and the device identifier provider causing the web connected device to transmit said first web connected device identifier and a tracking server cookie representing a second web connected identifier.

[0156] In a preferred embodiment, the device identifier provider is an application on the web connected device, and thereby able to retrieve for example an advertising identifier as one of the web connected device identifiers. By further causing the web connected device to contact a tracking server or the system server with the obtained identifier, that server will be able to retrieve its browser cookie representing another web connected device identifier. Thereby the tracking server or system server obtains an associated pair of web connected device identifiers. [0157] In an embodiment of the invention, the device identifier provider is a wireless access point comprising captive portal technology. [0158] As described in more details below, a wireless access point may retrieve several kinds of web connected device identifiers, for example MAC address, browser cookie identifiers, usernames, etc.

[0159] In an embodiment of the invention, the device identifier provider is a website. [0160] In an embodiment of the invention, the device identifier provider facilitates an association of an advertiser identifier and a browser cookie identifier as the two web connected device identifiers.

[0161] In an embodiment of the invention, the device identifier provider facilitates an association of a media access control address and a browser cookie identifier as the two web connected device identifiers.

[0162] In an embodiment of the invention, the device identifier provider facilitates an association of a media access control address and a browser cookie identifier as the two web connected device identifiers.

[0163] Moreover, the invention relates to a system for evaluating an effect of flow TV content provided to flow TV watchers of a flow TV channel, the system comprising: a system server comprising a flow TV log, a web tracking log and a user database; a flow TV logging system arranged to establish flow TV content indications of flow TV content accessed via a flow TV receiver associated with a flow TV subscriber identifier and storing said flow TV content indication with associated flow TV subscriber identifier in said flow TV log; a user matching system arranged to associate said flow TV subscriber identifier with at least one web connected device identifier of a web connected device and storing said association in said user database; and a web tracking system arranged to establish web tracking indications by detecting a web session between said web connected device and a web server and storing at least one web connected device identifier of said web connected device in association with web tracking indication in said web tracking log; wherein said system is arranged to correlate said web tracking log with said flow TV log using associations of web connected device identifiers and flow TV subscriber identifiers from said user database to provide a correlation result.

[0164] In an embodiment of the invention the above system is implementing any of the above embodiments of a method according to the invention.

The drawings

[0165] Various embodiments of the invention will in the following be described with reference to the drawings where fig. 1 illustrates an overview diagram of an embodiment of the invention, fig. 2 - 3 illustrate a block diagram and a sequence diagram of a TV watching and logging scenario of an embodiment of the invention, fig. 4 - 5 illustrate a block diagram and a sequence diagram of a scenario of associating TV subscriber identifier with web connected device identifier of an embodiment of the invention, fig. 6 - 7 illustrate a block diagram and a sequence diagram of a scenario of detecting a web session between a web connected device and a web server, fig. 8 - 9 illustrate a block diagram and a sequence diagram of a scenario of detecting a web session between a web connected device and a web server, fig. 10 - 11 illustrate a block diagram and a sequence diagram of a scenario of associating various web connected device identifiers, fig. 12 illustrates an embodiment of the invention, fig. 13 illustrates stored data according to an embodiment of the invention, and fig. 14 illustrates flow TV content indications according to an embodiment of the invention. Detailed description

[0166] Fig. 1 is an overview illustration of an embodiment of the invention. A television set or other display TV is connected to a flow TV receiver FTR, e.g. a set- top box receiving cable TV, satellite TV or IPTV. The flow TV receiver FTR thereby delivers flow TV content TC to the display TV. The flow TV receiver FTR may also be an integrated part, possibly removable, of the display TV. The display TV provides the flow TV content to a TV watcher TVW, who decides what to watch by content control CC, typically via a remote control or other interface.

[0167] The TV watcher has an association WD A with a web connected device WCD, e.g. a smartphone, tablet PC or laptop PC, i.e. the TV watcher may be the owner and/or user of the device. At some time after having watched the flow TV content TC, the TV watcher TVW uses the web connected device WCD to access a web server WS, e.g. a web shop, and perform web communication WC, thereby establishing a web session SES. [0168] According to the above, it may with some degree of certainty be known which flow TV content TC the TV watcher did watch, e.g. which movies, TV shows and TV commercials, etc., and it may further be known that the TV watcher visited the web server WS, e.g. a website, a web shop, etc.

[0169] By gathering, for example at a system server SS, flow TV content indications TCI related to the watched flow TV content TC, and web tracking indications WTI related to the web visits, a correlation of the gathered information may provide useful and valuable information. The system server SS may for example be a server computer or a cloud storage solution, etc. More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the web tracking indication WTI is based on information usable as reference to the web connected device, i.e. a web connected device identifier WCDI, and information about the web communication with the visited web server WS, for example which sub-pages, e.g. product pages, have been retrieved, or in the case of a web shop, for example whether an order was placed. [0170] The correlation result CR may for example indicate a strong or weak relationship between visited websites and watched TV content, with or without segmentation based on TV watcher characteristics, etc., as further elaborated above.

[0171] While herein is sometimes referred to specific current TV technologies, and specific current web connected device operating systems and identifiers, it is noted, that also less popular technologies and operating systems, as well as future TV technologies and future mobile device operating systems and technologies may be used in embodiments of the present invention, mutatis mutandis.

[0172] The logging and tracking information gathered by the system server SS may be extracted, combined and correlated in various ways depending on the application. For example, a correlation result CR may show what percentage among the people who watched a certain TV program visited a related or mentioned website afterwards, and if this was higher or lower among the TV watchers in general than before the TV program aired. More specifically, a highly valuable correlation result is what percentage among the people who watched a certain TV commercial for a website or web shop actually went there afterwards, and whether this was higher or lower than usual. And in an embodiment also whether websites of the competitors benefited from the increased interest. Another example could be to determine the ratio among visitors to a sports reporting website who also watches sports in the TV at least once a week, and which sports they prefer to watch. Another example could be to determine to what degree a TV documentary or portrait about politics, a political party or a politician affects the interests for visiting the websites of political parties, and if more people actually join the parties. The correlation results may be valuable to advertisers, businesses, scientific researchers, TV producers and networks, city councils, governments, NGOs, etc.

[0173] Flow TV in the present context refers to a centrally planned flow of TV content which may be broadcast to a large number of users at the same time, where the TV watchers besides switching channel or switching off do not control the received flow TV content. Said more informally, flow TV refers to the traditional way of broadcasting TV, as opposed to current on-demand services. [0174] Preferably several, e.g. thousands or millions, other TV watchers are also spending time watching flow TV or visiting websites. Over time, the system server SS collects the watched flow TV content indications associated with the different TV watchers, and collects the visited websites, web shops, etc., for each web connected device WCD, and thereby assumedly the web connected device owners.

[0175] Fig. 2 shows a flow TV watching scenario according to an embodiment of the invention. As described above with reference to Fig. 1, a TV watcher TVW performs content control CC, e.g. via a remote control, to make the flow TV receiver FTR receive a desired channel and provide flow TV content TC to the display TV correspondingly for watching.

[0176] The flow TV receiver FTR comprises a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or another token, e.g. a username UN, which is used to lookup what flow TV content, e.g. on a channel basis, has been subscribed to, and which the flow TV receiver FTR thereby uses to limit reception, e.g. to non-premium channels, in accordance with the subscription. In an embodiment, the TV subscriber enters the flow TV subscription identifier TSI, or an associated token, e.g. a username UN, into the flow TV receiver FTR upon initialization or for each use. In other embodiments, the flow TV subscription identifier TSI or related token is pre-stored in the flow TV receiver FTR or delivered on a smart card or other removable item to be inserted into the flow TV receiver FTR during initialization.

[0177] Alternatively, instead of knowing the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, in an embodiment the distributor of the TV content restrains the receivable TV content, e.g. channels, on the basis of a flow TV receiver identifier FTRID or similar, e.g. a MAC address, IP address or serial number, which is associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI and corresponding subscription information in the TV distributor's system.

[0178] The flow TV receiver FTR transmits information about the watched flow TV content to a flow TV log TL at a system server SS, e.g. a server computer or a cloud storage service. The flow TV content indication TCI transmitted by the flow TV receiver FTR preferably comprises at least information about the received channel and a timestamp or time period. Further, the flow TV receiver FTR transmits the associated flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, or in accordance with the various other embodiments described above, transmits a flow TV receiver identifier FTRID, a username UN, or otherwise facilitates the system server SS to associate the received flow TV content indication TCI with a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI.

[0179] The flow TV log TL thereby grows with the TV consumption of the TV watcher TVW, by adding new flow TV content indications TCI preferably for each TV watching session, preferably each time the flow TV receiver is requested to switch to a different channel, or each time a TV program, movie, TV commercial, etc., ends, etc.

[0180] The flow TV receiver FTR is preferably connected to the display in such a way that the flow TV receiver can determine if the display is being switched off. A preferred connection comprises an UDMI connection with Enhanced Display Control Channel (E-DDC) enabled in the display, the UDMI cable and the flow TV receiver. In homes where it is customary to leave the set-top box or other external flow TV receiver switched on at all times, and only switch the TV set or other display off when leaving the room, it can thereby be avoided to log flow TV content that was never watched because of the display being off, though it was received by the flow TV receiver. In an embodiment, the logging of flow TV content indications is also paused after a long period of not receiving any content control CC from the TV watcher, e.g. after 4 or 6 hours with no change of channel or other activity, as it may be assumed that no one is watching the TV.

[0181] In a preferred embodiment, the system server SS and flow TV log TL receive flow TV content indications TCI from several different flow TV receivers FTR, associated with several different flow TV subscriber identifiers TSI, possibly hundreds, thousands, or even millions of flow TV receivers, i.e. representing even more TV watchers TWV if each flow TV receiver on average is used by more than one person. [0182] To facilitate assessment of watched flow TV content on a more detailed level than just the watched channels, the flow TV content indications TCI may preferably be supplemented by additional information AI. In an embodiment the additional information may be obtained from one or more data sources DS. For example, the additional information may be obtained from a TV schedule identifying the different programs, movies, TV shows, commercial breaks, etc., broadcast on each channel and associating them with time of broadcast. Combining such information into the flow TV content indications which may possibly comprise only channel and time when received from the flow TV receiver, the flow TV content indications in the flow TV log may be enhanced to indicate what programs the TV watcher received, and not only what channels. Similarly, the additional information AI may comprise an advertising plan from a broadcaster, identifying what TV commercials where aired during a particular commercial break, thereby facilitating enhancing the flow TV content indications TCI to indicate what TV commercials the TV watcher received during the time he or she was watching TV.

[0183] In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the additional information AI is transmitted from the data source DS to the system server SS. This is advantageous, as the system server may receive schedules, plans, etc., once for each relevant time period, and apply the additional information to several or all flow TV content indications associated with several different flow TV subscriber identifiers.

[0184] In another embodiment, the flow TV receiver FTR may obtain the additional information AI and provide it to the system server together with the flow TV content indications, or as part of the flow TV content indications. Such embodiment may for example comprise flow TV receivers with electronic program guide (EPG) functionality retrieving TV schedules from the TV distributor. Similarly, the flow TV receiver may also be provided functionality to retrieve an advertising plan in the same way, for qualifying the flow TV content indications further.

[0185] In an embodiment, the flow TV receiver FTR may also transmit flow TV content indications TCI relating to time-shifted TV and on-demand TV at the time it is assumedly watched. For example, the flow TV receiver FTR may comprise a hard disk drive, flash drive or other sufficiently large storage for recording received TV. For example, the flow TV receiver FTR may, typically in IPTV networks, access time- shift services of the TV distributor to receive flow TV content at non-scheduled times. In these examples embodiments, the flow TV receiver FTR may be arranged to submit flow TV content indications relating to the recorded or time-shifted flow TV content when it is sent to the display, rather than when it is received from the network.

[0186] Fig. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating a scenario of flow TV watching and logging according to an embodiment of the invention, for example the embodiment described above with reference to Fig. 2. A flow TV watcher TVW performs content control CC at the flow TV receiver FTR, e.g. by using the remote control of a cable TV set-top box. The flow TV receiver FTR responds by providing flow TV content TC to the TV watcher TVW, typically via a TV set or other display. Further, the flow TV receiver FTR transmits the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI and the flow TV content indication TCI to the flow TV log TL. The flow TV log TL has also been receiving additional information AI from a data source DS. The flow TV log TL stores the information, i.e. associated flow TV content indication TCI and flow TV subscriber identifier TSI.

[0187] The embodiment of Fig. 3 may within the scope of the invention be changed in accordance with the alternative embodiments described above. For example, the flow TV receiver may send a username UN or a flow TV receiver identifier FTRID instead of the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI. For example, the additional information AI may be obtained after the receipt of the flow TV content indication TCI. For example, the additional information AI may be obtained by the flow TV receiver FTR and provided to the flow TV log TL as part of the flow TV content indication TCI.

[0188] In an alternative embodiment, the TV watcher TVW does not perform the content control CC. Instead, content control is performed by a manager, a schedule, etc., for example in the case of a TV in a waiting room, a school, etc. [0189] Instead of a TV set or other display TV, and a typically separate flow TV receiver FTR, e.g. a set-top box, an embodiment comprises a computer or mobile device having a flow TV receiver FTR. The mobile device or computer may for example be a smartphone, tablet computer, laptop or desktop computer, etc., comprising a display and a TV player application for flow TV, or a web browser capable of accessing flow TV. In an embodiment, the computer or mobile device may also comprise a TV expansion card or a TV USB dongle as flow TV receiver FTR, for accessing for example cable TV, digital terrestrial TV or satellite TV.

[0190] In an embodiment providing a mobile device or computer for flow TV receiver, such is preferably connected to the Internet via a wireless broadband connection such as a WiFi connection and an access point or mobile data connection, e.g. LTE, and a cellular network base station. The flow TV receiver FTR typically obtains the appropriate flow TV subscriber identifier TSI by the TV watcher logging in to an application with a username UN and password, and the flow TV receiver FTR may know the associated flow TV subscriber identifier or forward either the username UN or a flow TV receiver identifier FTRID for the system server to derive the associated flow TV subscriber identifier TSI. In an embodiment, the username UN or flow TV receiver identifier FTRID may be used as flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, applicable to any of the above-described embodiments. The flow TV receiver identifier FTRID may in an embodiment with a mobile device used for flow TV access be a MAC address, IP-address, serial number, ID for Advertisers (IDFA), Google Advertiser ID (AAID), other advertiser IDs, a browser cookie, or any other device specific identifier, including the possibility of the TV player application storing a proprietary flow TV receiver identifier FTRID, etc. [0191] In an embodiment with several flow TV receivers FTR and several TV watchers TVW, they may be watching TV in accordance with various of the embodiments described above, being logged at the same or different system servers SS. In an embodiment, some TV watchers have access to several kinds of flow TV receivers, and in some embodiments they use the same flow TV subscriber identifier TSI for several kinds, and in other embodiments they use different flow TV subscriber identifiers TSI for each kind.

[0192] Fig. 4 illustrate a scenario of associating a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI with a web connected device identifier WCDI of an embodiment of the invention. Most TV watchers own a web connected device WCD, such as a computer or mobile device, e.g. a smartphone. Hence, by identifying one or more web connected devices WCD which a particular TV watcher is associated with, it may be possible to detect his or her visits at websites, by detecting the web connected device's visits.

[0193] A web connected device WCD may be any device that is generally or from time to time connected to a computer network, preferably with access to the Internet. To facilitate the web connection, the web connected device WCD may for example comprise a wireless or wired network interface card (NIC), e.g. an Ethernet or WiFi interface, or for example comprise a mobile data interface, e.g. an interface for technologies such as LTE, UMTS or GPRS. Any other technologies for establishing web connection are within the scope of the invention, as well-known by the skilled person.

[0194] In the embodiment of Fig. 4, a web connected device WCD may be associated to a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI by installation of a particular software application SA on the web connected device WCD. For example, a TV watcher associated with a particular flow TV subscriber identifier TSI corresponding to a particular TV distributor, e.g. a telecommunications company, a cable TV company, a satellite TV distributor, etc., may be interested, persuaded or required to install a software application SA from the TV distributor or an affiliation thereof on a web connected device WCD. [0195] The software application SA may for example be a TV player app, a user profile and subscription control app, a news app, a TV guide app, etc. In an embodiment the software application SA is a browser application or simple website allowing the TV watcher to login with the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or associated username UN, e.g. at the TV distributor's website. In the embodiment described above where a web connected device WCD is used for flow TV access, the software application may preferably be the same application as used for flow TV access, e.g. a flow TV player app.

[0196] When the TV watcher TVW in the embodiment of Fig. 4 decides to install or execute the software application SA related to a TV distributor to which he or she is associated by a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, the TV watcher requests the software application from the relevant app-store in accordance with the web connected device, e.g. the Apple Store for an iOS device, Google Play for an Android device, or e.g. Windows Store for a Windows device. The software application may in an embodiment be obtained outside the operating system app stores, e.g. as a sideloaded Universal App on a Windows device or a sideloaded APK app on an Android device, or as a conventional Windows, Linux or Mac executable file. In an embodiment, the software application is a website or browser plugin. In an embodiment the software application SA is pre-installed on the web connected device WCD before it is handed over to the TV watcher, for example if the TV distributor is a telecommunication company also selling smartphones or computers.

[0197] After retrieval and/or installation of the software application SA, e.g. a TV player app, or a TV distributor website, and at least upon first execution thereof, the software application preferably requires the TV watcher TVW to login using the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or a username UN associated with the subscription. Alternative embodiments may require the TV watcher to type in a one-time password, for example established by a set-top box and shown on the TV, or provided to him in a registration email or letter.

[0198] When the TV watcher has identified himself or herself, or a related subscription, to the software application SA, the software application SA transmits the entered flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or related login information to the system server SS, e.g. a server computer or a cloud storage service. Together with the subscription information, the software application SA also transmits a device specific web connected device identifier WCDI to the system server SS, which associates the two pieces of information, possibly after a lookup of a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI based on other received subscription information, and stores the associated identifiers in a user database UD.

[0199] The web connected device identifier WCDI may for example be a MAC address, IP-address, serial number, ID for Advertisers (IDF A), Google Advertiser ID (AAID), other advertiser IDs, a browser cookie, a device fingerprint, or any other device specific identifier, including the possibility of software application SA storing a proprietary web connected device identifier WCDI on the web connected device WCD. As newer operating system versions for web connected devices restricts the access for apps to read certain device identifiers such as for example MAC address, a preferred embodiment utilizes the advertiser identifier technology of the operating system applicable for the particular web connected device.

[0200] In an embodiment, the software application SA on first run, or alternatively regularly or for each session, opens a website in a web browser of the web connected device for login and/or identification, instead of providing in-app login. In an embodiment the software application SA is a website or browser plugin. The use of a website login may offer advanced or different or often changing login technologies. If a website is opened by the software application, the website host, e.g. the TV distributor or an affiliation thereof, may store a browser cookie with a browser cookie identifier on the web connected device WCD for future use as a web connected device identifier WCDI, and transmit the browser cookie identifier to the system server SS.

[0201] In an embodiment, the step of installing the software application SA is omitted, and the TV watcher instead retrieves a particular website on the web connected device WCD, for example a website of the TV distributor with a TV player plugin or functionality, and through which the TV watcher gains access to the channels subscribed to after logging in using the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or a related token, e.g. a username UN. The webserver hosting the website may thereby obtain the associated flow TV subscriber identifier TSI and web connected device identifier WCDI, e.g. an advertising identifier or a browser cookie identifier or a device fingerprint, and transmit this information to the user database UD. [0202] The web connected device identifier WCDI may in an embodiment be a so- called device fingerprint or web fingerprint which is a collection of various parameter values from the device, as many as possible. If a web connected device visits a website, the website host may for example retrieve the IP-address and user agent string, from which can often be interpreted the device brand, device model, software installations, build versions, screen resolution etc. From an app of the web connected device may for example be gathered parameters such as the IP-address, device brand, device model, software installations, build versions, operation system version etc. The gathered parameter values may provide enough information to substantiate the recognition and identification of a web connected device.

[0203] The web connected device identifier WCDI may also be a collection of values stored on the web connected device which can be retrieved later by a website host or an app. For example, by using the Evercookie software by Samy Kamkar, a little information is stored in several accessible locations on the web connected device, so even if some of them are deleted, for example if the web connected device is configured to delete or not store cookies, most probably not all the values are deleted, and the website host or app may thereby be able to regenerate the data from the surviving pieces, and thereby maintain a persistent web connected device identifier. Examples of accessible storages may include cookies, Flash cookies (LSO), browser history, web cache, storing the information as pixel color information in an image which is cached, HTML5 Web SQL database, etc.

[0204] Also various user profile information stored on the web connected device may be utilized for identifying the web connected device, subject to accessibility from the app or website. For example, social media profiles such as Facebook or Twitter, an e- mail address, an online service account such as Apple ID, Google Account, Microsoft Account, Amazon Account, etc., may be utilized and often the web connected device user is pleased to login with such credentials as it is considered convenient by many.

[0205] The user database UD may for some flow TV subscriber identifiers TSI comprise several associated web connected device identifiers WCDI. This may for example be different types of web connected device identifiers WCDI relating to the same web connected device WCD, e.g. a MAC address, an advertising identifier and a browser cookie identifier. It may also or instead be several web connected device identifiers WCDI of different web connected devices WCD, for example if the TV watcher has installed the software application on a smartphone and a laptop. [0206] The user database UD may for some web connected device identifiers WCDI comprise several flow TV subscriber identifiers TSI. This may for example be relating to several different TV distributors of same or different distribution technologies. The different associations may be obtained by individual software applications SA for each flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, or by a common software application SA supported by several TV distributors.

[0207] In an embodiment the web connected device identifier WCDI may alternatively be associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI by the flow TV receiver FTR. For flow TV receivers FTR with connection to a wired or wireless local area network (LAN or WLAN), e.g. for Internet access, it may be possible to detect MAC addresses or other device specific identifiers of web connected devices WCD also connected to the same LAN or WLAN. The flow TV receiver FTR may then transmit its flow TV subscriber identifier or related token or flow TV receiver identifier FTRID to the system server SS together with detected web connected device identifiers WCDI. In particular with flow TV receivers offering a remote control app or monitoring app or remote control website for use by web connected devices such as smartphones or tablet computers to control the flow TV receiver FTR, a connection revealing a web connected device identifier WCDI, e.g. a MAC address, a browser cookie, or an advertiser identifier, to the flow TV receiver FTR is highly possible.

[0208] Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating a scenario of associating a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI with a web connected device identifier WCDI according to an embodiment of the invention, for example the embodiment described above with reference to Fig. 4. A TV watcher TVW requests an app-store to install a particular software application SA at a web connected device WCD. The software application SA may for example be a TV player or an account control application from the TV watcher's TV provider. After installation of the software application SA, the TV watcher TVW may login to the software application SA or otherwise authenticate the account, access to TV, or the like. For the login or authentication, the TV watcher TVW preferably provides the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, or alternatively a token, e.g. a username UN, associated with the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI. After the software application on the web connected device WCD has obtained the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or a reference thereto, it transmits the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or the reference to the user database UD together with a web connected device identifier WCDI, e.g. an advertising identifier or a MAC address, as elaborated further above. The user database UD stores the information, i.e. associated web connected device identifier WCDI and flow TV subscriber identifier TSI.

[0209] The embodiment of Fig. 5 may within the scope of the invention be changed in accordance with the alternative embodiments described above. For example, various identifiers may be used to reference or replace the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or web connected device identifier WCDI. For example, the associated flow TV subscriber identifier TSI may be obtained in various ways, including using the flow TV receiver FTR to perform the association instead of the web connected device WCD.

[0210] Fig. 6 shows a scenario of detecting a web session between a web connected device and a web server, according to an embodiment of the invention. As described above with reference to Fig. 1, a web communication WC takes place between a web connected device WCD and a web server WS, thereby establishing a web session SES. As mentioned above, the web connected device WCD may for example be a computer, smartphone or tablet computer associated with, e.g. owned or used by, a TV watcher. The web server WS may for example be serving a website, e.g. a web shop or organization website.

[0211] The web communication may comprise requests, e.g. hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) requests, from the web connected device WCD to the web server WS, preferably comprising uniform resource locator (URL) information, i.e. Internet addressing information. The web communication may further comprise hypertext markup language (HTML) code, client side scripting code and other objects, e.g. images, for example sent from the web server to the web connected device WCD. In some embodiments the web communication comprises dynamic updating or requesting, e.g. asynchronous requests, or is performed in accordance with other protocols, e.g. HTTP Secure (HTTPS). The web communication may be encrypted or otherwise secured by means for controlling integrity, authentication or non- repudiation. The web communication may comprise data, e.g. from the web connected device WCD to the web server WS, e.g. login data, shipping address data, payment data, etc., for example transmitted via query string methods, e.g. GET or POST, or by dynamic or asynchronous methods. In other words, the web communication WC may comprise any kind of web traffic, as well-known by the skilled person. In a preferred embodiment, the web connected device WCD uses a web browser or an application with built-in browser functionality and/or HTML parsing functionality to process and present part of the web communication, e.g. as a website or web shop, to the user.

[0212] A preferred embodiment connects the web connected device WCD and the web server at least partly by the Internet. The web connected device WCD and/or the web server WS may be part of a local area network LAN or other controlled computer networks, e.g. an organization network, locally or globally, e.g. using the Internet infrastructure and virtual private network (VPN) technology. The LAN or other controlled network may preferably be connected to the Internet. The connections may be wired or wireless or a combination, and by any suitable network technology.

[0213] The web connected device WCD may for example be a WiFi connected tablet computer which a TV watcher is using to browse websites while sitting in his living room watching TV. The web connected device WCD may for example be an Ethernet- connected desktop computer which a TV watcher uses for web shopping from his home after having watched TV. The web connected device WCD may for example be a smartphone which a TV watcher uses to browse products in a web shop via a cafe's free WiFi or via mobile data, while having a coffee break.

[0214] The web server WS may be a specific server computer, a server cluster, or a distributed server service, e.g. a cloud service, e.g. a content delivery network (CDN). Any suitable server configuration and technology as known by the skilled person is within the scope of the invention.

[0215] In the embodiment of Fig. 6, a web tracking server TS receives as a consequence of the web session SES a web connected device identifier WCDI and tracking data TD. The web connected device identifier WCDI may preferably be a browser cookie identifier as such may be conveniently retrieved during a web session SES. In an embodiment the web connected device identifier WCDI may instead, or in addition, comprise a device fingerprint, an advertising identifier, a MAC address, IP- address, serial number, ID for Advertisers (IDF A), Google Advertiser ID (AAID), other advertiser IDs, an Evercookie, or any other device specific identifier. The mentioned identifiers are described in more detail above. The web connected device identifier WCDI may instead, or in addition, comprise a social media username, an email-address or other user specific identifier which may be considered a device identifier, at least referencing one or more devices belonging to or being used by a common user. The tracking data TD may comprise information about the visited web server, website, specifics about sub-pages, search strings, shopping basket content, confirmed orders, time and/or duration of visit, details about the web connected device such as hardware specifications, software versions, etc. The web tracking server TS establishes a web tracking indication WTI on the basis of the tracking data TD. The web tracking indication WTI preferably comprises at least a web domain or an URL or other indication about the visited website or web page.

[0216] The system server SS, e.g. a server computer or a cloud storage service, receives the associated web connected device identifier WCDI and web tracking indication WTI and stores the combination in a web tracking log WTL, preferably with a timestamp. Depending on the type of web connected device identifier WCDI received from the web tracking server TS, the system server may perform a lookup in the user database UD and store an associated web connected device identifier WCDI in the web tracking log with the web tracking indication.

[0217] Fig. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a web tracking scenario for tracking sessions between a web connected device and a web server according to an embodiment of the invention, for example the embodiment described above with reference to Fig. 6. The web connected device WCD as described above makes a call to a web server to retrieve information, e.g. a website, e.g. comprising a web shop, and the web server WS replies with web communication WC, e.g. code and objects for the browser of the web connected device WCD to present a web shop on a computer monitor. Triggered by the web communication WC or due to pre-configuration of the web connected device WCD, e.g. by a previously installed application, the web connected device WCD transmits a web connected device identifier WCDI to a web tracking server TS together with further tracking data TD, as described above. The web tracking server TS generates a web tracking indication WTI and reports this to the web tracking log WTL, e.g. at a system server SS, together with the web connected device identifier WCDI and preferably a timestamp. Thereby a log of the user's web behavior using the web connected device is produced, which according to application may indicate which websites and web shops, etc., the web connected device, and thereby assumedly its owner, visited.

[0218] Fig. 8 shows in more detail a scenario of detecting a web session by means of browser cookies, according to an embodiment of the invention. Web communication WC is taking place in a web session SES between a web connected device WCD and a web server WS, by any of the embodiments and alternatives described above. In the present embodiment the web communication also includes a web server cookie being exchanged between the web connected device WCD and the web server WS.

[0219] Browser cookies, which are well-known by the skilled person, are small data files which may be stored at the web connected device during a web session by the server, e.g. the web server WS or the web tracking server TS. Browser cookies are associated with specific web server domains, and a browser cookie can only be stored and retrieved by the associated web server. A browser cookie may for example be used by the web server to store user preferences, session specific data, and tracking data. The tracking data may e.g. comprise a web connected device identifier WCDI corresponding to an identifier in a database at the server storing additional information related to the device, preferable tracking data such as browsing history, etc. In other words, browser cookies can be used by a server to recognize a returning user, and thereby also be used to store and retrieve information related to the user or device.

[0220] In an embodiment, the web server WS simply recognizes a returning web connected device WCD by the web server's previously stored web server cookie WSC, and reports the new visit as a web tracking indication WTI to the system server SS, thereby making the web server itself perform as tracking server.

[0221] In a preferred embodiment, however, a web tracking server TS related to or being comprised by the system server SS, or operated by a third party, is provided for reporting the web tracking indications WTI. Thereby the requirements to the web server, e.g. a web shop, for participating in the tracking, are reduced. For this purpose, a redirection script RDS is also part of the web communication between the web server WS and the web connected device WCD. The redirection script RDS causes the web connected device WCD to establish a connection to a web tracking server TS, whereby a tracking server cookie TSC and tracking data TD are sent to the web tracking server TS. Based on this information, the web tracking server TS establishes and sends the web tracking indication WTI and web connected device identifier WCDI, as described above.

[0222] Turning to the sequence diagram of Fig. 9 related to the scenario of Fig. 8, it is illustrated that the web connected device WCD makes a call to the web server WS, e.g. to retrieve a web shop front page. In connection with this communication, the web server WS also receives a previously stored web server cookie WSC, if any, which may contain preference information, history information, tracking information, etc., as described above, for use by the web server WS in preparing the web page to the web connected device WCD.

[0223] In return, the web server WS sends the requested web communication WC, but also a redirection script RDS and tracking data TD. The redirection script RDS is typically embedded in an HTML code file, and executed when the web connected device WCD renders the HTML file to present the requested web page to the user. The tracking data TD may for example be embedded in the redirection script, e.g. as querystring GET data in a redirection URL.

[0224] The execution of the redirection script RDS causes the web connected device to make a request to a web tracking server TS indicated in the redirection script, e.g. by an URL. As this is a new request to a different server, the web tracking server TS will also receive its previously stored tracking server cookie TSC, if any. As this cookie is primarily used for tracking the web behavior of the user of the web connected device, the tracking server cookie TSC preferably comprises a web connected device identifier WCDI established by the web tracking server TS, i.e. an identifier the web tracking server TS uses to recognize and distinguish different web connected devices WCD. The web tracking server TS also receives tracking data TD, which may comprise data always available to a web server such as the details about the web connected device mentioned above. The tracking data TD may also comprise data included in the redirection script RDS as mentioned above, e.g. embedded in the redirection URL as a GET -type querystring. Thereby the web server WS can send any data in its possession to the web tracking server TS. Such data may for example include details about the pages, articles, products, etc., of the web server visited by the web connected device, the content of a shopping basket, whether an order was placed, including details about the order, e.g. the price, etc. The tracking data TD may also comprise web connected device identifiers WCDI used or obtained by the web server WS, e.g. the web server's cookie identifier, a username, email-address or social profile the user has used to login or order, etc.

[0225] Based on the tracking data TD and the web connected device identifier WCDI, the web tracking server TS generates a web tracking indication WTI to report the web session SES to the system server's web tracking log WTL together with the one or more obtained web connected device identifiers WCDI.

[0226] Various alternative embodiments of tracking web behavior by cookies or other means are known to the skilled person and within the scope of the present invention. [0227] Fig. 10 illustrates a scenario of obtaining and associating various web connected device identifiers and storing in the system server, according to an embodiment of the invention. In embodiments where the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI is most conveniently obtained in association with a web connected device identifiers WCDI which is not conveniently available to a web tracking server TS, it may be advantageous to obtain and associate two or more of the different web connected device identifiers WCDI available for the same, or different but related, web connected device WCD, to facilitate correlation between the flow TV log TL and the web tracking log WTL. [0228] For example, as in one of the embodiments described above with reference to Fig. 4 - 5, the software application SA may conveniently associate the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI with a web connected device identifier WCDI being an advertising identifier, e.g. an IDFA of an iOS-based web connected device. However, for example as in one of the embodiments described above with reference to Fig. 8 - 9, the web connected device identifier WCDI most conveniently obtained by a web tracking server TS may be a browser cookie identifier TSC. In an embodiment of the invention, the flow TV log TL may therefore store flow TV content indications TCI with reference to an advertising identifier of the web connected device, while the web tracking log WTL may store web tracking indications WTI with reference to browser cookies of the web connected device. By obtaining and storing e.g. in the user database an association of the advertising identifier of a particular web connected device with a web tracking server cookie of the same web connected device, the entries of the flow TV log TL and the web tracking log WTL can be joined or correlated. The same applies to other kinds of web connected device identifiers WCDI as described above, e.g. including the possibility of combining two different cookie identifiers, as one server cannot directly retrieve browser cookie information stored by another server.

[0229] For example, as described above, the TV watcher may use one web connected device for the software application SA mentioned above in relation to Fig. 4 - 5, thereby associating the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI with a web connected device identifier WCDI of the first web connected device WCD, and use a different web connected device for establishing the web sessions SES and being tracked by the web tracking server TS by browsers cookies or other means, as described above for example in relation to Fig. 6 - 9. Thereby the flow TV log TL and the web tracking log WTL store different web connected device identifiers WCDI for entries related to the same TV watcher, simply because he or she uses two different devices, even if the types of web connected device identifiers WCDI were the same, say, cookies or advertising identifiers. By obtaining and storing e.g. in the user database an association of the web connected device identifiers of the first and second web connected devices, the entries of the flow TV log TL and the web tracking log WTL can be joined or correlated. The same applies to three or more web connected devices used by the same TV watcher.

[0230] In an embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 8, a device identifier provider DIP may be provided to obtain one or more additional web connected device identifiers WCDI from a web connected device WCD. The device identifier provider DIP may be part of the web connected device WCD, e.g. as part of the operating system or an installed application. In the same or another embodiment, an external device may function as device identifier provider DIP, e.g. a local device such as a network router or a remote device or service, e.g. cloud service or a web server.

[0231] As described above for embodiments with reference to Fig. 4 - 9, i.e. both the flow TV content logging and the web behavior logging, at least one web connected device identifier WCDI is usually available. For example, a software application used to obtain the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI may also obtain, e.g., an advertiser identifier of the web connected device, and a web tracking server used to obtain web tracking indications WTI may also obtain, e.g., a cookie identifier of the web connected device.

[0232] In general terms, the device identifier provider DIP is therefore arranged to provide at least one additional web connected device identifier during an incident where another web connected device identifier is already being obtained, for example as described above. In a preferred embodiment, the device identifier provider DIP is arranged to provide that type of web connected device identifier which is missing in order to be able to correlate the flow TV log and the web tracking log related to a particular TV watcher.

[0233] In an embodiment the device identifier provider DIP is a software application installed on the web connected device WCD. It may thereby obtain an advertising identifier, e.g. an IDF A, as one web connected device identifier WCDI of the web connected device WCD. It may also apply a redirection script RDS to make a browser or similar functionality of the web connected device WCD contact a web tracking server TS, which is thereby enabled to retrieve a tracking server cookie TSC including a cookie identifier as one other web connected device identifier WCDI from the web connected device WCD. The redirection script RDS may in connection with contacting the web tracking server TS cause the web connected device WCD to transmit the web connected device identifier, e.g. IDF A, obtained by the device identifier provider DIP, e.g. as described above by inline data transfer in an URL by the GET method of HTTP. Thereby the web tracking server TS receives and forwards to the system server SS both the web connected device identifier WCDIi provided by the device identifier provider DIP, e.g. an advertising identifier, as well as the web connected device identifier WCDI ₂ provided by the web tracking server cookie.

[0234] This embodiment may be advantageous where a TV player app or other software application is used in relation to embodiments of Fig. 4 - 5 to obtain the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, as the same app or other software application may also implement the device identifier provider DIP, whereby both web connected device identifiers WCDIi and WCDI2 as well as the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI are obtained by the same single user operation.

[0235] In another embodiment, the device identifier provider DIP is implemented in a different software application or app, e.g. an app dedicated to a specific chain of stores, restaurants, a public authority such as a city, etc., where the main user features may comprise easy lookup of opening hours, addresses, the week's special offers, special online discounts, etc., but with the supplemental function of at least once make the web connected device contact a web tracking server TS and perform the transmittal of at least two web connected device identifiers WCDI. [0236] Fig. 11 is a sequence diagram illustrating an embodiment, e.g. as described above, for associating at least two web connected device identifiers relating to one web connected device. The device identifier provider DIP obtains a web connected device identifier WCDI, for example an advertising identifier. By means of a redirection script RDS including the obtained web connected device identifier WCDI, e.g. encoded in a redirection URL as inline data, the web connected device WCD is controlled to transmit a tracking server cookie TSC and the web connected device identifier WCDI to web tracking server TS. On the basis of the tracking server cookie TSC, the web tracking server TS retrieves another web connected device identifier WCDI ₂ . The two web connected device identifiers WCDIi and WCDI2 are sent to the system server SS, which stores them as an association in the user database UD, preferably also associated to a flow TV subscriber identifier TSI.

[0237] In an embodiment, the device identifier provider DIP, e.g. implemented as a software application installed on the web connected device or as a website visited by the web connected device, obtains a social media username, an email address, the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, or other user-related information which may be considered additional web connected device identifiers WCDI and transmitted to the system server SS together with, e.g., a cookie being a web connected device identifier WCDI, as described above. [0238] In an embodiment, the device identifier provider DIP is a website visited by the web connected device, and the redirection script causes the web connected device WCD to open an app, whereby for example an advertising identifier of the web connected device WCD may be obtained as web connected device identifier, and associated with a cookie also being a web connected device identifier. [0239] In an embodiment, the device identifier provider DIP is a wireless access point with captive portal functionality, for example a WiFi hotspot in a restaurant or shopping mall offering free WiFi to customers. When the web connected device WCD, e.g. a smartphone, connects to the access point DIP, the Internet connection is not granted before the user has processed the captive portal website, e.g. by confirming terms of use, paying a fee or logging in. As the captive portal is a website and rendered by the web connected device, all the above-described cookie exchange and redirection functionality can be used. The captive portal functionality may be considered a redirection script RDS and/or the captive portal website may comprise a redirection script RDS. Further, an access point or other network router can provide hardware identifiers of connected devices, for example a media access control (MAC) address. Thereby the access point or other network device DIP may use a redirection script RDS to control the web connected device to visit a web tracking server TS and provide a tracking server cookie TS as one web connected device identifier WCDI ₂ , while also sending a MAC address or other hardware identifier from the access point via the redirection script to the web tracking server TS as another web connected device identifier WCDIi. The access point may also implement the web tracking server TS itself.

[0240] In an embodiment where a social media account, an email address, a username, the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, or other user-related identifier information has been obtained, it is possible to associate two or more web connected devices WCD with each other if the same user-related identifier information is obtained from both devices. Hence, the user database UD may also associate web connected device identifiers of different devices with each other when a user-relation is determined. This may for example be relevant where a TV watcher uses a tablet computer when sitting at home, a smartphone when going out, and a laptop or desktop PC for web shopping, or the like.

[0241] In the above-described embodiments, the web tracking server TS may be implemented by the system server SS or another server or cloud solution, or be a third party service offering web tracking, or be related to e.g. the owner of the web server WS.

[0242] Fig. 12 illustrates an embodiment of the invention. A TV watcher TVW is watching flow TV content TC which is delivered from a flow TV receiver FTR under content control CC of the TV watcher TVW. The flow TV receiver FTR comprises or is associated with a TV subscriber identity TSI, and the flow TV receiver FTR is arranged to log flow TV content indications TCI in a flow TV log TL of a system server SS in accordance with the flow TV content TC received and assumedly watched by the TV watcher TVW.

[0243] The TV watcher TVW has a web connected device WCD, e.g. a laptop PC or a smartphone, which he uses for browsing websites, visiting web shops, etc. The system server SS comprises a user database UD holding associations of flow TV subscriber identifiers TSI and web connected device identifiers WCDI, in other words specifying which flow TV receiver is related to which web connected device, and preferably with several web connected device identifiers WCDI for each web connected device. This association may for example be achieved by having the TV watcher install an app on the web connected device, and log in using the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI or a reference thereto.

[0244] The TV watcher sometimes uses the web connected device WCD to perform web communication WC with a web server WS, e.g. a website, e.g. a web shop. Thereby is established a web session SES, which as described above in accordance with one or more methods causes a web connected device identifier WCDI and tracking data TD to be sent to a web tracking server TS, resulting in the system server SS storing in a web tracking log WTL the incident of the web connected device WCD identified by its web connected device identifier WCDI being in contact with the web server WS. The web tracking may preferably be performed by tracking cookie technology, in an embodiment of which the web communication comprises a redirection script causing the web connected device to send the information to the web tracking server TS.

[0245] The system server SS may be a server computer, a virtual server system, a cloud server solution, or distributed at several server solutions, etc., The system server SS receives over time a huge amount of flow TV content indications TCI and web tracking indications WTI related to several different flow TV subscriber identifiers TSI and web connected device identifiers WCDI, representing several, e.g. hundreds, thousands or millions of TV watchers. [0246] Based on the information gathered by the system server SS, various correlation results CR may be established by combining and segmenting the gathered data in various ways and with different aims. Advantageous correlation results CR comprise for example indications of the ratio among all TV watchers having seen a specific flow TV content, for example a specific TV commercial, who afterwards visits one or more specified web shops, preferably compared with the ratio among all TV watchers who did not see the specific flow TV content but afterwards visited the one or more specified web shops anyway; or for example the ratio among all TV watchers having visited one or more specified web shops who have seen a specific flow TV content.

[0247] Fig. 13 illustrates stored data according to an embodiment of the invention. The system server SS, which as described above may be a single data storage or a distributed or virtual or cloud data storage, comprises three logical tables, the flow TV log TL, the user database UD and the web tracking log WTL. Any physical storage, grouping, distribution, format, technology, access method, etc., suitable for establishing this logical framework of the described functionality is within the scope of invention. Some of the stored data described above for various embodiments, may be omitted, replaced or supplemented in other embodiments.

[0248] The flow TV log TL stores information about watched flow TV content. Each entry should preferably have a reference to a unique flow TV subscriber and/or TV watcher, i.e. either the account or the person. This may be achieved by storing one or more of the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, the flow TV receiver identifier FTRID, the login username UN, the web connected device identifier WCDI, or other references or identifiers. Each flow TV log TL entry should further preferably have an indication of received, assumedly watched, flow TV content. This may be achieved by storing the flow TV content indication TCI, the additional information AI, or other references or descriptions. Each entry in the flow TV log TL preferably comprises a timestamp or time period indication. Some of the information described as part of the flow TV log TL may be stored in other places and combined with the information from the flow TV log TL when producing the correlation result CR. [0249] The user database UD stores information about which web connected devices are associated with which flow TV subscribers. Each entry should preferably have a reference to a unique flow TV subscriber and/or TV watcher, and preferably the same reference as is used in the flow TV log TL for facilitating data extraction across tables, e.g. for the correlation result CR. This may be achieved by storing one or more of the flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, the flow TV receiver identifier FTRID, the login username UN, or other references or identifiers. Each user database UD entry should further preferably have a reference to a unique web connected device, and preferably the same reference as is used in the web tracking log WTL for facilitating data extraction across tables, e.g. for the correlation result CR. This may be achieved by storing the web connected device identifier WCDI, or other references or identifiers. In a preferred embodiment, several different web connected device identifiers WCDI are obtained for each web connected device WCD, e.g. a browser cookie identifier, an advertising identifier, etc. Some of the information described as part of the user database UD may be stored in other places and combined with the information from the user database UD when producing the correlation result CR.

[0250] The web tracking log WTL stores information about web sessions SES, i.e. visited websites, web shops, etc. Each entry should preferably have a reference to a unique web connected device. This may be achieved by storing the web connected device identifier WCDI, or other references or identifiers. Each web tracking log WTL entry should further preferably have an indication of the web session, e.g. visited website, etc. This may be achieved by storing a web tracking indication including information for example identifying the website or web shop, visited sub-pages, search string used, etc., or other references or Internet location descriptions. Each entry in the web tracking log WTL preferably comprises a timestamp or time period indication. Some of the information described as part of the web tracking log WTL may be stored in other places and combined with the information from the web tracking log WTL when producing the correlation result CR.

[0251] In an embodiment, different fields may be filled or left empty in each entry in accordance with the information obtained. For example, the user database UD may identify some web connected devices by MAC address, others by IDF A, etc., and some TV subscribers by their flow TV receiver identifier FTRID, others by their flow TV subscriber identifier TSI. For example, the flow TV log TL may refer to some subscribers by their flow TV subscriber identifier TSI, others by their web connected device identifier WCDI or username UN. For example, the web tracking log WTL may define some sessions by visited domain, other by full details about sub-pages, transactions, etc.

[0252] In an embodiment, data need not be acquired and stored in a special order. For example, when a web connected device enters a web session and an identifier for the web connected device is obtained, e.g. a web connected device identifier WCDI, e.g. via a web tracking server, an entry can be made in the web tracking log WTL about this incidence, even though no entries about the web connected device are found the user database UD or the flow TV log for that web connected device or TV watcher, respectively. If an association from the web connected device identifier WCDI to a TV subscriber account is later established, e.g. by the TV watcher logging into a web connected device app, the data entries relating to this web connected device and this flow TV subscriber identifier may be correlated.

[0253] In any of the tables, the identifiers and other data may preferably be encrypted for data privacy reasons. In an embodiment, the identifiers, e.g. a web connected device identifier WCDI or a flow TV receiver identifier FTRID, are replaced with unique serial numbers or other references during data extraction or correlation to not reveal device identifiers or person identities which may in worst case be used to attack or access the devices or persons in question. In an embodiment a preferably separate database preferably with separate access rights is maintained to hold associations between real identifiers and assigned arbitrary references. Upon data entry in for example the flow TV log TL or web tracking log WTL, the separate database is used to translate the real identifiers to the assigned references. In an alternative embodiment, the flow TV receiver FTR, the web tracking server TS, the device identifier provider DIP and/or the software of the web connected device WCD are configured replace real identifiers with likewise unique constructed references before transmitting data. In an embodiment, unique constructed reference as used by the system server, the devices, a separate database, etc., are constructed by an irreversible algorithm, e.g. a cryptographic hash function, which always produces the same unique hash value or reference from a certain input value, e.g. identifier, but from which it is practically impossible to go the other way and calculate the input value. For example, by using a cryptographic hash function when storing the web connected device identifier WCDI, it becomes practically impossible to identify the web connected device from the data in the tables, but it is still possible and feasible to lookup other entries with the same web connected device or correlate the tables with the web connected device as a key, because all other entries relating to the same web connected device will have the same unique hash value instead of web connected device identifier.

[0254] In an embodiment, the two main logs of the system, the flow TV log and the web tracking log, are stored at physically separate locations with individual access rights. Thereby is reduced the risk of an attacker being able to combine personal data. The two, or more, separate storages together make up the system server as described herein.

[0255] Regarding commissioning of the system, in a preferred embodiment, a TV distributor pushes a software update to all applicable set-top boxes or other flow TV receivers they control to deploy the flow TV content logging functionality and possible web connected device identifier capturing functionality with as many of their customers as possible. Further, the TV distributor or an affiliation thereof, e.g. a TV commercial assessment service provider, pushes a software update of a web connected device app such as a TV player app to deploy the web connected device identifier association functionality with as many of the TV watchers using this TV distributor, as possible. Further, a TV commercial assessment service provider, the TV distributor or a third party web tracking service provider sets up redirection scripts and web tracking servers, as is relevant to them and their customers. Each contact from web connected devices to specific web servers are logged if possible to obtain their web connected device identifiers. These visits may then be correlated with logged flow TV content indications, and the TV distributor or affiliations thereof may start assessing the effect broadcasts have on their watchers' web behavior.

[0256] It is noted, that various combinations of the various embodiments described and shown herein are within the scope of the invention. [0257] Fig. 14 illustrates a time flow for a given flow TV channel. The time line refer to a time t, and a number of different flow TV content indications TCI1, TCI2, TCI3, TCI4.. TCIn. The flow TV content indications represent a specific technical way of representing different flow TV content. Thus, TCI1 may refer to a flow TV content, such as a TV football program and TCI2 may refer to advertising content broadcasted after the TV football program.

[0258] The flow TV content indication TCI4 may e.g. represent a flow TV content such as a thriller movie and TCI3 may refer to a product placement content, e.g. a car shown in the movie. Again, it is noted that flow TV content varies over time t for the same flow TV channel and that this variation of flow TV content may be overlapping if desired.

[0259] Flow TV is herein referred to as TV where the flow TV content is centrally planned and broadcasted and the switching between flow content may be centrally monitored and controlled by a broadcaster, broadcasting the same content flow over time to a plurality of potential watchers. This changing of flow TV content over time represents a serious challenge in relation to broadcasting in the sense that correlation of different flow TV content changing during the centrally determined content flow but this is addressed by the obtainable correlation result according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, where the time varying flow TV content of one flow TV channel is logged over time in order to facilitate the inventive linking between individual flow TV watchers and their response to time varying flow TV content in terms of visited websites.

[0260] As illustrated in Fig. 14, a correlation result between time varying flow TV content of an identified flow TV channel and web tracking to identified web locations may be obtained within the scope of the invention. [0261] It should be noted that the inventive concept may cover several flow TV channels at the same time as long as the applied flow TV log logs which channel the flow TV receiver is presently receiving and as long as the individual channels are continuously registered or monitored with reference to time varying flow TV content.

[0262] This means that an effective flow TV content log related to a specific flow TV subscriber identifier in essence should capture whatever relevant flow TV content a TV watcher indicated by a corresponding subscriber identifier is apparently watching. It is therefore clear that the inventive concept may cover one or several flow TV channels provided to the relevant flow TV receiver but it is also clear that the inventive concept in particular addresses time varying flow TV content of one flow TV channel planned and broadcasted centrally to a large number of watchers by a central broadcaster.

[0263] It should be noted, that the flow TV content identifiers TCI1 - TCIn in an alternative embodiment of the invention may refer to specific parts of advertisements, parts of movies, etc. In an embodiment flow TV content indications are only established for predetermined flow TV content, e.g. in accordance with requests from customers, relevance of the TV content, etc. This is illustrate in Fig. 14, where gaps between flow TV content indications during the flow means that no logging takes place for that flow TV content.

[0264] List of reference signs:

AI additional information

CC content control

CR correlation result

DIP device identifier provider

DS data source

FTR flow TV receiver

FTRID flow TV receiver identifier

SA software application

SES web session

ss system server

TC flow TV content

TCI flow TV content indication

TL flow TV log

TS web tracking server

TSI flow TV subscriber identifier

TV display, e.g. television set

TVW TV watcher

UD user database

UN username

WC web communication

WCD web connected device

WCDI web connected device identifier

WD A association between TV watcher and web connected device

WIFI wireless network access, preferably Internet access

WS web server

WTI web tracking indication

WTL web tracking log