Abstract: A television program ratings method and system includes transferring information associated with households from a cable provider to a ratings provider such that the ratings provider has access to information associated with sampled households and lacks access to information associated with non-sampled households. To this end, identity information and usage information associated with the households are respectively anonymized and encrypted. Knowledge of the identities of the sampled households enables the anonymized identity information and the encrypted usage information for the sampled households to be respectively de-anonymized and decrypted. The ratings provider knows which households are sampled households. As such, the ratings provider de-anonymizes and decrypts the information associated with the sampled households and then uses the de-anonymized and decrypted information to determine television program ratings.

Abstract: Method and system for multimedia advertising. The multimedia advertising including video and content information. The advertisements being accessible for viewing the video and content information associated therewith.

Abstract: A method for enhancing telephone service to provide enhanced-features through a user-friendly interface is provided. An enhanced-feature server is connected to the telephone service and provides an enhanced-feature service. A user-friendly enhanced-feature device uses the enhanced-feature service. The enhanced-feature server communicates with the telephone service and relays/formats appropriate information among the telephone and the enhanced-feature device.