A telematics control unit in a vehicle couples to a vehicle communication
network bus and monitors signals on the bus that correspond to various
parameters related to entertainment devices in the vehicle, such as, for
examples, a radio, a telephone, and a video player. During a
predetermined period, the TCU monitors the entertainment device signals
and stores information represented by the signals to a memory. The TCU
transmits the entertainment device signal information from the memory to
a telematics operations center server operated by a telematics services
provider. The TOC is configured to analyze the status of the
entertainment signal information to determine various entertainment
device settings in the vehicle and how they correlate with given
entertainment programming, based on programs being broadcast when the TCU
monitors the signal, or programs an occupant of the vehicle plays from
storage media. Advertisers may obtain the information analysis and tailor
advertising accordingly.