METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GAUGING GROUP CHOICES
First Claim
1. A system for making a collective choice, said system including:
- a number of selected terminals interconnected by a network;
each of said number of terminals having an input device;
a server on said network;
a data base on said server;
said data base having storage fields for receiving and providing data;
an input data object generator for generating a number of input data objects having input fields associated with related storage fields of said data base and for delivering one of said number of input data objects to each of said number of terminals so that each of said input devices can be used to input data into said input data object and said input data object can be sent to said data base for said data to be received thereby;
an output data object generator for generating an output data object having output fields associated with one or more of said related storage fields of said data base for said data base to provide data to output data object; and
a choice generator for receiving and manipulating said data from said output data object to provide the result of said choice.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for a choice processor that gauges group choice in a computer-mediated environment. The system uses scientific analysis of collective choice processes and outcomes produced by different voting methods to provide result data to guide an individual or group in making decisions synchronously or asynchronously. Three forms of instantaneous result data are provided. First, the system makes use of distinctive user dialogue boxes to communicate a scientific description of the initial conditions of the group choice being initiated by an individual or group. This information is processed to select the voting system or systems that facilitate the achievement of organizational or individual objectives. Second, the system employs a series of novel data processing methods to determine collective choice results throughout a collective choice process to identify differences and to communicate to initiator(s) and participants result data generated by the system to guide them in achieving predetermined one or more predetermined objectives. And third, novel rule-based artificial intelligence techniques are employed to provide quantitative and verbal analyses to user about how to weight votes and how to interpret a consensus that is not based on complete information about voter preferences or judgments.
74 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system for making a collective choice, said system including:
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a number of selected terminals interconnected by a network;
each of said number of terminals having an input device;
a server on said network;
a data base on said server;
said data base having storage fields for receiving and providing data;
an input data object generator for generating a number of input data objects having input fields associated with related storage fields of said data base and for delivering one of said number of input data objects to each of said number of terminals so that each of said input devices can be used to input data into said input data object and said input data object can be sent to said data base for said data to be received thereby;
an output data object generator for generating an output data object having output fields associated with one or more of said related storage fields of said data base for said data base to provide data to output data object; and
a choice generator for receiving and manipulating said data from said output data object to provide the result of said choice. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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15. A method for making a collective choice, said method including the steps of:
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providing a number of selected terminals interconnected by a network;
each of said number of terminals having an input device;
providing a server on said network;
providing a data base on said server;
said data base having storage fields for receiving and providing data;
providing an input data object generator for generating a number of input data objects having input fields associated with related storage fields of said data base and for delivering one of said number of input data objects to each of said number of terminals so that each of said input devices can be used to input data into said input data object and said input data object can be sent to said data base for said data to be received thereby;
providing an output data object generator for generating an output data object having output fields associated with one or more of said related storage fields of said data base for said data base to provide data to output data object; and
providing a choice generator for receiving and manipulating said data from said output data object to provide the result of said choice.
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29. A machine readable medium which when combined with a computer system provides:
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a number of selected terminals interconnected by a network;
each of said number of terminals having an input device;
a server on said network;
a data base on said server;
said data base having storage fields for receiving and providing data;
an input data object generator for generating a number of input data objects having input fields associated with related storage fields of said data base and for delivering one of said number of input data objects to each of said number of terminals so that each of said input devices can be used to input data into said input data object and said input data object can be sent to said data base for said data to be received thereby;
an output data object generator for generating an output data object having output fields associated with one or more of said related storage fields of said data base for said data base to provide data to output data object; and
a choice generator for receiving and manipulating said data from said output data object to provide the result of said choice.
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Specification