Collecting a user response to an explicit question specifically concerning a particular web page of a website

• US 20030115023A1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OpinionLab Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Samata, A. Gregory`, Nickerson, Rand B., Treschl, Mark A., Kidd, Kathryn L., Crofoot, Matthew J., Mason, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,928,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system is provided for collecting a user response to an explicit question specifically concerning a particular web page of a website. An icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns is operable to present the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page to each user that accesses the particular web page while the user is viewing the particular web page and without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page. Software associated with the icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns is operable to receive a response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user while the user is viewing the particular web page for reporting to a website owner associated with the particular web page without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page.

Claims

1. A system for collecting a user response to an explicit question specifically concerning a particular web page of a website, comprising:

an icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the icon operable to present the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page to each user that accesses the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns; and

software associated with the icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the software operable to receive a response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns for reporting to a website owner associated with the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and the user need not download software separate from the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to provide the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon comprises a call to a directory containing a script, the script operable to receive the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the icon comprises a visual element containing the question, the visual element comprising a box, a banner, or a bar.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the explicit question is directed to one or more specified elements of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, each specified element comprising a visible element or an audible element.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the explicit question is directed to content, design, or usability of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the explicit question is directed to one or more specified items with which the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns is associated.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the icon is generated in response to a user selecting a preceding icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the preceding viewable icon comprising a plus sign, a minus sign, or alternating plus and minus signs.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the preceding icon is viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns independent of user input subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is operable to receive demographic information from the user, in association with the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page, for reporting to the website owner in association with the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns in response to a request from the website owner, the request specifying the explicit question to be presented.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer system operable to display the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to the user.

14. A method of collecting a user response to an explicit question specifically concerning a particular web page of a website, comprising:

using an icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to present the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page to each user that accesses the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns; and

using software associated with the icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to receive a response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns for reporting to a website owner associated with the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and the user need not download software separate from the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to provide the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the software associated with the icon comprises a call to a directory containing a script, the script operable to receive the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the icon comprises a visual element containing the question, the visual element comprising a box, a banner, or a bar.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the explicit question is directed to one or more specified elements of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, each specified element comprising a visible element or an audible element.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the explicit question is directed to content, design, or usability of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the explicit question is directed to one or more specified items with which the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns is associated.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating the icon in response to a user selecting a preceding icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the preceding viewable icon comprising a plus sign, a minus sign, or alternating plus and minus signs.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the preceding icon is viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns independent of user input subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising using software associated with the icon to receive demographic information from the user, in association with the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page, for reporting to the website owner in association with the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the software associated with the icon is incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns in response to a request from the website owner, the request specifying the explicit question to be presented.

26. Software for collecting a user response to an explicit question specifically concerning a particular web page of a website, the software embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

provide an icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to present the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page to each user that accesses the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns; and

receive a response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns for reporting to a website owner associated with the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

27. The software of claim 26, wherein the software is incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and the user need not download software separate from the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to provide the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.

28. The software of claim 26, wherein the software comprises a call to a directory containing a script, the script operable to receive the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user.

29. The software of claim 26, wherein the software is incorporated into a web browser of the user.

30. The software of claim 26, wherein the icon comprises a visual element containing the question, the visual element comprising a box, a banner, or a bar.

32. The software of claim 26, wherein the explicit question is directed to content, design, or usability of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

33. The software of claim 26, wherein the explicit question is directed to one or more specified items with which the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns is associated.

34. The software of claim 26, further operable to provide the icon in response to a user selecting a preceding icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the preceding viewable icon comprising a plus sign, a minus sign, or alternating plus and minus signs.

35. The software of claim 34, wherein the preceding icon is viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns independent of user input subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns.

36. The software of claim 26, further operable to receive demographic information from the user, in association with the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page, for reporting to the website owner in association with the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.

37. The software of claim 26, wherein the software is incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns in response to a request from the website owner, the request specifying the explicit question to be presented.

31. The software of 26, wherein the explicit question is directed to one or more specified elements of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, each specified element comprising a visible element or an audible element.

38. A system for collecting a user response to an explicit question specifically concerning a particular web page of a website, comprising:

a first icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns independent of user input subsequent to the user accessing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns;

a second icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns generated in response to a user selecting the first icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the second icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns operable to present the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page to each user that accesses the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns and without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns; and

software associated with the second icon viewable on the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the software operable to receive a response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page from the user while the user is viewing the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns for reporting to a website owner associated with the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns without requiring the user to access any web page other than the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns, the software associated with the second icon being incorporated into software of the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns such that the user need not download software separate from the particular web page the explicit question specifically concerns to provide the response to the explicit question specifically concerning the particular web page.