System and method for conducting a real-time survey

• US 20040210472A1
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: Lew, Ark L., Le, Binh Q., Fraeman, Martin E.
• Application Number:
  US10/626,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A real-time feedback survey system and method allowing for responses to survey questions to be input by users and received by the surveyor in real-time is provided. This result is achieved by using a media player to provide a request for feedback information to a remote responding device, the remote responding device allowing response input and incorporating a transmitter for transmitting the response to a central facility.

Claims

1. A real time feedback survey system comprising:

a) a media player having a receiver for receiving media content containing a request for feedback information modulated onto the media content, and a first display for providing an output of the media content to the user; and

b) a remote responding device having

a receiver for receiving the media content containing a request for feedback information modulated onto the media content information,

a demodulator for demodulating the feedback information from the media content;

a keypad for inputting feedback information, and

a transmitter for transmitting the inputted feedback information to a central facility.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for modulating a request for feedback information onto media content; and

means for conveying the media content and the modulated request to the media player.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a decryptor for decrypting the request for feedback information to produce a decrypted request for feedback information, the decryptor being incorporated into the responding device,

wherein the request for feedback information is encrypted.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an encryptor for encrypting the inputted feedback information prior to transmission by the transmitter, the encryptor being incorporated into the responding device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second display for displaying the request for feedback information, the display being incorporated into the responding device,

wherein the request for feedback information includes display data which the display uses to display the request for feedback information.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory for storing the inputted feedback information, the memory being incorporated into the responding device.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a positioning system receiver for acquiring location data, the positioning system receiver being incorporated into the responding device,

wherein the memory further stores the location data, and

wherein the transmitter concurrently transmits the location data and the feedback information.

8. The system of claim 7,

wherein the positioning system receiver acquires the location data when the user inputs the feedback information.

9. The system of claim 7,

wherein the positioning system receiver acquires the location data when the responding device receives the request for feedback information.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a cradle for receiving the responding device, the cradle including a modem for transmitting inputted feedback information to a central location,

wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit feedback information to the modem included in the cradle.

11. The system of claim 6,

wherein the responding device is portable.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the responding device is incorporated into a mobile communications terminal which is comprised of at least one of a laptop, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a cellular telephone.

13. The system of claim 3,

wherein the responding device is incorporated into a mobile communications terminal which is comprised of at least one of a laptop, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a cellular telephone, and

wherein a processor of the at least one of a laptop, a PDA, and a cellular telephone includes the decryptor of the responding device.

14. The system of claim 4,

wherein the responding device is incorporated into a mobile communications terminal which is comprised of at least one of a laptop, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a cellular telephone, and

wherein a processor of the at least one of a laptop, a PDA, and a cellular telephone includes the encryptor of the responding device.

15. The system of claim 2,

wherein the means for conveying includes at least one of a radio frequency transmitter, a network, a DVD, or a CD.

16. The system of claim 12,

wherein the at least one media player includes at least one of a television, a stereo system, a radio, a portable music player, a DVD player, a CD player, MP3 player and a computer.

17. The system of claim 1,

wherein the request for feedback information includes at least one of program coding information and inquiry coding information.

18. A method for conducting a real time feedback survey, comprising the steps of:

receiving, on a media player, media content containing a request for feedback modulated onto the media content;

outputting the media content on the media player;

receiving the media content containing a request for feedback modulated onto the media content at a remote responding device;

demodulating, using the remote responding device, the request for feedback from the media content;

inputting feedback information using the remote responding device; and

transmitting the inputted feedback information from the remote responding device to a central facility.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

modulating a request for feedback onto media content; and

conveying the media content to a media player suitable for playing the media content.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

decrypting the request for feedback information using a decryptor of the remote responding device to produce a decrypted request for feedback information;

wherein the request for feedback information is encrypted.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

encrypting the inputted feedback information using an encryptor of the remote responding device prior to the step of transmitting the inputted feedback information.

22. The method of claim 18,

wherein the request for feedback is comprised of at least one of program coding survey information and inquiry coding survey information.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

displaying the request for feedback information on a display of the responding device,

wherein the request for feedback information includes display data used by the display to display the request for feedback information.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

displaying the request for feedback information using the media player,

wherein the media content includes a request for feedback information.

25. The method of claim 18, the feedback transmitting step further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the inputted feedback information to a cradle adapted to receive the responding device;

transmitting the inputted feedback information from the cradle to the central facility.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

acquiring location data using a positioning system receiver of the responding device,

wherein the feedback transmitting step further comprises transmitting the location data concurrently to transmitting the feedback information.

27. The method of claim 26,

wherein the acquiring step is performed when the user inputs the feedback information.

28. The method of claim 26,

wherein the acquiring step is performed when the responding device receives the encrypted request for feedback.

29. The system of claim 18, the feedback transmitting step further comprising the step of:

wirelessly transmitting the feedback information to a modem for transmission to the central facility.

30. A real time feedback survey system comprising:

a) a media player, which includes

means for receiving media content associated with a request for feedback information,

a display for providing an output of the media content to the user, and

a first transmitter for transmitting the request for feedback information to a remote responding device for responding to the request for feedback information; and

b) the remote responding device, which includes

a receiver for receiving the request for feedback information,

a keypad for inputting feedback information, and

a second transmitter for transmitting the inputted feedback information to a central facility.