Real-time selection of survey candidates
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of evaluating a candidate for participation in a survey, comprising:
- (a) obtaining, over an electronic network, information describing the candidate;
(b) categorizing the candidate as a potential member of one or more predetermined groups, based upon the information obtained in step (a);
(c) for each of the one or more predetermined groups, if adding the candidate to that group would increase the population in that group beyond a specified threshold, excluding the candidate from participating in the survey, and otherwise adding the candidate as a member of each of the one or more predetermined groups and allowing the candidate to participate in the survey; and
(d) if the candidate is allowed to participate in the survey, obtaining from the candidate preferential information describing the candidate'"'"'s affinity for one or more decision objects.
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Abstract
A method of evaluating a candidate for participation in a survey by obtaining, over an electronic network, information describing the candidate, categorizing the candidate, determining if adding the candidate would increase the population in a group beyond a specified threshold, and conditionally excluding the candidate. Otherwise, allowing the candidate to participate in the survey and obtaining preferential information describing the candidate'"'"'s affinity for one or more decision objects.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of evaluating a candidate for participation in a survey, comprising:
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(a) obtaining, over an electronic network, information describing the candidate;
(b) categorizing the candidate as a potential member of one or more predetermined groups, based upon the information obtained in step (a);
(c) for each of the one or more predetermined groups, if adding the candidate to that group would increase the population in that group beyond a specified threshold, excluding the candidate from participating in the survey, and otherwise adding the candidate as a member of each of the one or more predetermined groups and allowing the candidate to participate in the survey; and
(d) if the candidate is allowed to participate in the survey, obtaining from the candidate preferential information describing the candidate'"'"'s affinity for one or more decision objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of evaluating a candidate for participation in a survey, comprising:
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(a) obtaining, over an electronic network, information describing the candidate;
(b) categorizing the candidate as a potential member of one or more predetermined groups, based upon the information obtained in step (a);
(c) for each of the one or more predetermined groups, if allowing the candidate to participate in the survey would decrease the population of any group below a specified threshold, excluding the candidate from participating in the survey, and otherwise adding the candidate as a member of each of the one or more predetermined groups and allowing the candidate to participate in the survey; and
(d) if the candidate is allowed to participate in the survey, obtaining from the candidate preferential information describing the candidate'"'"'s affinity for one or more decision objects. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer system connected to an electronic network, the system configured to perform the following steps:
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(a) obtaining information describing a candidate over the electronic network;
(b) categorizing the candidate as a potential member of one or more predetermined groups, based upon the information obtained in step (a);
(c) for each of the one or more predetermined groups, if allowing the candidate to participate in the survey would decrease the population of any group below a specified threshold, excluding the candidate from participating in the survey, and otherwise adding the candidate as a member of each of the one or more predetermined groups and allowing the candidate to participate in the survey; and
(d) if the candidate is allowed to participate in the survey, obtaining from the candidate preferential information describing the candidate'"'"'s affinity for one or more decision objects. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for assessing, over an electronic network, the preferences of an objectively predefined consumer group from among decision objects comprising various forms of a product, the method comprising:
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(a) while conducting a survey involving collecting, over a network, preference information regarding various decision objects displayed to consumers over the network, permitting a potential new candidate to request participation in the survey;
(b) obtaining, through the network, data relevant to determining whether the candidate may be classified as a member of an objectively predefined consumer group;
(c) excluding the candidate from participating in the survey if either adding the candidate would result in over representation of a subtype of consumer in the group, or the candidate objectively is not includable in the group; and
(d) otherwise, allowing the candidate to participate in the survey and obtaining preference information from the candidate indicative of the candidate'"'"'s affinity for one or more decision objects. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification