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.
137 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