Computer systems and methods for surveying a population
First Claim
1. A method of surveying a target population, the method comprising:
- (A) fielding a survey instrument to members in a sample population of said target population, wherein individual members in the sample population are selected from said target population such that a distribution of members in the sample population that start said survey instrument provides a probability sampling of said target population for at least one stratification variable, wherein a distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable is known;
(B) identifying a qualifying population from said sample population, wherein each member in said qualifying population qualifies for said survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument; and
(C) determining a total number of members within the target population that said qualifying population represents based on a comparison of (i) the distribution of the qualifying population with respect to the at least one stratification variable and (ii) the distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Computer systems, computer program products and methods for surveying a target population are provided. A survey instrument is fielded to a sample population of the target population, where individual members in the sample population are selected from the target population such that the distribution of members in the sample that start the survey instrument provides a probability sampling of the target population for at least one stratification variable. A qualifying population is identified from the sample, where each member in the qualifying population qualifies for the survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument. A total number of members is determined within the target population that the qualifying population represents based on a comparison of the distribution of the qualifying population and the distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of surveying a target population, the method comprising:
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(A) fielding a survey instrument to members in a sample population of said target population, wherein individual members in the sample population are selected from said target population such that a distribution of members in the sample population that start said survey instrument provides a probability sampling of said target population for at least one stratification variable, wherein a distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable is known; (B) identifying a qualifying population from said sample population, wherein each member in said qualifying population qualifies for said survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument; and (C) determining a total number of members within the target population that said qualifying population represents based on a comparison of (i) the distribution of the qualifying population with respect to the at least one stratification variable and (ii) the distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of surveying a target population, the method comprising:
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(A) fielding a survey instrument to a members in a sample population of said target population, wherein individual members in said sample population are selected from among said target population so that a distribution of members in the sample population that start said survey instrument provides a probability sampling of said target population for at least one stratification variable, wherein a distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable is known; (B) identifying a qualifying population from said sample population, wherein each member in said qualifying population qualifies for said survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument; (C) determining a total number of members within the target population that said qualifying population represents based on a comparison of (i) the distribution of the qualifying population with respect to the at least one stratification variable and (ii) the distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable; (D) determining a characteristic of individual members of the qualifying population by allowing the individual members in the qualifying population to complete a body of the survey instrument, wherein the characteristic is an attitudinal characteristic or behavioral pattern of individual members in the qualifying population with respect to a predetermined subject as determined by responses to question in the body of the survey instrument; and (F) identifying a first target population segment of the target population, from among a plurality of target population segments of the target population, wherein the first target population segment has an interest in the predetermined subject, and wherein each respective target population segment in the plurality of target population segments has characteristic attitudes or behavioral patterns that defines the respective target population segment. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism for surveying a target population, the computer program mechanism comprising:
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(A) instructions for fielding a survey instrument to members in a sample population of said target population, wherein individual members in the sample population are selected from said target population such that a distribution of members in the sample population that start said survey instrument provides a probability sampling of said target population for at least one stratification variable, wherein a distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable is known; (B) instructions for identifying a qualifying population from said sample population, wherein each member in said qualifying population qualifies for said survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument; and (C) instructions for determining a total number of members within the target population that said qualifying population represents based on a comparison of (i) the distribution of the qualifying population with respect to the at least one stratification variable and (ii) the distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A computer system comprising:
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a central processing unit; and a memory, coupled to the central processing unit, the memory storing a module for surveying a target population, the module comprising; (A) instructions for fielding a survey instrument to members in a sample population of said target population, wherein individual members in the sample population are selected from said target population such that a distribution of members in the sample population that start said survey instrument provides a probability sampling of said target population for at least stratification one variable, wherein a distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable is known; (B) instructions for identifying a qualifying population from said sample population, wherein each member in said qualifying population qualifies for said survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument; and (C) instructions for determining a total number of members within the target population that said qualifying population represents based on a comparison of (i) the distribution of the qualifying population with respect to the at least one stratification variable and (ii) the distribution of the target population with respect to the at least one stratification variable. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of surveying a segment of a broadband user population, the method comprising:
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(A) fielding a survey instrument to members in a sample population of said segment of said broadband user population, wherein the segment of the broadband user population is selected from the group consisting of pleasure seekers, social clickers, Internet insiders, headline grabbers, and focused practicals set forth in Table J; (B) identifying a qualifying population from said sample population, wherein each member in said qualifying population qualifies for said survey instrument based on a response to one or more screener questions in the survey instrument; and (C) receiving completed questionnaires from one or more members of the qualifying population.
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Specification