Questionnaire system

• US 5,496,175 A
• Filed: 01/31/1992
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Nichirei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Nichirei Corporation
• Inventors: Kimura, Hiromichi, Miura, Takahiro, Maeda, Miyuki, Kusuzaki, Tetsuo, Temma, Tadashi, Abe, Kazumi, Kunishi, Naohiko, Kinefuchi, Akira, Oyama, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/831,194
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/350, 434/362, 434/118, 434/169, 434/323, 364/419, 364/419.1, 364/419.19, 359/927
• US Class Current: 434/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A questionnaire producing and aiding system according to the present invention is arranged to store a questionnaire element including a question and a plurality of reply choices which have been previously produced in a memory thereof. When a questionnaire is produced, the saved questionnaire element is used while adding, correcting and deleting the contents so that a questionnaire sheet is produced. Therefore, the questionnaire producing operation can be performed efficiently. The data about the produced questionnaire sheet are stored in a portable recording medium.

The questionnaire reply gathering system according to the present invention is arranged to read data about the questionnaire sheet from the storage medium to display the contents of the questionnaire sheet on the terminal display apparatus, and to gather reply data supplied from the terminal input apparatus to be stored in the portable storage medium. The questionnaire reply gathering system is constituted by a small portable computer so that a questionnaire can be conducted after it has been moved to an arbitrary place.

The questionnaire totalizing and analyzing system according to the present invention performs a totalizing process and an analyzing process by reading instructed reply data from the storage medium.

As described above, data are transmitted/received between systems by means of the portable recording medium so that a necessity of establishing a direct connection between systems by using communication lines or external input apparatus can be eliminated, and thereby the handling facility can be improved.

Claims

1. A questionnaire producing and aiding system, comprising:

a computer including a processor, a memory, input means for inputting information to said computer, a display and connecting means used in connecting a portable storage medium to said computer;

wherein said memory stores at least one file which includes previously-produced questionnaire elements, each previously-produced questionnaire element having one previously-produced question and a plurality of previously-produced reply choices corresponding to said previously-produced question;

wherein said input means inputs

     1) a readout command to read out said at least one file from said memory,

     2) a selection command to select at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements of said at least one file, and

     3) a new questionnaire element having one new question and a plurality of new reply choices corresponding to said one new question to said computer;

wherein said processor executes a questionnaire-producing program which

     1) reads out said at least one file from said memory as a previously-produced questionnaire in response to said readout command,

     2) selects said at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements in response to said selection command,

     3) produces a new questionnaire by utilizing said selected previously-produced questionnaire element and said new questionnaire element input from said input means,

     4) stores said new questionnaire into said portable storage medium, and

     5) displays said new questionnaire; and

wherein said new questionnaire includes said new questionnaire element and at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements, wherein said new questionnaire element includes a reply limitation condition, pursuant to which the new questionnaire skips to a specific question depending upon a selection of said reply choices by a user.

2. A questionnaire producing and aiding system according to claim 1, wherein said memory has a first file in which said previously-produced questionnaire elements forming said previously-produced questionnaire are stored by questionnaire, and a second file in which said previously-produced questionnaire elements are stored by questionnaire element.

3. A questionnaire producing and aiding system according to claim 2, wherein said questionnaire-producing program stores said new questionnaire element and said new questionnaire in said second file and said first file, respectively.

4. A questionnaire producing and aiding system according to claim 1, wherein said questionnaire-producing program produces a public relations display which displays a title and a purpose for performing said new questionnaire in response to information input from said input means, and stores said public relations display into said portable storage medium.

5. A questionnaire producing and aiding system according to claim 1, further comprising means for dispensing a service ticket upon successful completion of the new questionnaire by a user.

6. A questionnaire system, comprising:

a computer including a processor, input means for inputting information to said computer, a display, and connecting means used in connecting a portable storage medium to said computer, wherein said computer

     1) reads out an autoloading program stored in said portable storage medium,

     2) executes said autoloading program to start a questionnaire reply-gathering and producing program which a) reads out a questionnaire stored in said portable storage medium, b) displays said questionnaire on said display, c) gathers replied to questions of said questionnaire via said input means, d) produces a new questionnaire by utilizing said selected read-out questionnaire and a new questionnaire element input from said input means, said new questionnaire element including a reply limitation condition pursuant to which the new questionnaire skips to a specific question depending upon a user reply, and e) stores said new questionnaire and said replies into said portable storage medium.

7. A questionnaire reply gathering system according to claim 6, wherein said computer is a portable personal computer.

8. A questionnaire reply gathering system according to claim 6, wherein said portable storage medium is an IC card.

9. A questionnaire reply gathering system according to claim 6, further comprising means for dispensing a service ticket upon successful completion of the new questionnaire by a user.

10. A questionnaire system, comprising:

a first computer which constitutes a questionnaire-producing apparatus and an analyzing apparatus, and

a second computer which constitutes a questionnaire reply-gathering terminal apparatus;

wherein said first computer includes a first processor, a memory, first input means for inputting information to said first computer, a first display and first connecting means for connecting a portable storage medium to said first computer;

wherein said memory stores at least one file which includes previously-produced questionnaire elements, each questionnaire element having one previously-produced question and a plurality of previously-produced reply choices corresponding to said previously-produced question;

wherein said first input means inputs a readout command to read out said at least one file from said memory, a selection command to select at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements of said at least one file read out, and a new questionnaire element having one new question and a plurality of new reply choices corresponding to said one new question to said first computer;

wherein said first processor executes a questionnaire-producing program which

     1) reads out said at least one file from said memory as a previously-produced questionnaire in response to said readout command, then

     2) selects said at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements in response to said selection command,

     3) produces a new questionnaire by utilizing said selected previously-produced questionnaire element and said new questionnaire element input from said first input means, said new questionnaire element including a reply limitation condition pursuant to which the new questionnaire skips to a specific question depending upon a selection of said new reply choices by a user,

     4) stores said new questionnaire into said portable storage medium, and

     5) displays said new questionnaire;

wherein said first processor executes an analyzing program which reads out reply choices from said portable storage medium connected to said first connecting means, and then statistically analyzes said reply choices read out;

wherein said second computer includes a second processor, second input means for inputting information to said second computer, a second display, and second connecting means for connecting said portable storage medium to said second computer; and

wherein said second computer a) reads out an autoloading program stored in said portable storage medium, b) executes said auto-loading program to start a questionnaire reply-gathering program, c) executes said questionnaire reply-gathering program which reads out said questionnaire stored in said portable storage medium connected to said second connecting means, d) displays said questionnaire on said second display, e) gathers reply choices to questions of said questionnaire via said second input means, and f) stores said reply choices into said portable storage medium.

11. A questionnaire system according to claim 10, wherein said memory has a first file in which said previously-produced questionnaire elements forming said previously-produced questionnaire are stored by questionnaire, and a second file in which said previously-produced questionnaire elements are stored by questionnaire element.

12. A questionnaire system according to claim 10, wherein said questionnaire-producing program stores said new questionnaire element and said new questionnaire in said second file and said first file, respectively.

13. A questionnaire system according to claim 10, wherein said second computer is a portable personal computer.

14. A questionnaire system according to claim 10, wherein said portable storage medium is an IC card.

15. A questionnaire system according to claim 10, wherein said new questionnaire has a question which requires a reply in the form of selecting an identification symbol to represent a user, and wherein said analyzing program statistically analyzes said reply by referring to said identification symbol.

16. A questionnaire system according to claim 10, comprising means for dispensing a service ticket upon successful completion of the new questionnaire by a user.

17. A questionnaire system, comprising:

a computer including a first processor, a memory, first input means for inputting information to said computer, a first display and first connecting means used in connecting an IC card to the computer;

wherein said memory stores a first file which includes previously-produced questionnaire elements, each questionnaire element having one previously-produced question and a plurality of previously-produced reply choices corresponding to said previously-produced question, and a second file which includes previously-produced questionnaires having said previously-produced questionnaire elements;

wherein said first input means inputs to said computer;

     1) a readout command to read out one of said first file and said second file from said memory,

     2) a selection command to select at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements of the file read out from said memory, and

     3) a new questionnaire element having one new question and a plurality of new reply choices corresponding to said one new question;

wherein said first processor executes a questionnaire-producing program which a) reads out one of said first file and said second file from said memory in response to said readout command, then b) selects said at least one of said previously-produced questionnaire elements in response to said selection command, c) produces a new questionnaire which includes said selected previously-produced questionnaire element and said new questionnaire element input from said first input means, said new questionnaire element including a reply limitation condition pursuant to which the new questionnaire skips to a specific question depending upon a selection of said new reply choices by a user, d) stores said new questionnaire into said IC card, and e) displays said new questionnaire; and

wherein said first processor executes an analyzing program which reads out reply choices stored in said IC card connected to said first connecting means, and statistically analyzes said reply choices read out; and

a portable personal computer including a second processor, second input means for inputting information to said portable personal computer, a second display, and second connecting means used in connecting said IC card to said portable personal computer;

wherein said portable personal computer i) reads out an auto-loading program stored in said IC card, ii) executes said auto-loading program to start a questionnaire reply-gathering program, iii) executes said questionnaire reply-gathering program which reads out said questionnaire stored in said IC card connected to said second connecting means, then iv) displays said questionnaire on said second display, v) receives reply choices from a user to questions of said questionnaire via said second input means, vi) skips to a specific question responsive to a reply choice input by the user for skipping to said specific question, and stores said reply choices into said IC card.

18. A questionnaire system according to claim 17, comprising means for dispensing a service ticket upon successful completion of the new questionnaire by a user.