Accurate market survey collection method

• US 5,970,467 A
• Filed: 07/31/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Twister Communications Network, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enviro EC AG
• Inventors: Alavi, Kamal
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US08/903,956
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.54, 348/552, 348/1, 348/2, 348/13, 348/12, 379/92.01, 705/10, 705/7, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A method for electronically accumulating market survey data from inherently interested Internet users or TV viewers. Various market survey questions can be disseminated to Internet users and TV viewers, and the answers are processed at a central location. In exchange for his answers, the responder receives free access to the Internet or cable TV for a predetermined amount of time.

Claims

1. A method for electronically accumulating market survey data from a plurality of responders comprisinginputting demographic and market survey questions from market survey requester into a central data processor;

2) connecting said central data processor to a communications switching network by means of a modem;

3) connecting a controller to said communications switching network by means of a modem;

4) connecting input means to said controller;

5) connecting viewing means to said controller;

6) having one of said responders contact said central data processor by way of said communications switching network;

7) having said central data processor transmit demographic questions to said responder by way of said communications switching network;

8) having said central data processor receive and process said responses to said controller;

9) having said central data processor receive and process said responses to said demographic questions;

10) having said central data processor transmit relavant market survey questions to said responder by way of said communications switching network;

11) having said responder input responses to said market survey questions into said controller

12) having said central data processor switch open a connection between Internet access and said controller;

13) having said central data processor switch off said connection between said Internet access and said controller after a predetermined period of time,

14) having said central data processor process and sort said responses to said market survey questions before transmission to said market survey requester.

2. A method for electronically accumulating market survey data from a plurality of responders comprisinginputting demographic and market survey questions from a market survey requester into a central data processor;

2) connecting said central data processor to a communications switching network by means of a modem;

3) connecting a controller to said communications switching network by means of a modem;

4) connecting input means to said controller;

5) connecting viewing means to said controller;

6) having one of said responders contact said central data processor by way of said communications switching network;

7) having said central data processor transmit demographic questions to said responder by way of said communications switching network;

8) having said responder input responses to said demographic questions into said controller;

9) having said central data processor receive and process said responses to said demographic questions;

10) having said central data processor transmit relevant market survey questions to said responder by way of said communications switching network;

11) having said responder input responses to said market survey questions into said controller

12) having said central data processor switch open a connection between a cable TV and said controller;

13) having said central data processor switch off said connection between said cable TV and said controller after a predetermined period of time;

14 having said central data processor process and sort responses to said market survey questions before transmission to said market survey requester.