Method and apparatus for administering a survey via a television transmission network

• US 6,513,014 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Mik, Magdalena, Van Luchene, Kathleen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson-Boyce, Akiba
• Application Number:
  US09/282,128
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/3, 705/10, 705/7, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/7.32
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/56 Arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition covered by groups H04H60/29-H04H60/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a controller such as a cable television company receives a survey including survey questions from a client desiring to have a survey conducted. The controller creates respondent questions based on the survey questions. The controller also selects one or more respondents from a group of respondents requesting to participate in a survey. The respondent questions are transmitted to the selected respondents via a television transmission network, e.g., a cable television transmission network. Responses corresponding to the respondent questions are received. The controller applies an inconsistency test to the responses to generate an inconsistency test result. The inconsistency test determines if the responses originate from computers or humans not paying attention to the questions. Based on the inconsistency test result, a fraud signal may be generated. The fraud signal may result in several actions, such as the controller ignoring the responses received from the corresponding respondent, reducing or eliminating payment to the respondent, transmitting a message of reprimand to the respondent, and/or barring the respondent from future participation in surveys.

Claims

1. A method for administering a survey, the method comprising:

creating a respondent question based on at least one survey question;

selecting a respondent;

transmitting the respondent question to the respondent via a television transmission network;

receiving a response from the respondent, the response corresponding to the respondent question;

applying an inconsistency test to the response to generate an inconsistency test result; and

generating a fraud signal based on the inconsistency test result.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first signal from the respondent based on desire of respondent to answer the at least one survey question.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting a prompt via the television transmission network requesting participation in the survey.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting a signal via the television transmission network providing a television channel for conducting a survey.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a plurality of surveys to the respondent via the television transmission network; and

receiving a selection response from the respondent, the selection response corresponding to a survey the respondent selects.

6. The method of claim 5, in which receiving a selection response from the respondent comprises:

receiving a selection response according to a predetermined parameter of the survey.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the predetermined parameter is the number of survey questions in each survey.

8. The method of claim 6, in which the predetermined parameter is a payment value provided for participating in each survey.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an offer to respond to a survey via the television transmission network to the respondent; and

receiving a first signal from the respondent based on desire of respondent to participate in the survey.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a respondent criterion that a respondent must match to participate in the survey.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the respondent criterion includes a degree to which a respondent must match the respondent criterion.

12. The method of claim 10, in which selecting a respondent comprises:

receiving a respondent profile corresponding to a respondent; and

selecting the respondent based on the respondent criterion and the respondent profile.

13. The method of claim 1, in which selecting a respondent comprises:

transmitting a set of qualification questions to the respondent via the television transmission network;

receiving a set of qualification responses from the respondent, each qualification response corresponding to a qualification question of the set of qualification questions;

applying a qualification test to the set of qualification responses to generate a qualification test result; and

selecting the respondent based on the qualification test result.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

storing the qualification test result.

15. The method of claim 1, in which selecting a respondent comprises:

selecting a set of tentative respondents;

transmitting a set of qualification questions to each tentative respondent;

receiving a set of qualification responses from each tentative respondent, each qualification response corresponding to a qualification question of the set of qualification questions;

applying a qualification test to the set of qualification responses to generate a qualification test result for each tentative respondent; and

selecting a set of respondents based on the qualification test result of each tentative respondent.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a rating of the respondent based on the fraud signal.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing the rating of the respondent.

18. The method of claim 16, in which selecting a respondent comprises:

selecting the respondent based on the rating of the respondent.

19. The method of claim 1, in which transmitting the respondent question to the respondent comprises:

transmitting a plurality of respondent questions;

and in which the receiving a response from the respondent comprises;

receiving a response from the respondent after transmission of a corresponding respondent question and before transmission of a next respondent question.

20. The method of claim 19, in which applying an inconsistency test comprises:

applying an inconsistency test to selected responses of the plurality of responses after receiving a response and before the transmission of a next respondent question.

21. The method of claim 1, in which receiving a response from the respondent comprises:

receiving a plurality of responses from the respondent after transmission of a predetermined number of respondent questions.

22. The method of claim 21, in which applying an inconsistency test comprises:

applying an inconsistency test to selected responses of the plurality of responses after receiving a predetermined number of respondent responses.

23. The method of claim 1, in which creating a respondent question comprises:

creating a first question based on the survey question; and

creating a second question based on the survey question;

and in which transmitting comprises;

transmitting the first question and the second question to the respondent;

and in which receiving a response comprises;

receiving a first response and a second response from the respondent, the first response corresponding to the first question and the second response corresponding to the second question.

24. The method of claim 23, in which applying an inconsistency check comprises:

determining whether the first response matches the second response.

25. The method of claim 24, in which generating a fraud signal comprises:

generating a fraud signal if the first response does not match the second response.

26. The method of claim 23, in which the second question has an answer sequence that is different from an answer sequence of the first question.

27. The method of claim 23, in which creating a second question comprises:

creating a second question based on the survey question, the second question having an answer sequence different from the answer sequence of the first question.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering a start time at which the respondent question is transmitted; and

registering a stop time at which the response is received.

29. The method of claim 28, in which applying an inconsistency test comprises:

calculating a response time based on the start time and the stop time.

30. The method of claim 29, in which generating a fraud signal comprises:

generating a fraud signal if the response time is less than a predetermined threshold.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

registering a start time for each of a plurality of respondent questions; and

registering a stop time for each of a plurality of responses, each response corresponding to a question having a measured start time.

32. The method of claim 31, in which applying an inconsistency test comprises:

calculating a plurality of response times, each response time based on a start time and a corresponding stop time;

and in which generating a fraud signal comprises;

generating a fraud signal if at least a predetermined percentage of the plurality of response times are greater than a predetermined threshold.

33. The method of claim 31, in which applying an inconsistency test comprises:

calculating a plurality of response times, each response time based on a start time and a corresponding stop time; and

calculating a deviation of the plurality of response times;

and in which the step of generating a fraud signal comprises;

generating a fraud signal if the deviation is less than a predetermined threshold.

34. The method of claim 1, in which applying an inconsistency test to the set of responses comprises:

ascertaining whether the response defines a predetermined pattern.

35. The method of claim 1, in which generating a fraud signal comprises:

generating a fraud signal if the response defines a predetermined pattern.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the response.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a payment amount to the respondent.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

setting the payment amount based on at least one of a budget amount, a deadline, a desired confidence level, the set of responses, the number of respondent questions, a time of response, a rating of the respondent and a respondent profile.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

setting the payment amount based on a randomly-generated bonus.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

setting the payment amount based on a mode of displaying the survey on the television transmission network.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

setting a reduced payment for responding to the at least one survey question while the television transmission network is in a picture in picture mode.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

setting a non-reduced payment for responding to the at least one survey question while the television transmission network is in a full screen mode.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

crediting payment to a cable bill of the respondent.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

displaying the payment amount.

45. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting results of the survey to a client requesting the survey.

46. The method of claim 1, in which the television transmission network comprises at least one of a coaxial cable, a wireless system, a twisted wire pair cable and a fiber optic cable.

47. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the respondent response comprises:

receiving the respondent response via the television transmission network.

48. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the respondent response comprises receiving the responses via a communication network comprising at least one of a twisted wire pair cable, a coaxial cable, a wireless network, a fiber optic cable, a telephone line and a PDA.

49. The method of claim 1, in which the survey question comprises at least one of text, a graphical image, and audio signals.

50. The method of claim 1, in which the survey further includes a deadline.

51. The method of claim 1, in which the survey further includes a confidence level.

52. The method of claim 1, in which the survey further includes a minimum number of respondents.

53. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating an adjusted question based on the response and the survey question.

54. The method of claim 1, in which receiving a response comprises:

receiving responses from a plurality of respondents;

and further comprising;

creating an adjusted question based on the responses and the survey question.

55. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving responses from a plurality of respondents;

counting the responses;

selecting an additional respondent if there are less than a predetermined number of responses; and

transmitting the respondent question to the additional respondent via the television transmission network.

56. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving responses from a plurality of respondents;

calculating a confidence level based on the responses;

selecting an additional respondent if the confidence level is less than a predefined confidence level; and

transmitting the respondent question to the additional respondent via the television transmission network.

57. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first survey, the first survey including a first survey question; and

receiving a second survey, the second survey including a second survey question;

and in which creating a respondent question comprises;

creating a first respondent question based on the first survey question; and

creating a second respondent question based on the second survey question.

58. The method of claim 57, in which transmitting the respondent question to the respondent comprises:

transmitting the first respondent question and the second respondent question to the respondent via the television transmission network.

59. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

transmitting the first response to a first client via the television transmission network; and

transmitting the second response to a second client via the television transmission network.

60. The method of claim 1, in which the controller is a computer operated by an Internet Service Provider.

61. The method of claim 1, in which the controller is a computer operated by a cable television provider.

62. The method of claim 1, in which the survey question defines a comparison to be made.

63. A method for administering a survey, the method comprising:

creating a first respondent question based on at least one survey question;

selecting a respondent;

transmitting the first respondent question to the respondent via a television transmission network;

receiving a first response from the respondent, the first response corresponding to the first respondent question;

applying a first inconsistency test to the first response to generate a first inconsistency test result;

creating a second respondent question if the first inconsistency test result is greater than a first predetermined threshold;

transmitting the second respondent question to the respondent via a television transmission network;

receiving a second response from the respondent, the second response corresponding to the second respondent question;

applying a second inconsistency test to the second response to generate a second inconsistency test result; and

generating a fraud signal based on at least one of the first inconsistency test result and the second inconsistency test result.

64. The method of claim 63, in which the second respondent question is selected from a predetermined set of questions.

65. The method of claim 63, in which the second respondent question is based on a certification question.

66. A method for administering a survey, the method comprising:

creating a first respondent question based on at least one survey question;

selecting a respondent;

transmitting the first respondent question to the respondent via the television transmission network;

receiving a first response from the respondent, the first response corresponding to the first respondent question;

applying a first inconsistency test to the first response to generate a first inconsistency rating;

creating a second respondent question if the first inconsistency test result is greater than a first predetermined threshold, the second respondent question being based on one of a set of predetermined questions;

transmitting the second respondent question to the respondent via the television transmission network;

receiving a second response from the respondent, the second response corresponding to the second respondent question;

applying a second inconsistency test to the second response to generate a second inconsistency test result; and

generating a fraud signal based on the second inconsistency test result.

67. The method of claim 66, in which the second respondent question is based on a certification question.

68. An apparatus for administering a survey;

the apparatus comprising;

at least one respondent device;

a first storage device; and

a first processor connected to the first storage device and respondent device;

the first storage device storing a first program for controlling the first processor; and

the first processor operative with the first program to;

create a respondent question based on at least one survey question;

select a respondent;

transmit the respondent question to the respondent device via a television transmission network;

receive a response from the respondent device, the response corresponding to the respondent question;

apply an inconsistency test to the response to generate an inconsistency test result; and

generate a fraud signal based on the inconsistency test result.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, in which the respondent device comprises:

a television device;

a second storage device; and

a second processor connected to the second storage device and the television device;

the second storage device storing a second program for controlling the second processor;

and the second processor operative with the second program to;

receive the respondent question;

transmit the respondent question to the television device;

receive the response from the respondent; and

transmit the response to the first processor.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprising an input device to receive a response from the respondent and to provide the response to the second processor.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, in which the input device transmits the response of the respondent to the television device.

72. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprises a decoder device connected to the first processor to decode television signals representative of the respondent question transmitted via the television transmission network.

73. The apparatus of claim 69, in which the television device displays the respondent question to the respondent.

74. The apparatus of claim 68, in which the television transmission network comprises at least one of a coaxial cable, a wireless system, a twisted pair cable and a fiber optic cable.

75. The apparatus of claim 68, further comprising:

a client device connected to the first processor,

and in which the first program further comprises;

receiving a survey question from the client device.

76. The apparatus of claim 68, in which the respondent device comprises:

a television device;

a second storage device; and

a second processor connected to the second storage device and the television device;

the second storage device storing a second program for controlling the second processor; and

the second processor operative with the program to;

receive the respondent question; and

transmit the respondent question to the television device.

77. The apparatus of claim 76, further comprising an input device to receive the response of the respondent and to transmit the response to the first processor via a communication network.

78. The apparatus of claim 76, in which the communication network comprises at least one of a twisted wire pair cable, a coaxial cable, a wireless network, a fiber optic cable, a telephone line and a PDA.