Virtual human interface for conducting surveys

• US 6,826,540 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Virtual Personalities, Inc.
• Inventors: McBride, Aaron J., Romero, Jeremy Shay, Mauldin, Michael L., Plantec, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hapiz, Tario R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TARAE, CATHERINE MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/474,518
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 345/706
• 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: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/956 Language driven animation

Abstract

A virtual human interface application for conducting surveys comprises a system and method which include a script file which may include survey question data, response pattern data, advertising data, entertainment data, lobbying data and/or processing instructions. The system and method include an image generator providing a representation of a character communicating data from the script file, and also include script and response processing modules to seek and/or clarify responses from a user as well as to advertise to the user, persuade the user, encourage or reward the user, possibly based on patterns detected in the user'"'"'s responses. The system and method automate the distribution of survey questions, the collection of survey data and processing and formatting of survey results.

Claims

1. A survey system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a computer readable medium;

a processor;

a display;

a script comprising question data representing a question, said script stored in said computer readable medium, said script further comprising;

response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to said question; and

lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to respond to said question by providing a response that does not include said portion of a possible user response to said question;

character image data representing a character communicating information, said character image data stored in said computer readable medium, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being; and

a user interface running on said processor, said user interface configured to access said script, said user interface configured to process said question data to communicate said question to a user, an image generator of said user interface configured to process said character image data to create a representation of said character on said display during said communication of said question, said user interface configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to store in said computer readable medium answer data representing said response provided by said user, said user interface configured to compare said response data to said response pattern data to determine whether said response provided by said user includes said portion of a possible user response and, if so, to process said lobbying data to communicate said lobbying information to said user without storing said answer data.

2. The survey system as described in claim 1, said script further comprising:

expression data representing an expression of said character, said user interface configured to process said expression data to cause said image generator to process said character image data to change an expression of said representation of said character on said display during said communication of said lobbying information.

3. A survey system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a computer readable medium;

a processor;

a display;

a script comprising question data representing a question, said script stored in said computer readable medium;

character image data representing a character communicating information, said character image data stored in said computer readable medium, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being;

a user interface running on said processor, said user interface configured to access said script, said user interface configured to process said question data to communicate said question to a user, an image generator of said user interface configured to process said character image data to create a representation of said character on said display during said communication of said question, said user interface configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to store in said computer readable medium answer data representing said response provided by said user;

response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to said question;

remote lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade said user to provide a response that does not include said portion of a possible user response to said question, said remote lobbying data residing on a computer readable storage medium operably connected to a second computer, said second computer in network contact with said first computer; and

a voice output module, said user interface configured to compare said response data to said response pattern data to determine whether said response provided by said user includes said portion of a possible user response and, if so, to request and receive said remote lobbying data and to route data to said voice output module to create audio output representing said lobbying information.

4. A survey system comprising:

question data representing a question;

response pattern data representing at least one portion of a response to said question;

lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to provide a response that does not include said at least one portion of said response to said question; and

a user interface configured to process said question data to communicate said question to a user, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to compare said response data to said response pattern data to determine whether said response provided by said user includes said at least one portion of said response to said question and, if so, to process said lobbying data to communicate said lobbying information to said user, said user interface configured to transmit character image data to a display during said communication of said question and said lobbying information, said character image data rendered to represent a character communicating said question and said lobbying information, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being, said user interface configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the respective presentation of words comprising said question and said lobbying information to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question and the speaking of said lobbying information during communication of said lobbying information.

5. The survey system as described in claim 4, wherein said user interface is further configured to generate and store answer data representing said response provided by said user if said user interface determines that said response provided by said user does not include said at least one portion of said response to said question.

6. A system for questioning a survey participant, the system comprising:

a computer readable storage;

a display;

a survey script stored on said computer readable storage, said survey script comprising question data, expression data, lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to provide a response that does not include a portion of a first possible response, and response processing instructions; and

a virtual human interface comprising an image generator, a script parser and a response parser, said script parser parsing said question data to present a question to a user, said image generator displaying on said display a representation of an animated character communicating information during said presenting of said question, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being, said script parser parsing said expression data to cause said image generator to change said representation of said character, said image generator configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during presentation of said question, said script parser parsing said lobbying data to associate said lobbying data with said portion of said first possible response, said response parser parsing input provided by said user to detect said portion of said first possible response and to responsively communicate said lobbying information to said user, said script parser parsing said response processing instructions to identify at least one portion of a second possible response by said user to said question and to associate predetermined responsive steps with said at least one portion of said second possible response, said response parser parsing input provided by said user to detect said at least one portion of said second possible response and to perform said predetermined responsive steps, said predetermined responsive steps including storing in an answer file answer data representing said input provided by said user and storing in said answer file in association with said answer data a question identifier identifying said question.

7. The system as described in claim 6, wherein said image generator comprises software instructions stored on said computer readable storage, said script parser comprises software instructions stored on said computer readable storage, and said response parser comprises software instructions stored on said computer readable storage.

8. The survey system as described in claim 6, further comprising:

an answer format value representing a predetermined format for answer data provided in response to said question, said answer format value having a predetermined association with said question identifier; and

a survey report generator configured to parse said answer file for said question identifier and to retrieve said answer format value and to use said answer format value to format said answer data in a survey result report.

9. A method of conducting a survey, said method comprising the steps of:

providing in a computer readable medium question data representing a question;

providing in said computer readable medium character image data representing a character communicating information, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being;

communicating said question to a user by processing said question data;

displaying a representation of said character on a display during said communication of said question by processing said character image data;

modifying the representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the communicating of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question;

responding to a response to said question provided by a user by storing in said computer readable medium answer data representing said response;

providing in said computer readable medium response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to said question;

providing in said computer readable medium lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade said user to provide a response that does not include said portion of said possible user response to said question;

comparing response data representing said response provided by said user to said response pattern data; and

communicating said lobbying information to said user by processing said lobbying data without storing said answer data if said response data includes said response pattern data.

10. The method as described in claim 9, said method comprising the further steps of:

providing in said computer readable medium expression data representing an expression of said character; and

processing said expression data to change an expression of said displayed character during said communication of said lobbying information.

11. A survey system comprising:

means for representing a question in a computer readable medium;

means for representing in said computer readable medium a portion of a first possible user response to said question;

means for communicating said question to a user;

means for generating a representation of a character communicating said question during said communication of said question said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being, the visual representation of a mouth of said character modified synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question;

means for receiving from said user a representation of a response provided by said user to said question;

means for performing a first comparison, said first comparison comprising comparing said representation of said response to said representation of said portion of said first possible user response;

means for storing an answer representing said response if said first comparison results in a match;

means for representing in said computer readable medium a portion of a second possible user response to said question;

means for representing in said computer readable medium lobbying information to persuade a user to provide a response that does not include said portion of said second possible user response to said question;

means for performing a second comparison, said second comparison comprising comparing said representation of said response to said representation of said portion of said second possible user response; and

means for communicating said lobbying information to said user without storing said answer data if said second comparison results in a match.

12. The survey system as described in claim 11, the survey system further comprising:

means for changing an expression of said representation of said character during said communication of said question.

13. The survey system as described in claim 11, the survey system further comprising:

means for representing advertising information in a computer readable medium, said advertising information informing a user about goods or services; and

means for communicating said advertising information to said user if said first comparison results in a match.

14. The survey system as described in claim 11, the survey system further comprising:

means for representing entertainment information in a computer readable medium, said entertainment information rewarding or offering to reward said user for providing a response to said question; and

means for communicating or presenting said entertainment information to said user if said first comparison results in a match.

15. A survey system comprising:

a network;

a server coupled to said network, said server comprising a server processor and a server computer readable storage;

a first client coupled to said network, said first client comprising a first processor, a first computer readable storage, and a first display;

a script file stored on said server computer readable storage, said script file containing survey question data, lobbying data and expression codes representing human facial expressions, said server computer configured to respond to a request for said script file from said first client by transmitting said script file to said first client; and

a virtual human interface stored on said first computer readable storage,

said virtual human interface configured to display a representation of a human face on said first display,

said virtual human interface configured to parse said script file and present said survey question data to a user,

said virtual human interface configured to use said expression codes to change a visual representation of eyes and a mouth of said human face during said presentation of said survey question data to visually simulate speaking of words corresponding to said survey question data,

said virtual human interface to configured to compare a response of said user to at least one predetermined response, and, if said response matches a predetermined portion of said at least one predetermined response, said virtual human interface configured to responsively communicate said lobbying data to said user, and

said virtual human interface configured to record a response of said user in an answer file, said virtual human interface configured to transmit said answer file to said server computer, said server computer configured to process said answer file and at least one additional answer file to generate a report including formatted answer data.