System and method for automatically conducting and managing surveys based on real-time information analysis

• US 6,912,521 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Zitiao Network Technology Company Limited (ByteDance Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yim, Peter Chi-Shing, Kraft, Reiner
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Application Number:
  US09/878,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/104.1, 705/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2209 for lines also used for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and technique for initiating, conducting, and managing real-time surveys, in the context of a real-time discourse, such as Internet chat, to provide dynamic, real-time survey results. A surveyor initiates a survey by filling out an electronic form which is processed and submitted to a sorting component of the invention. The invention imposes an additional layer of functionality upon a Live Information Selection and Analysis tool which gathers, summarizes, and indexes chat messages in a real-time discourse. The sorting component matches the collected real-time chat messages from the LISA tool with correlating submitted survey queries to provide raw real-time survey results which are converted into a viewable format for submission to the surveyor. The present invention makes it possible to initiate, conduct, and manage multiple surveys simultaneously to provide accurate, dynamic, real-time survey results within the context of a real-time discourse.

Claims

1. A method for managing a survey within a real-time paradigm based on real-time information comprising:

receiving at least one electronic form having at least one survey query;

collecting at least one real-time message from a real-time discourse;

matching said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query to provide a dynamic, real-time survey result;

outputting said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm; and

rewarding a participant of said survey within said real-time paradigm.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic form comprises a web-based form selected from the group consisting a web browser form, an e-mail form, cell phone form, and personal digital assistant form.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one survey query of said at least one electronic form includes content selected from the group consisting of questions, keywords, and phrases.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one real-time message comprises an Internet chat message.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said real-time discourse comprises an Internet chat room.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a plurality of electronic forms having a plurality of differing survey queries;

collecting a plurality of real-time messages from said real-time discourse;

matching said plurality of real-time messages to correlating ones of said plurality of differing survey queries of said plurality of electronic forms to provide a plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results;

outputting said plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results to correlating ones of a plurality of said survey within said real-time paradigm; and

outputting said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm.

7. The method of claim 1 further including storing said at least one survey query and said at least one real-time message in a database, said database adapted to be accessed for retrieval of the stored at least one survey query and said at least one real-time message.

8. The method of claim 1 further including managing said real-time surveys continuously within said real-time paradigm for a predetermined length of time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of collecting said at least one real-time message from said real-time discourse comprises:

connecting to a server where said real-time discourse is taking place; and

collecting said at least one real-time message from said server where said real-time discourse is taking place.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of collecting said at least one real-time message from said server further comprises analyzing and indexing said at least one real-time message as it is collected by extracting at least one parameter from said at least one real-time message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of chat message date, chatter name, e-mail address, chat message, phrase, keyword, body text, title, and header.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of matching said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query to provide said dynamic, real-time survey result comprises:

inputting said at least one electronic form to a real-time survey matcher;

inputting said collected at least one real-time message to said real-time survey matcher; and

matching said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query within said real-time survey matcher to provide said dynamic, real-time survey result.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said at least one electronic form is input to said real-time matcher as a vector of binary data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said binary data comprises a markup language selected from the group consisting of XML and HTML.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said markup language includes content selected from the group consisting of text, graphics, static graphics, audio, and video.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of matching within said real-time survey matcher comprises:

sorting at least one parameter of said at least one real-time message;

associating a rating vector to said at least one parameter; and

matching said sorted at least one parameter to said at least one survey query using said rating vector to form a list of ranked dynamic data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of chat message date, chatter name, e-mail address, chat message, phrase, keyword, body text, title, and header.

18. The method of claim 16 further including continually updating said list of ranked dynamic data in real-time using a plurality of continually incoming real-time messages from said server.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of outputting said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm comprises:

inputting said dynamic, real-time survey result into a real-time result presenter; and

said real-time result presenter outputting said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm.

20. The method of claim 19 further including converting said dynamic, real-time survey result to a format viewable by a surveyor within said real-time result presenter.

21. A method for managing a plurality of surveys within a real-time paradigm based on real-time information comprising:

receiving a plurality of electronic forms having a plurality of differing survey queries;

inputting said plurality of differing survey queries into a real-time survey query processor;

providing a list of ranked dynamic data by filtering a plurality of differing parameters of said plurality of differing survey queries through a hierarchical tree diagram of a plurality of real-time discourse within said real-time survey query processor, said list of ranked dynamic data correlating said plurality of differing parameters to selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse;

inputting said list of ranked dynamic data into a real-time survey matcher;

parsing said list of ranked dynamic data within said real-time survey matcher;

posting at least said plurality of differing parameters of said plurality of differing survey queries within correlating selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse based on said parsed list of ranked dynamic data;

collecting a plurality of real-time messages from said plurality of real-time discourse whereby selected ones of said plurality of real-time messages being responsive to said posted plurality of differing parameters within said correlating selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse;

matching said collected plurality of real-time messages to said plurality of differing survey queries within said real-time matcher to provide a plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results;

outputting said plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results to correlating ones of said plurality of surveys within said real-time paradigm; and

rewarding a participant of said survey within said real-time paradigm.

22. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to manage a survey within a real-time paradigm based on real-time information, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive at least one electronic form having at least one survey query;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to collect at least one real-time message from a real-time discourse;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query to provide a dynamic, real-time survey result;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to output said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reward a participant of said survey within said real-time paradigm.

23. The article of claim 22 further including computer readable code means for causing a computer to store said at least one survey query and said at least one real-time message in a database, said database adapted to be accessed for retrieval of the stored at least one survey query and said at least one real-time message.

24. The article of claim 22 wherein said computer readable code means for causing a computer to collect said at least one real-time message from said real-time discourse comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to connect to a server where said real-time discourse is taking place; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to collect said at least one real-time message from said server where said real-time discourse is taking place.

25. The article of claim 22 wherein said computer readable code means for causing a computer to match said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query to provide said dynamic, real-time survey result comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said at least one electronic form to a real-time survey matcher;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said collected at least one real-time message to said real-time survey matcher; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query within said real-time survey matcher to provide said dynamic, real-time survey result.

26. The article of claim 22 wherein said computer readable code means for causing a computer to match within said real-time survey matcher comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to sort at least one parameter of said at least one real-time message;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to associate a rating vector to said at least one parameter; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said sorted at least one parameter to said at least one survey query using said rating vector to form a list of ranked dynamic data.

27. The article of claim 22 wherein the step of outputting said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said dynamic, real-time survey result into a real-time result presenter; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to output said dynamic, real-time survey result from said real-time result presenter to said survey within said real-time paradigm.

28. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to manage a survey within a real-time paradigm based on real-time information, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive a plurality of electronic forms having a plurality of differing survey queries;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said plurality of differing survey queries into a real-time survey query processor;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to provide a list of ranked dynamic data by filtering a plurality of differing parameters of said plurality of differing survey queries through a hierarchical tree diagram of a plurality of real-time discourse within said real-time survey query processor, said list of ranked dynamic data correlating said plurality of differing parameters to selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said list of ranked dynamic data into a real-time survey matcher;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to parse said list of ranked dynamic data within said real-time survey matcher;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to post at least said plurality of differing parameters of said plurality of differing survey queries within correlating selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse based on said parsed list of ranked dynamic data;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to collect a plurality of real-time messages from said plurality of real-time discourse whereby selected ones of said plurality of real-time messages being responsive to said posted plurality of differing parameters within said correlating selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said collected plurality of real-time messages to said plurality of differing survey queries within said real-time matcher to provide a plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to output said plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results to correlating ones of said plurality of surveys within said real-time paradigm; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reward a participant of said survey within said real-time paradigm.

29. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to manage a survey within a real-time paradigm based on real-time information, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive at least one electronic form having at least one survey query;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to collect at least one real-time message from a real-time discourse;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query to provide a dynamic, real-time survey result;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to output said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reward a participant of said survey within said real-time paradigm.

30. The computer program of claim 29 further including computer readable code means for causing a computer to store said at least one survey query and said at least one real-time message in a database, said database adapted to be accessed for retrieval of the stored at least one survey query and said at least one real-time message.

31. The computer program of claim 29 wherein said computer readable code means for causing a computer to collect said at least one real-time message from said real-time discourse comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to connect to a server where said real-time discourse is taking place; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to collect said at least one real-time message from said server where said real-time discourse is taking place.

32. The computer program of claim 29 wherein said computer readable code means for causing a computer to match said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query to provide said dynamic, real-time survey result comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said at least one electronic form to a real-time survey matcher;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said collected at least one real-time message to said real-time survey matcher; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said at least one real-time message to said at least one survey query within said real-time survey matcher to provide said dynamic, real-time survey result.

33. The computer program of claim 29 wherein said computer readable code means for causing a computer to match within said real-time survey matcher comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to sort at least one parameter of said at least one real-time message;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to associate a rating vector to said at least one parameter; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said sorted at least one parameter to said at least one survey query using said rating vector to form a list of ranked dynamic data.

34. The computer program of claim 29 wherein the step of outputting said dynamic, real-time survey result to said survey within said real-time paradigm comprises:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said dynamic, real-time survey result into a real-time result presenter; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to output said dynamic, real-time survey result from said real-time result presenter to said survey within said real-time paradigm.

35. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to manage a survey within a real-time paradigm based on real-time information, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to receive at least one electronic form having at least one survey query;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said plurality of differing survey queries into a real-time survey query processor;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to provide a list of ranked dynamic data by filtering a plurality of differing parameters of said plurality of differing survey queries through a hierarchical tree diagram of a plurality of real-time discourse within said real-time survey query processor, said list of ranked dynamic data correlating said plurality of differing parameters to selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input said list of ranked dynamic data into a real-time survey matcher;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to parse said list of ranked dynamic data within said real-time survey matcher;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to post at least said plurality of differing parameters of said plurality of differing survey queries within correlating selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse based on said parsed list of ranked dynamic data;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to collect a plurality of real-time messages from said plurality of real-time discourse whereby selected ones of said plurality of real-time messages being responsive to said posted plurality of differing parameters within said correlating selected ones of said plurality of real-time discourse;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to match said collected plurality of real-time messages to said plurality of differing survey queries within said real-time matcher to provide a plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to output said plurality of dynamic, real-time survey results to correlating ones of said plurality of surveys within said real-time paradigm; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reward a participant of said survey within said real-time paradigm.