Digital computer system and methods for conducting a poll to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of response data from encrypted identities

• US 6,959,281 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cicero Communications LLC
• Original Assignee: Cicero Communications LLC
• Inventors: Freeling, Kenneth A., Geer, Daniel E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/455,823
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 52, 705 64- 67, 705 10- 12, 705 74- 75, 380/46, 380/224, 380267-268, 235 51- 57, 434/306, 379/201, 379/210, 713150-162, 713164-186, 707 1- 10
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• 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: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

Computer-aided methods (making and using), along with a corresponding machine, article of manufacture, and data structures, is provided for conducting a poll with high reliability to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of response data from encrypted identities. The method includes: for each one of a plurality of local computers, carrying out registration substeps of: (i.) receiving an application for Participant registration, the application including Participant identification data and Participant demographic data; and (ii.) if the application is accepted, then issuing respective registration data, including encrypted Participant identification data; thereafter, for a portion of the local computers, carrying out polling substeps of: (iii.) receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted Participant identification data and poll response data for a first question in a poll; and (iv.) responsive to said receiving of said encrypted Participant identification data, preventing more than one respective response to the first question; and associating the encrypted Participant identification data, the response data, and the demographic data, respectively, to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of the response data from encrypted identities.

Claims

1. A computer-aided method for conducting a poll with high reliability to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of response data from encrypted identities, the method including:

for each one of a plurality of local computers, carrying out registration substeps of;

(i.) receiving an application for participant registration, the application including participant identification data and participant demographic data; and

(ii.) if said application is accepted, then issuing respective registration data, including a pseudonymous identity comprised of encrypted participant identification data;

thereafter, for a portion of the local computers, carrying out polling substeps of;

(iii.) receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted participant identification data and poll response data for a first question in a poll; and

(iv.) responsive to said receiving of said encrypted participant identification data, preventing more than one respective response to the first question; and

associating the pseudonymous identity, the response data, and the demographic data, respectively, to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of the response data from encrypted identities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said polling substeps and said step of associating are carried out devoid of the participant identification data.

3. The method of claim 2, further including the step of generating a printed report including data generated from the accumulation of the response data and from the participant demographic data.

4. The method of claim 2, further including the steps of generating a report including an extract of some but not all from the group consisting of the accumulation of response data from the first question, an accumulation of response data for a second question, and the demographic data;

and

storing said extract on memory media to form an article of manufacture.

5. The method of claim 2, further including the step of generating a report including data generated from the group consisting of the accumulation of response data from the first question, an accumulation of response data for a second question, and the demographic data.

6. The method of claim 2, further including the step of off line generating certificates of authorization as a portion of said registration data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said certificates include a periodic time limit requiring updating said demographic data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said demographic data cannot be modified under participant control.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said steps of carrying out the polling substeps, and said associating the encrypted identification data, the response data, and the demographic data to produce a demographic profile, do not include accessing said participant identification data.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted identification data and data representing the polling data for a first question in a poll is computed asynchronously to computing for said step of preventing more than one response on the question for the corresponding registration.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of preventing more than one response on the question for the corresponding registration includes allowing over-writing a prior response.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving from one of said computers an application for registration is carried out with said demographic data including a data set of at least three members from the group consisting of residence, age, gender, party, income, and race.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving from one of said computers an application for registration is carried out with said demographic data including a data set of at least two members of the group consisting of residence, age, gender, party, income, and race, and said members are verified in determining if said application is accepted, said members verified by checking at least one source from the group consisting of a charge card, a debit card, a bank card, and a drivers license.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted participant identification data is made verifiable by using a public key cryptographically-based digital signature.

15. The method of claim 2, further including the steps of generating a private key and a public key pair, and associating the public key with the demographic data and generating a respective participant client-side certificate.

16. The method of claim 2, further including the step of cross-certifying an issuer of certificates for participant authentication.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein said substeps of receiving an application for participant registration, and issuing respective participant registration data are carried out with a certifying authority computer system;

and wherein said sub step of receiving digital signals over the Internet is carried out by a politics portal web site, and further including the step of communicating said participant registration data from said certifying authority computer system to a computer system in communication with said politics portal web site.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted participant identification data and data representing response data includes receiving a response as a signed XML construct providing the pseudonymous identity.

19. The method of claim 2, further including the step of disaggregating said accumulation of the response data in accordance with a portion of said demographic data to produce the demographic profile.

20. The method of claim 2, further including the step of providing equivalent computer systems for carrying out the step of receiving the digital signals over the Internet, said equivalent computer systems communicating to form the accumulation of response data.

21. The method of claim 2, further including the step of receiving digital signals over the Internet from a participant including signals triggering a voiding of the corresponding prior response data for the first question in a poll.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein further including the step of encrypting a database formed by carrying out said step of associating.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein further including the step of forming a data structure mapping a database formed by carrying out said step of associating, said data structure mapping the database to consistently form a pattern of data types.

24. The method of any one of claims 1–

23, wherein the step of issuing respective registration data, including encrypted participant identification data, includes issuing a schema including said participant demographic data.

25. The method of any one of claims 1–

23, further including the step of providing duplicative electronic pathways for carrying out the step of receiving digital signals over the Internet.

26. The method of any one of claims 1–

23, further including linking a remotely mirrored logging facility to a host computer carrying out said step of receiving of said encrypted participant identification data; and

providing said host computer with redundant power and redundant internet feeds.

27. The of claim 1, wherein said issuing respective registration data includes issuing respective registration data as an electronic message for storing in a browser.

28. The of claim 27, wherein said issuing respective registration data includes issuing respective registration data into memory of a smartcard.

29. The of claim 1 wherein said issuing respective registration data includes issuing respective registration data into memory of a smartcard.

32. The of claim 28, wherein said issuing respective registration data includes issuing respective registration data as an electronic message for storing in a browser.

30. A method for high reliability communication of demographic data from encrypted identities, the method including:

(i.) certifying, by computer, a plurality of respective registrations by substeps including;

receiving a plurality of respective participant registration applications including respective participant identification data and participant demographic data; and

for any respective one of said applications accepted for authorization, issuing respective registration data, including a pseudonymous identity comprised of encrypted participant identification data and encrypted participant demographic data; and

(ii.) using, by computer, said registration data in substeps of;

respectively receiving said registration data and query-responsive digital signals; and

associating, by computer, said pseudonymous identity respectively with said registration data and said query-responsive digital signals in producing an accumulation such that it is not possible to directly associate said participant identification data with either said registration data or said query-responsive digital signals.

31. A machine for conducting a poll with high reliability to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of response data from encrypted identities, the machine including:

a certifying authority digital electrical computer apparatus including a digital computer having a processor, the processor electrically connected to a memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to an input device for receiving input data and converting the input data into input electrical data, and to an output device for converting output electrical data into output having a visual presentation, the processor being programmed to control the apparatus to receive the input data and to produce the output data by steps including;

(i.) carrying out registration substeps of;

receiving a participant registration application including participant identification data and participant demographic data; and

if said application is accepted, then issuing respective registration data, including a pseudonymous identity comprised of encrypted participant identification data; and

(ii.) a back office and research computer system programmed to control carrying out polling substeps of;

receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted participant identification data and poll response data for a first question in a poll; and

responsive to said receiving of said encrypted participant identification data, preventing more than one respective response to the first question; and

associating pseudonymous identity, the response data, and the demographic data, respectively, to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of the response data from encrypted identities.

33. A method for making machine for conducting a poll with high reliability to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of response data from encrypted identities, the method including the steps of:

providing a certifying authority digital electrical computer apparatus including a digital computer having a processor, the processor electrically connected to a memory device for storing and retrieving machine-readable signals, to an input device for receiving input data and converting the input data into input electrical data, and to an output device for converting output electrical data into output having a visual presentation;

programming the processor being programmed to control the apparatus to receive the input data and to produce the output data by steps including;

(i.) carrying out registration substeps of;

receiving a participant registration application including participant identification data and participant demographic data; and

if said application is accepted, then issuing respective registration data, including a pseudonymous identity comprised of encrypted participant identification data; and

(ii.) providing a back office and research computer system programmed to control carrying out polling substeps of;

receiving digital signals over the Internet including the encrypted participant identification data and poll response data for a first question in a poll; and

responsive to said receiving of said encrypted participant identification data, preventing more than one respective response to the first question; and

associating pseudonymous identity, the response data, and the demographic data, respectively, to produce a demographic profile corresponding to an accumulation of the response data from encrypted identities.

34. The of claim 33, wherein said issuing respective registration data includes issuing respective registration data as an electronic message for storing in a browser.

35. The of claim 33, wherein said issuing respective registration data includes issuing respective registration data into memory of a smartcard.