Method and system for collecting market research data from consumers

• US 20020035503A1
• Filed: 09/18/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Hidehiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,178,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

For collecting market research data and promoting business activities in a selected geographic area, user information containing users'"'"' profile and preference information is received from a mobile terminal and a user identifier is assigned to the user of the mobile terminal, The assigned user identifier is mapped to the received user information in a first database, and the assigned user identifier is transmitted to the mobile terminal. A user identifier, when received from a mobile terminal, is checked for verification. If the received user identifier is verified, the user of this mobile terminal is allowed to transmit area-specific information that can obtained only when the user is in the selected geographic area. Corresponding to the verified user identifier, user information in the first database is detected and mapped to the received area-specific information in a second database. Data stored in the second database can be used for market research.

Claims

1. A data collecting method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving user information from a mobile terminal of a user and assigning a user identifier to the user;

b) mapping the assigned user identifier to the received user information in a first database;

c) transmitting the assigned user identifier to said mobile terminal;

d) receiving a user identifier from a mobile terminal of a user and checking the user identifier for verification;

e) allowing the user to transmit area-specific information if said user identifier is verified and receiving the transmitted area-specific information, wherein said area-specific information is obtainable only if said user is in said area;

f) detecting user information in said first database corresponding to the verified user identifier; and

g) mapping the received area-specific information to the detected user information in a second database.

2. The data collecting method of claim 1, wherein step (e) further comprises the step of verifying the received area-specific information.

3. The data collecting method of claim 2, wherein the verifying step comprises determining whether the area-specific information is received within a specified time interval.

4. The data collecting method of claim 1, wherein step (g) further comprises the step of mapping the received area-specific information to calendar date on which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

5. The data collecting method of claim 4, wherein step (g) further comprises the step of mapping the received area-specific information to time-of-day at which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

6. The data collecting method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting an announcement to said mobile terminal for encouraging the user to travel to said geographic area.

7. The data collecting method of claim 1, wherein said user information comprises profile information necessary for a communications network to identify the mobile terminal of said user and preference information of said user which cannot identify said user.

8. The data collecting method of claim 7, wherein said profile information and said preference information are stored in a server maintained by a single organization.

9. The data collecting method of claim 7, wherein said profile information is stored in a first server and said preference information is stored in a second server, said first and second servers being respectively maintained by different organizations.

10. The data collecting method of claim 1, wherein step (g) further comprises the step of transmitting privilege information to said mobile terminal.

11. The data collecting method of claim 1, wherein said mobile terminal receives said area-specific information over a wireless link from a sales terminal when said user is in said selected geographic area.

13. The data collecting method of claim 12, wherein step (h) further comprises the step of verifying the received area-specific information.

14. The data collecting method of claim 13, wherein the verifying step comprises determining whether the area-specific information is received within a specified time interval.

15. The data collecting method of claim 12, wherein step (i) further comprises the step of mapping the received area-specific information to calendar date on which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

16. The data collecting method of claim 15, wherein step (i) further comprises the step of mapping the received area-specific information to time-of-day at which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

17. The data collecting method of claim 12, further comprising the step of transmitting an announcement to said mobile terminal for encouraging the user to travel to said geographic area.

18. The data collecting method of claim 12, wherein step (i) further comprises the step of transmitting privilege information to said mobile terminal.

19. The data collecting method of claim 12, wherein said mobile terminal receives said area-specific information over a wireless link from a sales terminal when said user is in said selected geographic area.

12. A data collecting method comprising the steps of;

a) receiving, at a first server, user information from a mobile terminal of a user and assigning a user identifier to the user, said user information comprising profile information which identifies said mobile terminal and preference information which cannot identify said mobile terminal;

b) creating, at said first server, a first database in which the assigned user identifier is mapped to the received user information;

c) transmitting the assigned user identifier to said mobile terminal from said first server;

d) receiving, at said first server, a user identifier from a mobile terminal of a user and checking the user identifier for verification;

e) if the user identifier is verified, detecting preference information in said first database corresponding to the verified user identifier;

f) receiving, at a second server, the detected preference information from the first server;

g) allowing the user to transmit area-specific information if said user identifier is verified and receiving, at said first server, the transmitted area-specific information, wherein said area-specific information is obtainable only if said user is in said area;

h) receiving, at said second server, the area-specific information from said first server; and

i) creating, at said second server, a second database in which the received area-specific information is mapped to the received preference information.

20. A data collecting method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, at a first server, user information from a mobile terminal of a user and assigning a user identifier to the user, said user information comprising profile information which can identify said mobile terminal and preference information which cannot identify said mobile terminal;

b) creating, at said first server, a first database in which the assigned user identifier is mapped to the received user information;

c) transmitting the assigned user identifier to said user from said first server;

d) receiving, at a second server, a user identifier from a mobile terminal of a user;

e) receiving, at said first server, the user identifier from said second server and checking the received user identifier for verification;

f) if the user identifier is verified, detecting preference information in said first database corresponding to the verified user identifier;

g) receiving, at said second server, the detected preference information from the first server;

h) allowing the user to transmit area-specific information and receiving, at said second server, the transmitted area-specific information, wherein said area-specific information is obtainable only if said user is in said area; and

i) creating, at said second server, a second database in which the received area-specific information is mapped to the received preference information.

21. The data collecting method of claim 20, wherein step (h) further comprises the step of verifying the received area-specific information.

23. The data collecting method of claim 20, wherein step (i) further comprises the step of mapping the received area-specific information to calendar date on which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

25. The data collecting method of claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting an announcement to said mobile terminal for encouraging the user to travel to said geographic area.

26. The data collecting method of claim 20, wherein step (i) further comprises the step of transmitting privilege information to said mobile terminal.

27. The data collecting method of claim 20, wherein said mobile terminal receives said area-specific information over a wireless link from a sales terminal when said user is in said selected geographic area.

22. The data collecting method of clai 21, wherein the verifying step comprises determining whether the area-specific information is received within a specified time interval.

24. The data collecting method of claim 23, wherein step (i) further comprises the step of mapping the received area-specific information to time-of-day at which the area-specific information is received from said mobile terminal.

29. The server of claim 28, wherein the function of receiving the area-specific information comprises the function of verifying the received area-specific information.

30. The server of claim 29, wherein the verifying function comprises determining whether the area-specific information is received within a specified time interval.

31. The server of claim 28, wherein the function of creating the second database further comprises mapping the received area-specific information to calendar date on which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

32. The server of claim 31, wherein the function of creating the second database further comprises mapping the received area-specific information to time-of-day at which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

33. The server of claim 28, further comprising the function of transmitting an announcement to said mobile terminal for encouraging the user to travel to said geographic area.

34. The server of claim 28, further comprising the function of transmitting privilege information to said mobile terminal when said second database is created.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said second server verifies the received area-specific information.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said second server verifies the area-specific information if the area-specific information is received within a specified time interval.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein said second server maps the received area-specific information to calendar date on which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said second server further maps the received area-specific information to time-of-day at which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein said first server transmits an announcement to said mobile terminal for encouraging the user to travel to said geographic area.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the mobile terminal receives said area-specific information over a wireless link from a sales terminal when said user is in said specified geographic area.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the second server transmits privilege information to said mobile terminal when said second database is created.

28. A server comprising the functions of:

receiving user information from a mobile terminal of a user through a communications network and assigning a user identifier to the user;

creating a first database in which the assigned user identifier is mapped to the received user information;

transmitting the assigned user identifier to said mobile terminal through said network;

receiving a user identifier from a mobile terminal of a user through said network and checking the user identifier for verification;

allowing the user to transmit area-specific information from the mobile terminal if said user identifier is verified and receiving the transmitted area-specific information through said network, wherein said area-specific information is obtainable only if said user is in said area;

detecting user information in said first database corresponding to the verified user identifier; and

creating a second database in which the received area-specific information is mapped to the detected user information.

35. A system for collecting data for market research, comprising:

a mobile terminal of a user;

a first server connected to a communications network; and

a second server connected to said communications network,

said first server receiving user information including profile information which identifies said mobile terminal and preference information which cannot identify said mobile terminal from the mobile terminal, assigning a user identifier to the user of the mobile terminal, creating a first database in which the assigned user identifier is mapped to the received user information, transmitting the assigned user identifier to said mobile terminal, receiving a user identifier and checking the received user identifier for verification, and detecting preference information in said first database corresponding to the received user identifier if the received user identifier is verified,

said second server receiving the detected preference information from the first server, allowing the mobile terminal to transmit area-specific information through said first server, receiving the transmitted area-specific information through said first server, and creating a second database in which the received area-specific information is mapped to the received preference information, wherein said area-specific information is obtainable only if said user is in said area.

43. A system for collecting data for market research, comprising:

a mobile terminal of a user;

a first server connected to a communications network; and

a second server connected to said communications network,

said first server receiving from said mobile terminal user information including profile information which can identify a mobile terminal of said user and preference information which cannot identify the mobile terminal, assigning a user identifier to the user, creating a first database in which the assigned user identifier is mapped to the received user information, transmitting the assigned user identifier to said mobile terminal,

said second server receiving a user identifier from a user;

said first server receiving the user identifier from said second server, checking the received user identifier for verification, detecting preference information in said first database corresponding to the received user identifier if the received user identifier is verified,

said second server receiving the detected preference information from the first server, allowing the user to transmit area-specific information, receiving the transmitted area-specific information, and creating a second database in which the received area-specific information is mapped to the received preference information, wherein said area-specific information is obtainable only if said user is in said area.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said second server verifies the received area-specific information.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said second server determines whether the area-specific information is received within a specified time interval for verification.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein said second server further comprises maps the received area-specific information to calendar date on which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said second server further maps the received area-specific information to time-of-day at which the area-specific information is received from the mobile terminal.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the first server transmits an announcement to said mobile terminal for encouraging the user to travel to said geographic area.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the mobile terminal receives said area-specific information over a wireless link from a sales terminal when said user is in said specified geographic area.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein the second server transmits privilege information to said mobile terminal when said second database is created.