Method for carrying out questionnaire based survey in cellular radio system, a cellular radio system and a base station

• US 6,873,688 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OY Riddes Limited
• Original Assignee: OY Riddes Limited
• Inventors: Aarnio, Leila
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/089,219
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 379/92.02, 379/92.04, 379/90.01, 379/88.08, 379/88.11, 379/88.26, 379/92.01, 379/92.03, 455/2.01, 455/456, 705/10, 707/1
• US Class Current: 379/92.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The invention relates to making a questionnaire-based survey in a cellular radio system including a central device and a number of independent terminal devices, where between the terminal devices and the central device, data transmission connections can be made. In the method, the central device receives an inquiry message and/or an inquiry table from the terminal device of the researcher, said message defining the survey group that the inquiry message relates to. The central device investigates which predetermined terminal device group and/or inquiry table stored in the central device the received inquiry message relates to, and transmits a notice of the received inquiry message, or at least part of the received inquiry message, and/or a questionnaire to those terminal devices that belong in the terminal device group that the received inquiry message relates to. The central device receives a questionnaire request from at least part of the terminal devices that received the message, but did not receive the questionnaire, and transmits the questionnaires to the requesting terminal devices, whereafter it receives an answer message responding to the questionnaire from at least part of the terminal devices that received the questionnaire and transmits at least part of the contents of the received answer messages to the terminal device of the researcher. Further, the invention relates to a cellular radio system and a central device used in the method.

Claims

1. A method for making a questionnaire-based survey in a cellular radio system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a central device and a number of independent wireless terminal devices operable in the cellular radio system, where data transmission connections for transmitting data transmission packets are made between the wireless terminal devices and the central device, wherein the method comprises the steps of;

(b) allowing the central device to receive an inquiry message and/or an inquiry table from the wireless terminal device of the researcher, said message defining the target survey group of the inquiry message,

(c) causing the central device to investigate which predetermined wireless terminal device group and/or inquiry table stored in the central device is the target of the received inquiry message,

(d) transmitting a notice of a new received inquiry message or at least part of the received inquiry messages and/or the questionnaire from the central device to the wireless terminal devices that belong to the target group of the received inquiry message,

(e) allowing the central device to receive a questionnaire request from at least part of such wireless terminal devices that received the message but did not receive the questionnaire, and to transmit the questionnaire information to those wireless terminal devices that requested it,

(e) allowing the central device to receive an answer message corresponding to the questionnaire from at least part of the wireless terminal devices that received the questionnaire, and to transmit at least part of the contents of the received answer messages to the wireless terminal device of the researcher.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the central device forms a terminal device group by picking, from the definition message received from the terminal device of the researcher, information of the terminal devices that form the terminal device survey group.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the central device forms a terminal device group by picking, from the message received from the terminal device of the researcher, information of the terminal device and knowledge as to which terminal device group or groups the terminal device in question belongs.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device forms a terminal device group by picking, from the message received from a terminal device joining in the survey group, information of the joining terminal device and of the survey group or groups that said terminal device is joining.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the central device defines, on the basis of the inquiry message, a survey group that the inquiry message relates to by identifying from the message a reference to a terminal device group stored in the central device.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the central device transmits a notice of a new inquiry message to the terminal devices belonging to the terminal device group as an SMS message through the terminal devices.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein a questionnaire is formed individually for each terminal device on the basis of the questions and the connected answer alternatives, said answer alternatives being formed on the basis of the terminal device location information from among a group of predetermined alternatives.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the employed terminal device location information is the SIM card subscriber information or the register information of the terminal device in the survey group.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the employed terminal device location information is the real geographical location of the terminal device.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the real location of the terminal device is determined by means of a GPS satellite and/or the location system of the cellular radio system itself.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the questionnaire is transmitted to the terminal devices by using the WAP.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the terminal devices belonging to the terminal device group are located in connection with signal converters designed for receiving programs that are broadcast in a cable or a satellite network.

13. A central device for doing a questionnaire-based survey in a cellular radio system including, in addition to said central device, a number of independent wireless terminal devices, said central device comprising:

data transmission means to allow the central device to establish data transmission connections with the wireless terminal devices for transmitting data transmission packets via a cellular radio system,

elements for receiving a message defining wireless terminal device groups, an inquiry message and/or a questionnaire from a wireless terminal device,

memory elements for recording definitions regarding the wireless terminal device groups,

elements for investigating to which predetermined wireless terminal device group a given received inquiry message relates to,

transmitter elements for transmitting a notice of the received inquiry message or at least part of the received inquiry message and/or the questionnaire to the wireless terminal devices belonging to the wireless terminal device group that the received inquiry message relates to,

elements for receiving a questionnaire request from at least part of the wireless terminal devices that received the inquiry message, but did not receive the questionnaire, and for transmitting questionnaire data to the requesting wireless terminal devices,

receiver elements for receiving an answer message responding to the questionnaire from at least part of the wireless terminal devices that received the questionnaire, and

transmitter elements for transmitting at least part of the contents of the questionnaire answer messages to the wireless terminal device of the researcher.

14. A cellular radio system including a central device and a number of independent wireless terminal devices, wherein between the wireless terminal devices and the central device, data transmission connections for transmitting data transmission packets are made, and wherein said system further includes survey-distribution means for distributing a questionnaire-based survey, said survey-distribution means comprising:

means for transmitting a message defining wireless terminal device groups, an inquiry message or a questionnaire from the terminal device of the researcher to the central device, the message including a definition as to the target terminal device group of said message,

memory elements for recording definitions regarding the wireless terminal device groups,

elements for investigating to which predetermined wireless terminal device group a given message transmitted from the terminal device of the researcher to the central device relates to,

elements for transmitting a notice of the received inquiry message or at least part of the received inquiry message and/or the questionnaire from the central device to such wireless terminal devices belonging to the wireless terminal device group that the received inquiry message relates to,

elements for transmitting to the central device the questionnaire request obtained from at least part of the wireless terminal devices that received the message but did not receive the questionnaire, and for transmitting questionnaire data from the central device to the requesting wireless terminal devices,

elements for transmitting an answer message responding to the questionnaire from at least part of the wireless terminal devices that received the questionnaire to the central device, and

elements for transmitting at least part of the contents of the answer messages responding to the questionnaire from the central device to the wireless terminal device of the researcher.