Abstract:
A method and apparatus for conducting a survey independent of location and participant schedules is disclosed herein. An exemplary method of the present invention comprises sending a multi-media data file to a plurality of survey participants, receiving reactionary feedback from a plurality of participants via a wide area network, and compiling the reactionary feedback to generate the survey results. Subsequently, a viewer synchronously displays the compiled survey results with the corresponding streamed media from the multi-media data file.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to surveys, and more particularly to multi-media surveys. 
     Multi-media surveys provide statistical information regarding the average response to multi-media segments, such as music programming, television programming, advertisements, political messages, etc. Based on this information, radio stations, television networks, and other organizations may adjust multi-media content according to desired business goals. For example, based on the results of a multi-media survey, a television network may adjust the content of future news programs to increase the numbers of viewers, a radio station may adjust a play list to increase the number of listeners, a politician may adjust a political message to appeal to a broader range of voters, etc. 
     Conventionally, conducting a multi-media survey requires gathering a group of participants in a central location, such as an auditorium. During the survey, each participant manipulates a mechanical device while viewing and/or listening to a multi-media segment. In so doing, the participants indicate their reactions to the content in the multi-media segment. While such conventional surveys provide the desired survey information, they have inherent problems. First, conventional multi-media surveys are expensive due to the high costs associated with renting an auditorium and setting up all of the survey equipment. In addition, the effort associated with arranging for all participants to take the survey at the same time in the same location is time consuming and inflexible. These cost and schedule considerations often limit the amount of survey data that can be collected, which in turn limits the usefulness of the survey. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a method and apparatus for conducting a survey that is independent of location and participant schedules. An exemplary method of the present invention comprises sending a multi-media data file to a plurality of survey participants, receiving reactionary feedback from a plurality of participants via a wide area network, and compiling the reactionary feedback to generate the survey results. 
     According to one exemplary embodiment, a personal communication device streams media from the received multi-media data file to a user interface and records the participant&#39;s reactionary feedback to the streamed media, where the reactionary feedback is synchronized with the streamed media. Subsequently, the personal communication device uploads the reactionary feedback to a network server via the wide area network, where a network gateway associates the received reactionary feedback with the corresponding participant. A study manager then compiles the reactionary feedback to generate the survey results. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a communication network for implementing a multi-media survey according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary gateway for the communication network of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a recruiting process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a survey process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a reaction tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a process for compiling and displaying the survey results according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a set of data points as compiled by an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a viewer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary communications network  10  appropriate for conducting a multi-media survey according to the present invention. Communications network  10  includes a Wide Area Network (WAN)  20  connected to a Local Area Network (LAN)  40  via a gateway  30 . WAN  20  comprises a publicly accessible system of interconnected computer networks, including personal computers  22 , that transmit voice and packet data using one or more standardized communication protocols. The most common example of a WAN is the Internet. While the following describes the present invention in terms of the Internet, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention applies to any WAN  20 . Further, while the following describes the invention in terms of personal computers  22  connected to WAN  20 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention applies to any wired or wireless personal communication device that connects to WAN  20 , such as a personal computer, laptop, mobile telephone, personal data assistant, etc. 
     LAN  40  interconnects one or more computers and/or computer networks located in a relatively small geographical area, and includes a relational database management system, such as a SQL server  42 . While the present invention is described herein in terms of a SQL server  42 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the SQL server  42  may be replaced with any known database server. 
     According to the present invention, LAN  40  interconnects multiple survey managers, such as recruit manager  42 , study manager  44 , and viewer manager  50 , according to any means known in the art. In so doing, LAN  40  facilitates communications between the different survey managers. Generally, recruiting manager  42  identifies potential survey participants, study manager  44  defines the survey and compiles survey results, and viewer manager  50  controls an interactive survey viewer  52 , which displays the compiled survey results. The following discusses additional details regarding these different survey managers. While  FIG. 1  illustrates the survey managers as separate components interconnected by LAN  40 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more survey managers may be co-located on a single network device. Further, while  FIG. 1  illustrates a viewer  52  co-located with a view manager  50 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that view manager  50  and viewer  52  may be separate components. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more survey managers may connect to WAN  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , WAN  20  and/or LAN  40  may optionally include a media server  44 . The media server  44  in WAN  20  may stream media, such as audio and/or video media, to one or more personal computers  22 . In addition, the media server  44  in LAN  40  may stream media to viewer  52  in view manager  50 . 
     Gateway  30  interfaces LAN  40  with Internet  20 .  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary gateway  30  according to the present invention. Gateway  30  includes a web server  32  and one or more collection servers  34 . Web server  32  exchanges data with communication devices connected to the Internet  20  according to any means known in the art, while collection server(s)  34  dynamically establish one or more interfaces between the SQL server  42  or any other database server in the LAN  40  and the web server  32 , as discussed further below. 
     Gateway  30  may also include a mail server  36 . Mail server  36  interfaces the Internet  20  and the recruit manager  42  according to any means known in the art. Using the interface created by mail server  36 , recruit manager  42  may communicate with one or more personal computers  22  using any form of electronic communications, such as email, instant messaging, etc. 
     Conducting a survey according to the present invention includes using the interconnected network components shown in  FIG. 1  to recruit a plurality of participants, collect reactionary feedback from multiple participants, and compile/display the survey results. In an exemplary embodiment, recruiting manager  42  recruits and selects the survey participants and study manager  44  generates the survey during the recruiting phase. During the collecting phase, selected participants execute the survey on a personal computer  22  connected to the Internet  20  at any convenient time. During the survey, each participant synchronizes a reaction with the streamed media by manipulating a reaction tool associated with personal computer  22  while viewing and/or listening to the streamed media. Personal computer  22  stores the reactionary feedback and uploads the reactionary feedback to gateway  30  via the Internet  20  to complete the collecting phase. During the results phase, one or more collection servers  34  in gateway  30  work with the study manager  44  to compile the reactionary feedback and to generate the survey results for one or more surveys, while the viewer manager  50  formats and displays the survey results on viewer  52 . The following references  FIGS. 3-8  while describing each of these phases in further detail. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary recruiting process  100  for the recruiting phase according to the present invention. During the recruiting phase, survey generator  46  generates a survey package (block  110 ) by, for example, defining the survey multi-media, defining the type of reaction tool, generating one or more survey questions, generating the corresponding survey software, etc. In one exemplary embodiment, the defined survey multi-media includes time markers that facilitate the synchronization of the survey results with the multi-media, as discussed further below. The resulting survey package comprises survey software and any other survey materials necessary for conducting the survey. In some embodiments, the survey package may also include a multi-media data file that stores the survey multi-media. While  FIG. 3  illustrates that the survey package is generated first in recruiting process  100 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the survey package may be generated at any time during the recruiting process  100 , and may alternatively be generated before or after the recruiting process  100 . 
     Recruiting manager  42  selects survey candidates (block  120 ) according to any known means. For example, recruiting manager  42  may select a plurality of male and female survey candidates between the ages of 16 and 65 and living in a metropolitan area to participate in a survey for a television station local to the metropolitan area. Recruiting manager  42  generates and sends invitations to each selected candidate via mail server  36  (block  130 ) using email, instant messaging, or any other type of electronic communication. When a candidate declines the invitation (block  140 ), recruiting manager  42  removes the declining candidate from the list (block  150 ). However, when a candidate accepts the invitation (block  140 ), recruiting manager  42  identifies the accepting candidate as a survey participant (block  160 ). 
     Subsequently, the survey package generated by survey generator  46  is sent to each identified participant according to any known means. For example, recruiting manager  42  may send an email to one or more survey participants via mail server  36 , where the email includes the survey package as an attachment or where the email directs the survey participant to download the survey package from a specified web page. Alternatively, the contents of the survey package may be saved onto a portable storage medium, such as a CD, DVD, etc., and mailed to one or more survey participants via conventional land mail. 
     After a participant receives the survey package, the participant may set up and participate in the survey at any convenient location and time. To that end, the participant loads the survey software provided by the survey package onto a personal computer  22  that can connect to the Internet  20 . At a convenient time, the participant takes the survey by running the survey software on personal computer  22 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a collecting process  200  for the collecting phase according to one embodiment of the present invention. When a participant is ready to take the survey, the participant&#39;s personal computer  22  sends a command to gateway  30  via the Internet  20  to set up a network interface between SQL server  42  and web server  32  using a collection server  34  for the particular participant (block  205 ). In particular, collection server  34  initiates a survey based on information from web server  32 , such as credentials received from the participant. Collection server  34  then gathers survey information details from SQL server  42  and provides the survey information details to web server  32 . As reactionary feedback is collected from the participant by the web server  32 , the collection server  34  processes the web server data and stores it on the SQL server  42 . 
     The personal computer also sets up a survey interface  60  on a monitor of the personal computer  22  (block  208 ). Survey interface  60  interfaces the participant with the survey software, enabling the survey software to collect background information, such as gender, age, etc., and reactionary feedback during the collecting phase. 
     After the network and survey interfaces are set up, personal computer  22  streams media from a multi-media data file to a user interface of the personal computer (block  210 ). For example, responsive to instructions provided by the survey software, personal computer  22  may stream an audio segment to speakers of the personal computer  22 , a video segment to the survey interface  60 , etc. In one exemplary embodiment, personal computer  22  streams media from a multi-media data file stored in the memory of the personal computer  22 . In another exemplary embodiment, the multi-media data file is stored on the network, and the personal computer  22  streams media from media server  44  via the Internet  20 . While personal computer  22  streams the media, the participant provides reactionary feedback. The participant may provide the reactionary feedback by manipulating a reaction tool on the survey interface  60  (blocks  215  and  220 ). Once the survey is complete, personal computer  22  uploads the data to gateway  30  via Internet  20  (blocks  240  and  245 ). Alternatively, personal computer  22  may periodically upload the data during the survey. In some embodiments, the periodic uploading may require pausing the streamed multi-media (block  242 ), uploading the data (block  245 ), and then resuming the media stream (block  248 ). However, it will be appreciated that not all embodiments require the pause and resume steps. 
     In addition to providing reactionary feedback, the participant may answer questions posed during the survey (blocks  225 ,  230 , and  232 ). The questions may be posed simultaneously with the streamed media or may interrupt the streamed media. In addition, the questions may be posed via survey interface  60  and/or via speakers associated with the personal computer  22 . The questions may be pre-programmed into the survey software to occur at specific times during the survey. Alternatively or in addition, the survey software may pose questions responsive to the participant&#39;s reactionary feedback, e.g., responsive to dramatic reactionary feedback, responsive to no reactionary feedback, responsive to unexpected reactionary feedback, etc. In either case, the participant may answer the questions by typing the answer into a keyboard, selecting the answer from a group of choices displayed on survey interface  60  using an interface tool, and/or providing audio input. The survey software records the answers to any posed questions and synchronizes the recorded answers with the media file as necessary (block  230 ). Once the participant provides the answers to the questions, the survey software resumes streaming the multi-media (block  232 ). Like the reactionary feedback, the answers to the questions may be periodically uploaded during the survey (blocks  235 ,  242 ,  245 , and  248 ) or may be uploaded after the survey is complete (blocks  235 ,  240 , and  245 ). 
     As discussed above, survey interface  60  interfaces the participant with the survey software during the collecting phase.  FIG. 5  illustrates one exemplary survey interface  60  according to the present invention. Survey interface  60  includes a reaction feedback thumbnail  68  for showing reaction feedback status during the collecting phase, various media controls, such as a volume controller  64  and media stream controllers  66 , and a reaction tool, such as a slider bar  70 . In addition, survey interface  60  may optionally include a video section  62  for displaying streamed video. Media stream controllers  66  enable the participant to control the streamed media. In particular, media stream controllers  66  enable the participant to start, pause, stop, or even replay the streamed media. Controlling the streamed media in this manner enables the participant to participate in the survey at any convenient time, and even enables the participant to break the survey up into segments that may be taken at different times. 
     While viewing and/or listening to the streamed media, the participant manipulates the reaction tool to provide reactionary feedback. As used herein, the term reaction tool means any input device that quantifies the participant&#39;s reaction to the streamed media responsive to user input. According to one exemplary embodiment, the reaction tool is a graphical user interface (GUI) control displayed on a monitor that may be manipulated using any appropriate user interface device, including a mouse, keyboard, stylus, etc.  FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary reaction tool, referred to herein as slider bar  70 . The participant manipulates a slider control  72  on slider bar  70  using a mouse, keyboard, stylus, or other user interface tool. By moving slider control  72  left and right, the participant provides reaction information relative to the streamed media, such as how boring or entertaining the streamed media is. The reaction information quantifies the reaction of the participant to the streamed media by corresponding a position of the reaction tool to the reaction of the participant while the participant moves the reaction tool. 
     While  FIG. 5  illustrates that survey interface  60  includes a single slider bar  70 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that survey interface may include additional reaction tools so that a participant may record additional reactions to the streamed media. For example, additional reaction tools may enable the participant to indicate how happy/sad, motivated/un-motivated, etc., the streamed media makes the participant feel. In addition, while the present invention is described in terms of slider bar  70 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of reaction tools may be used. For example, the reaction tool may comprise any type of GUI control, including a displayed dial, arrows, etc., or may comprise any type of hardware device. 
     In any event, when the participant manipulates slider control  72 , the survey software records the position of the slider control  72  and records a corresponding time marker, where the recorded time marker represents the time of the slider control movement relative to a predetermined time reference, such as the beginning of the streamed media. If the participant continuously moves slider control  72 , the survey software periodically records a slider control position and a corresponding time marker. For example, the survey software may record a slider control position and a corresponding time marker every n seconds when the participant continuously moves slider control  72 . By recording the time marker corresponding to the recorded slider control position, the survey software synchronizes the participant&#39;s reactionary feedback with the streamed media. While the survey software may record position information for each time increment, i.e., for each second of the streamed media, the survey software may be designed to only record time and position data when the slider control  72  is moving; when the slider control  72  is not moving, no data is recorded. In so doing, the survey software conserves memory and reduces the amount of data to be uploaded. 
     To collect the reactionary feedback from the survey participants, each participant&#39;s personal computer  22  uploads the reactionary feedback to gateway  30  via the Internet  20 . The survey software may control a personal computer  22  to periodically upload the reactionary feedback during the survey, as shown in blocks  235  and  245  of  FIG. 4 . Alternatively, the survey software may store the reactionary feedback in memory circuits in the personal computer  22  and upload all reactionary feedback after the completion of the survey, as shown in blocks  235 ,  240 , and  245  of  FIG. 4 . 
     Once uploaded, web server  32  provides the data from multiple participants and/or multiple surveys to collection server(s)  34 . The collection server(s)  34  associate the incoming reactionary feedback with a particular participant and a particular survey. For example, the collection server(s)  34  convert the incoming reactionary feedback to normalized relational data and stores the normalized relational data on SQL server  42 , as discussed further below. Collection server(s)  34  then provide the participant and survey specific reactionary feedback to the SQL server  42  in LAN  40 , which serves as a repository for the reactionary feedback. 
     When a sufficient number of participants have completed a survey, study manager  44  and viewer manager  50  implement the results phase.  FIG. 6  illustrates one exemplary process  300  for implementing the results phase for a particular survey. Generally, after retrieving the reactionary feedback from a plurality of participants for a particular survey from SQL server  42 , a data compiler  48  in study manager  44  compiles the reactionary feedback to generate the survey results for the survey (block  310 ). Subsequently, viewer manager  50  formats the survey results and controls viewer  52  to display the survey results according to a user-specified configuration (blocks  320 - 340 ). 
     To compile the survey data, data compiler  48  first analyzes the reactionary feedback of each survey participant to determine if each participant&#39;s reactionary feedback includes a slider control position for each desired time increment, i.e., for each 1 second time increment. Because position and time data are not recorded during some portions of the survey, as discussed above, a participant&#39;s reactionary feedback may not include a slider control position for some time increments. To generate a complete set of reactionary feedback for each participant, data compiler  48  converts the received reactionary feedback data to normalized reaction data by, for example, extrapolating the received reactionary feedback for each survey participant. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates raw reactionary feedback data for the first 30 time increments of a survey for one participant, and the resulting reactionary feedback as extrapolated by data compiler  48 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the participant only moved slider control  72  at time markers  0 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  20 ,  21 ,  27 , and  28 . As such, for the first 30 time markers of the survey, only eight slider control positions were recorded. To generate a table of slider control positions for each time marker, data compiler  48  inputs the raw position data at each corresponding time marker and fills in the blanks by extrapolating the raw reactionary feedback, for example, by entering a position of  50  into the data table for each of the first 11 time increments, entering a position of  68  for time increments  14 - 19 , etc. In so doing, data compiler  48  generates a complete set of reactionary feedback for a participant, where the complete set of reactionary feedback includes a slider control position for each time marker. By repeating this process for each participant, data compiler  48  generates a complete set of reactionary feedback for each participant. It will be appreciated that the time marker may represent any desired time increment, such as 0.5 second, 1 second, 5 seconds, etc. It will also be appreciated that data compiler  48  may generate the complete set of reactionary feedback using other means, e.g., interpolation. 
     After generating a complete set of reactionary feedback for each participant, data compiler  48  compiles the reactionary feedback to generate the survey results. For example, data compiler  48  may compile the reactionary feedback sets by averaging the slider control position for each time increment across all participants. Data compiler  48  may also categorize the survey results by averaging the reactionary feedback of particular categories of participants, such as those groups generated based on gender, age, ethnicity, participant preferences, etc. For example, data compiler  48  may categorize the results from a radio survey into the categories shown in Table 1. It will be appreciated that the list in Table 1 is exemplary and not exhaustive. In addition, data compiler  48  may compile the answers to the questions posed to the participants during the collecting phase according to any known means. For example, data compiler  48  may generate statistics results corresponding to how many participants said yes or no to a particular question. Like the slider control position data, the question answer data may also be categorized. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Category 
               
               
                 Average across all surveyed listeners 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Male listeners 
               
               
                   
                 Female listeners 
               
               
                   
                 Listeners aged 19-24 
               
               
                   
                 Listeners aged 25-34 
               
               
                   
                 Regular listeners 
               
               
                   
                 Occasional listeners 
               
               
                   
                 Hispanic listeners 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     After data compiler  48  generates the survey results, the survey results are stored in any suitable storage medium, such as random access memory (RAM) and/or read-only memory (ROM) in study manager  44 , SQL server  42 , and/or viewer manager  50 . According to one exemplary embodiment, the survey results are stored in SQL server  42 . When a client is ready to view the survey results, viewer manager  50  retrieves the survey results from SQL server  42 , formats the survey results, and controls interactive survey viewer  52  to display the formatted survey results. A client may control viewer  52  to display the compiled data in any desired fashion by inputting instructions to viewer manager  50  via a user interface (blocks  330  and  340  of  FIG. 6 ). For example, the client may input instructions to the viewer manager  50  to display specific categorized survey results, such as female data and Hispanic data, on viewer  52 . In addition, the client may input instructions to viewer manger  50  to display specific sections of the survey results on viewer  52  as described in further detail below. These features enable the client to customize the displayed survey results and to focus on particular areas of interest. 
     While not required, viewer manager  50  may control the viewer  52  to stream the survey multi-media synchronously with the survey results. The multi-media may be streamed from a multi-media data file stored in memory in the viewer manager  50 . Alternatively, the multi-media may be streamed from a media server  44  in either LAN  40  or in WAN  20 . For example, viewer manager  50  may synchronize a streamed video provided by media server  44  with the slider control position survey results. According to the present invention, this feature may be selectively activated or inactivated responsive to instructions input by the client. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary viewer  52  displaying the compiled survey results from a radio show survey conducted with  50  participants. In viewer  52 , a plot area shows the average slider control positions for a selected category of participants relative to the time increments associated with the survey multi-media, where tracking bar  96  tracks the streamed multi-media within the displayed survey results. While not explicitly shown, viewer  52  may also include the compiled question answers. As shown in  FIG. 8 , viewer  52  includes a number of viewer controls  80 - 92  that enable the client to control the displayed survey results. Using the controls shown in viewer  52  and any available input device, such as a mouse, stylus, keyboard, etc., the client may manipulate viewer  52  to:
         play, pause, etc., the multi-media file using multi-media controls  80 ;   show the survey results for one or more of the categories using the controls in category block  92 ;   skip past potions of the survey results using skip controls  82  or by moving tracking bar  96 ;   zoom in on portions of the survey results using zoom controls  88  or other known zooming tools;   using display controls  84  to stream the multi-media data file while viewing the results and/or to have the survey results appear as the multi-media file streams;   highlight selected segments  90  using controls in segment block  90 ; and/or   increase/decrease the volume of the multi-media file using volume controls  88 .
 
The above list is exemplary and not exhaustive.
       

     In addition to viewer controls  80 - 92 , the client may control the settings  98  associated with viewer  52 , where viewer manager  50  may customize the survey results displayed on viewer  52  based on these settings. For example, the client may define the skip interval used by skip controls  82 , may define the trend parameters used to identify trends in the survey results, etc. Based on the trend settings, for example, viewer manager  50  may highlight survey results shown in category block  92  and/or segment block  90  in descriptive colors to indicate specific survey trends, such as if the survey results have a downward or upward trend. 
     As discussed above, data compiler  48  categorizes the survey results based on pre-defined categories. However, the present invention is not limited to these pre-defined categories; the client may dynamically define new categories while display  52  displays the survey results. For example, responsive to client input, viewer manager  50  may define a new category. Based on the newly defined category, viewer manager  50  and/or data compiler  48  compiles a new group of survey results. When the client selects the new category, viewer  52  displays the survey results for the new category. 
     Viewer manager  50  may also highlight a selected segment of the survey results when the client selects one of a pre-defined or client-specified segment category. For example, viewer manager  50  may identify different segments of the multi-media file that contain commercials, sports, news, weather, music, etc., or based on information about the multi-media segment, such as the entertainment personality hosting the segment. These segments may be defined in advance or may be defined by the client while the viewer  52  displays the results. Subsequently, the client may highlight a desired segment using the controls in segment block  90 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , selecting the segment “Sports with Jeff Garcia” highlights the segment of survey results  94  corresponding to the “Sports with Jeff Garcia” portion of the streamed media. 
     The above-described invention enables organizations to conduct multi-media surveys at the participants&#39; convenience and at a participant selected location. As such, the present invention enables organizations to conduct multi-media surveys in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In addition, because the survey results are synchronized with the surveyed multi-media, the collected survey results provide a highly accurate assessment of the participants&#39; reaction to the surveyed multi-media. 
     The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.