Abstract:
A polling method, online polling system and program product therefor. A system avatar unit creates, maintains and controls system avatars distributed throughout a virtual world. System avatars receive questions received from polling system clients. A dialogue module manages dialogs between system avatars presenting the questions to user avatars in the virtual world. A report generator generates reports responsive to responses given by user avatars to system avatars.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to systems and methods of conducting surveys and polling users. 
       BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION 
       [0002]    Currently, polling companies and organizations use pop-ups, spam e-mail, and online surveys to conduct polls and surveys over the Internet. Because a pop-up can direct one to a potentially hazardous web site and because pop-ups have become so prevalent as to interfere with normal browsing, state of the art browsers usually include a pop-up blocker capability. A pop-up blocker can prevent survey questions from ever reaching potential poll participants, even participants that might otherwise want to participate in a particular poll. Several Internet security application providers have developed spam filters that intercept suspected spam, often before it enters one&#39;s inbox. Bypassing these safeguards to participate in a particular poll often requires a user to take extra steps to defeat/bypass the safeguards, and take extra time to complete a survey. 
         [0003]    Consequently, polling companies and organizations that conduct on-line, interactive polls and surveys, e.g., over the Internet, frequently are required to offer incentives to entice users through these counter-measures to encourage users to complete surveys. These incentives add extra costs to the surveying process. Even with appropriate incentives conducting on-line polls through virtual networks present potential poll takers with a nuisance the potential poll taking Internet users would likely rather avoid. 
         [0004]    Thus, there is a need for conducting online surveys and polling users that does not detract from the user&#39;s online experience, such that polling companies and organizations may save money and avoid offering incentives to willing users completing the surveys. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is a purpose of the invention to facilitate online polling and surveys; 
         [0006]    It is another purpose of the invention to conduct online polling and surveys without detracting from online experience of users taking the poll/survey; 
         [0007]    It is yet another purpose of the invention to encourage willing participation in online polls and surveys. 
         [0008]    The present invention relates to a polling method, online polling system and program product therefor. A system avatar unit creates, maintains and controls system avatars distributed throughout a virtual world. System avatars receive questions received from polling system clients. A dialogue module manages dialogs between system avatars presenting the questions to user avatars in the virtual world. A report generator generates reports responsive to responses given by user avatars to system avatars. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  shows an example of a system  100  for conducting on-line surveys and polling users according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows an example of creating surveys and polling users, even distant users, through virtual networks without interfering with or, detracting from, each individual user&#39;s online experience; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows an example of generating surveys/questionnaires and presenting those surveys/questionnaires to users through UCAs. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly,  FIG. 1  shows an example of a system  100  for conducting online surveys and polling users according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. User devices  102 ,  104  are connected, e.g., over a network/virtual world  106 , to a preferred Virtual Avatar Polling System (VAPS)  108 , e.g., in a remote server. Each user creates, owns and maintains a system presence, e.g., avatars  110 ,  112 , in the virtual world  106 . User avatars  110 ,  112  also are referred to herein as User Controlled Avatars (UCAs). The VAPS  108  creates, maintains and controls several system avatars,  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 , in the virtual world  106 . These system avatars,  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  also are referred to herein as VAPS Controlled Avatars (VCAs). A business/client  122  provides questions, e.g., in the form of a questionnaire  124 , to VAPS  108  for presenting to users, e.g., in online surveys and polling users. Typically, the system includes multiple businesses/clients  122 , each providing one or more questionnaires  124 . The VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  present the questions to UCAs  110 ,  112  as they encounter each other in the virtual world  106 . Thus, a preferred VAPS  108  performs randomized polling in conversational based virtual interaction. 
         [0014]    Each user has an avatar (UCA  108 ,  110 ), a virtual character, that they can navigate through the virtual world. Avatars are commonly used in video gaming, e.g. the Wii™ from Nintendo® and the XBOX Live from Microsoft® Corporation. In interactive video gaming on-line users compete over a network such as the Internet. In Second Life®, for example, each user controls an avatar that may interact freely with other avatars in a virtual world. As each user joins the system, the user creates his/her own UCA  108 ,  110  as a virtual presence within the system. The VAPS  108  allows client organizations  122  to poll users using suitable artificial intelligence communication technology (e.g., neural nets or statistical models that based on Hidden Markov models or Bayesian networks), virtually embodied as system avatars. Thus, the VAPS  108  maintains virtual presences on the system through VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 , that interact with the UCAs  110 ,  112 . The VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  are randomly distributed throughout the virtual world  106  and interact with UCAs  110 ,  112  at a predetermined rate. Thus, the randomly distributed VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  perform random single polling events throughout each user&#39;s session unobtrusively polling the users during the session. 
         [0015]    A client company  122  creates a series of questions  124  as, for example, a questionnaire  124  that the client company  122  wishes answered by the public. The client company  122  submits the questions  124  over the network  106  to VAPS  108 . The VAPS  108  designates a VCA, e.g.,  116 , or multiple VCAs to interact with UCAs  110 ,  112 , collecting answers to the questions  124 . The VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  may be programmed to question the UCAs  110 ,  112 , e.g., marketing, business, scientific, and public safety questions  124 . Thus, the VAPS  108  systematically poses the questions  124  using the various VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  that interact with UCAs  110 ,  112 , seamlessly and hidden to the user without the user being aware in some cases that he/she is being question. The VAPS  108  also can create dynamic surveys where in one virtual world session, UCAs  110 ,  112  can interact with many different VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  answering multiple questions that are related to the same poll or survey. 
         [0016]    Questions may be formulated to appear as part of a general conversation or related to some aspect of the virtual world, while masking the true intent of the question and data being collected. For example, VAPS  108  may be collecting information regarding which one of two candidates X and Y UCA users would vote. The VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  do not ask directly each UCA&#39;s preference. Instead, one VCA  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  tells a story. The story may indicate that the watched TV debates between X and Y. Then, after the story, the CA may follow with something like “I liked as X performed more than Y,” and ask the UCA how it liked how candidate X performed. The UCA may respond saying, “I think Y made better points” and/or “Y was more presidential.” The VCA follows up with “do you think you would vote X because he performed better on TV?” By asking these indirect questions, masks the questioning which appears as part of common conversation rather then polling. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows an example  130  of creating surveys and polling users, even distant users, through virtual networks without interfering with or, detracting from, each individual user&#39;s online experience with reference to the preferred system of  FIG. 1 . This example begins in  132  when a client company  122  independently creates questions  124  for a survey to be implemented by VAPS  108  through VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120 . At some point in  134  a user logs into their avatar or creates a new avatar, e.g., UCA  110 , and navigates a virtual world. It should be noted that questions may be created/provided  132  before, after, or simultaneously with, a user logging in  134 . A preferred system  100  may be used, for example, for questioning patient users, and especially, questioning elderly patients on different subjects. Questioning may be conducted over a virtual network(s), using the patient&#39;s answers to make initial estimates of the patient&#39;s mood or state of mind. 
         [0018]    When a user logs in  134 , one of the VCAs, e.g.,  116 , approaches  136  that user&#39;s UCA, e.g.,  110 . In the virtual world, the VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  appear no different than the UCAs  110 ,  112 . The avatars,  110  and  116  in this example, converse normally, carrying on a dialogue  138  that is no different than a dialogue between two UCAs  110 ,  112 . During the dialogue  138 , the VCA  116  poses a question or questions  140  to UCA  110 . Optionally, pollster users can enter the virtual world logging in  134 , e.g., as UCA  112 . Once logged in the, UCA  112  can scan user profiles, e.g., stored in storage  124 , for the UCAs of people that match criteria of interest. Once a matching UCA is found, e.g.,  110 , the pollster UCA  112  teleports itself to online matching UCA  110  and unobtrusively questions the UCA  110 . 
         [0019]    In another example, a VCA  116  may ask “Who do you think should be president, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama?” The UCA  110  responds  142  to the polling question The VCA  116  logs the response  142 , and stores  144  logged responses. Responses may be stored  144  locally in the VAPS  108  or remotely, e.g., in the storage  122  with the questions. For multipart questions or questions that depend on a previous response, the response to the current question (e.g., “Did you vote in the last election?”) can terminate the line of questioning or lead to a number of other subsequent follow up questions. In  146  the VAPS  108  decides whether to direct the VCA  110  to the next follow up question. Once the dialogue is complete  148 , the conversation terminates  150 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows an example of a system  108  for generating surveys/questionnaires  124  and presenting those surveys/questionnaires  124  to users through UCAs  110 ,  112  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The ordering company  110  sends a survey questionnaire  124  to system dialog module  138 , e.g., logging in to add questions  132 . The system dialog module  138  accesses an avatar profile database  1082  and chooses one or more VCAs  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  according community group questioned and appropriate virtual incentives. An avatar behavior interpreter  1084  sends the selected avatar(s)  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  to browse for UCAs  110 ,  112  belonging to the targeted community group and, based on the avatar behavior, identifies appropriate group members. Since the questions are targeted to identified group members, frequently, the same questions are not presented to all UCAs  110 ,  112 . Thus, disinterested or otherwise untargeted UCAs  110 ,  112  are not bothered by otherwise irrelevant questions. Upon establishing contact the selected avatar(s)  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  communicate through communication interface  1086  with identified UCAs  110 ,  112  to explain incentives and conduct the survey. 
         [0021]    As the selected system avatar(s)  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  communicate through communication interface  1086  with identified UCAs  110 ,  112 , a sentiment interpreter  1088  may monitor UCA answers, e.g., on general mood to determine UCA sentiment. Where the user is a patient, for example, the sentiment interpreter  1088  may monitor possible pain or discomfort indicators. Optionally, the system dialog module  138  may also maintain a patient database  1090  of patients&#39; history and preferences. Preferably, the patient database  1090  also identifies avatar schedules and profiles, matched to visits. Dialog results (e.g.,  142  in  FIG. 2 ) may be provided the form of report  1092  and/or alarm  1094 . 
         [0022]    Advantageously, the preferred VAPS  108  facilitates creating online surveys and polling users through virtual networks without detracting from the users&#39; online experiences. Because the users&#39; online experiences are not degraded, companies and organizations may find it unnecessary to offer incentives to encourage users to complete online surveys, thus saving money for these organizations. Further, pollsters and testing organizations have access to secure virtual profile(s) in a virtual world populated by residents that are potential customers. Pollsters can enter the virtual world, scan user profiles for the UCAs of people that match criteria of interest, teleport themselves (VCAs or UCAs) to online matching people and unobtrusively question the UCAs of those matching people. Preferably, questioning avatars is based on user profile preferences or optimization based on user classification. 
         [0023]    Moreover, questioning patients (or elderly or their avatars) on different subjects may be conducted over virtual networks, with the responses/answers providing a basis for making initial estimates of the patients&#39; mood or state. Thus, the VCAs can detect and monitor minor patient discomforts, for example, even those where the person does not think the discomfort is worth it to go to the doctor. Thus, a preferred system facilitates creating surveys and polling users through virtual networks without detracting from individual user&#39;s online experience and that allows companies and organizations to save money by not having to offer incentives for users to complete surveys. 
         [0024]    While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all such variations and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.