Patent ID: 8135693

Claim:
A method for compiling, trend-tracking, and reporting opinion data, comprising the steps of: providing a system for users to submit opinion data, wherein the system comprises distinct but interactive computer databases including an issues database, a user identity database, and a user opinion database; compiling a list of issues for storage in the issues database; collecting user identity information for storage in the user identity database; presenting the list of issues to a user; gathering opinion data relating to at least one of the issues on the list of issues; maintaining the user identity database separate from the user opinion database such that the opinion data does not reveal the user identity information of the users providing the opinion data; storing the opinion data in the user opinion database for real-time, trend-tracking of public opinion on the list of issues stored in the issues database; and generating reports containing the opinion data, and making available the reports to decision makers interested in the list of issues addressed by the reports; wherein the computer databases further comprise a demographic database, the system collects demographic information from the users for storage in the demographic database, and the real-time, trend-tracking of public opinion includes relating the public opinion to the demographic information stored in the demographic database.