Virtual human interface for conducting surveys

Abstract

A virtual human interface application for conducting surveys comprises a system and method which include a script file which may include survey question data, response pattern data, advertising data, entertainment data, lobbying data and/or processing instructions. The system and method include an image generator providing a representation of a character communicating data from the script file, and also include script and response processing modules to seek and/or clarify responses from a user as well as to advertise to the user, persuade the user, encourage or reward the user, possibly based on patterns detected in the user's responses. The system and method automate the distribution of survey questions, the collection of survey data and processing and formatting of survey results.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A survey system comprising:

a computer comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a processor;

a display;

a script comprising question data representing a question, said script stored in said computer readable medium, said script further comprising:

response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to said question; and

lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to respond to said question by providing a response that does not include said portion of a possible user response to said question;

character image data representing a character communicating information, said character image data stored in said computer readable medium, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being; and

a user interface running on said processor, said user interface configured to access said script, said user interface configured to process said question data to communicate said question to a user, an image generator of said user interface configured to process said character image data to create a representation of said character on said display during said communication of said question, said user interface configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to store in said computer readable medium answer data representing said response provided by said user, said user interface configured to compare said response data to said response pattern data to determine whether said response provided by said user includes said portion of a possible user response and, if so, to process said lobbying data to communicate said lobbying information to said user without storing said answer data.

2. The survey system as described in claim 1, said script further comprising:

expression data representing an expression of said character, said user interface configured to process said expression data to cause said image generator to process said character image data to change an expression of said representation of said character on said display during said communication of said lobbying information.

3. A survey system comprising:

a computer comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a processor;

a display;

a script comprising question data representing a question, said script stored in said computer readable medium;

character image data representing a character communicating information, said character image data stored in said computer readable medium, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being;

a user interface running on said processor, said user interface configured to access said script, said user interface configured to process said question data to communicate said question to a user, an image generator of said user interface configured to process said character image data to create a representation of said character on said display during said communication of said question, said user interface configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to store in said computer readable medium answer data representing said response provided by said user;

response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to said question;

remote lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade said user to provide a response that does not include said portion of a possible user response to said question, said remote lobbying data residing on a computer readable storage medium operably connected to a second computer, said second computer in network contact with said first computer; and

a voice output module, said user interface configured to compare said response data to said response pattern data to determine whether said response provided by said user includes said portion of a possible user response and, if so, to request and receive said remote lobbying data and to route data to said voice output module to create audio output representing said lobbying information.

4. A survey system comprising:

question data representing a question;

response pattern data representing at least one portion of a response to said question;

lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to provide a response that does not include said at least one portion of said response to said question; and

a user interface configured to process said question data to communicate said question to a user, said user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by said user, said user interface configured to compare said response data to said response pattern data to determine whether said response provided by said user includes said at least one portion of said response to said question and, if so, to process said lobbying data to communicate said lobbying information to said user, said user interface configured to transmit character image data to a display during said communication of said question and said lobbying information, said character image data rendered to represent a character communicating said question and said lobbying information, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being, said user interface configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the respective presentation of words comprising said question and said lobbying information to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question and the speaking of said lobbying information during communication of said lobbying information.

5. The survey system as described in claim 4, wherein said user interface is further configured to generate and store answer data representing said response provided by said user if said user interface determines that said response provided by said user does not include said at least one portion of said response to said question.

6. A system for questioning a survey participant, the system comprising:

a computer readable storage;

a display;

a survey script stored on said computer readable storage, said survey script comprising question data, expression data, lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to provide a response that does not include a portion of a first possible response, and response processing instructions; and

a virtual human interface comprising an image generator, a script parser and a response parser, said script parser parsing said question data to present a question to a user, said image generator displaying on said display a representation of an animated character communicating information during said presenting of said question, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being, said script parser parsing said expression data to cause said image generator to change said representation of said character, said image generator configured to modify the visual representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during presentation of said question, said script parser parsing said lobbying data to associate said lobbying data with said portion of said first possible response, said response parser parsing input provided by said user to detect said portion of said first possible response and to responsively communicate said lobbying information to said user, said script parser parsing said response processing instructions to identify at least one portion of a second possible response by said user to said question and to associate predetermined responsive steps with said at least one portion of said second possible response, said response parser parsing input provided by said user to detect said at least one portion of said second possible response and to perform said predetermined responsive steps, said predetermined responsive steps including storing in an answer file answer data representing said input provided by said user and storing in said answer file in association with said answer data a question identifier identifying said question.

7. The system as described in claim 6, wherein said image generator comprises software instructions stored on said computer readable storage, said script parser comprises software instructions stored on said computer readable storage, and said response parser comprises software instructions stored on said computer readable storage.

8. The survey system as described in claim 6, further comprising:

an answer format value representing a predetermined format for answer data provided in response to said question, said answer format value having a predetermined association with said question identifier; and

a survey report generator configured to parse said answer file for said question identifier and to retrieve said answer format value and to use said answer format value to format said answer data in a survey result report.

9. A method of conducting a survey, said method comprising the steps of:

providing in a computer readable medium question data representing a question;

providing in said computer readable medium character image data representing a character communicating information, said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being;

communicating said question to a user by processing said question data;

displaying a representation of said character on a display during said communication of said question by processing said character image data;

modifying the representation of at least a mouth of said character synchronously with the communicating of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question;

responding to a response to said question provided by a user by storing in said computer readable medium answer data representing said response;

providing in said computer readable medium response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to said question;

providing in said computer readable medium lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade said user to provide a response that does not include said portion of said possible user response to said question;

comparing response data representing said response provided by said user to said response pattern data; and

communicating said lobbying information to said user by processing said lobbying data without storing said answer data if said response data includes said response pattern data.

10. The method as described in claim 9, said method comprising the further steps of:

providing in said computer readable medium expression data representing an expression of said character; and

processing said expression data to change an expression of said displayed character during said communication of said lobbying information.

11. A survey system comprising:

means for representing a question in a computer readable medium;

means for representing in said computer readable medium a portion of a first possible user response to said question;

means for communicating said question to a user;

means for generating a representation of a character communicating said question during said communication of said question said character representing a visual object that personifies communicative behavior of a human being, the visual representation of a mouth of said character modified synchronously with the presentation of words of said question to visually simulate the speaking of said question during communication of said question;

means for receiving from said user a representation of a response provided by said user to said question;

means for performing a first comparison, said first comparison comprising comparing said representation of said response to said representation of said portion of said first possible user response;

means for storing an answer representing said response if said first comparison results in a match;

means for representing in said computer readable medium a portion of a second possible user response to said question;

means for representing in said computer readable medium lobbying information to persuade a user to provide a response that does not include said portion of said second possible user response to said question;

means for performing a second comparison, said second comparison comprising comparing said representation of said response to said representation of said portion of said second possible user response; and

means for communicating said lobbying information to said user without storing said answer data if said second comparison results in a match.

12. The survey system as described in claim 11, the survey system further comprising:

means for changing an expression of said representation of said character during said communication of said question.

13. The survey system as described in claim 11, the survey system further comprising:

means for representing advertising information in a computer readable medium, said advertising information informing a user about goods or services; and

means for communicating said advertising information to said user if said first comparison results in a match.

14. The survey system as described in claim 11, the survey system further comprising:

means for representing entertainment information in a computer readable medium, said entertainment information rewarding or offering to reward said user for providing a response to said question; and

means for communicating or presenting said entertainment information to said user if said first comparison results in a match.

15. A survey system comprising:

a network;

a server coupled to said network, said server comprising a server processor and a server computer readable storage;

a first client coupled to said network, said first client comprising a first processor, a first computer readable storage, and a first display;

a script file stored on said server computer readable storage, said script file containing survey question data, lobbying data and expression codes representing human facial expressions, said server computer configured to respond to a request for said script file from said first client by transmitting said script file to said first client; and

a virtual human interface stored on said first computer readable storage,

said virtual human interface configured to display a representation of a human face on said first display,

said virtual human interface configured to parse said script file and present said survey question data to a user,

said virtual human interface configured to use said expression codes to change a visual representation of eyes and a mouth of said human face during said presentation of said survey question data to visually simulate speaking of words corresponding to said survey question data,

said virtual human interface to configured to compare a response of said user to at least one predetermined response, and, if said response matches a predetermined portion of said at least one predetermined response, said virtual human interface configured to responsively communicate said lobbying data to said user, and

said virtual human interface configured to record a response of said user in an answer file, said virtual human interface configured to transmit said answer file to said server computer, said server computer configured to process said answer file and at least one additional answer file to generate a report including formatted answer data.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to electronic information gathering, and more particularly to the use of a virtual human interface to conduct surveys and collect and present survey results data.

2. Description of the Related Art

Marketing and planning of all sorts is often critically dependent on customer and/or public feedback. In the context of product planning, such information can avoid the devastating effect of introducing a product the public simply does not want, is not ready for, or even a product the public finds offensive. In another context, media producers, such as those producing television series, are constantly wary of the effect on the consuming public that might be created by particular plots, changes in plots or treatment of certain issues, roles or characters. In addition, producers need to be aware of viewer preferences for use in attracting advertising. In these and other areas, accurate and timely consumer feedback is critical.

Existing techniques for obtaining satisfactory feedback and formatting it for useful and meaningful review are extremely costly. That is because they typically require employing small armies of telemarketers, data entry clerks, interviewers, statisticians and/or other data collection teams, and still others to convert, format and make sense of the information collected.

Another problem with information gathering is the attention, concentration and understanding of the participants. For example, feedback received from survey participants may be unreliable, inaccurate or unhelpful if survey participants lose interest or become distracted while taking the survey. Survey participants soon become bored with survey questions, particularly when presented in large quantities, in printed form, or unclear or tedious language, and provide abrupt, confusing, careless and/or ill-considered feedback when required to respond.

Some methods of keeping participants interested involve extrinsic motivation, such as payment. Providing extrinsic motivation is often unsatisfactory, however, because the participant is still not genuinely interested in the survey. For that, intrinsic motivation is needed. It is known that human interviewers presenting live questions can sometimes create intrinsic motivation and can maintain a participant's focus and concentration for a longer period of time. The interaction itself provides the intrinsic motivational component needed. However, not only is it extremely expensive to pay and train live interviewers, but also live human interviewers themselves can become bored when asking the same questions over and over again and repetitively logging participants' answers. When this happens, live interviewers lose their effectiveness in holding the attention of participants.

Moreover, survey sponsors can rarely rely on the relevant consumers--even by enticing them with free gifts or cash payments--to travel to the survey sponsor or any other location to take a survey. Therefore, the work is typically done in focus groups, through door-to-door canvassing, through the use of paid diaries delivered by mail or through telephone surveys. Consumers simply require utmost convenience to themselves in providing survey information. Thus, survey sponsors must also overcome the problem of survey delivery--that is, ensuring that the questions are made available at a location sufficiently convenient to participants. Extensive and expensive planning involving demographics and geographical regions is typically conducted, leading afterward to the dispatching of teams to varied locations, often nationwide.

Still another problem with traditional survey techniques relates to the long delay between the gathering of information and the conversion of the information into a form useful to the survey sponsors. Traditional data collection, data entry and tabulating processes commonly require labor intensive and error fraught keyboarding of data from survey forms. Entities conducting surveys often have to wait for results to be returned by mail before they can even begin to be processed.

What is needed is a system for gathering information from consumers which will hold the consumers' interest and avoid distraction, which will minimize the time and expense of gathering the information and making it useful and which will maximize convenience to consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention is a survey system, which comprises (1) a computer comprising (a) a computer readable medium; (b) a processor; and (c) a display; (2) a script comprising question data representing a question, the script stored in the computer readable medium; (3) character image data representing a character communicating information, the character image data stored in the computer readable medium; and (4) a user interface running on the processor, the user interface configured to access the script, the user interface configured to process the question data to communicate the question to a user, an image generator of the user interface configured to process the character image data to create a representation of the character on the display during the communication of the question, the user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by the user, the user interface configured to store in the computer readable medium answer data representing the response provided by the user. One aspect of the system further comprises (1) response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; and (2) lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade the user to respond to the question by providing a response that does not include the at least one portion of the response to the question, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the response pattern data to determine whether the response provided by the user includes the predetermined portion of a possible response and, if so, to process the lobbying data to communicate the lobbying information to the user without storing the answer data. That aspect may preferably further comprise expression data representing an expression of the character, the user interface configured to process the expression data to cause the image generator to process the character image data to change an expression of the representation of the character on the display during the communication of the lobbying information. In another aspect, the system further comprises (1) response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; and (2) advertising data representing advertising information to inform the user about goods or services, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the response pattern data to determine whether the response provided by the user includes the predetermined portion of a possible response and, if so, to process the advertising data to communicate the advertising information to the user. In still another aspect, the system further comprises (1) response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; and (2) entertainment data representing an offer of an incentive or reward to the user for answering the question, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the response pattern data to determine whether the response provided by the user includes the predetermined portion of a possible response and, if so, to process the entertainment data to communicate or present the offer to the user. In yet another aspect, the system further comprises (1) first response pattern data representing a portion of a first possible user response to the question; (2) second response pattern data representing a portion of a second possible user response to the question; and (3) predetermined answer data, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the first response pattern data and to compare the response data to the second response pattern data, and, if either comparison results in a match, to store the predetermined answer data in the computer readable medium without storing the answer data. That aspect may preferably further comprise (1) third response pattern data representing a portion of a third possible user response to the question; and (2) second predetermined answer data, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the third response pattern data and, if that comparison results in a match, to store the second predetermined answer data in the computer readable medium without storing the answer data. In a different aspect, the system further comprises expression data representing an expression of the character, the user interface configured to process the expression data to cause the image generator to process the character image data to change an expression of the representation of the character on the display during the communication of the question. That aspect may preferably further comprise remote character image data residing on a computer readable storage medium operably connected to a second computer, the second computer in network contact with the first computer, the user interface configured to request and receive the remote character image data to cause the image generator to process the remote character image data to change an expression of the representation of the character on the display during the communication of the question. In a different aspect, the system further comprises a voice output module creating audio output to communicate the question to the user. That aspect may preferably be one wherein the user interface is configured to communicate the question by displaying text characters during a time when the voice output module communicates the question by creating audio output. Still a different aspect of the system further comprises (1) response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; (2) remote lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade the user to respond to the question by providing a response that does not include the at least one portion of the response to the question, the remote lobbying data residing on a computer readable storage medium operably connected to a second computer, the second computer in network contact with the first computer; and (3) a voice output module, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the response pattern data to determine whether the response provided by the user includes the predetermined portion of a possible response and, if so, to request and receive the remote lobbying data and to route data to the voice output module to create audio output representing the lobbying information. Another aspect of the system further comprises a voice recognition module creating the response data from a spoken response provided by the user. An additional aspect of the system further comprises (1) an answer format value representing a predetermined format for answer data provided in response to the question; and (2) survey result instructions formatting the answer data in accordance with the answer format value to create a survey result report. That aspect may preferably further comprise survey collection instructions, the survey collection instructions associating the stored answer data with second answer data provided by a second user in response to the question, the survey result instructions formatting the second answer data to create the survey result report. That aspect may preferably be one wherein the survey result instructions and the survey collection instructions are executed by a processor of a second computer. That aspect may preferably further comprise a third computer connected by a network to the second computer, the second computer transmitting the survey result report to the third computer in response to a request for the survey result report. That aspect may preferably be one wherein the network is the internet, the survey result report is a web page, and an internet browsing application running on the third computer issues the request for the survey result report.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a survey system, which system comprises (1) question data representing a question; (2) response pattern data representing at least one portion of a response to the question; (3) lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade a user to respond to the question by providing a response that does not include the at least one portion of the response to the question; and (4) a user interface configured to process the question data to communicate the question to a user, the user interface configured to receive and process response data representing a response provided by the user, the user interface configured to compare the response data to the response pattern data to determine whether the response provided by the user includes the at least one portion of the response to the question and, if so, to process the lobbying data to communicate the lobbying information to the user. One aspect of the system is one wherein the user interface is further configured to generate and store answer data representing the response provided by the user if the user interface determines that the response provided by the user does not include the at least one portion of the response to the question. That aspect may preferably be one wherein the user interface is configured to transmit character image data to a display during the communication of the question and the lobbying information, the character image data rendered to represent a character communicating the question and the lobbying information.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is a system for questioning a survey participant. The system comprises (1) a computer readable storage; (2) a display; (3) a survey script stored on the computer readable storage, the survey script comprising question data, expression data, and response processing instructions; and (4) a virtual human interface comprising an image generator, a script parser and a response parser, the script parser parsing the question data to present a question to a user, the image generator displaying on the display a representation of an animated character communicating information during the presenting of the question, the script parser parsing the expression data to cause the image generator to change the representation of the character, the script parser parsing the response processing instructions to identify at least one portion of one possible response by the user to the question and to associate predetermined responsive steps with the response, the response parser parsing input provided by the user to detect the portion of the one possible response and to perform the predetermined responsive steps, the predetermined responsive steps including storing in an answer file answer data representing the input provided by the user and storing in the answer file in association with the answer data a question identifier identifying the question. One aspect of the system is one wherein the image generator comprises software instructions stored on the computer readable storage, the script parser comprises software instructions stored on the computer readable storage, and the response parser comprises software instructions stored on the computer readable storage. That aspect may preferably further comprise (1) an answer format value representing a predetermined format for answer data provided in response to the question, the answer format value having a predetermined association with the question identifier; and (2) a survey report generator configured to parse the answer file for the question identifier and to retrieve the answer format value and to use the answer format value to format the answer data in a survey result report.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a method of conducting a survey. The method comprises the steps of (1) providing in a computer readable medium question data representing a question; (2) providing in the computer readable medium character image data representing a character communicating information; (3) communicating the question to a user by processing the question data; (4) displaying a representation of the character on a display during the communication of the question by processing the character image data; and (5) responding to a response to the question provided by a user by storing in the computer readable medium answer data representing the response. In one aspect, the method comprises the further steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; (2) providing in the computer readable medium lobbying data representing lobbying information to persuade the user to respond to the question by providing a response that does not include the at least one portion of the response to the question; (3) comparing response data representing the response provided by the user to the response pattern data; and (4) communicating the lobbying information to the user by processing the lobbying data without storing the answer data if the response data includes the response pattern data. That aspect may preferably comprise the further steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium expression data representing an expression of the character; and (2) processing the expression data to change an expression of the displayed character during the communication of the lobbying information. Another aspect may comprise the further steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; (2) providing in the computer readable medium advertising data representing advertising information to inform the user about goods or services; (3) comparing response data representing the response provided by the user to the response pattern data; and (4) communicating the advertising information to the user by processing the advertising data if the response data includes the response pattern data. Still another aspect may preferably comprise the further steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question; (2) providing in the computer readable medium entertainment data representing an offer of an incentive or reward to the user for answering the question; (3) comparing response data representing the response provided by the user to the response pattern data; and (4) communicating or presenting the entertainment information to the user by processing the entertainment data if the response data includes the response pattern data. Yet another aspect may preferably comprise the further steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium first response pattern data representing a portion of a first possible user response to the question; (2) providing in the computer readable medium second response pattern data representing a portion of a second possible user response to the question; (3) providing in the computer readable medium predetermined answer data; (4) comparing response data representing the response provided by the user to the first response pattern data; (5) comparing the response data representing the response provided by the user to the second response pattern data; and (6) storing in the computer readable medium the predetermined answer data without storing the answer data if either comparison results in a match. An additional aspect may preferably comprise the further steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium expression data representing an expression of the character; (2) providing in the computer readable medium response pattern data representing a portion of a possible user response to the question, the response pattern data having a predetermined relationship with the expression data; (3) comparing response data representing the response provided by the user to the response pattern data; and (4) changing an expression of the displayed character by processing the expression data if the comparison results in a match. That aspect may preferably be one wherein the expression data resides on a remote computer readable medium and wherein the processing of the expression data includes requesting the expression data from the remote computer readable medium and transmitting the expression data from the remote computer readable medium. An aspect described above comprising advertising data may preferably be one wherein the advertising data resides on a remote computer readable medium and wherein the processing of the advertising data includes requesting the advertising data from the remote computer readable medium and transmitting the advertising data from the remote computer readable medium. An aspect described above comprising advertising data may preferably be one wherein the advertising data includes voice data and references to expression data, the method comprising the further steps of, and the aspect may preferably further comprise the steps of (1) providing in the computer readable medium expression data representing an expression of the character; (2) communicating the advertising data as voice output by processing the voice data; and (3) changing an expression of the displayed character by processing expression data referenced by the advertising data if the comparison results in a match.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for processing survey data. The method comprises the steps of (1) providing in a computer readable medium question data representing a question; (2) providing in the computer readable medium an answer format value representing a predetermined format for answer data provided in response to the question; (3) associating a question identifier with the question data; (4) associating the answer format value with the question identifier; (5) receiving an answer file in the computer readable medium, the answer file including answer data representing a response provided by a user to the question, and the answer file including the question identifier; (6) parsing the answer file for the question identifier; (7) identifying the answer format value using the association with the question identifier; and (8) formatting the answer data in accordance with the predetermined format for answer data. One aspect of the method is one wherein the steps described therein are represented by software instructions stored in a computer readable medium.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is a survey system, which comprises (1) means for representing a question in a computer readable medium; (2) means for representing in the computer readable medium a portion of a first possible user response to the question; (3) means for communicating the question to a user; (4) means for generating a representation of a character communicating the question during the communication of the question; (5) means for receiving from the user a representation of a response provided by the user to the question; (6) means for performing a first comparison, the first comparison comprising comparing the representation of the response to the representation of the portion of the first possible user response; and (7) means for storing an answer representing the response if the first comparison results in a match. In one aspect, the system further comprises (1) means for representing in the computer readable medium a portion of a second possible user response to the question; (2) means for representing in the computer readable medium lobbying information to persuade a user to respond to the question by providing a response that does not include the portion of the second possible user response to the question; (3) means for performing a second comparison, the second comparison comprising comparing the representation of the response to the representation of the portion of the second possible user response; and (4) means for communicating the lobbying information to the user without storing the answer data if the second comparison results in a match. In another aspect, the system further comprises means for changing an expression of the representation of the character during the communication of the question. In still another aspect, the system further comprises (1) means for representing advertising information in a computer readable medium, the advertising information informing a user about goods or services; and (2) means for communicating the advertising information to the user if the first comparison results in a match. In yet another aspect, the system further comprises (I) means for representing entertainment information in a computer readable medium, the entertainment information rewarding or offering to reward the user for providing a response to the question; and (2) means for communicating or presenting the entertainment information to the user if the first comparison results in a match.

An additional embodiment of the present invention is a survey system, which comprises (1) a network; (2) a server coupled to the network, the server comprising a server processor and a server computer readable storage; (3) a first client coupled to the network, the first client comprising a first processor, a first computer readable storage, and a first display; (4) a script file stored on the server computer readable storage, the script file containing survey question data, the server computer configured to respond to a request for the script file from the first client by transmitting the script file to the first client; and (5) a virtual human interface stored on the first computer readable storage, the virtual human interface configured to display a representation of a human face on the first display, the virtual human interface configured to parse the script file and present the survey question data to a user, the virtual human interface configured to change the representation of the human face during the presentation of the survey question data, and the virtual human interface configured to record a response of the user in an answer file, the virtual human interface configured to transmit the answer file to the server computer, the server computer configured to process the answer file and at least one additional answer file to generate a report including formatted answer data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a survey system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a survey input client in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a survey server in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a survey results report generated by a survey results server.

FIG. 5 illustrates a representation of aspects of a virtual human interface application in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate representations of images of a character communicating information with expression and emotion in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5E illustrates steps performed in one embodiment of the present invention to load an embodiment of a Verbot.

FIG. 5F illustrates steps performed in one embodiment of the present invention to generate character images in one embodiment of a Verbot.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a representation of the overall operation of a survey system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7A through 7E are a series of flow charts showing the operation of one embodiment of a survey system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation of one embodiment of a survey results collector in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the operation of one embodiment of a survey results server in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a survey system 100 in accordance with the present invention. In that embodiment, the survey system 100 includes a network 102 in communication with a survey script server 104, a survey input client 106 having a virtual human interface application 116, a survey results collector 108, a survey results server 10, and a survey review client 112. The network 102 may be any type of computer network, public or private, LAN and/or WAN, wire-based and/or wireless, and may use one or a combination of network protocols such as Ethernet or token ring. In the preferred embodiment, however, the network 102 is the Internet.

The survey script server 104 maintains a plurality of script files 114. The script files 114 provide scripting for the virtual human interface application 116 of the survey input client 106. More particularly, the script files 114 include question data, which form the basis of questions ultimately posed to survey participants 118. Preferably, the script files 114 stored in the survey script server 104 are updated periodically.

Overview of System Operation

Generally, a virtual human interface is a bridge between humans and technology built from artificial intelligence and natural language components. Because it recognizes and understands human communication on one side and technology communication on the other, the virtual human interface can translate meaning between the two. In the survey context, the virtual human interface can ask questions in human terms, receive responses provided in human terms, translate the responses into machine terms, perform machine-based processing on the machine terms, and then translate the machine-processed information back into human terms for communication to a human.

In operation, the virtual human interface application 116 of the survey input client 106 interacts with a survey participant 118 through a virtual human user interface including a Verbot.TM.. Upon initial activation, the Verbot.TM. requests permission from the survey participant 118 to periodically download script files 114 from the survey script server 104. If the survey participant 118 grants permission, then the virtual human interface application 116 directs the survey input client 106 to periodically request script files 114 from the survey script server 104 automatically and engage the survey participant 118 in a conversation including embedded survey question content. If the survey participant 118 does not grant permission, then the Verbot.TM. periodically seeks permission to download a script file 114, and the survey input client 106 is directed to request a script file 114 from the survey script server 104 only when the survey participant 118 authorizes the request.

In either of the situations described above, the virtual human interface application 116 occasionally directs the survey input client 106 to send a request for a script file 114 to the survey script server 104 over the network 102. When the survey script server 104 receives such a request, it sends a script file 114 to the survey input client 106 over the network 102.

In some embodiments, the survey script server 104 can optionally maintain demographic, geographic or other information regarding users, including the ability to identify users who do not participate in surveys regularly. Nevertheless, individual survey participants 118 will preferably remain anonymous, being only identified by their sample selection criteria status.

After downloading the requested script file 114, the Verbot.TM. engages the survey participant 118 in a conversation including embedded survey questions as scripted in the most recently acquired script file 114. During the survey, the survey participant 118 responds to the scripted survey questions asked by the Verbot.TM.. The Verbot.TM. stores the responses of the survey participant 118 in an answer file 120 on the survey input client 106.

Simultaneously, the Verbot.TM. can respond to the survey participant 118 verbally with encouragement, motivating comments, and the like. In some embodiments, the Verbot.TM. can offer to play a game with the survey participant 118 or give the survey participant 118 some other reward, such as coveted information.

Upon completion of the survey, the virtual human interface application 116 directs the survey input client 106 to send the answer file 120 generated during the survey to the survey results collector 108 over the network 102. The survey results collector 108 receives the answer file 120 from the survey input client 106 and extracts survey result data from the answer file 120. The survey results collector 108 then adds the survey result data to a survey database 122. The survey database 122 includes survey result data obtained from many different survey participants 118, which may number in the hundreds, thousands or millions. Because the survey results collector 108 may be receiving answer files 120 frequently, it may frequently update the survey database 122.

The survey review client 112 allows a survey reviewer 124 to review the results of any survey for which the survey reviewer 124 is authorized. In some embodiments, a particular survey results server 110 may be compiling results for several unrelated survey sponsors at the same time. Because survey results data can be very time-sensitive and valuable, each category of results data is preferably protected from unauthorized viewing.

When an authorized survey reviewer 124 wishes to review the results of a survey, the survey reviewer 124 uses the survey review client 112 to access the network 102. In a preferred embodiment, the survey review client 112 accesses a website hosted by the survey results server 110. Preferably, the survey reviewer 124 uses a standard web browser to access the survey results server 110. Thus, the survey reviewer 124 can access the survey results data from anywhere in the world, even using an Internet-enabled wireless palm-top computer or cellular telephone.

In one embodiment, the survey results server 110 generates and transmits to the survey reviewer 124 a web page having a hyperlink associated with each sponsor in the survey database 122. The survey reviewer 124 selects a sponsor by clicking on a sponsor hyperlink, and the survey results server 110 generates another web page having USER and PASSWORD fields and an ENTER button. The-survey reviewer 124 fills in the fields and clicks the ENTER button. The survey results server 110 authenticates the survey reviewer 124 by querying the PASSWORD_TABLE. In an alternative embodiment, the authentication can be performed through the use of browser cookies. After authenticating the survey reviewer 124, the survey results server 110 generates and transmits a web page, which presents a list of survey hyperlinks (each labeled by survey name), one for each survey in the survey database 122 for the selected sponsor. When the survey reviewer 124 selects a survey hyperlink, the survey results server 110 generates and transmits a survey result report 126 web page, which presents the results of the selected survey.

Because the survey results server 110 generates web pages dynamically from the survey database 122, the survey results report 126 advantageously reflects up-to-the-minute survey results data. Moreover, the survey reviewer 124 may advantageously receive virtually instant updates by selecting the "Refresh Page" option on the browser of the survey review client 112.

Survey Database

In one embodiment, the survey database 122 organizes data in a hierarchical fashion. While many different organizations may be implemented to store and access survey-related data, one embodiment uses the following database tables:

    NAME OF TABLE          DESCRIPTION
    SPONSOR_TABLE          The SPONSOR_TABLE includes entries
                           (or records) which hold information about
                           each of potentially many survey sponsors.
                           Each record includes a unique
                           SPONSOR_ID field assigned to a particular
                           sponsor. Each record also includes additional
                           information (additional database fields)
                           relating to the survey sponsor such as, for
                           example, name, contact name, address,
                           phone number, fax number, e-mail, web site,
                           billing information, number of surveys
                           conducted, number of surveys pending, etc.
                           Those of ordinary skill will appreciate that
                           each field is of the appropriate type
                           (e.g., string, integer, etc.) and is an
                           appropriate length (e.g., 512 characters,
                           4 bytes, etc.).
    PASSWORD_TABLE         The PASSWORD_TABLE holds user and
                           password data which facilitate secure access
                           to survey information. Each record in the
                           PASSWORD_TABLE includes a
                           SPONSOR_ID field, which provides a
                           cross-reference to a sponsor in the
                           SPONSOR_TABLE. Each  record also
                           includes a USER field and a PASSWORD
                           field. Thus, for any given SPONSOR_ID,
                           the PASSWORD_TABLE may be queried
                           to determine all valid user/password
                           combinations, which can, in turn, be used to
                           validate an entered user name and password
                           combination. The PASSWORD_TABLE
                           allows a single survey sponsor to have
                           multiple user/password combinations with
                           which to access, for example, survey
                           result data, or other information in the survey
                           database.
    SURVEY_TABLE           The SURVEY_TABLE includes entries
                           (or records) which keep track of information
                           about each survey.  Each record includes a
                           unique SURVEY_ID field assigned to
                           a particular survey. Each record (and thus
                           each survey) is cross-referenced to one or
                           more survey sponsors by a SPONSOR_ID
                           which matches the same-named field in the
                           SPONSOR_TABLE. Thus, by querying the
                           SURVEY_TABLE using a SPONSOR_ID
                           value, all surveys for any sponsor may be
                           easily located. Each record in the
                           SURVEY_TABLE also includes additional
                           information (additional fields) about each
                           survey such as, for example, name/title of
                           survey, description of subject matter, number
                           of questions, date created, geographic
                           concentration, path to retrieve corresponding
                           script file(s), full text of script file, URL
                           for related survey results web page, number
                           of responding participants, number of
                           refusing participants, etc.
    QUESTION_TABLE         The QUESTION_TABLE includes
                           entries (records) for each question in any
                           survey. Each record thus includes a unique
                           QUESTION_ID field which uniquely
                           references a particular question. Each record
                           is cross-referenced to one or more surveys
                           by including a SURVEY_ID field
                           which matches the SURVEY_ID field
                           in the SURVEY_TABLE. Thus, by
                           querying the QUESTION_TABLE using a
                           SURVEY_ID value, all questions in the
                           survey may be easily located. Each record
                           in the QUESTION_TABLE also includes an
                           ANSWER_FORMAT field which holds a
                           value indicating how answers for the
                           question should be processed for presentation
                           to a survey reviewer (e.g., "top5and%"
                           indicates that the five responses most
                           frequently given should be listed along with
                           the percentage of users providing the
                           respective response; "listall" indicates
                           that all answers provided be listed
                           sequentially). Each record in the
                           QUESTION_TABLE includes additional
                           information (fields) about each question
                           such as, for example, sequential question
                           number, text of question, etc.
    ANSWER_TABLE           The ANSWER_TABLE includes entries
                           (records) for each answer recorded for any
                           question in a survey. Each record in
                           the ANSWER_TABLE includes a
                           SURVEY_ID field identifying the particular
                           survey for which the answer was provided.
                           Each record also includes a QUESTION_ID
                           field which matches the QUESTION_ID
                           field in the QUESTION_TABLE.
                           Thus, by using a QUESTION_ID value, the
                           ANSWER_TABLE may be easily queried to
                           locate each separate answer provided for a
                           particular question. Also, each record in the
                           ANSWER_TABLE includes a
                           PARTICIPANT_ID field which matches the
                           PARTICIPANT_ID field in the
                           PARTICIPANT_TABLE. Using the
                           PARTICIPANT_ID value to query the
                           ANSWER_TABLE, all answers provided
                           by a particular survey participant may be
                           easily located. Each record of the
                           ANSWER_TABLE includes addition
                           information (fields) about each answer,
                           including the answer data, whether text,
                           numeric or otherwise, provided by the
                           participant, the date the answer was
                           recorded, etc.
    ANSWER.sub.--          The ANSWER_FORMAT_TABLE
    FORMAT_TABLE           includes records which correspond to a type
                           of format to apply to a group of answers to
                           present the results. An
                           ANSWER_FORMAT field provides the
                           name of an available answer format, and an
                           ANSWER_FORMAT_DESCRIPTION
                           field provides a description of the formatting
                           associated with an answer format. For
                           example, one record may have "top5and%"
                           assigned to the ANSWER_FORMAT field,
                           and, in the ANSWER_FORMAT.sub.--
                           DESCRIPTION field, the record may have
                           the text "choose the five responses most
                           frequently given and show the percentage of
                           users providing the respective response."
                           This table may be used, for example, in a
                           survey design module to retrieve
                           descriptions of all available answer formats,
                           display them to a survey designer, allow a
                           survey designer to choose one, and then
                           provide the corresponding answer format
                           name.
    PARTICIPANT_TABLE      The PARTICIPANT_TABLE includes
                           entries for each survey participant who has
                           provided answer data for any survey. Each
                           record of the PARTICIPANT_TABLE
                           includes a PARTICIPANT_ID field
                           uniquely identifying a particular participant.
                           Each record of the PARTICIPANT_TABLE
                           includes additional information for each
                           participant such as, for example, geographic
                           location, computer configuration, time to
                           complete survey, average time to complete
                           survey, number of surveys completed, etc.

                    <start-0>
                    a:0.3
                    p.35 How*doing*today*
                    p.35 *are*feeling*today*
                    r:I'm doing well today, thank you

    <survey-0>
    a: 0.7
    r: Would you like to take a survey?
    +: <survey-0-0><survey-0-1>
    <survey-0-0>
    a: 0.2
    p: 50 AFF
    r: That's wonderful. I know you're busy, and I really appreciate your time.
    -: <survey-0-1>
    +: <newsurvey-0>
    <survey-0-1>
    a: 0.2
    p: 50 NEG
    r: Oh, that's too bad, maybe we can talk about it again soon. Talk to you
    next time.
    -: <survey-0-0><newsurvey-0>
    +: <nosurvey-0>
    <newsurvey-0>
    a: 0.2
    r: Lets talk about the TV show, The Z Papers. Did you watch it last
    Tuesday?
    +: <newsurvey-1>
    <nosurvey-0>
    a: 0.2
    r: It's always good to see you.

            Expression             Eyes          Mouth
            Angry                    5             45
            Misty look right         6             46
            Smirk                    7             47
            Surprise                 8             48
            Misty look left          9            N/A
            Duh                     10            N/A

                       "win98"=(windows 98)
                       "winnt"=(windows NT)
                       "win32"=(win 32)
                       "email"=(e mail)
                       "http://"=(h t t p ://)
                       "www."=(w w w dot)
                       ".com"=(dot com)
                       ".org"=(dot org)
                       ".net"=(dot net)
                       ".edu"=(dot e d u)
                       ".gov"=(dot gov)
                       ".mil"=(dot mil)
                       ".html"=(dot h t m l)
                       ".htm"=(dot h t m)
                       "@"=(at)

    <premium-1>
    a:0.3
    p:35 *what*tell*premium*
    p:35 *can*about*premium*
    p:35 *premium*progra*
    r:I can tell you all about the new premium program, but wait a second
    while I check the latest. *<loadscript=premiumprogram.script>
    r:I'm glad you asked, let me check with my server for the latest, then I'll
    answer your questions. *<loadscript=premiumprogram.script>
    r:We do have a premium program, I need to check in with my server to
    see what the latest information is.
     *<loadscript=premiumprogram.script>
    Rules in the premiumprogram.script could be coded as follows:
    <return-1>
    a:0.5
    r:Does that answer your questions?
    +:<retyes-1><retno-1>
    <retyes-1>
    a:0.0
    p:35 AFF
    r:Good, lets get back to where we were then.
    *<loadscript=original-r.script> (note that original-r is the same as
     the
    original script but starts with a comment designed to reorient the user)
    <retno-1>
    a:0.0
    p:35 NEG
    r:Okay, ask me anything you like about the premium program and I'll do
    my best to answer you.