GB2177243A - Data recording technique and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A data recording technique (for market surveys etc.) comprising recording, in an electronic memory of a portable apparatus, data obtained in the field, the operator entering the data, in an encoded, computer readable form, as data becomes progressively available to the operator, the portable apparatus comprising an electronic storage device; a user definable input means whereby data is entered into the electronic storage device: means to transfer electronically data held in the storage device to an external electronic computer: and electronic circuitry and software to manage operation of the apparatus. The technique is more efficient than recording manually on sheets etc. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Data recording technique and apparatus therefor This invention relates to a data recording technique for "in the field" data recording and to portable apparatus for performing the technique, in circumstances where the data is subsequently to be subjected to analysis.

Investigations such as market surveys, opinion polls, consumer surveys, product testing, and a wide range of behavioural studies and data collections, in commercial and governmental situations and by the law enforcement agencies, involve the collection of data from selected subjects, or from observation, and conventionally such data is initially recorded manually e.g. by hand writing on a multiple choice type questionnaire form. Thereafter a large amount of time and costly manual effort is involved in transmitting such sheets to a processing centre where the collected data is copied, checked, sorted and eventually encoded into a computer language before the data is able to be entered into the computer for analysis.In addition, recognising the significance of any particular answer or group of answers and the need to pursue a sub-routine or series of sub-questions requires the operative to have a high degree of intelligence and considerable training, and without which, no matter how sophisticated and elaborate is e.g.

a questionnaire form, relevant data cannot be collected effectively and the relevance of collected data recognised.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a data recording technique comprises recording, in an electronic memory of a portable apparatus, data obtained in the field, the operator entering the data, in a readable form, via a management and control circuit associated with the memory, as data becomes progressively available to the operator.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of conducting market research, opinion polls, consumer surveys, product testing profile matching and the like utilising a multiple choice answer format comprises an operative writing directly a selected answer to a selected question in a suitable memory of a portable electronic apparatus via a management and control circuit associated with the memory, with the operative responding to signals given by the portable electronic apparatus and initiated by a particular answer to a particular question, by asking a next question or asking a sub-question or series of sub-questions related to the particular question.This is achieved by arranging the multiple choice answers compatible to the intrinsially discrete nature of digital signals and assigning part of the memory of the apparatus to correspond and respond to every possible multiple choice answer.

A further unique aspect of this system is that the management and control circuit is designed to enable search, probe, order and profile matches to be undertaken in real time as each survey proceeds thereby enabling the answer validity to be checked or the question sequence to be automatically optimised or certain responses to be drawn to the operator's attention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, portable apparatus for effecting the above defined method comprises a suitable memory, means for activation by an operative to input the multiple choice answer selected for a particular question, and electronic circuitry and/or software and/or firmware to manage operation of the apparatus and to input the selected answers to the memory in required form.

Thus, the management and control circuit can be such as to input the selected answers in an encoded form to be passed, subsequently, directly to an analysing computer.

Equally the management and control circuit can be such as to input the selected answers in a form such that the data collected can be displayed on a visual display unit, or in a form that is Prestel and full RS232 compatible for direct communication via national communication networks.

Thus (considering for example questionnaire type data) the conventional, labour intensive technique of transmission, copying, checking, sorting and encoding are completely eliminated, for encoding into a computer readable form is effected in the field, by the operator entering data into the apparatus, which data can be readily transferred to a computer, through a suitable interface, for subsequent analysis and hence there is provided the possibility of virtual instantaneous data sorting and analytical procedures being effected by the computer. Hence the method and apparatus of the invention eliminate a major labour intensive and hence costly aspect of data collection, whilst simultaneously providing for the speedy availability of analysis results.

In addition, the management and control circuit can be such that the collection of data can be optimised, and existing methods of surveying extended considerably by enabling search, probe, order and profile matching to be effected by the portable device, this in addition to the sum total of information being stored in a form that can either be passed directly to an anylising computer displayed on a visual display unit or transmitted over national communication networks.Thus for example, there can be the recognition of the significance of a particular answer to a particular question, or the collective significance of a number of answers to a number of questions, and the operative signalled either to the effect that a saught-after profile has been matched, or to cause the operative to ask a question, or a number of sub-questions, related to a particular question or a particular group of questions.

Thus, the technique of the invention allows for the considerably more efficient collection of data without the need to use highly trained operatives, with the complete elimination of the time consuming task of converting the collected data from a manual form to a computer readable form.

Preferably, the means of electronic storage is a solid state device, although it is not inconceivable that in some applications another medium tape e.g. magnetic tape, may be employed.

The apparatus can conveniently take the form of a clip board, on the surface of which are a series of switches arranged as an array on or near the surface of the clip board in such a manner that a multiple choice question/answer sheet can overlay them in a position so as each possible answer selection box covers a single switch. Thus if suitable switches and pens are used any answer scribed onto the answer sheet will activate an appropriate switch. The significance ascribed by the operator's activation of any particular switch or switch sequence is defined by the party initiating the data collection, and printed on the overlay so that the apparatus is infinite in its potential to effect differently formulated data collection surveys etc.It is equally feasible that the apparatus embodies a voice synthesizer with a vocal feed-back, so that the operative can input selected answers vocally, with any signals given by the apparatus being via the vocal feed-back.

The means to extract data may in principle take one of several alternative forms. Thus, the apparatus may be so constructed that the storage device may readily be physically removed from the apparatus and replaced by a fresh storage device, the removed storage device being transported to a computer or terminal of a computer. Alternatively, the apparatus may have an access socket for the transfer of data via the interface apparatus, from the storage device to a computer or VDU. Again, the apparatus may incorporate an attachment whereby data may be transferred from the storage device to a remote computer or VDU via a telephone link, or fed into a national communications network for display on a remote television set.

The management and control circuit for the apparatus may take one of two main forms; a wholly or mainly hardware configuration e.g.

hard-wired, discrete logic, custom VLSI, PLA's or ULA's or a processor-based system e.g.

microprocessor together with a firmware device. The circuit will have the capability to combine and manage all the individual units comprising the system and in particular provide the real-time analysis facility used to provide the search, probe, order, correlation and profile matching capability. The directions (or intelligence) of the unit is contained, in the case of a wholly hard-wired unit, in the unique combination and interconnection matrix of components. In the case of a microprocessorbased system this information is contained in both the unit component combination and inter matrix and the inter matrix within the firmware device.

In detail, the apparatus may incorporate liquid crystal displays (LCDs) indicating the data selection and, in a mode where questionnaire type data is to be recorded, the question number, and when required to signal an appropriate instruction to an operative. Circuitry and firmware (in a VP based design) is required to interface the memory, display, keys and manage the protocol of the apparatus, and conveniently switch means e.g. located on a front panel of the apparatus, are provided for operation, in any combination, by the operator. A display corresponding to each date switch is illuminated upon its activation.

In the questionnaire mode, answers will normally take the form of combinatorial selections to multiple choice answers, thus each indicator and switch will usually correspond to a given multiple choice answer. Storage of this data is effected by activating an "advance" switch.

Data entered in error may be corrected by either activating a "clear" switch or reactivating the switch activated in error. Each session of data acquisition is terminated by either switching off the apparatus or activating the "end session" switch which resets the question number indicator, and partitions the memory (divides, e.g., individual questionnaire sessions) by inserting a flag byte (e.g. FF). Question boundaries may be marked by a termination flag bit. Although the question/answer scheme is almost infinitely variable one convenient configuration for the information format is to arrange for selections to comprise of multiples of seven; thus when combined with a question termination bit it is directly compatible to byte-wide memory. An LCD may be used to indicate when the storage capacity of the device is exhausted. In accordance with another feature, storage devices may be readily changed to augment the storage capacity as required.

One embodiment of the management and control circuit of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The communication interface enables data to be communicated between an external point and the unit. A number of standard transmission formats are catered for including RS232, V24, and standard MODEM. Question, answers and system, control commands are provided by a set of membrane or Hall effect switches which are connected to the control circuitry via an interface circuit. Question Question Flag, Session No and answer indicators are provided using a set of alphanumeric and point source LCD's connected to the control unit via an interface circuit. Power for the circuitry is provided by a replaceable dry battery and regulation circuit.

Question answers are stored in the memory unit which is preferably of a low power type e.g. CMOS and with a capacity of not less than 2048 bytes. Answers are filed in this memory by the management and control cicuitry. This circuit consists of a microprocessor (UCC-80C51 Ferranti:- 6301/3) together with a firmware device. This unit also has the function of performing all analysis functions e.g. correlation and profile matching. The unique function of the unit is produced by the design of unique device selection combination or interconnection and within the circuit and firmware device.

Each interview session is indentified by unique session number; and each question within a session is identified by unique question number. Session and question numbers are displayed on the LCD devices.

Questions are written on a rollover (flip) question pad in a multiple choice format (1 from nX7) and each rollover pad page may contain more than one question (typically 6).

The current question being asked is displayed in the question No LCD and pointed to by the now question pointer LCD's. Answers to questions are made by activating the switch associated with the column containing the answer, the answers to questions being displayed on point source LCD's situated immediately above the answer selection switches and in line with the answer columns.

Each session (containing a group of questions) may be randomly or sequentially accessed using the session No. forwards/backwards switch. Activation of either switch sequentially moves the session No either 1 unit forwards or backwards. Questions within any session may be randomly selected using the associated advance/backwards switch in the same manner as described in (viii) (also updates question No indicator) rows may be advanced (same question) by activating non advance retard switch (does not update question No. indicator).

Profile matches, Question sequence changes and other situations needing the operators attention or action are flagged by flashing the LCD displays (question No and relevant answer bit), and Operator Response Flags cause the apparatus to suspend further action until the acknowledge switch has been activated.

Each interview session is portioned by, either switching the apparatus 'off' or 'on', or by activating the 'end session' switch. Whole question responses may be cleared by activating the clear switch. Partial question responses may be reversed by activating associated column response switch in sympathy with Question indicator. Switches may be off a contact (e.g. membrane) or a non-contact type (e.g. Hall).

Data is communicated to and from the apparatus using the communication interface socket.

Claims (17)

1. A data recording technique comprising recording, in an electronic memory of a portable apparatus, data obtained in the field, the operator entering the data, in an encoded, computer readable form, as data becomes progressively available to the operator.

2. A method of conducting market research, opinion polls, consumer surveys, product testing and the like utilising a multiple choice answer format comprising an operative writing directly a selected answer to a selected question in a suitable memory of a portable electronic apparatus via a management and control circuit associated with the memory, with the operative responding to signals givenbby the portable electronic apparatus and initiated by a particular answer to a particular question, by asking a next question or asking a sub-question or series of sub-questions related to the particular question.

3. A data recording technique as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein there is the step of subsequently transferring electronically the recorded data from the apparatus to a computer, VDU, or into a national communications network via a communication port or detachable module.

4. A data recording technique as in Claim 3, wherein the detachable module consists of the type of memory used to store computer software, eg, EPROMS.

5. Portable apparatus for carrying out the method of Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising a suitable memory, means for activation by an operative to input the multiple choice answer selected for a particular question, and electronic circuitry and/or software and/or firmware to manage operation of the apparatus and to input the selected answers to the memory in required form.

6. A portable apparatus as in Claim 5, wherein the means of electronic storage is a solid state device.

7. A portable apparatus as in Claim 5, wherein the means of electronic storage is a magnetic tape.

8. A portable apparatus as in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the means to enter data into the storage device consists of a plurality of keys, with the significance ascribed to the operator activation of any particular key or key sequence being previously defined by the party initiating the data collection.

9. A portable apparatus as in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the storage device is physically removable and replaceable and whereby the storage device can be transported to a computer or computer terminal.

10. A portable appartus as in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein an access socket for the transfer of data via the interface apparatus, from the storage device is provided.

11. A portable apparatus as in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein an attachment is provided whereby data may be transferred from the storage device to a remote computer via a telephone link.

12. A portable apparatus as in any of Claims 5 to 11, wherein the apparatus incorporates liquid crystal displays (LCDs) indicating the data selection and, in a mode where questionnaire type data is to be recorded, the question number.

13. A portable apparatus as in any of Claims 5 to 12, wherein the apparatus incur porates a liquid crystal display to indicate when the storage capacity of the device is exhausted.

14. A portable apparatus as in any of Claims 5 to 13, wherein test and support means are provided.

15. A portable apparatus as in Claim 14, wherein the test and support means is a separate unit incorporating means for charging the batteries of the apparatus and/or resetting the memory pointers, and/or providing an interface between the apparatus and interrogating computer and/or monitoring the data and address bus to aid fault diagnosis.

16. A data recording technique substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. Portable apparatus for carrying out the method of Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.