RU2408925C2 - Method for testing and/or polling of remote users - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technologies.

SUBSTANCE: method includes development of question vase with correct and incorrect versions of answers, automatic distribution of a signal to remote users from Internet server of the company about the fact that they may participate in testing and/or polling, receipt of task by remote users from server through data transfer networks, sending of answer results by remote users, selection of winners by the company server and sending signals to remote users with information on results of testing and/or polling, besides, prior to testing and/or polling, throughput capacity of remote user communication channel is assessed, and in case of negative results, such as excessive time of server response or low throughput capacity of channel, remote user is warned about possible collisions in receipt of testing or polling results, and at the moment of summation the correction is made by time spent to go through testing and/or polling.

EFFECT: improved validity of testing results.

10 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to methods for using data networks for testing and / or polling remote users. This method can be used to create systems for conducting interactive tests and surveys of a general nature, conducting professional tests and conducting psychological tests, conducting sociological surveys and forming public opinion, conducting marketing research, researching consumer loyalty and forming loyalty. The method of conducting tests and / or surveys can also be used to determine the psycho-emotional state of test participants in order to more accurately determine and calculate the results of tests performed at a certain point in time by remote users via data transmission networks.

A known method of conducting an interactive competition for remote users, in which it is carried out - "... an interactive competition for remote users, which provides the opportunity for any user who has a personal computer or some means of connecting to a telecommunication network (such devices can be network computers, televisions, electronic secretaries, pagers, phones), take part in real time in the competition along with many other users. Such an interactive quiz is possible due to the ensured simultaneous participation of any number of telecommunication network users in it and the use of a number of new rating and data processing systems that make it possible to determine objectively several winners for a limited number of tasks. Due to the dynamic assessment formed and presented in real time, which is determined by the tasks of the competitions, determined according to the invention, taking into account the complexity of the task of the competition, unflagging interest in the development of events and special dramaturgy in the process of the competition are ensured, which will help to attract the participation of an increasing number of participants .

A known method of conducting an interactive competition for remote users by testing and / or polling remote users, including creating a question database with correct and incorrect answer options for testing and / or polling remote users, automatically sending a signal to remote users from the Internet server of the specified company through data networks that they can take part in testing and / or survey conducted by the specified company by users from the server of the specified company, assignments for participation in testing and / or polling by requesting through data transmission networks, sending by remote users the results of answers to testing questions and / or polling via data transmission networks to the company’s server, automatic summing up and selection of winners by the company’s server based on the results of participation of remote users in testing and / or polling, and sending signals to all remote users with information about the results of testing and / or testing s by the data transmission networks (see., Patent RU 2124753, G06F 19/00, 1999).

The technical result provided by the known invention is to increase the efficiency of competitions, quizzes and other entertaining and educational events, expressed in expanding the circle of participants, almost unlimitedly within the available resources of telecommunication networks, increasing the speed of carrying out these events, as well as increasing the objectivity, accuracy, the reliability of the assessment of the results of participants.

However, the known solution has a number of conceptual and technological disadvantages.

Conceptual flaws include:

- a way to present questions and answers in competitions - alphanumeric;

- manual input of an alphanumeric response is provided, which leads to the possibility of incorrect input from the bidder, subsequently this requires the participation of the corrector from the bidder to determine the correct answer;

- preliminary notification of bidders is not provided;

- to participate in the competition, a certain payment is required, which significantly reduces the number of participants in the competition;

- too complex a mechanism for mutual settlements between sponsors, participants and organizers;

- the impossibility of the participation of the same user in the same competition many times.

Technological disadvantages include:

- for each competition it is necessary to create new software;

- the main part of the software being created contains a database of questions and answers - this means that the data is stored in the body of the program as variables, that is, this method does not use a DBMS. From this it follows that questions of the reliability of the database during multi-user network shares remain outside the scope of the approach of the known method and remain entirely at the discretion of the developer programmer;

- assessment of the peak load on the server (estimation of data transmission network bandwidth and computing power during calculations) is not carried out at the time and before the competitions, thereby the known method does not provide the necessary fault tolerance of the system for conducting and organizing competitions in general;

- The settlement server is located on the public network, which complicates and makes the financial transaction process vulnerable for bidders, organizers, and sponsors.

The objective of the invention is to create a method of using data transmission networks for testing and / or interviewing remote users, providing the opportunity to any user who has the necessary technical means (personal computer with Internet access, mobile devices that allow you to view WWW content, as well as any other devices, possessing these functions) connected to the public data network (Internet, GSM, CDMA, etc.), take part in ongoing tests niyah and surveys, testing and / or survey at the same time for all users in real-time restricted to a certain time.

The objective of the invention is to increase the reliability and fault tolerance of testing and / or interrogation, simplification of financial operations during the implementation of the method.

This task is achieved by a Method for testing and / or polling remote users, including creating a question database with correct and incorrect answer options for testing and / or polling remote users, automatically sending a signal to remote users from the Internet server of the specified company through data networks that they can take part in testing and / or survey conducted by the specified company, remote users receiving from the server of the specified company and tasks for participating in testing and / or polling by querying through data transmission networks, sending by remote users the results of answers to testing questions and / or polling via data transmission networks to the company’s server, summarizing and selecting winners by the company’s server according to the results of participation of remote users in testing and / or polling, and sending to all remote users signals with information about the results of testing and / or polls through data transmission networks, moreover, the creation of the indicated the question database is carried out by obtaining the company conducting the testing and / or survey, through the use of electronic data transmission networks of information from the supplier of goods, services or information, its preliminary analysis of these data and inclusion of selected questions using internal and external data transmission networks the specified question database, transmission to the supplier over existing data transmission networks in electronic form of a prepared question database with the indicated answer options coordination of the liquidity of the created question base with the specified supplier of goods, services or information, after the approval of the question base and answer options by the specified supplier, the specified company, using internal data transfer networks, records the question database with the answer options in the main database for further preparation of questionnaires and test tasks, the specified company records the prepared test tasks and questionnaires on its server, and then from the Internet server of the specified com The companies automatically send out a signal to remote users, which additionally contains information about web addresses on the Internet, where they can familiarize themselves with information on topics planned for testing and / or polling, and, before participating in testing and / or polling, remote users turn to the information resources of the supplier and / or company, through data transmission networks, for a more detailed study of the data array in connection with the financial motivation of remote users On the basis of the indicated results, the winners are sent notifications of incentives for participating in testing and / or polling in the form of signals via data transmission networks, and the indicated company makes the corresponding payouts to the corresponding remote users according to the place taken in the testing rating and / or a survey, in this case, before the specified payments, the user places a request to conduct a transaction in his favor.

This task is also achieved by the fact that at any stage, these suppliers and remote users have the ability to control their own statistics and transactions by contacting the server of the specified company through a data network.

As well as the fact that the information in electronic form includes advertising materials or audiovisual data, and questions and answer options can be either in text form, or in graphic, animation, sound, audiovisual static and dynamic.

As well as the fact that before testing and / or polling, they evaluate the bandwidth of the communication channel of the remote user, and in case of negative results, which include exceeding the response time of the server or extremely low bandwidth of the channel, the remote user is warned of possible collisions when receiving test results or survey, and at the time of summing up, a correction is made according to the time spent on passing the test and / or survey.

And also by the fact that if, for technical reasons, the bandwidth of the communication channel does not allow testing and / or polling for all remote users registered in them, an additional group of remote users is created for which the testing and / or polling process starts immediately after previous testing or survey.

And also the fact that testing and / or polling in an additional group is carried out by installing auxiliary servers or by increasing the capacity of data transmission channels and load balancing algorithms on an Internet server or several Internet servers of a specified company.

And also the fact that the selection of participants in a new group is carried out according to the algorithm, which is determined by the specified company in advance.

And also by the fact that the winners are selected from those remote users who quickly answered the questions correctly.

The possible number of winners is determined in advance and remains at the discretion of the company, the organizer of testing and surveys of remote users. Factors affecting the possible number of winners are - the size of the prize fund, the complexity of the questions, etc. Before testing and / or the survey - users receive all the necessary information - the size of the prize fund, the possible number of winners, topics of questions, terms of participation, etc. Winners selected from those who answered the questions correctly the fastest. All participants in testing and surveys receive the same questions and answer options, so all users are on an equal footing. In addition, it is possible, before participating in testing, to measure the response delay of the organizer server (ping) to the user's workstation, if this value is more than acceptable - the user is warned of possible inaccuracies in calculating the time that he will spend on solving the entire test. This factor will allow you to make a correction for time and will allow you to more correctly choose a winner in testing. Particular attention is paid to the questions used in testing and surveys. The base of questions and answers is created in such a way that there is a large number of correct and incorrect answers to one question, from which the system preselects unique previously unused options for the next type testing or survey. Questions and answers can be either in text form or in graphic, animation, sound, audiovisual static and dynamic. It follows from this that this method of using data transmission networks for testing and surveys covers a very wide range of subject areas and provides new opportunities for evaluating the results of tests and surveys, thereby increasing the accuracy for decision-making for those who are interested in this invention . In addition, all tests and polls are free for all users. Winners of tests and surveys receive prize payments from the organizer of tests and surveys. Thus, due to the fact that this method does not provide financial risks for users and only leads to their training and receiving financial rewards from the organizers in case of winning (for acquired or previously acquired knowledge) - when implemented, this method of using data transmission networks for testing and surveys will attract a very large number of participants, consumers and interested parties.

The method is illustrated in the drawing, which shows a diagram of the use of data networks in the implementation of the patented method.

When conducting tests and surveys, the following actions are carried out:

- remote users visit the organizer's Internet server via a data network;

- remote users learn through the data transmission network the rules for conducting tests and surveys, and also get acquainted with publicly available news and announcements posted on the organizer's Internet server;

- remote users are registered in the system / portal via the data transfer network, filling out all the necessary fields for this in the registration form, and receive a username, password, user ID, as well as the ability to immediately start testing and / or polling. Remote users can subscribe to future tests and surveys, as well as get news and information intended for registered participants;

- remote users via data networks receive a preliminary notification of the testing or survey being conducted and study the rules of participation, learn about the size of the prize pool, the possible number of winners, etc .;

- through data transmission networks, remote users go to the test or survey page, on which a digital timer is set with a countdown to the start of the next test or poll, which automatically starts at the time set by the organizer;

- using technical means connected to the public network, participants receive a questionnaire with an analog or digital timer that counts the remaining time for testing or polling, and answer questions by selecting the correct answers and, at the end, send their results to the organizer’s server, which automatically analyzes the results of a test or survey;

- participation in the competition takes place in real time and at the same time for all users participating in this testing or survey;

- the winner is chosen from those who correctly answered the questions of testing or the survey most quickly;

- users can find out the results of participation immediately after the time allotted for the testing or survey they have passed;

- at this moment there is an instant replenishment of the internal game balance of the winners who have passed the nearest testing or survey;

- remote users at any time have the opportunity to view their history of participation in tests and surveys, the history of transactions conducted, their own and overall rating. With a positive balance of their game account, users can send a request to the organizer to transfer funds to a previously specified user account, if there is sufficient amount for the transaction determined by the organizer;

- remote users have the opportunity to participate in the same type of testing or polls as many times as the organizer conducts it, however, those users who once won in such tests or polls get extra time to their new result, which is set at the discretion of the organizer before such a testing or polling.

This method uses a cost-effective approach - a tool (algorithm, computer program, database structure (database)) is designed, the use of which will allow you to create test sessions without additional programming, which, in turn, is more cost-effective than creating a new program each time and database of questions and answers to it. The creation of a new test or survey takes place "on the fly", by making appropriate changes to the database. Thus, the present method will reduce the cost of using the present invention.

This invention formulates an explicit requirement of high reliability and implies the use of an industrial-grade DBMS, which will significantly increase the fault tolerance of the system and reduce the side risks associated with systemic "denial of service" of users. This is an essential and important criterion in systems based on financial transactions between the organizer and the test participant, and, thus, significantly expands the scope of the present invention.

Before testing and surveys, it is envisaged to conduct an assessment of the bandwidth of the participant’s communication channel. In case of negative results (exceeding the server response time or extremely low bandwidth of the channel) - the participant is warned of possible collisions when receiving test results or polling. At the time of summing up, an adjustment can be made for the time spent on passing tests or surveys.

If, for technical reasons, the bandwidth of the communication channel does not allow testing or polling for all participants registered in them, the system (software) automatically creates an additional group of participants (the selection of participants in a new group is carried out according to an algorithm that is determined in advance by the organizer), for which the testing or survey process starts immediately after the end of the previous “completed” testing or survey. This problem can be solved by installing auxiliary servers using the results of the present invention, as well as by increasing the throughput of data transfer channels and load balancing algorithms on an Internet server or several Internet servers of the organizer.

Creation of questionnaires for testing and surveys can occur in manual and automatic modes. When creating, a database of questions and answers is used. The base of answers contains - variants of correct answers greater than or equal to one (1), variants of incorrect answers - greater than or equal to three (3) (the number of options is determined separately by the organizer). This technology is used so that a variant of the question is displayed only once. This is due to the fact that if we use the traditional formula for calculating options, we get an excessive number of unique answer options for one question.

C (N, K) = N! / (K! * (N-K)!)

Where C is the number of combinations, N is the number of incorrect answer options in the database, K is the number of incorrect answer options displayed.

In the case when there is only one correct answer and a question with four possible answers is displayed (one correct answer is three incorrect ones), and four incorrect variants are stored in the answer database. The result of the number of question options is calculated:

C (4.3) = 4! / (3! * (4-3)!) = 24/6 = 4.

Thus, the same question can have four (4) options. With an increase in the number of incorrect answers, the number of variants of the same question dramatically increases. For five incorrect options (5) - 10, for 6 - 20, for 7 - 35, for 8 - 56, etc.

Questions may have varying degrees of difficulty.

Questions may have a different linguistic design.

Questions may contain only correct answers.

The question can be built on the basis of denial - “Indicate the wrong answer:”.

Questions that are built on the basis of negation can contain only incorrect answers (which are correct when answering a question of this design).

Questions of the above types may contain graphic, animation, audio, audiovisual static and dynamic information, both in the body of the question and in the answer options.

The list of questions in the questionnaire is organized as follows:

- the questionnaire may consist only of specialized questions, for the answer to which the user / participant must study certain materials, the source of which is indicated by the organizer;

- The questionnaire can be “diluted” with secondary, distracting questions;

- The questionnaire can only consist of common questions.

All tests and surveys are carried out at the expense of the organizer (the principle of “one cash desk”), all tests and surveys are free for users, in tests and surveys there are no rates and financial risks for participants in the tests and surveys, financial transactions are carried out in only one direction - from the Organizer to to the participant. The use of this invention will lead to a significant increase in the number of participants due to the lack of the need to pay for participation in tests and surveys. Thus, when advertising (promoting) goods and services, as well as disseminating information, this method covers a significant audience, and also has a simplified and reliable settlement scheme.

Considering that this method does not imply payment by the participants of any services of the Organizer (for participation in tests, surveys, etc.), the settlement server has been transferred to the protected territory of the Organizer. This significantly reduces the risks of participants. Organizer and integrity of financial information. When a certain amount is accumulated in the participant’s internal account (on the Organizer’s server), the latter leaves (sends) a request to the Organizer for payment and indicates a convenient way for him to receive a win. The organizer, in turn, through secure communication channels independently carries out a transaction at the request of the participant, at pre-specified details.

If we consider this invention in the plane of the method of disseminating information by financially motivating consumers, users and interested parties, we can pay attention to the fact that, in fact, this method opens a new advertising platform for advertisers on the one hand and interested motivated consumers on the other . Thus, this method can be used by the following structures:

1. Manufacturers of goods and services.

1.1. attracting a potential consumer to a product, service, brand through testing and surveys to know the information on the topics provided.

1.2. attracting a potential consumer to the study of existing (issued) advertising (answers to questions after watching an advertisement on television, listening to an advertisement on a radio, studying an advertisement in print (magazine, newspaper, billboard, Internet, etc.)).

2. Advertising companies.

2.1. using this method as a mechanism for stabilizing and strengthening relationships with advertisers by justifying the interest of those to whom this advertisement is directed.

2.2. as a connecting mechanism to strengthen the relevance and justification of the costs of produced advertising (television, radio, print advertising in publications, the Internet, indoor, outdoor, etc.).

3. Publishers, film and television industry, theaters and concerts. Media (including the Internet).

3.1. attracting potential consumers to publications through testing and surveys regarding the content of these publications.

3.2. attracting potential consumers to the filmed film and video materials, such as feature films and documentaries, series and reality shows, as well as other products, through testing and surveys regarding the content of materials.

3.3. attracting a potential consumer to visit theatrical performances and watch concerts, through testing and surveys regarding the information received during the visit.

4. Owners of musical works (authors, copyright holders, licensees, etc.).

4.1. attracting potential consumers through testing and surveys regarding the biography of performers, discographies, general information, as well as surveys based on listening to excerpts from works, etc.

5. Photographers and artists (authors, copyright holders, etc.).

5.1. attracting potential consumers through tests and surveys related to biography, general information, as well as surveys based on viewing visual material, its artistic components, etc.

6. Government structures.

6.1. engaging through surveys related to political events, news, biographies, relationship stories, etc. Interviews may use audiovisual components, etc.

7. Political parties and entities.

7.1. involvement through surveys regarding party policies, articles of association, lines of business, organizational structure, etc.

8. Social services.

8.1. is educational and encouraging. Surveys should focus on the hot and current social problems of society.

9. Educational institutions

9.1. is educational and encouraging.

Attracting consumers implies their financial motivation for thematic testing and surveys.

In addition to the above areas, due to the wide range of coverage when using the present invention, it may be of interest to other organizations, entities and structures.

Using this invention along with well-known methods of studying public opinion, it is subsequently possible to form loyalty of the audience and public opinion.

Patented method is as follows.

This method of testing and interviewing remote users will allow any information owners (producers of goods and services, persons and structures interested in disseminating their information, publishers, copyright holders of text, audio, visual and audiovisual works, artists, writers, directors, structures interested in the process audience training, etc., etc.) to attract a significant additional audience of users.

1. "The company organizes testing and surveys", the Company, through the use of data transmission networks, receives information in electronic form (advertising materials, audiovisual data, etc.) from the "Supplier of goods, services and information", hereinafter the Supplier. Based on this data, having carried out a preliminary analysis, the Company, using internal and external data transmission networks, creates a question database with correct and incorrect answer options for testing and polling Remote users.

2. The Supplier, using existing data transmission networks, receives from the Company in electronic form a prepared question database with answer options. The Company shall coordinate the liquidity of the created question base with the Supplier.

3. After approval of the question base and answer options by the Supplier, the Company, using internal data transfer networks, records the question database with answer options in the main database for the further preparation of questionnaires and test tasks.

4. The company records the prepared test tasks and questionnaires on the server.

5. The Internet server of the Company automatically sends a signal to Remote users, via data transmission networks, that they can take part in testing and / or survey conducted by the Company. In addition, Remote users receive web addresses on the Internet, where they can familiarize themselves with information on topics planned for testing and / or polling.

6. For successful participation in the tests and / or surveys conducted by the Company, Remote users need to access the information resources of the Supplier and / or Company through data transmission networks for a more detailed study of the data array in connection with the financial motivation of Remote Users by the Company.

7. Remote users receive tasks from the Company’s server to participate in tests and / or surveys, by querying through data networks.

8. Having answered the questions of testing and / or survey, Remote users send the results, via data transmission networks, to the server of the Company.

9. Based on the results of the participation of Remote Users in testing and surveys, the Company server, based on statistical data, automatically sums up and selects the winners, sending signals to all participants with information about the results through data transmission networks.

10. Further, based on the results, the winners are sent notifications of encouragement for participating in testing and / or surveys in the form of signals through data networks. The Company makes appropriate payments to the corresponding Remote Users, according to the occupied place in the ranking of testing and / or surveys.

10a - the user places a request for a transaction in his favor

10b - The organizing company pays the winnings to the user.

11. At any stage, Suppliers and Remote Users have the ability to control their own statistics and transactions by contacting the Company’s server through a data network.

It should be noted that the main distinguishing feature of this method is the motivation of remote users.

Considering the fact that this scheme of interaction between the parties implies the presence of computer equipment that can work in data transfer networks, we list the types of equipment used:

On the side of the Supplier - any computer equipment that can work with public data networks with any network operating system.

On the Remote User side, any computer equipment capable of working with public data networks with any network operating system.

On the side of the Company - a specialized server-independent platform software of its own production is being installed. As the server platform, any existing server platform running any server operating system can be used.

Claims (10)

1. A method for testing and / or polling remote users, including creating a question database with correct and incorrect answer options for testing and / or polling remote users, automatically sending a signal to remote users from the Internet server of the specified company through data networks saying that they can take part in testing and / or survey conducted by the specified company, receiving remote users from the server of the specified company tasks to participate in the tester Information and / or survey by requesting through data transmission networks, sending by remote users the results of answers to testing questions and / or polling via data transmission networks to the company’s server, automatic summing up and selection of winners by the company’s server according to the results of participation of remote users in testing and / or survey, and sending to all remote users signals with information about the results of testing and / or surveys via data networks, characterized in that before testing and / or by polling, the channel capacity of the remote user is evaluated, and in case of negative results, which include exceeding the server response time or low channel bandwidth, the remote user is warned of possible conflicts when receiving test results or polling, and at the time of summing up correction for the time spent on testing and / or polling. 2. The method of testing and / or interviewing remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that the information in electronic form includes advertising materials or audiovisual data, and questions and answer options can be either in text form, or in graphic, animation, sound audivisual static and dynamic. 3. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that users answer questions by selecting the correct answers. 4. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that for testing and / or surveys, to ensure reliability, use an industrial-level DBMS. 5. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that all the remote users participating in the testing and / or survey receive tasks that are identical in form and level of difficulty, but different in content. 6. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that the users are notified in advance of the testing and / or polls. 7. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that users in advance receive information about the subject area of testing and / or polling. 8. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that before testing and / or polling, users have the opportunity to study materials in advance for successful answers to questions. 9. The method of testing and / or interviewing remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that users receive rewards for participating in ongoing tests and / or surveys. 10. The method of testing and / or polling remote users according to claim 1, characterized in that users have the ability to control their own statistics and transactions in their favor.