WO2001015120A1

WO2001015120A1 - Assessment devices

Info

Publication number: WO2001015120A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2000/000145
Authority: WO
Inventors: Craig Warren Aiken; Kenneth John Everett; Peter Charles Everett
Original assignee: Craig Warren Aiken; Kenneth John Everett; Peter Charles Everett
Priority date: 1999-08-24
Filing date: 2000-08-24
Publication date: 2001-03-01
Also published as: AU6805700A

Abstract

An assessment device comprises a housing incorporating data capturing means into which information may be introduced and which will convey the information to a computer or the like. A set of keys introduces information to the data capturing means. An overlay fits on to the housing to highlight the questions that it is intended to ask and to indicate the places at which the data is to be introduced.

Description

ASSESSMENT DEVICES

This invention relates to assessment devices.

The use of assessment devices for checking customer assessment of the services that they have received is becoming a major business tool. The majority of such assessment devices are normally pre-printed forms specifying the various services and giving blocks or other spaces in which the customer can indicate the degree of satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the services. This has proven to be a fairly adequate method of collecting the desired information. However it suffers from the disadvantage that it is difficult and time consuming to transfer the information from such forms to apparatus for collating all the information and producing it in a coherent manner so that such information can be properly assessed and used. These forms are also not "user friendly" and many persons avoid the use of such forms.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus incorporating data capturing means into which information may be introduced and which will convey the information to a computer or the like, the apparatus further comprising overlay receiving means on to which an overlay can be placed to highlight the questions that it is intended to ask and to indicate the places at which the data is to be introduced. The data capturing means preferably comprises keys (including soft touch keys) and the overlay preferably identifies such keys. With this apparatus the customer can easily and readily complete a response to queries set out on overlay. The apparatus can be located at the position where the customer will conveniently be, for example at the payment counter or check out counter at a hotel .

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings .

In the drawings : - Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus of the invention without an overlay, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus including an overlay, Figure 3 is an underside view of the apparatus, Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention on a counter.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown an assessment device 10 of the invention. This device 10 comprises a housing H which can be placed and secured at any suitable location such as a counter C being a till, a payment centre, a hotel check out counter or the like. The housing H which is an injection moulded device having an aesthetically pleasing appearance as is apparent from the drawings. It is formed with a top part 12 and a base 14.

The top part 12 has an inclined flat top surface 16 incorporating a key pad 18 contained in a large opening 20. A number of light emitting diodes ("LEDs") are provided along one side of the top surface 16 as will be described in more detail below. An overlay 22 (shown only in Figure 2) is placed on the top surface 16 and is secured thereto by an adhesive. At its lower end the top part has a peripheral skirt 24.

The base 14 has a lower surface 26 surrounded by a low rim 28 which is shaped to fit snugly within the skirt 24. The base 14 is carried on rubber feet 30 located near its corners. To one side the base 14 has a raised table 32 having an inclined support surface 34 surrounded by a low rim 36. The key pad 18 rests on the support surface 34 which is located and inclined so that the key pad 18 is aligned with the top surface 16 within the opening 20. The key pad 18 has twenty five soft touch buttons B arranged in five rows and five columns. The inside side wall 38 of the table 32 has a large port 40. Grooves 42, 43 and 44 are formed in the underside of the lower surface 26 leading to the space under the table 32.

The base 14 also carries a main printed circuit board ("PCB") 46 and an LED PCB 48. The main PCB 46 carries a socket 50 which is located beside the port 40. It also carries a slot (indicated at 52) to receive a multiple plug from a harness 54 connected to the underside of the key pad 18. An opening 56 is provided in the rim 36 so that the harness 54 can lie smoothly on the surface 34. Another socket 58 of the PCB 46 connects to LED PCB 48. The remaining electronic devices on the PCB 46 are not shown nor will they be described as they can be selected has desired from the following description. The LED PCB 48 carries five question LEDs (LED_X to LED₅) located respectively adjacent each row of buttons B, a status LED₀, and an LED, LED₆, (a "completion LED") . In addition there is a status or on/off LED, LED₀.

The top surface 16 has openings 60 located adjacent to be LEDs so that light emitted by the LEDs can be transmitted through the overlay 22. An aesthetically pleasing surround 62 is provided for the top surface 16 having a shallow peripheral shoulder 64 to locate the overlay 22 accurately on the top surface 16.

The PCB 48 carries a processor that is operated by the buttons B of the keypad 18 and that controls the operation of the LEDs and the device generally as will be described below. The processor includes a buffer unit which can contain the necessary information inputted by the buttons until required. The processor is connected to a central processing unit (CPU) of the business so that information kept in the buffer unit can be down-loaded to the CPU as and when required. The connection between the processor and the CPU can be by means of a cable W which passes along one of the grooves 42, 43 or 44 and has a plug (not shown) that is located within the space under the table 32 and which passes through the port 40 to engage in the socket 50.

The overlay 22 is a printed plastic sheet of some rigidity. It is divided into a number of areas. In one area 66 (the "button area") there are printed button indicating ovals 68 located in rows and columns so that, when the overlay 22 is in position, they are respectively above the buttons B. Beside the button area 66 is a question area 70 on which five questions are printed adjacent each row of buttons. Above the button area there is a narrow area 72 whereon are printed suitable answers such as "great" , "good", "acceptable", "poor" and "unacceptable" located respectively at the heads of the columns of ovals 68. There are also spaces L through which the LEDs when illuminated will be visible.

The assessment device operates as follows . The overlay 22 is placed on the top surface 16 and is held in position by the adhesive. When the device is ready, the status LED₀ will be illuminated. The question LEDs can take any desired option, being all on and each turned off when a question is answered, being all off and being turned on when a question is answered or being successively flashing to indicate to the user which question is to be answered. When all the questions are answered, the completion LED₆ will be illuminated, the information delivered to the buffer and the device reset.

The buffer may be arranged to "tag" each entry with a date and time to identify it properly. In this case the housing may carry a battery (normally located on the main PCB) to ensure that information is retained even if there is a power failure . The assessment device may be carried on a wall and key hole openings 70 (see Figure 3) are provided so that it may be hung on screws in the wall . The device may also be sunk into an opening in a counter . A surrounding surface 72 on the underside of the housing will prevent the housing falling through the opening.

A buzzer or beeper may be provided to give an audible signal once a question has been answered.

The processor also includes a time delay device. Should there be too long a delay between the answering of questions, the time delay device will cancel the information and re-set the device. Alternatively the time delay device will cause just the information about the questions that have been answered to be sent to the buffer.

From time to time signals will be received by the processor from the CPU causing the information in the buffer to be down-loaded to the CPU.

The processor may be such that it renders one or more keys inactive. This may be valuable for example where there are only two answers to any question e.g. "Yes" or "No". In such an arrangement only two keys in a row may be active.

It will be appreciated that a -number of assessment devices may be connected to each CPU. The CPU will be programmed to accept information coming from assessment devices having different overlays. Thus different questions may be dealt with by different assessment devices.

The CPU may be provided with the appropriate protocols for multiple use (e.g. R3485) and for long distance cables (which may be 1000 metres or more in length) .

The owners of the assessment devices may from time to time wish to change the questions that are to be asked and/or the form of the questions . Although the overlay may be removed from the upper member and be replaced by another member, more conveniently the entire upper member will be removed and a new upper member having the new overlay adhered thereto will replace the first upper member.

The assessment devices and the arrangement of the invention provides a means whereby information about customer assessment of services can be given and recorded virtually instantaneously. Because the assessment device is easy to operate and conveniently located, customers are more likely to provide the assessment information than where the customers have to fill in a form. The arrangement of the table 32 and the port 40 means that the electric connection to the device 10 will be hidden and will not adversely affect the appearance of the device 10.

The invention is not limited to the precise construc^¬ tional details hereinbefore described and illustrated. For example there may be more or less buttons and their arrangement may be different . The shape of the device and button indicating ovals may vary. The device 10 may be connected to the CPU by radio transmission or the like .

The device may be used wheresoever such assessments are required including hotels, banks , airways counters , shops and many other locations .

Furthermore the devices may be hand held to facilitate their use .

Claims

1 An apparatus incorporating data capturing means into which information may be introduced and which will convey the information to a computer or the like, characterised by overlay receiving means on to which an overlay can be placed to highlight the questions that it is intended to ask and to indicate the places at which the data is to be introduced.

2 An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the data capturing means comprises keys and the overlay identifies such keys.

3 An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that the keys are soft touch keys .

4 An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised by a housing incorporating a lower member and a separate upper member and in that the data capturing means is mounted in the lower member and the overlay receiving means is incorporated in the upper member.

5 An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that the upper member incorporates a top surface having a large opening therein and in that the lower member has a raised table including a surface located within the opening on which the data capturing means is supported. 6 An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that the table is carried on side walls and in that there is an opening in one of the side walls through which power input and output cables can pass to the interior of the housing about the table .