FR2776791A1 - Interactive processing of questionnaires used in behavioral studies that allow multiple degrees of preference in answering each question - Google Patents

Abstract

The processing works with an image of n x N points, with n gray levels representing the n choices to the N questions, enhancing contrast to highlight specific phenomena. The data is in N data input tables (9-11) associated with N allocation tables (12-14) holding specific parameters. A computer generates result matrices and displays separately contents of each row or column of results.

Description

I

  DEVICE FOR INTERACTIVE TREATMENT OF A

BEHAVIOR IMAGE

  The present invention relates to the processing of complex information obtained from responses to a questionnaire relating to a plurality of criteria and to a

  plurality of degrees preferably.

  This type of questionnaire is used in particular for behavior analysis. Other applications are however possible. Such a questionnaire generally comprises N groups of n propositions each, the user having, for each group,

  indicate an order of preference of the n propositions.

  The information extracted from such a questionnaire thus constitutes an image with n x N points. Each point is assigned a gray level corresponding to the degree of preference of

the proposal under consideration.

  The propositions of each group of propositions are chosen to correspond each to an aspect of behavior taken

among n aspects of behavior.

  The difficulty is to process this image in such a way as to bring out the contrasts between the groups of points and possibly generate the additional processing that would seem necessary. The known devices for processing such behavior images most often use statistical methods of data processing, which amalgamate or combine the information and do not allow image contrasts to be detected. The problem proposed by the present invention is to design a new device for interactive processing of a behavioral image which makes it possible to significantly increase the

  contrast of the image, with a view to its subsequent interpretation.

  The object of the invention is also to increase the speed of image processing, and to increase the reliability of this image.

treatment.

  Also, the subject of the invention is a computer behavior image processing device making it possible to generate alarm signals consecutive to the recognition of particular shapes in the image to be processed. These signals allow the user to then change the state of the device

  IT, for additional image processing.

  Likewise, the subject of the invention is a computer behavior image processing device allowing an output display having a particular graphics without interfering with the usual resources of the operating system of the

IT device.

  To achieve these and other objects, a device for the interactive processing of a behavior image according to the invention comprises: - a transfer slip, comprising N groups of n propositions each and the input data formed, for each group, unique reference indices of each proposition taken only once from an ordered sequence of n unique indices preferably, a central computer unit, - an input-output interface making it possible to enter the computer transfer slip input data, - a random access memory, accessed by the central computer unit, - in the random access memory, N input data tables adapted to each contain and store the n unique respective preference indices of one of the N groups of input data, in the order of the n propositions of the input group considered, - in the RAM, N allocation tables each containing specific parameters taken only once from a sequence of n distinct specific parameters and placed in the order of the n propositions of said group considered, - in the RAM, a first result table conformed to contain n rows of n columns, each row corresponding to l one of the n preference indices, each column corresponding to one of the n specific parameters, a program recorded in a program memory and adapted to control the central computer unit so as, for each table cell of input data, locate the preference index i it contains, locate the specific parameter j contained in the allocation table cell corresponding to said input data table cell, and increment by 1 the content of the cell of row i and column j of the first result table, - display means for separately displaying the content of each row and / or of each column of the first tab the result. Thus, according to the invention, one avoids statistically processing the behavior image, by carrying out a processing which on the contrary tends to burst the information contained in the image to increase the contrast. Treatment is more

  fast and does not alter information.

  According to an advantageous embodiment, the device according to the invention further comprises: - in the random access memory, a second result table configured to contain n rows of N columns, each row corresponding to one of the n specific parameters, each column corresponding to one of the N groups, - a program stored in the program memory for controlling the central computer unit so as to, for each cell of the input data table, locate the preference index i it contains, locate the specific parameter j contained in the allocation table cell corresponding to said input data table cell, locate the rank k of said input data table cell in the sequence of N input data tables, and enter the value i of the preference index in the row j and column k cell of the second result table, - display means for separately displaying the content of c each row of the second result table, corresponding to one

n specific parameters.

  An anomalies detection can be carried out by the device according to the invention, by providing means for calculating a degree of variation of the preference indices contained in each row of the second result table, and for generating an alarm signal when the average of the degrees of index variation

  preferably is greater than a predetermined threshold.

  As an alternative or in addition, the device according to the invention may include means for examining the first result table, for selecting in each line the number of the cell containing the highest value, and for generating an alarm signal when selected cells of two rows

  successive are in the same column.

  When displaying the results of the processing, in order to use particular graphic elements such as specific fonts, the device according to the invention comprises a program having a start-up sequence in which it loads into graphic memory the specific graphic elements or fonts recorded in read-only memory, if these are absent from the computer station's operating system. Preferably, specific graphic elements or fonts are loaded in the areas of the

system dedicated to fonts.

  The program can advantageously also include a closing sequence during which the graphic elements or specific fonts which it has previously loaded are unloaded

of program memory.

  Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the

  present invention will emerge from the following description of modes

  of particular embodiments, made in relation to the attached figures, among which: - Figure 1 is a schematic view of the main members of the image processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a first result table; - Figure 2 illustrates a second result table that can be substituted or added to the first result table in Figure 1; and FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the main organs of the device of the invention in an embodiment allowing the loading and unloading of specific graphic display elements. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the interactive behavior image processing device

  includes a central computer unit 1, an input interface

  output 2 such as a keyboard allowing the input data to be entered into the computer from a transfer slip 3 such as a questionnaire with predefined proposals and spaces reserved for responses. A random access memory, accessed by the central computer unit 1, comprises an input area 4 for containing in particular the input data, an output area 5 for containing the output tables, and a program area 6 for contain the programs. A screen 7 allows the visualization of the results and the state of the system, and a printer 8 allows the printing of the

image processing results.

  The transfer slip 3 comprises N groups of n propositions each, and the input data constituted, for each group, by unique preference indices which the user assigns to each proposition by taking each unique index preferably only once from the ordered sequence of n

unique indices of preference.

  The input area 4 of the RAM contains N input data tables, such as the input data tables 9, 10 and 11. Each input data table such as the table 9 is adapted to contain and storing the respective n unique indices preferably from one of the N groups of input data by arranging the n unique indices preferably in the order of the n

proposals of the group considered.

  In the RAM entry area 4, there are also N assignment tables such as tables 12, 13 and 14, each assignment table 12, 13 and 14 containing the specific parameters taken only once in a sequence of n distinct parameters and being arranged in the allocation table in order

  of the n propositions which correspond to them in the group considered.

  In the RAM output area 5, a first result table 15 is shaped to contain n rows of n columns, each row such as row 16 corresponding to one of the n preference indices, each column such as the column 17

  corresponding to one of the n specific parameters.

  The program, recorded in the program memory 6 formed by a zone of the random access memory, is adapted to control the central processing unit 1 of the computer so as to, for each cell of the input data tables 9 to 11, for example for the second cell of the first input data table 9 in FIG. 1, locate the preference index i it contains, locate the specific parameter j contained in the allocation table cell 12 corresponding to the input data table 9 of said input data table cell, and increment by 1 the content of the cell of row i and column j of the first

result table 15.

  The specific parameters each correspond, for example, to an element of the behavior to be analyzed. The clues of

  preferably i can for example be numbered from 1 to 7.

  The program, associated with the central unit 1 and the printer 8, is adapted to display the content of each row 16 and / or of each column 17 of the first result table 15 separately. For example, in FIG. 1 , we have represented

  separate display of results 18, 19 and 20.

  According to the invention, the number N can be between 6 and 25 inclusive. The number n is included in 4 and 8 inclusive, and can

advantageously be equal to 7.

  In the memory output zone 5, a second result table 21 can be provided as illustrated in FIG. 2, and shaped to contain n rows of N columns, each row j corresponding to one of the n parameters, each column k

  corresponding to one of the N groups.

  In this case, the program recorded in the memory program zone 6 is adapted to carry out the following processing: for each cell of the input data tables 9 to 11, the program locates the preference index i which it contains , locates the specific parameter j contained in the allocation table cell 12 corresponding to the input data table cell 9, locates the rank k of the input data table cell 9 in the series of N tables of input data 9-11, and enters the value of the preference index i in the

  row j and column k of the second result table 21.

  In this case, the display 7 or print 8 means are adapted to display or print separately the content of each row j of the second result table 21, corresponding to

one of the n parameters.

  From this second result table 21, the program can be adapted to calculate a degree of variation of the preference indices contained in each row j of the second result table 21, and to generate an alarm signal when the average of the degrees of preference index variation is

  greater than a predetermined threshold.

  The device according to the invention can be provided for generating alarm signals after recognition of particular shapes in the behavior image to be processed. For example, the program can be adapted to scan the first result table 15 to select, in each row such as row 16, the number of the cell containing the highest preferably index value, and to generate a signal alarm when the selected cells of two successive lines of the

  first result table 15 are in the same column.

  The alarm signals lead the user to enter orders modifying the internal behavior of the device to

  perform additional treatments.

  In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the computer central unit 1 is associated with a first area M1 of program memory 6, a second area M2 of program memory 6, a hard disk D and a printer 8. L printer 8 is intended to produce a display document 22 having specific graphic elements such as specific character fonts. She

  can also be replaced or supplemented by a screen.

  The program, recorded in the area M2 of program memory 6, comprises a start-up sequence in which it loads in area Mi of program memory 6 the graphic elements or specific fonts recorded in read-only memory or hard disk D, if these are absent from the computer station. Preferably, the graphic or font elements are loaded in the areas of the

system dedicated to fonts.

  The program can advantageously include a closing sequence during which the graphic elements or specific fonts which it has previously loaded are unloaded from

  the Mi area of program memory 6.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and modifications which are within the scope of

the skilled person.

Claims (6)

  1 - Device for the interactive processing of a behavior image, characterized in that it comprises: - a transfer slip (3), comprising N groups of n propositions each and the input data formed, for each group, unique reference indices of each proposition taken only once from an ordered sequence of n unique indices preferably, - a central computer unit (1), an input-output interface (2) making it possible to enter the 'computer the input data of the transfer slip (3), - a random access memory (4, 5), accessed by the computer central unit (1), - in the random access memory (4, 5), N input data tables (9-11) adapted to each contain and store the n unique respective preference indices of one of the N groups of input data, in the order of the n propositions of the input group considered , - in the RAM (4, 5), N allocation tables (12-14) containing each of the param specific meters taken only once from a sequence of n distinct specific parameters and placed in the order of the n propositions of said group considered, - in the random access memory (4, 5), a first result table (15) shaped to contain n rows of n columns, each row (16) corresponding to one (i) of the n preference indices, each column (17) corresponding to one (j) of the n specific parameters, - a program recorded in a memory of program (6) and adapted to control the central computer unit (1) so as to, for each cell of the input data table (9-11), locate the preference index (i) that it contains, locate the parameter   specific (j) contained in the allocation table cell (12-   14) corresponding to said input data table cell (9-   11), and increment by 1 the content of the cell (ij) of row i and of column j of the first result table (15), - display means (7, 8) for separately displaying the content of each row (i) and / or each column (j) of the first result table (15).   2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: - in the random access memory (4, 5), a second result table (21) shaped to contain n rows of N columns, each row (j) corresponding to one of the n specific parameters, each column (k) corresponding to one of the N groups, - a program recorded in the program memory (6) for controlling the central processing unit (1) of computer so as to , for each cell of the input data tables (9-11), locate the preference index (i) it contains, locate the specific parameter (j) contained in the allocation table cell (12- 14) corresponding to said input data table cell (9-11), locate the rank (k) of said input data table cell (9-11) in the series of N data tables of input, and enter the value (i) of the preference index in the row (j) and column (k) cell of the second result table (21), - m display means (7, 8) for separately displaying the content of each row (j) of the second result table (21),   corresponding to one of the n specific parameters.   3 - Device according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that it further comprises means for calculating a degree of variation of the preference indices (i) contained in each row (j) of the second result table (21), and for generating an alarm signal when the average of the degrees of preference index variation is greater than a predetermined threshold.   4 - Device according to any one of claims 1   to 3, characterized in that it further comprises means for examining the first result table (15), for selecting in each line (16) the number of the cell containing the highest value, and for generating a signal alarm when the selected cells of two successive rows are in the same column.   - Device according to any one of claims 1   to 4, using for display particular graphic elements such as specific fonts, characterized in that the program stored in the program memory (6) comprises a start-up sequence in which it loads into program memory (6 ) the specific graphic elements or fonts recorded in read-only memory (D), if these are absent from the computer station.   6 - Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the graphic elements or specific fonts are loaded   in the system areas dedicated to fonts.   7 - Device according to one of claims 5 or 6,   characterized in that the program comprises a closing sequence during which the graphic elements or specific fonts which it has previously loaded are discharged from the program memory (6).