RU24303U1 - VOTING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Description

VOTING SYSTEM

The utility model relates to devices for conducting polls and polls and can be used mainly in the implementation of various television programs, for example, to assess the reaction of television studio viewers to the performance of ONE of the participants.

Various electronic voting systems are known comprising a computing device and additional computing devices connected to it via a network (US Patent No. 6250548, G 07 C 13/0, publ. 2001), (PCT International Application No. WO 0150424, G 07 C 13/0, publ. 2001), (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-3572252, O 07 C 1 j / 0, publ. 2000 g).

The advantage of such systems is the speed of processing voting results. A limitation of known technical solutions is the lack of funds for intermediate decisions, for example, not completely “For or Against, but as a percentage of any judgment or opinion. Thus, such systems can be used only for categorical voting “Yes or“ No and do not work satisfactorily in the implementation of various surveys that do not require opposing categorical votes.

The closest constructively is a voting system containing a computing device for recording and counting voting results, controls made with the possibility of generating fixed “For,” Against and intermediate signals to express a relative assessment of consent or disagreement, and the outputs of the controls are connected through the panel to the input of the computing device, an indicator designed to visualize the voting results, the input of which is under oedinen to the output of the computing device, and a microphone connected via an amplifier to the speaker (Russian patent number 2015570, G 07 C 13/00, publ. 1994).

The indicator in this system is made in the form of a panel displaying the voting results in digital form, and the computing device is based on the adder of the vote count. The controls are made in the form of pedals. In addition, this system contains a sound vibration generator, a modulator and a sound vibration mixer. The system is designed to reflect the reaction of the audience, for example, meeting participants or deputies, to the speaker's speech. The obtained average digital assessment of the degree of approval is displayed on the scoreboard. Under the influence of those present at pedrpi, the sound oscillation generator changes the pulse repetition rate, which are mixed with the speaker’s speech through the use of a mixer connected to a microphone. Depending on the degree of approval or protest of the audience for the speaker’s performance, the noise background that accompanies his speech changes. The pulses accompanying the speech with the maximum duration cause discomfort for the speaker, and the pulses with the maximum repetition rate allow you to continue the speech and mean approval of the audience.

The advantage of this design over a similar one due to the use of rheostatic sensors in the pedals is the ability to evaluate the speaker’s performance not only “For and Against,” but also in the form of% agreement or disagreement with the speaker’s speech. The main limitation of the system is its low quality when used in television broadcasts, since the generation of sound pulses creates an additional noise background, both in a television studio and when broadcasting a program. Moreover, if there are several speakers, it is difficult to determine the degree of approval or protest of the audience for a specific part of the speech of a speaker, therefore, to clarify and clarify differences, the speaker’s speech is additionally recorded in the recording unit for long-term storage.

The problem solved by the utility model is to improve the quality of the voting system and the possibility of using it in real time when forming various television programs in television studios.

The technical result that can be obtained by performing a utility model is to improve the quality of the instant reaction and to evaluate the audience in the television studio of everything that happens in it in real time, as well as to improve the conduct of various types of polls and polls among the participants of the television program, affecting the speaker’s speech ; the formation of a graphically formatted result of instant voting in very short time intervals in order to visualize it directly in the studio by the audience, participants of the program, as well as speakers, and the visual presentation of the results of such continuous voting in the process of the speaker broadcasting to viewers; providing an opportunity to assess differences in the reaction of viewers in a television studio to the speaker’s speech, depending on their category.

To solve the problem with achieving a technical result in a well-known voting system containing a computing device for registering participants and counting voting results, controls made with the possibility of generating fixed “For, Against and intermediate signals to express a relative assessment of consent or disagreements, and the outputs of the controls are connected to the input of the computing device, an indicator designed to visualize voting ultat, the input of which is connected to the output of the computing device, and the microphone connected through the amplifier to the speaker, according to the claimed design, the system is designed for use in a television program, the controls are made in the form of remotes with buttons for recording and generating fixed signals and with a handle for generating intergovernmental signals, the outputs of the consoles connected through a multiplexer to the input of the computing device, the computing device is made with the ability to register at least two groups of viewers of a television studio, an additional computing device is introduced, connected via a network to a computing device, the indicator input is connected to the output of the computing device through an additional computing device, the indicator is made in the form of a screen installed in the television studio, and an additional the computing device is configured to generate real-time video signals for at least two graphs voting results, and with the possibility of displaying them on the screen synchronously and continuously according to the voting results of each of the groups of viewers of the television studio.

Additional embodiments of the utility model are possible, in which it is advisable that:

- an additional computing device was made of three computers and a mixer, one of the computers is designed to control the modes and generate video signals of the graphs on a solid color background, the second - to generate video signals of the graphs on the field of a given size and color or build histograms, the third - to receive program audio-video signals and their broadcasting and television studio synchronously with the displayed graphs, while the outputs of three computers are connected through a mixer to the transmission equipment

programs are broadcast and to the screen in a television studio, and the inputs of three computers are connected through a hub to the output of the aforementioned computing device;

-computing device and multiplexer were installed in a television studio;

- at least one television camera installed in the television studio and a video recorder were introduced, and the audio-video input of the video recorder is connected respectively to the output of the television camera and amplifier.

These advantages, as well as the features of this utility model are illustrated by the best option for its implementation with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a general functional diagram of the claimed system with explanatory inscriptions;

FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of a studio equipment complex for implementing the claimed utility model;

FIG. 3 - a general view of the remote control with explanatory inscriptions;

FIG. 4 is a functional diagram of a hardware complex;

FIG. 5 - graphs of voting on a screen located in a television studio;

FIG. 6 - one of the types of television screen when transmitting a program on the air;

FIG. 7 is a view of a histogram with voting results;

FIG. 8 - subsequent playback of the selected fragment of the program with the corresponding fragment of the graphs.

The voting system (Fig. 1, 2) comprises a computing device 1, for example, made on the basis of a central processor and intended for registering participants and counting voting results. The control bodies 2 are configured to generate fixed “For,” Against and intermediate signals for expressing a relative assessment of consent or disagreement. The outputs of the control 2 are connected to the input of the computing device 1. Indicator 3 is designed to visualize the voting results. The input of indicator 3 is connected to the output of computing device 1. System

also contains a microphone 4 connected through an amplifier 5 included in the hardware complex to a loudspeaker 6 (Fig. 1).

The claimed system is intended for use on television and is used for use in various television programs for instantly assessing the reaction of viewers in the studio to the performances of program participants. Bodies 2 are made in the form of remotes (Figs. 1, 3) with buttons 7 for registering and generating fixed signals and with a knob 8 (rotary) for generating intermediate signals (Fig. 3). The outputs of the consoles are connected through a multiplexer 9 to the input of the computing device 1 (Fig. 1, 2). Computing device 1 is configured to register at least two groups of viewers of a television studio. An additional computing device 10 has been introduced (Figs. 1, 4) connected to computing device 1. The input of indicator 3 is connected to the output of computing device 1 through additional computing device 10. Indicator 3 is made in the form of a screen installed in a television studio. The additional computing device 10 is configured to generate real-time video signals for at least two graphs of the voting results, and to display them on the screen of the indicator 3 synchronously and continuously according to the voting results of each of the groups of viewers of the television studio.

To further improve the quality of television broadcasting and the ability to quickly synchronize different video frames, additional computing device 10 can be made of three computers 11, 12, 13 and a mixer 14 (Fig. 1, 4). One of the computers 11 is designed to control the modes and the formation of video signals of the graphs on a colored plain background. The second computer 12 is intended for generating video signals of graphs on a field of a given size and color or for plotting histograms. The third computer 13 serves to receive the program audio-video signals through a standard audio-video input and to broadcast them and the television studio in synchronization with the displayed graphs. The outputs of the three computers 11-13 are connected through a mixer 14 to the broadcast equipment of the program and to the indicator screen 3 in the television studio. The inputs of three computers are connected through a hub 15 (standard Hub) to the output of the aforementioned computing device 1.

To reduce the length of the electrical connection (the number and length of wire lines), the computing device 1 and the multiplexer 9 can be installed directly in the television studio.

At least one television camera 16 (Fig. 1) installed in the television studio and a video recorder can be introduced to ensure the implementation of the television program and delayed airtime, as well as for subsequent analysis of the live television broadcasts. 17, and the audio-video input of the video recorder 17 is connected respectively to the output of the television camera 16 and amplifier 5.

The system works (Fig. 1) as follows.

The voting system includes two complexes:

-Studio complex (SC) data input and processing, located directly in the television studio (Fig. 1, 2);

hardware complex (AK) of graphic design of data located in the technical hardware (Fig. 1, 4).

The studio complex collects data from organs 2 (consoles) and transfers information to the hardware complex (in Figs. 1 and 2, the letters KP indicate a patch panel for the convenience of connecting consoles depending on the number of viewers in a television studio, for example, up to 150 consoles).

When the viewer acts on one or another element on the remote control 2, data is generated using the buttons 7 and the pen 8 on the front panel (Fig. 3), which are converted into digital form (for example, using the rheostat sensor of the pen 8 and an analog-to-digital converter, connected to the pins of the handle 8 and buttons 7) and this data is sent to the multiplexer 9. The multiplexer 9 collects data from the control panels in several independent segments (the number of segments is determined by the geometry of the hall, from 10 to 15 control panels are included in each segment. Computing device 1, for example, the PC central processor, receives data from the multiplexer, algebraically sums up the votes “For and Against”, taking into account the sign, as well as algebraically sums up the data received when you turn the knob 8. Computing device 1 converts the received data voting data in accordance with the exchange protocol adopted in the hardware complex and provides the connection to it via Ethernet network additional computing device 10.

To ensure the convenience of users during voting and polls, a remote control can be used, an approximate appearance of which is shown in FIG. 3.

The remote control has twelve buttons 7 and a knob 8 (rotary) to enter the necessary information.

Buttons 7 (1 to 0) USED:

-in registration mode - to enter the category of participants in the program;

- in selection mode - to select one of the answers to the proposed question or to select one of the candidates for whom a vote has been announced.

The green button is used:

-in voting mode - for a positive choice, voting

- in the registration mode and in the selection mode - to correct erroneously entered information;

- in the mode of categorical disagreement - to exit the mode of disagreement. The red button is used:

-in voting mode - for a negative choice;

- in the mode of categorical disagreement for the participant to express his rejection of what is happening in the studio - voting “Against.

The yellow button (aka number button 0) is used:

in voting mode to indicate by the participants-spectators the position “Abstained.

The areas to the left and right of the middle mark of the handle 8 are marked in the form of black arrows with signs - and +, respectively.

The remote control may have a non-removable cable that connects to the patch panel with a fixed connector. The remote control may not have battery power, receiving it by cable.

Computing device 1 carries out the following data input and processing modes:

registration mode;

- continuous assessment mode;

-voting mode;

-selection mode;

When working in the registration mode using the buttons 7 from 1 to O (Fig. 3), data entry about categories of viewers is used. These data are necessary for the subsequent construction of appropriate schedules for groups of viewers of a television studio.

Program participants (viewers in a television studio) can be divided into groups formed by various categories: socio-demographic (gender, age, education, income, etc.), in relation to the topic, problem, etc. Only one category is assigned to each number button. For example, women are offered to press button 1, men - button 2, for pensioners - button 3, for working people - button 4, etc. Computing device 1 stores this data for subsequent graphing for the corresponding category of viewers. At the end of the registration mode, the computing device 1 captures up to ten different categories.

The continuous evaluation mode is designed to build continuous graphs, each of which displays the average algebraic total result of the instant reaction and evaluates the corresponding category of participants in the program for someone’s performance, the plot being shown, etc. Computing device 1 calculates data for plotting the graphs of the average total score for ten different categories at the same time. Data for plotting is entered by viewers in a television studio using the pen 8 on the remote control (Fig. 3), which can rotate 180 degrees to the left and to the right relative to the middle, neutral position. The average position of the handle 8 can be indicated by a mark on the remote control, and does not have a fixation. The direction of rotation of the handle 8 relative to the neutral position determines the nature of the reaction: clockwise - approving reaction (positive values of the graph curve), counterclockwise - negative reaction (negative values of the graph curve). Data on the position of the pen 8 is read by the computing device 1 (central processor) with an interval of half a second and stored in its memory. The computing device 1 provides the ability to stop and resume operation in a continuous evaluation mode an unlimited number of times at any time without losing the information that has already been processed.

The voting mode is intended for holding among the participants of the transfer of voting “for, against, abstained on the proposed issue.

Information in this mode is entered into the computing device 1 using the green, red and yellow buttons 7, for example, the green button means “For, red -“ Against, yellow - “Abstained. As the “Abstained” button, button 7 can be used, indicated by “O” and located between the green and red buttons. Computing device 1 can provide viewers in a television studio with the opportunity to correct erroneously entered information before the end of the voting mode, for this, a predetermined time interval is used during which the data on the last button 7 is recorded in the memory of computing device 1. At the end of the voting mode, computing device 1 an array of data for building the corresponding graphs or histograms.

The selection mode is used, for example, to vote on proposed candidates, or to select one of the answers to a proposed question, etc.

In this mode, ten buttons 7 (digital) are used, each of which corresponds to data about one of the proposed answers, or about one of the candidates. At the end of the selection mode, the computing device 1 generates data for constructing the corresponding histograms.

The categorical disagreement mode provides the viewers of the broadcasts in the television studio with the opportunity to express their complete disagreement or rejection of what is happening in the studio by pressing the red button. In other words, the participant pressing the red button means that he would turn off the TV if he watched this program at home. Corresponding data is supplied to computing device 1, which provides the viewer with the opportunity to “turn on the TV again, that is, exit categorical disagreement mode by pressing the green button. The green button is activated only after pressing the red button, while after clicking on the viewer in a television studio, the green button is blocked until the next button is pressed in red. Therefore, after pressing the green button in the mode of categorical disagreement, the viewer takes part in all subsequent voting and polls.

Computing device 1 continuously summarizes the total number of participants who pressed the red button, subtracting from the result obtained the number of participants who pressed the green button. The current result, if necessary, may

displayed on the screen of indicator 3 in numerical or graphical form. The implementation of all these modes is achieved by the corresponding software of the computing device 1 based on various algorithms that allow you to implement these functions.

To implement the above modes, the computing device 1 continuously polls the state of the buttons 7 and 8 of the handle with a frequency of at least 10 ms. According to the result of the survey of the consoles, the computing device 1 generates arrays of data about the pressed and not pressed buttons 7, as well as the current position of the handle 8. The multiplexer 9 continuously polls all the remotes with a period specified by computing device 1.

Upon receipt of information from the controllers about the current position of the handles 8, the multiplexer 9 generates a corresponding data array and transmits them to the computing device 1 (central processor PC) after each update.

Upon receipt of information from the control panels about the change in the state of the buttons 7, the multiplexer 9 immediately transmits it to the computing device 1 with the number of the console. The multiplexer receives control commands from the computing device 1 and executes them (for example, setting the period for the panels to be polled).

The computing device 1 receives data from the multiplexer 9 about the current positions of the handles 8 of all the remotes and messages that occur when the buttons 7 are pressed / released. It transfers control commands to the multiplexer 9 (setting the polling period, setting the serial numbers of the remotes) and also converts received from multiplexer 9 data in a format corresponding to a data exchange protocol with an additional computing device 10 of the hardware complex. In addition, the computing device 1 is constantly waiting for connection requests via TCP from computers 11-13 of the additional computing device 10 of the hardware complex. Upon receipt of the request, the computing device 1 establishes the necessary connection and makes its confirmation. After the connection is established, the computing device 1 receives commands over the Ethernet network from computers 11-13 of the additional computing device 10 of the hardware complex and transmits the requested messages to them.

An additional computing device 10 of the hardware complex performs graphic design of the data received from the computing device 1, and generates video signals with graphically formatted results in order to supply them to a television studio for transmission and broadcast to viewers (Figs. 1, 4).

The composition of the additional computing device 10 of the hardware complex may include three computers 11-13:

Computer 11 (PC 1) is used to control system modes and to generate a video signal with graphs on a colored background (Fig. 5). The video signal from the output of computer 11 is input into the video path of the control room through a mixer 14 (video mixer) for broadcasting the signal and for supplying it to a television studio on indicator 3, for example, on Sony PFM-500A2WU monitors or on a wide screen.

Computer 12 (PC 2) is used to generate a video signal with graphs inscribed in a field of a certain size and color (Fig. 6) or with histograms based on voting results (Fig. 7).

Computer 13 (PC 3) is used to record the video signal of the program in synchronization with the construction of graphs of voting by viewers in the television studio and participants in the program.

At the current level of development of computer technology, the software of the additional computing device 10 is widely used, for example, for composing various video frames of a television transmission, combining images, etc. and can be implemented using the following software components: a system management program, a visualization program, and a video recording and playback program.

The system management program is installed in the computer 11 and is a client with respect to the computing device 1 (the central processor of the studio complex PC). The program has a graphical user interface and controls the system modes. In addition, it processes the data received from the computing device 1 of the studio complex, and through the central processor PC transfers it to the computer 12 visualization program.

The visualization program installed in the computer 12 provides a graphic presentation of the transmission. According to the control data received from the computer 11, the computer 12, in accordance with the embedded visualization program, constructs real-time graphs and histograms. The type of graphics required (voting, selection, continuous evaluation) is determined by the installed mode on the computer 11. The type of graphics (full screen, lower third, etc.) is determined by the graphic station operator.

A recording program installed on the computer 13 records the audio / video transmission signal. From the computing device 1 of the studio complex, the computer 13 receives data on the current position of the handles 8 on the remote controls. Using this data, the recording program binds in time the recorded video signal to the position of the handles 8 on the remote controls. At the end of the recording, at the end of the transfer, all data is saved, and the recording program additionally allows you to play any fragment of the recorded program corresponding to any time point in any of the generated schedules. The computer 13 using the recording program allows you to play the selected fragment of the program along with the corresponding fragment of the graph (Fig. 8). If necessary, for additional recording of all programs without superimposing schedules, a video recorder 17 can be used.

Thus, the claimed voting system makes it possible to improve the quality of the instant reaction display and the audience’s assessment of the television studio on everything that happens in it in real time, as well as improve the quality and reduce the time spent on various types of television broadcasts of polls and polls affecting the speaker’s speech or analysis of any topic. The formation of a graphical result of instant voting in very short time intervals allows you to directly observe it in the studio by the participants, viewers of the program and speakers, as well as viewers. The system allows you to turn viewers in television studios into active participants in a television program, and speakers in a television program can instantly assess the reaction of the audience to a particular fragment of their speech during the course of their speech.

The most successfully declared utility model is industrially applicable on television when conducting television programs related to interviewing viewers in a television studio on certain problems.

Claims (4)

1. A voting system comprising a computing device for registering participants and counting voting results, control bodies configured to generate fixed pro, contra signals and intermediate signals to express a relative assessment of consent or disagreement, the outputs of the governing bodies connected to the input of the computing device, an indicator designed to visualize the voting results, the input of which is connected to the output of the computing device TVA, and a microphone connected through an amplifier to a loudspeaker, characterized in that the system is intended for use in a television program, the controls are made in the form of remotes with buttons for recording and generating fixed signals and with a knob for generating intermediate signals, and the outputs of the remotes are connected through a multiplexer to the input of the computing device, the computing device is configured to register at least two groups of viewers of the television studio, introduced an additional computing device connected via a network to a computing device, the indicator input is connected to the output of the computing device through an additional computing device, the indicator is made in the form of a screen installed in a television studio, and the additional computing device is configured to generate real-time video signals of at least least for two graphs of the voting results, and with the possibility of displaying them on the screen synchronously and continuously by p The voting results of each of the groups of viewers of the television studio.  2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional computing device is made up of three computers and a mixer, one of the computers is designed to control the modes and generate video signals of the graphs on a solid color background, the second - to generate video signals of the graphs on the field of a given size and color or building histograms, the third - for receiving program audio and video signals and broadcasting them on the air and a television studio synchronously with the displayed graphs, while the outputs of three computers are connected via a mixer a program transmitting apparatus and the broadcast to the screen in a television studio, and inputs three computers are connected through a hub to the output of said computing device.  3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the computing device and the multiplexer are installed in the television studio. 4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one television camera installed in the television studio and a video recorder are introduced, and the audio-video input of the video recorder is connected respectively to the output of the television camera and amplifier.