WO2001067329A1

WO2001067329A1 - Method and apparatus for providing a real-time questioning and replying service

Info

Publication number: WO2001067329A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/000351
Authority: WO
Original assignee: Witcom Inc.; Park, Sang, Hwan
Priority date: 2000-03-09
Filing date: 2001-03-07
Publication date: 2001-09-13
Also published as: AU2001241224A1; KR20010088263A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a real-time questioning and response receiving service conducted through mobile phones, a wireless telephone network, and a global data network such as Internet. This real-time questioning and replying service transmits questionary data with a call-back number allocated to that question to all mobile phones belonging to a selected target group, discriminates one question among many registered questions based on a number called back if a respondent replies to the transmitted question through a mobile phone, takes statistics on answered data for the question, and shows, if requested, the statistical results on the network.

Description

D E S C R I P T I O N

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A REAL-TIME QUESTIONING AND REPLYING SERVICE

1 . Technical Field The present invention relates to a real-time questioning and response receiving service, in which a questionary item is delivered all together to a target group carrying mobile phones and each reply to the question is received from a mobile phone, conducted through mobile phones, a wireless telephone network, and a global data network such as Internet.

2. Background Art

In general, a question and reply about a certain subject has been conducted through a paper in which questioning items are printed. In these days, it is possible to conduct questioning and response receiving for a given subject more conveniently than conventional paper-based method owing to remarkably developed technology in Internet, data and voice communication.

For these questioning and response receiving methods, a target group is selected at first among many and unspecified persons, and questionnaires are distributed, questioning calls are made, or questioning e-mails are sent to the selected target group. However, the target group selection and distribution of questionnaires to them are very annoying.

Even in case that an alumni association or an association of like-minded persons has been selected or target group selection is not necessary, visits to each individual for asking his/her opinion are very troublesome and time-consuming. And, in case of using questioning call and e-mail, much manpower and time is required to receive each reply. 3. Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of delivering an electrical question to a target group or many and unspecified persons rapidly at a time via a mobile phone without an investigator's visits to every target persons.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of obtaining literal and/or vocal response to each electrical question quickly through a mobile phone.

In the present invention, a Web page for filling a questionary text and necessary items is provided for a investigator, who wants to poll the public, connected through a data network, then, a questioning text, a target group, and investigation term are received and specified through data entering according to instruction displayed in the Web page, and an identifier is allocated to the investigator's terminal as well as the entered questionary text. After that, a server conducting this service obtains access information for each member of the specified target group from a database, and transmits the questioning text to each mobile phone using the access information with a call-back number assigned in association with the allocated identifier. If there is any response call within the specified investigation term, the server checks called number, namely, the call-back number, identifies based on the called number which question among many questioned items is replied, and takes statistics on answers about the identified question. After that, if the investigator' s terminal is connected again, the server identifies which statistical data is in association with the connected terminal based on the allocated identifier, and provides the identified statistical data for the connected terminal.

The server according to the present invention conducts Web-based, for example, HTTP-based question and response collection service if the investigator's terminal is computer, and conducts WAP-based service if the terminal is mobile terminal .

Before sending a given question to each target mobile phone according to the present invention, the server constitutes the given electrical question to WAP-based or SMS (Short Message Service) -based data.

The access information stored in the database may be grouped into each target set, namely, each association of like-minded persons. Furthermore, each access information consists of registered information of an individual and his/her mobile telephone number.

If a replied question is identified based on the called number, the server further converts the literal question to a vocal signal and transmits to a calling terminal to remind an answering person of current questioning contents to reply, and the server receives tone signals from the calling terminal as an answered response.

The server requests a mobile phone network or a calling terminal for a caller identification, if needed, and can make use of the acquired caller identification in compiling all answered data into statistical information.

The real-time questioning and response receiving apparatus and method according to the present invention, make it possible to obtain statistical results regarding various interested questions very quickly through a communication network and mobile phones without an investigator' s visits to all target persons. As a result, human power and time are saved in investigation.

4. Brief Description of Drawings The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an apparatus conducting real-time questioning and response receiving service according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of another apparatus conducting real-time questioning and response receiving service according to the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a flow chart embodying a method of conducting real-time questioning and response receiving service according to the present invention. 5. Modes for Carrying out the Invention

In order that the invention may be fully understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an apparatus conducting real-time questioning and response receiving service according to the present invention. The apparatus configured as Fig. 1 comprises a first communicating unit 110 sending/receiving data in accordance with a given data protocol through a data network 300 such as Internet or a wireless data network to/from an investigator's terminal, for example, a computer 301 or a mobile phone 302 being able to communicate data; a network interface 120 interfacing the first communicating unit 110 to the data network 300; a question composer 130 drawing up one or more electronic questionnaire in accordance with entered data through the first communicating unit 110 from the investigator' s terminal 301 or 302, setting an investigation target and term in connection with the drawn-up questionnaire according to the investigator's selection, and assigning identifying data to the investigator's terminal 301 or 302 to distinguish the drawn- up questionnaire and corresponding investigator' s terminal from others; a database 140 storing various information such as sex, age, address, name, mobile phone number, etc. of each potential target person wherein all the information may be structured in association of like-minded persons or alumni; a call processing unit 150 making a call to terminal accessing number of a member of the set investigation target using the information on potential target persons stored in the database 140 to connect sequentially with mobile phones MT_X to MTn through a network interface 170 and a wireless telephone network 400; a second communicating unit 160 formatting questioning data contained in the questionnaire drawn-up by the question composer 130 in accordance with protocol adopted in the intermediary network, sending the formatted questioning data with a call-back number related with the assigned identifier through the network interface 170 and the wireless telephone network 400, receiving answered data of each target mobile phone 401 or 402 responding to the sent question with call-back process through the wireless telephone network 400 and the network interface 170 within the set investigation term; the network interface 170 interfacing the second communicating unit 160 to the wireless telephone network 400; a response analyzing unit 180 analyzing the received answered data from the second communicating unit 160 for each investigation target and question identified by called number, namely the sent call-back number, to obtain statistical results about each question, and providing the statistical results for the investigator's terminal 301 or 302 through the first communicating unit 110 and the network interface 120; a clock unit 190 providing current date and time which are used to check whether the set investigation term is expired; and a controlling unit 200 controlling all elements and data flow among them, re-assigning a used call-back number to an investigation target associated with a newly-created questionnaire if an investigation term which the call-back number is assigned to is expired, and assigning different call-back numbers to different questionnaires, respectively. The first communicating unit 110, connected to the data network 300 through the network interface 120, includes a Web unit 111, connected to the data network 300, sending/receiving Web-formatted, for example, HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) -formatted data; and a WAP unit 112, connected to the wireless data network, sending/receiving WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) -formatted data.

The second communicating unit 160, connected to the wireless telephone network 400 through the network interface 170, includes a text-to-voice converter 161 converting questioning text contained the composed questionnaire into corresponding voice, and transmitting it to the telephone network 400; a tone signal processing unit 162 detecting DTMF (Dual Tone Multiple Frequency) from a received signal; and a wireless data unit 163 converting the questioning text contained in the electronic questionnaire to WAP-based data and/or SMS-based data suitable to a mobile telephone before sending it, and receiving data adapted to the wireless telephone network 400 from that network. Some, for example, two or three digits from end of the call-back number to assign are continuously different to discriminate each electronic questionnaire. The controlling unit 200 adds or updates information of potential target member stored in the database 140 using informative data received directly or from the investigator's terminal 301 or 302 through the first communicating unit 110.

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of another apparatus conducting real-time questioning and response receiving service according to the present invention. In the apparatus of Fig. 2, a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) modem pool 170a is included for sending/receiving data by wireless instead of the network interface 170 of Fig. 1. Owing to the CDMA modem pool 170a, the call processing unit 150 of Fig. 1 is removed in Fig. 2. The other elements of Fig. 2 are denoted by same numbers with Fig. 1 because of their same functions.

Hereinafter, the difference between the network interface 170 and the CDMA modem pool 170a is explained. The network 5 interface 170, connected via physical links to an exchanger (not shown) installed in the wireless telephone network 400, conducts call matching operation with the call processing unit 150. The call matching process means transactions of signaling data for an originating call from the call processing unit 150 and a

10 terminating call at the call processing unit 150.

The CDMA modem pool 170a consists of a plurality of CDMA transceivers to which subscriber telephone numbers, which are also used as call-back numbers, are assigned, respectively. Each CDMA transceiver sends data from the second communicating unit

15 160 to a target terminal and receives data vice versa, without physical connection to an exchanger, through the wireless telephone network 400.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart embodying a method of conducting real-time questioning and response receiving service according 0 to the present invention. The flow chart conducted by the apparatus configured as Fig. 1 is explained along with the operation of that apparatus.

An investigator who wants target persons' opinions regarding an interested subject is connected to the apparatus 5 (SI) through a computer 301 or a mobile phone 302 capable of communicating data as well as voice. If the investigator's terminal is computer, the connection request signal is forwarded to the data network 300, the network interface 120, and the Web unit 111, in turn. If a mobile phone, the connection request 0 signal is forwarded to the wireless data network 300, the network interface 120, and the WAP unit 112, in turn. For the purposes of convenient explanation only, it is assumed that the investigator's terminal is computer. If the computer 301 is connected, a Web page for filling a questionary text and necessary items is provided for the connected computer 301 from the question composer 130 through the Web unit 111, the network interface 120, and the data network

5 300 (S2) .

Then, the investigator enters a questioning question in the Web page and specifies a target persons and investigation term according to the instruction of the Web page. The entered and specified data are delivered to the question composer 130

10 (S3) through same path with the step SI. The question composer 130 assigns new identifying data to the received questioning text and also sends it to the connected investigator' s computer 301 (S4) to use it as a terminal identifier. In the selection of target persons, one association of like-minded persons, for

15 example, a fishing-lovers' association, or a hiking-lovers' association is selected among many associations stored in the database 104, or a condition in one or more categories of various personal information is specified in detail like as ^λmale and age not below than 30' . The investigation term may be

20 systematically fixed to a day by a program running in the controlling unit 200 instead of adjustable setting by the investigator .

If the investigation target is set by the condition of ^λmale and age not below 30' in the step S3, the question composer

25 130 searches, under control of the controlling unit 200, the database 140 for condition-matched target members, retrieves mobile phone numbers contained in the condition-matched target members. The questioning text is converted to SMS-formatted message by the wireless data unit 163, and it is transmitted

30 along with a call-back number, which is allocated by the controlling unit 200 in connection with the questioning text, through the network interface 170 and the wireless telephone network 400. If a plurality of subscriber numbers assigned to the apparatus, which are used for the call-back numbers respectively, are continuous, the continuous range can be used as the identifying data for questioning texts and their originating terminals. For example, if the assigned subscriber numbers are from 123-5600 to 123-5699, the values of the least significant two digits, 00 to 99 may be used for the identifying data to discriminate each question and its originating terminal. If the entered questioning text is longer than a predetermined threshold or it should be sent in the format of WAP, the call processing unit 150 generates, under the control of the controlling unit 200, an originating call to a target terminal to which the retrieved mobile phone number is assigned and establishes a data path (S5) in the wireless telephone network 400 between itself and a target terminal 401 or 402. In the state that the data path has been established, the questioning text is converted to corresponding voice by the text-to-voice converter 161 and then transmitted along the set-up path of the wireless telephone network 400. Instead of voice transmission, it may be transmitted in the format of WAP or SMS by the wireless data unit 163 to the target terminal 401 or 402 (S6) . The SMS-formatted questioning text is delivered to the target terminal by way of a SMS server (not shown) installed in the wireless telephone network 400.

After confirming the questioning text, a target person replies to the received question by his/her mobile phone. In replying operation, a call with the received call-back number destined to the apparatus of Fig. 1 is made from the mobile phone 401 or 402 to the wireless telephone network 400. If a call from the mobile phone is arrived, the question composer 130 announces question contents to the target person again. For this re- announcement, the question composer 130 requests the text- to-voice converter 161 to convert the questioning text identified by the arrived call number to voice which is transmitted to the target mobile phone 401 or 402 through the network interface 170 and the wireless telephone network 400. Therefore, a target person can re-confirm the questioning contents to reply at present. In addition, a voice message for obtaining responder' s information, for example, a phrase of "please enter your mobile phone number" may be outputted to the connected target person. According to the information requesting announcement, the target person presses buttons on the mobile phone, then, tone signals, which constitute caller's phone number, corresponding to the pressed buttons are applied to the tone signal processing unit 162 through the wireless telephone network 400 and the network interface 170. Then, responding data to the received question is also sent in DTMF signals to the tone signal processing unit 162 which interprets based on the DTMF signals which answer is selected by the target person.

If it is possible to acquire the caller identification owing to an additional service provided by the wireless telephone network 400, the aforementioned procedures of entering caller number and outputting voice for requesting it can be eliminated.

In replying operation, if the target mobile phone 401 or 402 responds to the questioning text with WAP-based or SMS-based communication, the responding data are delivered to the wireless data unit 163 through the wireless telephone network 400 and the network interface 170 (S7).

The received responding data is sent to the response analyzing unit 180 according to the control of the controlling unit 200. The response analyzing unit 180 discriminates which question is replied based on the number the call is arrived, namely, the called-back number, then immediately gathers statistics of responses, for example, 'Yes' or ^ΛNo' to the discriminated question (S8). While the above operations S7 and S8 are conducted, the controlling unit 200 keeps checking whether the statistical results are requested from an investigator's terminal (S9), if then, it commands the response analyzing unit 180 to send the current statistical results related with the called-back number, which is linked with the identifying data assigned to the connected investigator's terminal, through the first communicating unit 110, the network interface 120, and the data network 300 to the connected terminal (S10) . In addition, the controlling unit 200 periodically checks, with reference to present date and time provided from the clock unit 190, whether the investigation term for each question is over (Sll). If the present date and time is still within the investigation term, the steps from S7 are conducted by the control of the controlling unit 200. If not, the controlling unit 200 commands the response analyzing unit 180 to store final statistical results. After that, the controlling unit 200 provides the final statistical results to the investigator's terminal, if requested or automatically, which is in association with the final statistical results with the assigned identifying data.

In the meantime, the call-back number having been assigned to a questionnaire whose investigation term is expired will be re-assigned by the controlling unit 200 to new question composed by same or other investigator's terminal (S12).

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the sprit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. An apparatus for providing real-time questioning and response receiving service, comprising of: a first communicating unit for communicating data with a connected investigator' s terminal in accordance with a given data protocol; a database storing various information including a terminal accessing number on a plurality of potential target persons; a question composer for composing an electronic question and setting an investigation target condition and term based on the data communicated with the connected terminal, selecting target persons among the potential target persons stored in the database based on the set investigation target condition, and assigning an identifying data to the investigator's terminal; a second communicating unit for converting the composed electronic question to network-adapted data, transmitting the network-adapted data to each terminal of the selected target persons along with a call-back number allocated in connection with the identifying data, and receiving called-back response data from each target terminal within the set investigation term; a response analyzing unit for analyzing the called-back response data and gathering statistical results for each question based on the analysis, and providing the statistical results to the investigator' s terminal through the first communicating unit; a clock unit for providing the present date and time; and a controlling unit for supervising said elements and their data communication, checking whether the set investigation term is expired or not based on the present date and time of said clock unit, and re-assigning, if expired, the call-back number to other investigation target persons associated with a newly- created question.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said first communicating unit includes a Web unit, connected to a data network, sending/receiving Web-formatted data through the data network; and a WAP unit, connected to a wireless telephone network, sending/receiving WAP-formatted data through the wireless telephone network.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said second communicating unit includes a text-to-voice converter converting text of the composed question to corresponding voice; and a tone processing unit detecting tone signals from received signals from the terminals of the target persons.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said second communicating unit includes a wireless data unit converting text of the composed question to wireless-network-adapted data with a call-back number allocated in connection with the identifying data, sending the adapted data to a wireless telephone network, and receiving data, vice versa.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein said wireless-network adapted data are in the format of WAP or SMS.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the terminal of the target persons is a mobile phone.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said controlling unit assigns different call-back numbers to each question of different contents.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said controlling unit adds or updates the information of the potential target persons stored in the database based on informative data received from the investigator' s terminal through the first communicating unit.

9. A method for providing real-time questioning and response receiving service, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a data input page for entering questionary text to an investigator' s terminal connected through a data network;

(b) receiving the questionary text and an investigation target condition and/or an investigation term entered and specified through the provided data input page, and assigning an identifying data to the connected terminal;

(c) searching pre-stored information of potential target persons for members matched with the specified investigation target condition, and transmitting the data corresponding to the entered questionary text to each terminal, whose access information is contained in the condition-matched target members, along with a call-back number allocated in connection with the identifying data;

(d) receiving called-back response data from each target terminal within the specified investigation term, and discriminating which question is responded based on which number is called back; and

(e) gathering statistics of responses for each question, and providing the statistical results, which is chosen based on the identifying data of an investigator's terminal, when an investigator's terminal is re-connected.

10. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein said step (a) provides the data input page in the format specified in Internet protocol if the investigator's terminal is computer, or in the format specified in wireless communication protocol if the investigator's terminal is mobile phone.

11. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein said pre- stored information of potential target persons is structured individually or in groups, each information for a potential target person consisting of sex, age, and his/her mobile phone number .

12. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein said step (d) discriminates which question is to be responded based on which number is called back, announcing the discriminated question with voice, and receiving tone signals indicative of answer to the question.

13. The method set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of requesting, when a call-back is arrived, a calling-back terminal or a communication network for caller information, and identifying which target terminal is responding based on the caller information received from the calling-back terminal or the communication network.

14. The method set forth in claim 13, wherein said caller information is caller's subscriber telephone number.

15. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein said step (c) transmits the data corresponding to the entered questionary text in the format of WAP and/or SMS suitable to wireless data communication .

16. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein the target terminal is mobile phone.

17. The method set forth in claim 9, wherein said call-back number is assigned differently to each question.