WO2008132254A1 - System for carrying out and processing surveys - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system which remotely surveys users of services provided by a person or entity subscribed to the system. The invention comprises a user unit (1, 1a) at different locations at which the subscriber provides the service, by means of which the user requests a survey via communication means (2, 3, 4 and 11) from a remote unit (5) which transmits the survey to the user unit (1, 1a) in order for the user to complete the survey using a touch screen (10), the completed survey being transmitted to the remote unit which stores same in order to produce statistical reports. The invention enables the subscriber to access the statistical reports and to maintain and modify the surveys to be sent to each of the user units (1, 1a) such that they can be configured by the subscriber according to requirements.

Description

 SURVEY AND PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR SURVEYS OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system that aims to allow surveys regarding the services that users receive, by means of user units installed in the places where they receive the service.

It is another object of the invention to send the surveys carried out to a remote unit to process and carry out statistical reports of the surveys carried out, allowing the persons or entities providing the service to access said reports for what they must be Registered in the system. It is also the object of the invention to allow the persons or entities that provide the service to configure the survey they wish to make through the remote unit, from which it is sent to the user units.

The invention is applicable in the telecommunications and computer industry to obtain and process data remotely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Telecommunication systems are known in the state of the art that allow remote data to be obtained for which the incorporation of a data capture unit is expected, which sends them to a remote unit through a communications network in which They store and process the data obtained.

In this sense, it can be pointed out that there is no system that allows obtaining data corresponding to surveys of users who receive a service, and all this remotely. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the objectives and solve the aforementioned drawbacks, the invention has developed a new system for conducting and processing surveys characterized in that it comprises at least one user unit equipped with a touch screen and a control module in which they provide means to generate an information request signal referring to a survey to be answered by a user, a signal that is generated when a user acts on the touch screen.

The user units can be fixed units, mobile units, or both.

In addition, the system comprises means of communication of the user unit with a remote unit which includes a survey generating unit, which in turn is provided with a detector module of an information request signal and a unit storage module. of registered users, each of which is associated with a survey, so that when a user wishes to conduct a survey and causes the generation of the request signal, in the manner described, this signal is received in the detector module of an information request signal and it is verified if the user unit that generated this request signal is registered, in which case an associated survey generation module is accessed, which is included in the survey generating unit, and comprising means of associating a request identification number, to send it, together with the generated survey, to the user unit that generated the request. petition. The control module of the user unit is provided with means of detecting a survey received to display it on the touch screen, through which the user fill in the survey received, and so that the control module then sends the filled survey along with the identification number to an analysis unit that is included in the remote unit; the analysis unit including an analysis module and a survey storage module answered together with the identification number, so that the analysis module makes statistical reports of the surveys carried out. In addition, the remote unit is provided with a management unit that includes a management module and a first subscriber data storage module, the data of the user units that each subscriber owns, as well as the survey associated with each unit of user of each subscriber; the management module being connected to the survey generator module of the survey generating unit so that the survey is generated based on the survey associated with each user unit that is stored in the managing unit. Accordingly, the invention allows a subscriber, such as a person or a company that provides user services, to have a plurality of user units through which it allows surveys thereof, which are stored in the first data storage module of the management unit from which the survey generator module generates it for sending to the user in the manner described.

The invention also provides that the user unit control module is provided with means for detecting a subscriber password for sending to the remote unit, whose management unit comprises a second parameter storage and configuration module. of surveys and its management module comprises means of detection and verification of a secret key, so that when the management module detects and verifies said secret key, it allows the subscriber to configure and select the survey associated with each user unit, so that through this configuration the subscriber can establish and modify the surveys that he wishes to carry out to the users of each of the user units, being able therefore to configure different surveys for each of the different user units that the subscriber possesses.

In addition, the analysis module of the analysis unit is equipped with means for detecting and verifying a secret key, so that when detecting and verifying said secret key, it allows the subscriber to access the statistical data obtained by the analysis unit, so that each subscriber knows the different statistical data corresponding to the surveys carried out in each of its user units. The invention provides that the module for storing answered surveys of the analysis unit is multidimensional, so that it allows the user to start their analysis by consulting data and going deeper into the details as necessary, since it allows to contrast and filter all the data in function of any combination according to the organization of the data in independent dimensions based on, for example, offices, qualities, dates and parameters defined by the same subscriber in the management of surveys.

In order for the subscriber to more easily establish the survey he wishes for each of the user units he possesses, the invention provides that the second Storage module of the management unit includes a sub-module for setting fixed questions and a sub-module for setting random questions, to generate a questionnaire with fixed questions always located in the same place and with random questions depending on the needs of the subscriber .

The communication media discussed above, comprise a wireless communication module that is included in the user unit and is connected to the control module to allow wireless communication with a wireless communication unit, which is provided with connection means to a data transmission network through which communication with the remote unit is established, for which the communication means also comprise a communication unit that is provided with connection means to the data transmission network and which It is connected to the remote unit.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention it is envisaged that the data transmission network is constituted by the Internet, so that the communication is carried out by means of a conventional browser comprised in the means of connection to the data transmission network of the communications unit Wireless and communications unit.

The invention also provides that the user units are provided with a presence detector that is connected to the control module so that, upon detecting the presence of a user, it prepares the touch screen so that when it is operated by the user it generates the signal of Request information and trigger the process already described. Finally, it should be noted that the management unit comprises a third module for storing and selecting languages, so that the user can select through the user unit the language they want to carry out the surveys as described.

The user unit can also include a printer to print the different statistical data obtained.

In order to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report and forming an integral part thereof, a series of figures are attached in which the object of the invention has been shown as an illustrative and non-limiting nature.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE FIGURES Figure 1.- Shows a functional block diagram of a possible embodiment of the system of the invention.

Figure 2. - Shows a functional block diagram of the configuration of the user unit. Figure 3.- Shows a functional block diagram of the configuration of the survey generating unit included in the remote unit.

Figure 4.- Shows a functional block diagram of the configuration of the management unit and the analysis unit included in the remote unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Below is a description of the invention based on the figures mentioned above.

The invention is intended so that people, companies or entities that provide a service can conduct user surveys on the services received, for which each person, company or entity that provides the service must subscribe to the system of the invention registering your data in the way that will be described later.

For example, different offices, stores, etc., of a company or agency must include one or more user units 1 to carry out the surveys, which once filled out are sent through a wireless communications unit 2 and through a data transmission network 3 to a communication unit 4 that is connected to a remote unit 5 in which the different surveys and subscriber data are stored, while, among other options, performs statistical data collection from The surveys carried out.

User units 1 are fixed units, while user units are mobile or portable, but both comprise the same elements described below.

Thus, each of the user units 1, the one installed in each office, store, etc., comprises a control module 9 that is connected to a touch screen 10 and a wireless communication module 11 to establish communication with the unit of wireless communications 2.

Furthermore, the control module is connected to a presence detector 12 so that when it detects the presence of a user, it is communicated to the control module 9 which shows on the touch screen 10 information regarding the realization of a request for information. referring to a survey to be answered by the user, so that when the user acts on the touch screen it is detected by the control module 9, which is provided with means to generate an information request signal referring to a survey to answer by the user, so that said request signal is sent to the communication module 4 being received in the remote unit 6.

The wireless communications module 11 is based on the "Wi-Fi" technology and the wireless communications unit 2 allows to make the Wi-Fi connection and incorporates a double network configuration circuit that allows the isolation of the internal network that composes the different user units 1, the respect to the data transmission network 3 and is based on a standard TCP / IP router with firewall functions to allow the flow of the two networks to be managed separately.

The remote unit 5 comprises a survey generating unit 6 which is provided with a module 13 detecting a request signal of a survey, which is connected to a storage module 14 of user units 1, the registered one, being in turn each of said registered user units associated with a survey so that when the detector module 13 detects a survey request signal, it verifies whether the user unit that generated the request signal is registered and accesses a module of the associated survey 15 which in turn comprises means of association of a request identification number, so that it sends the request identification number together with the survey generated to the user unit 1, through the means of communication 4, 3, 2, 11, so that the control module 9 of the user unit 1 is provided with means for detecting the survey received to display it on the pa n touch screen 10, whereby the user fills in the survey received once the survey is completed the user will indicates to the control module 9 through the touch screen 10, which sends the filled survey along with the identification number to the remote unit, and more specifically to an analysis unit that includes an analysis module 21 and a module of storage 22 of the surveys answered together with the identification number, so that all the surveys carried out are registered and stored „in the storage module 22 so that the analysis module 21 makes statistical reports of the surveys carried out so that the subscriber You can access these reports as will be described later.

The purpose of the presence sensor 12 is to allow the control module 9 to display on the touch screen 10 different messages as long as no user approaches the unit 1, the, such as for example, advertising messages, etc., and so that when a user approaches it is detected by triggering the described process. The objective of the portable user unit is identical to that of the fixed user unit 1, with the proviso that the portable user unit is managed by a "surveyor" person who asks the user (customer) questions and Enter the answers given by it.

In addition, the remote unit 5 comprises a management unit 7 that allows the subscriber of the system to maintain and change the information related to the surveys it carries out for which it comprises a management module 16 and a first storage module 17 of the data corresponding to the subscriber that is stored when you have registered in the system, and that also stores the data corresponding to each of the units of user who owns each subscriber, as well as the survey that each subscriber associates with each of the user units that are installed in their stores, offices, etc. In the first storage means 17, data indicating the main qualities that the subscriber intends to measure with the surveys, such as cleaning, treatment, speed, etc., can also be stored.

In addition, the management module 16 is connected to a second storage module 18 in which the parameters and the configuration of the different surveys to be performed are stored, which the subscriber can access to modify or remove questions from the survey.

Therefore the subscriber can control the surveys to be carried out for each of the user units 1, which are active at any time and modify their content, for which the control module 9 of the user unit 1, comprises means of detecting a secret key introduced through the touch screen 10, which is detected by means of detecting and verifying a secret key provided in the management module 16, to detect and verify said secret key, allow the subscriber to access to the first storage module 17 and the second storage module 18 so as to allow configuration and select the survey associated with each of the user units 1, the one installed in its stores, shops, etc.

The invention foresees the possibility that a series of fixed questions and other variables may exist in the survey, for which the second storage module 18 of the management unit is provided with a fixed question establishment sub-module and an establishment sub-module of random questions from so that the subscriber can establish a survey with fixed questions always located in the same place and with random questions, which the management module 16 will select at random. To allow all this functionality, it should be noted that the management module 16 is connected to the generation module of the associated survey 15 of the survey generating unit 6 so that from the data stored in the first 17 and second 18 storage modules can generate the associated survey and modify the association of the survey that is stored in the storage module 14 of the registered user units, so that the surveys that are sent to each of the user units 1, can be controlled by the subscriber as described.

It should also be noted that the management unit 7 comprises a third storage module 19 in which all language information is stored so that all texts handled by the user unit 1 can be translated into the languages that the user select, for which the control module 9 of the user unit 1, the, initially shows on the touch screen 10 information corresponding to the different languages that the user can select, when the presence detector 12 captures the presence of a user in the manner already described above.

Therefore, by means of the secret code, the subscriber can carry out the creation and maintenance of the surveys required by indicating the questions and answers to be filled out. These models can be made by business sectors, such as hotels, commerce, town halls, etc.

In order for the subscriber to access the analysis unit 8, as described above, it is envisioned that his analysis module 21 has means of detecting and verifying a secret key, entered in the manner already described for the case of the maintenance and change of the surveys through the user unit 1, the, so that when detecting and verifying said secret key the subscriber is allowed to access the statistical reports prepared by the analysis module 21 based on all the variable data available. For example, the subscriber can see the evolution of the results by days, weeks, etc. Similarly, you can compare the results of one office with another.

The results will show at least the following data: absolute valuation, average valuation, typical variation, standard variation and number of surveys carried out.

In addition, this data is organized in independent dimensions based on offices, qualities, dates and parameters defined by the same subscriber, for which the storage module 22 has a multidimensional structure that allows contrasting and filtering all the data based on any combination of these dimensions. This configuration allows the reports to be based on statistical procedures, exploratory data analysis, contingency tables, comparison of means, analysis of variance, non-parametric tests, correlation and multiple linear regression, multivariate analysis, factor analysis, discriminant so that the subscriber can determine what aspects and variables of your business influence more and to what extent in the overall valuation of it.

Therefore, this configuration allows the subscriber to start his analysis consulting aggregated data and to go deeper into the details as necessary, functionality that is known as "drill down".

The analysis reports can be presented both in tabular format and graphics format which will change depending on the selection made by the subscriber.

The invention provides that the subscriber can print the requested analysis reports, for which the subscriber unit 1 will be provided with a printer 20 through which the control module prints the statistical data required by the subscriber .

In the preferred embodiment of the invention it is envisaged that the data transmission network 3 is preferably constituted by the internet network so that communication between the user units 1, the and the remote units 5 is effected through said network in a conventional way.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, characterized in that it comprises at least one user unit (1, the) equipped with a touch screen (10) and a control module (9) that includes means for generating a signal request for information regarding a survey to be answered by a user; communication means (2, 3, 4 and 11) of the at least one user unit (1, the) with a remote unit (5) which is provided with a survey generating unit (6) that includes a detector module (13 ) of a request signal referring to a survey to be answered by a user, a storage module (14) of registered user units, each associated with a survey, to receive an information request signal referring to a survey answered by a user, verify if the user unit (1, the) that generated the request signal is registered and access a module for generating the associated survey (15), which includes means for associating an identification number of the request, to send it, together with the generated survey, to the user unit (1, the) that generated the request, whose control module (9) comprises means for detecting the survey received to display it on the touch screen (10 ), whereby the user fills the received slope; and the control module (9) sends it together with the identification number, to an analysis unit (8), included in the remote unit (5), and which includes an analysis module (21) and a storage module (22) of surveys answered together with the identification number for the analysis module (21) to perform Statistical reports of the surveys carried out. 2. SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the remote unit (5) comprises a management unit (7) that includes a management module (16) and a first data storage module (17) of subscriber, of the data of the user units that each subscriber possesses, as well as of the survey associated to each user unit of each subscriber; the management module (16) being connected to the survey generator module (15) of the survey generating unit (6), so that it generates the survey based on the survey associated with each user unit stored in the managing unit (7 ). 3. SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the control module (9) of the user unit (1, the) comprises means for detecting a subscriber password for sending to the remote unit (5) . 4. SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the management unit (16) comprises a second storage module (18) for survey parameters and configuration and the management module (16) comprises means for detecting and verifying a secret key, for detecting and verifying said secret key, allowing the subscriber to configure and select the survey associated with each user unit (1, the). 5. SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 4, characterized in that the second storage module (18) of the management unit (7) comprises a fixed question establishment sub-module and a random question establishment sub-module, for generate a questionnaire with fixed questions always in the same place and with questions randomized selected at orange blossom by the management module (16). 6. SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 3, characterized in that the analysis module (21) of the analysis unit (1, the) comprises means for detecting and verifying a secret key, to detect and verify said secret key, allow the subscriber to access the statistical data obtained. 7. SURVEY AND PROCESSING SURVEY SYSTEM, according to claim 6, characterized in that the storage module (22) of answered surveys of the analysis unit (8) is multidimensional. 8.- SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication means comprise a wireless communication module (11) included in the user unit (1, the) that is connected to the control module (9 ), to allow communication with a wireless communications unit (2), which is provided with connection means to a data transmission network (3); further comprising a communications unit (4) provided with connection means to the data transmission network (3) and which is connected to the remote unit (5). 9.- SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 8, characterized in that the data transmission network (3) is the internet network. 10.- SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the information request signal referring to a survey to be answered by a user is generated in the control module (9) when requested by the user through the touch screen (10). 11.- SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises a presence detector (12) connected to the control module (9) of the user unit (1, the) so that when detecting the proximity of A user prepares the touch screen (10) so that when it is operated by the user it generates the request signal referring to a survey to be answered by a user. 12.- SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the user units are selected from fixed units (1), mobile units (la) and combination thereof. 13. SURVEY PROCESSING AND PROCESSING SYSTEM, according to claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the management unit (7) comprises a third storage module (19) and language selection so that the user can select through the unit user (1, the) the language you want. 14.- SYSTEM OF REALIZATION AND PROCESSING OF SURVEYS, according to claim 1, characterized in that the user unit (1, the) is provided with a printer (20) to allow the subscriber to print the statistical reports of the surveys carried out. SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)