# US 10,375,199 B2 · Systems and methods for surveying users > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,199 B2 - Document ID: US10375199B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/984,899 - Filed: 2015-12-30 - Published: 2017-07-06 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-30 - Assignees: Facebook, Inc. - Applicants: Facebook, Inc. - Inventors: Shiyu Zhao; Matthew K. Choi; Nicholas Scott LaGrow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375199B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/306: User profiles - G06Q 10/40: Business processes related to social networking or social networking services - G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data - H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services - H04L 67/568: Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine at least one survey to be presented to users of the social networking system, wherein the survey is targeted to a number of users at each time interval. A uniform distribution of users that may be surveyed is determined, wherein users in the uniform distribution are each assigned a numerical value. A sampling window that references a numerical range that is adjusted upon completion of each time interval is determined, wherein users that have been assigned a numerical value within the numerical range are eligible for the survey. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: determining, by a social networking system, at least one survey to be presented to users of the social networking system, wherein the survey is targeted to a number of users at each time interval; determining, by the social networking system, a uniform distribution of the users of the social networking system that may be surveyed, wherein users in the uniform distribution are each assigned a numerical value; determining, by the social networking system, a sampling window that references a numerical range, wherein the sampling window is adjusted upon completion of each time interval, wherein users of the social networking system that have been assigned a respective numerical value within the numerical range are eligible for the survey; and providing, by the social networking system, data describing the survey to a computing device of a first user, wherein the survey is cached by the computing device and presented when the sampling window corresponds to a numerical range that includes a numerical value assigned to the first user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the uniform distribution of users further comprises: providing, by the social networking system, a respective user ID of each user to a hash function as input to obtain a corresponding numerical value for the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: determining, by the social networking system, that a first user is eligible for the survey; and providing, by the social networking system, data describing the survey to a computing device of the first user, wherein the survey is presented through an interface of the computing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, the method further comprising: receiving, by the social networking system, a response to the survey from the computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the survey is presented in a content feed corresponding to the first user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the survey is associated with at least one triggering action, the method further comprising: determining, by the social networking system, that a first user is eligible for the survey; determining, by the social networking system, that the first user has performed the at least one triggering action while being eligible for the survey; and providing, by the social networking system, data describing the survey to a computing device of the first user, wherein the survey is presented through an interface of the computing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the sampling window further comprises: determining, by the social networking system, a specified number of users to be presented with the survey at each time interval; and determining, by the social networking system, a size of the numerical range referenced by the sampling window based at least in part on the specified number of users. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the sampling window further comprises: determining, by the social networking system, a number of desired responses for the survey; determining, by the social networking system, a response rate of the users; and determining, by the social networking system, a size of the numerical range referenced by the sampling window based at least in part on the number of desired responses and the response rate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the sampling window further comprises: determining, by the social networking system, a number of desired responses for the survey; determining, by the social networking system, a first rate at which the users are expected to respond to the survey; determining, by the social networking system, a second rate at which users are expected to perform a triggering action associated with the survey; and determining, by the social networking system, a size of the numerical range referenced by the sampling window based at least in part on the number of desired responses, the first rate, and the second rate. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: at least one processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform: determining at least one survey to be presented to users of the social networking system, wherein the survey is targeted to a number of users at each time interval; determining a uniform distribution of the users of the social networking system that may be surveyed, wherein users in the uniform distribution are each assigned a numerical value; determining a sampling window that references a numerical range, wherein the sampling window is adjusted upon completion of each time interval, wherein users of the social networking system that have been assigned a respective numerical value within the numerical range are eligible for the survey; and providing data describing the survey to a computing device of a first user, wherein the survey is cached by the computing device and presented when the sampling window corresponds to a numerical range that includes a numerical value assigned to the first user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein determining the uniform distribution of users further causes the system to perform: providing a respective user ID of each user to a hash function as input to obtain a corresponding numerical value for the user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the system further performs: determining that a first user is eligible for the survey; and providing data describing the survey to a computing device of the first user, wherein the survey is presented through an interface of the computing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the system further performs: receiving a response to the survey from the computing device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the survey is presented in a content feed corresponding to the first user. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method comprising: determining at least one survey to be presented to users of the social networking system, wherein the survey is targeted to a number of users at each time interval; determining a uniform distribution of the users of the social networking system that may be surveyed, wherein users in the uniform distribution are each assigned a numerical value; determining a sampling window that references a numerical range, wherein the sampling window is adjusted upon completion of each time interval, wherein users of the social networking system that have been assigned a respective numerical value within the numerical range are eligible for the survey; and providing data describing the survey to a computing device of a first user, wherein the survey is cached by the computing device and presented when the sampling window corresponds to a numerical range that includes a numerical value assigned to the first user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein determining the uniform distribution of users further causes the computing system to perform: providing a respective user ID of each user to a hash function as input to obtain a corresponding numerical value for the user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computing system further performs: determining that a first user is eligible for the survey; and providing data describing the survey to a computing device of the first user, wherein the survey is presented through an interface of the computing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computing system further performs: receiving a response to the survey from the computing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the survey is presented in a content feed corresponding to the first user.