US 2003/0233274 A1 · Methods and apparatus for gauging group choices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a choice processor that gauges group choice in a computer-mediated environment. The system uses scientific analysis of collective choice processes and outcomes produced by different voting methods to provide result data to guide an individual or group in making decisions synchronously or asynchronously. Three forms of instantaneous result data are provided. First, the system makes use of distinctive user dialogue boxes to communicate a scientific description of the initial conditions of the group choice being initiated by an individual or group. This information is processed to select the voting system or systems that facilitate the achievement of organizational or individual objectives. Second, the system employs a series of novel data processing methods to determine collective choice results throughout a collective choice process to identify differences and to communicate to initiator(s) and participants result data generated by the system to guide them in achieving predetermined one or more predetermined objectives. And third, novel rule-based artificial intelligence techniques are employed to provide quantitative and verbal analyses to user about how to weight votes and how to interpret a consensus that is not based on complete information about voter preferences or judgments.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A system for making a collective choice, said system including:

(a) a communications network;
(b) one or more terminals coupled to said network;
each of said one or more terminals having an input device;
(c) one or more servers coupled to said network;
(d) at least one database associated with said one or more servers;
said at least one database having storage fields for receiving and providing data;
(e) an input data object generator for generating a number of input data objects having input fields associated with related storage fields of said at least one database;
for delivering one of said number of input data objects to each of said one or more terminals so that each of said input devices can enter input data reflecting an individual choice into said input data object and for sending said input data object to said at least one database for said input data to be received thereby;
(f) an output data object generator for generating an output data object having output fields associated with one or more of said related storage fields of said at least one database;
said at least one database to provide output data to said output data object;
and
(g) a choice generator for receiving and manipulating said data from said output data object to generate a result of a collective choice.

9 more elements

An article of manufacture comprising a machine usable medium having machine readable program code embodied therein for making a collective choice, said article of manufacture comprising:

(a) machine readable program code for controlling one or more terminals coupled to a communications network;
each of said one or more terminals having an input device;
(b) machine readable program code for controlling one or more servers also coupled to said network;
(c) machine readable program code for maintaining at least one database associated with said one or more servers;
said at least one database having storage fields for receiving input data and providing output data;
(d) machine readable program code for generating a number of input data objects having input fields associated with related storage fields of said at least one database;
(e) machine readable program code for delivering one of said number of input data objects to each of said one or more terminals so that each of said input devices can enter input data reflecting an individual choice into said input data object;
(f) machine readable program code for sending said input data object to said at least one database for said input data to be received thereby;
(g) machine readable program code for generating an output data object having output fields associated with one or more of said related storage fields of said at least one database;
said at least one database to provide output data to said output data object;
and
(h) machine readable program code for receiving and manipulating said ouput data from said output data object to generate a result of a collective choice.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for gauging group choices

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for gauging group choices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42