System, method, and computer program product for scaleable data collection and audience feedback

A computer program product embodied on a tangible computer readable storage medium, comprising:

• computer code for receiving input from users of client devices;
• computer code for formatting records with a predetermined format representative of the input;
• computer code for dynamically assigning a priority to the records according to a policy;
• computer code for identifying at least one of a plurality of server devices based on a load balancing algorithm;
• computer code for transmitting the records from the client devices to the identified server device as a function of the priority;
• and
• computer code for processing the records utilizing a hierarchical architecture, upon receipt of the records;
• wherein the input is received by monitoring an interaction between the client devices and the users of the client devices;
• wherein the computer program product is operable such that the records are stored in a database associated with the identified server device;
• wherein the processing includes analysis;
• wherein the analysis includes hierarchical analysis;
• wherein the hierarchical analysis includes performing a first layer of analysis involving the records without a summarization, and performing a second layer of analysis involving the records with the summarization;
• wherein the computer program product is operable such that a template associated with the predetermined format is utilized for formatting the records and is referred to by the records, the records formatted by including only a binary encoding of each of a plurality of values, each of the values associated with a different field of a particular type of input
• wherein the computer program product is operable such that the processing is configured based on another policy, the other policy providing which records are filtered, aggregated, summarized and analyzed, the other policy providing a hierarchical level in which the processing is to be performed, including a number of layers in which the filtering, aggregating, summarizing and analyzing is to be performed, and the other policy defining a timeframe during which the processing is to be performed.

A system, comprising:

• at least one agent for receiving input from users of client devices, formatting records with a predetermined format representative of the input, dynamically assigning a priority to the records according to a policy, identifying at least one of a plurality of server devices based on a load balancing algorithm, and transmitting the records from the client devices to the identified server device as a function of the priority;
• wherein the records are processed utilizing a hierarchical architecture, upon receipt of the records;
• wherein the input is received by monitoring an interaction between the client devices and the users of the client devices, utilizing the at least one agent;
• wherein the system is operable such that the records are stored in a database associated with the identified server device;
• wherein the processing includes analysis;
• wherein the analysis includes hierarchical analysis;
• wherein the hierarchical analysis includes performing a first layer of analysis involving the records without a summarization, and performing a second layer of analysis involving the records with the summarization;
• wherein the system is operable such that a template associated with the predetermined format is utilized for formatting the records and is referred to by the records, the records formatted by including only a binary encoding of each of a plurality of values, each of the values associated with a different field of a particular type of input;
• wherein the system is operable such that the processing is configured based on another policy, the other policy providing which records are filtered, aggregated, summarized and analyzed, the other policy providing a hierarchical level in which the processing is to be performed, including a number of layers in which the filtering, aggregating, summarizing and analyzing is to be performed, and the other policy defining a timeframe during which the processing is to be performed.