Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2157739
DATA COLLECTION DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data collection
devices and, more specifically, to a device for collecting
polling data from a data card of the type including a
plurality of pre-printed enclosed spaces (or bubbles)
intended to be selectively darkened in response to an
inquiry, such as on a survey questionnaire or election
ballot.
Description of the Related Art
Information is perhaps the most valuable resource to
private businesses and governments, particularly information
relating to public opinion and consumer satisfaction.
However, the collecting of information from the public can
be a daunting and expensive task, often requiring the
services of a professional market research firm or polling
service. Ordinarily, such information is gathered through
the use of surveys specifically designed for a particular
business, industry, or government agency. In some
instances, gathering of information is directed at a
particular controlled group of consumers or citizens, while
other times it is desirous to determine general public
opinion on a particular subject. Further, the election of
government officials, whether municipal, state, or federal,
requires collection and processing of information, in the
form of votes, from large sectors of the public,
encompassing possibly millions of voters.
In the past, there have been various survey conducting
apparatus and other data collection devices developed in the
art to facilitate automated collection of data
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electronic terminal for electronically collecting opinion data
from consumers of a service organization as to the satisfaction
with the services rendered. The terminal includes a keyboard
that displays inquiries with multiple choice responses for each
inquiry. A response is associated with each key, whereby the
respondent presses the appropriate keys in connection with the
associated response. A response, by operation of the keys is
electronically recorded by a microprocessor controller, visually
displaying to the customer each selection. A tally of the
answers is permanently recorded in the terminal. Other related
devices are disclosed in the patents to Johnson, et al., No. Re.
31,951 and Itoh, et al., No. 5,091,877. These devices are
specifically designed to collect data electronically and
transmit this data to a central memory.
A common drawback of the devices set forth above is that
they require specific programming in order to correlate
responses to the questions. Each time the questions to a survey
are changed, or a new survey is created, these devices need to
be reprogrammed. This procedure is not only time-consuming, but
costly and generally requires the services of a person having
expertise in programming such devices. Further, the market
survey and data collection devices set forth above generally
require the user to input responses to questions, using keys,
thus requiring a substantial level of interaction with the
device, inevitably leading to user error, frustration and/or
inaccurate data input.
Accordingly, there is a need for a data collection device
which can be conveniently installed, either permanently or
temporarily, at virtually any select location and which is
simple to operate, requiring only the insertion of a response
card by respondents.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device for
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collecting data from a data card which is distributed to
respondents; the data card being of the type including an array
of pre-printed enclosed areas (or bubbles) printed on the card
in accordance with a predetermined arrangement and intended to
be selectively and individually darkened in response to
questions or selections, such as in a survey questionnaire or
election ballot.
The device of the present invention includes a housing
having a front face, a back panel, a base, and a slot opening in
the front face. A central processor unit such as a PC-104
motherboard within an interior of the housing, includes a
control circuit for controlling operation of the various
components of the device and a memory means for storing data. A
visual display means on the housing provides instructional
information relating to use and operation of the device. An
optical mark reader (OMR) positioned and disposed adjacent to
the slot opening within the housing interior is structured to
pull the data card through the slot opening for scanning in
order to determine the location of the darkened (filled-in)
bubbles relative to fixed timing marks along the outer boarders
of the card. The OMR sends data corresponding with the readings
of the darkened bubbles to the central processor for storage in
the central processor's memory.
After responding to each inquiry, by darkening the
appropriate bubbles with a pen or pencil, the data card is
inserted into the OMR. The data card may include a litho code
or other identifying indicia along an edge of the card, the
litho code corresponding to the particulars of a survey or
ballot, such as: a survey or ballot version (i.e., version 1-
12); whether the survey is single or double-sided; and whether
the language of the character display is to be English, French,
German, Spanish, Portuguese, or another language. Accordingly,
when a data card is inserted in the device, the OMR reads the
litho code thereon, enabling the central processor to match the
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data card with these survey or ballot particulars.
A bar code and/or magnetic strip reader is attached to the
top of the housing for reading data from a bar code or magnetic
strip, such as may be provided on a voter registration or other
identification card of the respondent. Upon passing the voter
registration or other identification card along the elongate
slot of the reader, exposing a bar code or magnetic strip within
the slot of the reader, the identification data particular to
that respondent is read and thereafter transmitted and stored in
the central processor.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the
present invention to provide a data collection device adapted to
read data on a data card, store the data in the central
processor, and thereafter print a generated report based on the
collected data.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide
a device for collecting data as is required for conducting
surveys or balloting, wherein the device is designed either for
mounting in a fixed, permanent position, or completely portable
and supported on a table top or other suitable support surface.
It is still a further object of the present invention to
provide a device for collecting data at remote locations for
subsequent transfer to a central data base in order to generate
reports such as the results of a survey or election.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a device for collecting data as is needed to conduct a
survey or for balloting, wherein the device includes a bar code
reader and/or a magnetic strip reader for reading user specific
data as may be encoded on an ID card or voter registration.
These and other objects of the present invention will be
more readily apparent in the description which follows.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present
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invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings
in which:
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the device of the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device;
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the functional
relationship of the various components of the device of the
present invention;
Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the device illustrating
various ports for connecting with external devices including a
serial and/or parallel port, a modem port, a power connection
port, a printer port, and a cellular connection port; and
Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the device showing
an access door on the side thereof.
Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the device showing an
access plate.
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
several views of the drawings.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring initially to the several figures of the drawings,
there is illustrated a data collection device of the present
invention, referred to generally as 10. The data collection
device 10 includes a housing 12 having a base 14, a front panel
16, opposite sides 17, 18 and a back panel 19. The front panel
16 may be formed and configured to extend from the top edge of
the back panel 19 to the base 14, to define a top side 20 and a
front face 22. The front face includes a slot opening 24, and a
character display 28. The character display 28 provides visual
messages to the respondent including instructional information
relating to operation of the device.
Referring to Figure 3, there is schematically illustrated
the device 10 of the present invention, including the various
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component elements thereof which are powered by either AC power
or by an internal battery 40. Specifically, the device 10
includes a central processor 50 including a control circuit for
controlling operation of the various components of the device
and a memory means for storing data therein. In a preferred
embodiment, the central processor unit 50 is a PC-104
motherboard.
The visual character display 28 interconnects with the
central processor 50 and receives messages from the central
processor~s memory for display. The particular messages
transmitted from the central processor 50 to the display 28 are
prompted by various actions and operations of the various
components during use.
An optical mark reader (OMR) 60 supported within the
housing 12 interior includes a drive assembly 62 specifically
structured to pull the data card through the slot opening 24 and
past the OMR 60 for scanning thereof. The OMR 60 is structured
to scan and read the data card once pulled therethrough in order
to detect and locate darkened areas on the card, including a
litho code or other identifying indicia, timing marks, and
darkened (filled-in) bubbles. The OMR sends data corresponding
with the readings taken from the data card to the central
processor for storage in the central processor~s memory. ThiS
data is thereafter consolidated in the central processor's
memory in accordance with the particular litho code identifying
the survey or ballot version. Thus, all response data from the
scanned data cards is grouped, consolidated and stored for each
survey or ballot version.
A bar code and/or magnetic strip reader 70 is fitted to the
top side 20 of the housing 12 and includes two parallel,
elongate blocks 72, 74 disposed in spaced, parallel relation to
define an elongate slot 76 therebetween. Either or both of the
blocks 72, 74 may be provided with a magnetic strip reader
and/or bar code scanner element facing inwardly toward the
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elongate slot 76 so that a magnetic strip or bar code on a card
or other substrate can be read upon passing the card along the
length of the slot 76 so that the bar code and/or magnetic strip
is exposed to the appropriate reading element. In use,
respondents submitting a response data card within the device
may have a previously issued identification card having a bar
code or magnetic strip thereon which is encoded with
identification data specific to that particular respondent.
When conducting a ballot, for example, when each voter
registers, they receive a voter registration card having the bar
code or magnetic strip thereon. Upon submitting their ballot
into the device 10, in the form of a data card as described
above, the voter will also pass their voter registration card
through the bar code scanner or magnetic strip reader in order
to record the fact that the particular voter has cast his/her
vote. This would prove valuable where the voter registration
forms were lost, stolen, or destroyed. The identification data
read from the bar code or magnetic strip is transmitted and
stored in the memory of the central processor 50.
When data cards are submitted, by inserting them through
the slot opening 24 to be read by the OMR 60, they may be either
rejected or retained after scanning. For balloting purposes,
the device will retain the data cards within the housing
interior after scanning by the OMR. As seen in Figure 5, the
housing 12 is provided with an access door 90 on the side panel
17 in order to facilitate access to the housing interior for
retrieving deposited data cards. An access plate 101 on the
bottom of the device opens by removing screws to enable repair
or replacement of hardware components within the housing 12.
The housing interior 105 is structured to provide a secure means
of storing approximately 2,000 ballot data cards, such as in a
bin. A key lock 89 or other suitable lock means enables the
door 90 to be secured and locked in the closed position,
preventing unauthorized access to the housing interior.
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The back panel 19 is provided with several ports and/or
jacks to facilitate interconnection of the device with various
external components such as a computer, an external printer, a
modem, and a cellular transceiver. In particular, the back
panel is provided with a modem port 92 to facilitate transfer of
data between an external computer data base and the central
processor 50 via a telephone line connection. The port 92
further facilitates interconnection with a cellular transceiver
enabling transfer of data via a wireless transmission media. An
RS-232 serial port 96 facilitates direct connection of external
computer devices to the central processor 50. An AC power
connection 97 is further provided for connecting the device to
an AC power source, which also serves to charge the internal
battery supply.
As mentioned earlier, the device 10 can be interconnected
with an external printer via a printer port 99. Alternatively,
an internal printer may be provided within the device and
interconnected with the central processor for on site printing
of reports generated by the central processor. In either event,
the device 10 is adapted to generate various reports based on
the collected data. To obtain printed reports, the operator
would depress a button 102 within the housing 12 to activate the
internal or externally connected printer. For example, in the
instance the device is used for balloting, several reports can
be obtained including a printout which lists the voter
registration number of each and every voter who used the device
to cast his/her ballot, either in the form of numbers or in bar
code form. This information would serve as a backup in the
event that voter registration documents, signed by the voters at
the polling stations, are lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen, or
otherwise rendered unreadable. Another report which can be
printed by depressing button 102 is a ballot summary providing
the polling results.
