 |
Claims  |
|
|
We claim:
1. A desktop survey system for creating a survey form to be completed by a
survey respondent and for scanning the survey form after it has been
completed by the respondent, the survey form being printed on a scannable
form having a preprinted timing track that can be scanned by an optical
mark scanner, the desktop survey system comprising:
computer means for creating the survey form comprising:
means for entering one or more questions to be printed on the scannable
form;
means for entering one or more response areas corresponding to each
question, the response areas comprising an outline in which the survey
respondent may make a data mark indicating that that response area was
selected by the survey respondent; and
means for positioning the response areas on the survey form such that the
response areas will be accurately positioned in a specified relation to
the timing track when the response areas are printed on the scannable
form;
printing means for printing the survey form such that the questions and the
corresponding response areas are overprinted on the scannable form in
response to the means for positioning the response areas;
means for communicating the positions of the response areas as positioned
on the scannable form by the means for positioning the response areas; and
scanning means for scanning the survey form after the survey respondent has
indicated which response areas were selected by the survey respondent by
using a handheld marking instrument, including means for determining the
location of the response areas on the survey form in response to the means
for communicating the positions of the response areas.
2. The desktop survey system of claim 1 wherein the computer means further
comprises means for generating a unique form identification code based
upon the positions occupied by the response areas on the survey form.
3. The desktop survey system of claim 1 wherein the means for positioning
the response areas comprises a grid of dots displayed on a terminal
display, each dot representing the center of a possible for the response
area such that when the response area is centered about the dot the
response area will be positioned in a specified relationship with the
timing track when the survey form is printed.
4. The desktop survey system of claim 1 wherein the means for communicating
positions of the response areas is comprised of a form key having only the
response areas printed on the scannable form, each response area being
filled in to represent a data mark scannable by the scanning means.
5. The desktop survey system of claim 1 wherein the means for communicating
positions of the response areas is comprised of a computer data file
having the horizontal and vertical offset positions in relation to the
timing track for each of the response areas.
6. A desktop survey system for creating a survey form to be completed by a
survey respondent and for scanning the survey form after it has been
completed by the respondent, the survey form being printed on a scannable
form having a preprinted timing track comprised of a column of timing
marks that can be scanned by an optical mark scanner, the desktop survey
system comprising:
input means for entering stimulus data specifying one or more stimulus
items to be printed on the scannable form and configuration data
specifying a configuration of one or more response areas associated with
the stimulus items, each response area comprising an outline in which a
survey respondent may make a data mark using a handheld marking instrument
indicating that response area was selected by the survey respondent;
data processing means for receiving the stimulus data and the configuration
data from the input means and developing locational information that
accurately specifies where the stimlus items and the associated response
areas will be located on the scannable form in a specified relation to the
timing marks on the scannable form;
storage means for storing the configuration data together with the
locational information;
printer means operably connected with the processing means for printing one
or more survey forms in response to the stimulus data, the configuration
data and the locational information; and
scanning means communicating with the storage means for receiving the
configuration data together with the locational information and for
scanning the survey forms completed by the survey respondents in
accordance with the configuration data together with the locational
information to interpret the completed survey forms by determining the
presence or absence of data marks in the response areas.
7. A system for creating a survey form to be printed on a scannable form
having a preprinted timing track, including at least one preprinted timing
mark, the system comprising:
means for entering one or more stimulus items to be printed on the
scannable form;
means for entering a plurality of response areas to be printed on the
scannable form, one or more of the response areas corresponding to each
stimulus item;
means for positioning the response areas such that the response areas are
accurately positioned in a specified relation to the timing track;
means for generating a form identification code based upon the positions
occupied by the response areas; and
printing means for printing the survey form such that the response areas
are printed on the scannable form in response to the means for positioning
the response areas and the form identification code is printed on the
scannable form to identify a unique combination of positions of the
response areas on the survey form.
8. The desktop survey system of claim 7 wherein the means for positioning
the response areas comprises a grid of dots displayed on a terminal
display, each dot representing the center of a possible position for the
response area such that when the response area is centered about the dot
the response area would occupy a specified relationship with the timing
track when the survey form is printed.
9. A method for creating a survey form to be printed on a scannable form
having a preprinted timing track by using a computer to design the survey
form, the method comprising the steps of:
entering into the computer at least one stimulus item to be subsequently
printed on the scannable form;
entering into the computer a plurality of response areas to be subsequently
printed on the scannable form, one or more of the response areas
corresponding to the stimulus item;
positioning the response areas such that the response areas are accurately
positioned by the computer in a specified relation to the timing track;
generating a form identification code with the computer based upon the
positions occupied by the response areas; and
printing the survey form such that the response areas are printed on the
scannable form in a specified relation to the timing track and the form
identification code is printed on the scannable form to identify a unique
combination of positions of the response areas on the survey form.
10. A method for creating and scanning a customized survey form to be
designed on a computer and printed on a scannable form having a preprinted
timing track that can be scanned by an optical mark scanner, comprising
the steps of:
entering stimlus data into the computer corresponding to one or more
stimulus item to be subsequently printed on the scannable form;
entering configuration data into the computer corresponding to a plurality
of response areas to be subsequently printed on the scannable form
corresponding to each stimulus item;
positioning the data for the response areas such that the response areas
are accurately positioned by the computer in a specified relation to the
timing track;
printing a form key having all of the positions indicated by the
configuration data represented by a series of marks that will be scanned
by the optical mark scanner;
scanning the form key using the optical mark scanner to identify all of the
positions of the response areas on the survey form;
printing the survey forms with the data corresponding to the stimulus items
and the data corresponding to the response areas such that the response
areas will be an outline in which a survey respondent may make a data mark
using a handheld marking instrument that indicates that the response was
selected by the survey respondent; and
scanning the survey forms after they are fielded to a group of respondents
such that the optical mark scanner will determine the presence or absence
of the data marks in accordance with the pattern for the positions of the
response areas as communicated by the form key.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:
automatically generating a unique form identification code using the
computer based upon the combination of positions of the response areas;
printing the identification code on the form key;
printing the identification code on the survey form; and
verifying the identification code on the survey form with the
identification code on the form key to insure that the survey form
corresponds with the form key.
12. A method for creating a unique form identification code for a
customized survey form to be designed on a computer and scanned by an
optical mark scanner, comprising the steps of:
entering configuration data into the computer corresponding to a plurality
of response areas to be subsequently printed on the scannable form
corresponding to the stimulus item;
positioning the data for the response areas such that the response areas
are positioned by the computer in a specified relation to a plurality of
predefined timing marks that comprise a timing track for the survey form;
automatically generating a unique form identification code based upon the
combination of positions of the response areas as positioned by the
computer; and
printing the identification code on the survey form.
13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:
printing the identification code on a form key to be scanned along with the
survey form;
scanning the form key and the survey form using an optical mark scanner;
and
verifying the identification code on the survey form with the
identification code on the form key to insure that the survey form
corresponds with the form key. |
|
 |
|
 |
Claims |
|
|
|
Description |
|
|
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of optical mark
scanning apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
method and system for creating and scanning a customized survey form. This
method and system has particular application in the creation of customized
survey forms or questionnaires for use in conducting various types of
market surveys and a wide variety of other data collection applications.
BACKGROUND ART
Optical mark reading (OMR) systems are well known in the prior art, and
there are many applications for the use of OMR scannable in the
large-scale gathering of information (e.g. student test scores, census
information, consumer preference surveys or product survey forms).
Typically, OMR systems have used a variety of preprinted scannable forms
comprised of sheets of paper or other similar material that have a
plurality of preprinted timing marks in a control mark column (often
referred to as a timing track) and a plurality of response areas (often
referred to as response bubbles) located on the sheet in a specified
relationship with the timing marks. The timing marks are used to trigger
the OMR system to scan or "read" the response area to detect whether a
data mark is present at a particular response area.
OMR systems are well-suited for gathering information from a large number
of documents containing data that can be stated numerically or
categorically (i.e., multiple choice, yes or no). In a typical market
survey application, a person would fill in the requested information on a
scannable form by placing a data mark in the desired response areas. When
completed, the scannable form is then fed into an OMR scanner that reads
the data marks and transmits this data to a computer for editing,
validation, and, ultimately, interpretation. While such OMR systems are an
efficient means of gathering large amounts of information, it is generally
not cost-effective to use current scannable forms with an OMR system to
gather relatively small amounts of information (i.e. 5,000 surveys or
less), particularly when the turn-around time for conducting a survey is
limited or when a scannable form must be custom-designed for a survey.
The scannable forms for OMR systems of the type described above are either
fixed format scannable forms having only response areas and no
corresponding questions printed on the form (e.g., 50 true/false response
areas), or custom scannable forms with specific questions (or other
stimulus items, such as graphics) printed corresponding to each response
area (e.g., a census survey). Fixed format scannable forms are
inexpensive, but are limited in arrangement and require another document
or a survey administrator to pose the questions, because fixed format
scannable forms do not combine both the question and response area on a
single document. Custom scannable forms are more flexible in their format,
but are expensive and may require as many as 5,000 copies of the same form
to be printed before the costs involved in designing and printing the
forms by conventional offset printing methods are recovered. More
importantly, the time required to print customized scannable forms by
conventional offset printing methods is sometimes too long (requiring one
to eight weeks from initial design to final printing), and does not meet
the market needs of many potential OMR users, particularly when there is a
shortened time requirement, as is often the case in market survey
applications.
One of the difficulties in creating a customized scannable form for use in
current OMR scanners is the low tolerance such scanners have for offset,
misregistration, and poor print or paper quality. In particular, the
timing tracks on scannable forms for such scanners must be printed to high
standards of print quality and print alignment to insure that an
acceptably high percentage of completed forms can later be properly
scanned and scored. Current OMR scanners use the timing marks in the
timing track to trigger when to scan the corresponding row of response
areas in the response area. Consequently, if the response areas are not
printed in relatively exact alignment with the corresponding timing mark,
the OMR scanner may interpret the edge of a response area as a positive
response or mark, rather than as a guide for the user filling in the data
mark.
It would be desirable to allow an OMR user to custom design a survey form
without the need to use conventional offset printing and design methods
and without the limitations imposed by a fixed format scannable form. One
example of a fixed format OMR system that permits limited customization of
scannable forms is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,325. In this system, a
format control sheet is used to custom control the scoring of a fixed
format scannable form. That is, the format control sheet to select and
group certain pre-printed response areas to be scored according to a
predetermined format. This system does not allow for the use of custom
text or stimuli to be printed on the scannable form. Moreover, it provides
for only minimal flexibility and requires the user to learn another
"language" to program the format control sheet.
Another possible solution is to create a customized survey form using
currently available laser printers with, for example, standard paint and
draw software programs (e.g., MacDraw). In general, however, such systems
cannot replicate the print quality and alignment for the timing tracks
required by current OMR scanners. Even if a blank scannable form having
only a preprinted timing track were used as the paper stock for a laser
printer, there is no way of establishing accurate alignment between the
preprinted timing track on such a form and the corresponding rows of
response areas to be printed by the laser printer.
Presently, there is no single system for creating and scanning a customized
survey form that effectively allows all of the information generated
during the design of the survey form to be used in scanning the survey
form. For example, if a change in a customized survey form is made that
would require a different scanning of the information being collected,
there is no means for distinguishing that change during the eventual
scanning of the forms because the scanning system is separate and distinct
from the system that created the survey form. Also, it would be
advantageous to allow the user to directly transfer details about all of
the possible information being collected so that when the survey forms are
scanned, this information does not have to be reentered into the scanning
system. Currently, scanning systems require that the horizontal and
vertical locations of response areas to be scanned and the information
about the type of fields being scanned be manually entered or keyed into
the system before a new survey form can be scanned. This process is
duplication of effort and allows for errors and inaccuracies to be entered
into the scanning system that may result in inaccurate scoring of the
information on the survey form.
Although the existing OMR scanners and scannable forms may be satisfactory
for other uses and applications, because of the problems recited above
they are not well-suited for quickly gathering and analyzing information
from a relatively small sample population by means of a customized survey
form. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a method and system to
allow for the timely and cost-effective creation of customized scannable
forms or survey forms that will be consistently and correctly scanned by
current OMR systems. Moreover, there would be many advantages to a method
and system for creating and scanning a customized survey form that
integrates both the creation and the scanning of a customized survey form
into a single, unified process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a desktop survey system is
provided in which customized survey forms may be created and scanned in a
single, unified process. Generally, such a system includes a preprinted
scannable form having a plurality of timing marks; a processing means for
entering, editing, and formatting customized questions and corresponding
response areas and for adjusting and aligning the locations of the
questions and response areas to be printed on the scannable form, a
printer for printing the customized questions and the corresponding
response areas on the scannable form in proper alignment with the timing
track to create a customized survey form or "questionnaire", and an OMR
scanner and attached processing means for receiving information
identifying and defining the fields to be scanned, scanning the survey
forms and tabulating and analyzing the results.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a desktop survey system
for creating and scanning a survey form to be completed by a survey
respondent, the survey form being printed on a scannable form having a
preprinted timing track that can be scanned by an optical mark scanner.
The system is comprised of a computer for entering data specifying the
questions and corresponding response areas to be printed on the survey
form, the response areas being an outline in which the survey respondent
may make a data mark indicating that response area was selected by the
survey respondent. The computer allows the user to position both the
questions and response areas by moving images on a computer display that
correspond to the questions and response areas. To insure that the
response areas will be consistently and correctly scanned by the OMR
scanner, the computer only allows the user to position the response areas
about a series of predetermined locations or dots that make up a grid
pattern that is aligned in a specified relation with the preprinted timing
marks on the scannable form. The positions of all of the response areas
are then communicated by means of either a form key or a data fileto a
computer that operates the OMR scanner. Each form key or data file
specifies all of the selected positions for the response areas printed on
the survey form and a unique form identification mark generated by the
computer that controls the positioning of the response areas. The form key
is printed on the scannable form with all of the selected positions for
the response areas being filled in with marks that will be detected as
data marks by the OMR scanner. The data file is read by the computer that
operates the scanner and contains the same position information in a
specified format. The computer that operates the scanner uses this
position information when scanning the survey forms after they have been
completed by the respondents to determine which response areas were
selected by the survey respondents as indicated by the data marks within
those response areas. Because any number of possible positions and
combinations of response areas is possible with the present invention, the
system provides for a unique form identification mark generated by the
computer that controls the positioning of the response areas. This form
identification mark is printed on each survey form or stored in each data
file and verified when the survey forms are scanned to insure that the
proper position information is being used to control the scanning of the
survey form. The desktop survey system also provides for several other
desirable features, including the ability to integrate or merge a data
file containing individualized information with the survey forms, thereby
producing individualized survey forms. A merge mark code is also printed
on the survey form that allows the computer operating the scanner to
relink the survey form with the appropriate record in the data file
containing the individualized information after the survey form has been
scanned.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a
timely and costeffective method and system for creating and scanning a
customized survey form.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method and
system for creating and scanning a customized survey form that integrates
both the creation and scanning of the customized survey form into a single
unified process.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a method and
system for insuring that the response areas of a customized survey form
will be printed in a specified relationship with the timing marks to
insure that the survey forms will be consistently and correctly scanned by
current OMR systems.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method and
system for increasing the efficiency of such a system by only requiring
the user to enter information relating to the position of the response
areas on the survey form a single time.
These and other objectives of the present invention will become apparent
with reference to the drawings, the detailed description of the preferred
embodiment and the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the operative components of a preferred
embodiment of a desktop survey system in accordance with the present
invention.
FIG. 2a is a survey form produced by the desktop survey system of the
present invention, including customized questions, response areas, and
alignment marks, printed on a scannable form that is blank except for the
bias bar and the timing track.
FIG. 2b is a form key produced by the desktop survey system of the present
invention, including all of the response areas filled in and printed on a
blank scannable form.
FIG. 3 is a depiction of a computer screen display showing the main screen
for producing a customized survey form using the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the software program associated with the computer
display screen shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for the software program associated with the Pull
Down Menu.
FIGS. 6a-6f are depictions for computer screen displays for various options
under the Pull Down Menu.
FIG. 7 is a flow chart for the software program associated with the Tools
Menu.
FIG. 8 is a flow chart for the software program associated with the Content
Area.
FIG. 9 is a flow chart for the software program associated with the
Input/Output Menu.
FIG. 10 is a depiction of a computer screen display for the Input/Output
Menu.
FIGS. 11a-11d are depictions of a scannable form during the steps that
comprise the Alignment process of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a depiction of a computer screen display for the Alignment
process.
FIGS. 13a-13b are a flow chart for the software program associated with the
Alignment process.
FIGS. 14a-14b are a flowchart for the software program associated with the
Print process.
FIGS. 15a-15b are a depiction of a computer screen display showing two
dialog boxes for the Print process.
FIGS. 16a-16b are a depiction of a computer screen displays for the
Analysis and Define Questionnaire processes.
FIG. 17 is a flowchart for the software program associated with the overall
flow of the Analysis process.
FIGS. 18a-18c are a flowchart for the software program associated with the
Define Questionnaire process.
FIG. 19 is a depiction of three field types that may be defined for the
response areas.
FIG. 20 is a depiction of a computer screen display for the Open-Ends
window.
FIG. 21 is a flowchart for the software program associated with the Scan
process.
FIG. 22 is a depiction of a computer screen display for the Scan Parameters
window.
FIG. 23 is a depiction of a computer screen display showing the results of
the Scan process.
FIGS. 24a-24b are depictions of two alternative methods of coding
open-ended questions.
FIG. 25 is a flowchart for the software program associated with the Data
File Management process.
FIG. 26 is a depiction of a sample standard report generated after all of
the survey forms have been scanned by the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, the operative components of a desktop survey system 10
in accordance with the present invention will generally include, a
computer 12 coupled with a laser printer 14 for creating the customized
survey forms 20, and a scanner 16 coupled to a second computer 18 for
scanning the survey forms 20 once the desired information has been
collected. Briefly, the specifications for the survey forms 20 are created
using the computer 12 and then overprinted on blank scannable forms 22
(FIG. 2a) by the laser printer 14. Once the survey forms 20 are printed,
they may be fielded using any number of collection methods to collect the
desired information. After the survey has been fielded or the test has
been administered, the completed survey forms 20 are scanned using the
scanner 16 coupled with the second computer 18. When the scanning process
is finished, the scanned information may then be edited and verified,
responses to open-ended questions may be encoded, and the resulting data
is now ready for analysis and interpretation.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer 12 is an
Apple Macintosh SE available from Apple Computers, Inc., of Cuppertino,
Calif. The laser printer 14 is an Omni Laser 2115 available from Texas
Instruments, Inc., Dallas, Tex. The scanner 16 is a NCS Sentry 3000
available from National Computer Systems of Eden Prairie, Minnesota and
the second computer 18 is an IBM PS/2 Model 30 available from
International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y. The scannable form 22
overprinted to make survey forms 20 is described in detail in co-pending
application entitled OVERPRINT REGISTRATION SYSTEM FOR PRINTING A
CUSTOMIZED SURVEY FORM AND SCANNABLE FORM THEREFOR, filed in the United
States Patent and Trademark Office on Apr. 1, 1988 and identified by Ser.
No. 176,610, which is fully incorporated by reference herein.
Although the preferred embodiment utilizes two computers, a laser printer
and a scanner, it should be understood that the present invention may work
equally well with a number of different component configurations. For
instance, while the preferred embodiment uses a laser printer for printing
the survey forms, any printer capable of the resolution and control
achieved by a laser printer could accomplish the objectives of the present
invention. In an alternative embodiment, the information about the design
of the survey form might be conveyed to an offset printing press with a
computer interface to allow larger quantities of a particular customized
survey survey form to be produced, while still taking advantage of the
time and design savings realized by the present invention. The present
invention is equally applicable to forms scanned either by a Trans-Optic
method of scanning (light transmitted through the form) or by a
reflective-read method of scanning (light reflected from the surface of
the form). Though a scanner with a relatively small duty | | |
