MOBILE CLOUD AND MOBILE CLOUD COMPUTING FOR A USER-CUSTOMIZED SURVEY OR ELECTION SERVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

Mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing for a user-customized survey or election service system and method are provided. The mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing-based user-customized survey or election service provides an editor's metadata frame for creating user-customized survey or election service contents to information devices including user's smartphone from a service server and a metadata description frame database for generating the editor's metadata frame and storing the user's contents to the service server.

Claims

1. A system for providing a user or manager-customizable survey or election service based on a mobile cloud using wired or wireless networks, comprising: a service server; a plurality of portable information devices including mobile phones; a central processing unit (CPU); a memory device; and a database (DB) system, wherein the plurality of portable information devices are equipped with hardware and software for processing information related to the user or manager-customizable survey or election service, wherein a manager selects a user-customizable survey or election service provided by the service system on a manager's device, wherein the manager is a person who has been authenticated with the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service, wherein in response to the manager's service selection, the service system generates a manager's metadata frame corresponding to the service selected by the manager from a user-customizable survey or election service provider's database, in which metadata items necessary for the user-customizable survey or election service are stored, wherein the service system displays the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device, wherein the manager inputs a manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame, which is generated from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database and displayed on the manager's device, wherein the service system generates manager's customized survey or election service contents with a metadata, which is an actual data of the manager input in each metadata items on the manager's metadata frame created from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database, wherein the service system transmits the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service selected and inputted by the manager to a respondent's device, and wherein the service system receives a response information on the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service transmitted from the respondent.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service system designs the metadata frame indicating a relationship between the user-customizable survey or election service and the metadata items and is configured to: classify and organize the metadata items using oncology comprising word representations corresponding to the metadata items required for the user-customizable survey or election service; and database the metadata frame composed of the metadata and the metadata items into a metadata description frame database using a metadata frame description method, wherein the metadata description frame method uses a database data model description method.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service system displays the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device by creating the manager's metadata frame, which is a user interface with a programmed table type so that the manager's actual data for the extracted metadata and metadata items are entered, and presenting the created manager's metadata frame to the plurality of portable information devices.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service system authenticates the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service with at least one of the following methods: by (i) verifying identification and password, (ii) authenticating through a public certificate or digital signature, (iii) verifying using an authentication card or USB memory, or (iv) verifying using a biometric information.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame includes at least one of text, photo, and video and is configured to be monitored in real time.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the respondent's device includes a portable device including a smartphone and a PC, and wherein the contents for the manager's customizable survey or election service include a question and a response as the metadata item, and the response to the question includes a selection type.

7. A method for a system for providing a user or manager-customizable survey or election service based on a mobile cloud using wired or wireless networks, the system comprising a service server; a plurality of portable information devices including mobile phones; a central processing unit (CPU); a memory device; and a database (DB) system, wherein the plurality of portable information devices are equipped with hardware and software for processing information related to the user or manager-customizable survey or election service, the method comprising: selecting, by a manager, a user-customizable survey or election service provided by the system on a manager's device, wherein the manager is a person who has been authenticated with the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service; in response to the manager's service selection, generating a manager's metadata frame corresponding to the service selected by the manager from a user-customizable survey or election service provider's database, in which metadata items necessary for the user-customizable survey or election service are stored; displaying the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device; inputting, by the manager, a manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame, which is generated from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database and displayed on the manager's device; generating manager's customized survey or election service contents with a metadata, which is an actual data of the manager input in each metadata items on the manager's metadata frame created from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database; transmitting the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service selected and inputted by the manager to a respondent's device; and receiving a response information on the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service transmitted from the respondent.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: designing the metadata frame indicating a relationship between the user-customizable survey or election service and the metadata items and is configured to: classify and organize the metadata items using oncology comprising word representations corresponding to the metadata items required for the user-customizable survey or election service; and database the metadata frame composed of the metadata and the metadata items into a metadata description frame database using a metadata frame description method, wherein the metadata description frame method uses a database data model description method.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: displaying the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device by creating the manager's metadata frame, which is a user interface with a programmed table type so that the manager's actual data for the extracted metadata and metadata items are entered, and presenting the created manager's metadata frame to the plurality of portable information devices.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: authenticating the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service with at least one of the following methods: by (i) verifying identification and password, (ii) authenticating through a public certificate or digital signature, (iii) verifying using an authentication card or USB memory, or (iv) verifying using a biometric information.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame includes at least one of text, photo, and video and is configured to be monitored in real time.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the respondent's device includes a portable device including a smartphone and a PC, and wherein the contents for the manager's customizable survey or election service include a question and a response as the metadata item, and the response to the question includes a selection type.

Description

THE BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0084] FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of an opinion collecting server of FIG. 1,

[0085] FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of an opinion inputting terminal of FIG. 1,

[0086] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for collecting electronic voting results and providing an election result according to another embodiment of the present invention,

[0087] FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of a candidate information metadata frame,

[0088] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example of candidate information contents,

[0089] FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example of ballot paper contents,

[0090] FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of reply contents generated in step S445 of FIG. 4,

[0091] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for collecting opinions using an electronic survey and providing a collected result according to another embodiment of the present invention,

[0092] FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of a question metadata frame,

[0093] FIG. 11 is a diagram of an example of question contents,

[0094] FIG. 12 is a diagram of an example of response contents, and

[0095] FIG. 13 is a diagram of an example of the reply contents generated in step S945 of FIG. 9.

[0096] FIG. 14 is a diagram of an example of metadata extraction of an election voting service according to an ontology classification method,

[0097] FIG. 15 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to RDF,

[0098] FIG. 16 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to XML,

[0099] FIG. 17 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to a relational data model,

[0100] FIG. 18 is a diagram of an example of metadata extraction of the opinion poll service according to the ontology classification method,

[0101] FIG. 19 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to the RDF,

[0102] FIG. 20 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to the XML,

[0103] FIG. 21 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to the relational data model, and

[0104] FIG. 22 is a diagram of an example for reversely converting the reply contents of a table type to the metadata description frame.

[0105] FIG. 23 is a diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinions based on a spread sheet as its file system.

[0106] FIG. 24 is another diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] FIG. 25 is a diagram of three different phases of a database data model according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0108] FIG. 26 is a diagram of a database-based system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is a combination of a survey information retrieval system and a survey monitoring system.

[0109] FIG. 27 is an example of an SQL program for generating a metadata frame in the table format of FIG. 21 as a database.

[0110] FIG. 28 is an example of an SQL program for constructing a designed metadata frame as a database.

[0111] FIG. 29 is a program for generating the editor's metadata frame from the metadata description frame database constructed with the program of FIG. 27 with SQL compiler.

[0112] FIG. 30 is an example of an SQL program of a content generator (140 in FIG. 2).

[0113] FIG. 31 is an embodiment of a metadata frame converter (125 in FIG. 2).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0114] Hereinafter, the present invention is explained in detail by referring to the drawings.

[0115] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system for automatically collecting opinions is a system capable of automatically collecting opinions of multiple people and compiling statistics with the collected opinions.

[0116] FIG. 24 is another diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is noted that instead of using a file system as shown in FIG. 23, FIG. 24 shows that the system uses a database system for storing and collecting user opinions. Here, the database is provided independently from the opinion collecting server 100.

[0117] A representative example of the opinion can include 1) a voting which is the opinion for selecting a particular candidate in an election, 2) opinions of people for a particular agenda, and the like.

[0118] Hence, the system for automatically collecting opinions according to embodiments of the present invention can provide 1) a solution for providing an election result by collecting/counting voting results of voters and 2) a solution for researching and collecting opinions of people and then providing statistically processed results.

[0119] As shown in FIG. 1, the system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an opinion collecting server 100 and opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N.

[0120] The opinion collecting server 100 is connected with the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N to communicate over a network (N). A type of the network N for interconnecting the opinion collecting server 100 and the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N are not limited, and can be implemented using an adequate network if necessary.

[0121] For example, when the system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention is utilized as a system for collecting opinions of employees in a company, the network N can use a LAN. However, when the system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention is utilized as a system for collecting voting results in a nationwide election, the network N needs to use a WAN, a mobile communication network, a PSTN, or a combination of some of them.

[0122] Also, how the opinion collecting server 100 and the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N are connected to the network N is not limited. They can be connected to the network N by wire or by wireless, and a communication protocol is not limited either.

[0123] In the system for automatically collecting opinions according to an embodiment, the opinion collecting server 100 inquires of the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N about the opinion of a user.

[0124] When the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N send opinions of users to the opinion collecting server 100 in reply to the inquiry, the opinion collecting server 100 compiles statistics with the received opinions of the users and provides the result.

[0125] Hereafter, the opinion collecting server 100 and the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N of FIG. 1 are described in further detail, and the opinion collecting server 100 is explained first by referring to FIG. 2.

[0126] The service content or opinion inputting terminal 200 in the exemplary embodiments can be implemented using the PC and portable communication equipment such as mobile phone, PDA, smartphone, table, and etc.

[0127] The technical feature of the present invention is to provide a user-customized survey or election service in a mobile cloud environment as shown in FIG. 1.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is to provide the user-customized survey or election service based on the Internet, and the service system is composed of a service server and the information devices of user clients.

[0129] The cloud service of the user-customized survey or election service of the present invention is managed by the management system of the metadata description frame database of the service server for the user-customized survey or election service contents.

[0130] The mobile computing of the user-customized survey or election service of the present invention is to create the user-customized survey or election service contents using the editor's metadata frame that the service server provides to the information devices including the user's smartphone.

[0131] In addition, the user information device, which is for a client using the user-customized survey or election service, includes a portable device, and the service server and the client device are connected through a wired or wireless network.

[0132] The features of the user-customized survey or election service system of the present invention are consistent with those of mobile cloud, mobile cloud computing, and mobile cloud application.

[0133] Consequently, the user-customized survey or election service of the present invention is a mobile computing application service based on mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing.

[0134] Of course, the user-customized survey or election service of the present invention can be provided as a mobile web/app or a native app service to the user's information devices including smartphones.

Mode of the Invention

[0135] FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the opinion collecting server 100 of FIG. 1. Blocks constituting the opinion collecting server 100 as shown can be implemented using S/W and H/W. Also, some of the blocks constituting the opinion collecting server 100 can be implemented using S/W and the remaining blocks can be implemented using H/W.

[0136] The opinion collecting server 100, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a metadata extraction unit 105 and a metadata description frame generator 110 on the side of a system service provider, a manager authentication unit 115, a service selector 120, a metadata frame converter 125, a metadata description frame DB 135, a content generator 140, a content distributor 145, a distributed site DB 150, a reply content receiver 155, a metadata frame reverse converter 160, a reply information DB 165, a statistics compiler 170, a statistics compiling S/W 175, a result processor 180, a real-time monitor 185, and an information searcher 190 on the side of a manager.

[0137] The metadata extraction unit 105 and the metadata description frame generator 110 are a preprocessor to be installed prior to a self system service which furnishes the opinion collecting system service. Originally, metadata indicates data relating to the information. In embodiments of the present invention, the metadata indicates data to be contained in contents necessary for the opinion collecting service, and metadata items indicate metadata property, category, type, and value.

[0138] For example, questions and answers of the survey service contents are metadata.

[0139] The ‘question’ metadata should be suppressed, for example, within 30 characters of the alphabet. The format of the response is a multiple-choice, short answer, and etc., and the response are metadata items.

[0140] In the present invention, the relationship between the metadata and metadata items is defined as a metadata frame. The metadata frame is a data model for constructing a database to create and to store contents of the user-customized survey or election service.

[0141] The metadata extraction unit 105 extracts, classifies, and organizes the metadata items required for the automatic opinion collecting service provided by the system for automatically collecting opinions as mentioned above. The metadata items are extracted, classified, and arranged with a methodology using ontology, which shall be explained later.

[0142] The ontology in the present invention is a system classifying the metadata items required for the service into hierarchical relationships and premise part relations, and is defined as word representation, which becomes the metadata items of the service (see FIG. 14 and FIG. 18).

[0143] The metadata description frame generator 110 generates the metadata items and the meta data frame relating to the opinion collecting service extracted by the metadata extraction unit 105 using the ontology scheme, as a metadata description frame.

[0144] At this time, a metadata description frame scheme can employ at least one of 1) a description method according to Resource Description Framework (RDF), 2) a description method according to eXtensible Hyper Text Markup Language (XHTML) or eXtensible Markup Language (XML), 3) a description method according to a data model of the database, and 4) a description method according to spread sheet.

[0145] A metadata description frame structure is necessary to enhance efficiency of the automatic opinion collecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and directly involves enhancement of a user interface and easiness of information search.

[0146] The metadata description method according to the RDF representation describes the frame of the metadata in a graphical structure by combining basic description units of the metadata into three elements of resource, property, and value.

[0147] The metadata description method according to the XHTM or XML representation describes the metadata frame in a tree structure with structural element type, class property, and IDentification (ID) property of the metadata.

[0148] Meanwhile, the metadata description method according to the data model representation of the database can describe the metadata frame with the data model scheme of the database, that is, with a hierarchical data model, a network data model, a relational data model, an object-oriented data model, and NoSQL database data model.

[0149] A data processing system of the spread sheet type such as excel of Microsoft may be used. The data processing system of the spreadsheet type refers to a system using the data entry form and statistical functions of spreadsheet.

[0150] Advantages of the metadata frame description methods according to the RDF, XHTML, and XML representations include high compatibility and high congeniality with semantic web technology which is studied as a next-generation web technology. Meanwhile, the metadata frame description methods according to the database data model and the spread sheet can be mounted using existing stabilized theory techniques and tools.

[0151] The metadata description frame generator 110 generates the metadata description frame DB 135. For storing a metadata frame with the metadata and metadata items defined by a definite unit of the metadata in the above-described manner into the metadata description frame, the metadata description frame databases of metadata RDF frame, metadata XML frame, metadata XHTML frame, metadata RDB frame, and metadata spreadsheet frame method is constructed according to the metadata description frame method.

[0152] The metadata description frame generator 110 generates a metadata description frame with the metadata defined by a definition unit of the metadata in the above-described manner, and stores it to the metadata description frame DB 135. The voting service and the opinion collecting service in the automatic opinion collecting system as above shall be explained in detail by referring to FIGS. 14 through 21.

[0153] The manager authentication unit 115 authenticates whether a rightful manager accesses the opinion collecting server 100. Herein, the rightful manager indicates a manager who manages and takes charge of the opinion collection via the opinion collecting server 100 or a manager of the corresponding authority in an institution which manages and takes charge of the opinion collection via the opinion collecting server 100.

[0154] When the opinion collecting server 100 is a server for collecting voting results, the rightful manager indicates the person in charge of the election administration, or the person belonging to the institution in charge of the election administration and given the authority.

[0155] When the opinion collecting server 100 is a server for collecting opinions, the rightful manager indicates the person authorized to survey opinions, or the person in charge of the corresponding task in an institution authorized to survey opinions.

[0156] Herein, the authentication procedure can be performed in various manners. For example, the authentication procedure can be carried out by 1) checking ID/PW, 2) authenticating through a certificate or a digital signature, 3) verifying using an authentication card, USB memory, and the like, and 4) identifying using biometric information (for example, face photo, voice, fingerprint, iris, etc.).

[0157] At this time, a) the face photo can be obtained through a PC camera (not shown) of the opinion collecting server 100, b) the voice can be obtained through a microphone (not shown) of the opinion collecting server 100, c) the fingerprint can be obtained through a fingerprint reader (not shown) connected to the opinion collecting server 100, and d) the iris can be obtained through an iris scanner (not shown) connected to the opinion collecting server 100.

[0158] The service selector 120 provides a manager interface for selecting any one of opinion collecting services supplied by the opinion collecting server 100. This is useful when the opinion collecting server 100 provides several opinion collecting services.

[0159] As stated above, the opinion collecting services provided by the opinion collecting server 100 can be classified into a voting result collecting service (electronic voting service) and an opinion collecting service (electronic survey service). Accordingly, the service selector 120 provides the manager interface for selecting any one of the electronic voting service and the electronic survey service.

[0160] The manager can select an intended service through the manager interface. At this time, it is understood that the manager is who verified as the rightful manger by the manager authentication unit 115.

[0161] The metadata description frame DB 135 stores metadata description frames. Meanwhile, contents required for the opinion collecting service are 1) opinion determining contents and 2) opinion inputting contents.

[0162] Herein, 1) the opinion determining contents are contents containing information to be referred to before the users make a decision, and 2) the opinion inputting contents are contents used for the users to input the determined opinion after making the decision.

[0163] The metadata frame converter 125 generates an editor's metadata frame by converting the metadata description frame defined and described in the RDF, XHTML, database, data model, or spread sheet representation in the metadata description frame DB 135, to a table type which is the user interface form so that the manager or the user can easily obtain and use. The metadata frame converter 125 stores (databases) the generated metadata frame to the metadata description frame DB 135.

[0164] For doing so, the metadata frame converter 125 extracts necessary metadata description frames from the metadata description frames stored to the metadata description frame DB 135.

[0165] Herein, the necessary metadata description frames are 1) metadata description frames for the metadata or metadata items to be contained in the editor's metadata frame of the opinion determining contents and 2) metadata description frames for the metadata or metadata items to be contained in the editor's metadata frame the opinion inputting contents, for the opinion collecting service selected by the service selector 120.

[0166] The extracted metadata description frame corresponds to metadata or metadata items described in the editor's metadata frame.

[0167] Thus, when extracting the metadata description frame, the metadata frame converter 125 refers to which opinion collecting service is selected by the user through the service selector 120. For example, when the user selects the electronic voting service through the service selector 120, the metadata frame converter 125 extracts the metadata description frames required for the electronic voting service. By contrast, when the user selects the electronic survey service through the service selector 120, the metadata frame converter 125 extracts the metadata description frames required for the electronic survey service.

[0168] The metadata frame converter 125 generates the editor's metadata frame of the table type by converting the extracted metadata description frame. More specifically, the metadata frame converter 125 generates the editor's metadata frame of the table type including the metadata or metadata items corresponding to the extracted metadata description frame.

[0169] As a result, the metadata frame converter 125 generates 1) the opining determining editor's metadata frame including the metadata or metadata items for the opinion determining contents and 2) the opinion inputting editor's metadata frame including the metadata or metadata items for the opinion inputting contents.

[0170] The content generator 140 includes actual metadata corresponding to the metadata items contained in the metadata frame generated by the metadata frame converter 125. That is, the contents can indicate the editor's metadata frame including the actual metadata.

[0171] The user contents inputted in the user's actual metadata corresponding to the metadata items of the editor's metadata frame is the same as the content in which the user's actual metadata is stored in the metadata description frame database.

[0172] That is, the user contents generated by the user inputting into the editor's metadata frame are stored and managed in the metadata description frame database.

[0173] Every user enters the user's actual metadata in the editor's metadata frame provided to the user's information devices including smartphones and stores it in the metadata description frame database as shown in FIG. 2 (140->135).

[0174] The contents generated by the content generator 140 are the opinion determining contents and the opinion inputting contents.

[0175] The content distributor 145 distributes the opinion determining contents and the opinion inputting contents generated by the content generator 140, only to the corresponding persons of the user terminals 200-1 through 200-N.

[0176] To distribute only to the corresponding persons of the user terminals 200-1 through 200-N, the content distributor 145 refers to the distributed site DB 150. This is because the distributed site DB 150 includes addresses of users for the opining collection.

[0177] Herein, the address of the user indicates a mobile phone number, an IP address, and an E-mail address of the user. The mobile phone number is appropriate when the user terminal is a mobile phone, the IP address is appropriate when the user terminal is a PC and the E-mail address is appropriate when the user terminal is either.

[0178] The user terminal receiving the distributed contents from the content distributor 145 transmits reply contents in response, which is to be explained. The reply contents include the opinion of the user of the user terminal.

[0179] Then, the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100 of FIG. 2 receives the reply contents transmitted by the user terminal.

[0180] The metadata frame reverse converter 160 reversely converts the reply metadata frame of the table type contained in the reply contents received by the reply content receiver 155, to the metadata description frame of the RDF, XHTML, database model, or spread sheet form, and thus generates the metadata description frame. The metadata frame reverse converter 160 stores (databases) the metadata description frame to the reply information DB 165 and also sends it to the real-time monitor 185.

[0181] Meanwhile, the statistics compiler 170 extracts the user's opinion contained in the reply contents received by the reply content receiver 155, compiles the statistics by analyzing the extracted opinion, and then stores the result to the reply information DB 165. At this time, the statistics compiler 170 uses the statistics compiling S/W.

[0182] The result processor 180 generates the statistics compiling result of the statistics compiler 170 as visual information.

[0183] The real-time monitor 185 processes the reception count state of the reply content receiver 155 as visual information and provides the visual information to the manager in real time. Also, the real-time monitor 185 provides the visual information of the statistics compiling result generated by the result processor 180 to the manager.

[0184] Also, the real-time monitor 185 can send a reply request message to user terminals which do not send the reply contents. In so doing, the message can include a total reply rate and a period for reply.

[0185] Meanwhile, the transmission/contents of the message can vary according to whether the distributed contents are received. For example, it is possible to send the reply request message only to the user terminal which receives and confirms the contents but does not send the reply contents, and not to send the reply request message to the user terminal which does not receive the contents. This is because the probability of the reply is high when the reply is demanded in the former case.

[0186] The information searcher 190 functions to search the metadata item and the metadata which are the information contained in the metadata frame, for example, to search “candidate” corresponding to “candidate”, “affiliated party”, and “00 party”, or search a search term meeting a certain condition such as “candidate” won “00 election”.

[0187] So far, the opinion collecting server 100 of FIG. 2 has been described in detail. Hereafter, the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N of FIG. 1 are elucidated by referring to FIG. 3.

[0188] Since the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N can be implemented in the same structure, the single opinion inputting terminal is solely illustrated in FIG. 3 and represented by a reference numeral 200.

[0189] FIG. 25 shows three different phases of a database data model of the present invention. The first phase is to design a concept of a particular survey database. The first phase includes steps of extracting, classifying, and organizing conceptual design data required for collecting the opinions of the users into vocabulary data as metadata items. The second phase is to design the survey database logically and physically. The second phase includes steps of generating metadata description frames by using the metadata items indicating properties of data relating to the opinion collecting service and constructing a database of the metadata description frames. Finally, the third phase is to construct the survey database. The third phase includes steps of databasing the generated metadata description frame.

[0190] FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the opinion inputting terminal 200. Blocks constituting the opinion inputting terminal 200 as shown can be implemented using S/W and H/W. Also, some of the blocks constituting the opinion inputting terminal 200 can be implemented using S/W and the remaining blocks can be implemented using H/W.

[0191] The opinion inputting terminal 200, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a content receiver 210, a content reader 220, an opinion input unit 230, a reply content generator 240, a user authenticator 250, and a reply content transmitter 260.

[0192] The content receiver 210 receives the contents distributed by the content distributor 145 of the aforementioned opinion collecting server 100. Since the contents distributed by the content distributor 145 are the opinion determining contents and the opinion inputting contents, the contents received by the content receiver 210 are also the opinion determining contents and the opinion inputting contents.

[0193] The content reader 220 processes to display the opinion determining contents received by the content receive 210 in a display so that the user can read them.

[0194] The opinion input unit 230 processes to convert the opinion inputting contents received by the content receiver 210 to a user interface through which the user can input his/her opinion as reading and to show it in the display.

[0195] Hence, the user can input his/her opinion using the opinion inputting contents. The opinion input unit 230 forwards the user's opinion input through the opinion inputting contents to the reply content generator 240.

[0196] The reply content generator 240 generates the opinion inputting contents including the user's opinion received via the opinion input unit 230, as the reply contents.

[0197] The user authenticator 250 authenticates whether the user who inputs the opinion is the rightful user. Herein, the rightful user indicates the person who has the right or the authority to input the opinion through the opinion inputting terminal 200.

[0198] When the opinion collecting service is the electronic voting service, the rightful user is the voter who has the right to vote. When the opinion collecting service is the electronic survey service, the rightful user indicates the person belonging to the sample to survey or the person having the voting right.

[0199] At this time, the authentication procedure can be performed using various methods as in the manager authentication unit 115 of the opinion collecting server 100 as stated above.

[0200] Accordingly, the authentication procedure can be carried out by 1) checking JD/PW, 2) authenticating with a certificate or a digital signature, 3) verifying using an authentication card, USB memory, and the like, and 4) identifying using biometric information (for example, face photo, voice, fingerprint, iris, etc.).

[0201] At this time, a) the face photo can be obtained through a PC camera (not shown) of the opinion inputting terminal 200, b) the voice can be obtained through a microphone (not shown) of the opinion inputting terminal 200, c) the fingerprint can be obtained through a fingerprint reader (not shown) connected to the opinion inputting terminal 200, and d) the iris can be obtained through an iris scanner (not shown) connected to the opinion inputting terminal 200.

[0202] When the user authenticator 250 verifies the rightful user, the reply content transmitter 260 sends the reply contents generated by the reply content generator 240 to the reply content receiver 155 of the aforementioned opinion collecting server 100.

[0203] Hereafter, a process for collecting the voting result by conducting the electronic voting through the automatic opinion collecting system of FIG. 1 is explained in detail by referring to FIG. 4.

[0204] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for collecting the electronic voting result and providing the election result according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0205] In the flowchart of FIG. 4, the steps shown in the left side are performed by the opinion collecting server 100, and the steps shown in the right side are performed by the opinion inputting terminal 200.

[0206] As shown in FIG. 4, the manager authentication unit 115 of the opinion collecting server 100 authenticates whether the person accessing the opinion collecting server 100 is the rightful manager (S405).

[0207] When the rightful manager is authenticated in the step S405 and the manager selects the electronic voting service through the manager interface provided by the service selector 120 (S41 0), the metadata frame converter 125 generates the candidate information editor's metadata frame and the ballot paper editor's metadata frame (S415).

[0208] Herein, a preferable candidate information editor's metadata frame is the editor's metadata frame of the table type including the metadata items relating to the candidate information contents, and an example of the candidate information editor's metadata frame is shown in FIG. 5.

[0209] As shown in FIG. 5, the candidate information metadata frame includes, as the candidate information metadata items, “vote title”, “manager”, “election date”, “symbol”, “name of candidate”, “age of candidate”, “party of candidate”, “academic records of candidate”, “career of candidate”, and “photo of candidate”.

[0210] These metadata items correspond to properties of the information to be referred to by the user to determine the candidate. That is, the metadata items correspond to the properties of the necessary information for the opinion decision of the user who casts a vote, as explained earlier.

[0211] Meanwhile, the ballot paper editor's metadata frame is the editor's metadata frame including the metadata items required for the user to cast a vote.

[0212] Referring back to FIG. 4, after step S415, the content generator 140 generates the candidate information contents and the ballot paper contents by including the actual metadata corresponding to the metadata items contained in the editor's metadata frame generated in step S415 (S420).

[0213] FIG. 6 depicts an example of the candidate information contents. The candidate information contents of FIG. 6 are generated by including information of the actual election and information of the actual candidate to the candidate information metadata frame of the table type of FIG. 6.

[0214] More specifically, the candidate information contents of FIG. 6 include 1) “8th parliamentary election” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “vote title”, 2) “parliamentary election management committee” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “manager”, 3) “Apr. 7, 2012” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “election date”, 4) “No. 1” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “symbol”, 5) “Lee Mong Yong” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “name of candidate”, 6) “42” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “age of candidate”, 7) “XX party” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “party of candidate”, 8) “graduated from Good Elementary School in 1985/graduated from Outstanding University with economics major in 1995/obtained master degree in Harvard University in U.S.A. in 2000” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “academic records of candidate”, 9) “XX Electronics researcher/XX governor/Oth member of the National Assembly” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “career of candidate”, and 10) a photo of the candidate as the actual metadata for the metadata item “photo of candidate”.

[0215] Meanwhile, FIG. 7 depicts an example of the ballot paper contents. As shown in FIG. 7, the ballot paper contents include the metadata items required for the voting and the actual metadata of the metadata items, and accordingly, it is noted that the ballot paper contents can function as the ballot paper.

[0216] The metadata items in the ballot paper contents of FIG. 7 are “vote title”, “election date”, “symbol”, “name”, and “vote column”. In the ballot paper contents, 1) the actual metadata for the metadata item “vote title” is “8th parliamentary election”, 2) the actual metadata for the metadata item “election date” is “Apr. 7, 2012”, 3) the actual metadata for the metadata item “symbol” is “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”, and “7”, and 4) the actual metadata for the metadata item “name of candidate” is “Lee Mong Yong”, “Kim Cheal Soo”, “Lee Young Hee”, “Park Young Seok”, “Choi Jin Soo”, “Jung Sung Hoon”, and “Ha Dong Soo”.

[0217] Meanwhile, the actual metadata for “vote column” is not recorded, which is recorded in step S445 according to the voting of the user input in step S440 to be explained.

[0218] Referring back to FIG. 4, after step S420, the content distributor 145 distributes the candidate information contents and the ballot paper contents generated in step S420 to the user terminal 200 (S425). As distributing in step S425, the content distributor 145 refers to the distributed site DB 150.

[0219] Then, the content receiver 210 of the opinion inputting terminal 200 receives the candidate information contents and the ballot paper contents distributed in step S425 (S430).

[0220] The content reader 220 shows the candidate information contents received in step S430 in the display so that the user can read them (S435).

[0221] The opinion input unit 230 processes to convert the ballot paper contents received in step S430 to the user interface through which the user can read to cast a vote, and to display in the display (S440).

[0222] Hence, the user can cast a vote for his/her intended candidate using the ballot paper contents.

[0223] Then, the reply content generator 240 generates the reply contents with the ballot paper contents including the candidate selected by the user in step S440 (S445).

[0224] An example of the reply contents generated in step S445 is shown in FIG. 8. The reply contents of FIG. 8 are the ballot paper contents including “candidate No. 1 Lee Mong Yang”.

[0225] Referring back to FIG. 4, after step S445, the user authenticator 250 authenticates whether the user voted in S440 is the rightful user (S450).

[0226] When the rightful user is confirmed in step S450 (S450-Y), the reply content transmitter 260 transmits the reply contents generated in step S445 to the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100 (S455).

[0227] Then, the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100 receives the reply contents transmitted in step S455 (S460).

[0228] The reply contents received in step S460 are stored to the reply information DB 165.

[0229] Meanwhile, it is possible to send the reply contents received in step S460 to the real-time monitor 185 as well so that the real-time monitor 185 outputs the vote count state in real time.

[0230] The statistics compiler 170 extracts the user's voting result in the reply contents received in step S460, and compiles the statistics with the extracted voting result (S465).

[0231] Then, the result processor 180 generates the statistically compiled result of step S465 as the visual information, and the real-time monitor 185 displays the generated visual information in the display in real time and provides it to the manager in real time (S470).

[0232] Hereafter, a process for collecting opinions through the electronic survey using the automatic opinion collecting system of FIG. 1 is explained in detail by referring to FIG. 9.

[0233] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for collecting opinions using the electronic survey and providing the collection result according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0234] In the flowchart of FIG. 9, the steps shown in the left side are performed by the opinion collecting server 100, and the steps shown in the right side are performed by the opinion inputting terminal 200.

[0235] As shown in FIG. 9, the manager authentication unit 115 of the opinion collecting server 100 authenticates whether the person accessing the opinion collecting server 100 is the rightful manager (S905).

[0236] When the rightful manager is confirmed in step S905 (S905-Y) and the manager selects the electronic survey service through the manager interface provided by the service selector 120 (S910), the metadata frame converter 125 generates the question editor's metadata frame and the response editor's metadata frame (S915). At this time, the question can include at least one of a multiple-choice question and a short-answer question.

[0237] Herein, the question editor's metadata frame is the editor's metadata frame including the metadata items for the question contents, and FIG. 10 shows an example of the question metadata frame.

[0238] As shown in FIG. 10, the question editor's metadata frame includes, as the question metadata items, “title”, “manager” “question 1”, “question 2”, . . . , “respondent”, and “date of response”.

[0239] The metadata items correspond to the properties of the information to refer to when the user determines the opinion and other basic information.

[0240] Meanwhile, the response editor's metadata frame is the editor's metadata frame including the metadata items required for the user to input the response to the question.

[0241] Referring back to FIG. 9, after step S915, the content generator 140 generates the question contents and the response contents by including actual metadata corresponding to the metadata items contained in the metadata frame generated in step S915 (S920).

[0242] FIG. 11 depicts an example of the question contents. The question contents in FIG. 11 are generated by including actual basic information and actual questions to the question metadata frame of FIG. 10.

[0243] Specifically, the question contents of FIG. 11 include 1) “MT opinion survey” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “title”, 2) “student council” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “manager”, 3) “new term MT place . . . Mt. Mai” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “question 1”, 4) “MT date . . . April 15” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “question2”, 5) “Lee Mong Yong” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “respondent”, and 6) “2012.0.0” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “date of response”.

[0244] Meanwhile, FIG. 12 depicts an example of the response contents. As shown in FIG. 12, the response contents include metadata items required for inputting responses for the questions and actual metadata of the metadata items. Hence, the response contents can function as a response collecting paper.

[0245] The metadata items in the response contents of FIG. 12 are “title”, “date”, “question 1”, “question2”, . . . In the response contents, 1) the actual metadata for the metadata item “title” is “MT opinion survey”, and 2) the actual metadata for the metadata item “date” is “2012.0.0”.

[0246] Meanwhile, while the actual metadata for the metadata items “question 1” and “question2” are not included, they are included in step S945 according in step S945 to the response of the user input in step S940 to be explained.

[0247] Referring back to FIG. 9, after step S920, the content distributor 145 distributes the question contents and the response contents generated in step S920 to the user terminal 200 (S925). In the distribution of step S925, the content distributor 145 refers to the distributed site DB 150.

[0248] Then, the content receiver 210 of the opinion inputting terminal 200 receives the question contents and the response contents distributed in step S925.

[0249] The content reader 220 shows the question contents received m step S930 in the display so that the user can read them (S935).

[0250] The opinion inputting unit 230 converts the response contents received in step S930 to the user interface through which the user can input the response for the question while reading it, and processes to show it in the display (S940).

[0251] Hence, the user can input his/her intended response using the response contents.

[0252] Then, the reply content generator 240 generates the reply contents with the response contents including the response input by the user in step S940 (S945).

[0253] An example of the reply contents generated in step S945 is shown in FIG. 13. The reply contents of FIG. 13 are the response contents which input “Mt. Songni” in response to “new term MT place . . . ” and “April 15” in response to “MT date . . . ”.

[0254] Referring back to FIG. 9, after step S945, the user authenticator 250 authenticates whether the user responding in step S940 is the rightful user (S950).

[0255] When confirming the rightful user in step S950, the reply content transmitter 260 transmits the reply contents generated in step S945 to the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100 (S955).

[0256] The reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100 receives the reply contents transmitted in step S955 (S960).

[0257] The reply contents received in step S960 are stored to the reply information DB 165.

[0258] Meanwhile, it is possible to send the reply contents received in step S960 also to the real-time monitor 185 so that the real-time monitor 185 outputs the response count state in real time.

[0259] The statistics compiler 170 extracts the user's response in the reply contents received in step S960, and compiles the statistics with the extracted response (S965).

[0260] The result processor 180 generates the visual information with the statistically compiled result of step S965, and the real-time monitor 185 shows the generated visual information in the display in real time to provide to the manager in real time (S970).

[0261] The exemplary embodiments explained so far can be applied to the public opinion poll.

[0262] The opinion inputting terminal 200 in the exemplary embodiments can be implemented using the PC and portable communication equipment such as mobile phone or PDA.

[0263] Meanwhile, the order of the manager authenticating step S405 and the user authenticating step S450 in FIG. 4 can be realized differently. For example, the manager authenticating step S405 can be performed any time before step S425, and the user authenticating step S450 can be performed before step S435 as well.

[0264] This also applies to the manager authenticating step S905 and the user authenticating step S950 in FIG. 9.

[0265] Hereafter, the necessary functions of the automatic opinion collecting system provider of the present invention before the service provision, that is, the functions of the metadata extraction unit 105 and the metadata description frame generator 110 of FIG. 2 are elucidated.

[0266] FIG. 14 depicts an example of the election voting ontology classification as the method for databasing the item relating to the electronic voting in the automatic opinion collecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 14, the properties of the resource ‘election voting’ include ‘presidential election’, ‘election for member of the National Assembly’, and so on, the resource ‘election for member of the National Assembly’ includes the properties ‘manager’, ‘election title’, ‘election date’, and so on, which contain (input) instance. “SubClassOF” in FIG. 14 is the expression indicating subsumption relation that the higher subsumes the lower.

[0267] FIG. 15 depicts the relations between the elements of the ‘election voting’ related metadata of FIG. 14 described and expressed using the RDF. In FIG. 15, the graph is drawn with three elements of the resource, the property, and the value.

[0268] A database of metadata RDF frame method can be implemented by triplestore, RDF store, or graph database. A triplestore or RDF store is a purpose-built database for the storage and retrieval of triples through semantic queries. A triple is a data entity composed of subject-predicate-object. Much like a relational database, one stores information in a triplestore and retrieves it via a query language. Unlike a relational database, a triplestore is optimized for the storage and retrieval of triples. In addition to queries, triples can usually be imported/exported using Resource Description Framework (RDF) and other formats. A graph database has a more generalized structure than a triplestore, using graph structures with nodes, edges, and properties to represent and store data.

[0269] Therefore, the metadata frame for constructing the database of the user-customized survey or election service of the present invention method implemented by the metadata RDF frame method using the DB technique as described above can be implemented by the metadata RDF frame database.

[0270] FIG. 16 redescribes and reexpresses the metadata ‘election voting’ described and expressed using the RDF in FIG. 14, using the XML. FIG. 17 is a diagram of the metadata frame according to the relational data model of the database. The metadata frame according to the spread sheet type can be described similarly to the relation data model. The database by the method of the above XHTML or XML description parses and saves the XML file using DomPaser. The XML storage DB is implemented in RDB or NoSQL DB. The metadata frames described in XML as shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 20 are parsed by the DomPaser, and the parsed results are stored in the metadata description frame database using the RDB or NoSQL DB.

[0271] The following is a description of implementation of metadata description frame database construction using the metadata spreadsheet frame method.

[0272] A spreadsheet consists of a table of cells arranged into rows and columns and referred to by the X and Y locations. A spreadsheet is essentially just one table.

[0273] The editor's metadata frame of the present invention for creating user customized surveys and election content is created using the data entry form of the spreadsheet or word/document processor.

[0274] However, the survey or election service based on the spreadsheet description frame cannot provide a metadata frame for a common editor to a plurality of users for a single service.

[0275] Because the survey and election service system based on the spreadsheet description frame is a single user service, it cannot provide a metadata frame and database for editors that can be shared by multiple users.

[0276] In addition, there is no function to store the generated user-customized content, and each service results in a common database. That is, the spreadsheet description frame method is generated as a single table file as shown in FIG. 23 and is only stored in the user's personal file system.

[0277] In the conventional technology, because there was no spreadsheet supporting mobile cloud computing, there was no user-customized survey or election service system using spreadsheets.

[0278] The service system requires a database, in which relevant data such as user surveys or election results and contents generated from each user's spreadsheet description frame are jointly stored and managed. As a concrete implementation method, there is a method of integrating a database into a spreadsheet description method.

[0279] In other words, the editor's metadata frame can be processed using a spreadsheet data entry method, and content data of each inputted user can be stored in a database. The metadata spreadsheet description frame database can be implemented by importing the database (FIG. 24) into the spreadsheet description method of the file system (FIG. 23).

[0280] However, it is much more efficient to build a database using the relational database technology.

[0281] Also, it is possible to build a database based on the relational database description method to provide metadata frames for editors and to import spreadsheets for statistical results processing.

[0282] In addition, services using NoSQL databases such as Mongo DB other than the relational database are also possible.

[0283] FIG. 18 is a diagram of the metadata items according to the ontology representation for defining and extracting the metadata for “public opinion poll execution” in the automatic opinion collecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0284] FIG. 19 is a diagram of the metadata frame according to the ontology representation with the RDF, and FIG. 20 is a diagram of the metadata frame according to the ontology representation with the XML. FIG. 21 is a diagram of a metadata frame according to the ontology representation with the relational data model.

[0285] FIG. 22 is a diagram of an example for reversely converting the reply contents of the table type to the metadata description frame. This is the function of the metadata frame reverse converter 160 and corresponds to the reply contents of FIG. 8 described using the XML which is one of the metadata description frame representations.

[0286] The following describes an embodiment of a specific implementation of constructing a metadata frame represented by the relational database model of FIG. 21 as a metadata description frame database. The database implementation method of the relational database model uses SQL, which is the relational database standard language.

[0287] FIG. 27 is an SQL program that generates the metadata frame in the table format of FIG. 21 as a database.

[0288] In the SQL program of the above embodiment, the name of the database to be built is CREATE DATABASE sample1. The table of the metadata frame in FIG. 21 is defined as SQL CREATE TABLE sample11. Also, metadata and metadata items are defined as name, question, answer, answertype, date, etc. in SQL TABLE.

[0289] FIG. 28 is the SQL for constructing the designed metadata frame as a database. The metadata frame composed of the metadata and metadata items is constructed as a metadata description frame database using the metadata description frame method of the relational database data model.

[0290] FIG. 29 is a program for generating the editor's metadata frame from the metadata description frame database constructed with the program of FIG. 27 with a SQL compiler, and

[0291] FIG. 29 is a program to extract metadata and metadata items from the fields (metadata description frame) in the database to regenerate the recorded metadata and metadata items of the editor's metadata frame by the SQL compiler.

[0292] FIG. 30 is a SQL program of the content generator (140 in FIG. 2) that receives the user's actual metadata corresponding to the extracted metadata and metadata items and stores the metadata in the metadata description frame database, respectively.

[0293] The user interface of the content generator is the editor's metadata frame.

[0294] The editor's metadata frame of the present invention is a table type user interface, and the editor's metadata frame appearance is programmed to be produced as a web page suitable for each information device screen using HTML5 and CSS3 programs.

[0295] And the generated editor's metadata frame is provided and displayed to the user's devices including PC, smartphone, and tablet in the devices' suitable page forms from the service server simultaneously as shown in the FIG. 1.

[0296] Another technical feature of the present invention is to provide a management system of the metadata description frame database for generating and storing contents of a user-customized survey or election service.

[0297] A database management system (DBMS) is a software package designed to define, manipulate, retrieve and manage data in a database. The DBMS generally manipulates the data itself, the data format, field names, record structure, and file structure. It also defines rules to validate and manipulate this data. The configuration of the metadata description frame database management system of the user-customized survey or election service system of the present invention is as follows.

[0298] The user-customized survey or election service system of the present invention generates the editor's metadata frames capable of inputting metadata contained in the user-customized survey or election contents and creating contents.

[0299] The service system of the present invention includes the metadata description frame database capable of storing created user contents and a database management system that defines, manipulates, retrieves, and manages data in the metadata description frame database.

[0300] The data definition is a function for specifying the type, structure, usage method, constraints, etc. of metadata and metadata items to be stored in the metadata description frame database of the user-customized service or election service system as shown in FIG. 27.

[0301] The data manipulation refers to an interface means between a user and a database in order to systematically process search, update, insertion, deletion, etc. of contents or result data accumulated in the user-customized survey or election service system as shown in FIG. 26.

[0302] In addition, the data management function refers to a processing related to the sharing of data stored in the stored metadata description frame database of the user-customized survey or election service system as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 26.

[0303] FIG. 31 shows an embodiment of the metadata frame converter (S125) of FIG. 2.

[0304] After constructing the metadata frame of FIG. 21 as a metadata description frame database, a process for selecting metadata and metadata items from the metadata description frame database and generating it as an editor's metadata frame (FIG. 10) of a user interface is illustrated.

[0305] The user-customized service of the present invention can provide to the user's information devices as a mobile cloud app or a native app.

[0306] The native mobile app of the user's customized survey or election service of the present invention can create three different versions of the same mobile app for the iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

[0307] Also, the mobile app of the user's customized survey or election service of the present invention can provide any user's information device having a browser and Internet connection and can use it.

[0308] For reference, “ex” in the aforementioned drawings is a “prefix” indicating the metadata, and is hypothetical.

[0309] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.