Patent application title: SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF SURVEY SAMPLING PRIOR TO WIDESPREAD DISTRIBUTION-PUBLISHING OF MESSAGES
Inventors:
IPC8 Class: AH04W2402FI
USPC Class:
1 1
Class name:
Publication date: 2016-12-15
Patent application number: 20160366599
Abstract:
Systems and methods for surveying electronic messages prior to widespread
distribution-publishing are disclosed. The system includes a publisher
and surveying server, specifying a parameter for subsequent publishing
and compiling a notification list of participants in a given survey. The
system further includes a notification server, messaging user agents and
a feedback module, collecting information regarding interacting with the
message and transmitting this information to the surveying server. The
method includes composing a message, specifying at least one parameter
for subsequent publishing, compiling a notification list of in a given
survey, selectively notifying the message to the participants in the
notification list, viewing the message notified to the participants in
notification list and interacting with the message. The method further
includes collecting feedback information regarding the interacting with
the message and transmitting this information to the surveying server.Claims:
1. A system for survey sampling of messages prior widespread
distribution-publishing thereof comprises: (a) a system for automated and
widespread distribution-publishing of electronic messages, over a
computer network, characterized by utilizing feedback data of at least
one selective notification of an electronic message over said computer
network, performed prior to said widespread distribution-publishing, said
system further comprising: [a] at least one data storage unit having
stored therein: [1] a database of potential participants; [2] a
notification list of a predefined group of participants; [3] feedback
data of interaction of said predefined group of participants with at
least one item of said electronic message; [b] at least one first
computer, configured as a publisher, comprising a sending terminal,
wherein said sending terminal is configured to perform at least for one
function selected from the group consisting of: [1] composition of at
least one message subject to initial surveying, and [2] composition of at
least one message subject to widespread distribution-publishing; [c] at
least one second computer, coupled to said data storage unit, operable as
a surveying server, configured to receive said at least one message
subject to said initial surveying from said first computer, and further
to: [1] specify at least one parameter for inclusion in a subsequent
automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said at least one
message subject to said initial surveying, wherein said at least one
parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread
distribution-publishing of said message is selected from the group
consisting of: [i] a deterministic parameter, and [ii] a comparative
parameter; [2] compiling said notification list of said predefined group
of participants, wherein an attribute of said participants in said
notification list meets a criterion for participation in a given survey;
[d] at least one third computer, coupled to said data storage unit and/or
said second computer, operable as a notification server, said
notification server is configured to selectively notify said message
subject to said initial surveying to said predefined group of
participants in said notification list; [e] a plurality of fourth
feedback providing computers, operable as a plurality of feedback enabled
messaging user agents comprising: [1] an input network terminal
configured to receive said message notified to said predefined group of
participants in said notification list; [2] a human accessible interface
configured for: [i] viewing said message notified to said predefined
group of participants in said notification list, and [ii] interacting
with said message notified to said predefined group of participants in
said participants list; [3] a feedback gathering module configured to
collect feedback data regarding said interacting with said message on
said human accessible interface; [4] an output network terminal
configured to transmit said feedback data to said surveying server.
2. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises a notification server configured to perform said widespread distribution-publishing.
3. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises a plurality of messaging user agents, which are not connected to said client feedback module, said plurality of messaging user agents are configured to view said message subject to said widespread distribution-publishing.
4. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, further comprises a notification history database.
5. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said message is a combination of a message and metadata, wherein said metadata comprising at least one feed backing parameter related to said message.
6. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interacting comprises an action, selected from the group consisting of: an active action and passive action; said action is exerted onto said message in a way selected from the group consisting of: directly thereon and indirectly thereto; wherein said action pertains to a value selected from the group consisting of: a qualitative value and quantitative value.
7. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said interacting is at least one action selected from the group consisting of: ignoring said message, rejecting said message, blocking a publisher of said message, blacklisting said publisher, not opening said message, deleting said message, opening said message, scrolling through said message body, opening hyperlinks embedded in said message, open any files attached to said message, replying to said message, forwarding said message, performing a copy operation to at least a portion of said message, changing an appearance of said message, changing font size, deleting said publisher, sharing said message with others, publishing said message, making a purchase as a result of said message, saving said message, ranking said message, opening up an application, arriving within a predefined radius of a geographical location, powering off said messaging user agent.
8. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said messaging user agent module and said client feedback module are integrated, being operable on a single device.
9. The system for survey sampling of messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said client feedback module is external.
10. A method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution publishing thereof over a computer network, characterized by utilizing feedback data of at least one selective notification of an electronic message, performed prior to said widespread distribution-publishing, said method comprises: [a] composing at least one message subject to initial surveying; [b] specifying at least one parameter for subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying, wherein said at least one parameter for subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message is selected from the group consisting of: [1] a deterministic parameter, and [2] a comparative parameter; [c] compiling a notification list of a predefined group of participants, wherein at least one attribute of said participants in said notification list meets a criterion for participation in a given survey; [d] selectively notifying said message subject to said initial surveying to said predefined group of participants in said notification list, over said computer network; [e] viewing said message selectively notified to said predefined group of participants in said notification list; [f] interacting with said message notified to said predefined group of participants in said notification list; [g] collecting feedback information regarding said interacting with said message; [h] transmitting said information to a surveying server; [i] applying said at least one parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message, upon attaining at least one criterion selected from the group consisting of: [1] from a number of participants in said notification exceeding a predefined minimal quorum; [2] receiving an amount of data exceeding a predefined minimal quota; [3] exceeding a predefined period of time; [j] performing said automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying.
11. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message is said comparative parameter, said method is characterized by: [a] said composing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying further comprises composing at least two messages subject to said initial surveying; [b] said applying of said at least one parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message further comprises comparing said feedback information related to said at least two messages subject to said initial surveying and selecting one message for said widespread distribution-publishing.
12. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said message is a combination of a message and metadata, wherein said metadata comprising at least one feedback parameter related to said message.
13. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said interacting comprises an action, selected from the group consisting of: an active action and passive action; said action is exerted onto said message in a way selected from the group consisting of: directly thereon and indirectly thereto; wherein said action pertains to a value selected from the group consisting of: a qualitative value and quantitative value.
14. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said interacting is at least one action selected from the group consisting of: ignoring said message, rejecting said message, blocking a publisher of said message, blacklisting said publisher, not opening said message, deleting said message, opening said message, scrolling through said message body, opening hyperlinks embedded in said message, open any files attached to said message, replying to said message, forwarding said message, performing a copy operation to at least a portion of said message, changing an appearance of said message, changing font size, deleting said publisher, sharing said message with others, publishing said message, making a purchase as a result of said message, saving said message, ranking said message, opening up an application, arriving within a predefined radius of a geographical location, powering off said messaging user agent.
15. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, prior to said widespread distribution-publishing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying, further comprises performing at least one action selected from the group consisting of: [a] obtaining a permission from publisher to perform said widespread distribution-publishing; [b] notifying said publisher with results of said survey; [c] notifying said publisher with statistical analysis of said survey; [d] defining a selection parameter for inclusion in said widespread distribution-publishing.
16. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, further comprises storing said at least message notified to said predefined group of participants in a notification history database.
17. The method of automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 10, further comprises selectively excluding from said distribution-publishing participants in said notification list.
18. An apparatus for automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof over a computer network, characterized by utilizing feedback data of at least one selective notification of an electronic message, performed prior to said widespread distribution-publishing, said method comprises: [a] a means of composing at least one message subject to initial surveying; [b] a means of specifying at least one parameter for subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying, wherein said at least one parameter for subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message is selected from the group consisting of: [1] a deterministic parameter, and [2] a comparative parameter; [c] a means of compiling a notification list of a predefined group of participants, wherein at least one attribute of said participants in said notification list meets a criterion for participation in a given survey; [d] a means of selectively notifying said message subject to said initial surveying to said predefined group of participants in said notification list, over said computer network; [e] a means of viewing said message selectively notified to said predefined group of participants in said notification list; [f] a means of interacting with said message notified to said predefined group of participants in said notification list; [g] a means of collecting feedback information regarding said interacting with said message; [h] a means of transmitting said information to a surveying server; [i] a means of applying said at least one parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message, upon attaining at least one criterion selected from the group consisting of: [1] from a number of participants in said notification exceeding a predefined minimal quorum; [2] receiving an amount of data exceeding a predefined minimal quota; [3] exceeding a predefined period of time; [j] a means of performing said automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying.
19. The apparatus for automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message is said comparative parameter, said method is characterized by: [a] said composing of said at least one message subject to said initial surveying further comprises composing at least two messages subject to said initial surveying; [b] said applying of said at least one parameter for said subsequent automated and widespread distribution-publishing of said message further comprises comparing said feedback information related to said at least two messages subject to said initial surveying and selecting one message for said widespread distribution-publishing.
20. The apparatus for automated survey sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said interacting comprises an action, selected from the group consisting of: an active action and passive action; said action is exerted onto said message in a way selected from the group consisting of: directly thereon and indirectly thereto; wherein said action pertains to a value selected from the group consisting of: a qualitative value and quantitative value.
Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/404,698 filed 1 Dec. 2014, which is a national phase of international application PCT/IB13/054554, filed 3 Jun. 2013. This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application 61/656,020 filed 6 Jun. 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] In general, the present invention pertains to the arts of telecommunications and/or computer networking. In particular, the invention relates to systems and methods systems and methods of automated surveying and/or sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing of electronic messages.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] It is believed that relevant state of the art is represented by the following Internet standards: RFC 3920, RFC 3921, RFC 3922, RFC 3923, RFC 4854, RFC 4974, RFC 5122, RFC 3428, RFC 3856, RFC 3857, RFC 3858 and RFC 4825 available from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) at http://tools.ietf.org/html; XEP-0071 XHTML standard available from IM XMPP Foundation at http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0071.html;
[0004] xmpp-core-01 standard http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-saintandre-XMPP-CORE-01; sip-xmpp-im-01 standard
[0005] http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-saintandre-sip-xmpp-im-01; sip-xmpp-chat-03 from http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-saintandre-sip-xmpp-chat-03; xmpp-presence-02 at http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-saintandre-sip-xmpp-presence-02;
[0006] Open Mobile Affiance standards: Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS), Presence & Availability (PAG) and Messaging (MWG) available from Parlay X Web Services API standards at http://www.parlayx.com;
[0007] as well as by statistical methods such as a/b testing or bucket testing, disclosed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/a/b_testing and elsewhere.
[0008] It is believed that relevant state of the art is represented by US patent publications No: US2009075738, US2012022905, US2011270650, US2005188019, US2006155567, US2008119131 and US2004172269, as well as by international patent publications No: WO2007069346 and WO2010133916.
DEFINITIONS
[0009] Messages or messaging, as referred to herein, should be construed as encompassing any type of electronic message transmitted via computer networks and/or over cellular networks and/or wide and local area computer networks, otherwise also known in the art as data networks or telecommunications networks. Components of electronic messages, as referred to herein, inter alia include: text, alphanumeric data, audio files, video files, graphics and hyperlinks.
[0010] Open Mobile Alliance (OMA)-Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS), Presence & Availability (PAG) and Messaging (MWG), standards collection, XMPP standards collections referred to herein include: RFC 3920, RFC 3921, RFC 3922, RFC 3923, RFC 4854, RFC 4974 and RFC 5122. SIMPLE--Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence standards' collection as referred to herein includes: RFC 3428, RFC 3856, RFC 3857, RFC 3858 and RFC 4825.
[0011] Whenever the terms server, agent, module or alike are used herein, they should be construed as a computer program, including any portion or alternative thereof, e.g. script, command, etc., and/or a hardware component/s, including configurations or assemblies thereof, such computer storage media, computer micro-processors and operative memory as well as any combination of the former with the latter.
[0012] The term integrated, as referred to herein, shall be inter alia construed as operable on the same machine and/or executed by the same computer program. Depending on the actual deployment of the method, its implementation and topology, integration of agents and/or integration into modules as well as such terms as: transfer, relaying, transmitting, forwarding, retrieving, accessing, pushed or similar refer to any interaction via methods inter alia including: function calling, API (Application Programming Interface), IPC (Inter-Process Communication), RPC (Remote procedure call) and/or communicating using of any standard or proprietary protocol, such as SMTP, IMAP, MAPI, OMA-IMPS, OMA-PAG, OMA-MWG, SIP/SIMPLE, XMPP, SMPP.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0013] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more comprehensively from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic high-level block diagram of several preferred embodiments of the system of the invention implementable for of automated surveying-publishing, using the infrastructure of messaging systems. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown merely by way of example in FIG. 1. The diagram of FIG. 1 is not necessarily complete; emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles underlying the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers specific goals, such as compliance with technology- or business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the effort of such a development might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
[0015] In accordance with some embodiments, the system of the present invention is dedicated for initial surveying and subsequent publishing of presence messages, via the infrastructure of presence messaging systems, known in the art. Presence protocols are standardized, inter alia, in OMA-IMPS, OMA-PAG, XMPP and/or SIMPLE standards collections, referred to supra, as well as in proprietary protocols.
[0016] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, reference is now made to FIG. 1, showing system 10 for automated surveying and/or sampling of electronic messages prior to widespread distribution-publishing thereof electronic messages. System 10 embodies an exemplary system for automated surveying and/or sampling prior to widespread distribution-publishing of electronic messages. System 10 comprises a sender module, referred to as publisher 12. Publisher 12 typically comprises a sending terminal, which is a message user agent, frequently referred at the colloquial language as client. Publisher 12 is optionally a server-based client, integrated with notification server 16. Publisher 12 is used for the composition of the messages and formatting thereof. Publisher 12 is used for the composition and/or formatting of messages subject to the surveying/sampling, as well as optionally for the composition and/or formatting of the messages subject to the final widespread distribution-publishing.
[0017] In some embodiments, wherein a deterministic surveying/sampling is implemented, publisher 12 composes a singular message, intended for initial surveying/sampling and subsequent deterministic widespread distribution-publishing. In the instance of deterministic surveying, publisher 12 defines a set of selection parameters for the participants in the survey and a set of threshold parameters for publishing of the message. Deterministic surveying/sampling, as referred to herein, relates to a publishing method, where a message is eventually published based on deterministically meeting a preset threshold parameter.
[0018] In some embodiments, wherein a comparative surveying/sampling is implemented, publisher 12 composes a plurality of messages, intended for initial surveying/sampling and subsequent comparative distribution-publishing. In the instance of comparative surveying/sampling, publisher 12 defines a set or optionally a plurality of sets of selection parameters for the participants in the comparative survey and at least one comparative parameter used for deciding on the distribution-publishing of the selected message. Comparative surveying/sampling, as referred to herein, relates to a publishing method, wherein a message is eventually published upon exceeding in the score of at least one parameter in at least one survey, as compared to the score of the same parameter in at least one another survey. Accordingly, at least two surveys are to be performed in order to exercise the comparative surveying-publishing. Preferably more than two surveys are performed in order to exercise the comparative surveying-publishing. The group and/or sub-group construction as well as comparing of parameters in comparative surveying-publishing is achievable by implementing the statistic method such as a/b testing or bucket testing, known in the art.
[0019] Upon completing the composition and/or formatting of a message intended for initial surveying, publisher 12 transmits the message to surveying server 14, in the direction indicated by arrow 50. The message is transmitted as indicated by arrow 50, alongside the body of the message, to be presented to the recipient, comprises metadata that specifies the selection parameters for the participants in the survey and at least one deterministic and/or comparative parameter for subsequent publishing of a message.
[0020] In some embodiments, publisher 12 transmits the message directly to notification server 16, in the direction indicated by arrow 51. The message transmitted as indicated by arrow 51, alongside the body of the message, to be presented to the recipient, comprises metadata that specifies the selection parameters for the participants in the survey and at least one deterministic and/or comparative parameter for subsequent publishing of a message. Notification server, as referred to herein, is a server furnished with capabilities of selectively publishing a message to at least one defined recipient.
[0021] Upon receiving a message intended for initial surveying together with the metadata specifying the selection parameters for the participants in the survey, submitted by publisher 12 in the direction indicated by arrow 50, surveying server 14 inquires notification server 16 for a list of participants the attributes of whom currently meet the selection parameters for inclusion in a given survey, as indicated by arrow 53. Exemplary attributes for selection parameters include the intrinsic characteristics, such as gender and age of the participant, transient characteristics, such as geographical location of the participant, as resolved form the internet protocol address (IP address) and/or geographical location resolved from GPS, as well as commercial characteristics, such as purchasing history, consumer club membership, etc.
[0022] Notification server 16, inquired as indicated by arrow 53, compiles a list of potential participants, the attributes of whom currently meet the selection parameters for the participants in the given survey. Notification server 16 thereafter screens the list of potential participants, the attributes of whom currently meet the selection parameters for the participants in the given survey, for participants the message user agent of which comprises or associated with a client feedback module, as elaborated infra. Alternatively or additionally, notification server 16 screens the list of potential participants who met the selection parameters for the given survey, for participants from a predefined list, who are recorded as willing to participate in surveys and/or have participated in previous automated surveys, stored notification server 16 and/or notification history database 18. The screened list of participants who currently met the selection parameters for the given survey as well as the message user agent of whom comprises or associated with a client feedback and/or are from a predefined list participants and/or have participated in previous automated surveys constitutes the list of the intended participants for the current survey, hereinafter referred to as notification list. It is noted that in some embodiments no screening is performed and the notification list is a mere list of participants who currently met the selection parameters for the participation in the given survey.
[0023] The notification list for the current survey is transmitted to surveying server 14, as indicated by arrow 54. In some embodiments, notification server 16 returns a mere list of participants who currently meet the selection parameters for participation in the given survey, as indicated by arrow 54; whereas surveying server 14 applies screening for participants the message user agent of whom comprises or associated with a client feedback and/or are from a predefined list of participants in previous automated surveys and subsequently generates the notification list. Alternatively or additionally parameters for building the notification list are obtained from external source and/or from notification history database 18. It is noted that in some instances of comparative surveying-publishing a plurality of notification lists is optionally generated, based on difference in selection parameters of the participants, which represent different or heterogeneous survey groups; whereas in other instances of comparative surveying-publishing a plurality of notification lists is optionally generated, based on identity and/or similarity of the selection parameters, which represent sub-divisions or sub-groups of an homogeneous survey group.
[0024] In some embodiments, publisher 12 transmits the message directly to notification server 16, as indicated by arrow 51. The message is optionally forwarded to surveying server 14, as indicated by arrow 52, with the metadata thereof; whereas the notification list or a mere of potential participants who currently met the selection parameters for the participation in the given survey, is typically provided by notification server 16, as indicated by arrow 54, either upon inquiry by surveying server 14, as indicated by arrow 53, or automatically after or alongside forwarding the message to surveying server 14, as indicated by arrow 52. It is noted that in some instances of comparative surveying-publishing a plurality of notification lists is optionally generated, based on difference or identity/similarity of the selection parameters.
[0025] Upon receiving and/or generating the notification list, surveying server 14 transmits the message of the given survey to notification server 16, as indicated by arrow 56. Typically, upon transmitting to notification server 16, surveying server 14 stores a copy of the message respectively alongside the notification list therein and/or at notification history database 18, as indicated by arrow 58. Thereafter notification server 16 performs selective notification of the message to the participants in notification list, hereinafter referred to as the survey group, via a push step, as indicated by arrow 60 and 62. Alternatively or additionally the message is fetched by the participants in the survey group, via a pull step, as indicated by arrow 60 and 62.
[0026] The participants in the survey group comprise respective receiving terminals, which are messaging user agents (MUA), frequently referred to at the colloquial language as clients, such as exemplary MUA 22 and 24. The MUAs of participants in the survey group, such as exemplary MUAs 22 and 24, are typically either: comprise a client feedback module, as exemplary MUA 22 integrated with client feedback module, or are associated with a client feedback module, as exemplary MUA 24 connected to client feedback module 26.
[0027] Alternatively or additionally, the MUAs of participants in the survey group, such as exemplary MUA 24, become associated with a client feedback module for a first time, as elaborated hereunder, which is a characteristic of embodiments wherein no screening is performed and the notification list is a mere list of participants who currently met the selection parameters for the participation in the given survey. The embodiments wherein the notification list is a mere list of participants who currently met the selection parameters for the participation in the given survey are useful for building-up from scratch the aforementioned predefined lists of participants who are recorded as willing participants in surveys, implementable for the aforesaid screening.
[0028] Upon receiving the message, whether by fetching or notifying, the participants in the survey group interact with the message, via the MUAs thereof, such as exemplary MUAs 22 and 24. The terms interact or interaction with the message, as referred to herein, is to be construed as including any action, whether active or passive, exerted directly on the message or indirectly thereto, which may pertain to a qualitative or quantitative value. Examples of passive interactions exerted directly with the message include: ignoring the message and not opening the message.
[0029] Examples of active interactions exerted directly with the message, as referred to herein, in a non-limiting manner include: rejecting the message, deleting the message, opening the message, scrolling through the message body, opening hyperlinks embedded in the message, open any files attached to the message, replying to the message, forwarding the message, performing a copy operation to at least a portion of the message, changing the appearance of the message, changing font size, sharing the message with others, publishing the message, saving the message, ranking the message, etc.
[0030] Examples of active interactions exerted indirectly to the message, as referred to herein, in a non-limiting manner include: deleting the publisher, blocking the publisher, blacklisting the publisher, opening hyperlinks embedded in the message, opening up an application, powering off the phone. Examples of active conditional interactions exerted indirectly to the message that pertain to a qualitative value include making a purchase as a result of the message; whereas examples of active conditional interactions exerted indirectly to the message that pertain to a quantitative value include arrival of the device within a predefined radius of a geographical location, the coordinates of which are specified in the message.
[0031] Available data, about the interaction history of a given message, is collected by a client feedback module, such as client feedback module integrated with exemplary MUA 22, or individual client feedback module 26 connected to exemplary MUA 24. A preferred instance of an interaction with the message recorded individual client feedback module 26 by opening a hyperlink embedded in the message, wherein upon opening hyperlink the user is initially directed, as indicated by arrow 64, to a proxy server, such as proxy server comprising client feedback module 26. The latter example is particular useful for associating recipient MUAs with a client feedback module for a first time, by using a mere list of participants who currently met the selection parameters for the participation in the given survey as the notification list. The latter example is beneficial for building-up from scratch the aforementioned predefined lists of participants who are recorded as willing participants in surveys, implementable for the aforesaid screening.
[0032] Data about the interaction history with a given surveyed message, collected by a client feedback module, such as client feedback module integrated with MUA 22 or individual client feedback module 26, are then reported to surveying server 14, as indicated by arrows 68 and 66, upon accumulating a minimal preset quota of data and/or attaining a minimal preset quorum of participants and/or exceeding a predetermined period of time. It is noticed that the reporting of data about the interaction history is optionally a push step performed by a client feedback module or a pull step performed by surveying server 14.
[0033] Upon receiving the reported data about interaction history exceeding a minimal preset quota of data and/or from a minimal preset quorum of participants and/or after a predetermined period of time from the participants in the survey group or a plurality of survey groups in a case of comparative surveying/sampling, surveying server 14 exerts the logic for the decision of whether to perform widespread distribution-publishing of the message, which optionally do not have an integrated or associated client feedback module, based on the survey type and/or the values of the parameters in the reported data about interaction history.
[0034] The data about interaction history reported to surveying server 14, as indicated by arrows 68 and 66, may include qualitative and/or quantitative values. Instances of qualitative values, reported to surveying server 14 in the data about interaction history, inter alia include indications of whether the message was opened/read, deleted, scrolled through, replied to, an embedded hyperlink and/or enclosed media file has been opened; whereas instances of quantitative values, reported to surveying server 14 in the data about interaction history, inter alia include indications of how long the message was opened, for how further down it was scrolled and how many of the embedded hyperlinks or enclosed media files have been opened.
[0035] The qualitative and/or quantitative values, reported to surveying server 14 in the data about interaction history, are further utilized in the process of exerting the logic for the decision of whether to perform widespread distribution-publishing to an indefinite number of end-users or a defined group of selected end-users. Optionally, end-users having integrated or associated client feedback module, such as participants with MUAs 20A to 20B are excluded from the widespread distribution-publishing. In some preferred embodiments the notification list of the survey is retrieved from notification history database 18, as indicated by arrow 78, and the participants of the survey are excluded from the aforesaid widespread distribution-publishing, to avoid publishing the message twice to the same user.
[0036] In the case of deterministic surveying-publishing, the qualitative and/or quantitative values are compared to respective threshold parameters for publishing of the message, as defined initially by publisher 12, in the metadata of the message. If qualitative and/or quantitative values meet the minimal required quota of respective threshold parameter, the message is transmitted by surveying server 14, as indicated by arrow 80, to notification server 16, optionally alongside a distribution list, which dictates at least one parameter for inclusion in and/or exclusion from widespread distribution-publishing by notification server 16. Notification server 16 in turn publishes-distributes the message, as indicated by arrows 82, to the end-users or a defined group of selected end-user. Typically surveying server 14 excludes from the widespread distribution-publishing the users which have an integrated or associated client feedback module, such as end-users with MUAs 20A to 20B. Optionally, users that have an integrated or associated client feedback module but which have not participated in the given survey are nevertheless included in the widespread distribution-publishing, as indicated by arrow 82.
[0037] In the case of comparative surveying/sampling, the qualitative and/or quantitative values in a first survey group or subgroup are compared to respective values in a second survey group or subgroup. If the qualitative and/or quantitative values in the first survey group exceed the respective values in the second survey group, the message is published, as indicated by arrow 80, to notification server 16, optionally alongside a distribution list, which dictates at least one parameter for inclusion in and/or exclusion from widespread distribution-publishing by notification server 16. Notification server 16 in turn performs the widespread distribution-publishing the message, as indicated by arrows 82, to the end-users or a defined group of end-users. Typically surveying server 14 excludes from the widespread distribution-publishing the users which have an integrated or associated client feedback module, such as end-users with MUAs 20A to 20B. Optionally, users that have an integrated or associated client feedback module but not participated in a given survey and/or have not participated in a sub-group of a survey are nevertheless notified, as indicated by arrow 82.
[0038] It is explicitly noted that the comparative surveying-publishing, as referred to herein, optionally includes comparing respective values among more than two groups of different surveys or among more than two subgroups of a given survey.
[0039] Upon transmitting the message to notification server 16, as indicated by arrow 80, publisher 12 is preferably notified with confirmation of the widespread distribution-publishing of the message to the end-users or a defined group of selected end-users, by surveying server 14, as indicated by arrow 81. Upon reaching the decision not to perform the widespread distribution-publishing the message, publisher 12 is preferably notified, by surveying server 14, with a denial of the widespread distribution-publishing. Upon transmitting the message to notification server 16 and/or reaching the decision not to publish the message, publisher 12 is preferably notified, by surveying server 14, with the results of the surveys. Upon transmitting the message to notification server 16 and/or reaching the decision not to publish the message, surveying server 14 preferably stores a copy of the message respectively alongside the data of the results of the surveys therein and/or at notification history database 18.
[0040] In some preferred embodiments, prior to the widespread distribution-publishing of the message to end-users or a defined group of selected end-users, as indicated by arrow 80, surveying server 14 seeks permission from publisher 12, as indicated by arrow 81, and preferably notifying publisher 12, with the results of the surveys.
[0041] In some preferred embodiments and optimally upon reaching the decision not to distribute-publish the message to the end-users or a defined group of selected end-users, surveying server 14 notifies publisher 12, as to at least one type of statistical analysis of the survey. Consequently, publisher 12 is provided with an option to redefine the selection parameters for end-users for widespread distribution-publishing; thereby shaping or reshaping the list of end-users.
[0042] In some embodiments, wherein publisher 12 transmits the message directly to notification server 16, as indicated by arrow 51, the seeking of permission from publisher 12, notifying publisher 12 with the results of the surveys, notifying publisher 12 with a denial or confirmation of the widespread distribution-publishing to the end-user or a defined group of end-users, as indicated by arrow 82, is performed by publisher 12 directly to notification server 16, as indicated by arrow 84.
[0043] It is stressed that in the sake of brevity not all actual combinations of modules, agents and/or various other constituents from different configurations and/or embodiments are explicitly disclosed in the specification hereinabove. The emphasis instead has been made on the characteristics of such constituents and functional context thereof. Therefore, numerous non-disclosed combinations of modules, agents and/or various other constituents from different configurations and/or embodiments are contemplated by the present disclosure.
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