Methods and systems for conducting research operations

Abstract

Methods and systems for setting up, promoting, operating, maintaining and/or terminating a research operation carried out with the use of a portable user appliance (PUA) are disclosed. An example method to collect user feedback includes detecting, via a portable device worn by a user, an external environmental stimulus fixedly located proximate to a location of the portable device. The example method includes presenting via the portable device a survey sent to the portable device from a mobile telecommunication device carried by the user. The survey requests feedback associated with the environmental stimulus. The example method also includes receiving a user response associated with the survey at the portable device. The example method further includes sending the user response from the portable device to the mobile telecommunication device carried by the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to collect user feedback, comprising:
 detecting, via a portable device worn by a user, an external environmental stimulus fixedly located proximate to a location of the portable device;   presenting via the portable device a survey sent to the portable device from a mobile telecommunication device carried by the user, the survey requesting feedback associated with the environmental stimulus;   receiving a user response associated with the survey at the portable device; and   sending the user response from the portable device to the mobile telecommunication device carried by the user.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portable device is worn around a wrist of the user. 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portable device is associated with an article of jewelry, an ornamental article, an article of clothing, a fob, a wristwatch, a lanyard, a pin, a clasp, a belt, or a belt buckle. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the external environmental stimulus corresponds to at least one of a product, an advertisement, a billboard, or a commercial establishment. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the user response is representative of at least one of an attitude, an awareness, a preference, or an opinion of the user of the product, the advertisement, the billboard, or the commercial establishment. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the external environmental stimulus is audio media detected via an audio sensor of the portable device. 
     
     
         7 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile telecommunication device is a cellular telephone of the user. 
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portable device and the mobile telecommunication device are in wireless communication. 
     
     
         9 . A method to collect user feedback, comprising:
 sending a survey from a personal mobile telecommunication device carried by a user to a portable device worn by the user; and   receiving at the personal mobile telecommunication device a user response associated with the survey from the portable device.   
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the portable device is worn around a wrist of the user. 
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the portable device is associated with a fob, a wristwatch, or a lanyard. 
     
     
         12 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the user response is entered by a user via a keypad of the portable device. 
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , further including collecting identifying information associated with media detected by the portable device. 
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the identifying information is at least one of a code or a signature representative of audio associated with the media. 
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , further including associating geographic location information of the portable device with the user response associated with the survey. 
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , further including communicating the user response via the personal mobile telecommunication device to a research data processing facility. 
     
     
         17 . A method to collect user feedback, comprising:
 receiving information at a portable device indicative of at least one of an advertisement or a commercial establishment fixedly located proximate to a location of the portable device, the portable device worn on the person of a user;   presenting, via the portable device, a survey sent to the portable device from a mobile telephone carried by the user, the survey soliciting feedback associated with the advertisement or the commercial establishment; and   communicating a user response associated with the survey received at the portable device to the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         18 . A method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the portable device is worn around a neck of the user. 
     
     
         19 . A method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the portable device is associated with an article of jewelry, an ornamental article, a pin, or a clasp. 
     
     
         20 . A method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the portable device is associated with an article of clothing, a belt, or a belt buckle.