Mechanism and method for dynamic question handling through an electronic interface

• US 20020029154A1
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fair Isaac Corporation
• Original Assignee: HNC Software Inc. (Fair Isaac Corporation)
• Inventors: Majoor, Johannes W.F.
• Application Number:
  US09/949,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/043 Distributed expert systems; Blackboards

Abstract

An improved mechanism for intelligently presenting questions through an electronic interface is disclosed. A rule server receives information identifying a set of answers from a user corresponding to a first set of questions presented to that user. In response, analysis is performed upon the set of received answers. A first determination is then made of whether any questions from the first set of questions need to be answered again based upon rules governing responsive answers. Next, a second determination is made of the composition of a second set of questions. The first determination and second determination may be performed at a rule server or an application tier. The second set of questions is then presented to a user through an electronic interface. Suggested answers to the second set of questions may also be presented to the user through an electronic interface contemporaneously with the second set of questions.

Claims

1. A method for presenting questions, comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of answers from a user corresponding to a first set of questions;

analyzing said set of answers using a rule server;

making a first determination of whether any questions from the first set of questions need to be answered again;

making a second determination of the composition of a second set of questions; and

presenting to said user said second set of questions through an electronic interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second set of questions includes any questions identified in said first determination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first determination and said second determination are performed at an application tier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first determination and said second determination are performed at said rule server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second set of questions is dynamically generated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second determination includes determining the number and arrangement of said second set of questions.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

making a third determination of a composition of a set of one or more suggested answers to one or more questions in said second set of questions.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

presenting to said user said set of one or more suggested answers through said electronic interface.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said number and said arrangement of said second set of questions is different for different compositions of said set of answers.

10. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for sharing information across a plurality of services provided over a wireless connection to a device, wherein said instructions include instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving a set of answers from a user corresponding to a first set of questions;

analyzing said set of answers using a rule server;

making a first determination of whether any questions from the first set of questions need to be answered again;

making a second determination of the composition of a second set of questions; and

presenting to said user said second set of questions through an electronic interface.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second set of questions includes any questions identified in said first determination.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said first determination and said second determination is performed at an application tier.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said first determination and said second determination is performed at said rule server.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second set of questions is dynamically generated.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second determination includes determining the number and arrangement of said second set of questions.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

making a third determination of the composition of a set of one or more suggested answers to one or more of said second set of questions.

17. The method of computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

presenting to said user said set of one or more suggested answers through said electronic interface.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said number and said arrangement of said second set of questions is different for different compositions of said set of answers.