GENERATION OF PERSONALIZED AND HYBRID RESPONSES TO QUERIES SUBMITTED FROM WITHIN TAX RETURN PREPARATION SYSTEM DURING PREPARATION OF ELECTRONIC TAX RETURN
First Claim
1. A computerized tax return preparation system executable by one or more processors of one or computers, the system comprising:
- a user interface controller configured or programmed to present interview screens to a user of the computerized tax preparation system, the interview screen comprising a search field for entry of a query by the user through the interview screen;
a tax logic agent in communication with the user interface controller, wherein analysis of rules by the tax logic agent and generation of interview screens by the user interface controller are independent of each other;
a data store shared by the user interface controller and the tax logic agent,wherein the user interface controller can write data to the shared data store to update runtime data of the current electronic tax return and the tax logic agent can read runtime data from the shared data store for analysis of rules and generation of non-binding suggestions of unanswered questions or topics for consideration by the user interface controller; and
a response engine, in communication with the user interface module and the shared data store, configured or programmed to receive the query data entered into the search field, access the shared data store, and generate a hybrid result in response to the query, the hybrid result comprising;
runtime data of the shared data store that is selected based at least in part upon the search query, andan action to be performed for preparation of the electronic tax return;
the user interface controller being configured or programmed to receive the hybrid result and present an interview screen comprising the hybrid result to the user in response to the query during preparation of the electronic tax return.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid response mechanism for processing queries submitted through an interview screen of a tax preparation application. User submits query through search field of interview screen generated by tax preparation application. Response engine accesses runtime data of electronic tax return stored in data store and generates hybrid response including runtime data and an action. Hybrid response data may be alpha/numerical runtime data or data identifying runtime data and identifying or including a link to an action, e.g., a form to be completed or revised, or to prepare a new form. The hybrid search result can also include a result (such as reference materials, e.g., information about tax topics or an answer provided by an on-line community member) generated by an external computing resource such as an online community for the tax preparation application also processing the query but that is not included in the electronic tax return being prepared.
86 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computerized tax return preparation system executable by one or more processors of one or computers, the system comprising:
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a user interface controller configured or programmed to present interview screens to a user of the computerized tax preparation system, the interview screen comprising a search field for entry of a query by the user through the interview screen; a tax logic agent in communication with the user interface controller, wherein analysis of rules by the tax logic agent and generation of interview screens by the user interface controller are independent of each other; a data store shared by the user interface controller and the tax logic agent, wherein the user interface controller can write data to the shared data store to update runtime data of the current electronic tax return and the tax logic agent can read runtime data from the shared data store for analysis of rules and generation of non-binding suggestions of unanswered questions or topics for consideration by the user interface controller; and a response engine, in communication with the user interface module and the shared data store, configured or programmed to receive the query data entered into the search field, access the shared data store, and generate a hybrid result in response to the query, the hybrid result comprising; runtime data of the shared data store that is selected based at least in part upon the search query, and an action to be performed for preparation of the electronic tax return; the user interface controller being configured or programmed to receive the hybrid result and present an interview screen comprising the hybrid result to the user in response to the query during preparation of the electronic tax return. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An interview screen of a computerized tax preparation system operable to prepare an electronic tax return, comprising:
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a search field, wherein the user can type one or more terms of a query into the search field during preparation of the electronic tax return; and a hybrid result generated in response to the query, the hybrid search result comprising; runtime data of the shared data store that is selected based at least in part upon the search query, and an action to be performed through the computerized tax preparation system for preparation of the electronic tax return. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer-implemented method for providing search capabilities in a tax preparation application operable to prepare an electronic tax return, the method being performed by one or more processors of one or more computers and comprising:
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a computerized tax logic agent reading runtime data of the electronic tax return from the shared data store; processing a decision table derived from a directed completion graph based at least in part upon the runtime data, and generating a non-binding suggestion of a question or topic to present to a user of the tax preparation application based at least in part upon the decision table processing, and transmitting the non-binding suggestion to a user interface controller; the user interface controller a user interface controller presenting an interview screen to the user of the tax preparation system, the interview screen comprising a search field for entry of a query by the user through the interview screen; a response engine associated with the user interface controller receiving query data entered into the search field by the user, accessing the shared data store, and generating a hybrid result in response to the query, the hybrid result comprising; runtime data of the shared data store that is selected based at least in part upon the search query, and an action to be performed for preparation of the electronic tax return; the user interface controller receiving the hybrid result and presenting an interview screen comprising the hybrid result to the user.
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Specification