Dynamically processing an index to create an ordered set of questions
First Claim
1. A method for dynamically processing an index to create a set of questions for use in an information retrieval system, comprising the steps of:
- providing said index, said index having at least one domain;
selecting a domain from said index as a selected domain, said selected domain having a plurality of index categories, and each of said plurality of said index categories being associated with at least one question so as to provide said set of questions;
determining a particular order associated with said plurality of index categories of said selected domain; and
arranging said set of questions into a question set order that corresponds to said particular order associated with said plurality of index categories, thereby dynamically creating said set of questions.
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Abstract
An index associated with a database is dynamically processed in an information retrieval system to create a set of questions for use when processing a data inquiry from a user. The index, a structured guide used when searching the database, has different information domains. After one of these domains is selected, a particular order of the index categories within the selected domain is determined, typically by referring to the order lookup table within the index. A script corresponds to the selected domain. Within the script, there are questions corresponding to each index category within the selected domain. These questions are dynamically used to prompt the user. Only the questions corresponding to active index categories are arranged into the set of questions having a question set order corresponding to the particular order of the index categories. In an iterative process, the first question is identified and used to prompt the user to select a term from a scaled down vocabulary of terms (i.e., only those terms associated with the first question and corresponding first index category). Upon selecting the term, a search of the database is performed by the search engine module based upon the selected term. If there is too much information returned from the search, the next question is identified and the iterative process is repeated.
255 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for dynamically processing an index to create a set of questions for use in an information retrieval system, comprising the steps of:
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providing said index, said index having at least one domain; selecting a domain from said index as a selected domain, said selected domain having a plurality of index categories, and each of said plurality of said index categories being associated with at least one question so as to provide said set of questions; determining a particular order associated with said plurality of index categories of said selected domain; and arranging said set of questions into a question set order that corresponds to said particular order associated with said plurality of index categories, thereby dynamically creating said set of questions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for dynamically processing an index to create a set of questions for use in an information retrieval system, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing said index, said index having a plurality of domains and a plurality of terms; (b) selecting one of said domains as a selected domain, said selected domain having a plurality of index categories, at least one of said plurality of index categories being associated with a portion of said plurality of terms, and each of said plurality of index categories being associated with at least one question so as to provide said set of questions; (c) determining a particular order associated with said plurality of index categories of said selected domain; (d) arranging said set of questions into a question set order that corresponds to said particular order associated with said plurality of index categories; (e) identifying the first question in said set of questions according to said question set order as an identified question; (f) providing a prompt, said prompt derived from said identified question; (g) based upon a response to said prompt, selecting one of said plurality of terms as a selected term; (h) searching a database for information associated with said selected term; and (i) if the amount of said information exceeds a predetermined threshold, repeating steps (e)-(h) for the next question in said set of questions according to said question set order, thereby creating and using said set of questions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer system for dynamically processing an index to create a set of questions, comprising:
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a processor; a memory storage device coupled to said processor, said memory storage device maintaining a script file and said index, said index having a selected domain, said selected domain associated with said script file, said selected domain having a plurality of index categories, each of said plurality of index categories being associated with one of a plurality of questions, and each of said plurality of questions stored within said script file; a communications interface coupled to said processor, said communications interface for communicating with a remote device; and said processor being operative; to determine a particular order that is associated with said index categories of said selected domain, and to arrange said plurality of questions into said set of questions for interacting with said remote device, said set of questions having a question set order that corresponds to said particular order. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer system for dynamically processing an index to create a set of questions, comprising:
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a processor; a memory storage device coupled to said processor, said memory storage device for maintaining; a database, an index associated with said database, said index having a plurality of domains and a plurality of terms, and a plurality of script files, each of said plurality of script files respectively corresponding to each of said plurality of domains; a communications interface coupled to said processor, said communications interface for communicating with a remote device; and said processor being operative to; (a) in response to a first signal received from said remote device via said communications interface, select one of said domains as a selected domain, said selected domain having a plurality of index categories, each of said plurality of index categories being associated with one of a plurality of questions, each of said plurality of questions stored within one of said plurality of script files corresponding to said selected domain, and said selected domain being associated with a portion of said plurality of terms, (b) determine a particular order associated with said plurality of index categories, (c) arrange said plurality of questions into said set of questions with a question set order that corresponds to said particular order, (d) identify the first question in said set of questions according to said question set order as an identified question, (e) prompt said remote device with said identified question, (f) receive a response from said remote device, (g) select one of said plurality of terms as a selected term based upon on said response, (h) search said database on said memory storage device for information associated with said selected term, and (i) if the amount of said information exceeds a predetermined threshold, perform said functions (d)-(h) for the next question according to said question order. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A distributed computer system for dynamically processing an index to create a set of questions, comprising:
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a backend computer; a backend memory storage device coupled to said backend computer, said backend memory storage device maintaining; a database, a script file maintaining a plurality of questions, an index associated with said database, said index having a selected domain, said selected domain corresponding to said script file, said selected domain having a plurality of index categories, and each of said plurality of index categories being associated with one of said plurality of questions; a frontend computer, said frontend computer having a memory and being in communication with said backend computer via a network, and said frontend computer providing a service communication interface for communicating with a remote device; said backend computer being operative to provide said frontend computer with access to said database, said index, and said script file; and said frontend computer being operative to; copy said database, said index, and said script file from said backend memory storage device into said memory of said each of said frontend computers as a copied database, a copied index, and a copied script file, respectively, determine a particular order associated with said plurality of index categories of said selected domain, and arrange said questions into said set of questions for interacting with said remote device via said service communication interface, said set of questions having a question set order that corresponds to said particular order. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification