Method and system for supporting a decision tree with placeholder capability
First Claim
1. A method for implementing an interactive decision tree protocol, comprising the steps of:
- accepting a first request from a user to establish a first bidirectional communications link;
connecting said user to an interactive decision tree-based expert unit supporting a decision tree;
transmitting to said user a series of option sets via said bidirectional communications link, each option within one of said option sets determining a subsequent set of options, each option set defining a node on said decision tree, and an assembly of all interrelated option sets defining said decision tree;
receiving a request from said user to exit said decision tree;
assigning a decision tree node identifier to said user, said decision tree node identifier being indicative of a last node visited by said user in said decision tree prior to said exit request;
accepting a subsequent request from said user to re-enter said decision tree via said expert unit; and
reconnecting said user to said last node in said decision tree based solely upon said decision tree node identifier associated with said user identification.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for supporting an interactive decision tree with placeholder capability include an interactive decision tree-based expert unit with an input enabled to receive user data that includes a user identification and with an output enabled to transmit system data. A memory is connected to the expert unit for storing the system data. Optionally, the user memory stores the identification and an associated decision tree node identifier representing a node in the decision tree visited by a user prior to termination of a communications link between the expert unit and the user. A device is provided for accessing the decision tree node identifier from the memory utilizing the associated user identification, so that a connecting device can automatically connect the user to a node within the decision tree based solely upon the user identification. Alternatively, the decision tree node identifier is transmitted to the user. Upon reconnecting to the expert unit, the user transmits the node identifier to the expert unit to reconnect to the decision tree at the node represented by the node identifier.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for implementing an interactive decision tree protocol, comprising the steps of:
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accepting a first request from a user to establish a first bidirectional communications link;
connecting said user to an interactive decision tree-based expert unit supporting a decision tree;
transmitting to said user a series of option sets via said bidirectional communications link, each option within one of said option sets determining a subsequent set of options, each option set defining a node on said decision tree, and an assembly of all interrelated option sets defining said decision tree;
receiving a request from said user to exit said decision tree;
assigning a decision tree node identifier to said user, said decision tree node identifier being indicative of a last node visited by said user in said decision tree prior to said exit request;
accepting a subsequent request from said user to re-enter said decision tree via said expert unit; and
reconnecting said user to said last node in said decision tree based solely upon said decision tree node identifier associated with said user identification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for implementing an interactive decision tree protocol comprising:
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an interactive decision tree-based expert unit having an input and an output, said input being enabled to receive user data from a remotely located user, said user data including a user identification that is specific to said user, said output being enabled to transmit system data that includes option data of a decision tree;
memory connected to said expert unit, said memory including stored system data and including said user identification and a node identifier associated with said user identification, said decision tree node identifier representing a node in said decision tree visited by said user prior to termination of a last communications link between said user and said expert unit;
means, in communicative contact with said memory, for accessing said decision tree node identifier from said memory based on said user identification; and
means, responsive to said accessing means, for connecting said user to said node within said decision tree supported by said expert unit based solely on said decision tree node identifier associated with said user identification. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for implementing an interactive decision tree protocol comprising the steps of:
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establishing a bidirectional communications link between a user and an interactive decision tree-based expert unit;
transmitting a prompt to said user via said bidirectional communications link requesting a free-text description of a problem for which said user seeks a solution through interaction with said expert unit;
analyzing said free-text description of said problem for which said user seeks a solution through interaction with said expert unit to determine a logical node within a decision tree supported by said expert unit to transfer said user;
connecting said user to said node in said decision tree based upon said analysis of said free-text description;
transmitting to said user a decision tree node identifier upon receiving a request from said user to exit said decision tree, said decision tree node identifier being indicative of a last node visited by said user in said decision tree prior to receiving said request to exit said decision tree; and
in response to a request to re-establish communications, reconnecting said user to said decision tree at a node based solely upon said decision tree node identifier. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification