Machine interface
First Claim
1. A machine having a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the machine interface comprising:
- outputting means for outputting questions to the user;
inputting means for receiving input answers to the questions; and
processing means for determining a set of data from at least one said input answer and for using the set of data to execute a said machine operation and for determining a question for output by said outputting means, said processing means being adapted to store a set of data determined from at least one said input answer identified as a bookmark and to retrieve said set of data when the bookmark identifier is determined from a said input answer;
keyword determining means for determining keywords using the said at least one input answer, wherein said set of data comprises at least one keyword and said bookmark identifier comprises said at least one keyword;
score storage means for storing a score for each of a plurality of machine operations, the score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation keyword; and
storage means for storing said at least one keyword and scores for said at least one keyword for each machine operation, said scores indicating the likelihood that a user wishes to select a machine operation having caused a said keyword to be input,said processing means being adapted to use the determined keywords and said keyword storage means to adjust said scores in said score storage means, to use the adjusted scores to identify said machine operation to be executed, and to adjust the scores for kevwords stored in said keyword storage means using said at least one keyword of said bookmark identifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A machine interface allows a user to select a machine operation. A plurality of questions are stored for output to a user. A score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a machine operation is stored for each corresponding machine operation. A next question for output to the user is selected from the stored questions by determining, for each of a plurality of the questions, an average of the least number of questions required to be answered by the user to arrive at each machine operation weighted by the respective scores, and selecting the question having the lowest average number. The selected question is output and an answer is received from the user. In response to the input answer a machine operation is carried out and/or the stored scores for each of the plurality of machine operations is adjusted. At least one further selection of a next question is then carried out for output to the user using the adjusted stored scores. A set of data determined from at least one input answer may be stored identified by a bookmark so that it can be retrieved when the bookmark identifier is determined from an input answer.
50 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A machine having a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the machine interface comprising:
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outputting means for outputting questions to the user; inputting means for receiving input answers to the questions; and processing means for determining a set of data from at least one said input answer and for using the set of data to execute a said machine operation and for determining a question for output by said outputting means, said processing means being adapted to store a set of data determined from at least one said input answer identified as a bookmark and to retrieve said set of data when the bookmark identifier is determined from a said input answer; keyword determining means for determining keywords using the said at least one input answer, wherein said set of data comprises at least one keyword and said bookmark identifier comprises said at least one keyword; score storage means for storing a score for each of a plurality of machine operations, the score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation keyword; and storage means for storing said at least one keyword and scores for said at least one keyword for each machine operation, said scores indicating the likelihood that a user wishes to select a machine operation having caused a said keyword to be input, said processing means being adapted to use the determined keywords and said keyword storage means to adjust said scores in said score storage means, to use the adjusted scores to identify said machine operation to be executed, and to adjust the scores for kevwords stored in said keyword storage means using said at least one keyword of said bookmark identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the method comprising:
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outputting questions to the user; receiving input answers to the questions; determining a set of data from at least one said input answer; using the set of data to execute a machine operation or determining and outputting a question to the user, wherein a set of data determined from at least one input answer identified as a bookmark is stored and said set of data is retrieved when the bookmark identifier is determined from a said input answer; determining keywords using the input answers, wherein the set of data comprises at least one keyword and the bookmark identifier comprises the at least one keyword; providing a store with scores for a plurality of machine operations, each score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation; providing a store of the at least one keyword and scores for the at least one keyword for each machine operation, the scores indicating the likelihood that a user wishes to select a machine operation having caused a said keyword input; using the determined keywords to look up scores stored for keywords to adjust the scores for each machine operation; using the adjusted scores to identify the machine operation to be executed; and adjusting the scores for stored keywords using the at least one keyword of the bookmark identifier. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A machine having a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the machine interface comprising:
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question storage means for storing a plurality of questions for output to the user; score storage means for storing a score for each of a plurality of machine operations, said score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation; question selection means for selecting a next question for output to the user from said question storage means by determining, for each of a plurality of said questions, an average of the least number of questions required to be answered by the user to arrive at each said machine operation weighted by the respective scores, and selecting a question having the lowest average number; outputting means for outputting the selected question to the user; inputting means for receiving an input answer to the question from the user; and processing means for responding to the input answer by carrying out a said machine operation and/or by adjusting the scores for each of the plurality of machine operations stored in said operation storage means, said question selection means being adapted to carry out at least one further selection of a said next question using the adjusted scores stored in said operation storage means for output by said outputting means. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of providing a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the method comprising:
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providing a stored plurality of questions for output to the user; providing a stored score for each of a plurality of machine operations, each score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation; selecting a next question for output to the user from the stored questions by determining, for each of a plurality of said questions, an average of the least number of questions required to be answered by the user to arrive at each said machine operation weighted by the respective scores, and selecting a question having the lowest average number; outputting the selected question to the user; receiving an input answer from the user; and responding to the input answer by carrying out a said machine operation and/or by adjusting the stored scores for each of the plurality of machine operations; and repeating the selecting step using the adjusted scores and subsequently repeating the outputting, receiving and responding steps. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A machine having a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the machine interface comprising:
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score storage means for storing a score for each of a plurality of machine operations, said score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation; question selection means for selecting a next question for output to the user from a question storage means by determining, for each of a plurality of said questions, an average of the least number of questions required to be answered by the user to arrive at each said machine operation weighted by the respective scores, and selecting a question having the lowest average number; outputting means for outputting the selected question to the user; inputting means for receiving an input answer to the question from the user; and processing means for responding to the input answer by carrying out a said machine operation and/or by adjusting the scores for each of the plurality of machine operations stored in said operation storage means; said question selection means being adapted to carry out at least one further selection of a said next question using the adjusted scores stored in said operation storage means for output by said outputting means; and said processing means further being adapted to store a set of data determined from at least one said input answer identified as a bookmark and to retrieve said set of data when the bookmark identifier is determined from a said input answer.
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60. A method of providing a machine interface to allow a user to select a machine operation, the method comprising:
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providing a stored score for each of a plurality of machine operations, each score indicating the likelihood that the user will select a corresponding machine operation; selecting a next question for output to the user from a plurality of stored questions by determining, for each of a plurality of said questions, an average of the least number of questions required to be answered by the user to arrive at each said machine operation weighted by the respective scores, and selecting a question having the lowest average number; outputting the selected question to the user; receiving an input answer from the user; responding to the input answer by carrying out a said machine operation and/or by adjusting the stored scores for each of the plurality of machine operations; and repeating the selecting step using the adjusted scores and subsequently repeating the outputting, receiving and responding steps, which method further comprises identifying whether an input answer corresponds to a stored bookmark and when the input answer is identified as corresponding to a stored bookmark, retrieving a set of data corresponding to that bookmark. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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Specification