System and method to facilitate user thinking about a multidimensional arbitrary problem with output and interfaces to external systems

• US 7,970,720 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zxibix Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zxibix Inc.
• Inventors: Heidenreich, James Ralph, Higgins, Linda Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent; David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLUDE AFOLABI, OLATOYOSI
• Application Number:
  US11/981,499
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 706/45, 706/46, 706/47
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods to facilitate user thinking about an arbitrary problem and particularly about a complex or multiple part arbitrary problem or related problems. Preferred embodiments of the systems and methods include outputs and interfaces to external systems, components and resources. Preferred embodiments may include creation and compositing capabilities regarding multiple, subdivided and complex or combined arbitrary problems, with regard to individual or multiple users or teams.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating user thinking about an arbitrary problem in multiple parts according to approaches used by expert problem solvers, comprising:

processor executable instructions embodied in at least one computer readable media, memory, or computer readable device, or a combination thereof, said instructions comprising;

instructions to facilitate user specification of at least one user model regarding an arbitrary problem, comprising at least one problem structure or at least one conclusion structure, or both, and at least one specification of knowledge related to the arbitrary problem;

instructions to specify linkages or relationships among said components of the at least one user model structure;

instructions to facilitate at least one subdivision of the user model into at least two subportions;

instructions to determine at least one search argument, related suggested inquiry area, or suggested inquiry construct, or a combination thereof, relative to at least one subportion of the user model regarding the arbitrary problem or an archetype structure for exemplary user thinking, or both;

instructions to display, instructions to store or instructions to output, or a combination thereof, at least a subset of the resulting user structure, related suggested inquiry area, suggested inquiry construct, or search argument, or any combination thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to evaluate at least one of the subportions of the at least one user model.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a processor or web service or widget or applet or a combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to cause related search results.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to utilize a search engine or agent, or both.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to composite search results with at least one user model component or specification or both.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to enable the association of user comments, annotations, ratings, references, or links, or a combination thereof, to user models, subportions of user models, user specifications, or user model components or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to utilize user comments, annotations, ratings, references, or links, or other user models or user model components, or a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to identify or locate at least one related user model, user model component, user model archives, user, group, rater, content, or a combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to determine at least one autogenerated suggested construct or other user suggestion or both.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to facilitate additional specification of at least one subportion of at least one user model.

12. A processor executable system for facilitating user thinking about an arbitrary problem according to approaches used by expert problem solvers, comprising:

an interface;

a process manager system operable to execute on at least one processor and operable to perform activities comprising;

facilitating user specification of at least one user model regarding an arbitrary problem, comprising at least one problem or at least one conclusion, or both, and at least one specification of knowledge related to the arbitrary problem;

specifying linkages or relationships among said components of the at least one user model structure;

facilitating at least one subdivision of the user model into at least two subportions;

determining at least one search argument, related suggested inquiry area, or suggested inquiry construct, or a combination thereof, relative to at least one subportion of the user model regarding the arbitrary problem or an archetype structure for the arbitrary problem, or both;

display, store or outputting, or a combination thereof, at least a subset of the resulting user structure, related suggested inquiry area, or suggested inquiry construct or a search argument, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising activities comprising evaluating at least one of the subportions of the at least one user model.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising activities comprising causing related search results.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising activities comprising utilizing a search engine or agent or both.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising activities comprising compositing search results with at least one user model component or specification or both.

17. The system of claim 12 further comprising enabling the association of user comments, annotations, ratings, references or links, or a combination thereof, to user models, subportions of user models, user specifications or user model components or a combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 12 further comprising utilizing user comments, annotations, ratings, references or links, or other user models or user model components, or a combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 12 further comprising instructions to identify or locate at least one related user model, user model component, user model archives, user, group, rater, content, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 12 further comprising determining at least one autogenerated suggested construct or other user suggestion or both.

21. The system of claim 12 further comprising instructions to facilitate additional specification of at least one subportion of at least one user model.

22. A system for facilitating exemplary user thinking and inquiry about an arbitrary problem in multiple parts according to approaches used by expert problem solvers, comprising:

processor executable instructions embodied in at least one computer readable media, memory, or computer readable device, or a combination thereof, said instructions comprising;

instructions to identify at least one user model or specification regarding an arbitrary problem, comprising at least one problem or at least one conclusion or both, and at least one related knowledge specification;

instructions to evaluate at least two components of one or more user models or user specifications relative to an archetype structure or archetype process for exemplary user thinking or both;

instructions to composite at least two user specifications or user model components into at least one combined or unified or super user model;

instructions to display or output or both at least one subset of a user model or the combined or unified or super user model, or both.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to determine at least one related search argument, suggested inquiry area or suggested inquiry construct, or a combination thereof.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to cause at least one related set of search results.

25. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to utilize a search engine or agent, or both.

26. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to composite search results with at least one user model component or specification or both.

27. The system of claim 22 further comprising at least one processor or web service or widget or applet or a combination thereof.

28. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to enable the association of user comments, annotations, ratings, references, or links, or a combination thereof, to user models, subportions of user models, user specifications, or user model components or a combination thereof.

29. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to utilize user comments, annotations, ratings, references, or links, or other user models or other user model components, or a combination thereof.

30. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to identify or locate at least one related user model, user model component, user model archives, user, group, rater, content, or a combination thereof.

31. The system of claim 22 further comprising instructions to determine at least one autogenerated suggested construct or other user suggestion or both.

32. A system for facilitating exemplary user thinking and inquiry about an arbitrary problem in multiple parts according to approaches used by expert problem solvers, comprising:

an interface;

a process manager system executable on one or more processors to perform activities comprising;

identifying at least one user model or specification regarding an arbitrary problem, comprising at least one problem or at least one conclusion or both, and at least one related knowledge specification;

evaluating at least two components of one or more user models or user specifications relative to an archetype structure or archetype process for exemplary user thinking or both;

compositing at least two user specifications or user model components or both into at least one combined or unified or super user model;

displaying or outputting or both at least one subset of a user model or the combined or unified or super user model, or both.

33. The system of claim 32 further comprising activities comprising determining at least one related search argument, suggested inquiry area or suggested inquiry construct, or a combination thereof.

34. The system of claim 32 further comprising activities comprising causing at least one related set of search results.

35. The system of claim 32 further comprising activities comprising utilizing a search engine or agent, or both.

36. The system of claim 32 further comprising activities comprising compositing search results with at least one user model component or specification or both.

37. The system of claim 32 further comprising enabling the association of user comments, annotations, ratings, references or links, or a combination thereof, to user models, subportions of user models, user specifications, or user model components or a combination thereof.

38. The system of claim 32 further comprising utilizing user comments, annotations, ratings, references or links, or other user models or user model components, or a combination thereof.

39. The system of claim 32 further comprising instructions to identify or locate at least one related user model, user model component, user model archives, user, group, rater, content, or a combination thereof.

40. The system of claim 32 further comprising instructions to determine at least one autogenerated suggested construct or other user suggestion or both.