System and method for assisting user searches in support system

• US 8,095,568 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiFiC AB (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TiFiC AB (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Nordahl, Mats
• Primary Examiner(s): LIE, ANGELA M
• Application Number:
  US12/385,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 707/791, 707/796, 707/797
• US Class Current: 707/797
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for assisting user searches in a support system and a system for performing the method which comprises the steps of providing a support data structure with nodes comprising support information of a support database, and providing at least one behavioral data structure comprising information about the time the user(s) spend at said nodes, and information about the transition probabilities between each upper node and its lower nodes, and calculating for each lower node that is located below a current node, navigated to by a user of the support data structure, the expectation value of the time gained by navigating directly to that lower node, and selecting at least one of the lower nodes based on said expectation value.

Claims

1. A method for assisting user searches in a support system, comprising:

providing a support data structure with nodes comprising support information of a support database,

providing at least one behavioral data structure comprising information about the time the user(s) spend at said nodes, and information about the transition probabilities between each upper node and its lower nodes,

calculating for each lower node that is located below a current node, navigated to by a user of the support data structure, the expectation value of the time gained by navigating directly to that lower node,

selecting at least one of the lower nodes based on said expectation value.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

providing at least one global behavioral data structure in a server arrangement being used by several user devices and which at least comprises the support data structure.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

providing at least one local behavioral data structure or at least one global behavioral data structure in a user device which at least comprises a copy of the support data structure.

4. A method according to claim 1 comprising:

updating at least one of;

the time the user(s) spend at said nodes, or the transition probabilities of the behavioral data structure when a user of the support data structure makes a transition in the support data structure using a user device.

5. A method according to claim 4, comprising:

updating the time or transition probabilities provided that the transition is confirmed by a positive user feedback.

6. A method according to claim 2, comprising:

transmitting information from the local behavioral data structure of each user device to the support server so as to update the global statistical data structure.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

providing the behavioral data structure with information about the properties of a user system, and

increasing or decreasing at least one of the transition probabilities with respect to that user system depending on said properties.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

selecting a lower node if the expected time gain is higher than a predetermined threshold.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

presenting a recommendation providing a short-cut to said at least one selected lower node.

10. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

providing a number of copies of said behavioral data structures, each storing an estimate of the transition probabilities on different time scales, and

issuing a warning if one or more corresponding transition probabilities belonging to different time scales diverge from each other more than a predetermined amount.

11. A support system for assisting user searches, which system comprises:

a support data structure with nodes comprising support information of a support database,

at least one behavioral data structure comprising information about the time the user(s) spend at said nodes, and information about the transition probabilities between each upper node and its lower nodes,

wherein the system comprises a processor and a memory and is arranged to operatively;

calculate for each lower node that is located below a current node, navigated to by a user of the support data structure, the expectation value of the time gained by navigating directly to that lower node, and

select at least one of the lower nodes based on said expectation value.