Decision making and implementation system

• US 8,095,404 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Concerro Incorporated (VCS Holdco LLC)
• Original Assignee: Concerro Incorporated (VCS Holdco LLC)
• Inventors: Dimitruk, Paul Arthur, Auburn, Mark Allen, Long, Mark Kevin, Maas, Christian Alexander, Kirkland, Jane MacIntyre
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US12/123,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/7.11
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for generating recommendations of analyses of circumstances in business, accounting, science, medicine and other fields. An algorithm is generated using an interactive generation process based on decision tree type inquiries. The algorithm is translated into a computer language and code and loaded onto a computer, preferably on a network. A user inputs data concerning a particular topic, and the algorithm processes the data to generate and display a set of recommendations or analyses. The user inputs additional data which the system uses to refine the initial recommendations or analyses, and this process is repeated until arriving at a final set of recommendations or analyses. The organization and content of sets of display screens changes dynamically as data is input and processed. The data may include degrees of certainty relating to certain data, which is used in both determining a set of recommendations or analyses and expressing a degree of certainty about such recommendations or analyses.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user in a process of decision-making or analysis involving a topic, with the aid of a computer and a display screen in association with the computer and an application on the computer, comprising using the display, computer, and application for;

a. displaying a screen set soliciting a set of input data, and inputting said set of input data, wherein at least some of the data is characterized with a value representing a degree of certainty regarding the data;

b. optionally processing the input data through at least a portion of an algorithm to determine further content to display, input data to solicit, or modification of previous input data;

c. displaying a screen or screen set showing the current recommendation or analysis where the degree of certainty regarding the input data is reflected in the recommendation, calculations, or output;

d. optionally providing information or links in step (c) to modify those inputs which are determined to have the highest importance and thus impact on the current recommendations;

e. optionally providing information or links in step (c) to modify those inputs which are determined to have the greatest effect on the calculated certainty of the current recommendation or analysis;

f. optionally providing information or links in step (c) to modify those inputs which are determined to have the greatest effect on the calculated certainty of a particular calculated result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises a web application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application comprises a downloadable application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a screen set soliciting a set of input data comprises a plurality of pages, wherein the pages are grouped into a plurality of sections, wherein each section contains one or more pages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one section has a priority attribute used to determine the order of presentation to a user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one page has a priority attribute used to determine the order of presentation to a user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one section has a precondition attribute used to determine whether the section is presented to a user.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one page has a precondition attribute used to determine whether the page is presented to a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the value representing a degree of certainty regarding the data is assigned or calculated by the application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithm includes computational logic for processing the input data and presentation logic for selecting the screen set and organizations for display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the computational logic includes arithmetic logic for mathematically operating on numerical input data to derive numerical processed data.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the computational logic includes operations logic for determining conclusions based at least in part on non-numeric input data.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the presentation logic includes navigational logic for establishing a set of screens having a determined organization scheme based on results determined by the computational logic using the input data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the presentation logic includes display logic for establishing a format for display of the established screen sets.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is used with a relational database.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the value representing a degree of certainty regarding the data is input or calculated by a user.

17. A method for assisting a user in a process of decision-making or analysis involving a topic, with the aid of a computer and a display screen in association with the computer and an application on the computer, comprising using the display, computer, and application for:

a. displaying a screen set having information concerning the topic;

b. displaying a screen set soliciting a set of input data, and inputting said set of input data, wherein optionally some of the data is characterized with a value representing a degree of certainty regarding the data;

c. determining and displaying a current recommendation generated iteratively by processing the input data through at least a portion of the algorithm;

d. providing the option to accept the current recommendation as a final recommendation and ending the processing;

e. displaying a screen set soliciting additional input data and for modifying previous input data as desired when the current recommendation is not accepted as a final recommendation, the contents of said screen set being dependent on and determined by step (c), and inputting said additional input data or modified previous input data;

f. repeating steps (c) and (d), and (e) as desired; and

g. displaying a screen set showing the current recommendation or analysis;

h. optionally providing information or links in step (c) to modify those inputs which are determined to have the highest importance and thus impact on the current recommendations;

i. optionally providing information or links in step (c) to modify those-inputs which are determined to have the greatest effect on the calculated certainty of the current recommendation or analysis;

j. optionally providing information or links in step (c) to modify those inputs which are determined to have the greatest effect on the calculated certainty of a particular calculated result.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the application comprises a web application.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the application comprises a downloadable application.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein a screen set having information concerning the topic or a screen set soliciting a set of input data comprises a plurality of pages, wherein at least one page comprises a paragraphs with headings and optionally, one or more data elements for storing input or calculated data.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the algorithm is used with a relational database.