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  Flow control information for a model-driven user interviewUSPTO Application #: 20070094205Title: Flow control information for a model-driven user interview Abstract: A framework is presented that can be used to create and execute software applications that include a user interview. The framework includes run-time engines and a data repository. The run-time engines include an interview driver. The data repository includes interview instructions and model information. The interview driver generates or modifies an instantiated data model by using the interview instructions and model information to obtain information from a user. The interview instructions include flow control information, prompts, and user interface (UI) information. The flow control information specifies how to traverse a graph of the data model and can include, for example: pre-defined sequence, rules/heuristics (including idea of groups), graph-search, or combination; discover vs. explore data model element; once discovered, explore immediately vs. defer until later. (end of abstract) Agent: Fenwick & West LLP - Mountain View, CA, US Inventors: Jay JieBing Yu, Kenichi Mori USPTO Applicaton #: 20070094205 - Class: 706047000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Processing System, Knowledge Representation And Reasoning Technique, Ruled-based Reasoning System The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070094205. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/285,930, filed on Nov. 23, 2005, entitled "Model-Driven User Interview" which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/630,812, filed on Nov. 23, 2004, entitled "Model-Driven Tax Application Framework" both of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to the following patent applications, which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on ______, entitled "Prompts for a Model-Driven User Interview"; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on ______, entitled "User Interface for a Model-Driven User Interview"; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on ______, entitled "Using an Instantiated Model to Generate an Application-Specific Document". BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to software that includes a user interview. [0003] Filling out forms is a common activity in modem times. Some forms are simple and straightforward, while others are complex and difficult to understand. Over the years, software has been created to help people fill out forms. One type of software obtains, from a user, information that is needed to fill out a form. For example, software can "interview" a user by prompting the user to enter information. This information can then be processed in order to determine how the form should be filled out. Such software has been created to assist with completion of forms used in fields such as finance and law. SUMMARY [0004] A framework is presented that can be used to create and execute software that includes a user interview. In one embodiment, the software is financial in nature and can be used, e.g., for tax, accounting, or financial management. The interview collects information that can be used, for example, to fill out a form or generate a document. The interview is dynamic, in that it can vary from user to user and from one moment to the next, depending on information that has been gathered so far. [0005] The framework includes various run-time engines and a data repository. Together, the run-time engines execute a software application, which includes a user interview, based on the contents of the data repository. [0006] The data repository includes model information and interview instructions. The model is configured to store any type of information that has financial implications, such as personal information (e.g., date of birth, marital status), employment information (e.g., salary, benefits), account balances for any type of financial account, and financial transactions. In one embodiment, the model information includes a meta-model, a data model, and an instantiated model. The meta-model defines four types of elements: entities (persons, places, or things), relations (associations between entities), rules (restrictions placed on entities or relations), and events (change state of entities and relationships). The data model includes specialized versions of these elements, such as specialized entities (e.g., a person or business), specialized relations (e.g., marriage or employment), specialized rules (e.g., regarding whether a person can legally work) and specialized events (e.g., marriage or starting a job). [0007] The meta-model and the data model are abstract, in that they do not include data specific to a particular entity (e.g., a user). For a given financial application, an instantiated data model is created from the data model, which includes one or more instantiated elements (elements that have a value for one or more attributes). An instantiated element represents a "real-life" phenomenon, although the phenomenon can be real or hypothetical. [0008] The interview instructions specify how to obtain information from a user to create or modify the instantiated data model. In one embodiment, the interview instructions include flow control information, prompts, and user interface (UI) information. The flow control information controls the flow of an interview. In one embodiment, the flow is based on the data model. If a specialized entity is viewed as a node and a specialized relation is viewed as an edge, a set of interconnected entities and relations can be interpreted as a graph. In one embodiment, the interview flow corresponds to how this graph is traversed, from node to edge and vice versa. [0009] The prompts include prompts (e.g., questions) to present to a user during the interview process. A prompt elicits information that can be used to discover or explore a data model element, such as a specialized entity or relation. In one embodiment, each element in the data model has three types of prompts associated with it: AskExist, AskDetail, and AskChange. [0010] The UI information specifies the user interface for the application. In one embodiment, the UI information specifies how a prompt is presented and/or how a user responds to a prompt. In one embodiment, each element in the data model has one or more associated UIs, which the user uses to input requested information. [0011] The run-time engines include an interview driver. The interview driver executes an application, which includes a user interview, based on the contents of the data repository. The interview driver generates or modifies an instantiated model by using the interview instructions to obtain information from a user. Specifically, the interview driver executes an interview sequence based on the instantiated model and the flow control information. The interview driver uses the prompts and the UI information to present a prompt to and receive input from the user. The interview driver uses the input information to create or modify the instantiated model (e.g., by creating a new element or by modifying or removing an existing element). [0012] Once an instantiated model has been created, it can be used to generate an instantiated application-specific model, such as for personal income tax. The instantiated application-specific model can then be used to generate an application-specific document, such as a tax form. Since the application is executed based on the contents of the repository, the application can be modified by changing the contents of the repository. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a framework that can be used to create and execute software that includes a user interview, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method for generating an instantiated model, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0015] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a flowchart of a method for revising an instantiated model, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of how some of the components in FIG. 1 can be used, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a user interface of a visual modeler, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0018] FIG. 6 illustrates a user interface of an interview flow designer, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0019] FIG. 7 illustrates a user interface of a UI component designer, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0020] FIG. 8 illustrates a user interface of a model mapper, according to one embodiment of the invention. [0021] FIG. 9 illustrates a table of specialized entities and their characteristics, according to one embodiment of the invention. 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