Patent ID: 6262730
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: G06F,G06N,Y10S

Abstract:
An inference system for use in an intelligent user assistance facility system for a software program, the inference system comprising:a knowledge base, the knowledge base storing information relating to at least variables that represent observable states regarding user-initiated actions within the software program, and to variables that represent hypotheses about goals and needs for assistance of the user relative to the software program; andan inference engine, the inference engine identifying help-oriented actions that a user can perform in the software program to render operation of the software program easier for the user, the help-oriented actions optimizing expected utility of the user within the software program given a cost of displaying the help-oriented actions without initiation by the user, and the goals and needs for assistance of the user relative to the software program as stored in the knowledge base,such that at least one of the help-oriented actions are displayed to the user by the intelligent user assistance facility system, and one or more of the at least one of the help-oriented actions displayed to the user are performed by the user within the software program.