Patent AU-2021201898-A1 (AU)
Title: System and method for use of alternating least squares to identify common profiles of tax filers and tailor the tax preparation process based on the profile for the individual tax filer
Inventor: LAASER WILLIAM T
IPC: G06Q40/00
Filed: 2021-03-26
Abstract: A computing system implemented method for providing a tax return preparation system, 
comprising: 
generating, with an analytics module of a computing system, a first matrix having rows 
corresponding to respective previously prepared tax returns and columns corresponding to 
respective tax return features; 
generating, with the analytics module, a second matrix by factoring the first matrix 
according to an alternating least squares algorithm, the second matrix having rows 
corresponding to respective profiles and columns corresponding to respective tax return topics; 
wherein the analytics module is one of a plurality of interchangeable analytics modules, 
each interchangeable analytics module including one or more respective analytics algorithms to 
select user experience elements for the tax preparation interview process, wherein the analytics 
module is configured to be updated with different ones of the interchangeable analytics modules 
without requiring modification to other components within the tax return preparation system; 
the analytics module is configured to use prior user tax return data which may include 
information acquired from a public computing environment; 
receiving, with a user interface hosted by the computing system, user data associated 
with a user; 
matching the user to one or more of the profiles by applying the user data to the analytics 
module; 
customizing, with the analytics module, a tax return preparation interview process based 
on the one or more profiles to which the user is matched; and 
after matching the user to one or more of the profiles, receiving, with the user interface 
hosted by the computing system, further user data associated with the user during the tax return 
preparation interview process; 
refining the matching of the user to one or more of the profiles by applying the further 
user data to the analytics module; and 
further customizing the tax return preparation interview process based on the refined 
matching of the user to one or more of the profiles; 
and further comprising, after customizing the tax preparation interview process based on 
the one or more profiles to which the user is matched after: 
providing a second analytics module of the interchangeable analytics modules;
applying the user data to the second analytics module; and 
further customizing the tax return preparation interview based on a processing of 
the user data by the second analytics module; 
wherein the analytics module transmits and receives information using a common store, 
wherein the common store receives, stores, and delivers communications for inter
component communications within a computer-readable tax return preparation instruction set.
WO 2016/122680 PCT/US2015/017552 
1/3 
PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT 100 
SERVICE PROVIDER COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT110 
TAX RETURN PREPARATION SYSTEM 111 
TAX RETURN PREPARATION COMMON STORE 124 ANALYTICDATA8 
INTERVIEW TOOLS 114 
USER DATA 116 TAX RETURN 
QU EST ION POOL 119 PREPARATION 
ENGINE 
DATA 125 
TOPIC A---
TOPIC B ANALYTICS MODULE 
13 TAX RETURN 
TOPIC PREPARATION 
ENGINE 1 12 
TPOPCD 
USER_ ____ U E 
DAT 116 DT 1 
RES120 ANALYTIC DATA USER INTERFACE 
118 '115 
INDIVIDUALIZED INDIVIDUALIZED 
ENVEMEN11 INTERVIEW E INTERVIEW 
CONTENT117 CONTENT117 
ANALYTICS MODULOU 
SELECTION ENGNEUSER 
26DAA1 
1032 
SERVICE PROVIDER PUBLIC 
SUPPORT COMPUTING INFORMATION USER COMPUTING 
ENVIRONMENT 150 COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT 140 
INTERCHANGEABLE ENVIRONMENT 160 ANALYTICS MODULE 152 INPU 4EIET4 
I INT1ERC.HANGEABL E 
VAL U ES 16 1 OUTPUT 
DEFVCE 
ANALYTICS MODULE 153 SOILMDA142 
INTERCHANGEABLE 162 
ANALYTICS MODULE 154 
FINANCIAL 
INTERCHANGEABLE HISTORY163 
ANALYTICS MODULE 155 
PRIOR USER TAX 
RETURN DATA151 FIG. 1