Patent Document ID: 5535304
Application ID: 08222342
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. An inference system having an inference mode and a knowledge editing mode for conducting inference with an inherent effect by using a knowledge represented by a plurality of frames in a hierarchical structure which have a relationship of a parent frame being higher in the hierarchical structure than a child frame thereof, said inference system comprising: mode selecting means for selecting one of said knowledge editing mode and said inference mode; first storing means for storing only information intrinsic to a first memory area of one of said frames into said one of said frames when said knowledge editing mode is selected by said mode selecting means; second storing means for storing into a second memory area of said one of said frames both information intrinsic to said one of said frames, and information inherited by at least said one of said frames from frames higher in the hierarchical structure than said one of said frames when said inference mode is selected by said mode selecting means; and memory clearing means for clearing information stored in said second memory area when a mode of the inference system changes from the inference mode to the knowledge editing mode.