System and method for networked decision making support

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for decision making support. The decision making support can be used, for example, for help desk troubleshooting, medical diagnosis, financial planning, and expert device. The decision support system of the invention includes a processor and a memory having a decision support program module, a phase dictionary, one or more solution nodes and optionally a topic identification information module. The decision support module is configured to enable the processor to receive a problem constraint and one or more user-specified phrases, which are then used to search nodes in a solution domain to identify a set of nodes potentially related to the user's problem or question. The set of nodes potentially related to the user's problem or question are ranked and displayed. Methods to determine potential solution nodes and to update solution nodes within the decision support system are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a constraint at a computing device;   searching, by the computing device, the plurality of nodes to generate a first set of related nodes, wherein the search selects nodes that include at least a portion of the constraint, each node comprising a problem statement, a question or a diagnosis;   generating a selectable list at the computing device, wherein the selectable list includes one or more problem statement, question, or diagnosis from one or more nodes in the first set of related nodes;   receiving, at the computing device, a selection of one or more problem statement, question, or diagnosis from the selectable list; and   removing, by the computing device, nodes from the first set of related nodes that include an inverse of the problem statement, question, or diagnosis selected from the selectable list to generate a second set of related nodes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inverse of the problem statement, question, or diagnosis selected from the selectable list comprises a predefined opposite problem statement, question, or diagnosis to the problem statement, question, or diagnosis selected from the selectable list. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing nodes comprises identifying the inverse of the selected problem statement, question, or diagnosis and removing nodes that include the identified inverse. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising ranking the nodes in the first set of related nodes according to their likelihood of solving the problem. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each node further includes one or more responses to information presented in the node. 
     
     
         6 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes:   a plurality of nodes, wherein one or more nodes includes one or more phrases; and   a decision support program module configured to enable a processor to receive a constraint and to search the plurality of nodes to identify a first set of related nodes, each of the first set of related nodes including a portion of the constraint and at least one diagnosis, question, or problem statement relating to the constraint, the decision support system module further configured to enable the processor to display a list of selectable phrases and the first set of related nodes, each of the selectable phrases in the list corresponding to at least one diagnosis, question, or problem statement in at least one node, the decision support system module further configured to enable the processor to receive a selection of one or more of the phrases and to provide a second set of related nodes that removes the nodes that include an inverse of the phrase selected from the list of selectable phrases to generate a second set of related nodes, wherein the inverse of the phrase selected from the list of selectable phrases comprises a predefined opposite phrase to the phrase selected from the list of selectable phrases.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the decision support program module is further configured to enable the processor to rank the nodes in the first set of related nodes according to their likelihood of solving the problem. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each node further includes one or more responses to information presented in the node. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the memory further includes a phrase dictionary, wherein the phrase dictionary includes an inverse of each of the one or more phrases defined for the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the decision support program module is further configured to enable the processor to remove nodes from the first set of related nodes that include any inverse of the one or more phrases. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the decision support system is a system selected from the group of a hardware troubleshooting system, a software troubleshooting system, a medical diagnosis system, a financial planning system, and an expert advice system. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 receiving a constraint at a computing device;   searching, by the computing device, the plurality of nodes to generate a first set of related nodes, wherein each node in the first set of related nodes includes at least a portion of the constraint; and   generating a phrase list at a computing device, wherein the phrase list includes one or more phrases contained within the first set of related nodes and each phrase being selectable, wherein the phrase list includes a plurality of phrases, the plurality of phrases comprising a first phrase recited as a diagnosis pertaining to the constraint, a second phrase recited as a question pertaining to the constraint, and a third phrase recited as a problem statement pertaining to the constraint;   receiving, at the computing device, a selection of one or more phrases from the phrase list;   searching, by the computing device, the first set of related nodes; and   generating, at the computing device, a second set of related nodes.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the generating comprises determining nodes that include an inverse of the one or more phrases selected from the phrase list. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the inverse of the one or more phrases selected from phrase list comprises a predefined opposite phrase to the one or more phrases selected from the phrase list. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium having instructions thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a constraint;   searching the plurality of nodes to generate a first set of related nodes, wherein the search selects nodes that include at least a portion of the constraint, each node comprising a problem statement, a question or a diagnosis;   generating a selectable list, wherein the selectable list includes one or more problem statement, question, or diagnosis from one or more nodes in the first set of related nodes;   receiving a selection of one or more problem statement, question, or diagnosis from the selectable list; and   removing nodes from the first set of related nodes that include an inverse of the problem statement, question, or diagnosis selected from the selectable list to generate a second set of related nodes.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the inverse of the problem statement, question, or diagnosis selected from the selectable list comprises a predefined opposite problem statement, question, or diagnosis to the problem statement, question, or diagnosis selected from the selectable list. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise ranking the nodes in the first set of related nodes according to their likelihood of solving the problem. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein each node further includes one or more responses to information presented in the node. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable medium having instructions thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a constraint;   searching the plurality of nodes to generate a first set of related nodes, wherein each node in the first set of related nodes includes at least a portion of the constraint; and   generating a phrase list, wherein the phrase list includes one or more phrases contained within the first set of related nodes and each phrase being selectable, wherein the phrase list includes a plurality of phrases, the plurality of phrases comprising a first phrase recited as a diagnosis pertaining to the constraint, a second phrase recited as a question pertaining to the constraint, and a third phrase recited as a problem statement pertaining to the constraint;   receiving a selection of one or more phrases from the phrase list;   searching the first set of related nodes; and   generating a second set of related nodes, wherein the generating comprises determining nodes that include an inverse of the one or more phrases selected from the phrase list.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the inverse of the one or more phrases selected from the phrase list comprises a predefined opposite phrase to the one or more phrases selected from the phrase list.