Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-04-03
Amsbury, Wayne (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212528
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to expert systems and, in particular, to case-based reasoning systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a case-based reasoning system and method of scoring cases in a case database.
2. Description of the Related Art
A case-based reasoning (CBR) system generally refers to a computer system that identifies a solution to a current problem by examining descriptions of similar, previously encountered problems and their associated solutions, matching the current problem with one or more similar previously encountered problems, and using the associated solutions of the matching previously encountered problems to suggest a solution to the current problem. In response to receipt of a description of a current problem, a conventional CBR system retrieves the closest matching cases from a case database using a search engine and iteratively prompts the user for additional descriptive information until the retrieved case or cases identified by the search engine are sufficiently similar to the current problem to be considered as possible solutions. If a new solution (not previously stored in the case database) is subsequently validated, the validated solution can be entered into the case database and utilized to solve future problems.
Of course, the quality of solutions produced by a CBR system will depend, in part, upon the method utilized by the search engine to determine the best matching case in the case database. Conventional case-based reasoning systems assign scores to each case in the case database and select the highest scoring case as the best matching case. Current scoring methods tend to be complex, however, resulting in poor system performance, particularly when the case database contains a large number of cases or cases having a large number of attributes.
As should thus be apparent, it would be desirable from a performance standpoint to provide an improved method and system for scoring cases in the case database of a CBR system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved expert system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved case-based reasoning system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved case-based reasoning system and method of scoring cases in a case database.
The foregoing objects are achieved as is now described. A case-based reasoning system is provided that includes a case database and a search engine. The case database is capable of storing a plurality of cases that each include one or more attributes that each have an associated match weight. Match weights of attributes in different cases are separately specified. In response to receipt of an incident including one or more input terms, the search engine scores the relative closeness of a selected case to the incident utilizing the match weights of attributes in the selected case that match input terms in the incident.
The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.
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Brophy Gary R.
Moon Charles Song Yop
Shore Thomas Alan
Amsbury Wayne
Felsman Bradley Vaden Gunter & Dillon, LLP
International Business Machines - Corporation
Pardo Thuy
Tennent A. Pete
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