# US 10,769,592 B1 · Methods, systems and computer program products for generating explanations for a benefit qualification change > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,592 B1 - Document ID: US10769592B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/221,520 - Filed: 2016-07-27 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-27 - Assignees: Intuit Inc. - Applicants: Intuit Inc. - Inventors: Gang Wang; Kevin M. McCluskey; Gregory W. Miller; Arien C. Ferrell; Michael J. Graves - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769592B1 ## CPC - G06Q 10/1057: Benefits or employee welfare, e.g. insurance, holiday or retirement packages - G06Q 40/08: Insurance - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A computer-implemented method for generating an explanation for a benefit qualification status change over different benefit qualification periods includes a computing device executing a benefit calculation engine. The benefit calculation engine operates on first and second benefit completeness graphs from respective first and second benefit qualification periods to perform first and second benefit qualification status determination. The first and second benefit completeness graphs each describe data dependent benefit qualification operations including a plurality of interconnecting functional nodes connected by one of a plurality of functions. The method also includes the computing device identifying the differences among nodes within the first benefit completeness graph and the second benefit completeness graph. The method further includes the computing device executing an explanation engine associated with the benefit calculation engine to generate a textual explanation identifying one or more differences among the nodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for generating an explanation for a benefit qualification status change over different benefit qualification periods, the method comprising: a computing device executing a benefit calculation engine, the benefit calculation engine operating on a first benefit completeness graph from a first benefit qualification period to perform a first benefit qualification status determination, the benefit calculation engine operating on a second benefit completeness graph from a second benefit qualification period and different in at least one respect from the first benefit completeness graph to perform a second benefit qualification status determination, the first and second benefit completeness graphs each comprising rules and regulations of its respective benefit qualification period implemented as data dependent benefit qualification operations comprising a plurality of interconnecting functional nodes connected by one of a plurality of functions; the computing device identifying differences among nodes within the first benefit completeness graph and the second benefit completeness graph; the computing device executing an explanation engine associated with the benefit calculation engine to generate a textual explanation identifying a difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based on one or more differences among the nodes; the computing device presenting the textual explanation identifying the difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based the one or more differences among the nodes to a user interface along with a link allowing a user to request an additional explanation; and in response to a request for the additional explanation, the computing device recursively traversing nodes of the completeness graphs to generate a further textual explanation regarding the difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based the one or more differences among the nodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second benefit completeness graph differs from the first completeness graph based on an addition of one or more additional interconnecting functional nodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the computing device executes an explanation engine associated with the benefit calculation engine to generate a textual explanation of one or more differences as a result of the one or more additional interconnecting functional nodes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second benefit completeness graph differs from the first completeness graph based on a deletion of one or more additional interconnecting functional nodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the computing device executes an explanation engine associated with the benefit calculation engine to generate a textual explanation of one or more differences as a result of the one or more deleted interconnecting functional nodes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second benefit completeness graph differs from the first completeness graph based on different functions connecting similar nodes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first benefit qualification period comprises a current benefit qualification year and the second benefit qualification period comprises an immediately preceding benefit qualification year. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the first benefit completeness graph comprises estimates for the current benefit qualification year. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first benefit qualification period comprises a future benefit qualification year and the second benefit qualification period comprises a current or past benefit qualification year. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein data populating the first benefit completeness graph is copied from data contained within a second benefit completeness graph for a current or past benefit qualification year. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the data populating the first benefit completeness graph is manually entered by the user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first benefit completeness graph and the second benefit completeness graph each comprise respective subgraphs of larger corresponding benefit completeness graphs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein each node of the first benefit completeness graph and the second benefit completeness graph comprise a common benefit concept. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the textual explanation further comprises numerical information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the textual explanation comprises a summary of a plurality of benefit programs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein each benefit program in the plurality of benefit programs corresponds to a respective benefit qualification status change. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein each benefit program in the plurality of benefit programs corresponds to a respective benefit qualification status change between a benefit qualification year and an immediately preceding benefit qualification year. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the summary comprises a number corresponding to the node(s) resulting in the benefit qualification status change. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the summary comprises information regarding a node resulting in the benefit qualification status change. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the first benefit completeness graph corresponding to a first decision table and the second benefit completeness graph corresponding to a second decision table, wherein the first decision table comprises one or more rows representing a benefit qualification rule for the first benefit qualification period, each row corresponding to how the rule is satisfied based at least in part on one or more answers stored in a first set of columns in the first decision table, and wherein an answer to a question stored in a row eliminates one or more rules from consideration for a current user, and wherein the second decision table comprises one or more rows representing a benefit qualification rule for the second benefit qualification period, each row corresponding to how the rule is satisfied based at least in part on one or more answers stored in a second set of columns in the second decision table, and wherein an answer to a question stored in a row eliminates one or more rules from consideration for the current user. ### Claim 21 A system for generating an explanation for a benefit qualification status change over different benefit qualification periods, the system comprising: a computing device having a benefit calculation engine and an explanation engine running thereon, the computing device executing the benefit calculation engine, the benefit calculation engine operating on a first benefit completeness graph from a first benefit qualification period to perform a first benefit qualification status determination, the benefit calculation engine operating on a second benefit completeness graph from a second benefit qualification period and different in at least one respect from the first benefit completeness graph to perform a second benefit qualification status determination, the first and second benefit completeness graphs each comprising rules and regulations of its respective benefit qualification period implemented as data dependent benefit qualification operations comprising a plurality of interconnecting functional nodes connected by one of a plurality of functions, the computing device executing the benefit calculation engine to identify differences among nodes within the first benefit completeness graph and the second benefit completeness graph, the computing device executing the explanation engine to generate a textual explanation for a difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based one or more differences among the nodes, the computing device presenting the textual explanation identifying the difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based one or more differences among the nodes to a user interface along with a link allowing a user to request an additional explanation, and in response to a request for the additional explanation, the computing device recursively traversing nodes of the completeness graphs to generate a further textual explanation regarding the difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based the one or more differences among the nodes. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the explanation engine further comprises a natural language generator for generating a natural language textual explanation. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the natural language textual explanation is displayed on a display along with a numerical benefit calculation. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the computing device executes the explanation engine to generate a textual explanation difference based an additional node in one of the first and second benefit completeness graphs. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the computing device executes the explanation engine to generate a textual explanation difference based a deleted node in one of the first and second benefit completeness graphs. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the computing device executes the explanation engine to generate a textual explanation difference based a different function associated with a node in one of the first and second benefit completeness graphs. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the textual explanation comprises a summary of a plurality of benefit programs. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein each benefit program in the plurality of benefit programs corresponds to a respective benefit qualification status change. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein each benefit program in the plurality of benefit programs corresponds to a respective benefit qualification status change between a benefit qualification year and an immediately preceding benefit qualification year. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the summary comprises a number corresponding to the node(s) resulting in the benefit qualification status change. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the summary comprises information regarding a node resulting in the benefit qualification status change. ### Claim 32 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying one or more instructions executable by a computing device having associated benefits calculation engine and explanation engine to perform a process for generating an explanation for a benefit qualification status change over different benefit qualification periods, the process comprising the computing device executing the benefit calculation engine, the benefit calculation engine operating on a first benefit completeness graph from a first benefit qualification period to perform a first benefit qualification status determination, the benefit calculation engine operating on a second benefit completeness graph from a second benefit qualification period and different in at least one respect from the first benefit completeness graph to perform a second benefit qualification status determination, the first and second benefit completeness graphs each comprising rules and regulations of its respective benefit qualification period implemented as data dependent benefit qualification operations comprising a plurality of interconnecting functional nodes connected by one of a plurality of functions, the computing device identifying differences among nodes within the first benefit completeness graph and the second benefit completeness graph, the computing device executing the explanation engine to generate a textual explanation identifying a difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based one or more differences among the nodes, the computing device presenting the textual explanation identifying the difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based one or more differences among the nodes to a user interface along with a link allowing a user to request an additional explanation, and in response to a request for the additional explanation, the computing device recursively traversing nodes of the completeness graphs to generate a further textual explanation regarding the difference between the first benefit qualification status determination and the second benefit qualification status determination based the one or more differences among the nodes.