US 5,802,493 AGranted

Method and apparatus for generating a proposal response

AssigneeAetna Life Insurance Company

InventorsLeonard J. Sheflott, Marion A. Wildeman, Salvador Aleguas, III, Joseph L. Murgo, Pamela Lane Jordan, Jill Matus Gregory, Carole A. Pincavage, Anthony Cipriani, Robert Goldman

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Abstract

A system for generating a document in response to a request for information has the capability of receiving scanned documents that have a series of questions. The present invention has databases of questions and associated answers. A respondent prepares the subject questions for a searching procedure by editing and assigning each question with a number and labels the same with given input parameters. The system searches the question database for a question which exactly matches the subject question or is a like match in that it is similar in text or input parameter value. The system compares each received question with stored questions and return similarly worded questions in accordance with a predetermined match threshold. The respondent may then select an answer associated with the subject question for inclusion in the response document. The present system is also characterized by a maintenance apparatus that allows for systematic upkeep of question and answer databases.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for generating a response document prepared in reply to a request for product information, said request including a plurality of questions, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving signals indicative of the questions in a text form;
formatting said question text signals into a corresponding plurality of individual questions;
assigning each of said individual formatted question signals identifier signals;
associating with said formatted question signals, signals indicative of values of associated input parameters;
searching a database having stored therein signals corresponding to a plurality of stored questions, each of said stored questions having associated therewith input parameter signals, said stored questions further being associated with signals corresponding to at least one answer stored on an answer database;
returning signals corresponding to a one of said stored questions having text or input parameter signal values that matches a one of said subject question text or said corresponding input parameter signal values;
selecting one of said stored answer signal values associated with said returned question;
associating each of said subject question signal values with the corresponding one of said selected answer signal values;
assembling said response document so that each of said subject questions and said corresponding answers are located in proximity with one another;
and
outputting said response document.

8 more elements

A system for generating a response document prepared in reply to a request for product information, said request including a plurality of questions, the system comprising:

a means for receiving signals indicative of the questions in a text form;
a means for formatting said question text signals into a corresponding plurality of individual questions;
a means for assigning each of said individual formatted question signals identifier signals;
a means for associating with said formatted question signals, signals indicative of values of associated input parameters;
a means for searching a database having stored therein signals corresponding to a plurality of stored questions, each of said stored questions having associated therewith input parameter signals, said stored questions further being associated with signals corresponding to at least one answer stored on an answer database;
a means for returning signals corresponding to a one of said stored questions having text or input parameter signal values that matches a one of said subject question text or said corresponding input parameter signal values;
a means for selecting a one of said stored answer signal values associated with said returned question;
a means for associating each of said subject question signal values with the corresponding one of said selected answer signal values;
a means for assembling said response document so that each of said subject questions and said corresponding answers are located in proximity with one another;
and
a means for outputting said response document.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.