Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A knowledge system to determine a valid, full machine configuration, based on a requested machine configuration, each machine configuration having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system comprising: an expert system to process the record of the requested machine configuration to determine a valid, full machine configuration; a complementary database storing a plurality of records of valid, full machine configurations; search means to search the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration, and to indicate to a requestor that the requested machine configuration is valid if a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database; and input means to receive from the requestor the record of the requested machine configuration, and to transmit the record thereof to the search means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A knowledge system to determine a valid, full machine configuration, based on a requested machine configuration, each machine configuration having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system comprising: an expert system to process the record of the requested machine configuration to determine a valid, full machine configuration; a complementary database storing a plurality of records of valid, full machine configurations; search means to search the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration, and to indicate to a requestor that the requested machine configuration is valid if a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database; and input means to receive from the requestor the record of the requested machine configuration, and to transmit the record thereof to the search means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A knowledge system according to claim 1, further including means to invoke the expert system to process the record of the requested machine configuration only when no record identical to the record of the requested machine is found in the complementary database.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
A knowledge system according to claim 1, wherein: the system further includes means to transmit to the complementary database from the expert system records of machine configurations determined by the expert system to be valid, full machine configurations; and the complementary database includes means to store the records of machine configurations transmitted to the complementary database from the expert system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A knowledge system according to claim 3, wherein the means to transmit includes control means to transmit to the complementary database from the expert system, only the records of machine configurations determined by the expert system to be valid, full machine configurations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
A knowledge system to answer a specific request, each request having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system comprising: an expert system to process the record of the specific request to provide an answer to the request; a complementary database storing a plurality of records of requests having known answers; searching means to search the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the specific request, and if an identical record is found, to provide to a requestor, the known answer to the request having said identical record; and input means to receive from the requestor the record of the specific request, and to transmit the record thereof to the search means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
A knowledge system to answer a specific request, each request having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system comprising: an expert system to process the record of the specific request to provide an answer to the request; a complementary database storing a plurality of records of requests having known answers; searching means to search the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the specific request, and if an identical record is found, to provide to a requestor, the known answer to the request having said identical record; and input means to receive from the requestor the record of the specific request, and to transmit the record thereof to the search means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A knowledge system according to claim 5, further including means to invoke the expert system to process the record of the specific request only when no record identical to the record of the specific request is found in the complementary database.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A knowledge system according to claim 5, wherein: the system further includes means to transmit to the complementary database from the expert system, records of answers determined by the expert system; and the complementary database includes means to store the records transmitted to the complementary database from the expert system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A knowledge system according to claim 7 wherein the means to transmit includes control means to transmit to the complementary database from the expert system, the records of only selected answers.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for operating a knowledge system to determine a valid, full machine configuration, based on a requested machine configuration, each machine configuration having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system including an expert system and a complementary database, the method comprising the steps of: storing in the complementary database, a plurality of records of valid, full machine configurations; searching the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration; indicating to a requestor that the requested machine configuration is a valid, full machine configuration if a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database; and when no record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database, invoking the expert system to process the record of the requested machine configuration to determine a valid, full machine configuration.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for operating a knowledge system to determine a valid, full machine configuration, based on a requested machine configuration, each machine configuration having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system including an expert system and a complementary database, the method comprising the steps of: storing in the complementary database, a plurality of records of valid, full machine configurations; searching the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration; indicating to a requestor that the requested machine configuration is a valid, full machine configuration if a record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database; and when no record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database, invoking the expert system to process the record of the requested machine configuration to determine a valid, full machine configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the invoking step includes the step of invoking the expert system to process the record of the requested machine configuration only when no record identical to the record of the requested machine configuration is found in the complementary database.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 9, further including the step of adding to the complementary database records of machine configurations determined by the expert system to be valid, full machine configurations.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for operating a knowledge system to answer a specific request, each request having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system including an expert system and a complementary database, the method comprising the steps of: storing in the complementary database, a plurality of records of requests having known answers; searching the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the specific request; if a record identical to the record of the specific request is found in the complementary database, providing to a requestor the known answer to the request having said identical record; and when no record identical to the record of the specific request is found in the complementary database, invoking the expert system to process the record of the specific request to answer the specific request.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for operating a knowledge system to answer a specific request, each request having a record including a plurality of parameters, taken from a given family of parameters, and values for said plurality of parameters, the knowledge system including an expert system and a complementary database, the method comprising the steps of: storing in the complementary database, a plurality of records of requests having known answers; searching the complementary database for a record identical to the record of the specific request; if a record identical to the record of the specific request is found in the complementary database, providing to a requestor the known answer to the request having said identical record; and when no record identical to the record of the specific request is found in the complementary database, invoking the expert system to process the record of the specific request to answer the specific request.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the invoking step includes the step of invoking the expert system to process the record of the specific request only when no record identical to the record of the specific request is found in the complementary database.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 12, further including the step of adding to the complementary database the records of selected answers determined by the expert system.