U.S. patent application number 16/731008 was filed with the patent office on 2020-04-30 for navigating to user content in a financial management system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Intuit Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Intuit Inc.. Invention is credited to Jonathan Chay, Christopher C. Gielow, Todd Frey Goodyear, Benjamin Indyk, Igor A. Podgorny.
Application Number | 20200134738 16/731008 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61904020 |
Filed Date | 2020-04-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200134738 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goodyear; Todd Frey ; et
al. |
April 30, 2020 |
NAVIGATING TO USER CONTENT IN A FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for finding and navigating
information in financial management systems. In some
implementations, a customer self-service system provides
incremental search results that are based on user profile
information, customer self-service content, and navigation history
of a user within a financial management system. The user profile
information may include one or more of an estimated income level of
the user, an estimated education level of the user, business
financial records of the user, tax return information of the user,
or personal financial records of the user. The customer
self-service system provides the search results incrementally,
thereby allowing the user to receive references to transactions or
transaction details in real-time as the user provides search query
terms for the customer self-service system.
Inventors: |
Goodyear; Todd Frey; (San
Diego, CA) ; Indyk; Benjamin; (San Diego, CA)
; Podgorny; Igor A.; (San Diego, CA) ; Gielow;
Christopher C.; (Carlsbad, CA) ; Chay; Jonathan;
(San Diego, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Intuit Inc. |
Mountain View |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Intuit Inc.
Mountain View
CA
|
Family ID: |
61904020 |
Appl. No.: |
16/731008 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15293614 |
Oct 14, 2016 |
10572954 |
|
|
16731008 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/123 20131203;
G06Q 40/125 20131203; G06F 16/90335 20190101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 40/00 20060101
G06Q040/00; G06F 16/903 20060101 G06F016/903 |
Claims
1. A method performed by one or more processors of a customer
self-service system, the method comprising: storing, in a database
of the customer self-service system, user profile information,
customer self-service content, and navigation history of a user
within a financial management system, the user profile information
including one or more of an estimated income level of the user, an
estimated education level of the user, business financial records
of the user, tax return information of the user, or personal
financial records of the user; identifying one or more relevant
portions of the user profile information and the customer
self-service content based at least in part on the navigation
history of the user within the financial management system;
providing, on a display screen, a user interface including a search
text box and a results text box; receiving, from the user via the
search text box, a number of search query terms that comprise at
least a portion of a plurality of potential search queries that are
formable with the one or more search query terms; generating, based
at least in part on the number of search query terms, a plurality
of incremental search results including at least the one or more
relevant portions of the user profile information and the customer
self-service content; identifying user experience pages for one or
more of the plurality of incremental search results; presenting
navigation links to the identified user experience pages in the
results text box concurrently with presenting the plurality of
incremental search results in the results text box; detecting a
user selection of one of the navigation links presented in the
results text box; and presenting, on the display screen, content
from the user experience pages associated with the selected
navigation link.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial management system
comprises one or more of a personal financial management system, a
business financial management system, or a tax return preparation
financial management system.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of incremental
search results are generated by a search algorithm based at least
in part on topics of the one or more search query terms.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the search algorithm includes one
or more of a probabilistic topic model and a predictive model.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of incremental
search results includes references to actions available to the
user, and the user experience pages are configured to enable the
user to complete the available actions.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a type of
incremental search results; identifying, from the plurality of
incremental search results, one or more incremental search results
of the selected type; and presenting only the one or more
incremental search results of the selected type in the search
results box.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected type of incremental
search results comprises one of a first type of incremental search
results associated with performing a new action, a second type of
incremental search results associated with reviewing a transaction
record, or a third type of incremental search results associated
with requesting help to provide to the user.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one navigation link
comprises a hyperlink embedded within one or more words of a
corresponding one of the plurality of incremental search results
presented in the results text box.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: updating the
incremental search results and the navigation links presented in
the results text box concurrently with receiving additional search
query terms from the user via the search text box.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the updated incremental search
results comprise potential search queries the user is likely to
form with the search query terms.
11. A customer self-service system, comprising: a database; one or
more processors; and a memory storing instructions that, when
executed by the one or more processors, causes the customer
self-service system to perform operations comprising: storing, in
the database, user profile information, customer self-service
content, and navigation history of a user within a financial
management system, the user profile information including one or
more of an estimated income level of the user, an estimated
education level of the user, business financial records of the
user, tax return information of the user, or personal financial
records of the user; identifying one or more relevant portions of
the user profile information and the customer self-service content
based at least in part on the navigation history of the user within
the financial management system; providing, on a display screen, a
user interface including a search text box and a results text box;
receiving, from the user via the search text box, a number of
search query terms that comprise at least a portion of a plurality
of potential search queries that are formable with the one or more
search query terms; generating, based at least in part on the
number of search query terms, a plurality of incremental search
results including at least the one or more relevant portions of the
user profile information and the customer self-service content;
identifying user experience pages for one or more of the plurality
of incremental search results; presenting navigation links to the
identified user experience pages in the results text box
concurrently with presenting the plurality of incremental search
results in the results text box; detecting a user selection of one
of the navigation links presented in the results text box; and
presenting, on the display screen, content from the user experience
pages associated with the selected navigation link.
12. The customer self-service system of claim 11, wherein the
financial management system comprises one or more of a personal
financial management system, a business financial management
system, or a tax return preparation financial management
system.
13. The customer self-service system of claim 11, wherein the
plurality of incremental search results are generated by a search
algorithm based at least in part on topics of the one or more
search query terms.
14. The customer self-service system of claim 13, wherein the
search algorithm includes one or more of a probabilistic topic
model and a predictive model.
15. The customer self-service system of claim 11, wherein the
plurality of incremental search results includes references to
actions available to the user, and the user experience pages are
configured to enable the user to complete the available
actions.
16. The customer self-service system of claim 11, wherein execution
of the instructions causes the customer self-service system to
perform operations further comprising: selecting a type of
incremental search results; identifying, from the plurality of
incremental search results, one or more incremental search results
of the selected type; and presenting only the one or more
incremental search results of the selected type in the search
results box.
17. The customer self-service system of claim 16, wherein the
selected type of incremental search results comprises one of a
first type of incremental search results associated with performing
a new action, a second type of incremental search results
associated with reviewing a transaction record, or a third type of
incremental search results associated with requesting help to
provide to the user.
18. The customer self-service system of claim 11, wherein at least
one navigation link comprises a hyperlink embedded within one or
more words of a corresponding one of the plurality of incremental
search results presented in the results text box.
19. The customer self-service system of claim 11, wherein execution
of the instructions causes the customer self-service system to
perform operations further comprising: updating the incremental
search results and the navigation links presented in the results
text box concurrently with receiving additional search query terms
from the user via the search text box.
20. The customer self-service system of claim 19, wherein the
updated incremental search results comprise potential search
queries the user is likely to form with the search query terms.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of and claims
priority to co-pending and commonly-owned U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 15/293,614 entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SEARCHING FOR
AND NAVIGATING TO USER CONTENT AND OTHER USER EXPERIENCE PAGES IN A
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH A CUSTOMER SELF-SERVICE SYSTEM FOR
THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM" filed on Oct. 14, 2016, which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Financial management systems are valuable tools that provide
services that were previously available only through interaction
with a human professional, or that were painfully attempted by
oneself. Prior to the advent of financial management systems, a
user (e.g., a small business owner) would be required to consult
with an accountant or bookkeeper for services, and the user would
be limited, and potentially inconvenienced, by the office hours
during which the professional was available for consultation.
Furthermore, the user might be required to gather paper copies of
all relevant records and travel to the professional's physical
location to relay the information to the professional to obtain the
professional's assistance. Beyond the inconveniences of scheduling
and travel, the user would also be at the mercy of the
professional's education, skill, personality, and varying moods.
All of these factors resulted in a user who was vulnerable to:
human error, variations in human ability, and variations in human
temperament.
[0003] A financial management system can provide benefits that
human professionals are hard-pressed to provide, such as not having
limited working hours, not being geographically limited, and not
being subject to human error or variations in human ability or
temperament. Small business owners are typically not accountants,
nor do they want to be. Small business owners typically interact
with business management software out of necessity, while simply
wanting to return to the task of running their business. A
financial management system enables users to receive
accountant-like services, without the pain points associated with
traditional interaction with professionals. To provide these
services, however, the financial management system can often
present seemingly numerous user experience pages, forms, and/or
options that may be difficult to recall, find, and/or navigate
while interacting with the financial management system.
[0004] Users who have difficulty finding or navigating to
information may feel fear, uncertainty, and/or doubt about what
they are doing or about what they are supposed to do. The users'
feelings fear, uncertainty, and/or doubt can quickly turn into
frustration and a lack of desire to continue trying. Feelings of
fear, uncertainty, and/or doubt are inconsistent with
satisfied/happy customers, and such feelings may cause customers to
seek alternative solutions, ultimately resulting in the abandonment
of use of a particular financial management system. Because
financial management systems are adept at saving users time while
providing feature-rich business and/or personal management
solutions, it is beneficial for both the users and the service
provider of the financial management system to facilitate searching
and navigating to information in the financial management
system.
[0005] Thus, there is a longstanding technical problem related to
finding and navigating information in financial management
systems.
SUMMARY
[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a technical
solution to the longstanding technical problem that is related to
finding and navigating information in financial management systems.
The technical solution includes a method and system for searching
for and navigating to user content and other user experience pages
in a financial management system with a customer self-service
system for the financial management system. The customer
self-service system provides incremental search results that are
based on user behavior and/or user content within a financial
management system, which enables a user to find any user content or
search through within the financial management system, according to
one embodiment. The user content includes, but is not limited to,
financial transaction information (e.g., related to running a
business, vendor transactions, buyer transactions, personal
shopping transactions, etc.), personal financial information (e.g.,
related to managing a personal budget), and tax information,
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system
provides the search results incrementally (i.e., as incremental
search results), allowing the user to receive references to
transactions or transaction details in real-time as the user
provides search query terms for the customer self-service system,
according to one embodiment. Incremental search results are search
results that are generated for search query terms based on the
various information a financial management system stores about a
user, as a user enters (e.g., in real-time) the search query terms
to formulate a search query to a customer self-service system,
according to one embodiment. The incremental search results are
specific to (the domain of) one or more particular financial
management systems and may include automated suggestions for
additional search query terms that are specific to searching one or
more financial management systems, according to one embodiment.
[0007] The customer self-service system also facilitates navigation
within the financial management system, according to one
embodiment. If a user selects (e.g., with a mouse click, a stylus
touch, a finger touch, a vocal command, etc.) one of the
incremental search results, the customer self-service system
navigates the user to the relevant user experience page within the
financial management system, according to one embodiment. For
example, if the selected incremental search result includes a
reference to an invoice, the customer self-service system navigates
the user to the user experience page used to create and/or track
that invoice, according to one embodiment. As another example, if
the selected incremental search result is a reference to creating
or updating payroll in the financial management system, then the
customer self-service system navigates the user to a user
experience page that allows a user to create or update payroll
information for the user's business. As a result, the customer
self-service system facilitates searching transactions and
navigating within a financial management system, according to one
embodiment.
[0008] Providing domain-specific incremental search results (e.g.,
using search query terms from a partial or complete search query),
in a results text box that is proximate to the search text box used
to enter the search query terms, provides several benefits. Search
engines generate revenue by mixing, mingling, or placing search
results in the body of a webpage so that the search results are
proximate to advertisements, even though it takes longer to find
the search results and makes it more difficult to find the search
results. By providing domain-specific incremental search results in
a results text box that is proximate to the search text box, the
customer self-service system enables a user to find the user's
search results faster than embedding the incremental search results
in the body of webpage, according to one embodiment. In mobile
computing environments (e.g., tablet and/or smart phone user
experiences), searching for transactions and navigating the
financial management system is faster and can be performed from the
search text box (e.g., search menu), instead of using the
traditional techniques of exploring, expanding, and/or searching
through a number of menus, according to one embodiment. By
providing simplified (e.g., under a predetermined character count)
incremental search results in a results text box that is proximate
to the search text box, the customer self-service system helps the
user easily understand and/or digest the content of the search
results, according to one embodiment. By including incremental
search results that are (or include) navigation links to sections
of the financial management system, the customer self-service
system increases the likelihood that the user receives the
information that will/may satisfy the user's intent in forming a
search query and that increases the likelihood that a user will be
able to quickly and easily get to the content that the user may be
searching for, according to one embodiment. By providing
domain-specific incremental search results that are based on a
partial search query, the customer self-service system helps the
user answer the user's search query even before the customer
finishes entering the search query, according to one embodiment. By
providing domain-specific incremental search results that are based
on a partial search query, the customer self-service system helps
the user better formulate the user's search by seeing the potential
incremental search results of the current search query terms,
according to one embodiment.
[0009] The customer self-service system uses one or more of a
variety of techniques for generating the incremental search
results, according to one embodiment. The customer self-service
system applies natural language processing techniques to the search
query terms to determine the intent of the user, according to one
embodiment. The customer self-service system determines one or more
topics that are relevant to the search query terms, and returns
user content (e.g., transactions, spending, tax information),
navigation links, and/or other customer self-service content that
is likely relevant (e.g., includes the same or similar topic(s)) to
the determined one or more topics of the search query terms,
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system
predicts one or more potential search queries that the user could
formulate from the search query terms received, and returns user
content (e.g., transactions, spending, tax information), navigation
links, and/or other customer self-service content (e.g., help
content) that is likely relevant to the predicted one or more
complete search queries, according to one embodiment. In one
embodiment, the customer self-service system performs incremental
searches using social graphs to find transactions relevant to the
user search intent (e.g. to find a buyer to send an invoice
to).
[0010] These and other embodiments of the customer self-service
system are discussed in further detail below.
[0011] Searching for and navigating to transactions and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system is a
technical solution to a technical problem and is not an abstract
idea for at least a couple of reasons. First, searching for and
navigating to transactions and other user experience pages in a
financial management system with a customer self-service system for
the financial management system is not an abstract idea because it
is a computing-centric technology that addresses a
computing-centric problem of finding and navigating information
using an electronic customer self-service system. Second, providing
domain-specific and dynamic type ahead suggestions for search query
terms with a customer self-service system for a tax return
preparation system is not an abstract idea because it cannot be
performed using pen and paper and cannot be performed by a human
mind because the quantity of data that would have to be mentally
processed is believed to be nearly humanly impossible.
[0012] Searching for and navigating to transactions and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system allows for
significant improvement to the fields of user experience,
self-service systems, customer service, customer retention,
business management, financial management, and domain-specific
search engines, according to one embodiment. The present disclosure
adds significantly to the concept of content searching by providing
domain-specific incremental search results for search query terms
with a customer self-service system for one or more financial
management systems because the customer self-service system:
reduces the amount of time users spend searching for use content
(e.g., transactions); reduces the amount of time users spend
locating user content in a user experience page; assists users in
formulating search queries for information that they are searching
for; and reduces the amount of time users spend entering a search
query and navigating to user experience pages in a financial
management system, according to one embodiment. As a result,
embodiments of the present disclosure allow for reduced use of
processor cycles, memory, and power consumption, by reducing the
time spent by users searching for and navigating to user content
(and other customer self-service system content) and by reducing
time spent by users to repeatedly search for user content or a user
experience page in computing environments, according to one
embodiment. Consequently, computing and communication systems
implementing and/or providing the embodiments of the present
disclosure are transformed into more operationally efficient
devices and systems.
[0013] In addition to improving overall computing performance,
searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system
significantly improves the field of financial management systems,
by reducing the amount of time that a user is removed from the
operations tasks of running the user's business due to delays
caused by trying to find transactions or particular user experience
pages (e.g., to complete a task), according to one embodiment.
[0014] Furthermore, by searching for and navigating to transactions
and other user experience pages in a financial management system
with a customer self-service system for the financial management
system, the disclosed embodiments help maintain and/or build trust
and therefore loyalty in the financial management system with which
the customer self-service system is associated, which results in
repeat customers, and reduced abandonment of use of the financial
management system, according to one embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are diagrams of user experience pages
for searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0016] FIGS. 2A and 2B are block diagrams of an architecture for
searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B are a flow diagram of a process for
searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B are a flow diagram of a process for
searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, in
accordance with one embodiment.
[0019] Common reference numerals are used throughout the FIGs. and
the detailed description to indicate like elements. One skilled in
the art will readily recognize that the above FIGs. are examples
and that other architectures, modes of operation, orders of
operation, and elements/functions can be provided and implemented
without departing from the characteristics and features of the
invention, as set forth in the claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Embodiments will now be discussed with reference to the
accompanying FIGs., which depict one or more exemplary embodiments.
Embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should
not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein,
shown in the FIGs., and/or described below. Rather, these exemplary
embodiments are provided to allow a complete disclosure that
conveys the principles of the invention, as set forth in the
claims, to those of skill in the art.
[0021] The INTRODUCTORY SYSTEM, USER EXPERIENCE, ARCHITECTURE, and
PROCESS sections herein describe systems and processes suitable for
searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, according
to various embodiments.
Introductory System
[0022] Financial management system users sometimes abandon
in-product search and self-service services when finding
information and/or navigating a user experience takes longer than
expected and/or is difficult. When a business owner (e.g., a small
business owner) sets aside time to manage the business by
creating/sending invoices, bills, receipts, payroll, tax
submissions, etc., the business owner wants to efficiently complete
the task in order to get back to substantive business operations.
When a question arises or if particular information is sought,
"time is money." That is, the longer it takes to find the answer or
information, the more the business owner may incur lost
opportunities (opportunity costs). Gathering paperwork, entering
data, and trying to understand the jargon that is specific to
accountants (account tracking/balancing) can hardly be avoided
while operating one's business. However, natural feelings of
frustration, uncertainty, and/or doubt can be amplified, when
people are unable to find information or user experience pages that
they need to complete a particular task. Embodiments of the present
disclosure predict/determine users' likely questions based on
partial search queries (e.g., one or more search query terms),
based on user content data, and/or based on user profile data, and
provide brief answers near (e.g., below) the search query text box,
in real-time (e.g., as the users enter their search queries),
according to one embodiment. In other words, a customer
self-service system provides incremental search results right next
to the search text box, as the users enter their search queries,
according to one embodiment. The brief answers include user content
(e.g., transaction records, budget goals, invoice details, tax
return information, etc.), customer self-service system content
(e.g., short answers to help-related questions), and navigation
links to enable the user to conveniently digest information and
navigate to other areas (user experience pages) within the
financial management system and/or within the customer self-service
system, according to one embodiment. With each addition or removal
of a search query term, the customer self-service system modifies
the incremental search results displayed for the user, to help the
user quickly and conveniently find and understand the answer to
their partial, potential, or completed search query, according to
one embodiment.
[0023] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a method and
system for searching for and navigating to user content and other
user experience pages in a financial management system with a
customer self-service system for the financial management system.
The customer self-service system provides incremental search
results that are based on user behavior and/or user content within
a financial management system, which enables a user to find any
user content or search within the financial management system,
according to one embodiment. The user content includes, but is not
limited to, financial transaction information, personal financial
information, and tax information, according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system provides the search results
incrementally (i.e., as incremental search results), allowing the
user to receive references to transactions or transaction details
in real-time as the user provides search query terms for the
customer self-service system, according to one embodiment.
Incremental search results are search results that are generated
for search query terms based on the various information a financial
management system stores about a user, as a user enters (e.g., in
real-time) the search query terms to formulate a search query to a
customer self-service system, according to one embodiment. The
incremental search results are specific to (the domain of) one or
more particular financial management systems and may include
automated suggestions for additional search query terms that are
specific to searching one or more financial management systems,
according to one embodiment.
[0024] The customer self-service system also facilitates navigation
within the financial management system, according to one
embodiment. If a user selects (e.g., with a mouse click, a stylus
touch, a finger touch, a vocal command, etc.) one of the
incremental search results, the customer self-service system
navigates the user to the relevant user experience page within the
financial management system, according to one embodiment. For
example, if the selected incremental search result includes a
reference to an invoice, the customer self-service system navigates
the user to the user experience page used to create and/or track
that invoice, according to one embodiment. As another example, if
the selected incremental search result is a reference to creating
or updating payroll in the financial management system, then the
customer self-service system navigates the user to a user
experience page that allows a user to create or update payroll
information for the user's business. As a result, the customer
self-service system facilitates searching transactions and
navigating within a financial management system, according to one
embodiment.
[0025] Providing domain-specific incremental search results (e.g.,
using search query terms from a partial or complete search query),
in a results text box that is proximate to the search text box used
to enter the search query terms, provides several benefits. Search
engines generate revenue by mixing, mingling, or placing search
results in the body of a webpage so that the search results are
proximate to advertisements, even though it takes longer to find
the search results and makes it more difficult to find the search
results. By providing domain-specific incremental search results in
a results text box that is proximate to the search text box, the
customer self-service system enables a user to find the user's
search results faster than embedding the incremental search results
in the body of webpage, according to one embodiment. In mobile
computing environments (e.g., tablet and/or smart phone user
experiences), searching for transactions and navigating the
financial management system is faster and can be performed from the
search text box (e.g., search menu), instead of using the
traditional techniques of exploring, expanding, and/or searching
through a number of menus, according to one embodiment. By
providing simplified (e.g., under a predetermined character count)
incremental search results in a results text box that is proximate
to the search text box, the customer self-service system helps the
user easily understand and/or digest the content of the search
results, according to one embodiment. By including incremental
search results that are (or include) navigation links to sections
of the financial management system, the customer self-service
system increases the likelihood that the user receives the
information that will/may satisfy the user's intent in forming a
search query and that increases the likelihood that a user will be
able to quickly and easily get to the content that the user may be
searching for, according to one embodiment. By providing
domain-specific incremental search results that are based on a
partial search query, the customer self-service system helps the
user answer the user's search query even before the customer
finishes entering the search query, according to one embodiment. By
providing domain-specific incremental search results that are based
on a partial search query, the customer self-service system helps
the user better formulate the user's search by seeing the potential
incremental search results of the current search query terms,
according to one embodiment.
[0026] The customer self-service system uses one or more of a
variety of techniques for generating the incremental search
results, according to one embodiment. The customer self-service
system applies natural language processing techniques to the search
query terms to determine the intent of the user, according to one
embodiment. The customer self-service system determines one or more
topics that are relevant to the search query terms, and returns
user content (e.g., transactions, spending, tax information),
navigation links, and/or other customer self-service content that
is likely relevant (e.g., includes the same or similar topic(s)) to
the determined one or more topics of the search query terms,
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system
predicts one or more potential search queries that the user could
formulate from the search query terms received, and returns user
content (e.g., transactions, spending, tax information), navigation
links, and/or other customer self-service content (e.g., help
content) that is likely relevant to the predicted one or more
complete search queries, according to one embodiment.
[0027] The customer self-service system provides a variety of
content in the incremental search results, according to one
embodiment. The incremental search results include, but are not
limited to, definitions of terms (e.g., definitions of tax jargon),
frequently asked questions ("FAQs"), acronym definitions, use
content (e.g., transaction records, invoice history for a customer
of the user, etc.), a form number, a book keeping or tax-specific
date, answers to potential search queries, search query
suggestions, and navigation links to user experience pages for one
or more of the incremental search results, according to one
embodiment.
[0028] As used herein, the term system (e.g., customer self-service
system, tax return preparation system, or other software system)
includes, but is not limited to the following: computing system
implemented, and/or online, and/or web-based, personal and/or
business tax preparation systems; computing system implemented,
and/or online, and/or web-based, personal and/or business financial
management systems, services, packages, programs, modules, or
applications; computing system implemented, and/or online, and/or
web-based, personal and/or business management systems, services,
packages, programs, modules, or applications; computing system
implemented, and/or online, and/or web-based, personal and/or
business accounting and/or invoicing systems, services, packages,
programs, modules, or applications; and various other personal
and/or business electronic data management systems, services,
packages, programs, modules, or applications, whether known at the
time of filling or as developed later.
[0029] Specific examples of systems include, but are not limited to
the following: TurboTax.RTM. available from Intuit, Inc. of
Mountain View, Calif.; TurboTax.RTM. Online available from Intuit,
Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; QuickBooks.RTM., available from
Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; QuickBooks.RTM. Online.TM.
(QBO.TM.), available from Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.;
Mint.RTM., available from Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.;
Mint.RTM. Online, available from Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View,
Calif.; and/or various other systems discussed herein, and/or known
to those of skill in the art at the time of filing, and/or as
developed after the time of filing. In one embodiment, data
collected from users of TurboTax.RTM. and/or TurboTax.RTM. Online
is not used with other service provider systems, such as Mint.RTM.
or QuickBooks.RTM..
[0030] As used herein, the terms "computing system," "computing
device," and "computing entity," include, but are not limited to,
the following: a server computing system; a workstation; a desktop
computing system; a mobile computing system, including, but not
limited to, smart phones, portable devices, and/or devices worn or
carried by a user; a database system or storage cluster; a virtual
asset; a switching system; a router; any hardware system; any
communications system; any form of proxy system; a gateway system;
a firewall system; a load balancing system; or any device,
subsystem, or mechanism that includes components that can execute
all, or part, of any one of the processes and/or operations as
described herein.
[0031] In addition, as used herein, the terms "computing system",
"computing entity", and/or "computing environment" can denote, but
are not limited to the following: systems made up of multiple
virtual assets, server computing systems, workstations, desktop
computing systems, mobile computing systems, database systems or
storage clusters, switching systems, routers, hardware systems,
communications systems, proxy systems, gateway systems, firewall
systems, load balancing systems, or any devices that can be used to
perform the processes and/or operations as described herein.
[0032] Herein, the term "production environment" includes the
various components, or assets, used to deploy, implement, access,
and use, a given system as that system is intended to be used. In
various embodiments, production environments include multiple
computing systems and/or assets that are combined, communicatively
coupled, virtually and/or physically connected, and/or associated
with one another, to provide the production environment
implementing the application.
[0033] As specific illustrative examples, the assets making up a
given production environment can include, but are not limited to,
the following: one or more computing environments used to implement
at least part of the system in the production environment such as a
data center, a cloud computing environment, a dedicated hosting
environment, and/or one or more other computing environments in
which one or more assets used by the application in the production
environment are implemented; one or more computing systems or
computing entities used to implement at least part of the system in
the production environment; one or more virtual assets used to
implement at least part of the system in the production
environment; one or more supervisory or control systems, such as
hypervisors, or other monitoring and management systems used to
monitor and control assets and/or components of the production
environment; one or more communications channels for sending and
receiving data used to implement at least part of the system in the
production environment; one or more access control systems for
limiting access to various components of the production
environment, such as firewalls and gateways; one or more traffic
and/or routing systems used to direct, control, and/or buffer data
traffic to components of the production environment, such as
routers and switches; one or more communications endpoint proxy
systems used to buffer, process, and/or direct data traffic, such
as load balancers or buffers; one or more secure communication
protocols and/or endpoints used to encrypt/decrypt data, such as
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols, used to implement at least
part of the system in the production environment; one or more
databases used to store data in the production environment; one or
more internal or external services used to implement at least part
of the system in the production environment; one or more backend
systems, such as backend server or other hardware used to process
data and implement at least part of the system in the production
environment; one or more modules/functions used to implement at
least part of the system in the production environment; and/or any
other assets/components making up an actual production environment
in which at least part of the system is deployed, implemented,
accessed, and run, e.g., operated, as discussed herein, and/or as
known in the art at the time of filing, and/or as developed after
the time of filing.
[0034] As used herein, the term "computing environment" includes,
but is not limited to, a logical or physical grouping of connected
or networked computing systems and/or virtual assets using the same
infrastructure and systems such as, but not limited to, hardware
systems, systems, and networking/communications systems. Typically,
computing environments are either known, "trusted" environments or
unknown, "untrusted" environments. Typically, trusted computing
environments are those where the assets, infrastructure,
communication and networking systems, and security systems
associated with the computing systems and/or virtual assets making
up the trusted computing environment, are either under the control
of, or known to, a party.
[0035] In various embodiments, each computing environment includes
allocated assets and virtual assets associated with, and controlled
or used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate at least part of
the system.
[0036] In various embodiments, one or more cloud computing
environments are used to create, and/or deploy, and/or operate at
least part of the system that can be any form of cloud computing
environment, such as, but not limited to, a public cloud; a private
cloud; a virtual private network (VPN); a subnet; a Virtual Private
Cloud (VPC); a sub-net or any security/communications grouping; or
any other cloud-based infrastructure, sub-structure, or
architecture, as discussed herein, and/or as known in the art at
the time of: filing, and/or as developed after the time of
filing.
[0037] In many cases, a given system or service may utilize, and
interface with, multiple cloud computing environments, such as
multiple VPCs, in the course of being created, and/or deployed,
and/or operated.
[0038] As used herein, the term "virtual asset" includes any
virtualized entity or resource, and/or virtualized part of an
actual, or "bare metal" entity. In various embodiments, the virtual
assets can be, but are not limited to, the following: virtual
machines, virtual servers, and instances implemented in a cloud
computing environment; databases associated with a cloud computing
environment, and/or implemented in a cloud computing environment;
services associated with, and/or delivered through, a cloud
computing environment; communications systems used with, part of,
or provided through a cloud computing environment; and/or any other
virtualized assets and/or sub-systems of "bare metal" physical
devices such as mobile devices, remote sensors, laptops, desktops,
point-of-sale devices, etc., located within a data center, within a
cloud computing environment, and/or any other physical or logical
location, as discussed herein, and/or as known/available in the art
at the time of filing, and/or as developed/made available after the
time of filing.
[0039] In various embodiments, any, or all, of the assets making up
a given production environment discussed herein, and/or as known in
the art at the time of filing, and/or as developed after the time
of filing can be implemented as one or more virtual assets within
one or more cloud or traditional computing environments.
[0040] In one embodiment, two or more assets, such as computing
systems and/or virtual assets, and/or two or more computing
environments are connected by one or more communications channels
including but not limited to, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
communications channels and various other secure communications
channels, and/or distributed computing system networks, such as,
but not limited to the following: a public cloud; a private cloud;
a virtual private network (VPN); a subnet; any general network,
communications network, or general network/communications network
system; a combination of different network types; a public network;
a private network; a satellite network; a cable network; or any
other network capable of allowing communication between two or more
assets, computing systems, and/or virtual assets, as discussed
herein, and/or available or known at the time of filing, and/or as
developed after the time of filing.
[0041] As used herein, the term "network" includes, but is not
limited to, any network or network system such as, but not limited
to, the following: a peer-to-peer network; a hybrid peer-to-peer
network; a Local Area Network (LAN); a Wide Area Network (WAN); a
public network, such as the Internet; a private network; a cellular
network; any general network, communications network, or general
network/communications network system; a wireless network; a wired
network; a wireless and wired combination network; a satellite
network; a cable network; any combination of different network
types; or any other system capable of allowing communication
between two or more assets, virtual assets, and/or computing
systems, whether available or known at the time of filing or as
later developed.
[0042] As used herein, the term "user experience display" includes
not only data entry and question submission user interfaces, but
also other user experience features and elements provided or
displayed to the user such as, but not limited to the following:
data entry fields, question quality indicators, images,
backgrounds, avatars, highlighting mechanisms, icons, buttons,
controls, menus and any other features that individually, or in
combination, create a user experience, as discussed herein, and/or
as known in the art at the time of filing, and/or as developed
after the time of filing.
[0043] As used herein, the terms "user experience page" and "user
experience screen" are interchangeable in meaning and represent a
changeable rendering or view of content that is provided to a user
in the user experience display, according to one embodiment.
[0044] As used herein, the term "user experience" includes not only
a search query creation process, an incremental search results
receipt process, a user session, interview process, interview
process questioning, and/or interview process questioning sequence,
but also other user experience features provided or displayed to
the user such as, but not limited to, interfaces, images,
assistance resources, backgrounds, avatars, highlighting
mechanisms, icons, and any other features that individually, or in
combination, create a user experience, as discussed herein, and/or
as known in the art at the time of filing, and/or as developed
after the time of filing.
[0045] Herein, the term "party," "user," "user consumer," and
"customer" are used interchangeably to denote any party and/or
entity that interfaces with, and/or to whom information is provided
by, the disclosed methods and systems described herein, and/or a
legal guardian of person and/or entity that interfaces with, and/or
to whom information is provided by, the disclosed methods and
systems described herein, and/or an authorized agent of any party
and/or person and/or entity that interfaces with, and/or to whom
information is provided by, the disclosed methods and systems
described herein. For instance, in various embodiments, a user can
be, but is not limited to, a person, a commercial entity, an
application, a service, and/or a computing system.
[0046] As used herein, the term "predictive model" is used
interchangeably with "analytics model" denotes one or more
individual or combined algorithms or sets of equations that
describe, determine, and/or predict characteristics of or the
performance of a datum, a data set, multiple data sets, a computing
system, and/or multiple computing systems. Analytics models or
analytical models represent collections of measured and/or
calculated behaviors of attributes, elements, or characteristics of
data and/or computing systems.
[0047] As used herein, the term "incremental search results"
includes search results that are generated for search query terms
based on the various information one or more (business, personal,
and/or tax-related) financial management systems have for a user,
as a user enters (e.g., in real-time) search query terms as part of
a search query to a customer self-service system that supports the
one or more financial management systems, according to one
embodiment. The incremental search results are specific to the
domain of financial management systems and may include automated
suggestions for additional search query terms that are specific to
searching the one or more financial management systems, according
to one embodiment. Because the incremental search results are
specific to the domain of the one or more financial management
systems, as used herein, "incremental search results" is used
interchangeably with "domain-specific incremental search results".
The incremental search results are search results for a partial,
potential, and/or complete search query that is based on the
received search query terms and based on user data (e.g., user
profile data), according to one embodiment. The incremental search
results are search results for one or more potential search queries
that a user could formulate from the search query terms that have
been received by the customer self-service system, according to one
embodiment.
[0048] As used herein, the term "incremental search content"
includes one or more (usually multiple) incremental search results
combined with suggested potential search queries, according to one
embodiment. Although not technically correct, for simplicity,
"incremental search results" may be used to reference "potential
search queries" (e.g., suggested or possible search queries) that
are based on the received search query terms, according to one
embodiment.
[0049] As used herein the term "search text box" denotes a text
box, data entry box, and/or data field in which a user enters
search query terms, according to one embodiment.
[0050] As used herein the term "results text box" denotes a text
box, data entry box, and/or data field in which the incremental
search results are displayed, according to one embodiment. The
results text box may be displayed in the form of a drop-down menu
that appears below (or otherwise proximate to) a search text box,
according to one embodiment.
[0051] As used herein the term "user content" includes, but is not
limited to, financial transaction information (e.g., from a
business financial management system), personal financial
information (e.g., from a personal financial management system),
and tax information (e.g., from a tax return preparation financial
management system), according to one embodiment.
User Experience
[0052] FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are examples of user experience pages
that can be used by a customer self-service system to provide
financial management system-based incremental search results to a
user, to reduce the time and difficultly associated with searching
for user content (e.g., transaction records) and navigating to
various user experience pages within a financial management system,
according to one embodiment. FIG. 1A illustrates a user experience
display 100, which includes a search text box 102 that is used to
receive search query terms 104 from a user, according to one
embodiment. The search text box 102 is provided by a standalone
customer self-service system (e.g., QuickBooks.RTM. Online Support,
Mint.RTM. Help, TurboTax.RTM. Support.TM., and/or TurboTax
AnswerXchange.RTM. of Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.), which
is configured to support one or more financial management systems,
according to one embodiment. In another embodiment, the search text
box 102 is integrated into part of a user experience page 106 of a
financial management system (e.g., QuickBooks.RTM., Mint.RTM.,
and/or TurboTax.RTM. Online.TM. of Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View,
Calif.), according to one embodiment.
[0053] The user experience display 100 includes a results text box
108 that is a user experience element in which the customer
self-service system displays incremental search content 110,
according to one embodiment. The results text box 108 is a
drop-down menu that is located near, proximate, and/or adjacent to
the search text box 102, according to one embodiment. The search
text box 102 is located in an upper region of the user experience
display 100, and the results text box 108 is located adjacent to
and below the search text box 102, according to one embodiment. The
search text box 102 is located in a lower region of the user
experience display 100, and the results text box 108 is located
above the search text box 102, according to one embodiment. The
results text box 108 is rendered on top of or over other content
(e.g., financial management system content) that is provided in the
user experience page 106, according to one embodiment. The results
text box 108 is overlaid on top of other content that is provided
in the user experience page 106, in such a manner that it is
apparent that there is additional content at a location on the user
experience page 106 that appears to be beneath the results text box
108 (e.g., by making the results text box 108 partially
transparent), according to one embodiment.
[0054] The customer self-service system populates the results text
box 108 with incremental search content 110 that is specific to one
or more financial management systems, according to one embodiment.
The incremental search content 110 includes a plurality of
incremental search results, with each of the incremental searches
results being displayed on a different line within the results text
box 108, according to one embodiment. The incremental search
content 110 includes, but is not limited to, definitions of the
search query terms 104 that are related to personal, business,
and/or tax-related financial management systems, definitions and
explanations of acronyms of the search query terms 104 that are
related to personal, business, and/or tax-related financial
management systems, user content (e.g. transaction records and/or
user profile data) that are associated with a user's use of
personal, business, and/or tax-related financial management
systems, financial management system forms (e.g., receipts,
invoices, pay stubs, etc.) that are associated with the search
query terms 104, explanations of how the search query terms are or
can be used by the personal, business, and/or tax-related financial
management systems, suggestions for potential search queries that
are related to financial management systems and can be formulated
from the search query terms 104, answers to potential search
queries that may be formulated from the search query terms 104
(even if the user has not entered complete versions of potential
search queries), and/or hyperlinks to user experience pages that
provides more information for any of the incremental search
results, according to one embodiment. To provide answers to
potential search queries, the customer self-service system
determines the potential search queries that can be formulated from
the search query terms 104, does not necessarily display the
potential search queries, but provides/displays the answers to the
potential search queries as incremental search results of the
incremental search content 110, according to one embodiment. The
number of incremental search results included in the incremental
search content 110 is limited to 5, 10, 20, or some other
predetermined or dynamically determined number, to facilitate
digestion/readability of the incremental search content 110 by
users, according to one embodiment.
[0055] The incremental search content 110 includes character
limited incremental search results, according to one embodiment.
For example, each of the incremental search results are limited to,
for example, 50 characters, according to one embodiment. Other
predetermined or dynamically determined character limits can be
used, but the customer self-service system applies a character
limit to the incremental search results of the incremental search
content 110 in order to reduce the effort used by a user in
finding, reading, interpreting, and/or understanding the
incremental search content 110, according to one embodiment.
[0056] The incremental search content 110 includes incremental
search results that have topics that are the same as (or similar
to) the search query terms 104 received from the user with the
search text box 102, according to one embodiment. For example, if
the search query terms 104 are related to the topic "invoice", then
the incremental search content 110 will include incremental search
results that also have the topic of invoice, according to one
embodiment. Although the customer self-service system can use a
topic-based search algorithm, the customer self-service system can
also use other search algorithms to identify content that is stored
by the customer self-service system that is responsive to a
partial, potential, and such or complete search query provided by
the user, according to one embodiment.
[0057] The incremental search content 110 includes incremental
search results that are answers to potential search queries that
the user may be formulating using search query terms 104, according
to one embodiment. In other words, the customer self-service system
uses the received search query terms 104 to predict potential
search queries that the user is likely to formulate with the search
query terms 104, and provides incremental search content 110 that
are answers to the potential search queries, according to one
embodiment. Using the example illustrated in the user experience
display 100 of FIG. 1A, the customer self-service system populates
the incremental search content 110 in response to determining that
the search query terms 104 (e.g., invoice) are likely to be used by
the user to formulate one or more questions such as "when did I
send an invoice to Diego Rodriguez?"; "I want to send an invoice to
Kelly's bakery?"; "I want to send a new invoice"; "How do I create
an invoice?"; "I want to learn more about sending invoices"; and
"What are invoices?", according to one embodiment. The customer
self-service system can also populate the incremental search
content 110 with suggested potential search queries (in response to
receipt of the search query terms 104), such as "How to send an
invoice to someone." In other words, the customer self-service
system uses the search query terms 104 to determine which search
queries the user is likely to formulate, and to provide those
search queries and/or to provide answers to those search queries in
the results text box 108, according to one embodiment. As discussed
in more detail below, the potential search queries are determined
by the customer self-service system at least partially based on the
user content (e.g., transaction or navigation history within the
financial management system) that is stored by the financial
management system and/or the customer self-service system for the
user and/or at least partially based on user profile data that is
generated based on user interactions with the financial management
system and/or with the customer self-service system, according to
one embodiment.
[0058] The user experience display 100 also provides navigation
links to at least some of the incremental search results, to enable
the user to navigate to various other user experience pages within
the financial management system, according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system provides a navigation link 112, such
as a hyperlink, that is embedded or integrated into at least one of
the words or terms in an incremental search result, according to
one embodiment. The navigation link 112 is selectable (e.g., with a
stylus, finger, a mouse, with voice command, etc.) by the user, and
the customer self-service system navigates the user from the
results text box 108 to another user experience page in response to
detecting selection of the navigation link 112, according to one
embodiment. As an example, the customer self-service system
associates navigation link 112 with a user experience page
identifier for the invoice since to Diego Rodriguez on Feb. 4,
2016, according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system
provides a navigation link 114 embedded or integrated into an
entire incremental search result, according to one embodiment. As
an example, customer self-service system associates the navigation
link 114 with a user experience page identifier and/or user
experience page that enables the user to perform a particular
action that is referenced by the incremental search result (e.g.,
to create a new invoice), according to one embodiment. The
navigation links provided by the customer self-service system are
also configured to route a user to tutorials, help pages, and
community-provided information (crowd-sourced answers), according
to one embodiment.
[0059] FIG. 1B illustrates a user experience display 120, which
illustrates an example of displaying incremental search results in
a mobile environment for a customer self-service system that
supports a financial management system (e.g., a personal financial
management system, such as Mint.RTM. of Intuit, Inc. of Mountain
View, Calif.), according to one embodiment. In addition to the many
other advantages described herein, the disclosed embodiments of
providing domain-specific incremental search results improves the
usability/functionality of searching for content on a mobile
device. Mobile computing devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets,
etc.) typically allow users to enter text for search queries using
keyboards, styluses, and other text input devices. However,
entering text in a mobile device is typically slower and more
tedious and using a traditional keyboard. As result, providing
domain-specific incremental search results based on partial search
queries and/or potential search queries, which are extrapolated
from limited quantities of search query text, enable users to
interact with, search, and/or navigate mobile computing devices
with the efficiency and thoroughness that is difficult to achieve
without the assistance of a full-size keyboard and mouse.
Accordingly, the disclosed embodiments of providing domain specific
incremental search results improves the fields of mobile computing
device operations, mobile computing device user experience design,
and mobile computing device content searching, according to one
embodiment.
[0060] The user experience display 120 is displayed on a mobile
computing device 122, according to one embodiment. The user
experience display 120 also includes a search text box 124 that is
used to receive search query terms 126 from a user, and the results
text box 128 that is used to display incremental search content 130
in response to the search query terms 126, according to one
embodiment. A user experience page 132 includes an example content
for a personal financial management system (e.g., Mint.RTM. of
Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.) that supports users in
maintaining, tracking, and improving personal finances, according
to one embodiment.
[0061] The user experience display 120 also provides navigation
links to at least some of the incremental search results, to enable
the user to navigate to various other user experience pages within
the financial management system, according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system provides a navigation link 134, such
as a hyperlink, that is embedded, integrated into, and/or appended
to at least one of the words or terms in an incremental search
result, according to one embodiment. The navigation link 134 is
selectable (e.g., with a stylus, finger, a mouse, with voice
command, etc.) by the user, and the customer self-service system
navigates the user from the results text box 128 to another user
experience page in response to detecting selection of the
navigation link 134, according to one embodiment. As an example,
the customer self-service system associates navigation link 134
with a user experience page identifier for a food
purchase/transaction at a restaurant Red Robin.RTM., according to
one embodiment. The customer self-service system provides a
navigation link 136 embedded or integrated into an entire
incremental search result, according to one embodiment. As an
example, customer self-service system associates the navigation
link 136 with a user experience page identifier and/or user
experience page that enables the user to perform a particular
action that is referenced by the incremental search result (e.g.,
to edit the user's food budget), according to one embodiment. The
navigation links provided by the customer self-service system can
also be configured to route a user to tutorials, help pages, and
community-provided information (crowd-sourced answers), according
to one embodiment.
[0062] FIG. 1C illustrates a user experience display 140, which
illustrates an example of displaying incremental search results for
a customer self-service system that supports a financial management
system (e.g., a tax return preparation financial management system,
such as TurboTax.RTM. Online.TM. of Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View,
Calif.), according to one embodiment. The user experience display
140 includes a search text box 142 that is used to receive search
query terms 144 from a user, and a results text box 148 that is
used to display incremental search content 150 in response to the
search query terms 144, according to one embodiment. A user
experience page 146 includes an example content for a tax return
preparation financial management system (e.g., TurboTax.RTM.
Online.TM. of Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.) that supports
users in preparing and filing state and federal tax returns,
according to one embodiment.
[0063] The user experience display 140 also provides navigation
links to at least some of the incremental search results, to enable
the user to navigate to various other user experience pages within
the financial management system, according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system provides a navigation link 154, such
as a hyperlink, that is embedded, integrated into, and/or appended
to at least one of the words or terms in an incremental search
result, according to one embodiment. The navigation link 154 is
selectable (e.g., with a stylus, finger, a mouse, with voice
command, etc.) by the user, and the customer self-service system
navigates the user from the results text box 148 to another user
experience page in response to detecting selection of the
navigation link 154, according to one embodiment. As an example,
the customer self-service system associates navigation link 154
with a user experience page identifier for a user's 2015 tax return
to allow a user to review the user's AMT (alternative minimum tax),
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system
provides a navigation link 156 embedded or integrated into an
entire incremental search result, according to one embodiment. As
an example, customer self-service system associates the navigation
link 156 with a user experience page identifier and/or user
experience page that enables the user to go to a specific form
where information for a specific tax-related calculation is
displayed for the user, according to one embodiment. The navigation
links provided by the customer self-service system can also be
configured to route a user to tutorials, help pages, and
community-provided information (e.g., tips on reducing AMT
exposure), according to one embodiment.
[0064] For the user experience displays 100, 120, 140, several
advantages can be achieved by displaying the incremental search
content 110, 130, 150 in the results text box 108, 128, 148, in
response to the search query terms 104, 126, 144 received by a
customer self-service system. As examples of advantages, the user
can receive answers to the user's questions before the user
finishes formulating the question, the user can receive assistance
in formulating the user's questions and therefore save the time of
formulating the question that the user had, the user can quickly
find the answer to the user's question without searching through
one or more pages of text, the user can quickly read and understand
the answer to the user's question, the user can quickly find the
question to the user's answer, and the user can receive answers to
the user's questions that include the user's own content and/or
personal information, according to one embodiment. The user can
more efficiently and thoroughly search through and navigate
financial management systems from mobile and non-mobile computing
devices, according to one embodiment. These several advantage are
examples of how the disclosed embodiments resolve/address the
deficiencies of traditional techniques for providing search
results.
Architecture
[0065] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrates an example block diagram of a
production environment 200 for searching for and navigating to user
content and other user experience pages in a financial management
system with a customer self-service system for the financial
management system, according to one embodiment. According to
various embodiments, the financial management is a business
financial management system, a personal financial management
system, a business accounting system, a tax return preparation
financial management system, and/or combination of one or more
particular types of financial management systems. The production
environment 200 includes a customer self-service system 210, a
financial management system 270, and a user computing environment
290 that are communicatively coupled through a network 201,
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system 210
is hosted in a computing environment, according to one embodiment.
The financial management system 270 is hosted in a computing
environment, according to one embodiment. The customer self-service
system 210, the financial management system 270, and the user
computing environment 290 are communicatively coupled to each other
through the network 201 through one or more communications channels
202, 203, and 204, according to one embodiment.
[0066] The customer self-service system 210 includes a customer
self-service system engine 212, a search engine 214, customer
self-service system content 216, user content 218 and navigation
data 219, for providing domain-specific incremental search results
and navigation links that are responsive to receipt of search query
terms with the customer self-service system 210 for the financial
management system 270, according to one embodiment. The customer
self-service system engine 212 receives search query terms from
users of the customer self-service system 210, and provides
incremental search content (inclusive of navigation links) to the
users in response to receipt of the search query terms, according
to one embodiment. The customer self-service system 210 uses the
search engine 214 to search for the incremental search content
based on the search query terms, according to one embodiment. The
search engine 214 identifies the incremental search content at
least partially based on the search query terms, at least partially
based on the user content 218, the navigation data 219 and/or at
least partially based on user profile data 251, according to one
embodiment. The search engine 214 populates the incremental search
content from the customer self-service system content 216, from the
user content 218, and/or from navigation data 219, based on the
search query terms, according to one embodiment.
[0067] The customer self-service system engine 212 and/or the
customer self-service system 210 provide the user experience
display 220 for receiving a search query 222 from a user and for
providing incremental search content 224 and navigation links 225
to the user to answer the user's query and/or to facilitate
navigation to additional user experience pages, according to one
embodiment. The user experience display 220 includes, but is not
limited to, text boxes, menus, buttons, avatars, audio/video
content, hyperlinks, and/or other user experience elements to
receive the search query 222 and to provide the incremental search
content 224 and the navigation links 225, according to one
embodiment. The user experience display 220 includes a search text
box in which the user formulates the search query 222 with one or
more search query terms 226, according to one embodiment. The user
experience display 220 includes a results text box in which the
incremental search content 224 (e.g., a plurality of incremental
search results) is displayed, according to one embodiment. The
results text box is positioned proximate (e.g., adjacent) to the
search text box in the user experience display 220 to enable the
user to conveniently find, read, understand, and select the
incremental search content 224 and/or the navigation links 225, if
the user seeks further information about the incremental search
content 224, according to one embodiment.
[0068] The search engine 214 and/or the customer self-service
system 210 includes a search algorithm 228 that is used to define
the incremental search content 224 and the navigation links 225,
according to one embodiment. The search engine 214 receives the
search query terms 226 from the customer self-service system engine
212 and applies the search query terms 226 to the search algorithm
228 to generate/define the incremental search content 224 and the
navigation links 225, according to one embodiment.
[0069] The search engine 214 uses the search algorithm 228 to
search the customer self-service system content 216 to identify
which portions of the customer self-service system content 216 to
include in the incremental search content 224, for
display/presentation to the users, according to one embodiment. In
one embodiment, the search algorithm 228 includes probabilistic
topics model, query clustering, query de-duplication, Latent
Dirichlet allocation algorithm, or one or more other database or
content searching algorithms for matching the search query terms
226 with portions of the customer self-service system content 216,
according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the search
algorithm 228 determines potential and/or likely options for the
search query 222 based on one or more of the search query terms 226
and includes the potential and/or likely options of the search
query 222 in the incremental search content 224, to reduce the time
the user spends formulating the search query 222, according to one
embodiment. The potential and/or likely options of the search query
222 are potential search queries 232, which may be stored in the
customer self-service system content 216, according to one
embodiment. The search algorithm 228 identifies answers to the
potential search queries 232 and provides those answers in the
incremental search content 224, according to one embodiment. The
search algorithm 228 identifies customer self-service system
content 216 that includes the same topic as one or more received
search query terms 226 and provides (to the user) the customer
self-service system content 216 that has the same topic as the
search query terms 226, according to one embodiment. In one
embodiment, the search engine 214 and/or the search algorithm uses
the user profile data 251 in combination with the user content 218
to define the potential search queries 232, to define the
incremental search content 224, and/or to select which customer
self-service system content 216 to provide to a user in response to
the search query terms 226. The user profile data 251 includes, but
is not limited to the user's navigation or browser history within
the financial management system 270, clickstream data for the user,
estimated income level of the user, estimated education level of
the user, user-experience with the financial management system 270
(e.g., a repeat versus first-time user), Internet Protocol ("IP")
address characteristics (e.g., library, corporation, residential,
foreign IP address, etc.), and hardware and/or software identifiers
for the user (e.g., operating system, brand of computing system,
etc.), according to one embodiment.
[0070] The search engine 214 uses the search algorithm 228 to
search the customer self-service system content 216 to identify
which portions of the user content 218 to include in the
incremental search content 224, for display/presentation to the
users, according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the search
algorithm 228 includes probabilistic topics model, query
clustering, query de-duplication, Latent Dirichlet allocation
algorithm, or one or more other database or content searching
algorithms for matching the search query terms 226 with portions of
the user content 218, according to one embodiment. In one
embodiment, the search algorithm 228 determines potential and/or
likely options for the search query 222 based on one or more of the
search query terms 226 and/or based on the potential search queries
232, according to one embodiment. The search algorithm 228
identifies answers to the potential search queries 232 and provides
those answers in the incremental search content 224, according to
one embodiment. The search algorithm 228 identifies user content
218 that includes the same topic as one or more received search
query terms 226 and provides (to the user) the user content 218
that has the same topic as the search query terms 226, according to
one embodiment. In one embodiment, the search engine 214 and/or the
search algorithm uses the user profile data 251 in combination with
the user content 218 to define the potential search queries 232, to
define the incremental search content 224, and/or to select which
user content 218 to provide to a user in response to the search
query terms 226. In one embodiment, the customer self-service
system 216 and/or the search engine 214 uses social graphs to find
transactions relevant to the user search intent (e.g. to find a
buyer to send an invoice to). The social graphs include nodes and
edges representing different parties (e.g., people, businesses,
organizations) and relationships between the different parties,
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system 216
and/or the search engine 214 traverses edges (e.g., relationships)
of the social graph, at least partially based on the search query
terms 226 (and/or the corresponding search intent of the user), to
identify user content 218 (e.g., transactions) that are relevant to
the search query terms 226 (and/or the corresponding search intent
of the user), according to one embodiment.
[0071] The customer self-service system 210, the customer
self-service system engine 212, and/or the search engine 214 uses
the navigation data 219 to identify and define navigation links 225
to include or appended to the incremental search content 224,
according to one embodiment. The search engine 214 uses the search
algorithm 228 to search the navigation data 219 to identify user
experience page identifiers 221 that are associated with the user
content 218 and/or the customer self-service system content 216
that the search algorithm 228 identifies as relevant to the search
query terms 226, according to one embodiment. The user experience
page identifiers 221 enable the search engine 214 and/or the
customer self-service system engine 212 to associate the navigation
links 225 with user experience pages that allow the user to review
existing transactions, create new transactions, interact with the
customer self-service system content pages, and interact with other
miscellaneous pages (e.g., related to tax return preparation,
personal finance management, etc.), according to one embodiment. In
one embodiment, the user experience page identifiers 221 are
included in the customer self-service system content 216 and/or in
the user content 218. For example, the user experience page
identifiers 221 occupy one or more columns in a table, database, or
other data structure used to organize the customer self-service
system content 216 and/or the user content 218, according to one
embodiment. The search engine 214 and/or the customer self-service
system engine 212 identifies the user experience page identifiers
221 by referencing a user experience page identifier column within
a data structure that is used to organize the customer self-service
system content 216 and/or the user content 218, according to one
embodiment.
[0072] The search algorithm 228 includes a predictive model 230 for
determining potential search queries 232 that may be formulated by
the user from the received search query terms 226 and/or the user
content 218 and/or the user profile data 251, according to one
embodiment. The predictive model 230 is trained to identify
potential search queries 232 from the search query terms 226,
according to one embodiment. The potential search queries 232 are
part of the customer self-service system content 216, according to
one embodiment. The predictive model 230 generates likelihoods of
potential search queries 234, from which the customer self-service
system 210 and/or the search engine 214 can distinguish more-likely
from less-likely ones of the potential search queries 232,
according to one embodiment. The predictive model 230 identifies
the topics of the potential search queries 236 after identifying
the potential search queries 232 and after identifying the more
relevant ones of the potential search queries 232 (e.g., based on
the likelihoods of potential search queries 234), according to one
embodiment. The predictive model 230 uses the user content 218
(e.g., existing transaction records) and/or the user profile data
251 (e.g., navigation and search history) in determining the
potential search queries 232 and/or the likelihoods of potential
search queries 234, according to one embodiment. As an example, if
the user has a history of reviewing one or more sent invoices at
the beginning of the month, then receiving the term "invoice" as
one of the search query terms 226 will increase a likelihood that
the potential search queries 232 will be related to reviewing one
or more sent invoices, at least partially based on the user profile
data 251 (e.g., user's navigation history) and at least partially
based on the user content 218 (e.g., reports requested, created, or
reviewed), according to one embodiment.
[0073] The predictive model 230 is trained from existing searches
performed by the search engine 214 and from prior search queries
submitted by users to the customer self-service system 210,
according to one embodiment. The predictive model 230 is trained
using the user content 218, the user profile data 251, and/or using
prior search queries submitted by users to the customer
self-service system 210, according to one embodiment. The
predictive model 230 is trained using one or more predictive model
training operation including, but not limited to, regression,
logistic regression, decision trees, artificial neural networks,
support vector machines, linear regression, nearest neighbor
methods, distance based methods, naive Bayes, linear discriminant
analysis, and k-nearest neighbor algorithm, according to one
embodiment.
[0074] The predictive model 230 uses a probabilistic topic model
238 to identify the topics of potential search queries 236,
according to one embodiment. The probabilistic topic model 238
receives the potential search queries 232 and/or the search query
terms 226 and returns the topics of potential search queries 236
and/or generates topics of search query terms 226, according to one
embodiment. The probabilistic topic model 238 utilizes the Latent
Dirichlet allocation algorithm to identify the topics of potential
search queries 236 and/or the topics of search query terms 239, to
enable the predictive model 230 and/or the search engine 214 to
match relevant customer self-service system content 216 and/or user
content 218 (e.g., an invoice amount or date) with the search query
terms 226, according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the
customer self-service system 210 uses the probabilistic topic model
238 to generate/identify customer self-service content topics 240
from the customer self-service system content 216 and/or to
generate/identify user content topics 252 from the user content
218, according to one embodiment.
[0075] Examples of customer self-service content topics 240 and/or
user content topics 252 include, but are not limited to, invoices,
receipts, payments, budgets, budget categories, budget thresholds,
taxes, quarterly taxes, payroll, employee benefits, travel
expenses, mileage deductions, asset tracking, asset valuation,
accounts receivable, accounts payable, capital, debts, inventory,
customers, vendors, personal exemptions, dependents, personal
income tax deductions, and personal income, according to one
embodiment. Each of the topics includes one or more sub-topics such
as, how to create invoices, how to send invoices, how to aggregate
invoices, creating the invoice reports, creating a budget category,
adjusting budget thresholds, estimating quarterly taxes, compiling
quarterly tax earnings, setting up payroll information, estimating
available capital, estimating available inventory, estimating
changes in inventory, contacting customers, contacting vendors, how
to add new customers and/or vendors, how to track travel expenses,
how to enter travel expenses, and the amount spent in travel
expenses over a given period of time, according to one
embodiment.
[0076] The search engine 214 uses the topics of potential search
queries 236 and/or the topics of search query terms 239 to match
relevant content from the user content 218 and/or the customer
self-service system content 216 with the search query terms 226,
according to one embodiment. The search engine 214 matches relevant
content with search query terms 226 by determining which of the
topics of potential search queries 236 are relevant to (e.g., most
relevant to) the highest likelihoods of potential search queries
234, and by retrieving portions of the user content 218 and/or
customer self-service system content 216 having user content topics
252 and/or customer self-service content topics 240 that match, are
similar to, and/or are relevant to those topics of potential search
queries 236, according to one embodiment.
[0077] The customer self-service system 210 assigns topics to the
content of the customer self-service system content 216 and to the
user content 218 to facilitate matching portions of the customer
self-service system content 216 and/or matching portions of the
user content 218 with the search query terms 226 (or with the
topics of search query terms 239), according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system 210 applies the content of the
customer self-service system content 216 to the probabilistic topic
model 238 to define the customer self-service content topics 240,
according to one embodiment. The customer self-service system 210
applies the user content 218 to the probabilistic topic model 238
to define the user content topics 252, according to one embodiment.
The customer self-service content topics 240 are associated, in a
database or other data store, with the content of the customer
self-service system content 216, according to one embodiment. The
user content topics 252 are associated, in a database or other data
store, with the user content 218, according to one embodiment.
[0078] The customer self-service system content 216 includes a
variety of content that can be provided to the user in response to
users' search queries, according to one embodiment. The customer
self-service system content 216 includes crowd-sourced customer
support content 242, service provider content 244, definitions
content 246, potential search queries 232, and customer
self-service content topics 240, according to one embodiment. The
crowd-sourced customer support content 242 includes questions and
responses that are submitted by a community of question askers and
response providers that use the customer self-service system 210 or
another question and answer customer support system that is
associated with the financial management system 270, according to
one embodiment. The crowd-sourced customer support content 242 can
also be referred to as user generated content ("UGC") to
distinguish the crowd-sourced customer support content 242 from the
service provider content 244, according to one embodiment. The
service provider content 244 includes white papers, questions,
answers, frequently asked questions, answers to frequently asked
questions, tutorials, audio/video content, interactive content, or
other content that can be used to assist users in learning about
accounting, running a business, business operations, bookkeeping,
the financial management system 270, or other relevant subject
matter, according to one embodiment. The definitions content 246
include acronym definitions, definitions of accounting terms (e.g.,
accountant jargon), and/or definitions of terms that are related to
tax law, accounting principles, business management, and the
financial management system 270, according to one embodiment.
[0079] The user content 218 includes a variety of content that can
be provided to the user in response to users' search queries,
according to one embodiment. The user content 218 includes, but is
not limited to, income of a business, income of the user, accounts
receivable value, accounts payable value, amortization of one or
more business assets, amount of business taxes paid, amount of
personal state or federal taxes paid, an estimate taxes due, assets
values, financial reports, business invoices, business receipts,
payroll information, inventory, financial institution account
information, financial institution balances, records of deductible
expenses, personal budget expenditures, personal financial goals,
personal financial budgets, personal income information, and
personal deductions information, and any other user or business
information that is currently used that may be used in the future
during the operation of a personal financial management system,
business financial management system, and/or a tax return
preparation financial management system, according to one
embodiment.
[0080] The customer self-service system 210 determines which
portions of the customer self-service system content 216 and the
user content 218 to provide to the user (e.g., in real-time)
dynamically as the user enters search query terms 226, according to
one embodiment. The customer self-service system 210 determines the
potential search queries 232 and provides incremental search
content 224 that is based on the search query terms 226, according
to one embodiment. Because the potential search queries 232 change
based on additions, deletions, or other modifications to the search
query terms 226, the customer self-service system 210 dynamically
updates the incremental search content 224 that is displayed, as
the user adds, deletes, and/or modifies the search query terms 226
within the user experience display 220, according to one
embodiment.
[0081] The customer self-service system 210 combines customer
self-service system content 216 with the user content 218 to
generate the incremental search content 224, according to one
embodiment. For example, if the customer self-service system 210
determines that the search query terms 226 and/or the potential
search queries 232 associated with the search query terms 226 are
relevant to the user content 218, the customer self-service system
210 will include at least some of the user content 218 in the
incremental search content 224, according to one embodiment. As
another example, if the search query terms 226 include
"receivable", the customer self-service system 210 may determine
that one of the potential search queries 232 is, "What is the value
of my account receivable assets?", according to one embodiment. In
response to the customer self-service system 210 determining that
one of the potential search queries 232 is, "What is the value of
my account receivable assets?", the customer self-service system
210 can include the user's current and/or prior calculated account
receivables (e.g., $73,512.00) as one of the incremental search
results in the incremental search content 224, according to one
embodiment.
[0082] The customer self-service system 210 uses the user content
218 to generate the incremental search content 224, according to
one embodiment. The customer self-service system 210 receives the
user content 218 and/or the user profile data 251 from the
financial management system 270, according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system 210 is optionally integrated into the
financial management system 270 and uses data retrieval commands or
calls to retrieve at least part of the user content 218 for use in
the incremental search content 224, according to one
embodiment.
[0083] In one embodiment, the customer self-service system 210, the
customer self-service system engine 212 and/or the search engine
214 uses the search query terms 226 and/or the user profile data
251 and/or the user content 218 to determine a query intent 258, to
more quickly identify the incremental search content 224. The query
intent 258 is determined using the search algorithm 228, the
predictive model 230, and/or the probabilistic topic model 238,
according to one embodiment. For example, the search engine 214
uses the probabilistic topic model 238 to determine query intent
topic 260, which is compared to one or more tables to determine
whether the user is seeking help; searching for transaction
records, tax information, personal finances, or other user content
218; or is attempting to navigate within the financial management
system 270 in order to perform an action, such as create a new
transaction or transaction record, according to one embodiment.
[0084] The customer self-service system 210 is partially or wholly
stored in memory 254 (inclusive of non-volatile memory and volatile
memory) and is partially or wholly executed by processors 256,
according to one embodiment.
[0085] The user computing environment 290 is representative of one
or more user computing systems 292 that may be used by one or more
users 294 to provide the user content 218 to the financial
management system 270, according to one embodiment. The user
computing environment 290 may be used to provide search query terms
226 to the customer self-service system 210 (directly or indirectly
through the financial management system 270), and may be used to
receive incremental search content 224 from the customer
self-service system 210 (directly or indirectly through the
financial management system 270), according to one embodiment.
[0086] FIG. 2B illustrates additional features of the financial
management system 270 within the production environment 200,
according to one embodiment. The financial management system 270
includes a financial management system engine 272, transaction
options 274, and the user content 218 to support operations of one
or more personal, business, and/or the tax return preparation
financial management systems, according to one embodiment.
[0087] The financial management system engine 272 provides the user
experience display 276, by which the financial management system
engine 272 receives the user content 218 by providing users with
user experience content 278 to solicit user responses 280,
according to one embodiment. The financial management system engine
272 populates the user experience content 278 with one or more of a
variety of transaction options 274, including, but not limited to,
forms, payment reports, payroll functions, invoice options, colors,
user interface elements, promotions, bank account login features,
budget creation tools, and tax-related questions, according to one
embodiment. The user experience display 276 incorporates portions
of the user experience display 220 (of the customer self-service
system 210) to enable the customer self-service system 210 to
acquire information from users of the financial management system
270, according to one embodiment.
[0088] The financial management system 270 is data that is
partially or wholly stored in memory 284 (inclusive of non-volatile
memory and volatile memory) and is partially or wholly executed by
processors 286, according to one embodiment.
[0089] All or part of the customer self-service system 210 is data
that is optionally integrated within the financial management
system 270 to facilitate the retrieval and sharing of the user
content 218 and/or the user profile data 251, according to one
embodiment. The customer self-service system 210 shares some
computing environment resources (e.g., memory, processors, computer
cabinets, networking equipment, etc.) with the financial management
system 270 but is a system that can be implemented on computing
environment resources that are independent of the financial
management system 270 and/or in a different computing environment,
according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, portions of the
customer self-service system 210 are integrated into the financial
management system 270, while the remainder of the customer
self-service system 210 operates independent of the financial
management system 270. In one embodiment, the financial management
system 270 hosts the user experience display 220 (of the customer
self-service system 210) while the functionality of the customer
self-service system 210 that determines the incremental search
content 224 operates on computing environment resources that are
independent of the computing environment resources of the financial
management system 270, according to one embodiment.
[0090] Although the features and functionality of the production
environment 200 are illustrated and/or described in terms of
individual and/or modularized components, engines, modules, models,
databases/data stores, and/or systems, one or more of the functions
of one or more of the components, engines, modules, models,
databases/data stores, and/or systems are functionally combinable
with one or more other described and/or illustrated components,
engines, modules, models, databases/data stores, and/or systems,
according to one embodiment.
Process
[0091] FIGS. 3A and 3B are an example flow diagram of a process 300
for searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, according
to one embodiment. The process 300 includes operations that may be
used by the production environment 200 to generate user
experiences/user experience pages similar to the ones illustrated
in FIGS. 1A, 1B and/or 1C, according to one embodiment.
[0092] At operation 302, the process receives search query terms in
a search text box used by a customer self-service system associated
with a financial management system, according to one embodiment.
Operation 302 proceeds to operation 304, according to one
embodiment.
[0093] At operation 304, the process identifies incremental search
content that is likely being searched for with the search query
terms, according to one embodiment. Operation 304 includes
sub-operations 306, 308, 310, and/or 312, according to one
embodiment.
[0094] At operation 306, the process identifies one or more topics
of search query terms associated with the search query terms,
according to one embodiment. Operation 306 proceeds to operation
308, according to one embodiment.
[0095] At operation 308, the process applies one or more identified
topics of the identified search query terms to a search algorithm,
according to one embodiment. Operation 308 proceeds to operation
310, according to one embodiment.
[0096] At operation 310, the process applies user content to the
search algorithm, according to one embodiment. Operation 310
proceeds to operation 312, according to one embodiment.
[0097] At operation 312, the process identifies, with the search
algorithm, incremental search content that is likely relevant to
the search query terms based on one or more of the identified
topics of search query terms and/or based on the user content,
according to one embodiment. Operation 312 and/or operation 304
proceeds to operation 314, according to one embodiment.
[0098] At operation 314, the process identifies page identifiers to
associate with one or more navigation links for at least some of
the incremental search results in the incremental search content,
according to one embodiment. Operation 314 includes operations 316,
318, 320, and/or 322, according to one embodiment.
[0099] At operation 316, the process determines the type of
incremental search result, according to one embodiment. The
incremental search content includes a plurality of incremental
search results, so operation 314 may loop through operations 316,
318, 320, and 322 in number of iterations prior to proceeding to
operation 324, according to one embodiment. The process determines
the type of incremental search result in order to identify one or
more user experience pages that the user should be navigated
towards to assist the user in quickly navigating within a financial
management system or within a customer self-service system that
supports the financial management system, according to one
embodiment. If the incremental search result is associated with
performing a new action, operation 316 proceeds to operation 318,
according to one embodiment. If the incremental search result is
associated with reviewing a transaction record, operation 316
proceeds to operation 320, according to one embodiment. If the
incremental search result is associated with requesting help,
operation 316 proceeds to operation 322, according to one
embodiment.
[0100] At operation 318, the process associates page identity for
new action user experience page with navigation link, according to
one embodiment.
[0101] At operation 320, the process associates page identity for
transaction record user experience page with navigation link,
according to one embodiment.
[0102] At operation 322, the process associates page identity for
help content user experience page with navigation link, according
to one embodiment. Operation 318, 320, or 322 proceeds to operation
324, according to one embodiment.
[0103] At operation 324, the process populates a results text box
proximate to the search text box with the incremental search
content and with one or more navigation links associated with the
incremental search content, in response to receipt of the search
query terms, according to one embodiment. Operation 324 proceeds to
operation 326, according to one embodiment.
[0104] At operation 326, the process determines if additional
search query terms are received in the search text box, according
to one embodiment. If additional search query terms were received
in the search text box, operation 326 returns to operation 304,
according to one embodiment. If additional search query terms are
not received in the search text box, operation 316 proceeds to
operation 328 (shown in FIG. 3B), according to one embodiment.
[0105] At operation 328, the process receives a user selection of
one or more navigation links in the results text box, according to
one embodiment. For example, the user clicks on one of the
navigation links for one of the incremental search results provided
in the results text box, according to one embodiment. Operation 328
proceeds to operation 330, according to one embodiment.
[0106] At operation 330, the process displays additional
information related to the selected navigation link for the
incremental search content, according to one embodiment. The
customer self-service system provides tutorials, audio/video
content, additional search results, relevant and similar questions
with corresponding answers in one or more traditional search
results pages (e.g., webpages), according to one embodiment.
[0107] FIGS. 4A and 4B are an example flow diagram of a process 400
for searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system, according
to one embodiment.
[0108] At operation 402, the process includes providing, with one
or more computing systems, a customer self-service system
associated with a financial management system, according to one
embodiment. Operation 402 proceeds to operation 404, according to
one embodiment.
[0109] At operation 404, the process includes storing, with the
customer self-service system, user content data representing user
content and customer self-service system content data representing
customer self-service system content, in memory allocated for use
by the customer self-service system, wherein the user content
includes one or more of business financial transaction records, tax
return information, and personal financial transaction records,
according to one embodiment. Operation 404 proceeds to operation
406, according to one embodiment.
[0110] At operation 406, the process includes providing search
algorithm data representing a search algorithm that identifies one
or more portions of the user content and portions of the customer
self-service system content, in response to one or more search
query terms, according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the
portions of the user content and/or the portions of the customer
self-service system content are relevant to the search query terms
because the portions of the user content and/or the portions of the
customer self-service system content have the same or similar
topics as the search query terms. In one embodiment, the portions
of the user content and/or portions of the customer self-service
system content are relevant to the search query terms because the
portions of the user content and/or the portions of the customer
self-service system content are matched to the search query terms
with a search algorithm, probabilistic topic model, and/or
predictive model. Operation 406 proceeds to operation 408,
according to one embodiment.
[0111] At operation 408, the process includes providing search text
box data representing a search text box, to enable receipt of the
one or more search query terms by the customer self-service system,
according to one embodiment. Operation 408 proceeds to operation
410, according to one embodiment.
[0112] At operation 410, the process includes receiving the one or
more of search query terms in the search text box as a portion of
one of a plurality of potential search queries that are formable
with the one or more search query terms, according to one
embodiment. Operation 410 proceeds to operation 412, according to
one embodiment.
[0113] At operation 412, the process includes applying search query
data representing the one or more search query terms to the search
algorithm to generate incremental search results data representing
a plurality of incremental search results, wherein the plurality of
incremental search results includes one or more of the portions of
the user content and the portions of the customer self-service
system content, according to one embodiment. Operation 412 proceeds
to operation 414, according to one embodiment.
[0114] At operation 414, the process includes identifying user
experience page identifiers for some of the incremental search
results, according to one embodiment. Operation 414 proceeds to
operation 416, according to one embodiment.
[0115] At operation 416, the process includes associating the user
experience page identifiers with navigation links that enable
navigation to user experience pages associated with the user
experience page identifiers within one or more of the financial
management system and within the customer self-service system,
according to one embodiment. Operation 416 proceeds to operation
418, according to one embodiment.
[0116] At operation 418, the process includes updating user
experience display data with the incremental search results data
and the navigation links, as the user enters the one or more search
query terms, to display the plurality of incremental search results
in a results text box and to enable navigation to the user
experience pages from the results text box, the results text box
being positioned adjacent to the search text box in a user
experience display represented by the user experience display data,
to facilitate viewing of the plurality of the incremental search
results by the user, and to facilitate navigation within the
financial management system using the search text box, wherein
financial management system content appears to be rendered beneath
the results text box in the user experience display, according to
one embodiment. Operation 418 proceeds to operation 420, according
to one embodiment.
[0117] At operation 420, the process includes transmitting the user
experience display data to a user computing system, the user
experience display data representing the user experience display,
according to one embodiment.
[0118] As noted above, the specific illustrative examples discussed
above are but illustrative examples of implementations of
embodiments of the method or process for providing domain-specific
incremental search results for search query terms with a customer
self-service system for a financial management system. Those of
skill in the art will readily recognize that other implementations
and embodiments are possible. Therefore, the discussion above
should not be construed as a limitation on the claims provided
below.
[0119] Searching for and navigating to transactions and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system is not an
abstract idea and allows for significant improvement to the fields
of user experience, self-service systems, customer service,
customer retention, business management, financial management, and
domain-specific search engines, according to one embodiment. The
present disclosure adds significantly to the concept of content
searching by providing domain-specific incremental search results
for search query terms with a customer self-service system for one
or more financial management systems because the customer
self-service system: reduces the amount of time users spend
searching for use content (e.g., transactions); reduces the amount
of time users spend locating user content in a user experience
page; assists users in formulating search queries for information
that they are searching for; and reduces the amount of time users
spend entering a search query and navigating to user experience
pages in a financial management system, according to one
embodiment. As a result, embodiments of the present disclosure
allow for reduced use of processor cycles, memory, and power
consumption, by reducing the time spent by users searching for and
navigating to user content (and other customer self-service system
content) and by reducing time spent by users to repeatedly search
for user content or a user experience page in computing
environments, according to one embodiment. Consequently, computing
and communication systems implementing and/or providing the
embodiments of the present disclosure are transformed into more
operationally efficient devices and systems.
[0120] In addition to improving overall computing performance,
searching for and navigating to user content and other user
experience pages in a financial management system with a customer
self-service system for the financial management system
significantly improves the field of financial management systems,
by reducing the amount of time that a user is removed from the
operations tasks of running the user's business due to delays
caused by trying to find transactions or particular user experience
pages (e.g., to complete a task), according to one embodiment.
Furthermore, by searching for and navigating to transactions and
other user experience pages in a financial management system with a
customer self-service system for the financial management system,
the disclosed embodiments help maintain and/or build trust and
therefore loyalty in the financial management system with which the
customer self-service system is associated, which results in repeat
customers, and reduced abandonment of use of the financial
management system, according to one embodiment.
[0121] In accordance with an embodiment, a computing system
implemented method searches for and navigates to user content in a
financial management system with a customer self-service system for
the financial management system. The method includes providing,
with one or more computing systems, a customer self-service system
associated with a financial management system, according to one
embodiment. The method includes storing, with the customer
self-service system, user content data representing user content
and customer self-service system content data representing customer
self-service system content, in memory allocated for use by the
customer self-service system, wherein the user content includes one
or more of business financial transaction records, tax return
information, and personal financial transaction records, according
to one embodiment. The method includes providing search algorithm
data representing a search algorithm that identifies portions of
the user content and/or portions of the customer self-service
system content, in response to one or more search query terms,
according to one embodiment. The method includes providing search
text box data representing a search text box, to enable receipt of
the one or more search query terms by the customer self-service
system, according to one embodiment. The method includes receiving
the one or more of search query terms in the search text box as a
portion of one of a plurality of potential search queries that are
formable with the one or more search query terms, according to one
embodiment. The method includes applying search query data
representing the one or more search query terms to the search
algorithm to generate incremental search results data representing
a plurality of incremental search results, wherein the plurality of
incremental search results includes the portions of the user
content and/or the portions of the customer self-service system
content, according to one embodiment. The method includes
identifying user experience page identifiers for some of the
incremental search results, according to one embodiment. The method
includes associating the user experience page identifiers with
navigation links that enable navigation to user experience pages
associated with the user experience page identifiers within the
financial management system and/or within the customer self-service
system, according to one embodiment. The method includes updating
user experience display data with the incremental search results
data and the navigation links, as the user enters the one or more
search query terms, to display the plurality of incremental search
results in a results text box and to enable navigation to the user
experience pages from the results text box, the results text box
being positioned adjacent to the search text box in a user
experience display represented by the user experience display data,
to facilitate viewing of the plurality of the incremental search
results by the user, and to facilitate navigation within the
financial management system using the search text box, wherein
financial management system content appears to be rendered beneath
the results text box in the user experience display, according to
one embodiment. The method includes transmitting the user
experience display data to a user computing system, the user
experience display data representing the user experience display,
according to one embodiment.
[0122] In accordance with an embodiment, a financial management
system includes a customer self-service system that provides
incremental search results for search query terms. The financial
management system includes a user experience display that receives
search query terms from users of a financial management system, and
that provides incremental search content in response to receipt of
the search query terms, according to one embodiment. The financial
management system includes a user content data store that stores
user content data representing user content, for the financial
management system, in memory that is allocated for use by the
financial management system, according to one embodiment. The
financial management system includes a customer self-service system
content store that stores customer self-service system content
data, representing customer self-service system content, in memory
that is allocated for use by a customer self-service system that
provides customer self-service searches for the financial
management system, according to one embodiment. The financial
management system includes a navigation data store that stores user
experience page identifier data representing user experience page
identifiers for user experience pages that display the user content
and/or that display the customer self-service system content, in
memory that is allocated for use by the financial management
system, according to one embodiment. The financial management
system includes a search text box that receives search query term
data representing the search query terms, wherein the search query
terms constitute at least part of at least one potential search
query, wherein the search text box is positioned within the user
experience display and proximate to financial management system
content provided to the users, the financial management system
content being represented by financial management system content
data, according to one embodiment. The financial management system
includes a results text box that displays incremental search
content data representing incremental search content that the
customer self-service system provides in response to the at least
one potential search query, wherein the results text box is
adjacent to the search text box in the user experience display,
wherein the results text box is rendered as overlaid over at least
part of the financial management system content in the user
experience display, according to one embodiment. The financial
management system includes a customer self-service system engine
configured to apply the search query term data to a search
algorithm to generate the incremental search content data, in
response to receipt of the search query term data, according to one
embodiment. The incremental search content includes at least part
of the user content representing one or more transaction records
for the user in the financial management system, at least part of
the customer self-service system content representing at least some
of the customer self-service system content, and navigation links
associated with user experience page identifiers for the user
experience pages that display the at least part of the user content
and the at least some of the customer self-service content,
according to one embodiment. The incremental search content is
displayed in real-time in the results text box to facilitate
viewing of the incremental search content by the user as the user
enters each of the one or more search query terms into the search
text box, according to one embodiment. The navigation links, if
selected by a user, navigate the user from the results text box to
one of the user experience pages that display the at least part of
the user content and the at least some of the customer self-service
content, according to one embodiment.
[0123] In accordance with an embodiment, a system searches for and
navigates to user content and other user experience pages in a
financial management system with a customer self-service system for
the financial management system. The system includes one or more
processors and memory having instructions which, if executed by the
one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform
a process for searching for and navigating to user content and
other user experience pages in a financial management system with a
customer self-service system for the financial management system,
according to one embodiment.
[0124] The process includes receiving search query data
representing one or more search query terms, from a user, according
to one embodiment. The process includes applying the search query
data to a search algorithm to generate incremental search results
data representing a plurality of incremental search results,
wherein the plurality of incremental search results includes
portions of user content stored by a financial management system
and/or portions of customer self-service system content stored by a
customer self-service system, according to one embodiment. The
process includes identifying user experience page identifiers for
some of the incremental search results by searching one or more
data stores that store the user content and/or the customer
self-service system content, according to one embodiment. The
process includes associating the user experience page identifiers
with navigation links that enable navigation to user experience
pages within the financial management system and/or within the
customer self-service system, the navigation links being
represented by navigation link data, the user experience pages
being associated with the user experience page identifiers,
according to one embodiment. The process includes updating user
experience display data with the incremental search results data
and the navigation link data, as the user enters the one or more
search query terms into a search text box, to display the plurality
of incremental search results in a results text box and to enable
navigation to the user experience pages from the results text box,
the results text box being positioned adjacent to the search text
box in a user experience display represented by the user experience
display data, to facilitate viewing the plurality of the
incremental search results by the user, and to facilitate
navigation within the financial management system and/or the
customer self-service system using the search text box, wherein
financial management system content appears to be rendered beneath
the results text box in the user experience display, according to
one embodiment. The process includes transmitting the user
experience display data to a user computing system, the user
experience display data representing the user experience display,
according to one embodiment.
[0125] In the discussion above, certain aspects of one embodiment
include process steps and/or operations and/or instructions
described herein for illustrative purposes in a particular order
and/or grouping. However, the particular order and/or grouping
shown and discussed herein are illustrative only and not limiting.
Those of skill in the art will recognize that other orders and/or
grouping of the process steps and/or operations and/or instructions
are possible and, in some embodiments, one or more of the process
steps and/or operations and/or instructions discussed above can be
combined and/or deleted. In addition, portions of one or more of
the process steps and/or operations and/or instructions can be
re-grouped as portions of one or more other of the process steps
and/or operations and/or instructions discussed herein.
Consequently, the particular order and/or grouping of the process
steps and/or operations and/or instructions discussed herein do not
limit the scope of the invention as claimed below.
[0126] As discussed in more detail above, using the above
embodiments, with little or no modification and/or input, there is
considerable flexibility, adaptability, and opportunity for
customization to meet the specific needs of various users under
numerous circumstances.
[0127] In the discussion above, certain aspects of one embodiment
include process steps and/or operations and/or instructions
described herein for illustrative purposes in a particular order
and/or grouping. However, the particular order and/or grouping
shown and discussed herein are illustrative only and not limiting.
Those of skill in the art will recognize that other orders and/or
grouping of the process steps and/or operations and/or instructions
are possible and, in some embodiments, one or more of the process
steps and/or operations and/or instructions discussed above can be
combined and/or deleted. In addition, portions of one or more of
the process steps and/or operations and/or instructions can be
re-grouped as portions of one or more other of the process steps
and/or operations and/or instructions discussed herein.
Consequently, the particular order and/or grouping of the process
steps and/or operations and/or instructions discussed herein do not
limit the scope of the invention as claimed below.
[0128] The present invention has been described in particular
detail with respect to specific possible embodiments. Those of
skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may be
practiced in other embodiments. For example, the nomenclature used
for components, capitalization of component designations and terms,
the attributes, data structures, or any other programming or
structural aspect is not significant, mandatory, or limiting, and
the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features can
have various different names, formats, or protocols. Further, the
system or functionality of the invention may be implemented via
various combinations of software and hardware, as described, or
entirely in hardware elements. Also, particular divisions of
functionality between the various components described herein are
merely exemplary, and not mandatory or significant. Consequently,
functions performed by a single component may, in other
embodiments, be performed by multiple components, and functions
performed by multiple components may, in other embodiments, be
performed by a single component.
[0129] Some portions of the above description present the features
of the present invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic
representations of operations, or algorithm-like representations,
of operations on information/data. These algorithmic or
algorithm-like descriptions and representations are the means used
by those of skill in the art to most effectively and efficiently
convey the substance of their work to others of skill in the art.
These operations, while described functionally or logically, are
understood to be implemented by computer programs or computing
systems. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times to
refer to these arrangements of operations as steps or modules or by
functional names, without loss of generality.
[0130] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as would be apparent
from the above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the
above description, discussions utilizing terms such as, but not
limited to, "activating," "accessing," "adding," "aggregating,"
"alerting," "applying," "analyzing," "associating," "calculating,"
"capturing," "categorizing," "classifying," "comparing,"
"creating," "defining," "detecting," "determining," "distributing,"
"eliminating," "encrypting," "extracting," "filtering,"
"forwarding," "generating," "identifying," "implementing,"
"informing," "monitoring," "obtaining," "posting," "processing,"
"providing," "receiving," "requesting," "saving," "sending,"
"storing," "substituting," "transferring," "transforming,"
"transmitting," "using," etc., refer to the action and process of a
computing system or similar electronic device that manipulates and
operates on data represented as physical (electronic) quantities
within the computing system memories, resisters, caches or other
information storage, transmission or display devices.
[0131] The present invention also relates to an apparatus or system
for performing the operations described herein. This apparatus or
system may be specifically constructed for the required purposes,
or the apparatus or system can comprise a general purpose system
selectively activated or configured/reconfigured by a computer
program stored on a computer program product as discussed herein
that can be accessed by a computing system or other device.
[0132] The present invention is well suited to a wide variety of
computer network systems operating over numerous topologies. Within
this field, the configuration and management of large networks
comprise storage devices and computers that are communicatively
coupled to similar or dissimilar computers and storage devices over
a private network, a LAN, a WAN, a private network, or a public
network, such as the Internet.
[0133] It should also be noted that the language used in the
specification has been principally selected for readability,
clarity and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected
to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter.
Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to
be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention,
which is set forth in the claims below. In addition, the operations
shown in the FIGs., or as discussed herein, are identified using a
particular nomenclature for ease of description and understanding,
but other nomenclature is often used in the art to identify
equivalent operations. Therefore, numerous variations, whether
explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the
specification or not, may be implemented by one of skill in the art
in view of this disclosure.
* * * * *