Tim Churches wrote:
This patent application is a beauty, by Microsoft this time:
See
http://snipurl.com/axm5
or
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040234938%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040234938&RS=DN/20040234938
"System and method for providing instructional feedback to a user
Abstract
A system and method for providing instructional responses to
unstructured user input is presented. In operation, a task is
presented to a user. In response to the task, the user inputs
unstructured input onto a computing device. In response to the input,
a determination is made as to whether an instructional response should
be presented to the user. If so, the response is presented to the
user. Determining whether a response should be made to the user is
made according to the accuracy of the user input in regard to the
task. The response may be a visual response, and audio response, or an
audio/visual response. The invention may be used in a network
configuration that permits a teacher to monitor the progress of
individual users/students. "
Ah, you might think, the patent application must describe some very
clever method of "evaluating the accuracy of the user's input".
this just goes to prove my assertion that patents are more about
grabbing a piece of the problem space as yours, and then charging others
to enter it, rather than about genuine innovations which have cost a lot
of money to develop and which need some limited time protection from
competitors.
- thomas beale
