Intuit, Inc.

Erikheath A Thomas

Gang Wang

Amir R Eftekhari

Carol Ann Howe

Gerald Baron Huff

George Thomas Ericksen

Embodiments of a computer system, a method and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for use with the computer system are described. These embodiments allow a user to provide an image of a document for use with software, such as an image of a financial document for use with financial software. In particular, the user can provide the image of the document, for example, by taking a picture of the document using a cellular telephone. This image may be converted into an electronic format that is suitable for text and numerical processing using a character-recognition technique, such as optical character recognition or intelligent character recognition. Errors in the electronic version of the document, if present, may be identified and corrected by comparing the electronic version to information maintained by a third party. This information may be accessed based at least on one or more items in the electronic version of the document.

Identifying and correcting character-recognition errors

Various embodiments of a system and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling are described. The system and method for adapting software elements may include a mood state component configured to, among other things, create a mood state profile of a user. The mood state profile may indicate characteristics of a user's mood state. The system and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling may also include a method of application development. The method of application development may include creating an application profile that indicates the mood-altering characteristics of the application. The application profile may be used to, among other things, determine modifications to the application during the application development phase. The mood state component may also enable applications to adapt to a user's mood state while the application is in use (e.g., at runtime).

System and method for adapting software elements based on mood state profiling

A method involves generating a partially completed tax return based on basic user information without needing to obtain other user inputs through an extensive user interview. A list of simple and concise interview questions are generated or selected from an interview question collection based on the partially completed tax return to finalize the tax return. The method further involves using an inference engine to allow data collection at any time and in any order via specific, personalized questions geared toward completion of the tax return. Therefore the taxpayer spends time reviewing rather than preparing his or her tax documents.

Instant tax return preparation

Various embodiments of a system and method for adapting software elements based on application usage are described. The system and method for adapting software elements based on application usage may include a knowledge component configured to determine how a user is using an interview-based application including, but not limited to, the functions of the application that the user has utilized, the content that the user has viewed, the tasks that have been performed, and the assistance that has been requested. The knowledge component may use the application usage to determine a measure of the user's knowledge of topics within an interview-based application in order to create and/or maintain a knowledge profile for the user. The knowledge component may use the user's knowledge profile to determine a knowledge deficiency that prevents the user from completing a task within the interview-based application and modify the application in order to resolve the deficiency.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Erikheath A Thomas