Lovely claim

[Jonas Maebe <jonas.maebe@ugent.be>]

Hello,

While browsing some software patents at the EPO, I stumbled upon this 
gem: EP0988609

The original claim 1 (from the corresponding WO application) was this:

***
A method for creation of document information comprising the steps of 
presenting on a computer screen a sequence of pre-selected question, 
provided by a database, inputting answers to the questions into the 
computer and automatically modifying the sequence of subsequent 
questions and/or the nature of subsequent questions in dependence on 
the answers given previously.
***


That was apparently not deemed technical enough by the EPO, so the 
finally granted claim 1 reads like this (make sure you take a deeeeeeep 
breath :)


***
A method for creation of document information comprising the steps of 
presenting on a computer display screen a sequence of 
dynamically-selected questions stored in a database along with 
additional stored information representing precedent clauses, inputting 
answers to the questions displayed on the screen into the computer and 
automatically modifying the sequence of subsequent questions and/or the 
nature of subsequent questions displayed on the screen dependence on 
the answers given previously, wherein at least some of the answers are 
each selected from an associated display of possible answers displayed 
on the screen at least one of which is chosen by a user as the input 
and one of the possible answers is a default answer which is adopted in 
the absence of a positive choice,

characterised in that

the step of automatically modifying subsequent questions is effected by 
interpretative logical argument and branches and the the interpretative 
logical argument and branches is utilized to exclude questions which 
are not currently relevant because of previous inputted answers and the 
method further comprises dynamically controlling and altering the 
visual presentation and display of the questions on the screen, so that 
the questions are presented in a scrolled sequential manner to build up 
a continuous questionnaire, and storing the sequence of thus selected 
questions and answers with the precedent clauses associated with the 
sequence of questions and answers based on the continuous questionnaire 
for utilization as the document creating information.
***

(note that I typed this over from a an image in a pdf file, so it may 
contain errors by me)

It seems to me it claims pretty much the same thing, but in a way 
that's closely related to Vogon poetry :)


Jonas