Mapping user actions to historical paths to determine a predicted endpoint

Abstract

A first signature log generated by a first processing system is received. A first listing of the recorded series of user inputs included in the signature log is compared to at least one historical log indicating at least one historical path, each historical path including at least second listing of a series of historical user inputs that corresponds to a historical endpoint in the computer program. Responsive to comparing the first listing of the recorded series of user inputs to the at least one historical log, the historical path to which the recorded series of user inputs at least partially corresponds is identified and the at least one historical endpoint is identified as a predicted endpoint in the computer program. Based on the predicted endpoint, a predicted path corresponding to the predicted endpoint in the computer program is selected and output.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a first signature log generated by a first processing system, the first signature log being a computer readable data structure and comprising a first listing of at least a recorded series of user inputs received by a computer program;   comparing, by a path search engine executing using a processor, the first listing of the recorded series of user inputs to at least one historical log indicating at least one historical path, each historical path comprising at least second listing of a series of historical user inputs that corresponds to a historical endpoint in the computer program;   responsive to comparing the first listing of the recorded series of user inputs to the at least one historical log, identifying the at least one historical path to which the recorded series of user inputs at least partially corresponds and identifying the at least one historical endpoint as a predicted endpoint in the computer program; and   selecting, based on the predicted endpoint, a predicted path corresponding to the predicted endpoint in the computer program, and outputting the predicted path.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting to a user a plurality of use cases, each use case corresponding to a corresponding identified historical path;   receiving from the user a selection of one of the plurality of use cases; and   responsive to receiving from the user the selection of one of the plurality of use cases, identifying the historical endpoint corresponding to the selected use case as the predicted endpoint in the computer program.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying requirements the computer program is to satisfy;   receiving at least a portion of the plurality of use cases generated based on the requirements the computer program is to satisfy; and   generating a plurality of historical logs, each of the plurality of historical logs based on a respective one of the generated plurality of use cases.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 generating a support ticket associated with the first signature log; and   creating, in at least one of the historical logs, an association between the support ticket and the respective one of the generated plurality of use cases;   wherein, based on the created association, the support ticket is presented to a user or a support engineer accessing the historical log or the respective use case.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 generating a support ticket associated with the first signature log; and   creating, in at least one of the historical logs, an association between the support ticket and the respective one of the generated plurality of use cases;   wherein, based on the created association, the historical log, including the respective use case, is presented to a user or a support engineer accessing the support ticket.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to a determination that the predicted endpoint does not correspond to a desired endpoint, receiving a new signature log comprising a new path corresponding to the desired endpoint;   generating a new historical log indicating the new path and the desired endpoint; and   storing the new historical log as a computer readable data structure.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating a support ticket associated with the first signature log;   automatically generating a new use case based on the new path and the desired endpoint; and   creating, in the new historical log, an association between the support ticket and the new use case;   wherein, based on the created association, the support ticket is presented to a user or a support engineer accessing the new historical log or the new use case.   
     
     
         8 - 20 . (canceled)