Abstract: A training system for use in a wide variety of training tasks and environments comprising a user interface simulating the same information available to a trainee in the task environment which allows the trainee to assert actions to the system; a domain expert which can use the same information available to the trainee and carry out the same task; a training session manager for evaluating such trainee assertions and providing guidance to the trainee appropriate to his acquired skill level; a trainee model which contains a history and summary of the trainee actions; an intelligent training scenario generator for designing increasingly complex training exercises based on the current skill level and any weaknesses or deficiencies that the trainee has exhibited in previous interactions; and a blackboard that provides a common fact base for communication between the other components of the system. The domain expert contains a list of "mal-rules" which typifies errors usually made by novice trainees.

Abstract: A method of matching a first query pattern with a plurality of stored data is disclosed. For each stored data pattern, the number of components are counted which are identical to corresponding components in the first query pattern, thereby forming a set of match numbers equals the number of components in any stored pattern, that stored data pattern is displayed as an output pattern set indicating a match. If no match exists then a second query pattern is determined by modifying the first query pattern, component by component, in dependence upon both a first, global influence of all stored patterns on all components of the first query pattern and a second, particular influence of all stored patterns on each respective component of the first query pattern. The first two method steps are then repeated using the second query pattern in place of the first query pattern. If no match a third query pattern similarly is determined by modifying the second query pattern.