Wizard and help file search and management

• US 20020188612A1
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mu, Zhiqiang, Yu, Shuling
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and system are provided for searching and finding help files and wizards of computer operating systems and computer software applications that allow system administrators or users to quickly find the help file or wizard, invoke the help file or wizard, and execute the help file or wizard. Search keywords may be entered into a search dialog using a variety of different languages.

Claims

1. A method of searching for a help utility, comprising the steps of:

providing a utility search dialog;

inputting search keywords directed to one of a plurality of help utilities;

searching a database of a plurality of help utilities;

finding a help utility matching the keywords; and

executing the help utility.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether more than one help utility is found matching the keywords;

displaying all help utilities found to match the keywords; and

selecting one of all help utilities found to match keywords.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

if after the step of searching a database of a plurality of help utilities, no help utility is found matching the keywords, then providing the utility search dialog;

inputting additional keywords directed to one of the plurality of help utilities;

searching the database of a plurality of help utilities.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

if after the step of searching a database of help utilities, a related help utility is found,

displaying the related help utility

invoking the related help utility.

inputting additional keywords directed to one of the plurality of help utilities;

searching the database of a plurality of help utilities.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby the plurality of help utilities includes help utilities provided by a computer operatingsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, whereby the plurality of help utilities includes help utilities provided by a computer software application.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the interactive help utility is a wizard.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the interactive help utility is a help file.

9. The method of claim 1, whereby the search terms may be input using a plurality of languages.

10. A method of searching for a function wizard, comprising the steps of:

providing a wizard search dialog;

inputting search keywords;

searching a database of wizards according to the search keywords;

finding a wizard matching the search keywords; and

invoking the wizard.

11. A method of searching for a function wizard, comprising the steps of

providing a plurality of functions;

providing a wizard search dialog;

inputting search terms directed to one of the plurality of functions;

initiating a search for a function wizard matching one of the plurality of functions based on the search terms;

finding a function wizard matching one of the plurality of functions; and

executing the function wizard.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer further perform the steps of:

determining whether more than one help utility is found matching the keywords;

displaying all help utilities found to match the keywords; and

selecting one of all help utilities found to match keywords.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer further perform the steps of:

if after the step of searching a database of a plurality of help utilities, no help utility is found matching the keywords, then providing the utility search dialog;

inputting additional keywords directed to one of the plurality of help utilities;

searching the database of a plurality of help utilities.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12 having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer further perform the steps of:

if after the step of searching a database of a plurality of help utilities, a related help utility is found,

displaying the related help utility

invoking the related help utility

inputting additional keywords directed to one of the plurality of help utilities;

searching the database of the plurality of help utilities.

17. The computer program module of claim 16, further operative:

to determine whether more than one help utility is found matching one of the search terms;

to display all help utilities found to match one of the search terms; and

to select one of all help utilities found to match one of the search terms.

18. The computer program module of claim 16, further operative:

if after the step of searching a database of a plurality of help utilities, no help utility is found matching one of the search terms, to provide the utility search dialog;

to input additional search terms directed to one of the plurality of help utilities;

to search the database of a plurality of help utilities.

19. The computer program module of claim 16, further operative:

if after the step of searching a database of a plurality of help utilities, a related help utility is found, to display the related help utility

to invoke the related help utility.

to input additional search terms directed to one of the plurality of help utilities; and

to search the database of the plurality of functions.

12. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform the steps of:

providing a utility search dialog;

inputting search keywords directed to one of a plurality of help utilities;

searching a database of a plurality of help utilities;

finding a help utility matching the keywords; and

executing the help utility.

16. A system for searching for an help utility, comprising a computer program module operative:

to provide a utility search dialog;

to input search terms directed to one of a plurality of help utilities;

to search a database of the plurality of help utilities;

to find the help utility matching one of the search terms; and

to execute the help utility.