Displaying help resources associated with prioritized help messages

• US 20050153688A1
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Watson, Thomas J., Schumacher, Daniel Mark, Burkhart, Michael John, Eisenhauer, Daniel G.
• Application Number:
  US10/755,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20050153688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a display apparatus are provided. Some embodiments of methods, systems and products for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a display apparatus include receiving, in a display apparatus, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices and prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages. Prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages can include selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue, selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message, or selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message. Typical embodiments also include retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource and displaying, with the display apparatus, the help resource.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, in a display apparatus, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices;

prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages;

retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource; and

displaying, with the display apparatus, the help resource.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy comprises:

creating, in the display apparatus a busy message; and

transmitting the busy message to at least one of the plurality of devices.

7. A computer implemented method for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, in a services gateway, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices;

prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages;

retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource; and

sending the help resource to a display apparatus for display.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy comprises:

creating, in the services gateway, a busy message; and

transmitting the busy message to at least one of the plurality of devices.

13. A system for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the system comprising:

means for receiving, in a display apparatus, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices;

means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages;

means for retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource; and

means for displaying, with the display apparatus, the help resource.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means for selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means for selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means for selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising means for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein means for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy comprises:

means for creating, in the display apparatus a busy message; and

means for transmitting the busy message to at least one of the plurality of devices.

19. A computer implemented system for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the system comprising:

means for receiving, in a services gateway, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices;

means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages;

means for retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource; and

means for sending the help resource to a display apparatus for display.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means for selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means for selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein means for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means for selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message.

23. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein means for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy comprises:

means for creating, in the services gateway, a busy message; and

means for transmitting the busy message to at least one of the plurality of devices.

25. A computer program product for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, in a display apparatus, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying, with the display apparatus, the help resource.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue.

27. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message.

28. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message.

29. The computer program product of claim 25 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating, in the display apparatus a busy message; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for transmitting the busy message to at least one of the plurality of devices.

31. A computer implemented computer program product for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, in a services gateway, a plurality of help messages created in a plurality of devices;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the prioritized help message, a help resource; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for sending the help resource to a display apparatus for display.

32. The computer program product of claim 31 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a help message in dependence upon a position of the help message in a queue.

33. The computer program product of claim 31 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a help message in dependence upon a device ID included in the help message.

34. The computer program product of claim 31 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for prioritizing one of the plurality of help messages comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a help message in dependence upon a importance rating included in the help message.

35. The computer program product of claim 31 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for notifying at least one of the plurality of devices that the display apparatus is busy comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating, in the services gateway, a busy message; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for transmitting the busy message to at least one of the plurality of devices.