Feature finding assistant on a user interface

• US 20050266866A1
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baudino, Daniel A., Ahya, Deepak P.
• Application Number:
  US10/854,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266866A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method (300) of advising a user using a user interface can include tracking (302) of a number of times an event occurs during a given time, tracking (304) the time between user initiated events, generating (306) a pattern from the tracking steps, generating (308) a profile that can change dynamically as the pattern changes, detecting (310) a need for advice from the pattern, and presenting (314) advice to the user in response to the need. The method can further associate (307) the pattern with a user profile and detect from the user profile a more efficient pattern. Note, the step of detecting can be done by detecting any number of scenarios including a hesitation in menu navigation, an unsuccessful search pattern, or a varying speed traversal through different menu portions. The detecting step can also include detecting a lack of usage of a given application.

Claims

1. A method of advising a user using a user interface, comprising the steps of:

tracking a sequence of events initiated by a user on a device having a user interface and at least one application;

tracking the number of times an event occurs during a given time tracking the time between user initiated events;

generating a pattern from the tracking steps;

detecting a need for advice from the pattern; and

presenting advice to the user in response to the need for advice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of associating the pattern with a user profile and detecting from the user profile a more efficient pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of tracking usage of the user interface at different times, dates, and locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the need comprises at least one among the step of detecting a hesitation between applications, a hesitation on menu navigation, a predetermined time elapsed on each screen, a repeated traversal between applications, and a repeated sequence of selections without full execution of a last step, an unsuccessful search pattern, and a fast traversal on a portion of a menu followed by a slow traversal in an another portion of the menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the need comprises the step of detecting a lack of usage of a given application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises the step of advising in a pop-up message to the user of the lack of usage of the given application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting advice comprises the step of displaying a pop-up dialog on the user interface providing the advice.

8. A dynamically enhanced user interface having configurable options, comprising:

an event tracker;

a time tracker;

a user pattern profile generator receiving inputs from the event tracker and the time tracker generating a dynamic user pattern profile in response to said inputs;

a user assistance generator for detecting problem scenarios in the dynamic user pattern profile and generating a smart tip; and

a presentation device for presenting the smart tip to a user.

9. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the user interface further comprises a configurable options manager that dynamically changes the hot/soft keys on the menu based on changes to the user pattern profile.

10. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the configurable options comprises hot/soft keys in a menu.

11. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the configurable options comprises at least one among menus, shortcuts, quick links, or any other configurable option on a main menu on a user interface, a sub-menu on a user interface, a menu for an application, or a sub-menu for an application.

12. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the user assistance generator monitors the dynamic user pattern profile and suggests improvements in usage to a user.

13. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the presentation device comprises a display.

14. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the user interface further comprises a problem scenario database that is compared with the dynamic user pattern profile to enable the user assistance generator to detect problem scenarios and provide a corresponding smart tip.

15. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

tracking a sequence of events initiated by a user on a device having a user interface and at least one application;

tracking the number of times an event occurs during a given time tracking the time between user initiated events;

generating a pattern from the tracking steps;

detecting a need for advice from the pattern; and

presenting advice to the user in response to the need for advice.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein the machine readable storage is further programmed to cause the machine to associate the pattern with a user profile and detecting from the user profile a more efficient pattern.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein the machine readable storage is further programmed to cause the machine to detect the need for advice by detecting at least one among a hesitation between applications, a hesitation on menu navigation, a predetermined time elapsed on each screen, a repeated traversal between applications, a repeated sequence of selections without full execution of a last step, an unsuccessful search pattern, and a fast traversal on a portion of a menu followed by a slow traversal in an another portion of the menu.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein the machine readable storage is further programmed to cause the machine to detect the need for advice by detecting a lack of usage of a given application.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein the machine readable storage is further programmed to cause the machine to present advice by displaying a pop-up dialog on the user interface providing the advice.