Enhanced user assistance

• US 20060090132A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/974,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20060090132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

In an approach, an exemplary method includes receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device, and receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device. In another approach, a system includes an electronic device having first, second, and third user interfaces. The system includes instructions which when implemented in the electronic device cause the electronic device to receive a selection corresponding to an aspect of the electronic device through the first user interface, and receive a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through the second user interface. The instructions further cause the electronic device to provide an assistance correlating to the assistance request through the third user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device;

(b) receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device; and

(c) providing an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a third user interface of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state, and the third user interface includes the element of electronic device in a third state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first user interface, the user second interface, and the third user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, and another of the first user interface, the second user interface, and the third user interface include the element of electronic device in a second state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode, the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode, and the third user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a third mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first user interface, the second user interface, and the third user interface include an element of the electronic device in a first mode, and another of the first user interface, the second user interface, and the third user interface include the element of electronic device in a second mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device associated with the aspect.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface includes a detecting a touch to the first user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface includes detecting a sound through the first user interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting a sound includes detecting a spoken word.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request through a second user interface includes detecting a touch to the second user interface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes receiving a selection corresponding to a preselected assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a user assistance.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes visually providing an assistance.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes audibly providing an assistance.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a spoken assistance.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes tactilely providing an assistance.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a guided response assistance.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an interactive tutorial assistance.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an assistance corresponding with a physical element of the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the providing an assistance corresponding with the physical element of the device includes blinking a light associated with the physical element.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an- assistance includes providing a guidance corresponding with a process associated with the electronic device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a description of an aspect of the device electronic.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance related to the aspect of the electronic device includes providing an assistance showing how the aspect of the electronic device works.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) searching an assistance file for the assistance correlating to the assistance request.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the searching the assistance file includes searching an assistance file stored in an association with the electronic device.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) receiving an input responsive to the provided assistance.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the input responsive to the provided assistance includes a request for an additional assistance correlating to the provided assistance.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

(e) providing another assistance corresponding to the received input responsive to the provided assistance.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device includes receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of a pervasive computing device and the providing an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device includes providing an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the pervasive computing device.

32. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions which, when run on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the computer-readable medium includes a computer storage medium.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the computer storage medium is carried by a computer readable carrier.

35. A system comprising:

(a) an electronic device having a first user interface, a second user interface, and third user interface; and

(b) instructions which when implemented in the electronic device cause the electronic device to;

(i) receive a selection corresponding to an aspect of the electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device;

(ii) receive a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device; and

(iii) provide an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a third user interface of the electronic device.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state, and the third user interface includes the element of electronic device in a third state.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein one of the first user interface, the user second interface, and the third user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, and another of the first user interface, the second user interface, and the third user interface include the element of electronic device in a second state.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode, the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode, and the third user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a third mode.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein one of the first user interface, the second user interface, and the third user interface include an element of the electronic device in a first mode, and another of the first user interface, the second user interface, and the third user interface include the element of electronic device in a second mode.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the first user interface of the electronic device includes a first user interface of the electronic device associated with the aspect of the electronic device.

43. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic device includes a pervasive computing device.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic device includes a limited resource computing device.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the instructions further include:

(iv) search an assistance file for the assistance correlating to the assistance request.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the instructions further include:

(iv) receive an input responsive to the provided assistance; and

(v) provide another assistance corresponding to the received input responsive to the provided assistance.

47. An apparatus comprising:

(a) first means for receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device;

(b) second means for receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device; and

(c) third means for providing an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device.

48. A method comprising:

(a) activating a help mode in an electronic device;

(b) receiving a selection of an aspect of the electronic device through a receiver associated with the aspect; and

(c) broadcasting a tutorial that includes information related to the selected aspect of the electronic device through an indicator associated with the electronic device.

49. A system comprising:

(a) an electronic device having a selection receiver associated with an aspect of the electronic device, and an indicator; and

(b) instructions which when implemented in the electronic device cause the electronic device to

(i) activate a help mode;

(ii) receive a selection of the aspect of the electronic device through the receiver; and

(iii) broadcast a tutorial that includes information related to the selected aspect of the electronic device through the indicator.

50. A method comprising:

(a) inputting a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device;

(b) inputting an assistance request related to the aspect through a second user interface associated with the electronic device; and

(c) receiving an assistance presentation correlating to the assistance request through a third user interface associated with the electronic device.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are at least substantially the same.

52. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

(d) waiting while an assistance file is searched for the assistance presentation correlating to the assistance request.