Obtaining user assistance

• US 20060161526A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus, device, method, computer program product, and system that searches a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to a plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with a user-selected item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item from a plurality of items, each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale; and

b) searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item from a plurality of items includes receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected apparatus from the plurality of items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item from a plurality of items includes receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected electronic device from the plurality of items.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale includes each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a premises.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item includes each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an identification of each item of the plurality of items during a prior presence within the geographic locale of the corresponding item.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an identification of each item of the plurality of items during a prior presence within the geographic locale of the corresponding item includes each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been automatically obtained in response to an identification of each item of the plurality of items during a prior presence within the geographic locale of the corresponding item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching a plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item includes searching a plurality of end user assistances for information correlating with the user-selected item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching a plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item includes searching a plurality of end user assistances for instructions correlating with the user-selected item.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching a plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item. includes searching a plurality of saved end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

c) providing the end user assistance correlating with the user selected item.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

16. A computer program product encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system a computer process, the computer process comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item from a plurality of items, each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale; and

b) searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the process further comprises:

c) providing the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program product includes a computer storage medium.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer storage medium includes a computer storage medium carried by a computer-readable carrier.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program product includes a communications medium.

21. A system comprising:

a) a computing device; and

b) instructions that when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to;

(i) receive an input corresponding to a user-selected item from a plurality of items, each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale; and

(ii) search a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions further include:

(iii) provide the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

23. A method comprising:

a) saving a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to a plurality of items each having at least one aspect, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an identification of each corresponding item of the plurality of items during a presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item;

b) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected aspect of an item of the plurality of items; and

c) searching the saved plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating to the user-selected aspect of an item.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the presence of the corresponding item within a geographic locale includes a presence of the corresponding item within a premises.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein a first item of the plurality of items has first presence within the geographical locale and a second item of the plurality of items has a second presence with the geographic locale.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the identification of each corresponding item includes an automatic identification of each corresponding item.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the automatic identification of each corresponding item of the plurality of items includes:

(i) generating a signal indicative of the corresponding item in response to a presence of the corresponding item within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the corresponding item in response to the signal indicative of the corresponding item.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

d) providing the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected aspect of an item.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. A computer program product encoding a computer program for executing a computer process on a computer system, the computer process comprising:

a) saving a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to a plurality of items each having at least one aspect, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an automatic identification of each corresponding item of the plurality of items during a presence of the corresponding item within a geographic locale;

b) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected aspect of an item of the plurality of items;

c) searching the saved plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating to the user-selected aspect of an item; and

d) providing the end user assistance correlating to the user-selected aspect of the item.

38. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the computer program product includes a communications medium.

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. A method comprising:

a) providing an input-selection to a user interface associated with a computing device, the provided input-selection corresponding to an aspect of an item of a plurality of items, each item-of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale;

b) waiting while the computing device searches a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected aspect of an item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale by the corresponding item; and

c) receiving an end user assistance correlating to the input-selection.

42. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. A method comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item from a plurality of items, each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale; and

b) searching a plurality of assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each assistance of the plurality of user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item.

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)