METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MAPPING A VIRTUAL HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE FOR A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20080256447A1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Roundtree, Brian, Russell, Jake Armstrong
• Granted Patent: US 8,495,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A system and method for mapping input elements with actions performed by a mobile device is described. In some cases, the system creates an input map that is accessible by a generic guide script running on a mobile device. The guide script may access the input map in order to present tutorial information specific to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of creating a map of features for a mobile device, the method comprising:

identifying a first hardware feature for a mobile device, wherein the mobile device receives user input via the first hardware feature;

associating the first hardware feature with a first action performed by the mobile device;

storing the association in a list stored locally on the mobile device, wherein the list is accessed by a guide script running on the mobile device that does not contain device specific information;

identifying a second hardware feature for the mobile device, wherein the mobile device also receives user input via the second hardware feature;

associating the second hardware feature with a second action performed by the mobile device;

storing the association in the list stored locally on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the guide script provides instructions to a user of the mobile device for the first action; and

associating the first hardware feature to the first action after the determination.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to provide instructions related to the first action to a user;

retrieving the association between the first hardware feature and the first action performed by the mobile device; and

displaying instructions to the user based on the retrieved association, wherein the displayed instructions include information associated with the first action and information identifying the first hardware feature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action relates to transmitting information from the mobile device to another mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action relates to performance of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action relates to a non-calling feature of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hardware feature is a key on a keypad of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hardware feature is an input element displayed by a screen of the mobile device.

9. A system for presenting a tutorial to a user of a mobile device, the system comprising:

an input map component, wherein the input map component includes one or more data structures that relate possible actions performed by the mobile device with corresponding input elements that receive user input in order to perform the possible actions;

a tutorial component, wherein the tutorial component is configured to execute a script stored on the mobile device that generates a tutorial for a user of the mobile device, wherein the script retrieves one or more of the possible actions from the input map component based at least in part of a current or previous state of the mobile device; and

a display component, wherein the display component is configured to display the tutorial to the user, wherein the displayed tutorial includes information associated with the retrieved one or more possible actions and information associated with the corresponding input elements.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the information associated with the corresponding element includes information visually identifying the corresponding input element.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the information associated with the retrieved one or more possible actions includes information instructing a user how to implement the one or more possible actions.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the data structure relates at least one action performed by the mobile device with corresponding coordinates of the input element that facilitates performance of the action.

13. A computer memory storing a data structure accessed by a guide script that presents tutorials to a user of a mobile device, the data structure including one or more entries, wherein each of the one or more entries comprises (1) information associated with a function performed by the mobile device, and (2) information associated with an input element of the mobile device that facilitates performance of the function in response to receiving input from the user via the input element.

14. The computer memory of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the input element of the mobile device includes coordinates of the input element in relation to the physical structure of the mobile device.

15. The computer memory of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the input element of the mobile device includes location information relative to other input elements of the mobile device.

16. The computer memory of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the input element of the mobile device includes an image of input elements of the mobile device.

17. The computer memory of claim 13, wherein at least one of the one or more entries further comprises:

information associated with a duration of received input via the input element.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable memory storing computer-executable code, wherein the computer-executable code, when executed by at least one computer, performs a method of:

for each of multiple, different models of mobile devices,

identifying functions performed by one mobile device model;

associating at least one input element of the one mobile device model that facilitates performance of each of the identified functions in response to receiving input from the user via the input element;

generating a mapping of the identified functions with the associated input elements of the one mobile device model; and

providing the generated mapping for storage within the multiple, different models of mobile devices,

wherein the mapping is accessible to tutorial scripts generic to the multiple, different models and configured to perform tutorials on mobile device models based at least in part on the generated mappings stored within the mobile device models.