DYNAMIC UPDATE OF TIPS ON A DEVICE

• US 20160350135A1
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Kyle W., Novitchenko, Kirill
• Granted Patent: US 10,356,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A query is sent from a client device to a server for tips to functionality of the client device. The query can include information, such as a device type, e.g., iPhone vs. iPad. The server can provide tips that are appropriate for the client device. The client device can provide additional filtering of the tips, e.g., based on current operating system and device properties, to provide available tips. The client device maintains a list of available tips, and manages the list such that only relevant tips are visible to the user.

Claims

1. A method of providing tips to a user of a client device, the method comprising, at the client device:

sending a query to a server for tips to functionality of the client device, the query specifying a device type of the client device;

receiving a first set of tips, the first set of tips being identified by the server as corresponding to the device type of the client device;

identifying one or more properties of the client device for filtering the first set of tips;

filtering the first set of tips using the one or more properties to obtain a second set of available tips for the client device; and

displaying only the second set of available tips to the user in response to a request to view tips.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the client device:

periodically sending queries to the server and determining the second set of available tips;

tracking when tips are initially on the second set of available tips;

identifying a first tip that is available at a first time, the first tip being generated by the server at a first generation time;

identifying a second tip that is available at a second time, the second tip being generated by the server at a second generation time;

responsive to determining that the second time is more recent than the first time, displaying the second tip higher on a list than the first tip, wherein the first generation time is before the second generation time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tip relates to an application installed at the client device after the second generation time, such that the second tip is made visible to the user only after a third generation time that occurs after the second generation time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more properties relate to operational capabilities of the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein data relating to a plurality of tips is maintained in an ordered list at the client device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the client device manages visibility of the tips in the ordered list such that only tips that relate to one or more properties of the client device are made visible in the ordered list for viewing by the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the one or more properties relate to operational capabilities of the client device, and

the data relating to the tips includes visibility data associated with a visibility flag, such that the visibility flag is set to “

non-visible”

to prevent displaying a received tip at the client device in response to the one or more properties of the client device not matching properties identified in data fields of the received tip.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, at the client device:

periodically comparing one or more client device properties with the properties identified in the data fields of the received tip; and

changing the visibility flag from “

non-visible”

to “

visible”

in response to the comparing identifying a match between the one or more client device properties and the properties identified in the data fields of the received tip.

9. A client device comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

send a query to a server for tips to functionality of the client device, the query specifying a device type of the client device;

receive a first set of tips, the first set of tips being identified by the server as corresponding to the device type of the client device;

identify one or more properties of the client device for filtering the first set of tips;

filter the first set of tips using the one or more properties to obtain a second set of available tips for the client device;

display only the second set of available tips to a user in response to a request to view tips.

10. The client device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

periodically send queries to the server and determining the second set of available tips;

track when a tip is initially on the second set of available tips;

identify a first tip that is available at a first time, the first tip being generated by the server at a first generation time;

identify a second tip that is available at a second time, the second tip being generated by the server at a second generation time;

responsive to determining that the second time is more recent than the first time, display the second tip higher on a list than the first tip, wherein the first generation time is before the second generation time.

11. The client device of claim 9, wherein the second tip relates to an application installed at the client device after the second generation time, such that the second tip is made visible to the user only after a third generation time that occurs after the second generation time.

12. The client device of claim 9, wherein the one or more properties relate to operational capabilities of the client device.

13. The client device of claim 9, wherein data relating to a plurality of tips is maintained in an ordered list at the client device.

14. The client device of claim 13, wherein the client device manages visibility of the tips in the ordered list such that only tips that relate to the one or more properties of the client device are made visible in the ordered list for viewing by the user.

15. The client device of claim 13, wherein:

the one or more properties relate to operational capabilities of the client device, and

the data relating to the tips includes visibility data associated with a visibility flag, such that the visibility flag is set to “

non-visible”

to prevent displaying a received tip at the client device in response to the one or more properties of the client device not matching properties identified in data fields of the received tip.

16. The client device of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

periodically compare one or more client device properties with the properties identified in the data fields of the received tip; and

change the visibility flag from “

non-visible”

to “

visible”

in response to the comparing identifying a match between the one or more client device properties and the properties identified in the data fields of the received tip.

17. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a client device to provide tips to a user of the client device, the instructions comprising:

sending a query to a server for tips to functionality of the client device, the query specifying a device type of the client device;

receiving a first set of tips, the first set of tips being identified by the server as corresponding to the device type of the client device;

identifying one or more properties of the client device for filtering the first set of tips;

filtering the first set of tips using the one or more properties to obtain a second set of available tips for the client device; and

displaying only the second set of available tips to the user in response to a request to view tips.

18. The computer product of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

periodically sending queries to the server and determining the second set of available tips;

tracking when a tip is initially on the second set of available tips;

identifying a first tip that is available at a first time, the first tip being generated by the server at a first generation time;

identifying a second tip that is available at a second time, the second tip being generated by the server at a second generation time;

responsive to determining that the second time is more recent than the first time, displaying the second tip higher on a list than the first tip, wherein the first generation time is before the second generation time.

19. The computer product of claim 17, wherein data relating to a plurality of tips is maintained in an ordered list at the client device, and wherein:

the one or more properties relate to operational capabilities of the client device, and

the data relating to the tips includes visibility data associated with a visibility flag, such that the visibility flag is set to “

non-visible”

to prevent displaying a received tip at the client device in response to the one or more properties of the client device not matching properties identified in data fields of the received tip.

20. The computer product of claim 19, wherein the instructions further comprise:

periodically comparing one or more client device properties with the properties identified in the data fields of the received tip; and

changing the visibility flag from “

non-visible”

to “

visible”

in response to the comparing identifying a match between the one or more client device properties and the properties identified in the data fields of the received tip.