Methods of displaying help information nearest to an operation point at which the help information is requested

• US 4,789,962 A
• Filed: 07/30/1987
• Issued: 12/06/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven E., Ruiz, Thomas M., Berry, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US07/080,180
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/518, 364/521, 340/721, 340/747
• US Class Current: 715/715
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method of, and placing help information on a convenient but unneeded portion of a screen. Help information, when called, is placed on the screen adjacent an operating point, and positioned such that needed information adjacent the point is not covered up or blocked from view.

Claims

1. In a keyboard/display computer system, a method of improving user friendliness in displaying help information to said user of a keyboard/display computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a help routine stored within said computer system to display help information related to an operation point at which said help routine is activated;

searching for an unused portion of a display screen of said system;

displaying help information related to said operation point, in response to said step of searching wherein said unused portion was found, in a window within said unused portion nearest the operating point on said display screen so that existing information displayed on said screen is not overlapped or, alterntely wherein said unused portion was not found, in said window on said display screen nearest said operating point wherein said help information is positioned over existing information displayed on said screen which is unrelated to said operating point.

2. A method according to claim 1 including the step of sizing said window in order for as much of said as practicable to information related to said operation point remains viewable.

3. A method according to claim 1 including the step of sizing said window to fit within said unused portion.

4. A method according to claim 1 including the step of displaying a reference to said operating point within said window.

5. A method according to claim 1 including the step of displaying help information appropriate to an operation being performed at said operating point.