Interactive online tutorial system with user assistance function for software products
First Claim
1. An interactive online tutorial system for providing information in the use of a non-simulation software product operating [separately but]concurrently on a digital processing apparatus with said tutorial system, said software product and said tutorial system operating running as separate executable application file processes, said software product generating a product display window with user interface controls therein, the digital processing apparatus including an instruction processing unit, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving data input from a user, and an output system including a video display for providing data output to a user, said tutorial system comprising:
- display control means for generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of said video display for displaying tutorial lesson information generated by said tutorial system;
software product control means for controlling said product display window to appear in a second portion of said video display for displaying said user interface controls generated by said software product;
information presentation means for presenting tutorial lesson information in said tutorial display window, said tutorial lesson information including descriptions of user input lesson actions required for operation of said software product displayed in said product window, said tutorial lesson information being arranged in a hierarchy of lesson, step and action levels;
tutorial assistance means for sending messages to said software product to manipulate said user interface controls and drive said software product to respond as if a user had performed said user input lesson actions specified in said tutorial lesson information, said tutorial assistance means including a lesson control table containing action command statements corresponding to said messages;
first assistance request means for activating said user assistance means in response to a user request for assistance, said assistance request means including selection means for requesting assistance for a selected one of said lesson, step and action levels of said tutorial lesson information;
second assistance request means including a graphical display button for activating said user assistance means in response to said user request for assistance, said second assistance request means including means for displaying said graphical display button upon an erroneous input action being taken by a user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive online tutorial system is disclosed for providing instruction in the use of a software product operating on a data processing device. The data processing device including an instruction processing unit or CPU, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving input from a user via a mouse or keyboard, and an output system for generating output images on a video display. The tutorial system includes a first display control for generating a tutorial window in a first portion of the video display. A second display control is provided for generating a product window in a second portion of the video display. A tutorial presentation system selectively generate a plurality of tutorial text panels in response to input from the input system. The tutorial text panels include one or more lesson panels and one or more step panels associated with each lesson panel. A tutorial panel linking system links the lesson panels through a series of sequential links and links the lesson panels and their associated step panels through a series of hierarchical links. A series of tutorial panel selectors are provided for selectively activating from a lesson or step panel a link to another lesson or step panel in order to display the linked panel.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An interactive online tutorial system for providing information in the use of a non-simulation software product operating [separately but]concurrently on a digital processing apparatus with said tutorial system, said software product and said tutorial system operating running as separate executable application file processes, said software product generating a product display window with user interface controls therein, the digital processing apparatus including an instruction processing unit, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving data input from a user, and an output system including a video display for providing data output to a user, said tutorial system comprising:
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display control means for generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of said video display for displaying tutorial lesson information generated by said tutorial system; software product control means for controlling said product display window to appear in a second portion of said video display for displaying said user interface controls generated by said software product; information presentation means for presenting tutorial lesson information in said tutorial display window, said tutorial lesson information including descriptions of user input lesson actions required for operation of said software product displayed in said product window, said tutorial lesson information being arranged in a hierarchy of lesson, step and action levels; tutorial assistance means for sending messages to said software product to manipulate said user interface controls and drive said software product to respond as if a user had performed said user input lesson actions specified in said tutorial lesson information, said tutorial assistance means including a lesson control table containing action command statements corresponding to said messages; first assistance request means for activating said user assistance means in response to a user request for assistance, said assistance request means including selection means for requesting assistance for a selected one of said lesson, step and action levels of said tutorial lesson information; second assistance request means including a graphical display button for activating said user assistance means in response to said user request for assistance, said second assistance request means including means for displaying said graphical display button upon an erroneous input action being taken by a user.
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2. An interactive online tutorial system product operable in conjunction with a digital processing apparatus in a first multi-tasking session for providing instruction in the use of a non-simulation software product operating in a separate but concurrently executing second multi-tasking session on said [a]digital processing apparatus in conjunction with said tutorial system product, said software product generating a product display window with user interface controls therein, said digital processing apparatus including an instruction processing unit, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving input from a user, an output system including a video display for providing data output to said user, and a multi-tasking operating system which concurrently operates one or more multi-tasking sessions and communicates user input actions from said input system via messages to said multi-tasking sessions installed and running under said operating system, said tutorial system comprising:
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a data storage medium operable in conjunction with said digital processing apparatus; display control means encoded on said medium for generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of said video display for displaying tutorial lesson information generated by said tutorial system; software product control means encoded on said medium for controlling said product display window to appear in a second portion of said video display for displaying said user interface controls generated by said software product; information presentation means encoded on said medium for presenting said tutorial lesson information in said tutorial display window, said tutorial lesson information including descriptions of user input lesson actions required for operation of said software product displayed in said product window; tutorial assistance means encoded on said medium for sending operating system messages to said software product to manipulate said user interface controls and drive said software product to respond as if a user had performed said user input lesson actions specified in said tutorial lesson information; and assistance request means encoded on said medium for activating said user assistance means in response to a user request for assistance, said assistance request means including selection means for requesting assistance for a selected number of said user input lesson actions described in said tutorial lesson information. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An interactive online tutorial method for providing instruction in the use of a non-simulation software product operating on a digital processing apparatus as an executable multi-tasking process, said software product generating a product display window with user interface controls therein, the digital processing apparatus including an instruction processing unit, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving data input from a user, and an output system including a video display for providing data output to a user, said tutorial method comprising the steps of:
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generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of said video display for displaying tutorial lesson information generated by a tutorial software program operating on said digital processing apparatus separately but concurrently with said software product as an executable multi-tasking process; controlling said product display window to appear in a second portion of said video display for displaying said user interface controls generated by said software product; presenting tutorial lesson information in said tutorial display window, said tutorial lesson information including descriptions of user input lesson actions required for operation of said software product displayed in said product window; and in response to a user request for assistance, providing user assistance by sending messages to said software product to manipulate said user interface controls and drive said software product to respond as if a user had performed a selected number of said user input lesson actions described in said tutorial lesson information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification