Interactive online tutorial system with monitoring function for software products

• US 5,493,658 A
• Filed: 10/20/1994
• Issued: 02/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Calvin C., McBride, Kevin M., Chiang, Alice
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US08/326,799
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1 MS File, 364/DIG. 2 MS File, 395/100, 395/116, 395/157, 395/375, 395/500, 395/800, 395/155
• US Class Current: 715/709
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming

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.

Claims

1. An interactive online tutorial system for providing instruction in the use of multiple software products operating concurrently on a digital processing apparatus, the digital processing apparatus including an instruction processing unit, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving data input from a user, an output system including a video display for providing data output to a user and a multi-tasking operating system, said tutorial system comprising:

first display control means for generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of the video display for displaying tutorial lesson information;

second display control means for generating a product display window in a second portion of the video display for displaying a selected software product, said selected software product being display concurrently with said tutorial lesson information;

information presentation means for presenting said tutorial lesson information in said tutorial display window, said tutorial lesson information including descriptions of user input actions required for operation of a plurality of software products selectively displayed in said product window;

object identifier means for storing object identifiers representing elements of a product interface related to user input actions;

command means for storing commands representing user input actions that are potentially detrimental to completion of tutorial lessons;

a lesson control table data structure containing user input command statements corresponding to tutorial lesson information presented in said tutorial display window;

memory pointer means for sequentially pointing to command statements in said lesson control table as correct user input actions are taken in accordance with said tutorial lesson information; and

tutorial monitoring means for monitoring user input actions to determine whether said user input actions should be withheld from said software product, said tutorial monitoring means including;

optional command determining means for monitoring optional user input actions and subsequent user input actions to monitor instances wherein optional user input actions are not taken by a user;

first filter means for comparing user input actions received from said input system with object identifiers stored in said object identifier means and determining whether said user input actions are directed to said software product and, if false, allowing said user input actions to pass to their intended destination;

second filter means for comparing user input actions from said first filter means with commands stored in said command means and determining whether said user input actions are product critical command actions and, if false, allowing said user input actions to pass to their intended destination; and

comparison means for comparing user input actions received from said second filter means with command statements listed in said lesson control table and comparing said user input actions with selected input actions representing appropriate input actions to said product and, if a match condition is determined, allowing said user input actions to pass to their intended destination, and, if a mismatch condition is determined, generating an error message, said tutorial system further including means for generating an error message display window in said video display, and said tutorial system further including graphical input means for cancelling messages to try input again, deactivating said tutorial monitoring means or requesting user assistance via a graphical input button.

2. An interactive online tutorial method for providing instruction in the use of a software product operating on a digital processing apparatus, 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:

generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of the video display for displaying tutorial lesson information;

generating a product display window in a second portion of the video display for displaying a software product concurrently with said tutorial lesson information;

presenting said tutorial lesson information in said tutorial display window, said tutorial lesson information including descriptions of user input actions required for operation of a software product displayed in said product window; and

monitoring user input actions to determine whether said user input actions should be withheld from said software product, said tutorial monitoring step including the steps of;

in a first filtering step, receiving user input actions from said input system and determining whether said user input actions are directed to said software product and, if false, allowing said user input actions to pass to their intended destination;

in a second filtering step, receiving user input actions from said first filtering step and determining whether said user input actions are potentially detrimental to completion of tutorial lessons, if false, allowing said user input actions to pass to their intended destination; and

in a comparison step, receiving user input actions from said second filtering step and comparing said user input actions with selected input actions representing appropriate input actions to said product and, if a match condition is determined, allowing said user input actions to pass to their intended destination.

3. The tutorial method of claim 2 wherein said comparison step compares user input actions with a lesson control table containing a list of user input action statements.

4. The tutorial method of claim 3 further including the step of providing a lesson control pointer on said lesson control table and incrementally adjusting said pointer to point to successive command action statements in said lesson control table as correct user input actions are input by a user, in order to indicate which of the command action statements in said lesson control table should be compared to said user input actions.

5. The tutorial method of claim 3 further including the step of dynamically determining a graphical input window handle within said product display window and formatting a selected entry of said lesson control table with the determined position prior to said comparison step.

6. The tutorial method of claim 2 further including the step of generating an error message in said video display upon said comparison step determining a mismatch condition between user input actions and command action statements contained in said lesson control table.

7. The tutorial method of claim 6 wherein said error message is displayed in an error message display window including graphical input means for cancelling messages to try input again, deactivating said tutorial monitoring means or requesting user assistance.

8. The tutorial method of claim 2 wherein said first filtering step compares user input actions with object identifiers representing elements of a product interface related to user input actions.

9. The tutorial method of claim 2 wherein said second filtering step compares user input actions with command actions that are potentially detrimental to completion of tutorial lessons.

10. The tutorial method of claim 2 further including product activation means for commencing execution of said software product in said product window upon determination that selected tutorial information has been displayed in said tutorial window.

11. An interactive online tutorial system product operable in conjunction with a digital processing apparatus for providing instruction in the use of a software product operating on said digital processing apparatus, the 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 a user, and a multi-tasking operating system for generating messages to processes installed and running thereunder in response to user input entered via the input system, said tutorial system comprising:

a data storage medium operable in conjunction with said digital processing apparatus;

first display control means encoded on said medium for generating a tutorial display window in a first portion of the video display for displaying tutorial lesson information;

second display control means encoded on said medium for generating a product display window in a second portion of the video display for displaying a software product concurrently with said tutorial lesson information;

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 actions required for operation of a software product displayed in said product window; and

tutorial monitor means encoded on said medium for monitoring operating system messages initiated by user input actions and determining whether said messages correspond to predetermined input actions which are intended for said software product and, if true, determining whether said messages should be withheld from said software product.

12. The tutorial system of claim 11 wherein said tutorial monitoring means includes determining means for determining whether said messages include parameters identifying objects in said software product.

13. The tutorial system of claim 12 wherein said determining means includes means for determining whether said messages include object identifier parameters that are related to a user interface of said software product.

14. The tutorial system of claim 11 wherein said tutorial monitoring means includes determining means for determining whether said messages correspond to predetermined input command types.

15. The tutorial system of claim 14 wherein said determining means includes means for comparing said messages to commands representing user input actions that are potentially detrimental to completion of tutorial lessons.

16. The tutorial system of claim 11 wherein said tutorial monitoring means includes first determining means for determining whether said user messages are directed to said software product, and second determining means for determining whether said messages include predetermined input command types.

17. The tutorial system of claim 16 wherein said first determining means includes means for determining whether said messages include object identifiers representing user input actions that are related to said software product, and wherein said second determining means includes means comparing said messages for commands representing user input actions that are critical to operation of said software product.

18. The tutorial system of claim 11 wherein said tutorial monitoring includes a lesson control table including a list of command action statements representing correct input actions corresponding to said tutorial lesson information and comparison means for comparing said user input actions with command action statements listed in said lesson control table.

19. The tutorial system of claim 18 wherein said tutorial monitoring means includes a lesson control pointer for incrementally pointing to successive command action statements in said lesson control table as correct user input actions are input by a user, said pointer providing means for indicating which of the command action statements in said lesson control table should be compared to said user input actions.

20. The tutorial system of claim 11 wherein said tutorial monitor means includes means for testing determine whether said messages if presented to said software product, would result in critical deviation from the tutorial lesson.