Interactive online tutorial system for software products

• US 5,535,422 A
• Filed: 10/20/1994
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBride, Kevin M., Chiang, Alice, Yee, Calvin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US08/326,792
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1 MS File, 364/DIG. 2 MS File, 395/100, 395/118, 395/161, 395/153, 395/154, 395/375, 395/500, 434/118
• US Class Current: 715/709
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

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 generates 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 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 data processing apparatus including a CPU, a data storage resource, an input system for receiving input from a user via a mouse or keyboard input device, and an output system for generating output images on a video display, and a multitasking operating system, said tutorial system comprising:

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

a tutorial control module encoded on said medium having a window control interface;

a lesson control file encoded on said medium providing input to said tutorial control module;

an information presentation module encoded on said medium and adapted for communication with said tutorial control module via said window control interface;

a lesson display file encoded on said medium providing input to said information presentation module;

first display control means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface and said information presentation module for generating a tutorial window in a first portion of the video display;

second display control means provided by said tutorial control module for generating a product window in a second portion of the video display concurrently with said tutorial window;

application execution means provided by said tutorial control module for commencing execution of said software product in said product window;

tutorial presentation means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file for generating in said tutorial window a plurality of tutorial text panels, said tutorial text panels including one or more lesson panels and one or more step panels corresponding to each lesson panel, said lesson panels and step panels displaying instructional text illustrating a predetermined sequence of operations to be performed on said software product;

lesson control means provided by said tutorial control module for dynamically adjusting a lesson control pointer in said lesson control file based on lessons displayed in said tutorial text panels;

tutorial panel linking means provided by said information presentation module and said lesson control file for linking said lesson panels through a series of sequential links and for linking said lesson panels and their corresponding step panels through a series of hierarchical links; and

tutorial panel selection means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file for selectively activating from a lesson or step panel a link to another lesson or step panel in order to display the panel so linked.

2. The tutorial system of claim 1 wherein said tutorial presentation means includes means for generating lesson panels containing pointers to previous and subsequent lesson panels that are linked sequentially to the lesson panels.

3. The tutorial system of claim 2 wherein the sequential links between lesson panels are hypergraphic links which are activated by selecting the pointer icons to previous and subsequent lessons.

4. The tutorial system of claim 1 wherein said tutorial presentation means includes means for generating lesson panels containing a list of corresponding step panels that are linked hierarchically to the lesson panels.

5. The tutorial system of claim 4 wherein the hierarchical links between lesson panels and associated step panels are hypertext links which are activated by selecting hypertext words contained in the list of corresponding step panels.

6. The tutorial system of claim 1 wherein said tutorial presentation means includes means for generating lesson panels containing a list of corresponding step panels that are linked hierarchically to the lesson panels and pointers to subsequent and previous lessons that are linked sequentially to the lesson panels.

7. The tutorial system of claim 6 wherein the sequential links between lesson panels are hypergraphic links which are activated by selecting the pointer icons to previous and subsequent lessons and wherein the hierarchical links between lesson panels and corresponding step panels are hypertext links which are activated by selecting hypertext words contained in the list of associated step panels.

8. The tutorial system of claim 1 wherein said tutorial presentation means further include means for generating in said product window a plurality of concept panels, wherein said panel linking means include means for generating a series of parallel links between said concept windows and corresponding lesson panels, and wherein said panel activation means include means for selectively activating from a lesson panel a link to one of said concept panels in order to display the linked panel.

9. The tutorial system of claim 8 wherein said tutorial presentation means include means for generating lesson panels containing descriptive information concerning the panel.

10. The tutorial system of claim 9 wherein the links between the lesson panels and concept panels are hypertext links which are activated by selecting hypertext words contained in the lesson panel descriptive information.

11. The tutorial system of claim 1 wherein links between panels include hypergraphic and hypertext links which are activated using icons and keywords contained in said panels.

12. The tutorial system of claim 1 further including means for selectively displaying help information in said product window.

13. An interactive tutorial method for providing instruction in the use of a software product operating concurrently in 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 input device, and an output system for generating output images on a video display, said tutorial method comprising the steps of:

providing a tutorial control module having a window control interface;

providing a lesson control file providing input to said tutorial control module;

providing an information presentation module in communication with said tutorial control module via said window control interface;

providing a lesson display file providing input to said information presentation module;

generating a tutorial window in a first portion of the video display using said tutorial control module, said window control interface and said information presentation module;

generating a product window in a second portion of the video display concurrently with said tutorial window using said tutorial control module;

commencing execution of said software product in said product window using said tutorial control module;

generating a series of tutorial display panels including lesson panels and corresponding step panels using said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file, said lesson panels and step panels displaying instructional text illustrating a predetermined sequence of operations to be performed on said software product;

dynamically adjusting a lesson control pointer in said lesson control file based on lessons displayed in said tutorial display panels using said tutorial control module;

generating a series of hierarchical links between lesson panels and corresponding step panels and a series of sequential links between sequential lesson panels using said information presentation module and said lesson display file;

displaying a first tutorial panel in said tutorial window using said information presentation module and said lesson display file; and

in response to selective activation of a link from said first tutorial panel to another panel linked thereto, displaying the panel so linked in said tutorial panel using said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file.

14. The tutorial method of claim 13 wherein said lesson panels are provided with pointers to previous and subsequent lesson panels that are linked sequentially thereto.

15. The tutorial method of claim 14 wherein the sequential links between lesson panels are hypergraphic links which are activated by selecting the pointer icons to previous and subsequent lessons.

16. The tutorial method of claim 13 wherein said lesson panels are provided with a list of corresponding step panels that are linked hierarchically thereto.

17. The tutorial method of claim 16 wherein the hierarchical links between lesson panels and corresponding step panels are hypertext links which are activated by selecting hypertext words contained in the list of corresponding step panels.

18. The tutorial method of claim 13 wherein said lesson panels are provided with a list of corresponding step panels that are linked hierarchically thereto, and wherein said lesson panels are further provided with pointers to subsequent and previous lessons that are linked sequentially thereto.

19. The tutorial method of claim 18 wherein the sequential links between lesson panels are hypergraphic links which are activated by selecting the pointer icons to previous and subsequent lessons and wherein the hierarchical links between lesson panels and corresponding step panels are hypertext links which are activated by selecting hypertext words contained in the list of corresponding step panels.

20. The tutorial method of claim 13 wherein the links between panels include hypergraphic and hypertext links which are activated using icons and keywords contained in said panels.

21. The tutorial method of claim 13 further including the steps of providing a plurality of concept panels, providing a series of parallel links between the concept windows and corresponding lesson panels, and, in response to the selective activation of a parallel link between one of said lesson panels and an corresponding concept panel, displaying the linked panel in said product window.

22. The tutorial method of claim 21 wherein said lesson panels are provided with descriptive information concerning the panels.

23. The tutorial method of claim 22 wherein the links provided between the lesson panels and concept panels are hypertext links which are activated by selecting hypertext words contained in the lesson panel descriptive information.

24. The tutorial method of claim 13 further including the step of selectively displaying help information in said product window.

25. An interactive online tutorial system 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 input device, and an output system for generating output images on a video display, said tutorial system comprising:

a tutorial control module having a window control interface;

a lesson control file providing input to said tutorial control module;

an information presentation module in communication with said tutorial control module via said window control interface;

a lesson display file providing input to said information presentation module;

first display control means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface and said information presentation module for generating a tutorial window in a first portion of the video display;

second display control means provided by said tutorial control module for generating a product window in a second portion of the video display concurrently with said tutorial window;

application execution means provided by said tutorial control module for commencing execution of said software product in said product window;

lesson panel presentation means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file for generating in said tutorial window a plurality of lesson panels, said lesson panels including a descriptive summary in a listing of steps to be taken during the lesson, said lesson panels displaying instructional text representing a predetermined sequence of operations to be performed on said software product;

step panel presentation means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file for generating in said tutorial window a plurality of step panels representing steps listed in corresponding lesson panels, said step panels including a listing of actions to be taken during the step, said step panels displaying instructional text representing a predetermined sequence of operations to be performed on said software product;

concept panel presentation means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation module and said lesson display file for generating in said product window a plurality of concept panels representing conceptual information pertaining to corresponding lesson panels;

lesson control adjustment means provided by said tutorial control module for dynamically adjusting a lesson control pointer in said lesson control file based on lessons displayed in said tutorial text panels;

first panel linking means provided by said information presentation module and said lesson display file for linking sequential lesson panels through a series of sequential links;

second panel linking means provided by said information presentation module and said lesson display file for linking corresponding lesson panels and step panels through a series of hierarchical links;

third panel linking means provided by said information presentation module and said lesson display for linking sequential step panels through a series of sequential links;

fourth panel linking means provided by said information presentation module and said lesson display file for linking corresponding lesson panels and concept panels through a series of parallel links; and

tutorial panel selection means provided by said tutorial control module, said window control interface, said information presentation facility and said lesson display file for selectively activating from a lesson or step panel a link to another lesson panel or step panel or concept panel in order to display the panel so linked.