User assistance for data processing systems

• US 5,917,485 A
• Filed: 05/07/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Ruzek, Barry F., Nelson, Grant T., Spellman, Cynthia E., Lien, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Katbab, A.
• Application Number:
  US08/852,509
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 345/336, 345/337, 345/338, 395/680
• US Class Current: 715/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A system and methodology for implementing user assistance functions concerning interoperability of diverse applications, whether hosted on the same computer platform or hosted on different computer platforms. The user is assisted by being offered information, tools and/or automation as appropriate to the problem presented. As appropriate, graphics or animation is utilized to permit complete and full understanding by the user of the assistance being provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing help information to a single user of a computer system, wherein the computer system includes at least two separately executable software products thereon, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing help information for a first one of the at least two software products in a help database;

b. providing help information for a second one of the at least two software products regarding interoperability of said first one and said second one of at least two software products in the help database; and

c. ensuring that said providing step a. and said providing step b. are performed by a single copy of said help database.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

a. providing help information on how to incorporate data from the second software product into the first software product.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second software products are provided by different software vendors.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second software products are resident in different computer platforms.

10. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said first software product and said second software product are supplied by different vendors.

11. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said help facility further comprises an animation presentation program for displaying the description of interoperability of said first software product and said second software product in animated form on a computer output device.

12. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said help facility further comprises an applet for describing how to transfer data from said first software product to said second software product.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said help facility further comprises a link to execute said selected one of said plurality of help topics.

14. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said help facility further comprises a selector for selecting one of a plurality of help topics.

5. A method for providing help information to a user of a computer system via a help tool executing on the computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing help information on how to perform a number of selected tasks involving a plurality of application programs;

b. allowing the user to select one of the number of selected tasks, thereby resulting in a selected task; and

c. automatically performing the selected task.

6. In a help system that operates on a computer system, the help system comprising:

a. interface means for allowing a user to access the help system via a general help call and via executing a desired help applet; and

b. diagram means for selectively displaying selected help information in a diagram form via the interface means.

7. In a data processing system that includes at least one executable software product having a corresponding help file, the improvement comprising:

a demonstration applet associated with said at least one executable software product and said corresponding help file, wherein said demonstration applet demonstrates to a user, a portion of the operation of said at least one executable software product.

8. In a data processing system according to claim 7 having a second separately executable software product, the improvement comprising:

a second demonstration applet associated with said second separately executable software product which is accessed via said corresponding help file and demonstrates to said user a portion of the operation of said second separately executable software product.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a. a data processing system having a plurality of interconnected computer platforms;

b. a first software product executable on a first one of said plurality of interconnected computer platforms;

c. a second software product executable on a second one of said plurality of interconnected computer platforms; and

d. a help facility executable on said plurality of interconnected computer platforms which describes the interoperability of said first software product and said second software product.