Method and apparatus for reproducing operation guidance information, and method and apparatus for reproducing multi-media information

• US 6,134,644 A
• Filed: 01/14/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tadashi, Kurihara, Shinji, Matsuda, Syuichi, Negishi, Noriaki, Mayuzumi, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US09/007,074
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 712/1, 714/2, 714/5, 345/116, 345/336
• US Class Current: 712/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An information reproducing method and an apparatus therefor, by which operation guidance information may be automatically used without bothering an operator, includes a reproduction control unit for reading the operation guidance information depending on an event from a database when the event requiring measures taken by the operator occurs in an object apparatus to controllably reproduce the operation guidance information, and a reproducing unit, which is a terminal connected to the object apparatus to be able to manage the object apparatus, for reproducing the operation guidance information and notifying it to the operator. The operation guidance information about measures that should be taken to a condition of the object apparatus changing with a progress of the measures taken by the operator is reproduced at the terminal apparatus. These method and apparatus are applicable to a method and an apparatus used for reproducing various operation guidance information or multi-media information.

Claims

1. An operation guidance information reproducing method for troubleshooting an error in hardware of an object peripheral equipment, which is operatively connected to a terminal apparatus to be monitored by an operator, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading, in response to the error occurring in the hardware of the object peripheral equipment, operation guidance information which represents a physical troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator, from a database; and

(b) reproducing said operation guidance information on the terminal apparatus to notify the operator of the corresponding physical troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator for said object peripheral equipment.

2. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 1, wherein an image obtained by visualizing the physical troubleshooting action from a viewpoint of the operator looking at the object apparatus is displayed as said operation guidance information on a predetermined display unit.

3. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 2, wherein character information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is displayed on said display unit as said operation guidance information along with said image.

4. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 2, wherein sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is outputted simultaneously when said image is displayed on said display unit.

5. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 3, wherein sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is outputted simultaneously when said image is displayed on said display unit.

6. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 1, wherein said database is provided on a side of an upper apparatus connected to said terminal apparatus to manage said terminal apparatus and is used commonly by another terminal apparatus.

7. An operation guidance information reproducing method for troubleshooting hardware of an object peripheral equipment with assistance by an operator, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a current condition of the hardware of the object peripheral equipment, which condition varies step by step with progress of a physical troubleshooting action taken by the operator;

(b) reading, in response to the condition of the hardware of said peripheral equipment, operation guidance information, which represents a physical troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator, from a database; and

(c) reproducing the operation guidance information to notify the operation of the corresponding physical troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator.

8. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein an image obtained by visualizing the physical troubleshooting action from a viewpoint of the operator looking at the object apparatus is displayed as said operation guidance information on a predetermined display unit.

9. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 8, wherein character information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is displayed on said display unit as said operation guidance information along with said image.

10. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 8, wherein sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is outputted simultaneously when said image is displayed on said display unit.

11. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 9, wherein sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is outputted simultaneously when said image is displayed on said display unit.

12. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 7 wherein said operation guidance information is reproduced at a terminal apparatus connected to said object apparatus to manage said object apparatus.

13. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 12, wherein said database is provided on a side of an upper apparatus connected to said terminal apparatus to manage said terminal apparatus and is used commonly by another terminal apparatus.

14. An operation guidance information reproducing method for troubleshooting hardware of an object peripheral equipment with assistance by an operator, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading, in response to a condition of the hardware of said peripheral equipment, operation guidance information, which represents a physical troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator, from a database;

(b) reproducing the operation guidance information starting at a lowest degree of detail, to notify the operator of the corresponding troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator; and

(c) subsequently reproducing other operation guidance information of gradually higher degrees of detail stepwise, one step at every instruction corresponding to the operator'"'"'s request.

15. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 14, wherein an image obtained by visualizing the physical troubleshooting action from a viewpoint of the operator looking at the object apparatus is displayed as said operation guidance information on a predetermined display unit.

16. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 15, wherein character information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is displayed on said display unit as said operation guidance information along with said image.

17. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 15, wherein sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is outputted simultaneously when said image is displayed on said display unit.

18. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 16, wherein sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is outputted simultaneously when said image is displayed on said display unit.

19. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 14, wherein said operation guidance information is reproduced at a terminal apparatus connected to said object apparatus to manage said object apparatus.

20. The operation guidance information reproducing method according to claim 19, wherein said database is provided on a side of an upper apparatus connected to said terminal apparatus to manage said terminal apparatus and is used commonly by another terminal apparatus.

21. An operation guidance information reproducing apparatus for troubleshooting an error in hardware of an object peripheral equipment, which is operatively connected to a terminal apparatus to be monitored by an operator, comprising:

a reproduction control unit, operatively connected to said terminal apparatus and is adapted to be operatively connected to the object peripheral equipment, for reading, in response to the error occurring in the hardware of the object peripheral equipment, operation guidance information, which represents a physical troubleshooting action to be taken by an operator, from a database; and

a reproducing unit as the terminal apparatus, operatively connected to said reproduction control unit, for reproducing said operation guidance information, under the control of said reproduction control unit, to notify the operator of the corresponding troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator;

said operation guidance information further representing a condition of the hardware of the object peripheral equipment, which condition varies step by step with progress of the physical troubleshooting action taken by the operator.

22. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising a display unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and displaying said operation guidance information as an image, the image being obtained by visualizing the physical troubleshooting action from a viewpoint of the operator looking at said object apparatus.

23. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein character information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is reproduced and displayed on said display unit as said operation guidance information along with said image.

24. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 22 further comprising a sound outputting unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and outputting said operation guidance information as sound information explaining the physical troubleshooting action, reproduced and outputted from said sound outputting unit simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

25. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising a sound outputting unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and outputting said operation guidance information as sound information, explaining the physical troubleshooting action, reproduced and outputted from said sound outputting unit simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

26. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said database is provided on a side of an upper apparatus and is used commonly by another apparatus, from said sound outputting unit simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

27. An operation guidance information reproducing apparatus for troubleshooting an error in hardware of an object peripheral equipment, which equipment has at least one sensor for detecting when the error occurs in the hardware of the object peripheral equipment with assistance by an operator, comprising:

a reproduction control unit, is adapted to be operatively connected to the object peripheral equipment, for reading, in response to the error occurring in the hardware of the object peripheral equipment, operation guidance information, which represents a physical troubleshooting action to be taken by an operator from a database; and

a reproducing unit, operatively connected to said reproduction control unit, for reproducing said operation guidance information, under the control of said reproduction control unit, to notify the operator of the corresponding physical troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator;

said reproduction control unit being operable to control said reproducing unit so as to reproduce the operation guidance information corresponding to the detected error, as a condition of the object peripheral equipment which condition varies step by step with progress of the physical troubleshooting action taken by the operator.

28. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 27 further comprising a display unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and displaying said operation guidance information as an image, the image being obtained by visualizing the physical troubleshooting action from a viewpoint of the operator looking at said object apparatus.

29. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein character information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is reproduced and displayed on said display unit as said operation guidance information along the said image.

30. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising a sound outputting unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and outputting said operation guidance information as sound information, explaining the physical troubleshooting action, reproduced and outputted from said sound outputting unit simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

31. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 further comprising a sound outputting unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and outputting said operation guidance information as sound information, explaining the physical troubleshooting action, reproduced and outputted from said sound outputting simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

32. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said database is provided on a side of an upper apparatus and is used commonly by another apparatus.

33. An operation guidance information reproducing apparatus for troubleshooting an error in hardware of an object peripheral equipment with assistance by an operator, comprising:

a reproduction control unit, adapted to be operatively connected to the object peripheral equipment, for reading, response to the error occurred in the hardware of the object peripheral equipment, operation guidance information, which represents a physical trouble shooting action to be taken by an operator, from a database;

a reproducing unit, operatively connected to said reproduction control unit, for reproducing said operation guidance information, under the control of said reproduction control unit, to notify the operator of the corresponding troubleshooting action to be taken by the operator; and

an input unit, operatively connected said reproducing control unit and responsive to a request by the operator, for instructing to said reproducing control unit, to change the current operation guidance information, which is reproduced by said reproducing unit, with another operation guidance information of a higher degree of detail;

said reproduction control unit being operable to control said reproducing unit so as to reproduce the operation guidance information of the lowest degree of detail when the error occurs in the hardware of the object peripheral equipment and subsequently so as to reproduce other operation guidance information of gradually higher degrees of detail stepwise, one step at every instruction corresponding to the operator'"'"'s request.

34. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 33 further comprising a display unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and displaying said operation guidance information as an image, the image being obtained by visualizing the physical troubleshooting action from a viewpoint of the operator looking at said object apparatus.

35. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 34, wherein character information explaining the physical troubleshooting action is reproduced and displayed on said display unit as said operation guidance information along with said image.

36. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 34 further comprising a sound outputting unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and outputting said operation guidance information as sound information, explaining the physical troubleshooting action reproduced and outputted from said sound outputting unit simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

37. The operation guidance information reproducing apparatus according to claim 35 further comprising a sound outputting unit as said reproducing unit for reproducing and outputting said operation guidance information as sound information, explaining the physical troubleshooting action, reproduced and outputted from said sound outputting unit simultaneously when said image is reproduced and displayed on said display unit.

38. A multi-media information reproducing method for reproducing multi-media information including image information and sound information, comprising the steps of:

(I) storing in advance in a database said multi-media information including multi-media parts, each of the multi-media parts having (a) key data to discriminate from other multi-media parts and (b) contents of information to be notified to an operator, each of said multi-media parts being classified by said contents of information;

(II) forming sequence data, by assembling the individual key data of the multi-media parts successively one corresponding to each of successive instructions given by the operator; and

(III) reading, in accordance with the formed sequence data, the multi-media parts successively from the database and reproducing the successive multi-media parts in the order of said reading.

39. The multi-media information reproducing method according to claim 38, wherein the sequence data is produced in an interactive mode with said user.

40. The multi-media information reproducing method according to claim 38, wherein each of the multi-media parts has the key data unique to each of the multi-media parts, image data for one scene, sound data for the one scene, and control data for the image data and sound data.

41. The multi-media information reproducing method according to claim 39, wherein each of the multi-media parts has the key data unique to each of the multi-media parts, image data for one scene, sound data for the one scene, and control data for the image data and sound data.

42. A multi-media information reproducing apparatus, for reproducing image information and sound information of multi-media information respectively on a display unit and a sound outputting unit, comprising:

a database storing said multi-media information having multi-media parts each of the multi-media parts having (a) key data to discriminate from other multi-media parts and (b) contents of information to be notified to an operator;

an input unit for inputting successive instructions by the operator which instructions corresponding to the individual key data of said multi-media parts to be reproduced;

a sequence data forming means, operatively connected to said database and said input unit, for forming sequence data, response to the instruction inputted to said input unit, by assembling the individual key data of said multi-media parts; and

a sequence data reproducing means, operatively connected to said database and said sequence data forming means, for reading in accordance with the sequence data, the multi-media parts successively from the database and reproducing the successive multi-media parts in an order of said reading, when an instruction to start reproduction is entered through said input unit.

43. The multi-media information reproducing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said sequence data forming means reproduces said multi-media information necessary to form said sequence data at said display unit and said sound outputting unit, and forms said sequence data by receiving an instruction from a user referring to said multi-media information through said input unit.

44. The multi-media information reproducing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein each of said multi-media parts has key unique to each of said multi-media parts, image data for one scene, sound data for the one scene, and control data for the image data and the sound data.

45. The multi-media information reproducing apparatus according to claim 43, wherein each of said multi-media parts has key data unique to each of said multi-media parts, image data for one scene, sound data for the one scene, and control data for the image data and the sound data.