Device setup support system and method and recording medium

• US 6,392,670 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Takeshi, Tanaka, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/578,445
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 345/705-709, 345/714, 345/732, 345/781, 345/783, 345/803, 345/806, 345/769, 345/770, 345/764, 345/854, 345/785, 345/760, 345/712, 345/737
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/965 for process control and configuration

Abstract

An HTML file corresponding to the current selected step is displayed by a WWW browser as a display screen 160. A link title 168 represents the preceding step; the link titles are linked with the HTML files corresponding to the preceding steps separately. A link title 170 represents the step following the current step; it is linked with an HTML file 174 corresponding to the following step. Thus, the user can select any one only from among all steps corresponding to the link titles 168 and the following step 174 and cannot skip steps following the current step to select any one of the following steps.

Claims

1. A device setup support system for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, said system comprising:

step output sequence setting means for dividing the device setup into steps and setting a list of a sequence of the steps;

guidance data storage means for forming guidance for describing the steps, the guidance comprising at least images having at least image data, and storing the data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

step selection means for referencing the step output sequence and outputting a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed; and

guidance output means for outputting the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection means by the user in step units wherein the guidance is formed of files linked with each other, and wherein

said step selection means describes information linked with the guidance files corresponding to the next selectable steps in the guidance file corresponding to the current step selected.

2. The device setup support system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step which is allowed according to the allowable condition is every step preceding the current step selected based on the list sequence set in said step output sequence setting means.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said selection means comprises a memory map storing history information for a particular step that indicates whether said particular step has been reviewed.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said memory map includes a history entry for each step, and a link entry for each step, said link entry for each step including HTML link information for retrieving information pertaining to said each step.

5. A device setup support method for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing the device setup into steps and setting a list sequence of the steps;

forming guidance for describing the steps, the guidance comprising at least images having at least image data and storing the data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

referencing the step output sequence and outputting a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed; and

outputting the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection by the user in step units, wherein the guidance data is formed of files linked with each other.

6. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute means for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, comprising:

a step output sequence setting function for dividing the device setup into steps and setting a list sequence of the steps;

a guidance data storage function for forming guidance for describing the steps, the guidance comprising at least images having at least image data, and storing the data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

a step selection control function for referencing the step output sequence and controlling output of a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed; and

a guidance output control function for controlling output of the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection means by the user in step units, wherein the guidance is formed of files linked with each other, and wherein said step selection control function describes information linked with the guidance files corresponding to the next selectable steps in the guidance file corresponding to the current step selected.

7. The recording medium as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step which is allowed according to the allowable condition is every step preceding the current step selected based on the list sequence set in said step output sequence setting means.

8. A recording medium according to claim 6, wherein said program references a memory map storing history information for a particular step that indicates whether said particular step has been reviewed.

9. A recording medium according to claim 8, wherein said memory map includes a history entry for each step, and a link entry for each step, said link entry for each step including HTML link information for retrieving information pertaining to said each step.

10. A device setup support system for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, said system comprising:

step output sequence setting means for dividing the device setup into steps and setting a list of a sequence of the steps;

guidance data storage means for forming guidance for describing the steps, the guidance comprising at least images having at least image data, and storing the data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

step selection means for referencing the step output sequence and outputting a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed, said selection means comprising a memory map storing history information for a particular step that indicates whether said particular step has been reviewed; and

guidance output means for outputting the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection means by the user in step units.

11. A device setup support system for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, said system comprising:

step output circuitry programmed to divide the device setup into steps and determine a sequence of the steps;

data storage device which stores image data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

step selection circuitry which is programmed to reference the step output sequence and output a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed; and

guidance output device which for outputs the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection means by the user in step units wherein the guidance is formed of files linked with each other, and wherein

said step selection circuitry is programmed to describe information linked with the guidance files corresponding to the next selectable steps in the guidance file corresponding to the current step selected.

12. The device setup support system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step which is allowed according to the allowable condition is every step preceding the current step selected based on the sequence determined by said step output circuitry.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein said step selection cicrcuitry comprises a memory map storing history information for a particular step that indicates whether said particular step has been reviewed.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said memory map includes a history entry for each step, and a link entry for each step, said link entry for each step including HTML link information for retrieving information pertaining to said each step.

15. A device setup support method for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, said method comprising:

dividing the device setup into steps and determining a sequence of steps;

forming guidance data by storing image data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

referencing the step sequence and outputting a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed; and

outputting the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection by the user in step units, wherein the guidance data is formed of files linked with each other.

16. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to support operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, comprising:

a step output sequence setting function for dividing the device setup into steps and determining a sequence of the steps;

a guidance data storage function for forming guidance for describing the steps, the guidance comprising image data, and for storing the data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

a step selection control function for referencing the step output sequence and controlling output of a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed; and

a guidance output control function for controlling output of the guidance data corresponding to the step selected by the user, wherein the guidance is formed of files linked with each other, and wherein said step selection control function describes information linked with the guidance files corresponding to the next selectable steps in the guidance file corresponding to the current step selected.

17. The recording medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step which is allowed according to the allowable condition is every step preceding the current step selected based on said sequence.

18. A recording medium according to claim 16, wherein said program references a memory map storing history information for a particular step that indicates whether said particular step has been reviewed.

19. A recording medium according to claim 18, wherein said memory map includes a history entry for each step, and a link entry for each step, said link entry for each step including HTML link information for retrieving information pertaining to said each step.

20. A device setup support system for supporting operation of a user under guidance from an output unit when the user sets up a device in a predetermined state, said system comprising:

step output sequence setting circuitry programmed to divide the device setup into steps and set a list of a sequence of the steps;

guidance data storage device which forms guidance for describing the steps, the guidance comprising image data, and which stores the data so that the data can be retrieved corresponding to each of the setup steps;

step selection circuitry programmed to reference the step output sequence and output a step immediately following the current step selected and a step which is allowed according to an allowable condition as the next selectable steps so that the user can select one of the steps, said allowed steps being limited to certain previously selected steps to ensure that the user only views a step which is immediately following the current step or a step which the user has previously viewed, said selection circuitry utilizing a memory map storing history information for a particular step that indicates whether said particular step has been reviewed; and

guidance output circuitry for outputting the guidance data corresponding to the step selected through said step selection circuitry by the user in step units.