Method and system for access of online information

• US 6,456,303 B1
• Filed: 02/09/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harper, Kathleen K., Walden, Ralph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/020,259
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 345/336, 345/337, 345/338, 345/339, 345/340, 345/342, 345/347, 345/354, 345/356, 345/357, 345/705, 345/707, 345/708, 345/712, 345/714, 345/764, 345/781, 345/788, 345/792, 345/798-800, 345/808, 345/809, 345/840, 345/853-855, 345/760
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A system and method for providing improved access to online help information is provided in a computer system. A component of Internet browser software is used to implement improved help which can take advantage of HTML links to information via the Internet. A navigational window pane and a HTML window pane are provided in a single window. A Hide/Show button allows the user to delete the navigational window pane or to simultaneously display it along with the HTML window pane. Once a user selects a topic in the navigational window pane, the corresponding content information is displayed in the HTML window pane. A help tab is embedded in a program to facilitate easy switching between help and the program. In addition, a help button is used to provide a context-sensitive embedded help window which tracks the user'"'"'s activities. Calculations are performed for automatically sizing window panes in response to the Hide/Show button.

Claims

1. A computer system in which help information relating to a program is provided to a user, comprising:

a user-selectable feature for requesting information; and

a window responsive to activation of said user-selectable feature, the window comprising

a user-selectable device for controlling said information displayed in said window,

a toolbar pane,

a navigational pane, and

an HTML pane for displaying help information for the program, the help information being contained in HTML files store separately from the program.

2. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein activation of said user-selectable device causes said window to expand in response to a first command and causes said window to contract in response to a second command.

3. A computer system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first command is a show command and said second command is a hide command.

4. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user-selectable feature is a help button and said user-selectable device is a hide/show button.

5. A computer system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said navigational pane is no longer displayed when a hide function of said hide/show button is activated and said navigational pane is displayed when a show function of said hide/show button is activated.

6. A computer system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said navigational pane includes multiple forms of navigation information.

7. A computer system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said multiple forms of navigational information are accessed by tabs.

8. A computer system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tabs correspond to a table of contents, an index, and a search function.

9. A computer system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said display of said navigational pane is animated.

10. A computer system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said navigational pane, said HTML pane and said toolbar pane are coded into window structures;

and

upon activation of said hide function of said hide/show button, said toolbar pane is reformatted to fit directly over said HTML pane.

11. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said HTML pane also displays HTML links and said separately stored HTML files are accessed via universal resource locators.

12. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said HTML pane also displays HTML links.

13. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said separately stored HTML files are accessed via universal resource locators.

14. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an item selected in said navigational pane is synchronized to said help information displayed in said HTML pane.

15. A computer system as claimed in claim 14 wherein selections made in said navigational pane by a user are stored and retrieved.

16. A computer system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said help information displayed in said HTML pane is retrieved from the Internet.

17. A computer system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said help information displayed in said HTML pane is retrieved from local storage.

18. A computer system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said help information displayed in said HTML pane is retrieved from a CD-ROM.

19. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said navigational pane is deleted when the HTML pane is activated by a user.

20. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said window is embedded within the program.

21. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the window further comprises a sizing pane.

22. A computer system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said sizing pane is provided between said navigational pane and said HTML pane.

23. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein activation of said user-selectable device causes a first pane in said window to close and a second pane in said window to expand.

24. A computer system as claimed in claim 23 wherein said first pane is the navigational pane and said second pane is the HTML pane.

25. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a navigational expansion is maintained.

26. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said information is embedded within a dialog box.

27. A method for providing a user with help information relating to a program in a computer system, said method comprising:

providing a button for accessing information;

providing a window responsive to activation of said button by said user, said window comprising

a toolbar pane, the toolbar pane having a hide/show button for controlling information displayed in said window,

a navigational pane, and

an HTML pane for displaying help information relating to the program, the help information being contained in HTML files stored separately from the program.

28. In a computer system having a graphical user interface comprising a display and a user interface selection device, a method of providing a user with help information comprising the steps of:

opening a window in response to a use of said user interface selection device, said window comprising

a navigational pane,

an HTML pane for displaying help information for a program, the help information being contained in HTML files stored separately from the program, and

a hide/show button;

closing said navigational pane in response to activation of a hide portion of said hide/show button by said user interface selection device; and

opening said navigational pane in response to activation of a show portion of said hide/show button by said user interface selection device.

29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:

creating a window for providing help information, said window comprising

a toolbar pane,

a navigational pane and

an HTML pane for displaying help information for a software application that is contained in HTML files stored separately from the software application;

providing user-selectable means for controlling display of said help information; and

determining whether or not to display a navigational pane in said window for providing help information.

30. The computer-readable medium claimed in claim 29 wherein said computer-executable instructions are for performing said determining step based on a state of said user-selectable means.

31. The computer-readable medium claimed in claim 30 wherein said window further includes a sizing pane.

32. The computer-readable medium claimed in claim 31 further including computer-executable instructions for recalculating a size of said window when said determining step results in a decision not to display said navigational pane.

33. The computer-readable medium claimed in claim 32 further including computer-executable instructions for removing said sizing pane when said determining step results in a decision not to display said navigational pane.

34. The computer-readable medium claimed in claim 31 further including computer-executable instructions for recalculating a size of said HTML pane when said determining step results in a decision to display said navigational pane.

35. The computer-readable medium claimed in claim 34 further including computer-executable instructions for recalculating a size of said toolbar pane when said determining step results in a decision to display said navigational pane.

36. The computer-read medium claimed in claim 34 further including computer-executable instructions for restoring said sizing plane when said determining step results in a decision to display said navigational pane.

37. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:

creating a dialog template containing a plurality of tabs and a tab control;

creating a dialog procedure for at least one of said tabs;

creating a help window definition; and

embedding HTML information within said help window definition.