Method and apparatus for integrating remote human interactive assistance function into software systems

• US 6,658,466 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1996
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayes, Robert A., Ellestad, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/729,362
• Time in Patent Office: 2,603 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/200.47, 395/200.43, 395/200.57, 395/200.41, 345/336, 345/338, 345/705, 345/708, 345/714, 709/224, 709/227, 709/288, 717/127, 717/131
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method and an apparatus provide an application program user with remote interactive assistance from an application program expert. During running the application program, an information collection routine collects the information needed by the application program expert for the remote interactive assistance. In response to an assistance request, a call routine dials an application program expert based on the name of the application program, an information transfer routine transmits the collected information to the application program expert, and a display routine displays the collected information to the application program expert. The application program expert provides remote interactive assistance to the user based on the collected information.

Claims

1. A method for providing assistance for an application program, comprising the steps of:

(a) running a first instance of said application program on a first computer system used by a user;

(b) collecting at said first computer system, information associated with said application program including an application identifier for said application program;

(c) requesting at said first computer system assistance from a person;

(d) establishing, based upon said application identifier of said collected information, a communication link between said first computer system used by said user and a second computer system used by said person in response to said requesting step; and

(e) transmitting said collected information automatically to said second computer system used by said person via said communication link in response to said requesting step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting step includes the step of collecting said information while said application program is executing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(f) providing said assistance by said person in reference to said collected information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting step includes the step of executing a software routine to transmit said collected information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

invoking a second instance of said application program on said second computer system based upon said application identifier in response to said requesting step.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said running step includes the step of operating on a data file with said application program, and

said collecting step includes the step of including in said collected information data structure of said data file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said running step includes the step of operating on a data file by executing commands of said application program, and

said collecting step includes the step of including in said collected information (i) said commands that have been executed, and (ii) changes that have resulted from said commands.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said application identifier includes a name for said application program.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said application identifier includes a name and a version for said application program.

17. The system of claim 5, wherein said application identifier includes a name and a version for said application program.

10. A computer system for providing assistance for an application program, comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory having said application program and a plurality of assistance routines stored therein; and

a processing unit coupled to said memory and operable to execute said application program and said plurality of assistance routines, said plurality of assistance routines when executed by said processing unit cause said processing unit to;

(a) collect information associated with said application program including a data file upon which said application program is operating;

(b) establish with said communication interface a communication link to a second computer system in response to a user requesting assistance for said application program; and

(c) transmit said collected information automatically to said second computer system via said communication link in response to said user requesting assistance.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of assistance routines when executed by said processing unit further cause said processing unit to:

collect said information such that said collected information includes an application identifier for said application program; and

establish said communication link based upon said application identifier.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein:

said application program when executed by said processing unit further causes said processing unit to operate on a data file by executing commands of said application program, and

said plurality of assistance routines when executed by said processing unit further cause said processing unit to collect said information such that said collected information includes said commands executed by said application program and changes that have resulted from said commands.

13. A system for providing assistance for an application program, comprising:

a first computer system having a first communication interface, and a second computer system having a second communication interface, wherein;

said first computer system is operable to (i) execute a first instance of said application program, (ii) collect information associated with said application program including an application identifier for said application program, (iii) establish, based upon said application identifier of said collected information, a communication link between said first communication interface and said second communication interface in response to a user requesting assistance for said application program, and (iv) transmit said collected information automatically to said second computer system via said communication link in response to said user requesting assistance, and

said second computer system is operable to (i) receive said collected information from said first computer system via said communication link, and (ii) provide said assistance to said user that is generated by a person using said collected information received by said second computer system.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said first computer system is further operable to:

cause a second instance of said application program to be invoked on said second computer system based upon said application identifier.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said first computer system is further operable to:

operate on a data file, and

collect said information such that said collected information includes a data structure of said data file.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein said first computer system is further operable to:

operate on a data file by executing commands of said application program, and

collect said information such that said collected information includes said commands executed by said application program and changes that have resulted from said commands.

18. A method for providing assistance for an application program, comprising:

(a) running a first instance of an application program on a first computer system used by a user;

(b) collecting at said first computer system, information associated with said application program including an application identifier for said application program;

(c) detecting activation of an icon displayed by said first computer system to determine a user has requested application program expert assistance;

(d) establishing a communication link between said first computer system and a second computer system in response to activating aid icon in (c);

(e) transmitting said collected information to said second computer system via said communication link;

(f) invoking automatically a second instance of said application program on said second computer system based upon said application identifier of said collected information in response to said second computer system receiving said collected information; and

(g) transferring voice signals from said person to said user via said communications link, said voice signals providing said assistance and based upon said second instance of said application program and said collected information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

(h) detecting use of improper commands to determine whether said user may need assistance with said application program; and

(i) displaying said icon in response to determining that said user may need assistance with said application program in (h).

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

said running step includes the step of operating on a data file by executing commands of said application program, and

said collecting step includes the step of including in said collected information (i) said commands that have been executed, and (ii) changes that have resulted from said commands.