Wizard and help file search and management

• US 7,209,912 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mu, Zhiqiang, Yu, Shuling
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz; Apu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cindy
• Application Number:
  US09/875,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/100, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and system are provided for searching and finding help files and wizards of computer operating systems and computer software applications that allow system administrators or users to quickly find the help file or wizard, invoke the help file or wizard, and execute the help file or wizard. Search keywords may be entered into a search dialog using a variety of different languages.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of searching for a help utility, comprising the steps of:

providing a utility search dialog rendered via an interface of a computer;

receiving via the interface input of one or more search keywords directed to at least one help utility;

searching a single database containing a plurality of help utilities received in the database from all of a plurality of different computer operating systems, wherein the plurality of help utilities are associated with the plurality of different operating systems and assist in maintaining and configuring the plurality of different computer operating systems wherein the plurality of help utilities comprises a plurality of help files and a plurality of wizards;

if after the step of searching the database containing the plurality of help utilities, a help utility is found matching the keywords, among the plurality of help utilities,

executing the help utility wherein the plurality of help utilities comprises the plurality of help flies and the plurality of wizards;

if after the step of searching the database containing the plurality of help utilities, no help utility is found matching the keywords, then;

providing the utility search dialog;

inputting one or more additional keywords directed to at least one of the plurality of help utilities; and

searching the database containing the plurality of help utilities,

wherein the plurality of help utilities comprises a plurality of help files and a plurality of wizards; and

wherein the plurality of help files and wizards are in a variety of different languages.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether more than one help utility is found matching the keywords;

displaying all help utilities found to match the keywords; and

selecting one of all help utilities found to match keywords.

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

if after the step of searching the database containing the plurality, of help files and wizards, no help file and wizard are found matching the keywords but a related wizard that closely approximates the keywords is found, then displaying the related wizard; and

invoking the related wizard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of help utilities further include help utilities provided by a variety of computer software applications.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein each wizard is associated with one of the plurality of different computer operating systems.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein each help file is associated with one of the plurality of different computer operating systems.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search keywords may be input using a plurality of different languages according to preferred spoken languages.