Obtaining user assistance

• US 7,664,736 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Malamud, Mark A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/037,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus, device, method, computer program product, and system that searches a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to a plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with a user-selected item. Each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to the prior presence within a geographic locale of the corresponding item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of items respectively having an embedded electronic device, each item of the plurality of items respectively having had a prior presence within a geographic locale;

b) searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been obtained in response to an automatic identification of each item of the plurality of items during a prior presence within the geographic locale, the automatic identification of each item of the plurality of items including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the item in response to a presence of the item within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the item in response to the signal indicative of the item; and

c) saving the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of items respectively having an embedded electronic device includes

receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected apparatus having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of apparatus respectively having an embedded electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item respectively having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of items having an embedded electronic device includes

receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected apparatus having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of apparatus respectively having an electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the each item of the plurality of items respectively having had a prior presence within a geographic locale includes

each item of the plurality of items respectively having had a prior physical presence within a premises.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been obtained in response to a recognition of the prior presence within the geographic locale of each item of the plurality of items includes

each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been obtained in response to an identification of each item of the plurality of items during a prior presence within the geographic locale.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item includes

searching a plurality of end user assistances for information correlating with the user-selected item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item includes

searching a plurality of end user assistances for instructions correlating with the user-selected item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item includes

searching a plurality of saved end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) providing the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the end user assistance includes at least one of an end user information corresponding to the user-selected item having an embedded electronic device, an end user instruction corresponding to the user-selected item having an embedded electronic device, an end user education corresponding to the user-selected item having an embedded electronic device, and/or an end user operation information corresponding to the user-selected item having an embedded electronic device.

10. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium and encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system a computer process, the computer process comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of items respectively having an embedded electronic device, each item of the plurality of items respectively having had a prior physical presence within a geographic locale;

b) searching a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been obtained in response to an automatic recognition of the prior physical presence of each item of the within a geographic locale, the automatic identification of each item of the plurality of items including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the item in response to a presence of the item within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the item in response to the signal indicative of the item; and

c) saving the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the process further comprises:

providing the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program product includes a computer storage medium.

13. A system comprising:

a) a computing device; and

b) instructions embodied in a computer readable storage medium that when executed on the computing device cause the computing device to;

(i) receive an input corresponding to a user-selected item having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of items respectively having an embedded electronic device, each item of the plurality of items respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale;

(ii) search a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the end-user selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been obtained in response to an automatic recognition of the prior presence within the geographic locale of each item of the plurality of the respective items during a prior presence within the geographic locale, the automatic identification of each item of the plurality of items including;

1) receiving a signal indicative of the item in response to a presence of the item within the geographic locale; and

2) identifying the item in response to the signal indicative of the item; and

(iii) save the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions further include:

provide the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.

15. A method comprising:

a) saving a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to a plurality of electronic devices each having at least one aspect, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an automatic identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices during a prior presence within a geographic locale, the automatic identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic device including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the electronic device in response to a presence of the electronic device within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the electronic device in response to the signal indicative of the electronic device;

b) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected aspect of an electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;

c) searching the saved plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating to the user-selected aspect of an electronic device; and

d) saving the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected aspect of an electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices during a presence within a geographic locale includes

each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices during a presence within a premises.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a first electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices has a first presence within the geographic locale and a second electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices has a second presence with the geographic locale.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices includes

an automatic identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

d) providing the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected aspect of an electronic device.

20. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable storage medium and encoding a computer program for executing a computer process on a computer system, the computer process comprising:

a) saving a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to a plurality of items each having an embedded electronic device and at least one aspect, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances respectively having been obtained in response to an automatic identification of each item of the plurality of items during a prior presence within a geographic locale, the automatic identification of each electronic device of the plurality if item including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the item in response to a presence of the item within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the item in response to the signal indicative of the item;

b) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected aspect of an item having an embedded electronic device and at least one aspect of the plurality of items having an embedded electronic device and at least one aspect;

c) searching the saved plurality of end user assistances for an end user assistance correlating to the user-selected aspect of an item; and

d) providing the end user assistance correlating to the user-selected aspect of the item.

21. A method comprising:

a) providing an input-selection to a user interface associated with a computing device, the provided input-selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device of a plurality of electronic devices, each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices respectively having had a prior recognized presence within a geographic locale;

b) waiting while the computing device searches a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of electronic devices for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected aspect of an electronic device, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been respectively obtained in response to an automatic identification of each electronic device of the plurality of electronic device during a prior presence within a geographic locale, the automatic identification of each electronic device of the plurality of items including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the electronic device in response to a presence of the electronic device within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the electronic device in response to the signal indicative of the electronic device; and

c) receiving an end user assistance correlating to the input-selection.

22. A method comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected apparatus from a plurality of apparatus, each apparatus of the plurality of apparatus respectively having a prior presence within a geographic locale;

b) searching a plurality of assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of apparatus for an assistance correlating with the user-selected apparatus, each assistance of the plurality of user assistances having been respectively obtained in response to an automatic identification of each apparatus of the plurality of apparatus during a prior presence within a geographic locale, the automatic identification of each apparatus of the plurality of apparatus including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the apparatus in response to a presence of the apparatus within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the apparatus in response to the signal indicative of the apparatus; and

c) saving the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected apparatus.

24. A method comprising:

a) receiving an input corresponding to a user-selected item having an embedded electronic device from a plurality of items respectively having an embedded electronic device, each item of the plurality of items respectively having had a prior presence within a geographic locale;

b) searching a file that includes a plurality of end user assistances respectively corresponding to the plurality of items for an end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item, each end user assistance of the plurality of end user assistances having been added to the file in response to an automatic recognition of the prior presence of each item of the plurality of items within the geographic locale, the automatic recognition of each item of the plurality of items including;

(i) receiving a signal indicative of the item in response to a presence of the item within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the item in response to the signal indicative of the item; and

c) saving the end user assistance correlating with the user-selected item.