User operable help information system

• US 7,836,401 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hathaway, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault; Steven B
• Application Number:
  US10/636,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20040187082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,658 Days
• Field of Search: 715/705
• US Class Current: 715/714
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments provide a system for providing help information supporting at least one executable application. The system can comprise an interface processor for receiving user-entered data representing a help message conveying help information, a creation time indicator identifying a creation time of the help message, and an identifier for identifying a help information repository associated with the help message. A data processor can store the help message in the help information repository in order of creation by using the creation time indicator.

Claims

1. A system for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising:

an interface processor for receiving;

user entered data representing a help message conveying help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using at least one executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem,

a creation time indicator identifying a creation time of said help message; and

an identifier for identifying a help information repository associated with said help message;

a user interface providing a display image including a help message and enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said help information repository; and

a data processor for storing said help message conveying help information in said help information repository in order of creation by using said creation time indicator wherein

said data processor automatically parses a help message and creates a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message and

said data processor automatically deletes said help message after expiration of a time period from a creation time.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said display image includes a link representative item enabling a user to retrieve said additional document and enables a user to retrieve help message information from said help information repository sorted by creation time using a creation time indicator and

said interface processor comprises a search operation, said search operation allows a user to search help information repository.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said creation time indicator includes a creation date indicator and said data processor stores said message conveying help information in said help information repository in order of creation by using said creation time and date indicator.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said interface processor receives said help message in response to user entry of said data representing said help message using a help window generated in response to user selection of a help icon presented in a displayed user interface image employed by said executable application and

said help information repository comprises records of help messages associated with at least one of:

(a) said displayed user interface image and (b) an image element in said displayed user interface image.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein

individual displayed user interface images employed by said executable application are associated with corresponding individual information repositories comprising records of help messages concerning a corresponding displayed user interface image.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said help information repository associated with said help message comprises at least one of:

(a) a web page, (b) a journal, (c) a database, (d) a record and (e) a system, of help information and

said help information repository is accessible by users of said executable application.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said creation time of said help message comprises at least one of (a) a time associated with receipt of said help message by said interface processor in response to user data entry, (b) a time associated with incorporation of said help message in said help information repository, (c) a time associated with entry of said help message by a user, (d) a time associated with communication of said help message to said help information repository and (e) a time associated with receipt of said help message by said help information repository.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said data processor stores said help message conveying help information in said help information repository together with at least one of:

(a) an indicator identifying a displayed user interface image associated with said help message, said user interface image being employed by said executable application, (b) a repository section identifier, (c) a sequence number identifying a message sequence within a repository section, (c) a help message creation time or date indicator, (d) information identifying a user creating or updating said help message, (e) a time or date indicator indicating expiration of validity of said help message.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein

said repository section identifier identifies that said help message is to be stored in a repository section comprising at least one of (a) a repository section accessible to all users, (b) a repository section accessible to an administrator, (c) a repository section accessible to an organization operating said executable application and (d) a repository section accessible to an organization owning said executable application.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein

said interface processor receives said at least one indicator (a) to (e).

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein

said data processor stores said message conveying help information in said section identified by said section indicator.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said section comprises at least one of:

(a) a section accessible to all users and (b) a section accessible by particular user and concerning policies and procedures.

13. A system for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising:

an interface processor for receiving;

user entered data representing a message conveying help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using at least one executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem;

a creation time indicator identifying a creation time of said help message;

an identifier for identifying a help information repository associated with said help message, and

a section indicator identifying a section of said help information repository associated with said help message and said interface processor initiates searching of said help information repository to identify help messages in response to user command;

a user interface providing a display image presenting identified help messages ranked according to creation time and including a particular help message and a user selectable link enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said help information repository; and

a data processor for storing said help message conveying help information in said help information repository in an order of creation using said creation time indicator wherein

said interface processor automatically parses a help message and creates a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message and

said image presents messages conveying help information in time order of creation with a most recently created message being presented first.

14. A system for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising:

a command processor for;

receiving a request to access help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using at least one executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem and including an indicator identifying a particular user interface display image employed by said at least one executable application and associated with said help information request,

retrieving help information from a repository in response to said request; and

a display generator for initiating display of at least one image in response to said request, said at least one image including messages conveying help information in a time order of creation and associated with said displayed user interface image employed by said executable application and enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said help information repository wherein

said command processor automatically parses a help message and creates a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message and

said at least one image presents messages conveying help information in time order of creation with a most recently created message being presented first.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein

said display image includes a link representative item enabling a user to retrieve said additional document and enables a user to retrieve help message information from said help information repository sorted in time order of creation and

said command processor receives a request to access help information supporting user operation of multiple executable applications and including an indicator identifying a particular user interface display image of a particular executable application.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein

said time order of creation of said message comprises an order based on at least one of;

(a) a time associated with receipt of said message by said interface processor in response to user data entry, (b) a time associated with incorporation of said message in said repository, (c) a time associated with entry of said message by a user, (d) a time associated with communication of said message to said repository and (e) a time associated with receipt of said message by said repository.

17. A system according to claim 14, wherein

said command processor automatically parses a help message and creates a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message and

said at least one image presents messages conveying help information in time order of creation with a most recently created message being presented first.

18. A system according to claim 14, wherein

said at least one image includes instructions guiding a user in use of functions available in said image.

19. A system for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising:

a display generator for initiating display of at least one help access image in response to user selection of a help icon associated with a user interface image employed by said executable application, said help access image including an image element enabling a user to at least one of;

(a) add a message to a help information repository,

(b) access user manual information associated with said user interface image employed by said executable application,

(c) read information derived from said help information repository including messages conveying help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using said executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem in a time order of creation and associated with said user interface image employed by said executable application, and

(d) retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from a help information repository; and

a command processor for initiating access to said help information repository in response to user activation of said image element and for automatically parsing a help message and creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message and for providing a search function.

20. A method for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising the activities of:

receiving;

(a) user entered data representing a message conveying help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using said executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem,

(b) an indicator identifying a creation time of said message,

(c) an identifier for identifying a help information repository associated with said message;

providing a display image including a help message and enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said help information repository;

storing said help message conveying help information in said help information repository in order of creation by using said indicator; and

automatically parsing a help message and creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message; and

providing a search function.

21. A method for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising the activities of:

receiving a request to access help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using said executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem and including an indicator identifying a particular user interface display image employed by said executable application and associated with said request;

retrieving help information from a repository in response to said request;

initiating display of at least one image in response to said request, said at least one image including messages conveying help information in a time order of creation and associated with said user interface display image employed by said executable application and enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said help information repository; and

automatically parsing a help creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message; and

providing a search function.

22. A method for providing help information supporting user operation of at least one executable application, comprising the activities of:

initiating display of at least one help access image in response to user selection of a help icon associated with a user interface image employed by said executable application, said help access image including an image element enabling a user to at least one of

(a) add a message to a help information repository,

(b) access user manual information associated with said user interface image employed by said executable application,

(c) read information derived from said help information repository including messages conveying help information addressing a recorded problem encountered in using said executable application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem in a time order of creation and associated with said user interface image employed by said executable application, and

(d) retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from a help information repository;

initiating access to said help information repository in response to user activation of said image element; and

automatically parsing a help message and creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message; and

providing a search function.

23. A method, comprising the activities of:

in response to a first single action, presenting a help log comprised by a user-editable help application, the help log corresponding to an operation related to a computer application;

in response to a second single action, providing a user-defined help message to a database, the user-defined help message comprising information related to the operation and addressing a recorded problem encountered in using said computer application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem;

rendering the user-defined help message according to a creation time in the help log;

providing a display image including said help message and enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said database;

automatically parsing a help message and creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message; and

providing a search function.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

displaying a link representative item in said help message enabling a user to retrieve said additional document and enabling a user to retrieve help message information from said database sorted by creation time; and

providing a confirmation of a posting of the help message.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

automatically parsing a help message and creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message; and

providing a search function.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising:

providing a preview of the user-defined help message.

27. A method, comprising the activities of:

via a first single action, accessing a help log comprised by a user-editable help application, the help log corresponding to an operation related to a computer application;

via a second single action, providing a user-defined help message to the user-editable help application, the user-defined help message comprising information related to the operation and addressing a recorded problem encountered in using said computer application by providing information for eliminating or reducing said problem;

displaying the user-defined help message according to a creation time in the help log;

enabling a user to retrieve an additional document associated with a particular help message from said database;

automatically parsing a help message and creating a link for retrieving said additional document by converting text into a hyperlink and inserting said hyperlink in a help message; and

providing a search function.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the help log comprises at least one of:

organization information, employee information, policy information, and procedure information.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the user-defined help message comprises at least one of:

organization information, employee information, policy information, and procedure information.