Synchronized helper system using paired computing device

• US 8,311,585 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Kam
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/864,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/418, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/419, 455/558, 455/420, 455/557, 455/550.1, 455/574, 370/328, 370/278, 370/338, 379/37, 709/219, 709/224, 709/218
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

A helper system uses a computing device paired with a mobile computing device to provide help information associated with operation of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device and the paired computing devices are synchronized so that the help information relevant to the current status of the mobile computing device is provided by the paired computing device. By providing the help information on the paired computing device, the user may conveniently access the user information without interrupting the use of application program running on the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

a first user interface module for interacting with a user of the mobile computing device and configured to receive a user input indicating a request for help information;

a memory module for storing data associated with operation of one or more programs, the data comprising a status data representing a status of the first user interface module associated with running of one or more programs on the mobile computing device; and

a communication module operably coupled to the memory module, the communication module configured to send the status data to a paired computing device configured to operate in conjunction with the mobile computing device and send updated status data to the paired computing device responsive to a change in the operation of the one or more programs in the first user interface, the paired computing device comprising a second user interface configured to display on a display of the paired computing device help information that is synchronized with the status of the first user interface module of the mobile computing device.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the first user interface module comprises a first display device having a first display size, and the second user interface module comprises a second display device having a second display size, the second display size larger than the first display size, and the second display device being the display of the paired computing device.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the status data comprises screen identification data for identifying screen images displayed on the first display device.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the second display device displays the help information for the images displayed on the first display device.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the communication module receives user inputs associated with the program via the paired computing device.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the communication module is a Bluetooth module.

7. A computing device paired with a mobile computing device for providing help information associated with operation of the mobile computing device, the computing device comprising:

help data storage for storing the help information associated with one or more programs executable on the mobile computing device;

a communication module for receiving status data from the mobile computing device, the status data identifying a status of a first user interface module of the mobile computing device associated with execution of the one or more programs on the mobile computing device;

a display; and

a second user interface module associated with the help data storage and the communication module, the user interface module displaying on the display the help information that is synchronized with the status of the first user interface module of the mobile computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the first user interface module comprises a first display device having a first display size, and the second user interface module comprises a second display device having a second display size, the second display size larger than the first display size, the second display device being the display of the computing device.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the status data comprising screen identification data for identifying screen images displayed on the first display device.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the second display device displays a screen image displayed on the first display device.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the communication module sends to the mobile computing device user inputs associated with a program running on the mobile computing device.

12. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the communication module is a Bluetooth module.

13. The computing device of claim 7, further comprising:

a browser associated with the second user interface to render a screen image to be displayed on the second user interface; and

a plug-in associated with the browser and the help data storage, the plug-in controlling the browser to display the help information synchronized with a screen image displayed on the first user interlace.

14. A method of providing help information for operating a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a status data identifying a status of a first user interface module of the mobile computing device at a computing device paired with the mobile computing device;

retrieving help information associated with the status data at the paired computing device;

displaying the help information corresponding to the status data on a second user interface module of the paired computing device; and

updating the help information displayed on the second user interface module responsive to receiving the status data indicating change of the status of the first user interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein updating the help information is performed in-real time with the change in the status of the first user interface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the status of the first user interface comprises screen images displayed on a display device of the mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

at the paired computing device, receiving user inputs associated with configuration of the mobile computing device; and

sending the received user input from the paired computing device to the mobile computing device.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

querying help information storage in the paired computing device for help information corresponding to the status data; and

responsive to not finding the help information corresponding to the status data in the help information storage, retrieving the help information from a remote server.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions executable by a processor, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

receive a status data identifying a status of a first user interface module of the mobile computing device at a computing device paired with the mobile computing device;

retrieve help information associated with the status data at the paired computing device;

display the help information corresponding to the status data on a second user interface module of the paired computing device; and

update the help information displayed on the second user interface module responsive to receiving the status data indicating change of the status of the first user interface.