Enhanced user assistance

• US 9,098,826 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rinaldo, Jr., John D., Malamud, Mark A., Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JOHNESE T
• Application Number:
  US10/978,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,931 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems that provide a user assistance. In an approach, an exemplary method includes receiving a query related to an item through a first user interface associated with the item, and providing an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface associated with the item. In another approach, an exemplary system includes an item having a receiver, an indicator, a computing device, and instructions. The instructions when implemented in the computing device cause the computing device to activate a help mode, receive a selection of the aspect of the item through the receiver, and broadcast a tutorial that includes information related to the selected aspect of the item through the indicator.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a. receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device; and

b. providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes receiving a selection of an aspect of the electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface includes receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface includes at least one of detecting a touch through a first user interface, detecting a sound through the first user interface, or detecting a sound through the first user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a vehicle and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes an appliance and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the appliance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a manufacturing apparatus and the receiving query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the manufacturing apparatus.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a control system and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the control system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device includes providing a user assistance.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device includes at least one of visually providing an assistance, audibly providing an assistance, providing a spoken assistance, or tactilely providing an assistance.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device includes at least one of providing a guided response assistance associated with an aspect of the electronic device, providing an interactive tutorial assistance associated with an aspect of the electronic device, providing a description of an aspect of the electronic device, or providing an assistance showing how an aspect of the device works.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

c. searching an assistance file for an assistance correlating with the query.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes receiving a query related to an electronic device having a computing device through a first user interface of the computing device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

c. sensing a context of the electronic device and wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context of the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein sensing a context of the electronic device includes at least one of sensing a context extrinsic to the electronic device, sensing an environment extrinsic to the electronic device, or sensing a context intrinsic to the electronic device.

18. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer instructions which, when run on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a user interface operably couplable to the electronic device.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a user interface operably couplable to the electronic device includes:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system operably couplable to the electronic device.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system operably couplable to the electronic device includes:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system, the user interface wirelessly couplable to the electronic device.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system, the user interface wirelessly couplable to the electronic device includes:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system, the user interface wirelessly couplable to at least one radio frequency identifier (RFID) of the electronic device.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system operably couplable to the electronic device includes:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a user interface of a gaming system, the user interface electrically couplable to the electronic device.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system operably couplable to the electronic device includes:

receiving a query, related to an aspect of game program implemented the gaming system and correlating to the electronic device, through the gaming interface operably couplable to the electronic device.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes:

providing an assistance, correlating to the aspect of a game program implemented in a gaming system and correlating to the electronic device, through a display interface.

49. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes:

receiving a query related to a gaming system through a first user interface of the gaming system.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the receiving a query related to a gaming system through a first user interface of the gaming system includes:

receiving a query related to a gaming system through a first user interface operably coupled to the gaming system.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the receiving a query related to a gaming system through a first user interface of the gaming system includes:

receiving a query related to a game program implemented in the gaming system through a first user interface of the gaming system.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes:

providing an assistance correlating to an aspect of the game program implemented in the gaming system through the second user interface of the gaming system.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to an aspect of the game program implemented in the gaming system through the second user interface of the gaming system includes:

providing an assistance correlating to an aspect of the game program implemented in the gaming system through a display device of the gaming system.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes:

providing an assistance correlating to an aspect of the game program implemented in the gaming system through a display device operably coupled to the gaming system.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the receiving a query related to a gaming system through a first user interface of the gaming system includes:

receiving a touch input to the first user interface of the gaming system.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein the receiving a query related to a gaming system through a first user interface of the gaming system includes:

detecting a presence of an object in proximity to the first user interface of the gaming system.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the detecting a presence of an object in proximity to the first user interface of the gaming system includes:

detecting an object contact input to the first user interface of the gaming system.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the detecting a presence of an object in proximity to the first user interface of the gaming system includes:

detecting a wireless input indicative of a proximity of the object via the first user interface of the gaming system.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the detecting a wireless input indicative of a proximity of the object via the first user interface of the gaming system includes:

detecting at least one of a radio frequency input, an optical input, or infrared input indicative of a proximity of the object via the first user interface of the gaming system.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes:

providing an assistance responsive to the presence of the object in proximity to the first user interface of the gaming system.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the providing an assistance responsive to the presence of the object in proximity to the first user interface of the gaming system includes:

providing an assistance correlating to an aspect of a game program implemented in the gaming system, the aspect associated with the object.

19. A system comprising:

a. an electronic device having a first user interface, a second user interface, and a computing device; and

b. instructions which when implemented in the computing device cause the computing device for;

i. receiving a query related to the electronic device through the first user interface; and

ii. providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through the second user interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the first user interface includes a button.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the second user interface includes a visual display.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the first user interface includes a first user interface associated with an aspect of the electronic device.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the electronic device further includes a context sensor.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein, the instructions further include an instruction to

iii. receive a context of the electronic device from the context sensor;

and

wherein the instruction (ii) provide an assistance correlating to the query includes provide an assistance correlating to the query and the context.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the electronic device includes at least one of a vehicle, an appliance, a manufacturing apparatus, or a control system.

28. A method comprising:

a. receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device;

b. receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device; and

c. providing an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through a third user interface of the electronic device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state, and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes a receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device associated with the aspect.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes a receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an electronic device having a computing device through a first user interface of the computing device associated with the aspect.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

d. searching an assistance file for the assistance correlating to the assistance request.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

d. sensing a context of the electronic device and wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context of the electronic device.

35. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

d. receiving an input responsive to the provided assistance.

36. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions which, when run on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 28.

37. A system comprising:

a. an electronic device having a first user interface, a second user interface, a third user interface, and a computing device; and

b. instructions which when implemented in the computing device cause the computing device to;

i. receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of the electronic device through the first user interface;

ii. receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through the second user interface; and

iii. providing an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the electronic device through the third user interface.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the first user interface of the electronic device includes a first user interface of the electronic device associated with the aspect of the electronic device.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the computing device includes a limited resource computing device.

48. A method comprising:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system operably couplable to the electronic device, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of a gaming system operably couplable to the electronic device includes;

receiving a query, related to an aspect of game program implemented in a gaming system and correlating to the electronic device, through a gaming interface operably couplable to the electronic device; and

providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes;

providing an assistance, correlating to the aspect of the game program implemented in the gaming system and correlating to the electronic device, through a display interface.

62. A method comprising:

receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device, wherein the receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface of the electronic device includes;

detecting a presence of an object in proximity to a first user interface of a gaming system implementing a game program; and

providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device, wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query related to the electronic device through a second user interface of the electronic device includes;

providing an assistance correlating to an aspect of the game program implemented in the gaming system, the aspect associated with the object.