Obtaining user assistance

• US 10,687,166 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, William
• Application Number:
  US12/592,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,863 Days
• Field of Search: 715705, 715708
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

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.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory bearing one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor perform operations including at least;

automatically identifying a plurality of items having a presence within a geographic locale, including at least;

i) receiving, from a plurality of sensors comprising at least two sensors having different sensing parameters respectively operable to provide a different signal, a plurality of signals associated with each item of the plurality of items comprising an embedded device, wherein the receiving the plurality of signals indicates that the each item is within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the each item of the plurality of items in response to the plurality of signals;

automatically obtaining a plurality of end-user assistances associated with the plurality of items in response to the automatically identifying of the plurality of items, wherein (i) an end-user assistance of the plurality of end-user assistances includes at least one manual corresponding to the plurality of items, the at least one manual including at least one of assistance information, one or more assistance instructions, or one or more item specifications;

automatically saving the plurality of end-user assistances associated with the plurality of items;

receiving a user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating at least one user-selected item from among the plurality of items;

searching for at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item;

obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item; and

presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the different sensing parameters comprises an identification signal sensor parameter operable to receive an electronically transmitted designator associated with an item and provide a signal indicative that the item is within the geographic locale.

3. A method comprising:

automatically identifying a plurality of items having a presence within a geographic locale, including at least;

i) receiving, from a plurality of sensors comprising at least two sensors having different sensing parameters respectively operable to provide a different signal, a plurality of signals associated with each item of the plurality of items comprising an embedded device, wherein the receiving the plurality of signals indicates that the each item is within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the each item of the plurality of items in response to the plurality of signals;

automatically obtaining a plurality of end-user assistances associated with the plurality of items in response to the automatically identifying of the plurality of items, wherein (i) an end-user assistance of the plurality of end-user assistances includes at least one manual corresponding to the plurality of items, the at least one manual including at least one of assistance information, one or more assistance instructions, or one or more item specifications;

automatically saving the plurality of end-user assistances associated with the plurality of items;

receiving a user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating at least one user-selected item from among the plurality of items;

searching for at least one saved end user that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item;

obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item; and

presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item.

4. A system comprising:

at least one electronic device including at least;

circuitry configured for automatically identifying a plurality of items having a presence within a geographic locale, including at least;

i) receiving, from a plurality of sensors comprising at least two sensors having different sensing parameters respectively operable to provide a different signal, a plurality of signals associated with each item of the plurality of items comprising an embedded device, wherein the receiving the signal indicates that the item is within the geographic locale; and

(ii) identifying the each item of the plurality of items in response to the plurality of signals;

circuitry configured for automatically obtaining a plurality of end-user assistances associated with the plurality of items in response to the automatically identifying of the plurality of items, wherein (i) an end-user assistance of the plurality of end-user assistances includes at least one manual corresponding to the plurality of items, the at least one manual including at least one of assistance information, one or more assistance instructions, or one or more item specifications;

circuitry configured for automatically saving the plurality of end-user assistances associated with the plurality of items;

circuitry configured for receiving a user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating at least one user-selected item from among the plurality of items;

circuitry configured for searching for at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item;

circuitry configured for obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item; and

circuitry configured for presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for searching for at least one saved end user assistance including at least one manual that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item includes:

circuitry configured for searching for user assistance information for operation of the at least one user-selected item.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for searching for at least one saved end user assistance including at least one manual that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item includes:

circuitry configured for searching for user assistance instructions for operation of the at least one user-selected item.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for searching for at least one saved end user assistance including at least one manual that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item includes:

circuitry configured for searching a plurality of saved end user assistances for an end user assistance for operation of the at least one user-selected item.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for searching for at least one saved end user assistance including at least one manual that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item includes:

circuitry configured for searching for at least one of;

an end user information corresponding to a user-selected item, an end user instruction corresponding to a user-selected item, an end user education corresponding to a user-selected item, and/or an end user operation information corresponding to a user-selected item.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance including at least one manual that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item:

presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance including at least one manual including at least one of assistance information, assistance instructions, or item specifications that correlates with operation of the at least one user-selected item.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance including at least one manual that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item:

circuitry configured for presenting the obtained at least one end user assistance associated with at least one of firmware associated with the at least one user-selected item, one or more programs associated with the at least one user-selected item, or one or more data files associated with the at least one user-selected item.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one user-selected item includes:

at least one appliance connected to a network.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one user-selected item includes:

at least one home entertainment device connected to a network.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one user-selected item includes:

at least one vehicle connected to a network.

14. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for receiving a user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating at least one user-selected item from among the plurality of items includes:

circuitry configured for receiving an identifier of at least one item.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item includes:

circuitry configured for obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item over a network.

16. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item include:

circuitry configured for obtaining at least one saved end user assistance that correlates with the user input requesting at least one end-user assistance in operating the at least one user-selected item from one or more server devices.

17. The system of claim 4, wherein the different sensing parameters comprises an identification signal sensor parameter operable to receive an electronically transmitted designator associated with an item and provide a signal indicative that the item is within the geographic locale.

18. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one user-selected item includes:

at least one camera connected to a network.