Distributed help system for consumer electronic devices

• US 20030191820A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harold Aaron Ludtke
• Original Assignee: Harold Aaron Ludtke
• Inventors: Ludtke, Harold Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 6,799,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide help and configuration information for a plurality of consumer electronic devices in an audio/video network. More specifically, each network device provides help information, identifying the device and its features to other network devices. A help utility program interfaces with a presentation device to provide help information to a user. Another implementation consistent with the present invention provides help information related to configuring two or more devices to perform an operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing help information in a distributed electronic network, comprising:

a help system configured to access said help information corresponding to different types of electronic devices in said distributed electronic network, said help system then providing said help information to a system user in response to a help request; and

a processor coupled to one of said electronic devices, said processor being configured to control said help system to thereby provide said help information to said system user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said help information includes individual operating instructions and specific configuration information corresponding to said different types of said electronic devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said help information includes a device type identifier, device feature specifications, and device compatibility characteristics for different types of said electronic devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronics devices include different types of consumer audio/video devices that utilize at least one of audio data and video data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said electronic devices registers with said help system when said each of said electronic devices becomes connected to said distributed electronic network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein device-specific versions of said help information are stored locally in different help storage modules on each of said electronic devices, said help system downloading and locally storing said device-specific versions of said help information.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said electronic devices includes self-describing data that directs said help system to a remote storage location that stores device-specific versions of said help information, said help system then downloading and locally storing said device-specific versions of said help information from said remote storage location.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said electronic devices notifies said help system when a device feature is added and when a device feature is removed, said help system responsively updating said help information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said help system performs an initialization procedure by scanning a network bus to collect registration information from said electronic devices in said distributed electronic network.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said help system downloads and locally stores device-specific versions of said help information from help storage modules on each of said electronic devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said help system requests a notification from said each of said electronic devices for any future changes to said device-specific versions of said help information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said help system receives said notification and dynamically updates a corresponding one of said device-specific versions of said help information.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said help system receives said help request from said system user to obtain one or more of said device-specific versions of said help information.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said help system identifies to said system user said electronic devices that are registered as being on said distributed electronic network by utilizing a user interface mechanism.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said system user utilizes an input device to specify for which of said electronic devices said help information is required.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said help system retrieves requested help information corresponding to said help request, said help system then providing said requested help information to said system user.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said help system provides said requested help information in at least one of an audio format and a video format.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said help system provides said requested help information in an interactive format that supports participation by said system user.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said help system guides said system user through a specific sequence of steps necessary for completing a corresponding operation.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said help system simultaneously provides multi-device help for utilizing a plurality of said different types of said electronic devices in a single operation.

21. A method for providing help information in a distributed electronic network, comprising the steps of:

utilizing a help system to access said help information corresponding to different types of electronic devices in said distributed electronic network, said help system then providing said help information to a system user in response to a help request; and

controlling said help system with a processor coupled to one of said electronic devices to thereby provide said help information to said system user.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said help information includes individual operating instructions and specific configuration information corresponding to said different types of said electronic devices.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said help information includes a device type identifier, device feature specifications, and device compatibility characteristics for different types of said electronic devices.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said electronics devices include different types of consumer audio/video devices that utilize at least one of audio data and video data.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein each of said electronic devices registers with said help system when said each of said electronic devices becomes connected to said distributed electronic network.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein device-specific versions of said help information are stored locally in different help storage modules on each of said electronic devices, said help system downloading and locally storing said device-specific versions of said help information.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein each of said electronic devices includes self-describing data that directs said help system to a remote storage location that stores device-specific versions of said help information, said help system then downloading and locally storing said device-specific versions of said help information from said remote storage location.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein each of said electronic devices notifies said help system when a device feature is added and when a device feature is removed, said help system responsively updating said help information.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein said help system performs an initialization procedure by scanning a network bus to collect registration information from said electronic devices in said distributed electronic network.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said help system downloads and locally stores device-specific versions of said help information from help storage modules on each of said electronic devices.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said help system requests a notification from said each of said electronic devices for any future changes to said device-specific versions of said help information.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said help system receives said notification and dynamically updates a corresponding one of said device-specific versions of said help information.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said help system receives said help request from said system user to obtain one or more of said device-specific versions of said help information.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said help system identifies to said system user said electronic devices that are registered as being on said distributed electronic network by utilizing a user interface mechanism.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said system user utilizes an input device to specify for which of said electronic devices said help information is required.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein said help system retrieves requested help information corresponding to said help request, said help system then providing said requested help information to said system user.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said help system provides said requested help information in at least one of an audio format and a video format.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein said help system provides said requested help information in an interactive format that supports participation by said system user.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein said help system guides said system user through a specific sequence of steps necessary for completing a corresponding operation.

40. The method of claim 21 wherein said help system simultaneously provides multi-device help for utilizing a plurality of said different types of said electronic devices in a single operation.

41. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for providing help information in a distributed electronic network, by performing the steps of:

utilizing a help system to access said help information corresponding to different types of electronic devices in said distributed electronic network, said help system then providing said help information to a system user in response to a help request; and

controlling said help system with a processor coupled to one of said electronic devices to thereby provide said help information to said system user.

42. An apparatus for providing help information in a distributed electronic network, comprising:

means for accessing said help information corresponding to different types of electronic devices in said distributed electronic network, said means for accessing then providing said help information to a system user in response to a help request; and

means for controlling said means for accessing to thereby provide said help information to said system user.

43. A system for providing help information for consumer electronic devices in an audio/video network, comprising:

a processor for processing a help request related to operating at least one of a plurality of different types of network devices in said audio/video network; and

a device for providing help instructions that reflect characteristics of at least one other of said consumer electronic devices.

44. A method for providing distributed access to help information for different types of consumer electronic devices in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a help request related to one of said consumer electronic devices;

accessing first help information related to characteristics of a plurality of said consumer electronic devices present in said network; and

providing second help information in response to said help request, said second help information being based upon said first help information.