Displaying help resources

• US 20050154985A1
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Watson, Thomas J., Schumacher, Daniel Mark, Burkhart, Michael John, Eisenhauer, Daniel G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus are provided. Some embodiments of methods, systems, and products for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a display apparatus include receiving, in a device, a help event created by a user engaging a help button installed on the device. In response to receiving the help event, typical embodiments include retrieving a help resource associated with the device, and creating, in the device, a help message including the help resource. The help resource can be retrieved from data storage on the device, downloaded from a network location, or any other way of retrieving the help resource that will occur those of skill in the art. The help message is typically broadcast to a display apparatus for display to a user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, in a device, a help event created by a user engaging a help button installed on the device;

retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device;

creating, in the device, a help message including the help resource; and

broadcasting the help message to a remote display apparatus for display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein broadcasting the help message to a remote display apparatus for display comprises wirelessly transmitting the help message to a remote display apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device comprises retrieving the help resource from data storage on the device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device comprises downloading the help resource from a network location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device further comprises:

receiving, through a user input mechanism installed on the device, an operational event;

retrieving, a help resource in dependence upon the operational event

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, through a user input mechanism installed on the device, a help resource navigation event;

and

transmitting the help resource navigation event to the display apparatus.

7. A computer implemented method for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, in a display apparatus, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device and broadcast from the device to the remote display apparatus;

retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with, the device; and

displaying, wit the display apparatus, the help resource.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving, in a display apparatus, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device and broadcast from the device to the display apparatus comprises receiving a help message wirelessly transmitted from the device to the display apparatus.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises;

identifying a device ID contained in the help message; and

retrieving a help resource in dependence upon the device ID.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein retrieving a help resource in dependence upon the device ID comprises retrieving the help resource from data storage on the display apparatus.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises;

identifying a network location identified in the help message, and

downloading the help resource from the network location.

12. A computer implemented method for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, in a services gateway, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device;

retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device;

selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource; and

sending the help resource to the display apparatus for display.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises retrieving the help resource from data storage on the services gateway.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises downloading the help resource from a network location.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource comprises selecting a display apparatus in dependence upon the display requirements of the help resource.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource comprises selecting a display apparatus in dependence upon the display capabilities of the display apparatus.

17. A computer implemented system for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the system comprising:

means for receiving, in a device, a help event created by a user engaging a help button installed on the device;

means for retrieving, in, dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device;

means for creating, in the device, a help message including the help resource; and

means for broadcasting the help message to a remote display apparatus for display.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein means for broadcasting the help message to a remote display apparatus for display comprises means for wirelessly transmitting the help message to a remote display apparatus.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device comprises means for retrieving the help resource from data storage on the device.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device comprises means for downloading the help resource from a network location.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device further comprises:

means for receiving, through a user input mechanism installed on the device, an operational event;

means for retrieving, a help resource in dependence upon the operational event.

22. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for receiving, through a user input mechanism installed on the device, a help resource navigation event;

and

means for transmitting the help resource navigation event to the display apparatus.

23. A computer implemented system for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the system comprising:

means for receiving, in a display apparatus, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device and broadcast from the device to the remote display apparatus;

means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device; and

means for displaying, with the display apparatus, the help resource.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein means for receiving, in a display apparatus, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device and broadcast from the device to the display apparatus comprises means for receiving a help message wirelessly transmitted from the device to the display apparatus.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises;

means for identifying a device ID contained in the help message; and

means for retrieving a help resource in dependence upon the device ID.

26. The system of claim. 25 wherein means for retrieving a help resource in dependence upon the device ID comprises means for retrieving the help resource from data storage on the display apparatus.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises;

means for identifying a network location identified in the help message; and

means for downloading the help resource from the network location.

28. A computer implemented system for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a display apparatus, the system comprising:

means for receiving, in a services gateway, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device;

means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device;

means for selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource; and

means for sending the help resource to the display apparatus for display.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises means for retrieving the help resource from data storage on the services gateway.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein means for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises means for downloading the help resource from a network location.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein means for selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource comprises means for selecting a display apparatus in dependence upon the display requirements of the help resource.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein means for selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource comprises means for selecting a display apparatus in dependence upon the display capabilities of the display apparatus.

33. A computer implemented computer program product for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, in a device, a help event created by a user engaging a help button installed on the device;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for creating, in the device, a help message including the help resource; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for broadcasting the help message to a remote display apparatus for display.

34. The computer program product of claim 33 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for broadcasting the help message to a remote display apparatus for display comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for wirelessly transmitting the help message to a remote display apparatus.

35. The computer program product of claim 33 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving the help resource from data storage on the device.

36. The computer program product of claim 33 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for downloading the help resource from a network location.

37. The computer program product of claim 33 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help event, a help resource associated with the device further comprises:

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, through a user input mechanism installed on the device, an operational event;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, a help resource in dependence upon the operational event.

38. The computer program product of claim 33 further comprising means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, through a user input mechanism installed on the device, a help resource navigation event;

and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for transmitting the help resource navigation event to the display apparatus.

39. A computer implemented computer program product for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a remote display apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, in a display apparatus, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device and broadcast from the device to the remote display apparatus;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message a help resource associated with the device; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying, with the display apparatus, the help resource.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, in a display apparatus, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device and broadcast from the device to the display apparatus comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving a help message wirelessly transmitted from the device to the display apparatus.

41. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a device ID contained in the help message; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving a help resource in dependence upon the device ID.

42. The computer program product of claim. 41 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving a help resource in dependence upon the device ID comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving the help resource from data storage on the display apparatus.

43. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a network location identified in the help message; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for downloading the help resource from the network location.

44. A computer implemented computer program product for displaying a help resource associated with a device on a display apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving, in a services gateway, a help message created in a device as a result of a user engaging a help button installed on the device;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for sending the help resource to the display apparatus for display.

45. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving the help resource from data storage on the services gateway.

46. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the help message, a help resource associated with the device comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for downloading the help resource from a network location.

47. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a display apparatus in dependence upon the display requirements of the help resource.

48. The computer program product of claim 44 wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a display apparatus to display the help resource comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a display apparatus in dependence upon the display capabilities of the display apparatus.