Strategies for providing just-in-time user assistance

• US 20050268234A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rossi, Robert A. Jr., Swanson, Trent M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Help functionality is described for integrating help information into a primary application in a just-in-time fashion. The help functionality can perform this task by providing a see-through panel which is presented on top of an application interface provided by the primary application. A user can move a mark on the see-through panel to identify features of the application interface concerning which he or she may have questions. The help functionality responds by presenting potentially context-sensitive help information to the user in audio mode and/or visual mode. If the visual mode is selected, the help functionality can present the help information on the see-through panel itself, and/or can dynamically move parts of the application interface to accommodate the display of the help information. The help functionality can supply the help information from a local source and/or a remote source, in an automated manner and/or a manual manner (e.g., using a remote human assistant).

Claims

1. A method for presenting help information to a user, comprising:

providing an application interface generated by a primary application, wherein the application interface includes at least one user interface feature associated therewith;

providing a help selection mechanism that overlays the application interface, which allows the user to request help information regarding said at least one user interface feature;

receiving a help request from the user via the help selection mechanism; and

presenting the help information to the user, in response to the received help request, in a manner which allows the user to continue interacting with the primary application.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed using at least one of:

a mobile telephone device;

a personal digital assistant device;

a laptop computer device;

a tablet-type input device;

or a wearable computer device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed using a computer workstation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the providing of the help selection mechanism comprises providing a see-through panel which overlays the application interface.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the help request from the user comprises receiving information indicating that the user has positioned a marker on the help selection mechanism in proximity to said at least one user interface feature.

6. The method according to claim 1, where the receiving of the help request from the user comprises receiving information indicating that the user has created a mark on the help selection mechanism in proximity to said at least one user interface feature using a marking mechanism.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, in response to the receipt of the user'"'"'s help request, determining what help information to present to the user.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the determining of what help information to present to the user comprises automatically mapping the help request received from the user to the associated help information.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the determining of what help information to present to the user comprises manually determining, by a human assistant, the help information to deliver to the user based on the user'"'"'s help request.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the help information to the user comprises presenting audio help information to the user.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the help information to the user comprises presenting visual help information to the user.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the presenting of the visual help information to the user comprises presenting the help information on the help selection mechanism.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the help information to the user comprises presenting help information based on a context of the user'"'"'s interaction with the application interface as determined by a series of the user'"'"'s prior actions in interacting with the application interface.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the help information to the user comprises delivering the help information from a source which is local with respect to a computer device on which the user performs the method.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting of the help information to the user comprises delivering the help information from a source which is remote with respect to a computer device on which the user performs the method.

16. A computer readable medium including machine readable instructions for implementing each of the providing the application interface, providing the help selection mechanism, receiving the help request, and presenting the help information of claim 1.

17. An apparatus for presenting help information to a user, comprising:

a display device;

logic configured to provide an application interface, generated by a primary application, on the display device, wherein the application interface includes at least one user interface feature associated therewith;

logic configured to provide a help selection mechanism that overlays the application interface, which allows the user to request help information regarding said at least one user interface feature;

logic configured to receive a help request from the user via the help selection mechanism; and

logic configured to present the help information to the user, in response to the received help request, in a manner which allows the user to continue interacting with the primary application.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is one of:

a mobile telephone device;

a personal digital assistant device;

a laptop computer device;

a tablet-type input device;

or a wearable computer device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus is a computer workstation.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the help selection mechanism comprises a see-through panel which overlays the application interface.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the help selection mechanism is configured to provide a movable marker thereon, and wherein the logic for receiving the help request is configured to receive information indicating that the user has positioned the marker in proximity to said at least one user interface feature.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the help selection mechanism is configured to receive marks made by a marking mechanism, and wherein the logic for receiving the help request is configured to receive information indicating that the user has created a mark on the help selection mechanism in proximity to said at least one user interface feature using the marking mechanism.

23. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the logic for presenting the help information to the user is configured to present audio help information to the user.

24. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the logic for presenting the help information to the user is configured to present visual help information to the user.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the logic for presenting the visual help information to the user is configured to present the help information on the help selection mechanism.

26. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the logic for presenting the visual help information to the user is configured to present help information based on a context of the user'"'"'s interaction with the application interface as determined by a series of the user'"'"'s prior actions in interacting with the application interface.

27. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the logic for presenting the help information to the user is configured to receive delivered help information from a source which is local with respect to the apparatus.

28. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the logic for presenting the help information to the user is configured to receive delivered help information from a source which is remote with respect to the apparatus.

29. A computer readable medium including machine readable instructions for implementing each of the logic recited in claim 17.

30. A system for presenting help information to a user, comprising:

an assistance center configured to supply help information to the user;

a coupling mechanism;

at least one apparatus coupled to the assistance center via the coupling mechanism;

wherein said at least one apparatus comprises;

a display device;

logic configured to provide an application interface, generated by a primary application, on the display device, wherein the application interface includes at least one user interface feature associated therewith;

logic configured to provide a help selection mechanism that overlays the application interface, which allows the user to request help information regarding said at least one user interface feature;

logic configured to receive a help request from the user via the help selection mechanism; and

logic configured to receive the help information from the assistance center in response to the received help request;

logic configured to present the received help information to the user in a manner which allows the user to continue interacting with the primary application.