Enhanced user assistance

• US 20060173816A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 item through a first user interface associated with the item; and

b. providing an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface associated with the item.

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

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

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

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

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an item 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.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the item includes a vehicle and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the item includes an appliance and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the appliance.

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

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

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a user assistance.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes at least one of visually providing an assistance, audibly providing an assistance, providing a spoken assistance, or tactilely providing an assistance.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing an assistance includes at least one of providing a guided response assistance, providing an interactive tutorial assistance, providing an assistance correlating with a physical element of the item, providing a guidance correlating with a process associated with the item, providing a description of an aspect of the item, or providing an assistance showing how an aspect of the device works.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an item through a first user interface associated with the item includes receiving a query related to an item having a computing device through a first user interface associated with the computing device.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

29. The method of claim 28, wherein sensing a context of the item includes at least one of sensing a context extrinsic to the item, sensing an environment extrinsic to the item, or sensing a context intrinsic to the item.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a query related to an item through a first user interface associated with the item includes receiving a query related to an item including a computing device through a first user interface associated with the computing device.

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

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the computer-readable medium includes a computer storage medium.

35. The computer storage medium of claim 34, wherein the computer storage medium is carried by a computer-readable carrier.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the computer-readable medium includes a communications medium.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the item in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the item in a second mode.

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37. A system comprising:

a. an item 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 to;

(i) receive a query related to the item through the first user interface; and

(ii) provide an assistance correlating to the query through the second user interface.

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

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the first user interface includes a button.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the second user interface includes a visual display.

48. The system of claim 37, wherein the first user interface includes a first user interface associated with an aspect of the item.

51. The system of claim 37, wherein the item further includes a context sensor.

52. The system of claim 37, wherein, the instructions further include an instruction to (iii) receive a context of the item 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.

56. The system of claim 37, wherein the item includes at least one of a vehicle, an appliance, a manufacturing apparatus, or a control system.

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62. A method comprising:

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

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

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

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the item in a first state, and the second user interface includes the element of the item in a second state.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the item in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the item in a second mode.

69. The method of claim 62, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an item through a first user interface of the item includes a receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an item through a first user interface of the item associated with the aspect.

70. The method of claim 62, wherein the receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an item through a first user interface of the item includes a receiving a selection corresponding to an aspect of an item having a computing device through a first user interface of the computing device associated with the aspect.

76. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

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

77. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

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

82. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

d. receiving an input responsive to the provided assistance.

85. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions which, when run on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of claim 62.

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88. A system comprising:

a. an item 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) receive a selection corresponding to an aspect of the item through the first user interface;

(ii) receive a selection corresponding to an assistance request related to the aspect of the item through the second user interface; and

(iii) provide an assistance correlating to the assistance request related to the aspect of the item through a third user interface.

92. The system of claim 88, wherein the first user interface includes an element of the item in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the item in a second mode.

95. The system of claim 88, wherein the first user interface of the item includes a first user interface of the item associated with the aspect of the item.

97. The system of claim 88, wherein the computing device includes a limited resource computing device.

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