Online documentation and help system for computer-based systems

• US 6,208,338 B1
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Fischer, Martin, Perner, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cinningham, G. F.
• Application Number:
  US09/079,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 345/336, 345/338, 345/329-332, 345/356, 345/357, 707/501, 395/701
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An integrated online information system includes an online help engine for requesting and receiving a documentation and/or help information, an address database for storing addresses of the documentation and/or help information, and a browser for receiving the documentation and/or help information in a network architecture corresponding to an address applied to the browser.

Claims

1. An integrated online help information system for a computer comprising:

an address database for storing addresses of help documentation information and help information relating to operation of said computer, said address database preloaded by a supplier of said computer and modifiable by a user of said computer;

an online help engine for requesting and receiving documentation information and help information, said online help engine responsive to a user request to access a help address from said address database; and

a browser responsive to receipt of an instruction including said help address from said online help engine to access and retrieve help documentation information and help information over a network, from an address corresponding to said help address and to provide said help documentation information and help information to said online help engine for provision to said user.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the browser allows direct access to and maintenance of the documentation information and help information.

4. The system according claim 1, wherein the help information is related to a specific context of an area of interest as designated by a location of a mouse cursor at the time of said user request.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network architecture is a publicly accessible network.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network is an internal network that is not accessible to the public.

3. A method for requesting and receiving help documentation information and help information relating to operation of a computer, comprising the steps of:

enabling an online help engine to respond to a user request for help with respect to said operation of the computer by requesting a help address for help documentation information and help information from an address database which stores addresses of the help documentation information and help information, said address database comprising at least one of addresses provided by a supplier of said computer or, addresses determined by a user of said computer;

providing said help address from said address database to a browser to enable said browser to retrieve the help documentation information and help information over a network, from a source corresponding to the help address; and

transferring to said user the help documentation information and help information retrieved over said network from the help address.

7. The method according claim 3, wherein the help information is related to a specific context of an area of interest as designated by a location of a mouse cursor at the time of said user request.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the network architecture is a publicly accessible network.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the network is an internal network that is not accessible to the public.

10. An automated test system for testing electronic devices comprising:

an address database for storing addresses of help documentation information and help information relating to operation of said automated test system, said address database preloaded by a supplier of said automated test system and modifiable by a user of said automated test system;

an online help engine for requesting and receiving documentation information and help information, said online help engine responsive to a user request to access a help address from said address database; and

a browser responsive to receipt of an instruction including said help address from said online help engine to access and retrieve help documentation information and help information over a network, from an address corresponding to said help address and to provide said help documentation information and help information to said online help engine for provision to said user.

11. The system according claim 10, wherein the help information is related to a specific context of an area of interest as designated by a location of a pointing device at the time of said user request.