Method and system for customizing alert messages

• US 6,565,608 B1
• Filed: 12/16/1998
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hatakeda, Darrin Nobuharu, Fein, Ronald, Giesen, Ronald Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/213,061
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501.1, 345/705, 345/410, 345/714, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Providing custom content that supplements static content displayed in an alert message. In response to detecting a predetermined condition, such as an error condition, the alert message is displayed to the user of a software program module. The alert message typically presents the static content and a control object, such as a button or a hyperlink. In response to the user'"'"'s selection of the control object, an external information source, typically a remote server hosting a Web page, is accessed. The external information source maintains the custom content, which can include supplemental information that is related to the detected predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing information regarding one of a plurality of predetermined conditions associated with operation of a program module on a computer, comprising the steps of:

detecting one of the predetermined conditions;

accessing an information source that maintains custom content in response to detecting one of the predetermined conditions, the custom content representing information defined by a party other than the manufacturer of the program module; and

presenting the custom content.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying an alert message in response to detecting one of the predetermined conditions and prior to accessing the information source, the alert message comprising static content defined by the manufacturer of the program module.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the alert message further comprises at least one control object, and wherein the step of accessing an information source comprises selecting one of the control objects of the alert message and linking to the information source to access the custom content.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the custom content is associated with the detected predetermined condition.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the information source comprises an external information source operating in a location separate from the computer.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising the step of determining whether to display the alert message with at least one control object operable to link to the information source by inquiring whether the custom content associated with the detected predetermined condition is maintained at the information source.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the step of accessing the information source comprises the steps of:

launching a browser in response to selecting one of the control objects of the alert message; and

using the browser to access the custom content maintained at the information source by opening a hyperlink to the information source.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the party is a system administrator responsible for supporting the computer.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising the step of notifying the system administrator about the detected predetermined condition.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the custom content is maintained in a database residing on the computer and accessible for modification.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending an advisory signal to a data collection site operating in a location separate from the computer in response to detecting one of the predetermined conditions.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the advisory signal is operative to report the occurrence of the detected predetermined condition at the computer.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the advisory signal is operative to report information about the state of the program module.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the advisory signal is operative to report status information about the computer.

15. computer-implemented method for providing custom content that supplements static content displayed in an alert message for a software program module running on a local machine, comprising the steps of:

detecting one of a plurality of predetermined conditions;

displaying the alert message in response to the detected predetermined condition, the alert message comprising the static content and at least one control object;

responsive to selection of one of the control objects, accessing an information source that maintains the custom content, wherein the information source is located separately from the local machine; and

displaying the custom content to present supplemental information that is related to the detected predetermined condition.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 further comprising the step of reporting the detected predetermined condition, prior to generating the alert message, by supplying a unique identifier that identifies the detected predetermined condition.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the step of reporting the detected predetermined condition further comprises supplying the static content for presentation by the alert message.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 further comprising the step of determining whether to display the alert message with at least one control object by inquiring whether the custom content associated with the detected predetermined condition is maintained at the information source.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether to display the alert message with at least one control object comprises:

conducting a search for a base parameter in a database,

if the base parameter is located in the database, then determining whether a browser is available for operation by the local machine,

if the browser is available for operation by the local machine, then displaying the alert message with at least one control object, wherein selection of the control object results in launching the browser and opening a hyperlink including the base parameter to view the custom content maintained at the information source;

otherwise, displaying the alert message with only the static content.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the step of displaying the alert message further comprises;

conducting a search for a value maintained in a database residing on the local machine and corresponding to the unique identifier,

if the value is defined by a non-zero data string, then displaying the control object with content defined by the non-zero data string;

otherwise, displaying the control object with content defined by default data.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the step of accessing an information source that maintains the custom content comprises:

obtaining an identifier that identifies the information source; and

launching a browser; and

using the browser to view the custom content maintained at the information source by opening a hyperlink including the identifier.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the alert message comprises a dialog, the detected predetermined condition is identified by a unique identifier, and each control object comprises a button, and wherein displaying the alert message comprises the steps of:

conducting a search for a value maintained in a registry of an operating system running on the local machine, the value corresponding to the unique identifier,

if the value is defined by a non-zero data string, then displaying one of the buttons with content defined by the non-zero data string;

otherwise, displaying one of the buttons with content defined by default data maintained by the software program module.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether to display the alert message with at least one control object which comprises:

using a dynamic linked library (DLL), shared by the software program module and maintained in memory on the local machine, to conduct a search for a base parameter in a predetermined location within a registry of an operating system running on the local machine, the base parameter providing at least a portion of an identifier for the information source;

if the base parameter is located in the registry, then the DLL conducts an inquiry to determine whether a browser is available for operation by the local machine, otherwise, the DLL supports a display of the alert message with only the static content;

if the browser is available for operation by the local machine, then the DLL supports a display of the alert message with at least one control object, otherwise, the DLL supports a display of the alert message with only the static content.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the step of accessing an information source that maintains the custom content comprises:

using the DLL to construct a uniform resource locator (URL) that identifies the information source, the URL comprising the base parameter and at least one supplemental parameter identifying the software program module;

launching the browser by selecting one of the control objects of the alert message;

using the browser to view the custom content maintained at the information source by opening a hyperlink defined by the URL to view the custom content maintained at the information source.

25. A computer-implemented method for providing custom content that supplements static content displayed in an alert message for a software program module running on a local machine, comprising the steps of:

detecting one of a plurality of predetermined conditions;

displaying the alert message in response to the detected predetermined condition;

opening a hyperlink from the alert message to access an external information source that maintains the custom content, the external information source operating in a location separate from the local machine;

displaying the custom content to present supplemental information that is related to the detected predetermined condition.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 further comprising the step of reporting the detected predetermined condition, prior to generating the alert message, by supplying (1) a unique identifier that identifies the detected predetermined condition and (2) the static content for presentation by the alert message.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26 further comprising the step of determining whether to display the alert message by:

conducting a search in a database for a base parameter providing at least a portion of the hyperlink for the external information source;

if the base parameter is located in the database, then determining whether a browser is available for operation by the local machine, and

if the browser is available for operation by the local machine, then displaying tie alert message with a control object operative to open the hyperlink in response to selection of the control object;

otherwise, displaying the alert message with only the static content.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 27 wherein the step of displaying the alert message further comprises;

conducting a search for a value maintained in a database residing on the local machine and corresponding to the unique identifier,

if the value is defined by a non-zero data string, then displaying the control object with content defined by the non-zero data string;

otherwise, displaying the control object with content defined by default data.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 25 further comprising the step of determining whether to display the alert message by:

conducting a search in a database for a base parameter providing at least a portion of the hyperlink to the external information source;

if the base parameter is located in the database, then determining whether a browser is available for operation by the local machine; and

if the browser is available for operation by the local machine, then displaying the alert message with the hyperlink;

otherwise, displaying the alert message with only the static content.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the step of opening a hyperlink to access an external information source that maintains the custom content comprises:

obtaining a uniform resource locator (URL) that identifies the external information source, the URL defining at least a portion of the hyperlink; and

launching a browser to view the custom content maintained at the external information source by opening the hyperlink including the URL.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein the step of obtaining a URL comprises constructing the URL by appending the base parameter to at least one supplemental parameter identifying the software program module.

32. A computer-implemented method for providing an alert message for a software program module runing on a local machine, comprising the steps of:

detecting one of a plurality of predetermined conditions; and

displaying the alert message in response to the detected predetermined condition, the alert message comprising custom content to the detected predetermined condition, the custom content maintained in a database and accessible for modification.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 32 further comprising the step of reporting the detected predetermined condition, prior to generating the alert message, by supplying (1) a unique identifier that identifies the detected predetermined condition and (2) static content for presentation by the alert message.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 33 wherein the step of displaying the alert message further comprises:

using the unique identifier to conduct a search for the custom content maintained in the database residing on the local machine; and

in the event that the custom content corresponding to the unique identifiers located, then displaying the alert message with the custom content corresponding to the unique identifier.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 32 further comprising the step of sending an advisory signal to a data collection site operating in a location separate from the local machine, the advisory signal operative to report the occurrence of the detected predetermined condition at the local machine.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 35, wherein the advisory signal is transmitted as a page message via a wireless communications system.