Flexible context searchable on-line information system with help files and modules for on-line computer system documentation
Patent 4992972 Issued on February 12, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date: 
February 12, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
February 12, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesSystem for testing interactive software Document composition from parts inventory Patent #: 4730252 Inventors
ApplicationNo. 122154 filed on 11/18/1987US Classes:715/708, Context sensitive715/712, Topic roadmap or index715/841Sub-menu structureExaminersPrimary: Shaw, Gareth D.Assistant: Mills, John G. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassG06F 009/00AbstractOn-line documentation for an application program resides in a number of help modules. A display file for the application program specifies command panels to be displayed. The command panel definition includes a mapping of screen areas to help modules as well as a designation of an index-sensitive search table. A user may access the on-line documentation either by pressing a function key for context-sensitive help (which displays the help module mapped to current cursor position) or by entering search words in an entry area for index-sensitive help. Index-sensitive help searches a table of synonyms, roots and topics which map to help modules, and lists the modules associated with the search word ordered by number of hits. Each command panel definition may specify a separate index-sensitive search table, permitting customization of the search to the application. The user then selects one or more of the listed modules for display. | |
