Device and method for determining a series of operations for interactive assistance

Patent 5513308 Issued on April 30, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

September 1, 2013. 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.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventor

Mori, Toshiya

Assignee

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Application

No. 114753 filed on 09/01/1993

US Classes:

715/707, Adaptive to user skill level715/708, Context sensitive715/709Coaching (e.g., animated examples, or handholding or show me execution)

Examiners

Primary: Powell, Mark R.
Assistant: Breene, John

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Price, Gess & Ubell

Foreign Patent References

63-257016 JP. 04/23/1987
63233423 JP. 03/23/1990

International Class

G06F 015/00

Foreign Application Priority Data

1992-09-03 JP

Abstract

An operator guide device is constructed to detect guidance needed by the user with an inputted key word request. The key word is extracted from the request, referenced by a corresponding table, and used to target an operation. A list of operations is determined from the current operating state and the target operation. Guide or help information corresponding to each of the operations in the list is displayed to guide the user to the target operation through several state transitions. Furthermore, the help information displayed on the screen is reflective of the user's competence or proficiency level for each operation.