System and method for context driven centralized help

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

p-00021. Field of the Invention

p-0003The present invention relates generally to product support services. More specifically, the present invention is directed at a system and method for providing a context driven help solution infrastructure.

p-00042. Description of Related Art

p-0005Product support services are intended to provide end-users with access to resources for retrieving information pertaining to the use and know-how of a computer application. Typically, in providing these services, help files and tutorials are packaged with the software for the computer application, whether as printed materials or computer-readable data files. Organizations, which may employ a plurality of computer applications, are also known to supplement these services by retaining application specialists and other qualified professionals to provide added support and assistance.

p-0006However, despite the availability of the forgoing, these product support services are quickly losing viability. Much of today's computer applications are more advanced and seem to provide an endless number of functions and capabilities, leaving end-users stranded with the time consuming and tedious task of searching through large amounts of help-related data that may or may not assist them, thereby ultimately yielding an inefficient application support structure. Similarly, organizations retaining computer application professionals on-site as a means of addressing the need for adequate support are being burdened with the ever-increasing costs associated with maintaining this support structure. In view of these ongoing advancements and corresponding difficulties, end-users today require a more robust means for retrieving product support services.

p-0007It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a product support structure that is decoupled from the limitations associated with a computer application. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a centralized product support structure that can be configured for use across a plurality of local, as well as web accessible, client-based applications, while at the same time maintaining transparency from an end-user's perspective. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved searching means for retrieving and delivering product support information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

p-0008The foregoing objects are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing a context driven help solution infrastructure.

p-0009The infrastructure envisioned by the present invention is preferably implemented via a client/server-based communication network, wherein a computer application (hereinafter “the active application”) is made accessible to an end-user on a client-oriented computer workstation or, alternatively, an application-enabled mobile device. In addition to providing access to an active application, the workstation or mobile device may be further configured with a daemon application or service (hereinafter “the daemon application”) to monitor select actions taken by an end-user. In a preferred embodiment, the daemon application may remain dormant on the workstation or mobile device, while also maintaining transparency from the end-user's perspective, until a pre-defined triggering event is detected, the triggering event corresponding to the end-user invoking a request for help.

p-0010Context-specific help-related content may be retrieved from a remote site, having at least one server coupled to a content database, when the end-user's request for help is invoked on the workstation or mobile device running the active application. Upon detecting the pre-defined triggering event associated with the request for help, the daemon application may be awakened to intercept the end-user's request. Once intercepted, the daemon application may employ a help function to capture qualifying context existing on a page or pertaining to a function in connection with the active application. Thereafter, an information dataset, representative of the context captured from the active application, may be generated and transmitted to the remote site for querying the content database. If the captured context is matched with previously associated help-related content, the content may be retrieved from the database and displayed to the end-user on the workstation or mobile device executing the active application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0011The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

p-0012<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary communication system for implementing a context driven help solution in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention.

p-0013<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a process flow diagram illustrating the steps employed for associating an active application with a help page in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

p-0014<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a process flow diagram illustrating the steps employed for retrieving a help page in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

p-0015<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows an exemplary communication system <b>100</b> in accordance with the present invention. For purposes of clarity, and not by way of limitation, an illustrative client-server based embodiment of the present invention is herein described. System <b>100</b> may include computer workstations <b>102</b>, mobile device <b>103</b> and a remote site <b>110</b>, which may all be linked via a data communications network <b>108</b>. In practice there may be additional computer workstations <b>102</b>, mobile devices <b>103</b> and remote sites <b>110</b>, but to avoid over-complicating the drawing only a limited number of these networked components are shown.

p-0016Computer workstations <b>102</b> and mobile device <b>103</b> may be operated by an authorized end-user and configured to run at least one active application <b>104</b> and a daemon application <b>106</b>. Computer workstations <b>102</b> and mobile device <b>103</b> may include, but are by no means limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mainframe computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other suitable application-enabled data processing device. Any device configured to process, manage or transmit data, whether implemented with electrical components, magnetic components, optical components or otherwise, may be suitable for implementing the present invention.

p-0017Remote site <b>110</b> may include one or more servers such as, for example, a database server <b>112</b> and a web server <b>114</b>. Alternatively, servers <b>112</b> and <b>114</b> may not be segregated at all, but rather all necessary applications and functions may reside on a single server. Servers <b>112</b> and <b>114</b> may be coupled to one or more content databases <b>116</b>, for storing and retrieving data. For example, pre-defined web pages for responding to context driven help queries may be kept and accessed from the foregoing databases. Alternatively, one or more mirrored servers may be provided as a backup for holding current databases and updated web applications. In other suitable approaches, such as in non-Internet based approaches, remote site <b>110</b> may include an application server (not shown) or any other suitable server or combination of servers.

p-0018The term “server”, as used herein, is not limited to a distinct piece of computing hardware or storage component, but may also be a software application or a combination of hardware and software. For example, a computer may have software that enables the computer to act as both a web server and as a database server. Remote site <b>110</b>, therefore, may be any suitable remote site and may include any combination of equipment comprised of one or more servers, mainframes, personal computers or any other suitable computer-based equipment. Remote site <b>110</b> may also include a network of computers that may be interconnected, for example, through a local area network, a wide area network, a telephony network, a cable television network, an intranet network, the Internet or any other suitable wired or wireless communications network.

p-0019Computer workstations <b>102</b> and mobile devices <b>103</b> may communicate with remote site <b>110</b> via network <b>108</b> using any suitable communication means. Communications may include, for example, commands, requests, messages, remote procedure calls, a combination thereof or any other suitable client-server or peer-to-peer communication mechanism. For example, computer workstation <b>102</b>, mobile device <b>103</b> and remote site <b>104</b> may communicate over network <b>108</b> using any suitable protocol or protocol stack such as the one used in transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) environments. Communications may also involve, for example, complex communications between application constructs running on workstations <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b> and remote site <b>110</b>.

p-0020Data communications network <b>108</b> may be any suitable communications network, such as a local area network, a wide area network, a telephone network, a cable television network, an intranet network, the Internet or any other suitable wired or wireless communications network. Some suitable wireless communications networks may be, for example, a global system for mobile communications (GSM), time-division multiple access (TDMA), code-division multiple access (CDMA), Bluetooth or any other suitable wireless technology.

p-0021It should be noted that the foregoing system is not limited to the components described herein. Various other networking components, devices and systems may be incorporated into communication system <b>100</b> for achieving the objectives of the present invention, the specifics of which are described in more detail in conjunction with the drawing figures that follow.

p-0022In <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, a process flow <b>200</b> is provided to illustrate the steps that may be employed in associating a particular page or function of active application <b>104</b> with help-related content stored, for example, in content database <b>116</b>. The term “active application” is intended to include, but is not limited to, both local and web-based applications accessible via computer workstation <b>102</b> and mobile device <b>103</b>.

p-0023Process flow <b>200</b> begins, at step <b>202</b>, when a request to start active application <b>104</b> is received, said active application <b>104</b> being accessible to an end-user on a display (not shown) coupled to workstation <b>102</b> or device <b>103</b> upon running the application's corresponding executable code at step <b>204</b>. In another suitable embodiment, process flow <b>200</b> may also be deployed, for example, on a personal computer located at remote site <b>110</b>. When active application <b>104</b> is made accessible for use, a request for a particular page or program associated with active application <b>104</b> may then be received, at step <b>206</b>, for navigating, at step <b>208</b>, to the desired page or program of interest. Upon navigating to the desired page, an end-user of workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, or similarly an administrator at remote site <b>110</b>, may make a request, at step <b>210</b>, for a predefined help page or any other form of help-related content stored, for example, in content database <b>116</b> in order to associate the help content with the desired page of interest in active application <b>104</b>.

p-0024When the requested help-related content is retrieved, at step <b>212</b>, the content may be linked with the desired page navigated to, at step <b>208</b>, in active application <b>104</b>. The retrieved help-related content may be provided, for example, in a web page format residing on web server <b>114</b>. The web page may be displayed to an end-user in a web browser on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>. Upon retrieving and displaying the web page from web server <b>114</b> on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, a linking function may then be invoked to associate the retrieved help-related content with the desired page of active application <b>104</b>.

p-0025A determination is made, at step <b>214</b>, as to whether or not the linking has been invoked. The linking function may be invoked, for example, by configuring a combination of hot keys on an input device (e.g., the CNTRL and F1 keys on a QWERTY keyboard) coupled to workstation <b>102</b> for summoning the function. Upon detecting, at step <b>214</b>, that a linking function has been invoked, a linking software application window may be opened and displayed to the end-user, at step <b>216</b>, for providing a plurality of configuration options with respect to how the desired page of active application <b>104</b> and the retrieved help content, both being displayed on workstation <b>102</b>, are to be linked together. Qualifying context-based criteria may be automatically detected by the linking software application to identify fields in the desired page of active application <b>104</b> where context can be extracted for linking the desired page of active application <b>104</b> with the retrieved help content.

p-0026For example, the foregoing linking function is ideal for a web-based active application <b>104</b>. Web-based applications typically have a heading or identifier (e.g., the title appearing at the top of the page in a browser window) and a corresponding unique web page address (i.e., the URL string). As previously suggested, the linking software application, when invoked at step <b>214</b>, may be configured to automatically identify these aforementioned fields as qualifying context-based criteria, wherein the qualifying context may be extracted for linking the desired page of the web-based application with a corresponding help page retrieved from a remote server. This now allows an end-user invoking a help request on the same web-based application to be directed to the help page that was previously linked to the web-based application. Thus, an end-user on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, invoking a help function (described in conjunction with <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) may now be directed to a context-specific help page having particular relevance to the page or function being accessed by the end-user on active application <b>104</b>, rather than a generic help page that may be packaged with active application <b>104</b>.

p-0027Once a desired configuration has been selected, an algorithm for linking a page or function in active application <b>104</b> with a pre-defined help-related page retrieved from remote site <b>110</b> is executed, at step <b>218</b>, in accordance with the desired configuration, thereby resulting in a association between the desired page of active application <b>104</b> and the help-related page being created. The association and the defining context-based criteria used to create the association may be stored, at step <b>220</b>, in content database <b>116</b> coupled to remote site <b>110</b> for future retrieval.

p-0028In <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, a process flow <b>300</b> is provided to illustrate the steps employed in requesting help-related content previously associated with a desired page or function of active application <b>104</b>. To deploy the steps illustrated in process flow <b>300</b>, workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b> may be equipped with daemon application <b>106</b>. In a preferred embodiment, daemon application <b>106</b> is configured to run in the background, transparent to an end-user on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, awaiting a triggering event to be invoked.

p-0029Daemon application <b>106</b> may be further configured so that the monitoring function of the application is initiated during the boot cycle of workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, thereby making it completely transparent to the end-user on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>. Daemon application <b>106</b> may also be configured so that the help retrieval function of process <b>300</b> is invoked upon the use of a hot key (e.g., the F1 key on a QWERTY keyboard) on an input device coupled to workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, thereby providing a means for intercepting a request or action regularly associated with the hot key and, alternatively, returning a response in accordance with the retrieval function of daemon application <b>106</b>. As previously described, the term “hot key” is intended to include, but is not limited to, a specific key or combination of keys, for example, on a QUERTY keyboard. In alternative embodiments, other suitable input means may be utilized in conjunction with workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>130</b> to invoke execution of the retrieval function of daemon application <b>106</b>. The method for designating hot keys may be hard-coded within an application or made accessible for end-user configuration.

p-0030Turning now to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, process flow <b>300</b> begins by enabling, at step <b>302</b>, the monitoring function of daemon application <b>106</b>, which is preferably initiated, at step <b>304</b>, in a standby mode after booting up workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>. Once initialized, daemon application <b>106</b> may remain dormant until a trigging event occurs. A triggering event, as previously described, could be the keystroke of a designated hot key. Thus, in an embodiment of the present invention where the “F1” key on a QWERTY keyboard is designated as the hot key, a triggering event will occur when an end-user strikes the F1 key.

p-0031To continue the transition through process flow <b>300</b>, an end-user running active application <b>104</b> on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b> may choose to request help for a particular page or function in current use on active application <b>104</b>. To call for a help request, the end-user may strike a designated key that is known to retrieve a help tutorial associated with active application <b>104</b>. However, through pre-configuration of daemon application <b>106</b> that designated key may be defined as a hot key for indicating a triggering event. Thus, when the end-user requesting help strikes the corresponding designated key, a triggering event will be deemed to have occurred and a set of instructions may be deployed by daemon application <b>106</b> for over-riding the default response associated with the designated key. Instead, a context-specific help function may be deployed, at step <b>306</b>, for retrieving a help page previously associated (as described in conjunction with process flow <b>200</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>) with the aforementioned page or function in current use by the end-user on active application <b>104</b>.

p-0032Invoking the help function, at step <b>306</b>, permits daemon application <b>106</b> to intercept the end-user's ordinary request for help, at step <b>308</b>, and capture qualifying context, at step <b>310</b>, detected in the page or function in current use on active application <b>104</b>. Qualifying context captured, at step <b>310</b>, may then be coded accordingly by daemon application <b>104</b> for transmission to remote site <b>110</b> by generating, for example, an information dataset corresponding to the specific page or function running on active application <b>104</b> at the moment the end-user's help request was invoked.

p-0033The term “information dataset” is intended to include, but is not limited to, data pertaining to context captured from a page or function on active application <b>104</b> that would be useful in querying and retrieving help content that may have been previously associated with the captured context. For example, the information dataset generated by daemon application <b>106</b> may contain metadata pertaining to the captured context, from which remote site <b>110</b> may use to identify and retrieve a help page previously associated with a corresponding help file stored in content database <b>112</b>.

p-0034The information dataset generated subsequent to interception of the end-user's help request by daemon application <b>106</b> may include, but is not limited to, the name of active application <b>104</b> running on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>, a corresponding version number of active application <b>104</b>, the language active application <b>104</b> is being displayed in, a combination thereof and any other pertinent indicia for identifying active application <b>104</b>. For example, a user may be utilizing a particular function (e.g., tables) in the word processing application of Microsoft Word 2003, English version 1.1 on workstation <b>102</b>. In this example, the word processing application of Microsoft Word 2003 would be considered active application <b>104</b>. The triggering event for summoning the help function of daemon application <b>106</b> may be preconfigured to be associated with the activation of an F1 key, which may be known to activate the ordinary help feature packaged with select versions of Microsoft Word. Therefore, employing the principles of the present invention, the context captured and the corresponding information dataset generated, at step <b>310</b>, by daemon application <b>106</b> upon selection of the F1 key may include information identifying that the table function in Microsoft Word 2003, English version 1.1 was being used when the end-user's help request was intercepted at step <b>308</b>.

p-0035After the context is captured and a corresponding information dataset is generated, at step <b>310</b>, daemon application <b>106</b> may be configured to transmit, at step <b>312</b>, the information dataset to database server <b>112</b> at remote site <b>110</b>. Database server <b>112</b> may then query, at step <b>314</b>, content database <b>116</b> to determine if help content has been previously associated with the captured context represented in the information dataset generated and transmitted by daemon application <b>106</b>. If a corresponding association is determined to exist, at step <b>316</b>, a URL linking to the help content may be retrieved and displayed, at step <b>318</b>, on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>. Alternatively, prior to displaying help content retrievable from content database <b>116</b>, an additional check may be deployed at step <b>317</b> to determine if an end-user has instead elected to pass the keystroke triggering the help function request invoked at step <b>306</b> directly to the active application that it was initially intercepted from at step <b>308</b>. If a positive determination is made at step <b>317</b>, then process <b>300</b> may revert to help content packaged with active application <b>104</b>, the availability of which is determined at step <b>320</b>.

p-0036The present invention is not limited to the foregoing means for displaying help-related content. The nature of active application <b>104</b> may dictate the way information received from remote site <b>110</b> is displayed on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>. For example in an embodiment of the present invention where active application <b>104</b> is a web-based application executed in a web browser on workstation <b>102</b>, the help-related content received may be displayed in separate browser window or, alternatively, in a window pane within the boundaries of the main browser window in which active application <b>104</b> is running. Given that the end-user of active application <b>104</b> in the foregoing example is already operating within a web browser, displaying the received help-related content in a web browser may prove easier for the end-user. There may, however, be embodiments of the present invention where the identity of active application <b>104</b> may dictate the means by which information received from remote site <b>110</b> is displayed on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b>. For example, in determining the appropriate means for displaying help-related content retrieved from remote site <b>110</b>, factors including data type or format of the content being received, functionality of the active application <b>104</b> and capacity of workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b> may be considered.

p-0037If the determination, at step <b>316</b>, reveals that there is no pre-defined association between the captured context represented in the information dataset and the help-related content stored in content database <b>116</b>, daemon application may then be further configured to terminate the query made at step <b>314</b>, and permit active application <b>104</b> to regain control and check, at step <b>320</b>, for help-related content packaged with active application <b>104</b>. If such content exists, active application <b>104</b> may display, at step <b>322</b>, the default help-related content. Alternatively, if the check, at step <b>320</b>, determines that no default help-related content is available with active application <b>104</b>, a message or any other suitable notification may be generated, at step <b>324</b>, by daemon application <b>106</b> to inform the end-user on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b> that the request for help can not be satisfied at the present time and an administrator has been notified, at step <b>326</b>, of the unfulfilled request.

p-0038When the administrator, or any other authorized end-user, receives the foregoing notification generated at step <b>326</b> from daemon application <b>106</b>, a help file or page may be constructed and associated with the page or function in active application <b>104</b> determined to be deficient in support. This association may be achieved in accordance with the previously described steps employed by process flow <b>200</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Content database <b>116</b> may be configured to allow for various product support information to be updated or altered without manipulation of active application <b>104</b>. As opposed to existing methods for providing updated content to each instance of active application <b>104</b>, a content provider need now only update the information stored in content database <b>116</b> in order to provide the most current content available. The process of updating content stored in content database <b>116</b> is transparent to the active application <b>104</b>.

p-0039In an alternative embodiment, a drag and drop window application (not shown) may be provided to an end-user on workstation <b>102</b> or mobile device <b>103</b> to trigger the previously described help function of daemon application <b>106</b>. The drag and drop window application may be configured to receive a URL that is dragged from a web browser's address field for a web page being presently displayed, for example, on workstation <b>102</b> and dropped into a designated field of the drag and drop window application. The act of dropping a URL into the designated field of the window application may invoke the previously described help function, at step <b>306</b>, wherein context-specific help content previously associated with the URL may then be retrieved by daemon application <b>106</b> in accordance with the previously described steps employed in process flow <b>300</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>.

p-0040Thus, a system and method for context driven centralized help is provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented herein for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only be the claims that follow.