Adaptive help system and user interface

(54) ADAPTIVE HELP SYSTEM AND USER INTERFACE

(75) Inventors: Cyra Richardson, Bellevue, WA (US);

Kynan Antos, Seattle, WA (US)

(73) Assignee: Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, MA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 203 days.

(21) Appl.No.: 11/607,728

(22) Filed: Dec. 1, 2006

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2008/0133449 Al Jun. 5, 2008

(51) Int. CI.

G06F17/30 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 707/3; 707/101; 707/102

(58) Field of Classification Search 707/3,

707/101, 102 See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,255,386 A 10/1993 Prager

5,694,559 A 12/1997 Hobsonetal.

6,185,576 Bl 2/2001 Mcintosh

6,523,026 Bl* 2/2003 Gillis 707/3

6,678,677 B2 * 1/2004 Rouxetal 707/3

6,728,700 B2 4/2004 Richards et al.

6,983,271 B2 1/2006 Morrow et al.

7,024,658 Bl 4/2006 Cohen etal.

7,039,635 Bl 5/2006 Morgan etal.

7,062,711 B2 6/2006 Kethireddy

7,120,574 B2* 10/2006 Troyanova et al 704/9

2003/0033292 Al * 2/2003 Meiseletal 707/3

2003/0217052 Al * 11/2003 Rubenczyk et al 707/3

2004/0093331 Al * 5/2004 Garner etal 707/3

2004/0230572 Al * 11/2004 Omoigui 707/3

2005/0114324 Al * 5/2005 Mayer 707/3

2005/0154719 Al 7/2005 Choudhary et al.

2005/0234881 Al * 10/2005 Burago et al 707/3

2006/0047632 Al * 3/2006 Zhang 707/3

2006/0074987 Al * 4/2006 Bitsch 707/104.1

2006/0116986 Al * 6/2006 Radcliffe 707/3

2006/0167857 Al * 7/2006 Kraft etal 707/3

2008/0071742 Al * 3/2008 Yang etal 707/3

2008/0091670 Al * 4/2008 Ismalon 707/5

2008/0104040 Al * 5/2008 Ramakrishna 707/3

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS WO WO2005048537 Al 5/2005

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Goodall Susan D., "Online Help in the Real World", Date: 1991, pp. 21-29, ACM Press, NY, USA, http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/ 130000/122783/p21-goodall .pdf?keyl=122783 &key2=6532491611 &coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE. Prince, et al., "The Design of an Interactive Online Help Desk in the Alexandria Digital Library", Date: 1999, pp. 217-226, ACM Press, NY, USA, http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/300000/295693/p217prince.pdf?.

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—Don Wong

Assistant Examiner—Kim T Nguyen

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Krajec Patent Offices, LLC;

Russell S. Krajec

A help system tracks user search queries and builds a database by matching the user query to the user's selected result from the search system. As the user repeatedly searches, the user's terminology may be associated with particular search keywords. A relevance factor may be computed using the database for future searches. In some cases, modifications to a user interface may be made by replacing the user's terminology with a function in the user interface, or by highlighting a user's terminology on the user interface using a floating box such as a tool tip.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets