Patent ID: 6021403
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: G06F,G06N,Y10S

Abstract:
In a computer having a processor, and a memory, connected to the processor, having computer-executable instructions stored therein, a method for providing a user help facility for use in conjunction with a program then executing in the computer, the computer also having an output device for providing a user interface through which a user can interact with the program, the method comprising the steps of:during execution of the program, performing a probabilistic assessment of a current user interaction with the interface so as to yield a numeric probability distribution across a plurality of different available help topics such that a separate probability measure is generated for each of said help topics, the interaction evincing an intention by the user to accomplish a specific task through the program, hence defining a plurality of separate probability measures wherein each measure represents a probability of whether the user, given the interaction, then needs information about a specific corresponding one of the topics for accomplishing the task, wherein the interaction has both textual and non-textual components, the textual component constituting at least one word which the user has entered through the interface, as a free-text query, and the non-textual component constituting either an affirmative user action with the interface or an absence of said affirmative action during a predefined interval of time that has occurred since an immediately prior user interaction with the interface, wherein the affirmative action comprises a manipulation of a portion of the interface by the user or a verbal, visual or gestural response by the user to the interface;selecting, based on the plurality of probability measures in the distribution, a particular one of the help topics as being most relevant to the user interaction; andproviding a predefined help message, associated with the one help topic, to the user through the output device.