Patent US6289370B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6289370B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Platform independent enhanced help system for an internet enabled embedded system
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1998-11-30
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Granted: 2001-09-11
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Expires: 2018-11-30
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing help contents to a client system on behalf of a web enabled embedded system. A help file is loaded onto a server system, and the location of the server system is communicated to the embedded system. A client system requests a page of data stored in the embedded system. In response to the client system request, the embedded system forms a data page including one or more instructions for displaying a help button. The data page includes one or more instructions associating the help file on the server system with the help button. The embedded system transmits the data page to the client system. The client system then processes the data page to form a view on a display device. In response to assertion of the help button, the client system retrieves the help file from the server system and processes the help file. In an example embodiment, a configuration dialog box is displayed on the client system. The configuration dialog box is used to receive the location of the server system from a user interface on the client system. The location of the server system is transmitted from the client system to the embedded system.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory Panarello
- 👤 Joseph W. Bermann
- 👤 Alexander Koifman
- 👤 John Carl Scano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/451; G06F9/453; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
275 words
A method for providing help information to a client system, comprising: requesting, by said client system, a page of data stored in a remote system coupled to said client system and a server system via a network; determining, by said remote system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data; in the event that said remote system determines that help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtaining a location of at least one help contents file from said client system; configuring, by said remote system, said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data; forming, by said remote system, responsive to said request for said page of data stored in said remote system, a data page, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction for displaying a help button, and wherein said data page includes at least one instruction associating said location of said at least one help contents file with said help button, and wherein said data page further includes said requested page of data; transmitting said data page to said client system; processing said data page on said client system, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data; requesting, by said client system, responsive to selection of said help button by a user, said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file; and receiving and outputting said at least one help contents file by said client system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
275 words
A method for providing help information to a client system, comprising: requesting, by said client system, a page of data stored in a remote system coupled to said client system and a server system via a network; determining, by said remote system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data; in the event that said remote system determines that help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtaining a location of at least one help contents file from said client system; configuring, by said remote system, said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data; forming, by said remote system, responsive to said request for said page of data stored in said remote system, a data page, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction for displaying a help button, and wherein said data page includes at least one instruction associating said location of said at least one help contents file with said help button, and wherein said data page further includes said requested page of data; transmitting said data page to said client system; processing said data page on said client system, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data; requesting, by said client system, responsive to selection of said help button by a user, said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file; and receiving and outputting said at least one help contents file by said client system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said remote system is an embedded system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein said obtaining includes displaying a configuration dialog box on said client system, said configuration dialog box operable to receive said location of said at least one help contents file from a user interface of said client system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein said obtaining further comprises transmitting said location of said server system received from said client system to said embedded system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting at least one message from said remote help contents server system to said embedded system, wherein said message indicates a location of said at least one help contents file.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said transmitting said at least one message includes broadcasting one or more announcement messages from said server system, said announcement messages indicating that said at least one help contents file has been installed on said remote help contents server system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said requesting includes sending an HTTP request from a browser program on said client system to said embedded system, responsive to an indication of said location of said embedded system to said browser program from a user interface on said client system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 7 wherein a user indicates said location of said embedded system to said browser program by entering a URL of a device containing said embedded system to said browser program.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said data page is in HTML format.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said outputting includes rendering said data page on said display device responsive to processing said data page by a browser program on said client system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one help contents file is in HTML format.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one help contents file includes sound data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one help contents file includes graphics data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one help contents file includes video data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said embedded system is within a network switch.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said embedded system is within a household appliance.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more instructions associating said at least one help contents file with said help button include a uniform resource location (URL) having a server location field, release identifier field, and a topic field that is a unique identifier associated with said data page.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 wherein a contents of said release identifier field is a release number associated with said at least one help contents file.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 17 wherein a directory in said server system stores said at least one help contents file and a previous release of said content file.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one help contents file contains information relating to the topic of said data page.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said data page is an embedded form.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
228 words
A system for providing help information to a plurality of client systems, comprising: a help system operable to: execute within at least one remote system, determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said remote system determines that help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
228 words
A system for providing help information to a plurality of client systems, comprising: a help system operable to: execute within at least one remote system, determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said remote system determines that help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 22 , wherein said remote system is an embedded system.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 22 , wherein said help system is further operable to obtain said location of said remote help contents server system by receiving a network location of said remote help contents server system from at least one of said client systems.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 22 , wherein said help system is further operable to receive a network location of said help contents server system from said help contents server system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said data page is in HTML format.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said at least one instruction operable to obtain at least a portion of said at least one help contents file from said server system include at least a portion of a URL of said at least one help contents file.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one help contents file is in HTML format.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one help contents file includes sound data.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one help contents file includes graphics data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one help contents file includes video data.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said embedded system is within a network switch.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 23 wherein said embedded system is within a household appliance.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one instruction operable to obtain at least a portion of said at least one help contents file from said server system include a uniform resource location (URL) having a server location field, release identifier field, and a topic field that is a unique identifier associated with said data page.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 34 wherein a contents of said release identifier field is a release number associated with said at least one help contents file on said server system.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 34 wherein a directory in said remote help contents server system stores said at least one help contents file and a previous release of said content file.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 34 wherein said at least one help contents file contains information relating to the topic of said data page.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 34 wherein said data page is an embedded form.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
243 words
A computer program product including a computer readable medium, said computer readable medium having a computer program for providing help information to a plurality of client systems stored thereon, said computer program comprising: program code operable to: execute within at least one remote system, determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
243 words
A computer program product including a computer readable medium, said computer readable medium having a computer program for providing help information to a plurality of client systems stored thereon, said computer program comprising: program code operable to: execute within at least one remote system, determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
243 words
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave said computer data signal including a computer program for providing help information to a plurality of client systems stored thereon, said computer program comprising: program code operable to: execute within at least one remote system, determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
243 words
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave said computer data signal including a computer program for providing help information to a plurality of client systems stored thereon, said computer program comprising: program code operable to: execute within at least one remote system, determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
230 words
A system for providing help information to a plurality of client systems, comprising: a help system means for executing within at least one remote system, said help system means operable to: determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
230 words
A system for providing help information to a plurality of client systems, comprising: a help system means for executing within at least one remote system, said help system means operable to: determine, in response to receipt of a request for a page of data from a client system, whether help contents are configured in association with said page of data, in the event that said help contents are not configured in association with said page of data, obtain a location of at least one help contents file from said client system, configure said location of said at least one help contents file in association with said requested page of data, generate and transmit a data page to said plurality of client systems, wherein said data page includes at least one instruction which forms a help button when said data page is processed by one or more of said plurality of client systems, wherein said processing includes display of said help button within a display window containing said requested page of data, and wherein said data page further includes at least one instruction operable to obtain said at least one help contents file from a remote help contents server system indicated by said location of said at least one help contents file, responsive to assertion of said help button through a user interface on at least one of said client systems.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-09-10 | 2005-03-12 | 2005-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-10 | 2009-03-12 | 2009-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-10 | 2013-03-12 | 2013-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |