Dynamic Help System with Time-Based Message Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer-based help systems are static and lack the ability to provide time-sensitive, user-contributed content that is specific to a problem, and they do not support dynamic help data structures for group activities, limiting their relevance and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A user-editable help system that allows users to input, store, and display help messages with creation time indicators, enabling dynamic and time-sensitive content contributed by multiple users, with features like function links and prioritization of messages, accessible through various devices and networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a static vendor-authored help system is used, then the system structure is simple and easy to maintain, but the help content lacks time-sensitivity and user-specific relevance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic help system where help messages are stored with creation time indicators and can be automatically updated or expired based on time conditions. The system transitions from static vendor-authored content to dynamic user-contributed content that changes over time, allowing help information to be time-sensitive and automatically refreshed without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to independently contribute help messages without requiring vendor intervention. Users can submit, update, and manage help content themselves, with the system automatically processing contributions, storing them with time indicators, and managing expiration. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex vendor-managed update processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users are allowed to add customized help content, then the help relevance to user problems improves, but the system complexity and number of steps to add content increases
Solution Approach 1:
Users can directly contribute help messages through a simplified interface without requiring special links or complex procedures. The system provides self-service capabilities where users independently submit, view, and manage help content, eliminating the need for vendor-authors or complicated approval processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The help system serves multiple functions: it stores vendor-authored content, user-contributed content, and time-sensitive information all within a single unified structure. The same interface and processes handle different types of help messages, eliminating the need for separate systems or complex routing logic.
3Reliability
If help content is made dynamic and time-sensitive, then the help relevance and effectiveness improves, but the data structure and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Help messages are pre-tagged with creation time indicators and expiration conditions when first submitted. The system performs preliminary organization of help content by time parameters, enabling automatic expiration and updating without complex real-time processing. This preliminary structuring simplifies subsequent management operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The data structure dynamically manages help messages based on time indicators, automatically expiring outdated content and prioritizing recent contributions. The system adapts its help content organization based on time-sensitive requirements, maintaining relevance without manual intervention while using a structured approach to manage complexity.
4Loss of information
If multiple users contribute help messages, then the coverage and specificity of help content improves, but the organization and retrieval difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-organizes user-contributed help messages by creation time, automatically sorting new contributions to the forefront and aging older messages. This preliminary time-based organization enables intuitive retrieval where users naturally access the most relevant recent messages first without requiring complex search or filtering operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a system for providing help information supporting at least one executable application. The system can comprise an interface processor for receiving user-entered data representing a help message conveying help information, a creation time indicator identifying a creation time of the help message, and an identifier for identifying a help information repository associated with the help message. A data processor can store the help message in the help information repository in order of creation by using the creation time indicator.