# US 2008/0189612 A1 · Using unique help utility identifier as parameter in application to facilitate extraction of help tutorial from library > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0189612 A1 - Document ID: US20080189612A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/946,416 - Filed: 2007-11-28 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-01 - Assignees: Sony Corporation; Sony Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Guoxuan Zhang; Tom Lam; Tam Dao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080189612A1 ## CPC - G06F 9/453: {Help systems} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Plural guided help utilities are provided in a library and accessed using unique identifiers to guide a user in a “show me” mode or “do it” mode through help instructions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: generating at least one guided help utility for an associated software application to be run on a computer operating system, the help utility including a “show me” option and a “do it” option, wherein if the “show me” option is selected the help utility leads a user through a task step-by-step, allowing the user to complete a task for which help is sought, and wherein if the “do it” option is selected a computer processor automatically executes the task, pausing only when the user must make a choice; associating a unique identifier with the guided help utility to facilitate accessing the utility through the associated software application; passing the unique identifier through as a parameter in the source code of the associated software application; and invoking the help utility in response to a user selection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising generating plural guided help utilities, each having an associated software application and unique identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, comprising loading the help utilities in a library and loading the library onto a user computer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein when a user selects a particular “help” utility the identifier of the utility is used to retrieve the utility from the library. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the help utility is a wireless local area network (LAN) help utility and the method includes generating a “HelpPane” object that is declared when a user selection is made to access properties and attributes, the “HelpPane” object providing references to searching and navigating within a user interface window. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the help utility may be accessed by a user using a desktop “help and support” shortcut, or by using a general “help and support, all programs” button, or by selecting a “help and support” entry on an initially displayed “welcome center” menu. ### Claim 7 A tangible computer readable medium usable by a processor to execute logic comprising: receiving a user command to access a help utility; using a unique identifier of the help utility, retrieving the help utility from a library of help utilities stored on a user computer; and instantiating an instance of the help utility retrieved from the library. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The medium of claim 7, wherein the help utility includes a “show me” option and a “do it” option, wherein if the “show me” option is selected the help utility leads a user through a task step-by-step, allowing the user to complete a task for which help is sought, and wherein if the “do it” option is selected a computer processor automatically executes the task, pausing only when the user must make a choice. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, wherein the unique identifier is a parameter in source code of a software application associated with the help utility. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The medium of claim 9, wherein each of plural help utilities has an associated software application and associated unique identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The medium of claim 10, wherein when a user selects a particular “help” utility the ID of the utility is used to retrieve the utility from the library. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The medium of claim 7, wherein the help utility is a wireless local area network (LAN) help utility and the method includes generating a “HelpPane” object that is declared when a user selection is made to access properties and attributes, the “HelpPane” object providing references to searching and navigating within a user interface window. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12, wherein the help utility may be accessed by a user using a desktop “help” shortcut, or by using a general “help and support, all programs” button, or by selecting a “help” entry on an initially displayed “welcome center” menu. ### Claim 14 A method for providing plural help utilities in a library of a user computer, comprising: generating the help utilities, each having an associated software application to be run on an operating system of the user computer, at least one of the help utilities including a “show me” option and a “do it” option, wherein if the “show me” option is selected the help utility leads a user through a task step-by-step, allowing the user to complete a task for which help is sought, and wherein if the “do it” option is selected a computer processor automatically executes the task, pausing only when the user must make a choice; associating unique identifiers with respective help utilities to facilitate accessing a utility through its associated software application; passing a unique identifier through as a parameter in source code of the associated software application; and invoking the help utility in response to a user selection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein when a user selects a particular “help” utility the identifier of the utility is used to retrieve the utility from the library. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the help utility is a wireless local area network (LAN) help utility and the method includes generating a “HelpPane” object that is declared when a user selection is made to access properties and attributes, the “HelpPane” object providing references to searching and navigating within a user interface window. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the help utility may be accessed by a user using a desktop “help” shortcut, or by using a general “help and support, all programs” button, or by selecting a “help” entry on an initially displayed “welcome center” menu.