Enhanced user assistance
An apparatus, method, and system distinct from an item that provides user assistance for the item.
1 . An apparatus distinct from an item, the apparatus comprising:
a) an electronic device including a first user interface associatable with the item and a second user interface; and
b) instructions that when implemented in the electronic device cause the electronic device to:
(i) receive a query related to the item through the first user interface; and
(ii) provide an assistance correlating to the query through the second user interface.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first state and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second state.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface associatable with an item includes a first user interface physically associatable with the item.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface associatable with an item includes a first user interface removably associatable with an item.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface associatable with an item includes a first user interface removably associatable with an aspect of the item.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface associatable with an item includes a first user interface associatable with an aspect of the item.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface associatable with an item includes a button associatable with an item.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the button associatable with an item includes a tangible button associatable with an item.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the button associatable with an item includes a virtual button associatable with an item.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the virtual button associatable with an item includes a virtual button displayable on a display surface associatable with an item.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface includes a first user interface wirelessly couplable with the electronic device.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface includes a first user interface electrically couplable with the electronic device.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface includes a second user interface associatable with the item.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second user interface associatable with the item includes a second user interface removably associatable with the item.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second user interface removably associatable with the item includes a second user interface removably and physically associatable with the item.
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface includes a second user interface associatable with an aspect of the item.
18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface includes the first user interface.
19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface includes a visual display.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the visual display includes a visual display surface.
21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the visual display includes a light emitter.
22 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface includes a second user interface wirelessly couplable with the electronic device.
23 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface includes a second user interface electrically couplable with the electronic device.
24 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further includes a context sensor operable to sense a context of the item.
25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein, the instructions further include an instruction to (iii) receive a context of the item from the context sensor; and wherein the instruction to (ii) provide an assistance correlating to the query includes provide an assistance correlating to the query and the context of the item.
26 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the context sensor includes a sensor operable to sense a context extrinsic to the item.
27 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the context sensor includes a sensor operable to sense an environment extrinsic to the item.
28 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the context sensor includes a sensor operable to sense a context intrinsic to the item.
29 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item includes a vehicle.
30 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item includes an appliance.
31 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item includes a manufacturing apparatus.
32 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item includes a control system.
33 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further includes a computing device operably coupled to the first user interface and the second user interface.
34 . A method providing assistance for an item, the method comprising:
a) receiving a query related to the item through a first user interface of an electronic device associated with the item, wherein the item is distinct from the electronic device; and
b) providing an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface of the electronic device.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the first user interface includes an element in a first state and the second user interface includes the element in a second state.
36 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the first user interface includes an element of the electronic device in a first mode and the second user interface includes the element of the electronic device in a second mode.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the first user interface associated with the item includes a first user interface removably associated with the item.
38 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the receiving a query related to an item through a first user interface operably coupled to an electronic device and associated with the item includes receiving a selection of an aspect of an item through a first user interface operably coupled to an electronic device and associated with the item.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the receiving a selection of an aspect of an item through a first user interface operably coupled to an electronic device and associated with the item includes receiving a selection of an aspect of an item through a first user interface operably coupled to an electronic device and removably and physically associated with the aspect of the item.
40 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the receiving a query related to an item includes receiving a selection correlating to an assistance request related to the item.
41 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the receiving a query related to an item through a first user interface includes detecting a touch through a first user interface.
42 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the receiving a query related to an item through a first user interface includes detecting a sound through the first user interface.
43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the detecting a sound through the first user interface includes detecting a spoken word through the first user interface.
44 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the item includes a vehicle and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the vehicle.
45 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the item includes an appliance and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to an aspect of the appliance.
46 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the item includes a manufacturing apparatus and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to the manufacturing apparatus.
47 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the item includes a control system and the receiving a query includes receiving a query related to the control system.
48 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the second user interface associated with the item includes a second user interface removably associated with the item.
49 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface operably coupled to the electronic device includes providing an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface operably coupled to the electronic device and associated with the item.
50 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes providing a user assistance correlating to the query.
51 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes visually providing an assistance correlating to the query.
52 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes audibly providing an assistance correlating to the query.
53 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes providing a spoken assistance correlating to the query.
54 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes tactilely providing an assistance correlating to the query.
55 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a guided response assistance.
56 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an interactive tutorial assistance.
57 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an assistance correlating with a physical aspect of the item.
58 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating with the physical aspect of the device includes blinking a light emitter associatable with the physical aspect.
59 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a guidance correlating with a process associated with the item.
60 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a description of the item.
61 . The method of claim 60 , wherein the providing a description of an item includes providing a description of an aspect of the item.
62 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an assistance showing how the device operates.
63 . The method of claim 62 , wherein the providing an assistance showing how the device operates includes providing an assistance showing how an aspect of the item operates.
64 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising:
c) searching an assistance file for an assistance correlating with the query.
65 . The method of claim 34 , further comprising:
c) sensing a context of the item.
66 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the providing an assistance correlating to the query includes providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context of the item.
67 . The method of claim 65 , wherein sensing a context of the item includes sensing a context extrinsic to the item.
68 . The method of claim 65 , wherein sensing a context of the item includes sensing an environment extrinsic to the item.
69 . The method of claim 65 , wherein sensing a context of the item includes sensing a context intrinsic to the item.
70 . A computer-readable medium product for providing assistance with an item, the computer-readable medium product having computer-executable instructions operable to:
a) receive a query related to the item through a first user interface of an electronic device associatable with the item, wherein the item is distinct from the electronic device; and
b) provide an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface of the electronic device.
71 . The computer-readable medium of claim 70 , wherein the computer-readable medium product includes a computer storage medium product.
72 . The computer storage medium product of claim 71 , wherein the computer storage medium product is carried by a computer-readable carrier.
73 . The computer-readable medium of claim 70 , wherein the computer-readable medium product includes a communications medium product.
74 . An apparatus for providing assistance with an item, the apparatus comprising:
a) first means associatable with the item for receiving a query related to the item, wherein the first means is distinct from the item; and
b) second means associatable with the item for providing an assistance correlating to the query, wherein the second means is distinct from the item.
75 . The apparatus of claim 74 , further comprising:
c) third means for searching an assistance file for an assistance correlating to the query, wherein the third means is distinct from the item.
76 . An apparatus distinct from an item, the apparatus comprising:
a) a query module operable to receive a query related to the item through a first user interface associatable with the item; and
b) an assistance module operable to provide an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface.
77 . An apparatus distinct from an item, the apparatus comprising:
a) a smart device including a receiver associatable with an aspect of an item and operable to receive a selection of the aspect, and an indicator operable to broadcast a tutorial; and
b) a plurality of tutorials that include information related to the item.
78 . The apparatus of claim 77 , wherein the smart device further includes a tutorial selector operable to receive the selection of the aspect.
79 . The apparatus of claim 78 , wherein the tutorial selector further includes operability to select a tutorial correlating with the selection of the aspect from the plurality of tutorials.
80 . The apparatus of claim 77 , wherein the information related to the aspect of the item includes an explanation of the aspect of the item.
81 . The apparatus of claim 77 , wherein the information related to the aspect of the item includes a guided explanation related to the aspect of the item.
82 . The apparatus of claim 77 , wherein the receiver associatable with an aspect of an item includes a receiver surface associatable with an aspect of an item.
83 . The apparatus of claim 77 , wherein the receiver further includes a receiver operable to receive a selection of a tutorial from the plurality of tutorials.
84 . The apparatus of claim 77 , wherein the indicator includes an indicator associatable with the aspect of the item.
85 . A method for providing assistance with an item, the method comprising:
a) activating a help mode in an electronic device distinct from the item;
b) receiving a selection of an aspect of an item through a receiver portion of the electronic device associatable with the aspect; and
c) broadcasting a tutorial that includes information related to the selected aspect of the item through an indicator portion of the electronic device.
86 . A method for providing assistance with an item, the method comprising:
a) receiving a query related to an aspect of an item distinct from an electronic device through a first user interface operably coupled to the electronic device and removably associated with the aspect of the item; and
b) providing an assistance correlating to the query through a second user interface operably coupled to the electronic device that is removably associated with the item.
87 . An apparatus distinct from an item, the apparatus comprising;
a) a computing device;
b) a first user interface associatable with the item;
c) a second user interface;
d) an assistance file having a content related to the item; and
e) an assistance manager that includes instructions when implemented in the computing device cause the computing device to:
(i) receive a query related to the aspect of the item through the first user interface;
(ii) search the assistance file for an assistance correlating to the query; and
(iii) provide the assistance correlating to the query through the second user interface.
88 . The apparatus of claim 87 , wherein the first user interface associatable with an item includes a first user interface removably associatable with the item.
89 . The apparatus of claim 87 , wherein the first user interface includes a first user interface wirelessly couplable with the computing device.
90 . The apparatus of claim 87 , wherein the first user interface includes a first user interface electrically couplable with the computing device.
91 . The apparatus of claim 87 , wherein the second user interface includes a second user interface wirelessly couplable with the computing device.
92 . The apparatus of claim 87 , wherein the second user interface includes a second user interface electrically couplable with the computing device.