GESTURE ACTIVATE HELP PROCESS AND SYSTEM
A cellular phone with gesture detection is used to more effectively activate a multi-tier help system. Initially, a shake gesture is used to activate a context-sensitive help screen. Help can progress to a tier that includes interaction with a human customer service representative called from the cellular phone.
1 . A handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions, the handheld computing device comprising:
a movement sensor for signaling a gesture of a user of the handheld computing device;
a memory for storing software;
a screen for displaying information;
a communications channel to another device; and
a processor for executing the software, wherein the software is programmed to:
detect a predetermined gesture of the user,
present context-sensitive help information when the predetermined gesture is detected, and
activate the communication channel to the other device.
2 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the context-sensitive help is presented on the screen of the handheld computing device.
3 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the context-sensitive help is presented in the form of audio instructions that are played by the handheld computing device.
4 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the software is programmed to detect another gesture that deactivates the context-sensitive help.
5 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a haptic feedback element that creates movement in the handheld computing device to acknowledge that the predetermined gesture was recognized.
6 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined gesture is a shaking movement of the handheld computing device.
7 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the handheld computing device is a cellular telephone.
8 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined gesture both triggers the context-sensitive help information and cancels the context-sensitive help.
9 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the context-sensitive help is presented in an overlay window on the screen.
10 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the context-sensitive help is canceled by touching the screen in a predetermined area.
11 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications channel to the other device is a telephone network.
12 . The handheld computing device for providing mobile computing and other functions as recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications channel to the other device is a data network.
13 . A method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device, the method comprising:
recognizing, by the handheld computing device, that the handheld computing device is the subject of a particular movement;
presenting help information to a user of the handheld computing device; and
connecting to another device through a communications channel.
14 . The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13 , wherein the help information is context-sensitive.
15 . The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
determining the location of the handheld computing device;
transmitting the location to the other device; and
receiving the help information for presentation to the user, wherein the help information is selected based at least in part on the location of the handheld computing device.
16 . The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13 , further comprising filtering normal movement of the handheld computing device.
17 . The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13 , further comprising communicating to the other device a status of the user's interaction with the handheld computing device.
18 . The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 17 , further comprising logging all user interaction with the handheld computing device for a preselected interval before recognizing that the handheld computing device is the subject of the particular movement.
19 . The method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device as recited in claim 13 , further comprising providing haptic feedback to the user to indicate that the particular movement has been recognized.
20 . A method of providing help to a user of a handheld computing device, the method comprising:
recognizing, by the handheld computing device, that the handheld computing device is the subject of a particular movement;
determining the location of the handheld computing device; and
presenting help information to a user of the handheld computing device, wherein the help information is selected based at least in part on the location of the handheld computing device.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
connecting to another device through a communications channel;
transmitting the location to the other device; and
receiving at least some of the help information from the other device.
22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein presenting the help information to the user of the handheld computing device comprises playing audio information.