Enhanced contextual user assistance
In an approach, an exemplary method includes receiving a query related to an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device, sensing a context of the electronic device, and providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context through a second user interface associated with the electronic device. In another approach, an exemplary system includes an electronic device having a context sensor, a first and a second user interface, and instructions. The instructions cause the electronic device to receive a query related to the electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device, receive a context of the electronic device from the context sensor, and provide an assistance corresponding to the query and the context of the electronic device through a second user interface associated with the electronic device.
1. A method comprising:
(a) receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device;
(b) sensing a context of the electronic device; and
(c) providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context through a second user interface associated with the electronic device,
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.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device includes receiving a selection of an aspect of the electronic device through a first user interface associated with the aspect of the electronic device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device includes detecting a touch through a first user interface associated with the electronic device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface includes receiving a selection corresponding to an assistance request.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electronic device through a first user interface includes detecting a touch to the first user interface.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a query through a first user interface includes detecting a sound through the first user interface.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the detecting a sound includes detecting a spoken word.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a computing device and the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electronic device includes receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the computing device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes an electrical appliance and the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electronic device includes receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electrical appliance.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a limited resource computing device and the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electronic device includes receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the limited resource computing device.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a pervasive computing device and the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the electronic device includes receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of the pervasive computing device.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a user assistance.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes visually providing an assistance.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes audibly providing an assistance.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a spoken assistance.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes tactilely providing an assistance.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a guided response assistance.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an interactive tutorial assistance.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a guidance corresponding with a process associated with the electronic device.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing a description of the electronic device.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance includes providing an assistance showing how an aspect of the device works.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing an assistance through a second user interface associated with the electronic device includes providing an assistance through a physical element of the electronic device.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein providing an assistance through a physical element of the electronic device includes providing an assistance by blinking a light associated with a physical element of the electronic device.
24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(d) searching an assistance file for an assistance correlating with the query and the sensed context.
25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device includes receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device and a sensed context of the electronic device.
26. A method comprising:
(a) receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device;
(b) sensing a context of the electronic device; and
(c) providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context through a second user interface associated with the electronic device,
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.
27. A method comprising:
(a) receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device;
(b) sensing a context of the electronic device; and
(c) providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context through a second user interface associated with the electronic device,
wherein the sensing a context of the electronic device includes sensing a context extrinsic to the electronic device.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the sensing a context of the electronic device includes sensing a context intrinsic to the electronic device.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the sensing a context intrinsic to the electronic device includes sensing a configuration context intrinsic to the electronic device.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the sensing a context intrinsic to the electronic device includes sensing a software context intrinsic to the electronic device.
31. The method of claim 28 , wherein the sensing a context intrinsic to the electronic device includes sensing a hardware context intrinsic to the electronic device.
32. A method comprising:
(a) receiving a query including a selection of an aspect of an electronic device through a first user interface associated with the electronic device;
(b) sensing a context of the electronic device; and
(c) providing an assistance correlating to the query and the sensed context through a second user interface associated with the electronic device,
wherein the sensing a context of the electronic device includes sensing an environment extrinsic to the electronic device.