The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 03, 2007
Filed:
Jun. 12, 2000
Carl T. Anderson, Apex, NC (US);
Gregory F. Bush, Morrisville, NC (US);
Michael Faoro, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Susan E. Kahler, Raleigh, NC (US);
Alberta Lee, San Francisco, CA (US);
Janet L. Leskovec, Raleigh, NC (US);
Susan E. Liles, Raleigh, NC (US);
Lynn Percival, Raleigh, NC (US);
Keith A. Wells, Angier, NC (US);
Carl T. Anderson, Apex, NC (US);
Gregory F. Bush, Morrisville, NC (US);
Michael Faoro, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Susan E. Kahler, Raleigh, NC (US);
Alberta Lee, San Francisco, CA (US);
Janet L. Leskovec, Raleigh, NC (US);
Susan E. Liles, Raleigh, NC (US);
Lynn Percival, Raleigh, NC (US);
Keith A. Wells, Angier, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and system for providing user assistance in utilizing a computer program is disclosed that provides the capability for combining an active display of the past, current, and future steps in an ongoing process with a series of associated decision panels and forms to be completed in order to carry out the steps. A navigator bar, which is situated adjacent to and can be scrolled independently of information appearing in a client area of a computer screen display, provides a user of the computer program with a map of the steps already executed, the current step being executed, and the most likely steps to be performed based on the current step being executed. If the user selects a different step to be the current step, the display of most likely future steps to be performed changes, if appropriate.