Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Linguistics – Natural language
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-20
2001-04-03
Thomas, Joseph (Department: 2747)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Linguistics
Natural language
C704S010000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212494
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to natural language processing of textual information in a data processing system. Specifically, the invention relates to a process comprising computer-mediated linguistic analysis of online technical documentation and extraction of representative text from the documentation to acquire knowledge essential to, for example, providing assistance to users in performing a task.
Reference books, user guides, instructional manuals, and similar types of technical documentation have long been a main source of background information (as opposed to foreground information, e.g., as found in newspapers) useful to individuals in developing the knowledge necessary to perform some task such as operating an apparatus or item of equipment, for example, a digital computer. The primary purpose of this genre of text is to assist a user of the apparatus to which the material is applicable in operating the apparatus.
More recently, with the proliferation of digital computers in all facets of modern society, and, more specifically, with the advent of desktop computers in the home and the workplace, such assistance has usually taken the form of an online help facility, that is, information useful in assisting the user in performing some task is made available at the user display device of the desktop computer by means of electronic retrieval. This type of assistance is commonly referred to as online assistance or online help. The text of the information may be stored locally in a database file (which may also be referred to as an online help database, or simply, help database) in electronic media on a memory storage device such as a hard disk drive or optical drive coupled to the desktop computer. Alternatively, the text of the information may be stored in a file on a memory storage device coupled to a server which the desktop computer accesses by way of a data network to which the desktop computer, participating as a client in the data network, may be coupled. In either case, the information may be retrieved from the memory storage device and displayed on the user display device as directed by commands input by the user from an input device such as a keyboard, mouse, pen device, etc. In a desktop computing environment, some form of online assistance is provided, usually with respect to some aspect of operating the desktop computer or performing a specific task involving an application program, e.g., a wordprocessor or spreadsheet application.
In the context of online assistance, early versions of assistance generally provide information regarding what tasks or functions can be accomplished with the tools and commands of a computer operating system or software application, and/or what is the proper syntax or procedure for invoking such a command. For example, an early form of online assistance termed Balloon Help (in which explanatory text is displayed in a small pop-up window shaped like the balloons used for dialog in comic strips) is provided on Apple Macintosh computers operating under version System 7 and later versions of the Apple Macintosh Operating System. Using Balloon Help, a user of an Apple Macintosh computer can determine the function of potentially any command, symbol, window, icon, or object visible on the user display device, i.e., the screen of the Apple Macintosh computer. When a user enables this form of online assistance, short, descriptive text messages appear on the screen describing the function performed by a particular command, symbol, or object whenever the user places the cursor on the command, symbol, or object in question.
More recent versions of online assistance provide a more comprehensive form of online assistance that not only provides assistance regarding functions of objects, but also what tasks can be accomplished with these objects, as well as how to accomplish the tasks. For example, with reference to
FIG. 11
a novel metaphor of online assistance termed Apple Guide is provided on Apple Macintosh computers operating under version System 7.5 and later versions of the Apple Macintosh Operating System. Apple Guide provides online interactive instructions in response to user questions. An answer is provided to a user inquiry by leading the user through a series of interactive windows to a window or sequence of panels that contains explanatory text. An online help database behind the Apple Guide user interface provides the explanatory (coaching) text. Referring to
FIG. 1
, the user may begin the navigation through a series of windows upon selecting assistance by topic
102
, index
103
or “look for”
104
(where an attempt is made to map a free form user query onto an appropriate answer script from the help database) from an access window
101
(here, the Full Access window as displayed by Macintosh Guide). Using Apple Guide, users of an Apple Macintosh computer are able to obtain online assistance in different forms, including task-oriented procedures on a software application's features, tutorials, advanced features for sophisticated users, and reference material of the type found on quick reference cards.
In early versions of online assistance such as the Balloon Help previously described, the process of determining the content of the database file (herein before and after referred to as the help database) in which is stored the text of information that may be retrieved by online assistance is relatively straightforward. Essentially, the content of the help database is governed by the commands that appear on the user display device or that can be invoked by the user from a user input device. It should be noted that the term command is used here to encompass any object through which a user can control the system or application software running on the digital computer, including, for example, a window, icon, symbol, or text string. The creator, or “author” of the help database simply catalogs each command and provides a short description of its function, or the appropriate syntax for invoking the command, thereby providing a complete enumeration of commands arranged systematically with descriptive details.
In the more recent versions of online assistance, the process of determining the content of the online help database is an arduous, time consuming, and iterative task, typically involving a team of instructional designers. Whereas in earlier versions of online assistance, the author simply cataloged all possible commands and the like, in more recent versions of online assistance, the instructional designers or persons acting in that capacity are not provided with such finite boundaries regarding what information is important and, thus, should be included in the help database. Providing online assistance to questions such as, “how do I do this task?” involves more than just cataloging and describing the functionality of every possible command. The designers need to determine, for example, what task-oriented procedures, what tutorials, what advanced features, and what reference material should be included. This process is one of introspection by the instructional designers. Decisions are made typically on the basis of accumulated experience and intuition acquired primarily by trial and error. One way to proceed is to first determine the key terms in the application domain (which may be composed of one or more words, i.e., which may be phrasal units), the properties thereof, and the relations (i.e., actions) that can be performed on or with the objects defined by the key terms. For example, with reference to
FIG. 1
, the instructional design team may determine that the term “disk” shown highlighted at
105
in window
101
is important, and thus, should be a key term included in the help database. They may further determine that actions involving the disk such as preparing, ejecting, erasing (displayed in the right half of window
101
at
106
) are sufficiently important to include and relate to the key term disk in the help database. Key terms, as well as relations and properties involving th
Apple Computer Inc.
Blakely & Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman
Thomas Joseph
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