Mitchell E Miller

US Patent:

56574622, Aug 12, 1997

Filed:

Jan 31, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/594404

Inventors:

James R. Brouwer - Cincinnati OH
Mitchell Scott Miller - West Chester OH
Stephen Elwood Simula - Cincinnati OH

Assignee:

CollegeView Partnership - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

G06F 1500

US Classification:

395336

Abstract:

A method and apparatus is provided for displaying upon a monitor having a graphical user interface a movie-type window having a Digital Help Agent that has the appearance of moving between one window and a second window. The Digital Help Agent not only can move between apparent windows, but can point items out upon the display such as buttons or menu choices by moving to and touching those buttons or menu choices. The Digital Help Agent can be provided with a three-dimensional effect to enhance the visual reality to more focus the computer user's attention upon the Digital Help Agent. The Digital Help Agent is also provided with a voice via the audio output on the computer's speaker, so that the Digital Help Agent can audibly inform the computer's user as to the effect of choosing a particular menu item or button while the Digital Help Agent is actually touching that button or menu item.