Context-sensitive help for display device associated with power driven wheelchair

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing help information on a display device associated with a power driven wheelchair is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes: a) displaying screen content displayed on the display device during operation or support of the power driven wheelchair, b) detecting selective activation of a first input device, c) in response to detection of the first input device activation, selecting help information content from a collection of help information, the selected help information content being contextually related to the screen content displayed on the display device, and d) displaying the contextually-related help information content on the display device. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes: a display device, a first input device, and a microcontroller in operative communication with the display device and the first input device.

1 . An apparatus associated with a power driven wheelchair, including:
 a display device to selectively display screen content during operation or support of the power driven wheelchair;   a first input device for selective activation; and   a microcontroller in operative communication with the display device and the first input device;   wherein the microcontroller controls the content displayed on the display device during the operation or support and detects activation of the first input device;   wherein, in response to detection of the first input device activation, the microcontroller performs a security check to determine a privilege associated with a user, wherein the privilege identifies which features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to; and   wherein the microcontroller displays help information contextually related to the screen content displayed on the display device based at least in part on the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the microcontroller selectively displays help information contextually related to the screen content displayed on the display device based at least in part on the privilege associated with the user. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the displayed help information consists of help information associated with features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the displayed help information comprises help information associated with features of the power driven wheelchair that the user does not have access to, and wherein the help information indicates which features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to or does not have access to. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 a storage medium interface in operative communication with the microcontroller; and   a portable storage medium in operative communication with the storage medium interface; and   wherein the portable storage medium comprises a key that indicates the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 a programmer in operative communication with the microcontroller; and   wherein the programmer comprises a key that indicates the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 a programmer in operative communication with the microcontroller, wherein the programmer comprises a storage medium interface; and   a portable storage medium in operative communication with the storage medium interface; and   wherein the portable storage medium comprises a key that indicates the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the privilege associated with the user is one of a plurality of privileges, wherein each privilege is associated with a user type. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein different user types have different access to features of the power driven wheelchair. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the microcontroller displays an error message on the display device if the security check fails to determine the privilege associated with the user. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing help information on a display device associated with a power driven wheelchair, including:
 displaying screen content on the display device during operation or support of the power driven wheelchair;   detecting selective activation of a first input device;   in response to detection of the first input device activation, performing a security check to determine a privilege associated with a user, wherein the privilege identifies which features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to; and   in response to determining the privilege of the user, displaying help information contextually related to the screen content displayed on the display device based at least in part on the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein displaying help information contextually related to the screen content displayed on the display device is selective based at least in part on the privilege associated with the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the displayed help information consists of help information associated with features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the displayed help information comprises help information associated with features of the power driven wheelchair that the user does not have access to, and wherein the help information indicates which features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to or does not have access to. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further including:
 retrieving a key from a portable storage medium via a storage medium interface in operative communication with the microcontroller, wherein the key indicates the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further including:
 retrieving a key from a programmer in operative communication with the microcontroller, wherein the key indicates the privilege associated with the user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein retrieving the key from the programmer comprises transmitting a key status signal from the programmer to the microcontroller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the privilege associated with the user is one of a plurality of privileges, wherein each privilege is associated with a user type. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein different user types have different access to features of the power driven wheelchair. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further including:
 displaying an error message on the display device if the security check fails to determine the privilege associated with the user.