Providing enhanced functionality in an interactive electronic technical manual

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatus, systems, computer program products for importing a dataset comprising content for technical documentation for an item provided as a plurality of data modules adhering to S1000D standards and a data source comprising content for the technical documentation for the item provided as a plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the technical documentation via an IETM viewer. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising: converting each data module for the dataset into a file in JSON format; converting each file for the data source into a file in JSON format; storing each of the files in JSON format in the IETM, wherein the content for the technical documentation from both the dataset and the data source can be accessed interchangeably within the IETM.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 026,636, filed Sep. 21, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety into the present application.TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD[0002]Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to providing enhanced functionality in an interactive electronic technical manual (IETM). The inventors have developed solutions that increase the efficiency, functionality, speed, capabilities, and user friendliness over conventional IETMs.BACKGROUND[0003]IETMs and other technical data generally hold large amounts of information that can include multiple volumes and hundreds or thousands of data modules when in electronic format. When users of IETMs, or other technical data that are provided electronically, need to look for a specific subject, they need to go over a lengthy electronic table of contents, similar to a paper book, but using links, which ca...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer storage medium is provided. In various embodiments, the non-transitory computer storage medium comprises instructions stored thereon. The instructions being configured to cause one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to: provide a window for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user signed into the IETM, the window comprising the electrical schematic in which a plurality of wires and a plurality of components shown in the electrical schematic and the plurality of wires are selectable; receive input of a selection of a wire of the plurality of wires, wherein the selection of the wire is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the wire of the plurality of wires: generate a diagram comprising the wire and a plurality of terminal ends for the wire provided in the wiring data for the technical documentation for the item; and provide a wire window for display via the IETM viewer, the wire window comprising a first view pane displaying the diagram and a second view pane in which each portion of the wire between two terminals ends of the plurality of terminal ends is selectable; receive a selection of a portion of the wire between a first terminal end and a second terminal end of the plurality of terminal ends, wherein the selection of the portion of the wire is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the portion of the wire: retrieve information on the portion of the wire, the first terminal end, and the second terminal end provided in the wiring data for the technical documentation for the item; and provide the information on the portion of the wire, the first terminal end, and the second terminal end for display via the second view pane.

[0009]In some embodiments, the information includes one or more part identifiers associated with at least one of the wire, the first terminal end, and the second terminal that are selectable. In these embodiments, input may be received of a selection of a particular part identifier of the one or more part identifiers performed by the user via the IETM viewer. Responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular part identifier of the one or more part identifiers, a parts window including information for a part associated with the part identifier provided in parts data found in the technical documentation of the item is generated and provided for display via the IETM viewer. Here, the parts window may be superimposed over at least a portion of one of the wire window and the information window.

[0010]In addition, in some embodiments, the parts window includes a parts order mechanism. In these embodiments, input may be received of a selection of the parts order mechanism performed by the user via the IETM viewer. Responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the parts order mechanism, a stock identifier is queried based at least in part on a part identifier for the part, data for the part is queried from a remote system based at least in part on the stock identifier, an electronic interactive order form is retrieved based at least in part on the item, the electronic interactive order form is auto-populated with the data and is provided for display via the IETM viewer, wherein the electronic interactive order form is configured to allow the user to at least one of edit the data and enter additional data into the electronic interactive order form and the electronic interactive order form provides one or more submit order mechanisms to allow the user to submit the order for the part directly from the IETM.

Problems solved by technology

This results in a lot of time spent by users, trying to look in many different places (and sometimes, out of exasperation, just look from A to Z) to find the information, which results in inefficiency, loss of time, and waste of expensive resources.

Furthermore, although many conventional IETMs provide some type of interactive functionality with respect to the technical data that allow users to interactively view the data, such functionality is typically limited to capabilities and do not address many of the technical issues encountered when providing an electronic interface for a large amount of information, as well as technical improvements that provide features beyond just simply allowing the user to view such information.

Many conventional IETMs fail to provide functionality to control secure access to the technical data, as well as control user functionality within the IETMs in viewing and using the technical data in a secure manner.

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