Complete-Text Term Suggestion for Vehicle Repair Data Entry

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Solution Overview

Problem

In vehicle servicing, technicians often use different words to describe similar details on repair orders, leading to inefficiencies in data processing and trend analysis due to inconsistencies in terminology.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that uses a processor to receive a vehicle identifier and a text entry, determines complete-text terms associated with the identifier, and displays these terms for selection, allowing for consistent and efficient data entry by suggesting complete terms based on the entered text.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If technicians use different words to describe similar details on repair orders, then data entry flexibility is improved, but data processing efficiency and trend analysis accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata entry flexibilityVSAvoiddata processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system (the processor and display device) that mediates between the technician's free-text input and the standardized terminology required for efficient data processing. The system displays suggested complete-text terms based on the entered text, allowing technicians to select standardized terms without manually typing them, thus maintaining flexibility while improving consistency and processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by proactively displaying suggested complete-text terms before the technician finishes data entry. This allows the technician to select from pre-suggested standardized terms rather than typing from scratch, ensuring consistency is established during the data entry process itself rather than requiring post-processing standardization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If technicians use different words to describe similar details on repair orders, then individual expression freedom is improved, but time required to process and evaluate repair orders deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual expression freedomVSAvoidtime required to process repair orders

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system acts as an intermediary that respects the technician's choice of words while automatically suggesting the standardized equivalent. The technician maintains ease of operation by simply typing or speaking their description, and the system bridges this free input to the standardized terminology, reducing the time needed to achieve consistent documentation without restricting expression freedom.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides immediate feedback by displaying suggested complete-text terms based on the technician's entered text. This feedback loop allows the technician to see the standardized term suggestion and quickly select it if appropriate, reducing the time required to process repair orders while maintaining the technician's ability to express themselves freely in the initial input.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If free text entry is used without suggestions, then data entry speed is improved, but data consistency and standardization deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata entry speedVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by displaying suggested complete-text terms before the technician commits to their entry. This allows the technician to maintain fast data entry speed by selecting from pre-suggested terms rather than typing slowly to ensure consistency, while the suggestions are prepared in advance based on the entered text.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary layer between free text input and final data storage. The intermediary processes the entered text and provides suggested standardized terms, allowing the technician to maintain the speed of free-text entry while achieving data consistency through selection of the suggested standardized term.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11281357B2Methods and systems for taxonomy assist at data entry points

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 SNAP ON INC

AI summary

A method and system provide for entering text into a text field by determining complete-text terms, displaying the complete-text terms, and receiving a selection of a complete-text term as text to be entered into the text field. In some cases, a complete-text term can include all prior text entries used to determine the complete-text terms. In other cases, a complete-text term can include only a portion or none of the prior text entries used to determine the complete-text term. The determination of the complete-text terms can be based on a vehicle identifier. The determination of the complete-text terms can be based on one or more complete-text term selection-limiters, such a location, use, or diagnostic trouble code associated with the vehicle. The system can include a vehicle service tool that requests a set of complete-text terms and receives the set from a complete-text term storage device or an off-board processor.