METHOD AND USER INTERFACE DEVICE FOR EFFICIENT COLLABORATION IN A MAINTENANCE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20140059468A1
• Filed: 08/23/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Allgair, Gregory Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,747,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

Embodiments include methods for creating collaborative information threads relating to maintenance or repair, comprising receiving a user selection of an equipment unit; displaying information related to one or more collaborative threads, where each thread corresponds to a task related to the selected unit; receiving user selection of one of the collaborative threads; and displaying at least a portion of the selected collaborative thread, including one or more previous actions and one or more continuation options. Embodiments also include methods for interactive selection and display of maintenance or repair information, comprising displaying a visual representation of an equipment; receiving user selection of a region for which information is desired; displaying a list of elements within the region; receiving a user selection of one of the elements; and displaying information related to the selected element. Embodiments also include user interface devices and computer-readable media embodying one or more of these methods.

Claims

1. A method for creating collaborative threads of information relating to maintenance or repair operations, comprising:

receiving a first signal from a user interface device indicating a user selection of one of a plurality of equipment units;

displaying information related to one or more collaborative threads, where each of the one or more collaborative threads corresponds to a task related to the selected unit;

receiving a second signal from the user interface device indicating user selection of one of the collaborative threads; and

displaying at least a portion of the information comprising the selected collaborative thread, wherein the displayed information comprises one or more previous actions within the collaborative thread and one or more thread continuation options.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more thread continuation options comprises thread continuation by adding one or more of text, audio, image, and video;

initiating a chat session;

accessing a document related to the selected unit; and

initiating a service request.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a third signal from the user interface device indicating user selection of a thread continuation option;

capturing information related to the selected collaborative thread; and

appending the captured information to the selected collaborative thread, wherein the captured information is appended as the most recent entry in the selected collaborative thread.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a fourth signal via a communications port of the user interface device, the fourth signal comprising information related to the selected collaborative thread;

appending at least a portion of the received information to the selected collaborative thread; and

displaying at least a portion of the information comprising the selected collaborative thread, wherein the at least a portion comprises the appended received information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying information related to a plurality of equipment units, wherein the information displayed for a particular equipment unit comprises status information and one or more previous actions within a collaborative thread related to the particular equipment unit.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting the plurality of equipment units for which information is displayed based at least in part on their respective distances from the user interface device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed information related to the one or more collaborative threads comprises one or more timelines indicating periods of activity on a task related to the selected unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second signals are received and the collaborative thread information is displayed via a touch screen display of the user interface device.

9. A method for interactive selection and display of information related to an equipment subject to maintenance or repair, comprising:

displaying a visual representation of at least a portion of the equipment;

receiving a first signal from a user interface device indicating user selection of a region of the equipment for which information is desired;

displaying an indicator of an equipment region and a list of one or more elements within the indicated equipment region;

receiving a second signal from the user interface device indicating user selection of one of the elements in the list; and

displaying information related to the selected element.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the displayed information comprises a list of one or more documents related to the selected element, and further comprising:

receiving a third signal from the user interface device indicating user selection of one of the documents in the list; and

rendering the selected document on the user interface device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the selected document comprises at least one of video, audio, images, and text.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein rendering the document further comprises displaying an indicator of the relative importance of a portion of the document.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the relative importance of a portion comprises a metric based on one or more of the number of views, number of zooms, number of annotations, and number of bookmarks of the portion; and

the indicator comprises an icon displayed with a color that is determined based on the value of the metric.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the document comprises one of an image, a single page of text, and a segment of a video.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a fourth signal from the user interface device designating the at least a portion of the equipment for which the visual representation is to be displayed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the visual representation is a three-dimensional model; and

the fourth signal comprises one of a pan signal, a rotation signal, and a scaling signal.

17. A user interface device capable of creating collaborative threads of information relating to maintenance or repair operations, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

at least one memory including program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to;

receive a first signal indicating a user selection of one of a plurality of equipment units;

display information related to one or more collaborative threads, where each of the one or more collaborative threads corresponds to a task related to the selected unit;

receive a second signal indicating user selection of one of the collaborative threads; and

display at least a portion of the information comprising the selected collaborative thread, wherein the displayed information comprises one or more previous actions within the collaborative thread and one or more thread continuation options.

18. The user interface device of claim 17, wherein the one or more thread continuation options comprises thread continuation by adding one or more of text, audio, image, and video;

initiating a chat session;

accessing a document related to the selected unit; and

initiating a service request.

19. The user interface device of claim 18, wherein the at least one memory further comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to:

receive a third signal indicating user selection of a thread continuation option;

capture information related to the selected collaborative thread; and

append the captured information to the selected collaborative thread, wherein the captured information is appended as the most recent entry in the selected collaborative thread.

20. The user interface device of claim 17, wherein the at least one memory further comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to:

receive a fourth signal via a communications port of the user interface device, the fourth signal comprising information related to the selected collaborative thread;

append at least a portion of the received information to the selected collaborative thread; and

display at least a portion of the information comprising the selected collaborative thread, wherein the at least a portion comprises the appended received information.

21. The user interface device of claim 17, wherein the at least one memory further comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to display information related to a plurality of equipment units, wherein the information displayed for a particular equipment unit comprises status information and one or more previous actions within a collaborative thread related to the particular equipment unit.

22. The user interface device of claim 21, wherein the at least one memory further comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to select the plurality of equipment units for which information is displayed based at least in part on their respective distances from the user interface device.

23. The user interface device of claim 17, wherein the displayed information related to the one or more collaborative threads comprises one or more timelines indicating periods of activity on a task related to the selected unit.

24. The user interface device of claim 17, wherein:

the display comprises a touch screen display; and

the first and second signals are received and the collaborative thread information is displayed via the touch screen display.

25. A user interface device capable of interactive selection and display of information related to an equipment subject to maintenance or repair, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

at least one memory including program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to;

display a visual representation of at least a portion of the equipment;

receive a first signal indicating user selection of a region of the equipment for which information is desired;

display an indicator of an equipment region and a list of one or more elements within the indicated equipment region;

receive a second signal indicating user selection of one of the elements in the list; and

display information related to the selected element.

26. The user interface device of claim 25, wherein the displayed information comprises a list of one or more documents related to the selected element, and wherein the at least one memory further comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to:

receive a third signal indicating user selection of one of the documents in the list; and

render the selected document on the user interface device.

27. The user interface device of claim 26, wherein the selected document comprises at least one of video, audio, images, and text.

28. The user interface device of claim 26, wherein the program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to render the document comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to display an indicator of the relative importance of a portion of the document.

29. The user interface device of claim 28, wherein:

the relative importance of a portion comprises a metric based on one or more of the number of views, number of zooms, number of annotations, and number of bookmarks of the portion; and

the indicator comprises an icon displayed with a color that is determined based on the value of the metric.

30. The user interface device of claim 28, wherein the portion of the document comprises one of an image, a single page of text, and a segment of a video.

31. The user interface device of claim 25, further comprising program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the user interface device to receive a fourth signal from the user interface device designating the at least a portion of the equipment for which the visual representation is to be displayed.

32. The user interface device of claim 31, wherein:

the visual representation is a three-dimensional model; and

the fourth signal comprises one of a pan signal, a rotation signal, and a scaling signal.

33. A computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by an apparatus comprising at least one processor and capable of displaying collaborative threads of information relating to maintenance or repair operations, cause the apparatus to:

receive a first signal indicating a user selection of one of a plurality of equipment units;

display information related to one or more collaborative threads, where each of the one or more collaborative threads corresponds to a task related to the selected unit;

receive a second signal indicating user selection of one of the collaborative threads; and

display at least a portion of the information comprising the selected collaborative thread, wherein the displayed information comprises one or more previous actions within the collaborative thread and one or more thread continuation options.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the one or more thread continuation options comprises thread continuation by adding one or more of text, audio, image, and video;

initiating a chat session;

accessing a document related to the selected unit; and

initiating a service request.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

receive a third signal indicating user selection of a thread continuation option;

capture information related to the selected collaborative thread; and

append the captured information to the selected collaborative thread, wherein the captured information is appended as the most recent entry in the selected collaborative thread.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

receive a fourth signal via a communications port of the apparatus, the fourth signal comprising information related to the selected collaborative thread;

append at least a portion of the received information to the selected collaborative thread; and

display at least a portion of the information comprising the selected collaborative thread, wherein the at least a portion comprises the appended received information.

37. A computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by an apparatus comprising at least one processor and capable of interactive selection and display of information related to an equipment subject to maintenance or repair, causes the apparatus to:

display a visual representation of at least a portion of the equipment;

receive a first signal indicating user selection of a region of the equipment for which information is desired;

display an indicator of an equipment region and a list of one or more elements within the indicated equipment region;

receive a second signal indicating user selection of one of the elements in the list; and

display information related to the selected element.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the displayed information comprises a list of one or more documents related to the selected element, and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

receive a third signal indicating user selection of one of the documents in the list; and

render the selected document.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the selected document comprises at least one of video, audio, images, and text.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, causes the apparatus to render the document comprises instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to display an indicator of the relative importance of a portion of the document.