Systems and methods for network-based technical library

• US 6,768,998 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: King, James Leslie, Dominguez, Dianna Marie, Leonard, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEL JALIL, NEVEEN
• Application Number:
  US09/683,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/204, 707/511, 707/517, 707/503, 707/104.1, 705/1, 701/33, 709/203
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for providing technical information using a network-based system. The system includes a server system in communication with a database and at least one client system. The method includes storing the technical information in the database, appending summary data to the technical information, validating the technical information, and providing the technical information in response to an inquiry from an authorized user.

Claims

1. A method for providing technical information to nuclear power plant engineers using a network-based system including a server system in communication with a database and at least one client system, said method comprising:

storing technical information in the database, the database comprising a manual service library, a technical bulletin library, and an analysis information library, the manual service library including technical information related to nuclear power plant equipment including equipment manuals, the technical bulletin library including technical information related to nuclear power plant technical bulletins and regulatory agency documents, the analysis information library including technical information related to nuclear power plant analysis information reports and regulatory agency analysis documents;

appending summary data to the technical information;

validating the technical information; and

providing the technical information in response to an inquiry from an authorized user.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein storing the technical information comprises obtaining technical information in computer usable form.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein appending summary data comprises appending at least one of document number, document name, document revision, author, publication date, upload date, keywords, and comments to the technical information.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein validating comprises updating the database with revised technical information and revised summary data.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein validating comprises modifying summary data appended to the technical information.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein validating comprises checking the technical information and appended summary data.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein providing the technical information comprises:

displaying on the client system a pull down list of the technical information; and

receiving a request from the client system regarding the technical information from the pull down list.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein providing the technical information comprises:

downloading requested technical information from the server system; and

displaying requested technical information on the client system in response to the inquiry.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein providing the technical information comprises:

accepting identification of at least one summary data element from the client system; and

searching the database for matching summary data element.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein providing the technical information comprises:

displaying information on the client system identifying summary data appended to the technical information; and

receiving a request from the client system regarding the technical information.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein providing the technical information comprises:

accessing the database;

searching the database regarding the specific inquiry;

retrieving information from the database; and

transmitting the retrieved information to the client system for display by the client system.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the client system and the server system are connected via a network, the network comprising one of a wide area network, a local area network, an intranet and the Internet.

13. A method for providing technical information to nuclear power plant engineers using a network-based system including a server system in communication with a database and at least one client system, said method comprising:

storing technical information in the database in sub-libraries in computer usable form, the sub-libraries comprising a manual service library, a technical bulletin library, and an analysis information library, the manual service library including technical information related to nuclear power plant equipment including equipment manuals, the technical bulletin library including technical information related to nuclear power plant technical bulletins and regulatory agency documents, the analysis information library including technical information related to nuclear power plant analysis information reports and regulatory agency analysis documents;

appending summary data to the technical information, including at least one of document number, document name, document revision, author, publication date, upload date, keywords, and comments;

validating the technical information including updating the database with revised technical information and revised summary data, modifying summary data appended to the technical information, and checking the technical information and appended summary data; and

providing the technical information in response to an inquiry from the client system via the network, including displaying on the client system a pull down list of the technical information, receiving a request from the client system regarding the technical information from the pull down list, downloading requested technical information from the server system, and displaying requested technical information on the client system in response to the inquiry, the client system and the server system connected via the network including at least one of a wide area network, a local area network, an intranet, and the Internet.

14. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing technical information to nuclear power plant engineers, said program comprising a code segment that:

receives technical information;

maintains a database by adding, deleting and updating technical information, the database comprising a manual service library, a technical bulletin library, and an analysis information library, the manual service library including technical information related to nuclear power plant equipment including equipment manuals, the technical bulletin library including technical information related to nuclear power plant technical bulletins and regulatory agency documents, the analysis information library including technical information related to nuclear power plant analysis information reports and regulatory agency analysis documents;

maintains the database by adding, deleting and updating summary data appended to technical information;

validates technical information; and

provides said technical information to authorized users.

15. A computer program in accordance with claim 14 further comprising a code segment that selects technical information based on at least one of document number, document name, document revision, author, publication date, upload date, keywords, and comments.

16. A computer program in accordance with claim 14 further comprising a code segment that appends summary data with technical information.

17. A computer program in accordance with claim 14 further comprising:

a code segment that accesses said database;

a code segment that searches said database in response to an inquiry;

a code segment that retrieves information from said database; and

a code segment that causes retrieved information to be displayed on said client system.

18. A computer program in accordance with claim 14 further comprising a code segment that monitors the security of the system by restricting access to authorized individuals.

19. A computer program in accordance with claim 14 further comprising a code segment that validates said technical information.

20. A network-based system for providing technical information to nuclear power plant engineers, said network-based system comprising:

a client system comprising a browser;

a database for storing information;

a server system configured to be in communication with said client system and said database, said server system further configured to;

receive technical information;

store said technical information in said database, said database comprising a manual service library, a technical bulletin library, and an analysis information library, said manual service library including technical information related to nuclear power plant equipment including equipment manuals, said technical bulletin library including technical information related to nuclear power plant technical bulletins and regulatory agency documents, said analysis information library including technical information related to nuclear power plant analysis information reports and regulatory agency analysis documents;

append summary data to said technical information;

validate said technical information; and

provide technical information in response to an inquiry.

21. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said client system further comprises:

a displaying component for displaying at least one of a pull-down list, a check box, and a data entry field relating to technical information; and

a sending component to send an inquiry to said server system so that said server system can process and download said requested technical information to said client system.

22. A network-based system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said server system configured to provide technical information in response to an inquiry further configured to:

download requested information from a server system; and

display requested information on a client system in response to said inquiry.

23. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said system is configured to restrict access to authorized individuals.

24. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said server system further comprises:

a collection component for collecting technical information;

a validating component for validating technical information;

a displaying component for displaying technical information;

a receiving component for receiving an inquiry from said client system regarding technical information; and

an accessing component for accessing said database and causing said retrieved technical information to be displayed on said client system.

25. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said server system further comprises a processing component for processing received inquiries and searching said database.

26. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said server system further comprises a processing component for validating technical information.

27. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said server system further comprises a retrieving component to retrieve technical information from said database.

28. A network-based system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said server system further comprises an information fulfillment component that downloads said requested technical information after retrieving said requested technical information from said database.