Methods and systems for task-based search model

• US 7,685,196 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Wang, Yanxin Emily
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US11/683,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/102, 707/722
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods and systems for a computer-implemented method for managing service requests from a customer by a business entity are provided. The method includes generating a project folder relating to a first service request received from the customer by a first user, searching a plurality of information sources using keywords relating to the customer request, storing working documents responsive to the search request in the project folder that is accessible by at least one of the first user and a second user, and organizing the project folder in a database with meta data to describe the task content such that at least one of the first user and the second user can later locate the working documents during a subsequent search for a second service request similar to the first service request using the project folder such that an amount of time to answer the similar service request is facilitated being reduced.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing aircraft service requests from a customer by a business entity, said method comprising:

electronically generating a project folder using data entered by the customer and included within a first aircraft service request electronically transmitted from the customer to a first user associated with the business entity;

searching a plurality of information sources using keywords entered by the first user and related to the first aircraft service request to identify a plurality of working documents related to the first aircraft service request;

providing the plurality of working documents to the first user;

receiving, from the first user, at least one selection of a portion of a first document of the plurality of documents, the portion of the first document determined by the first user to be relevant to the first aircraft service request;

storing the portion of the first document in the project folder associated with the first aircraft service request, wherein the project folder is accessible at a future time by at least one of the first user and a second user associated with the business entity; and

organizing the project folder in a database using meta data that describes the first aircraft service request such that at least one of the first user and the second user can later locate the portion of the first document determined to be relevant to the first aircraft service request during a subsequent search of existing project folders, and use the portion of the first document when responding to a second aircraft service request similar to the first aircraft service request by locating and accessing the project folder associated with the first aircraft service request.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein generating a project folder comprises the first user associated with the business entity generating a project folder.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first user associated with the business entity generating a project folder comprises the first user entering project folder identifying information including at least one of a project name, a current date, a project status, a model number of the object of the service request, an Air Transport Association (ATA) System Identification chapter number, and a customer identification number for the first service request.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein searching a plurality of information sources comprises searching at least one of an Internet-based regulatory authority document database, a plurality of network-based electronic documents controlled by the business entity, a plurality of search results previously queried by the first user, a note entered by the first user, and a link to a portion of a document.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein searching a plurality of information sources comprises selecting at least one information source from a plurality of information sources.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein searching a plurality of information sources comprises searching a plurality of information sources that are located on respective servers.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein storing working documents comprises storing the working documents in a database server communicatively coupled to a plurality of client workstations located remotely from the database server and others of the plurality of client workstations.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein storing working documents comprises storing working documents wherein the working documents include at least one of the search results, links to documents located by the search, links to portions of documents selected by the user from documents located by the search, and notes entered by the first user.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising searching the previously stored working documents by the second user in response to the second service request that is similar to the first service request.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein organizing the project folder in a database comprises organizing the project folder in a database using at least one of a service request name and title, a customer name, a creation date, a support engineer name, and a model number pertaining to the service request such that at least one of the first user and the second user can locate the working documents during a subsequent search for a second service request similar to the first service request by accessing the project folder such that an amount of time to answer the similar service request is facilitated being reduced.

11. A network based system for locating information stored within said system by a business entity in response to a service request by a customer, said system comprising:

a client system comprising a computer and a user interface;

at least one database for storing information; and

a server system configured to be coupled to said client system and said database, said server system further configured to;

receive a first service request from the customer;

automatically generate a project folder from data entered by the customer and included in the first service request;

receive information from said client system, said information including search criteria for initiating a first search request of a plurality of document sources on the network for documents related to the first service request;

provide search results to a first user associated with the business entity, the search results including a plurality of working documents;

receive user entered data from the first user that includes at least one of text and a copied selection of a portion of a first document of the plurality of working documents, the user entered data determined by the first user to be relevant to the first service request;

store the user entered data in the project folder, wherein the project folder is accessible at a future time by at least one of the first user associated with the business entity and a second user associated with the business entity; and

organize the project folder in a database of project folders using meta data that describes the first service request such that at least one of the first user and the second user can later locate the user entered data during a subsequent search of existing project folders, and use the user entered data when responding to a second service request similar to the first service request such that an amount of time to respond to the similar service request is facilitated being reduced.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said at least one database is at least one of a centralized database and a distributed database residing on a plurality of servers.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to prompt the first user associated with the business entity to generate a project folder.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to search at least one of an Internet-based regulatory authority document database, a plurality of network-based electronic documents controlled by the business entity, a plurality of search results previously queried by the first user, text entered by the first user, and a link to the copied selection of a portion of a document.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to parse the first service request from the customer for project folder identifying information including at least one of a project name, a current date, a project status, a model number of the object of the service request, an Air Transport Association (ATA) System Identification chapter number, and a customer identification number for the request.

16. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to search at least one information source selected from a plurality of information sources by the first user.

17. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to store the working documents in a database server communicatively coupled to a plurality of client workstations located remotely from the database server and others of the plurality of client workstations.

18. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to store working documents responsive to the search request in a project folder that is accessible at a future time by at least one of the first user and a second user associated with the business entity wherein the working documents include at least one of the search results, links to documents located by the search, links to portions of documents selected by the first user from documents located by the search, and text entered by the first user.

19. A system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said server system is further configured to search the previously stored working documents in response to a second service request that is similar to the first service request.

20. A method for managing information search results, said method comprising:

receiving a first service request by a business entity from a first customer of the business entity;

generating a project folder relating to the first service request;

storing the project folder in a searchable database using meta data that describes the first service request to identify the project folder;

searching a plurality of information sources using keywords generated by a first user of the business entity that relate to the first service request;

providing search results to the first user, the search results including a plurality of working documents responsive to the first search request;

storing links to portions of the working documents selected by the first user for being relevant to the first service request;

receiving a second service request by the business entity from at least one of the first customer and a second customer wherein the second service request is substantially similar to the first service request; and

searching the database using information identifying the second service request to locate the project folder relating to the first service request such that at least one of the first user and a second user associated with the business entity can use the links to portions of the working documents selected by the first user when responding to the second service request and reduce an amount of time to answer the similar service request.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein generating a project folder comprises automatically generating the project folder from data in the first service request that is entered by the customer.