Systems and methods for maintenance knowledge management

• US 8,090,580 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Brian, Thomas, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Abebe, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US11/867,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 704/231, 704/235, 369/25.01, 715/203
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/685 using automatically derived transcript of audio data, e.g. lyrics speech recognition G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7844 using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Knowledge-based information can be captured and processed to create a library of such knowledge. A maintenance worker performing a task for an asset can record audio and/or video information during the performance, and can upload the recording to a maintenance system. The system processes the recording to produce a text file corresponding to any speech during the recording, and generates a search index allowing the text file to be searched by a user. If the task is performed in the context of a work order, for example, information from the work order can be associated with the text file so that a user can search by text search, keyword, task, or other such information. A user then can locate and access the text file and/or the corresponding recording for playback.

Claims

1. A method in a computer network of managing knowledge-based information, comprising:

receiving a recording file from a user, the recording file including at least one of audio and video information relating to performance of a task;

processing the recording file to generate a text file including a textual representation of information contained in the recording file;

storing the recording file and the text file;

generating one or more keyword tags based upon one or more properties of the task;

generating one or more knowledge entries, wherein each of the knowledge entries references the recording file, the one or more keyword tags, and the textual representation;

generating a search index that indexes the knowledge entries by keywords selected from the textual representation and by the one or more keyword tags; and

allowing a subsequent user to search for at least one of the text file and the recording file using the search index.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

processing the recording file includes using a speech-to-text application to generate text for any speech included in the recording file.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the task includes maintenance of an asset by a technician.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the task includes a work order, and further comprising:

extracting properties from the work order and associating the properties with the text file, wherein the properties comprise an asset type, a make, a model, a problem, a cause, a resolution, or a combination thereof.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

inserting a link into the text file allowing the user to access the recording file.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

inserting time stamps in the text file corresponding to time points in the recording file.

7. A system of managing knowledge-based information, the system including a processor and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

receive a recording file from a user, the recording file including a textual representation of at least one of audio and video information relating to performance of a task;

process the recording file to generate a text file including information contained in the recording file;

store the recording file and the text file;

generate one or more keyword tags based upon one or more properties of the task;

generate one or more knowledge entries, wherein each of the knowledge entries references the recording file, the one or more keyword tags, and the textual representation;

generate a search index that indexes the knowledge entries by keywords selected from the textual representation and by the one or more keyword tags; and

allow a subsequent user to search for at least one of the text file and the recording file using the search index.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the instructions for processing the recording file further cause the system to use a speech-to-text application to generate text for any speech included in the recording file.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein:

the task includes maintenance of an asset by a technician.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein the task includes a work order, and the instructions further cause the system to:

extract properties from the work order and associate the properties with the text file, wherein the properties comprise an asset type, a make, a model, a problem, a cause, a resolution, or a combination thereof.

11. A system according to claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

insert a link into the text file allowing the user to access the recording file.

12. A system according to claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

insert time stamps in the text file corresponding to time points in the recording file.

13. A computer program product embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium for managing knowledge-based information, comprising:

computer code for receiving a recording file from a user, the recording file including at least one of audio and video information relating to performance of a task;

computer code for processing the recording file to generate a text file including a textual representation of information contained in the recording file;

computer code for storing the recording file and the text file;

computer code for generating one or more keyword tags based upon one or more properties of the task;

computer code for generating one or more knowledge entries, wherein each of the knowledge entries references the recording file, the one or more keyword tags, and the textual representation;

computer code for generating a search index that indexes the knowledge entries by keywords selected from the textual representation and by the one or more keyword tags; and

computer code for allowing a subsequent user to search for at least one of the text file and the recording file.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein:

computer code for processing the recording file includes computer code for using a speech-to-text application to generate text for any speech included in the recording file.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein:

the task includes maintenance of an asset by a technician.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the task includes a work order, and further comprising:

computer code for extracting properties from the work order and associating the properties with the text file, wherein the properties comprise an asset type, a make, a model, a problem, a cause, a resolution, or a combination thereof.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

computer code for inserting a link into the text file allowing the user to access the recording file.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

computer code for inserting time stamps in the text file corresponding to time points in the recording file.

19. A method for providing knowledge-based information, comprising:

storing a recording file including at least one of audio and video information recorded by a first user and relating to performance of a task;

storing a text file generated by processing the recording file to extract a textual representation of information contained in the recording file;

storing a search index for the recording file and the text file;

generating one or more keyword tags based upon one or more properties of the task;

generating one or more knowledge entries, wherein each of the knowledge entries references the recording file, the one or more keyword tags, and the textual representation;

generating a search index that indexes the knowledge entries by keywords selected from the textual representation and by the one or more keyword tags; and

allowing a subsequent user to search for at least one of the text file and the recording file using the search index.

20. A method of providing maintenance information for an asset type, comprising:

receiving a request for maintenance information for an asset type from a user;

locating maintenance information related to an asset type; and

displaying the maintenance information to a user,

wherein the displayed maintenance information includes three types of information, the types of information including links to recording files recorded by a maintenance user during performance of maintenance for that asset type, links to text files generated by processing the recording files to extract a textual representation of information contained in the recording files, and links to work orders for that asset type,

the recording files associated with a search index, the search index generated by;

generating one or more keyword tags based upon one or more properties of the work orders;

generating one or more knowledge entries, wherein each of the knowledge entries references the recording file, the one or more keyword tags, and the textual representation; and

generating the search index, wherein the search index indexes the knowledge entries by keywords selected from the textual representation and by the one or more keyword tags.