Viewing system that supports multiple electronic document types

• US 8,311,797 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Beck, James, Dolan, Kelly, Ross, William, Zelesnik, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Huyen X.
• Application Number:
  US12/126,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 704 1- 10, 704/251, 704/257, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/255
• US Class Current: 704/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis

Abstract

A method of interpreting electronic documents, e.g., an interactive technical manual, provides an interpreter responsive to at least one global navigational input data of a client user in order to generate a displayable output. The displayable output is generated from informational input and a contextual status. The method of interpretation includes a base semantics module and any number of extended semantics modules, a symbol table, and an output module. A plurality of global navigational data are received at the interpreter, which associates and processes the informational data received with the contextual status and outputs displayable data which is renderable by the display system into a current view. A system and computer medium are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server connected to a network, the server receiving global navigational input data from users via the network, the server including;

at least one processor;

a database of technical manual content;

a memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing program instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the at least one processor to display electronic documents; and

a discrete pluggable interpreter of at least one electronic document responsive to at least one global navigational input data of a client user for generating a displayable output from informational input and contextual status, with the interpreter including a base semantics module and one or more extended semantics modules, a symbol table, and output module thereby allowing for the interoperability of interpreters for viewing of disparate electronic documents.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a link capable of receiving a discrete display module for rendering displayed output suitable for a particular display device, whereby said discrete display module is interchangeable allowing for interoperability of display modules for viewing in disparate display devices.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display system linked with the discrete pluggable interpreter.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

multiple discrete pluggable interpreters wherein said multiple discrete pluggable interpreters are each responsive to a unique electronic document type.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the display system is capable of displaying multiple electronic document types concurrently.

6. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the single display system is capable of linking to a plurality of discrete display devices.

7. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the at least one electronic document is an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the discrete pluggable interpreter comprising:

a base semantics module and any number of extended semantics modules, a symbol table, and an output module.

9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the discrete pluggable interpreter reuses programmatic logic of the base semantics module thereby producing programmatic logic that implements structures and behaviors from the interactive manuals and the structures to be implemented are steps or tasks that are each associated with content in a semantics module.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the one or more behaviors to be implemented are one or more preconditions that are each operatively associated with structures in a semantics module.

11. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the discrete pluggable interpreter is responsive to at least one global navigational input data of a client user for the Interactive Electronic Technical Manual, wherein generated displayable output is produced from informational input, authored content, and a contextual status.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

at least one global navigational data for associating the informational data received with the contextual status, whereby the informational data includes at least one user input field.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the informational data includes at least one of a serial number of a part or symptoms of a problem.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein manual type is one of MIL-PRF-87269, specification 1000D (S1000D), Joint Computer-Aided Acquisition and Logistic Support (JCALS).

15. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the stored contextual status is defined by:

one or more states internal to the interpreter for programmatic purposes; and

one or more states external to the interpreter for programmatic purposes.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the stored contextual status determines display data output based on a user'"'"'s actions, current location, and training background.

17. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the set of external states is one of displaying the manual, displaying the table of contents, displaying the index, setting bookmarks, loading bookmarks, setting sessions, loading sessions, executing a helper application, and executing a diagnostic tool.

18. The system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the set of states is stored.

19. A system comprising:

a server connected to a network, the server receiving global navigational input data from users via the network, the server including;

at least one processor;

a database of technical manual content;

a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing program instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display electronic documents; and

at least one discrete pluggable interpreter of an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) responsive to at least one global navigational input data of a client user for generating a displayable output from informational input and contextual status, with the interpreter including a base semantics module and one or more extended semantics modules, a symbol table, and output module thereby allowing for the interoperability of interpreters for viewing of disparate electronic documents.