PROVIDING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY IN AN INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TECHNICAL MANUAL

1 . A method for providing a table of contents related to an information topic for an item in an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the method comprising:

providing a table of contents window for the IETM for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user signed into the IETM, wherein (a) the table of contents window comprises an information topic field, a first view pane, and a second view pane, and (b) the first view pane and the second view pane are displayed on non-overlapping portions of the table of contents window;

receiving the information topic for the item, wherein the user inputs the information topic for the item in the information topic field via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the information topic:

identifying a plurality of topics found in the technical documentation for the item, in which each of the plurality of topics comprises metadata comprising an information code matching the information topic,

identifying a topic name for each of the plurality of topics,

generating the table of contents using the topic name for each of the plurality of topics, and

providing the table of contents for display via the first view pane of the table of contents window.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the topics in the plurality of topics comprises a data module.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the plurality of topics involves:

referencing publication information for the technical documentation for the item, the publication information comprising an ordering of topics found in the technical documentation for the item; and

for each topic found in the publication module:

determining whether the information code in the metadata for the topic matches the information topic, and

including the topic in the plurality of topics in response to the information code matching the information topic.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the topic name for each of the plurality of topics comprises a combination of the information topic and a title found in the metadata for the topic.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the topic names found in the table of contents is selectable and the method further comprises:

receiving input of a selection of a specific topic name found in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the specific topic name is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the specific topic name:

identifying a topic for the specific topic name,

retrieving content found in the technical documentation for the topic, and

providing the content found in the technical documentation for the topic for display via the second view pane of the table of contents window.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the topic names found in the table of contents is selectable and the method further comprises:

receiving input of a selection of a specific topic name found in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the specific topic name is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the specific topic name:

identifying a topic for the specific topic name,

retrieving a portion of content found in the technical documentation for the topic,

generating a preview window comprising the portion of content, and

providing the preview window for display via the IETM viewer, in which the preview window is superimposed on at least a portion of the table of contents window.

7 . An apparatus for providing a table of contents related to an information topic for an item in an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

provide a table of contents window for the IETM for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user signed into the IETM, wherein (a) the table of contents window comprises an information topic field, a first view pane, and a second view pane, and (b) the first view pane and the second view pane are displayed on non-overlapping portions of the table of contents window;

receive the information topic for the item, wherein the user inputs the information topic for the item in the information topic field via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the information topic:

identify a plurality of topics found in the technical documentation for the item, in which each of the plurality of topics comprises metadata comprising an information code matching the information topic,

identify a topic name for each of the plurality of topics,

generate the table of contents using the topic name for each of the plurality of topics, and

provide the table of contents for display via the first view pane of the table of contents window.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the topics in the plurality of topics comprises a data module.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to identify the plurality of topics by:

referencing publication information for the technical documentation for the item, the publication information comprising an ordering of topics found in the technical documentation for the item; and

for each topic found in the publication module:

determining whether the information code in the metadata for the topic matches the information topic, and

including the topic in the plurality of topics in response to the information code matching the information topic.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the topic name for each of the plurality of topics comprises a combination of the information topic and a title found in the metadata for the topic.

11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the topic names found in the table of contents is selectable and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive input of a selection of a specific topic name found in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the specific topic name is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the specific topic name:

identify a topic for the specific topic name,

retrieve content found in the technical documentation for the topic, and

provide the content found in the technical documentation for the topic for display via the second view pane of the table of contents window.

12 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the topic names found in the table of contents is selectable and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive input of a selection of a specific topic name found in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the specific topic name is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the specific topic name:

identify a topic for the specific topic name,

retrieve a portion of content found in the technical documentation for the topic,

generate a preview window comprising the portion of content, and

provide the preview window for display via the IETM viewer, in which the preview window is superimposed on at least a portion of the table of contents window.

13 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions for providing a table of contents related to an information topic for an item in an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the instructions being configured to cause one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:

provide a table of contents window for the IETM for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user signed into the IETM, wherein (a) the table of contents window comprises an information topic field, a first view pane, and a second view pane, and (b) the first view pane and the second view pane are displayed on non-overlapping portions of the table of contents window;

receive the information topic for the item, wherein the user inputs the information topic for the item in the information topic field via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the information topic:

identify a plurality of topics found in the technical documentation for the item, in which each of the plurality of topics comprises metadata comprising an information code matching the information topic,

identify a topic name for each of the plurality of topics,

generate the table of contents using the topic name for each of the plurality of topics, and

provide the table of contents for display via the first view pane of the table of contents window.

14 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein each of the topics in the plurality of topics comprises a data module.

15 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to identify the plurality of topics by:

referencing publication information for the technical documentation for the item, the publication information comprising an ordering of topics found in the technical documentation for the item; and

for each topic found in the publication module:

determining whether the information code in the metadata for the topic matches the information topic, and

including the topic in the plurality of topics in response to the information code matching the information topic.

16 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the topic name for each of the plurality of topics comprises a combination of the information topic and a title found in the metadata for the topic.

17 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein each of the topic names found in the table of contents is selectable and the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:

receive input of a selection of a specific topic name found in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the specific topic name is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the specific topic name:

identify a topic for the specific topic name,

retrieve content found in the technical documentation for the topic, and

provide the content found in the technical documentation for the topic for display via the second view pane of the table of contents window.

18 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 13 , wherein each of the topic names found in the table of contents is selectable and the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:

receive input of a selection of a specific topic name found in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the specific topic name is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the specific topic name:

identify a topic for the specific topic name,

retrieve a portion of content found in the technical documentation for the topic,

generate a preview window comprising the portion of content, and

provide the preview window for display via the IETM viewer, in which the preview window is superimposed on at least a portion of the table of contents window.