PROVIDING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY IN AN INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TECHNICAL MANUAL

1 . A method for importing a dataset comprising content for technical documentation for an item provided as a plurality of data modules adhering to S1000D standards and a data source comprising content for the technical documentation for the item provided as a plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the technical documentation for the item via an IETM viewer, the method comprising:

converting each data module of the plurality of data modules for the dataset into a file in JSON format;

converting each file of the plurality of files for the data source into a file in JSON format;

storing each of the files in JSON format in the IETM, wherein the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source can be accessed interchangeably within the IETM;

providing a table of contents to display via a window via the IETM viewer being executed on a user computing device being used by a user signed into the IETM, wherein the window (1) comprises a first view pane displaying the table of contents and a second view pane and (2) is configured to display the first view pane and the second view pane on non-overlapping portions of the window, and the table of contents comprises a plurality of topics associated with the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source;

receiving input of a selection of a particular topic from the plurality of topics provided in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the particular topic is performed by the user via the IETM viewer and the particular topic is associated with particular content found in the content for the technical documentation for the item provided in the data source as the plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards;

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular topic:

retrieving one or more files from the files in JSON format that contain the particular content; and

providing the particular content for display, wherein the particular content is displayed on the second view pane of the window in a format structure found in one or more of the plurality of files for the data source configured to contribute to an organization framework for readability of the particular content.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the format structure comprises at least one of a title description, a chapter description, a paragraph description, a heading description, a sub-heading description, a figure description, and a table description.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organizational framework comprises a hierarchical framework for the content of the data source.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of files for the data source are in at least one of a portable document format and a standard generalized markup language format.

5 . The method for claim 1 , wherein the IETM is configured to provide the same functionality with respect to the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the same functionality comprises placing a plurality of links in the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source in which each link of the plurality of links is configured when selected to provide a preview of a part found in the technical documentation for the item.

7 . The method for claim 1 , wherein converting each file of the plurality of files for the data source into the file in JSON format further comprises:

initially converting each file of the plurality of files into a file in an intermediate format; and

converting each file in the intermediate format to the file in the JSON format.

8 . An apparatus for importing a dataset comprising content for technical documentation for an item provided as a plurality of data modules adhering to S1000D standards and a data source comprising content for the technical documentation for the item provided as a plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the 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:

convert each data module of the plurality of data modules for the dataset into a file in JSON format;

convert each file of the plurality of files for the data source into a file in JSON format;

store each of the files in JSON format in the IETM, wherein the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source can be accessed interchangeably within the IETM;

provide a table of contents to display via a window via the IETM viewer being executed on a user computing device being used by a user signed into the IETM, wherein the window (1) comprises a first view pane displaying the table of contents and a second view pane and (2) is configured to display the first view pane and the second view pane on non-overlapping portions of the window, and the table of contents comprises a plurality of topics associated with the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source;

receive input of a selection of a particular topic from the plurality of topics provided in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the particular topic is performed by the user via the IETM viewer and the particular topic is associated with particular content found in the content for the technical documentation for the item provided in the data source as the plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards;

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular topic:

retrieve one or more files from the files in JSON format that contain the particular content; and

provide the particular content for display, wherein the particular content is displayed on the second view pane of the window in a format structure found in one or more of the plurality of files for the data source configured to contribute to an organization framework for readability of the particular content.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the format structure comprises at least one of a title description, a chapter description, a paragraph description, a heading description, a sub-heading description, a figure description, and a table description.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the organizational framework comprises a hierarchical framework for the content of the data source.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of files for the data source are in at least one of a portable document format and a standard generalized markup language format.

12 . The apparatus for claim 8 , wherein the IETM is configured to provide the same functionality with respect to the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the same functionality comprises placing a plurality of links in the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source in which each link of the plurality of links is configured when selected to provide a preview of a part found in the technical documentation for the item.

14 . The apparatus for claim 8 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to convert each file of the plurality of files for the data source into the file in JSON format by:

initially converting each file of the plurality of files into a file in an intermediate format; and

converting each file in the intermediate format to the file in the JSON format.

15 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions for importing a dataset comprising content for technical documentation for an item provided as a plurality of data modules adhering to S1000D standards and a data source comprising content for the technical documentation for the item provided as a plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the 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:

convert each data module of the plurality of data modules for the dataset into a file in JSON format;

convert each file of the plurality of files for the data source into a file in JSON format;

store each of the files in JSON format in the IETM, wherein the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source can be accessed interchangeably within the IETM;

provide a table of contents to display via a window via the IETM viewer being executed on a user computing device being used by a user signed into the IETM, wherein the window (1) comprises a first view pane displaying the table of contents and a second view pane and (2) is configured to display the first view pane and the second view pane on non-overlapping portions of the window, and the table of contents comprises a plurality of topics associated with the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source;

receive input of a selection of a particular topic from the plurality of topics provided in the table of contents, wherein the selection of the particular topic is performed by the user via the IETM viewer and the particular topic is associated with particular content found in the content for the technical documentation for the item provided in the data source as the plurality of files not adhering to S1000D standards;

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular topic:

retrieve one or more files from the files in JSON format that contain the particular content; and

provide the particular content for display, wherein the particular content is displayed on the second view pane of the window in a format structure found in one or more of the plurality of files for the data source configured to contribute to an organization framework for readability of the particular content.

16 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the format structure comprises at least one of a title description, a chapter description, a paragraph description, a heading description, a sub-heading description, a figure description, and a table description.

17 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the organizational framework comprises a hierarchical framework for the content of the data source.

18 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of files for the data source are in at least one of a portable document format and a standard generalized markup language format.

19 . The non-transitory computer storage medium for claim 15 , wherein the IETM is configured to provide the same functionality with respect to the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source.

20 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the same functionality comprises placing a plurality of links in the content for the technical documentation for the item from both the dataset and the data source in which each link of the plurality of links is configured when selected to provide a preview of a part found in the technical documentation for the item.

21 . The non-transitory computer storage medium for claim 15 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to convert each file of the plurality of files for the data source into the file in JSON format by:

initially converting each file of the plurality of files into a file in an intermediate format; and

converting each file in the intermediate format to the file in the JSON format.