IP Library › Patent Application 17030474

Patent Application

App. No. 17/030,474

PROVIDING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY IN AN INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TECHNICAL MANUAL

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Patent No.: US None
App. No.: 17/030,474

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Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatus, systems, computer program products for supporting three dimensional (3D) graphics for technical documentation for an item via an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to the technical documentation. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising: providing a window comprising a first view pane displaying a list of parts used for a component of the item and a second view pane displaying a 3D graphic of the component; receiving selection of a part of the component displayed in the 3D graphic using a first selection mechanism; responsive to receiving the selection: causing the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane; and causing the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using a first highlighting format.

Claims (96)

1 . A method for supporting three dimensional (3D) graphics for technical documentation for an item via 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:

providing a window for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user signed into the IETM, the window comprising a first view pane displaying a list of parts used for a component of the item and a second view pane displaying a 3D graphic of the component in which the window is configured to display the first view pane and the second view pane on non-overlapping portions of the window;

receiving input of a selection of a part of the component displayed in the 3D graphic on the second view pane using a first selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the first selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the first selection mechanism:

causing the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane; and

causing the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using a first highlighting format;

receiving input of a selection of the part of the component displayed in the 3D graphic on the second view pane using a second selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the second selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the second selection mechanism:

causing the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane;

causing the part in the list of parts to be displayed with a border around the highlighting of the part on the first view pane; and

causing the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using a second highlighting format;

receiving input of a selection of the part from the list of parts displayed on the first view pane, wherein the selection of the part is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part from the list of parts displayed on the first view pane:

causing the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane;

causing the part in the list of parts to be displayed with a border around the highlighting of the part on the first view pane;

causing the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using the second highlighting format; and

causing the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as zoomed in on and rotated on the second view pane based at least in part on a size of the part.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first highlighting format comprises displaying the part in a first color and the second highlighting format comprises displaying the part in a second, different color.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input of a selection of the part in the 3D graphic displayed on the second view pane using a third selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the third selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the third selection mechanism, causing display of the part in the 3D graphic to be removed on the second view pane.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input of a selection of the part in the 3D graphic displayed on the second view pane using a fourth selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the fourth selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the fourth selection mechanism, causing display of remaining parts of the component in the 3D graphic to be removed on the second view pane.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input of a selection of an add axis mechanism, wherein the selection of the add axis mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the add axis mechanism, causing display of an axis in the 3D graphic to assist the user in rotating the part in the 3D graphic on the second view pane.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each part in the list of parts displayed on the first view pane is associated with an election mechanism and the method further comprises:

causing display in the 3D graphic on the second view pane those parts of the list of parts in which in the corresponding election mechanisms have been selected by the user via the IETM viewer; and

causing removal from display in the 3D graphic on the second view pane those parts of the list of parts in which in the corresponding election mechanisms have been unselected by the user via the IETM viewer.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a second list of parts for display via the window, the second list of parts comprising parts of the component displayed in the 3D graphic on the second view pane but not found in the technical documentation of the item.

9 . An apparatus for supporting three dimensional (3D) graphics for technical documentation for an item via 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:

provide a window for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user signed into the IETM, the window comprising a first view pane displaying a list of parts used for a component of the item and a second view pane displaying a 3D graphic of the component in which the window is configured to display the first view pane and the second view pane on non-overlapping portions of the window;

receive input of a selection of a part of the component displayed in the 3D graphic on the second view pane using a first selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the first selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the first selection mechanism:

cause the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane; and

cause the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using a first highlighting format;

receive input of a selection of the part of the component displayed in the 3D graphic on the second view pane using a second selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the second selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the second selection mechanism:

cause the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane;

cause the part in the list of parts to be displayed with a border around the highlighting of the part on the first view pane; and

cause the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using a second highlighting format;

receive input of a selection of the part from the list of parts displayed on the first view pane, wherein the selection of the part is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part from the list of parts displayed on the first view pane:

cause the part in the list of parts to be displayed as highlighted on the first view pane;

cause the part in the list of parts to be displayed with a border around the highlighting of the part on the first view pane;

cause the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as highlighted on the second view pane using the second highlighting format; and

cause the part in the 3D graphic to be displayed as zoomed in on and rotated on the second view pane based at least in part on a size of the part.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first highlighting format comprises displaying the part in a first color and the second highlighting format comprises displaying the part in a second, different color.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein 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 the part in the 3D graphic displayed on the second view pane using a third selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the third selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the third selection mechanism, cause display of the part in the 3D graphic to be removed on the second view pane.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein 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 the part in the 3D graphic displayed on the second view pane using a fourth selection mechanism, wherein the selection of the part using the fourth selection mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the part using the fourth selection mechanism, cause display of remaining parts of the component in the 3D graphic to be removed on the second view pane.

14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein 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 an add axis mechanism, wherein the selection of the add axis mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the add axis mechanism, cause display of an axis in the 3D graphic to assist the user in rotating the part in the 3D graphic on the second view pane.

15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each part in the list of parts displayed on the first view pane is associated with an election mechanism and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

cause display in the 3D graphic on the second view pane those parts of the list of parts in which in the corresponding election mechanisms have been selected by the user via the IETM viewer; and

cause removal from display in the 3D graphic on the second view pane those parts of the list of parts in which in the corresponding election mechanisms have been unselected by the user via the IETM viewer.

16 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to provide a second list of parts for display via the window, the second list of parts comprising parts of the component displayed in the 3D graphic on the second view pane but not found in the technical documentation of the item.

17 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions for supporting three dimensional (3D) graphics for technical documentation for an item via 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: