Providing enhanced functionality in an interactive electronic technical manual

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatus, and computer program products for signing into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for items via an IETM viewer. In various embodiments, a sign-in window is provided comprising a dataset field, a unit field, and an object field. A selection of a dataset for an item is made and in response, selectable units are displayed for the unit field. Responsive to a selection of a unit, selectable objects are displayed for the object field based on the selected unit and dataset. Responsive to a selection of an object, a sign-in mechanism is made available that can be used to sign in a user to access the IETM via the IETM viewer, wherein the IETM tracks and records activities performed or content accessed by the user while signed into the IETM.

1 . A method for signing into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for one or more items via an IETM viewer, the method comprising:
 providing a sign-in window for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user, the sign-in window comprising a selectable dataset field, a selectable unit field, and a selectable object field;   receiving input of a selection of a dataset corresponding to the technical documentation for one of the one or more items, wherein the selection of the dataset is performed by the user via the IETM viewer from a plurality of datasets that are available via the IETM viewer displayed for the selectable dataset field;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of a dataset, providing at least one of one or more selectable units to display for the selectable unit field based at least in part on the selection of the dataset;   receiving input of a selection of a unit displayed for the selectable unit field, wherein the selection of the unit displayed for the selectable unit field is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the unit displayed in the selectable unit field, providing at least one of one or more selectable objects to display for the selectable object field based at least in part on the selection of the unit and the selection of the dataset;   receiving input of a selection of an object displayed for the selectable object field, wherein the selection of the object displayed for the selectable object field is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the object displayed in the selectable object field, causing a sign-in mechanism configured to provide electronic and credentialed access via the IETM viewer to the IETM to be made available on the sign-in window;   receiving input of a selection of the sign-in mechanism, wherein the selection of the sign-in mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the sign-in mechanism, signing the user into the IETM, wherein the IETM (1) provides access to the user to the technical documentation for the selected dataset that is applicable to the selected unit and the selected object and (2) tracks and records at least one of activities performed or content accessed by the user while signed into the IETM.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing a window comprising a first view pane and a second view pane for display via the IETM viewer, wherein (a) the first view pane displays a plurality of content in which each content identified in the plurality of content was accessed by the user during one or more past instances in which the user was signed into the IETM for the selected dataset, and (b) the first view pane and the second view pane are displayed on non-overlapping portions of the window; and 
 receiving input of a selection of a particular content identified in the plurality of content displayed on the first view pane, wherein the selection of the particular content is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and 
 responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular content:
 retrieving the particular content from the technical documentation for one of the one or more items, and 
 providing the particular content for displaying on the second view pane of the window. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the unit identifies a relationship of the user with respect to at least one of the technical documentation and the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object identifies a specific configuration of the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a generic object and the technical documentation comprises all technical documentation applicable to at least one of the unit and the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sign-in window comprises a job field and the method further comprises providing access to the job field in response to the selection of the object comprising a specific object. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sign-in mechanism is provided in response to the selection of the object comprising a specific object and receiving input of a job identifier entered by the user in the job field via the IETM viewer. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for signing into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for one or more items 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 sign-in window for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user, the sign-in window comprising a selectable dataset field, a selectable unit field, and a selectable object field;   receive input of a selection of a dataset corresponding to the technical documentation for one of the one or more items, wherein the selection of the dataset is performed by the user via the IETM viewer from a plurality of datasets that are available via the IETM viewer displayed for the selectable dataset field;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of a dataset, provide at least one of one or more selectable units to display for the selectable unit field based at least in part on the selection of the dataset;   receive input of a selection of a unit displayed for the selectable unit field, wherein the selection of the unit displayed for the selectable unit field is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the unit displayed in the selectable unit field, provide at least one of one or more selectable objects to display for the selectable object field based at least in part on the selection of the unit and the selection of the dataset;   receive input of a selection of an object displayed for the selectable object field, wherein the selection of the object displayed for the selectable object field is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the object displayed in the selectable object field, cause a sign-in mechanism configured to provide electronic and credentialed access via the IETM viewer to the IETM to be made available on the sign-in window;   receive input of a selection of the sign-in mechanism, wherein the selection of the sign-in mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the sign-in mechanism, sign the user into the IETM, wherein the IETM (1) provides access to the user to the technical documentation for the selected dataset that is applicable to the selected unit and the selected object and (2) tracks and records at least one of activities performed or content accessed by the user while signed into the IETM.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  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:
 provide a window comprising a first view pane and a second view pane for display via the IETM viewer, wherein (a) the first view pane displays a plurality of content in which each content identified in the plurality of content was accessed by the user during one or more past instances in which the user was signed into the IETM for the selected dataset, and (b) the first view pane and the second view pane are displayed on non-overlapping portions of the window; and   receive input of a selection of a particular content identified in the plurality of content displayed on the first view pane, wherein the selection of the particular content is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular content:
 retrieve the particular content from the technical documentation for one of the one or more items, and 
 provide the particular content for displaying on the second view pane of the window. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the unit identifies a relationship of the user with respect to at least one of the technical documentation and the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the object identifies a specific configuration of the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the object comprises a generic object and the technical documentation comprises all technical documentation applicable to at least one of the unit and the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sign-in window comprises a job field and the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to provide access to the job field in response to the selection of the object comprising a specific object. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sign-in mechanism is provided in response to the selection of the object comprising a specific object and receiving input of a job identifier entered by the user in the job field via the IETM viewer. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions for signing into an interactive electronic technical manual system (IETM) configured to provide electronic and credentialed access to technical documentation for one or more items via an IETM viewer, the instructions being configured to cause one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:
 provide a sign-in window for display via the IETM viewer executing on a user computing entity being used by a user, the sign-in window comprising a selectable dataset field, a selectable unit field, and a selectable object field;   receive input of a selection of a dataset corresponding to the technical documentation for one of the one or more items, wherein the selection of the dataset is performed by the user via the IETM viewer from a plurality of datasets that are available via the IETM viewer displayed for the selectable dataset field;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of a dataset, provide at least one of one or more selectable units to display for the selectable unit field based at least in part on the selection of the dataset;   receive input of a selection of a unit displayed for the selectable unit field, wherein the selection of the unit displayed for the selectable unit field is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the unit displayed in the selectable unit field, provide at least one of one or more selectable objects to display for the selectable object field based at least in part on the selection of the unit and the selection of the dataset;   receive input of a selection of an object displayed for the selectable object field, wherein the selection of the object displayed for the selectable object field is performed by the user via the IETM viewer;   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the object displayed in the selectable object field, cause a sign-in mechanism configured to provide electronic and credentialed access via the IETM viewer to the IETM to be made available on the sign-in window;   receive input of a selection of the sign-in mechanism, wherein the selection of the sign-in mechanism is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the sign-in mechanism, sign the user into the IETM, wherein the IETM (1) provides access to the user to the technical documentation for the selected dataset that is applicable to the selected unit and the selected object and (2) tracks and records at least one of activities performed or content accessed by the user while signed into the IETM.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to:
 provide a window comprising a first view pane and a second view pane for display via the IETM viewer, wherein (a) the first view pane displays a plurality of content in which each content identified in the plurality of content was accessed by the user during one or more past instances in which the user was signed into the IETM for the selected dataset, and (b) the first view pane and the second view pane are displayed on non-overlapping portions of the window; and   receive input of a selection of a particular content identified in the plurality of content displayed on the first view pane, wherein the selection of the particular content is performed by the user via the IETM viewer; and   responsive to receiving the input of the selection of the particular content:
 retrieve the particular content from the technical documentation for one of the one or more items, and 
 provide the particular content for displaying on the second view pane of the window. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the unit identifies a relationship of the user with respect to at least one of the technical documentation and the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the object identifies a specific configuration of the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the object comprises a generic object and the technical documentation comprises all technical documentation applicable to at least one of the unit and the one of the one or more items. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the sign-in window comprises a job field and the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to at least perform operations configured to provide access to the job field in response to the selection of the object comprising a specific object. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the sign-in mechanism is provided in response to the selection of the object comprising a specific object and receiving input of a job identifier entered by the user in the job field via the IETM viewer.