Computer aided maintenance and repair information system for equipment subject to regulatory compliance5778381Abstract A computer based apparatus and method which provide access to complex technical information employed to maintain and repair complicated equipment, such as aircraft, to enable compliance with regulatory requirements. Claims What is claimed is: Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
______________________________________
Color Conventions
Where What Text/Elements
Background
______________________________________
System Main Area N/A Blue
Product White Dark Blue
Title Bar
Mode Icons Square Grey
Control Function
Rectangle Grey
Icons
Icon Areas Muti-colored
Grey
square Icons
Dialog Boxes
Title Bars White Dark Blue
Input Area Black/Grey White
Information Boxes
Title Bars Yellow Black
Text Area Black Yellow
Document Display
Default Black White
Text Search Hits White Black
and Highlighting
White Black
Text Hyperlinks
##STR1##
##STR2##
##STR3##
ATP Prepared
Orange White
Regulatory Red White
Maint. Manual
Green White
Service Info.
Grey White
IPC's Blue White
Vendor Ref's
Purple White
Document Selection List
White Orange
Display Regulatory White Red
Title Strips
Maint. Manual
White Green
Service Info.
White Grey
IPC's White Blue
Vendor Ref's
White Purple
Document Graphics Black White
Display
______________________________________
The maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention uses black text on white screens when color conventions do not specify other color usage. In general, the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with th e invention employs bright primary colors. It does not mimic use of pastels and other muted colors found in Windows. The text display specifications for each publication type are set forth in the display attributes tables. Those tables outline how text and figure references within the various publications are to appear in document display. Those documents are an appendix to these specifications. A mouse pointer is provided in the form of white airplane with a pointy nose. The airplane mouse pointer changes from white to black whenever it is positioned over any area of the screen where clicking the mouse will perform an action (i.e., a Co-Pilot help area, function icon, or data entry screen). When the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention is busy and the airplane pointer is "out of service," a hanger appears over the airplane pointer until the airplane pointer is available again. Various title strips are provided. The following vocabulary is used. A publication is one specific printed book, manual, issue, Airworthiness Directive (AD), Service Information (SI), Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR), etc. This refers to the complete printed document as it was originally released in paper form. For example, a FAR "publication" includes all its parts, namely, preamble and rule. A publication type refers to a category of publication. For example, AD is a publication type, AD 89-02-12 is a publication of that publication type. For the regulatory library, most of the books presented on the Bookshelf represent publication types composed of many publications. For a particular manufacturer, such as a Gulfsteam product, the maintenance manual on the Bookshelf represents a single publication, for example, the G-IV maintenance manual. A document is the portion of a publication which is the unit useful for InnerView display. For example, a FAR is organized by Part, Subpart, and Section within a Rule; the InnerView document level of a FAR will likely be Section. InnerView documents are the items presented in selection lists. In many cases the publication is also the document (i.e., AD, SI, Type Certificate (TC), or Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)). A document can also refer to whatever is currently being viewed in document display; and, therefore, a selection list or history list might also be referred to as the document currently being viewed. Because of the ability to point to specific places within an InnerView document using Segment pointers, the division of some publication types into documents is not important to the usefulness of selection lists and is therefore not specified. Programmers can determine the InnerView document level based on best software performance. Those publication types are noted under Bookshelf Browse, as will be described in more detail below. Issue type refers to the different kinds of service information publications published by manufacturers. Each manufacturer may produce several different issue types as service information publications. When first starting up, the title strip at the top of the screen lists the software program title (i.e., Maintenance Information System). After a product(s) has been selected, the title strip at the top of the screen contains the CD-ROM product title (e.g., U.S. Federal Regulatory Library) and the revision date of the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention. This strip is only one text-line tall. When the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention is in document display, corner icons and two more lines of text are added to the top title strip. The left top and right top corners of the screen will contain graphical icons. Displayed between these two icons will be one title strip which is three text-lines tall and colored according to the type of document being displayed. When a selection list generated by the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention is being displayed, both icons can be predetermined logos to identify the library service provider. The left icon can indicate that this list was generated by and is the property of the library service provider. When the user clicks on the left icon, a product title, copyright notice, and revision information are preferably displayed. The right icon is always employed to indicate how the user got to the current document in document display and the number of documents that were available at every step, where applicable. Clicking on this icon drops a box from the icon with fields listing: publication type selected, browse/search function (either or), search criteria specified, and sort order (access method or browse sequence). The search criteria specified only include those elements that are specified by the user (or filled out automatically based on user specifications) on the search dialog box. Even when a specific document is being displayed, document identification and issuance would not be part of this list if they were not part of the original search. The top line of the title strip contains the product title (as before). The middle line of the title strip contains the name of the list (i.e., Advisory Circular Selection List). Note that when presenting service information of a manufacturer, the second line of a selection list presenting service information reads "Service Information Selection List," rather than identifying the issue type. This allows more than one issue type to be listed in the selection list. The bottom line of the title strip displays a brief of the selection criteria information (as defined above for the right icon.) Of the selection criteria information, the publication type can be eliminated since it is reflected in the selection list title. The third line indicates browse or search and what sort order was employed in creating the list. Search criteria are either eliminated or truncated depending on space available with top priority given to any word search expression used in a search. When a history list is displayed, the top line of the title strip contains a product title (as before). The middle line of the title strip contains the name of the list which is "History of Documents Viewed." The bottom line of the title strip indicates either "Current History for this Session" or the name of the history file loaded. When the contents of a publication (text or graphics) are displayed, the title strip is in the same format as the title strip for selection lists. The right icon still provides a detailed report listing every step in the process to arrive at the current document and the number of documents available at each step where applicable, but the left icon changes to the publisher's icon (manufacturer's logo) to indicate who authored the document. The publisher's icon displays a list of text or graphics parts associated with the document that the user rarely wants to see, and these have therefore been moved out of the normal access path to the important information in the document. Fields in the drop-down box that is displayed by clicking on the publisher's icon include: title page, masthead, page footer, list of effected pages, and disclaimer. Clicking on one of these fields takes the user to that information in document display. Text pages referred to by these fields take the user to that page of text, which includes appropriate graphic references, such as "See Masthead" or "See Signature." Graphics referred to take the user to that graphic. It is noted that these pages may be presented as part of the document appearing before a designated starting pointer into the document; or they may be presented as separate documents altogether. This depends upon the desire to use InnerView segments to point to a starting position. It may also depend upon how standard parts, such as the disclaimer, appear for a publication type (i.e., whether one disclaimer can be used for all publications within a publication type; or perhaps across publication types). It is preferred that manufacturers will follow Gulfstream's lead in providing one disclaimer that applies to all of their publications. The background color of the title strip depends upon the type of document being displayed, as described earlier in connection with color usage. The top line of the title strip contains the document type name and document numeric identifier (e.g., Federal Aviation Regulation--FAR 91.1.1). The middle line of the title strip generally contains the Manufacturer's Short Name or Document title, revision information, and sometimes a truncation of the document description. If a field must be truncated then ". . . " is inserted as the last three characters. To accommodate the different issue types of service information, the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention substitutes the issue type for the publication type in the first line of service information title strip. The bottom line of the title strip contains a brief of the selection criteria. The specific contents of line three will depend upon how the user accessed the document or selection list being displayed. The brief will be derived from the information presented under the right icon as described above. TCs--Selection List Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="Type Certificate Selection List"! TC Headers--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Type Certificate"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="TC"!.sub.-- ›TC number! Ln 2: ›Manufacture Short Name!.sub.-- ›issue date!.sub.-- ›1st 40 characters of the series model block! TC Model Block--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Type Certificate"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="TC"!.sub.-- ›TC number!.sub.-- ›model block number! Ln 2: ›Manufacture Short Name!.sub.-- ›1st 40 characters of the series model block! TC Notes--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Type Certificate"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="TC"!.sub.-- ›TC number!.sub.-- ›text="Notes"! Ln 2: ›Manufacture Short Name!.sub.-- ›1st 40 characters of the series model block! ADs--Selection List Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="Airworthiness Directive Selection List"! ADs--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Airworthiness Directive"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="AD"!.sub.-- ›AD number! Ln 2: ›Manufacture Short Name!.sub.-- ›revision date!.sub.-- ›1st 40 characters of the RMS description! SI--Selection List Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="Service Information Selection List"! SI--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name*!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code*!.sub.-- ›doc number! Ln 2: ›Manufacture Short Name!.sub.-- ›revision date!.sub.-- ›1st 40 characters of the RMS description! *For service information publications, the doc type in the first line is being "infused" with the issue type, which is more commonly known out in the field. The doc type code is also being infused with a two-character code actually representing the issue type. It is to be noted that for consistency within the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention, these fields are still the "doc type name" and "doc type code." Therefore, in one respect, several new doc types are being added. However, all SI's are lumped together in the Bookshelf Mode. FARs--Selection List Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="Federal Aviation Regulation Selection List"! FAR Preamble--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Federal Aviation Regulation"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="FR"!.sub.-- ›part number!.›section number! Ln 2: ›text="Part"!.sub.-- ›part number!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›text="Preamble"! FAR Rule--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Federal Aviation Regulation"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="FR"!.sub.-- ›part number!.›section number! Ln 2: ›text="Part"!.sub.-- ›part number!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›text="Rule"! FAR Appendix--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Federal Aviation Regulation"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="FR"!.sub.-- ›part number!.›section number! Ln 2: ›text="Part"!.sub.-- ›part number!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›text ="Appendix"! Orders--Selection List Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="FAA Orders Selection List"! Orders--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="FAA Orders"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="??"!.sub.-- ›order number! Ln 2: ›order number!.sub.-- ›revision info!.sub.-- ›order title!.sub.-- ›date! ACs--Selection List Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="Advisory Circular Selection List"! ACs--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Advisory Circular"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="AU"!.sub.-- ›part!.sub.-- ›section!-›revision! Ln 2: ›document title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Alerts For FAA purposes, alerts are a unique flavor of ACs, since maintenance information system alerts are to be broken out as a separate document type. From a Standard Generalized Markup language (SGML) point of view, these documents break into parts (similar to TCs), with each part having different affectivity. STCs--Selection Lists Ln 1: ›product title!.sub.-- ›revision date! Ln 2: ›list name="Supplemental Type Certificate Selection List"! STCs--InnerView Ln 1: ›doc type name="Supplemental Type Certificate"!.sub.-- -.sub.-- ›doc type code="??"!.sub.-- ›STC number! Ln 2: ›truncated description*!. . . .sub.-- ›issue date! *Truncated length is determined according to field lengths and space availability. The document display area is a unique space on the screen where the user views informational text and uses specific document viewing tools provided by the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention (which includes TMS InnerView and TMS FAX functionality). Three types of documents that can be presented in document display are: InnerView documents (tagged and paged SGML text files consisting of text and graphics stored on the CD-ROM), selection lists (ordered and sorted lists of documents created "on the fly" by the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention based on user inquiry procedures), and Document Navigation History (the chronological list of documents, not including selection lists, that the user has viewed since he or she entered document display). It is noted that publication lists (created on the fly by the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention) and the Aircraft Profile (created by the user) are two other dynamic lists, but they are displayed in dialog boxes according to dialog box conventions, as will be described later in connection with the Aircraft Specific Mode. When the document display area is invoked, the document display area covers the entire area under the title strip except for the control function icons at the bottom of the screen, which are always visible. A three-line title strip tops every document display area in accordance with the conventions outlined for title strips. For the purpose of the Path Forward/Reverse control function (which moves along the path one screen at a time), document display is considered to be a single screen. This screen can display several different documents (selection lists and publications) while invoked, but when the user clicks on the Reverse Path control function, the user is returned to the preceding screen, the screen just before entering document display. Navigation within documents is through the use of scroll bars and document control tools contained in the document control toolbox. The primary navigation aid from within the document display area is hyperlinking, the ability to click on a reference to another document or section within the current publication (indicated by colorized text) and jump to another referenced location. In the case of selection lists, colored text (used to display document cross-references only) operates in the same manner as the hyperlinks described above to take the user directly to a specific document. The maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention also provides for scrolling one screen of text to the next by clicking on the scroll bar above or below the position marker. The maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention does not provide for scrolling according to the original pages. When a selection list is displayed, vertical scrolling is supported whenever the document length exceeds the window height. When an InnerView document is displayed, horizontal and vertical scrolling is always supported. Vertical and horizontal scrolling is always supported while viewing an image. One contemplated modification of the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention (dependent upon InnerView) is that the horizontal scroll bar can be intelligent. It would only appear when there is actually text to be viewed beyond that being displayed on the screen. As shown in FIG. 1, the vertical scroll bar provides "double arrow" boxes at the top and bottom of the scroll bar (in addition to the single arrow boxes which allow the user to scroll line by line). Although some Windows programs use such boxes to represent page up and page down within a document, in the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention, these boxes always take the user to the next or previous document dependent upon how they are ordered on the CD-ROM, that is, the published order. This allows for logical progression through FARs and TC's despite the way they have been split, and it allows the user to page through all DOC types in published order, which are sometimes content related one to the next. These double arrow boxes are not active when the user is viewing a selection or history list. It is noted that the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention associates page identifications (the physical page markers) with the InnerView page tag. This provides for the insertion of page breaks when printing. Nonetheless, equating page identifications with a printer page break does not ensure that an original page will fill up a single page when it is printed. There are several document display tools that are only used for controlling the display of a document in document display. These document display tools include: selection list (next/previous); history (next/previous); word search hit (next previous); zoom (in/out); and view (text, graphics). These document display tools are presented through icons in the Document Display Toolbox. This toolbox is always displayed as part of the document display, even if none of its features are active. As shown in FIG. 2, the Selection List next and previous icon allows the user to change the document that is currently being displayed in document display according to the order of documents on the preceding selection list. This is a three-part icon. While a publication is being viewed, if the user clicks on the "selection list" title portion of the icon, he or she will be returned to the preceding selection list. If the user clicks on the up or down arrow portions of this icon, the next or previous document on the selection list (relative to the last document on the selection list that was viewed) will be displayed. It is to be noted that this feature remains fully active, even if a user has hyperlinked off the selection list, since next and previous are relative to the last document viewed that was part of the selection list. If no selection list were used to gain access to the publication, the Selection List icon is grayed out. (Recall the scroll bars described above for information on browsing in Published Order.) When a selection list itself is viewed, the "selection list" title portion of the icon is grayed out, but the up and down arrows will launch the user directly to the publication before or after the publication on the selection list that was last viewed. Whenever a user happens to be at an end of the list, the appropriate arrow is also grayed out. (The arrows do not scroll the list; that is the function of the scroll bar.) Of course, with any selection list, the user can always click on a document in the list to view it directly. The selection list icon is fully active when a history list is being displayed, as will be described later in connection with History (Next/Previous) below. The item pointed to by a search or last selected on a selection list is be highlighted. This indicates where in the list the user is oriented. The History (Next/Previous) icon is also a three-part icon similar in appearance to the Selection List icon. It also functions similarly, but with respect to the history list being compiled by the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention. The History List is a list of the documents that the user has viewed during the current session using the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention. It is noted that the History List is a list of all of the documents that the user has viewed in this entire session (i.e., since log-on), not merely those documents that have been viewed since entering the document display screen. Clicking on the "History List" title portion of the icon brings up the current history list as a document in document display so that the user can see where he or she has travelled. Only true InnerView documents are on this list. That is, selection lists and previous visits to the history list are not noted on this list. As in the case of the selection list icon, the title portion of the icon is grayed out when a history list itself is being displayed, but the up and down arrows will still launch the user to the next or previous document in the list. The history list is also fully active when a selection list is being displayed. When the Word Search Hit (next/previous) function is active, clicking on this two-sided icon moves ahead or backward to the next or previous occurrence of a word search hit. This icon not only functions within a single document but across any documents that were included in a preceding selection list. The user also has the ability to Zoom in on a graphic in predetermined incremental steps (defined by preferences in InnerView). This is accomplished by clicking on the two-sided zoom in/out icon located in the Document Display Toolbox. Pressing the + or - keys also supports zoom in and zoom out in predetermined increments. Regarding the View (text/graphics) function, the view toggle allows the user to move back and forth between current text being displayed and the graphic that was last displayed by InnerView, even if the user has left document display and performed another search. If no graphic has been displayed yet during the current session, then the graphic button is inactive. It is noted that when switching between text and graphics, the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention must remember what part of a page of text, or what part and magnification of a document, the user is viewing so that the user can toggle back and forth between the desired views of each page. Until compound documents (both text and graphics on the same screen) are supported by InnerView the user needs to click on graphic hyperlinks to see a graphic. Insofar as text display is concerned, text within the document display area is generally black on a white background. However colored text indicates a link to another document, other text in the same document, or a graphic. When a document is finally displayed as a result of a word search, hits from the word search are highlighted within the document, and the user is able to jump from one word hit to another within the current document and across documents in the order they appeared in the selection list that resulted from the word search. Regarding graphics display, graphics are the figures associated with publications. These bit-mapped images are configured as pages within an InnerView document. In addition to using the incremental zoom feature available from the toolbox, the user can zoom in and out on any graphic in the following manner. Initially, the user moves the mouse pointer to a corner of the area he or she wants to zoom in on. Next, he or she presses and holds the left mouse button. Then, the user drags the mouse pointer to the opposite corner of the area to be zoomed. Finally, he or she releases the mouse button. As the user "clicks and drags," a border defines the area to be zoomed. Upon release of the mouse, the defined area enlarges to fill the document display area. Since the user is unlikely to define an area that matches the aspect ratio of the screen, the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention relies on InnerView to display all of the image requested by the user. Selection Lists are ordered lists of documents created "on-the-fly" by the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention from which the user can select an individual document to view. A detailed breakdown of what is presented on a selection for each document type is available from the Authority File Tables which comprise Table I, below. For some selection lists, a single document listing in the selection list must be ible to cross-reference multiple document types.
TABLE 1
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Aviation Maintenance Information System
Authority Files Required for
Browse and Search Functions
Document Type Look
Field
Display
Data
Usage Browse
Search
List
Link
Field up Size
Size
Source
__________________________________________________________________________
.sunburst.
Serial # Effectivity
.sunburst.
12 Avcom
ON; AFTER: BEFORE search criteria
.sunburst.
Issued .sunburst. Code
Actual Issue Date input by User.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Issue Date .sunburst.
8 8 RMS/SGML
Created by user .sunburst.
Word Search User
Expression
TMS InnerView Operators .sunburst.
Word Search Code
Operator
ATP Created Words List .sunburst.
Word Search List
.sunburst. ATP/IV
Chapter, Section and Figure Titles
.sunburst.
InnerView Doc Title
40 RMS/SGML
Publcation Type .sunburst.
.sunburst.
Publication Type
.sunburst.
16 RMS
CD-ROM Revision Cycle/Date
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Revision Date
.sunburst.
8 8 RMS
Manufacturer Effected .sunburst.
.sunburst.
Manfacturer
.sunburst. RMS
Effected
Model Effected .sunburst.
.sunburst.
Model Effected
.sunburst.
12 RMS
Reserved for Serial # Capability Serial # Effectivity Avcom
ON; AFTER; BEFORE search criteria
.sunburst.
Issued .sunburst. Code
Actual Issue Date input by User
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Issue Date .sunburst.
8 8 RMS/SGML
Created by user .sunburst.
Word Search User
Expression
TMS InnerView Operators .sunburst.
Word Search Code
Operator
ATP Created Words List .sunburst.
Word Search List
.sunburst. ATP/IV
Chapter, Section and Figure Titles
.sunburst.
Publication RMS/SGML
Document Title
Document Titles .sunburst.
.sunburst.
Document ID RMS
Publisher Issue Date .sunburst.
Issue Date RMS
Description .sunburst.
Description of RMS
Change
Publisher .sunburst.
Publisher RMS
Publication Type .sunburst.
.sunburst.
Publication Type
.sunburst. RMS
Manufacturer .sunburst.
Manufacturer
.sunburst. RMS
Model .sunburst.
Model .sunburst. RMS
Created by user .sunburst.
Word Search User
Expression
TMS InnerView Operators .sunburst.
Word Search Code
Operator
ATP Created Words List .sunburst.
Word Search List
.sunburst. ATP/IV
Publication Title .sunburst.
Publication Title
First Fiche # .sunburst.
First Fiche #
Airworthiness Directives
Small A/C & Rotorcraft: Large Aircraft
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Size .sunburst.
1A RMS
AD Categories (Airframe, Engine, Propeller,
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Category .sunburst.
1A 12 RMS/SGML
Accessories & other)
ATP Short Form & Long Form
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Manufacturer
.sunburst.
2A 20 RMS/SGML
Refers to Model but includes Series
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Model .sunburst.
4N RMS/SGML
Portion of Doc ID after issue type
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
AD # .sunburst.
16 11 RMS/SGML
Cumulative or Numerical Order
.sunburst.
Sort By .sunburst.
11 Code
Cross Reference maintained in RMS
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
TC # .sunburst. RMS
To accommodate serial # searching
.sunburst.
Serial # Avcom
Internal FAA reference .sunburst.
Amendment ? SGML
Internal FAA reference .sunburst.
Docket ? SGML
On; After; Before-User Search Criteria
.sunburst.
Issued .sunburst.
1 6 Code
Actual Issue Date .sunburst.
.sunburst.
Issue Date 8 8 RMS/SGML
Created by user .sunburst.
Word Search User
Expression
TMS InnerView operators .sunburst.
Word Search
.sunburst. Code
Operator
ATP created words List .sunburst.
Word Search List
.sunburst. ATP/IV
Abstracted Description .sunburst.
AD Description 42W RMS
Cross References in the Text
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Applicable SI 16 RMS/SGML
First 5 digits of AD number
2 2 Bi-Weekly .sunburst. Code
Data from the Bi-Weekly 2 AD Subject 22 SGML
Data from the Bi-Weekly 2 General Applicability
34 SGML
Proposed Airworthiness
Directives
To be captured at conversion
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Proposed AD Docket
14 SGML
Number
To be captured at conversion
.sunburst.
Federal Register 8 SGML
Date
To be captured at conversion
.sunburst.
Action Required 8 SGML
Date
To be captured at conversion
.sunburst.
Proposed AD 52 SGML
Description
Related Service Information
ATP Short Form & Long Form
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Manufacturer
.sunburst.
2 RMS/SGML
Combination Modtab & Serlib ??
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Model .sunburst.
4/8 RMS/SGML
Combination of Pub Type and Issue Type
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
Publication Type
.sunburst.
2 RMS
Issue Number .sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
.sunburst.
SI Issue Number
.sunburst.
16 16 RMS/SGML
Any screen that requires the user to enter data, or to enter choices, is presented in the form of a dialog box. The dialog boxes in connection with the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention obtain information from the user in five different ways: data input fields; radio buttons; check boxes; control buttons in a control panel; or word wheel text entry. Rules are defined below to insure consistency between dialog boxes. The vast majority of dialog boxes fit the rules. However, the rules should not force awkward dialog box presentation when there is an obvious, intuitive alternative, even if the alternative violates the rules. Data input fields allow the user to input text in any form limited only by a field length. Radio buttons allow the user to select one item from a variety of choices, but never initiate an action. Check boxes allow multiple (or single) items to be selected from a finite list of choices, but do not initiate an action when clicked. Control buttons always initiate an action when clicked. Double clicking on a radio button or check box will select or toggle the desired item and initiate action as if the user had also clicked on the OK button. A word wheel text entry field allows the user to indicate a search string. A user can choose a search string from a finite list of words or phrases by scrolling the list and clicking on a word or phrase in the list, or by typing the first letters to uniquely identify a choice. A user can also elect to search for any word or phrase (even if it is not on the list), since the word search text entry field will accept any valid Boolean search. A control panel is the bottom area of a dialog box where two or more control buttons are placed. Since every dialog box has at least an OK and a CANCEL button, every dialog box must have a control panel. All dialog boxes have a shadowed black border around the entire box and a shadowed title bar at the top with white letters on a black background. When a dialog box contains more than one group of data inputs, the dialog box is subdivided into sub-areas. Different areas of a dialog box are distinguished by fine lines, and the line at the top is broken with the title of that area spelled out. The control panel is not named. It is set apart on the bottom of every box by a black line. Control panels always appear on the bottom of dialog boxes. No other control buttons appear elsewhere in a dialog box. Check box items and radio buttons appear above the control panel. If check boxes and radio buttons appear in the same dialog box, they are placed side-by-side as often as possible. The commonality among choices within a dialog box sub-area is reflected in the title of that sub-area so that the common theme does not necessarily have to be repeated in the text of every choice (i.e., Profile, . . . , Create, Delete, Edit, Import, Export in the pictured example). Dialog boxes employ color only in the display of publication types or publication titles (publication lists are the type of dialog box where this use of color will occur). Colors conform to the color conventions established for publication types. When the same dialog box is used for several different features or across several different products, some of the dialog box options may not be applicable in all situations. It is preferable to show the same dialog box with options grayed out. In this manner, the user only has to become familiar with one dialog box, instead of ten different variations which may not be recognized as the same. Insofar as the word wheel is concerned, whenever the user needs to enter a word or phrase from a finite but long list of choices, the choices are presented in word wheel. To work a word wheel, the user positions the cursor in the text entry field of the word wheel and then starts typing the first letters of the desired word or phrase. In most cases, the word wheel is the default focus of the dialog box so the cursor is already positioned in the text entry field. As letters/numbers are typed into the text entry field, the text in the list box automatically adjusts to reflect the closest match to what is being typed. Boolean searching is also supported by word wheels throughout the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention. Word wheel text entry fields allow the user to build a complete word search expression complete with Boolean links. Word wheel lists appear in a box below the text entry field and are driven by a vertical scroll bar. Scrolling allows a user who may not know the first letters of a choice to select from the list of words or phrases offered as possible choices. The current word(s) that appear in the expression field are accepted when the user initiates an action with a control button such as OK. The maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention suggests default choices to users on radio buttons or check boxes where certain choices are most commonly invoked, or where some users may not understand all of the choices, but one will always function. For example, some users may not be familiar with a print queue, so the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention suggests "print now" as the default. Defaults allow the user to press OK without filling out the dialog box. Although the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention is designed to be used with a pointing device, keyboard alternatives are available for those users who have and prefer to use a keyboard. Each control function is associated with a function key (e.g., "Help" is F1). Within dialog boxes, TAB and SHIFT-TAB change the focus. Focus is shown within a dialog box by a thin dotted line that surrounds the text of the check box, radio button, or control button that is the current focus. Focus on a text entry field is shown by the dotted line that surrounds the sub-area title (or more appropriate text within the text entry field if there is any) and by the appearance of a flashing cursor. The change of focus with TAB and SHIFT-TAB is intuitively left to right then down (i.e., the way the tab key would operate on a page of text). When a radio button, check box, or control button is in focus, pressing the space bar is the equivalent of clicking on that item. The ENTER key invokes OK. The ESC key invokes CANCEL. Arrow keys, backspace, and delete are active within a word wheel text entry field when that field is in focus. Control buttons can be invoked with an ALT-›letter! key combination. The letter that activates a control button when pressed with ALT is indicated by the one letter that is underlined in the name of the control button. The maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention also provides information boxes. An information box is a unique type of dialog box that presents system information or help information to the user. This is the one type of dialog box where no input is required from the user other than clicking OK to remove it. Information boxes conform to the standard dialog box title format. They also have a control panel area, but only the OK button appears there. One difference of information boxes is their color. An information box has yellow background and the text in the title bar is yellow on black. Error messages are presented in information boxes. The title strip reads "Error ###" with the three digit number being used to track the error message and the text associated with that message. Error numbering facilitates the future creation of an error cross-reference (either printed or part of the on-line reference manual) providing corrective information to the user. Additionally, help boxes are information boxes with the help icon incorporated into the layout of text in the box. The help icon along with a uniform title bar that reads "Help ###" uniquely identifies these as help dialog boxes. A three digit help number is used to track this help screen and it's associated text. The foregoing describes the general attributes of the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention. General aspects of the operation of the system will now be described. The files of the maintenance and repair information system 10 contain the expected return code from a Security Key. The system files also contain the authorized product code(s) and respective subscription dates. For each product code there is a corresponding library service, revision date, authorized data type access, and authorized program functionality. If the Security Key does not provide the expected return code, then an error condition will be generated. Otherwise, the product information in the system files will be utilized. The maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention decodes the authorization number to generate product and subscription date information. An additional program is required for the library service provider which tracks customers, CD-ROM products, CD-ROM product subscriptions, and security key serial numbers. This program generates the authorization number to be given to the customer after payment has been received for the subscription. The security key preferably has a six-month expiration. No renewal is possible. This is a unique code that is different from the real code to prevent future attempts to "hot-wire" CD-ROM access. A CD-ROM check is performed. The system files are checked to see what kind of CD-ROM setup is in place. The CD-ROM drives are checked and the CD-ROM disc volume label(s) are checked against the system authorized product file. An error is generated if the CD-ROM volume label does not match the authorized list. Another error is generated if the revision of a product falls outside the subscription date. Otherwise, the CD-ROM check provides a list of available products (and revisions), as well as sets the required drive.backslash.path specifications required to access these products. If an update error is generated during the CD-ROM checks, an opportunity is preferably provided to users with supervisory level authority to start and monitor a CD-ROM product update. The supervisor may be called upon to re-establish bookmark and annotation links which were broken as part of the product update cycle. Various update procedures are contemplated. The entire product CD-ROM disc can be changed. Alternatively, soft updates can be generated on floppy disk which are applied through the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention maintenance facility. Preferably, soft updates can be issued via CD-ROM disc, the CD-ROM disc actually containing a number of soft updates for a number of products. If the subscription has expired, there is an opportunity for the supervisor to enter a subscription update code which will alter the security key and change the expiration date. Once the expiration date has been changed, the supervisor level used will be offered an opportunity to update the product. If operation is abnormally terminated (i.e., power down or reboot), the program can recognize that it was abnormally terminated during it's last use and inform the user of the unusual termination. In Aircraft Specific Mode while creating or editing a profile, the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention does not save any temporary data files. Individual component records are stored as created. Therefore, a partially completed profile would be available after an abnormal termination, although a partially completed component record would be lost. For example, if the user had previously entered a portion of an aircraft profile when the power went out, when the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention was restarted, it would inform the user that the program was abnormally interrupted before proceeding with normal startup. A record is maintained of program activity and will specifically record any retrieval of documents and the method in which the documents were accessed. This information is recorded on the hard disk and will be available to the library service provider for analysis of documents viewed and the method of access to retrieve the documents. It is desired that a supervisor level user could "record" his keystrokes/mouse actions for "playback" by a novice level user. An example would be for a supervisor to record reference landing gear maintenance procedures. The novice user could then "run" the standard routine, stopping only for selection of the aircraft profile identification and always be presented with the landing gear maintenance procedure. Another example is if the supervisor wanted to "record" the displaying of all new publisher bookmarks for a product update. The novice user could simply "playback" the bookmarks for review. The operation of the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention will now be described in detail. The following chronologically details the use of the maintenance and repair information system 10 in accordance with the invention. The functionality is the primary focus of the following description. Contemplated modifications to functionality will be noted secondarily, set apart by paragraphs and italics. The following description of operation is organized using a numbering convention as outlined below. These numbers set the groundwork for an element tracking scheme and are a convenient way to identify any part of the software. At every level of the functionality section, the description provides the following types of information: the graphic element(s); name; description; functionality; examples; cross-references; and contemplated modified implementations. Graphic representations of program screens (dumps and hand-scratch) appear in the accompanying figures to supplement detailed functionality descriptions. 0.0.0 Startup Description: When the maintenance and repair information system 10 is started, there is a series of operations that must be completed before accessing one of the five modes. The process of stepping through those operations is referred to as startup. Functiozality: The maintenance and repair information system 10 is started either by clicking on the icon for the maintenance and repair information system, or it is automatically started when the computer is turned on. This initiates the maintenance and repair information system 10 startup operations. Examples: From a user perspective, startup operations include: Program Initialization Terms and Conditions for use of the maintenance and repair information system 10 Log-in System Administration Product Selection/Acceptance of Revisions Date Product Copyright Acknowledgement Product Opening Animation Programmatically, startup operations include: Program self-checks The maintenance and repair information system 10 Terms and Conditions Open user files (allow log-in) Open product information files (check availability/security) Display product library list Product Copyright Acknowledgement Product Opening animation Initialize InnerView Show Navigator Screen Cross-References: Prior to startup, there is an installation program required to install the system, associated files, and first CD-ROM product disc. 0.0.1 Program Initialization Description: The maintenance and repair information system 10 needs to load and initialize all applicable Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs). Program initialization is the time when the maintenance and repair information system 10 checks for the existence of all required files, DLLs are loaded, and pertinent system files are opened. Functionality: The mouse pointer changes to a busy state while a message is displayed that requests the user to please wait while the program is initializing. There is a countdown bar indicating how far along in the program initialization process the system is. 0.0.2 Terms and Conditions Acknowledgement Description: The user must acknowledge that he agrees to the Terms and Conditions related to the use of the software interface of the maintenance and repair information system 10 before continuing. The Terms and Conditions dialog box forces the user to either accept or exit the program. This is related to the use of the interface. The product copyright acknowledgement that appears after selecting a product is related to the information presented in each product. (See FIG. 3.) Functionality: The Terms and Conditions dialog box informs the user that the maintenance and repair information system 10 is copyrighted material. The terms and conditions dialog box gives the user the option to accept the license for use and all copyrights that apply, review the actual terms and conditions of the license and the copyrights, or exit the program. If the user elects to review the actual license, the license will be read in from a system file and displayed in a dialog box for review. The library service provider is responsible for providing, in Microsoft Word format, the text file associated with the license agreement. (See FIG. 4.) Contemplated Modification: The mandatory acknowledgement of the terms and conditions can alternatively be required upon system startup, rather than upon user log-in. 0.1.0 User Log-in Description: If password security is enabled during installation, then users must identify themselves before using the maintenance and repair information system 10. This process is known as user log-in. If password checking is not enabled during installation, the user log-in function is skipped. If the function is skipped, only one user is considered to exist. That user will have supervisorlevel authority with all privileges. Based on the information provided by the user at log-in, the maintenance and repair information system 10 identifies the particular user, determines which products the user is authorized to use, and determines how this user has been configured for use of the system. User log-in also allows some users to change their configurations for use of the program. Functionality: Each user is presented with the user log-in dialog box. That box provides a text entry field for the user's name and the user's password. It also provides a "user utilities" check box. Upon installation, if password security is enabled, then one user is placed in the list of current users. That user's name is supervisor and the password for that name is supervisor and that user has supervisor privileges. 0.2.0 Password Entry Description: The user must enter his or her name and the password associated with that name in the system security files created by the supervisor. Functionality: (See FIG. 5.) The user enters his or her name and password in the respective text entry fields in the log-in dialog box. When the OK control button is clicked, the name and password entered by the user are checked against those in the system files. If there is a match, the user ID and authority level are noted for continuation of the startup process. If there is no match, an error dialog box is displayed that requests the user to try again. After three invalid attempts, an error message informs the user that the user has failed three times and then exits back to the Window's program manager. 0.3.0 Product Selection List/Revision Date Acceptance Description: The product selection list allows selection of one or more products if more than one product is available with their current subscription. If only one product is available, this list must still be shown since it also forces the user to acknowledge the revision date. To limit legal liability for the timeliness of information, users are required to acknowledge the Product Name and its revision date. Each product has an update period assigned. If the product revision date plus the product update period compared to the system date indicates that the revision is overdue, then the warning message will be displayed. The maintenance and repair information system 10 checks so that it does not run on any computer with a system date prior to the product revision date. Logically, the current system date should not be earlier than the date the CD-ROM was revised. This prevents users with extremely inaccurate system dates from using out-of-date or expired products. When the CD-ROM will not run for this reason, an error message explains the problem and suggests that the system date needs maintenance. (See FIG. 6.) Initially, two federal regulatory products are likely to be available for the maintenance and repair information system 10. The U.S. Library and Joint Airworthiness Regulations (JARS) which apply to Europe. The maintenance and repair information system 10 must offer different security for either the U.S. Library or both the U.S. Library and JARs. In addition, users may also purchase the Gulfstream product. The security device must track product code, revision paid through date, and authorized user for all three products. Because the different products licensed to a single user may be on different CD-ROM discs, the maintenance and repair information system 10 must be aware of multiple disc players or be able to prompt the user to change CD-ROM discs. Functionality: There is an installed product list from which the user can select which product he or she wants to work with. At this time, there is no plan to electronically commingle multiple products. Contemplated Modification: One product may be on one disc or may span two disks. 0.4.0 Product Copyright Acknowledgement Description: This screen forces the user to acknowledge that the information presented in the product he or she has selected (the data, not the interface) is also copyrighted. Functionality: Users acknowledge the copyrights by clicking the OK button. 0.5.0 Opening Animation Description: The opening animation introduces the particular product selected from the product selection list. It is noted that the animation is different dependent upon which product is selected. For example, a Federal Regulatory product can use a spinning globe animation. Animation can be implemented using Autodesk Animator Pro to be appropriate for VGA display. Functionality: The maintenance and repair information system 10 displays the animation as an AA Flick (Autodesk Animator Flick) run through AA Play. Based on the product chosen from the product selection list, the maintenance and repair information system 10 calls whichever animation batch file runs the appropriate animation. 0.6.0 Product Initialization Description: Once all Security and CD-ROM checks have been performed and the user privileges have been determined (as well as drivepath specifications to access the product information), the program configures itself for the current user. Functionality: Any privileges/authority levels that determine accessibility or functionality are resolved here. 1.0.0 The Navigator Screen Description: The Navigator Screen is first displayed after program initialization. There is a row of icons arrayed across the bottom of the screen. The features offered by these icons are known as the Navigator Control Functions. These functions are used throughout the maintenance and repair information system 10. It is noted that the VIEW text/graphics/both function, the DOC up/down functions, and the ZOOM in/out function all appear as part of the document display toolbox only available when the user is in document display of an InnerView document. Along the right side of the Navigator Screen are the mode icons which initiate one of the maintenance and repair information system 10 modes of operation. Functionality: (See FIG. 7.) The user must select either a mode or an active function to proceed. 1.1.0 Help Function Description: This icon offers two different types of help: Pop-Up help and the On-line Reference. Pop-up help is "what-to-do-next" help that is available to the user at any time. The on-line reference manual is the complete source of help information as presented in the Windows help system. Functionality: (See FIG. 8.) Regardless of where the user is in the maintenance and repair information system 10, right clicking the mouse pointer over the help icon pops up a help box which briefly describes the current focus of the screen and how to proceed. Left clicking on the help icon launches the Windows help system and takes the user to the on-line reference manual. 1.2.0 Navigator Return Function Description: The Navigator Screen is the first screen displayed after the user acknowledges the Product Revision Date. The Navigator Return function redisplays and returns the user to this screen from anywhere within the program. When at the Navigator Screen, the function allows the user to select a new product. Functionality: Clicking on the Navigator Return icon at any time returns the user to the Navigator Screen, the very first screen of the program. It is to be noted that the Navigator Return icon is always active. When at the Navigator Screen, the icon changes to a CD-ROM disc, and clicking on the disk takes the user to the product selection dialog box where the product can be selected. 1.3.0 Bookmark Function Description: The implementation of bookmarks depends upon the API provided by TMS. TMS provides functions to retrieve, save, and delete bookmarks. However, TMS does not provide any actual user interface for this functionality. All controls, list boxes, and text display are displayed by the maintenance and repair information system 10. There are three different types of bookmarks: Public, Private, and Publisher. The difference between the types centers on who can create and view them. Any bookmark can also be qualified as a sticky note, that is, a bookmark with added functionality. Sticky notes are bookmarks in that they can be public, private, or publisher; but, rather than guiding the user to a specific point in a document as bookmarks do, sticky notes guide the user to a section of yellow highlighted text within a document and allow the user to attach a note about that text. Publisher bookmarks are created by the library service provider and are intended for all users. They can never be created, deleted, or edited by any level or user. To the user, they are permanently attached to a document. (See FIG. 9.) Public bookmarks can be created by any user authorized to do so by the system administrator. Once public bookmarks are created, they are visible to all users of the maintenance and repair information system 10. Private bookmarks can be created by any user authorized to do so by the system administrator. Once private bookmarks are created, they are only visible to the person who created them and the system administrator. Functionality: The Bookmark/Notes dialog box is accessed by clicking on the Bookmark icon. This dialog box allows the user to view or define Bookmarks that are Public, Private, or Publisher. Public or Private creations, deletions, or changes may or may not be permitted based on the privileges set for that user. It may be that the user is only authorized to view bookmarks and is not authorized to create new ones or delete existing ones. Private bookmarks can be disabled if the system setup option has been selected to not log-in users. The ability to create bookmarks is also available through this icon. However, the create option is gray unless the user is in document display. 1.3.1 Go to Existing Bookmark Description: Bookmarks point to a location in the text of a document. Like a real bookmark, InnerView bookmarks are placeholders that are used to mark an important or noteworthy point in the text that users can go to instantly. Functionality: From the Bookmark/Notes dialog box the user is free to go to any bookmark or sticky note available in the "Select Bookmark/Note Name" word wheel text entry field. The Bookmark/Sticky Note Option and Type option at the top of the dialog box are grayed out to users who do not have the appropriate bookmark privileges. Those options change to reflect the option settings for whatever bookmark is called into the word wheel text entry field. If that field is blank, then those options are also blank. Available from the "Select Bookmark/Note Name" word wheel text entry field are all the bookmarks and sticky notes available to the current user (depending upon that user's bookmark privileges). They are all combined on the same list. If the item chosen from the word wheel is a sticky note, the note text associated with that sticky note fills in the "Enter Note Text" area below. Once a bookmark name has been selected, clicking the GoTo control button takes the user to the exact place in the document to which the bookmark points. The appearance of a bookmark or sticky note within the text of an InnerView document is entirely dependent upon InnerView. The text associated with a sticky note is preferably highlighted yellow (black text on a yellow background). The place a bookmark points is noted with an InnerView bookmark character. 1.3.2 Create/Delete Bookmark Description: Users with the appropriate bookmark privileges have the power to create, delete, and modify bookmarks. However, because of the way bookmarks are created, it is impossible to change the place in the text to which a bookmark points. A new bookmark must be created. Functionality: (See FIG. 10.) To users without the appropriate privileges to create bookmarks, the options and control buttons used in bookmark creation are grayed out. In connection with changing an existing bookmark, it is possible for a user with appropriate bookmark privileges to change any of the fields associated with a bookmark or sticky note. However, merely changing them in the bookmark/notes dialog box does not permanently change them on the maintenance and repair information system 10. The save control button saves the current bookmark options under the current bookmark name. On the one hand, if the user enters any changes to the bookmark options in the bookmark/notes dialog box and attempts to GoTo or Cancel without saving, the user is prompted to save the changes or cancel. On the other hand, if the user has entered any changes to the Bookmark/Note Name and attempts to save the changes, the maintenance and repair information system 10 prompts to "Save as New Bookmark" or "Overwrite Old Bookmark." Outside of document display, the Create control button is always grayed out. It is only possible to create a bookmark when displaying an InnerView document. That is how InnerView knows where to place the bookmark. At an InnerView document within document display, clicking on the bookmark icon brings up the same Bookmark/Notes dialog box. Within that box the Create control button is ungrayed. It is still possible to use this box to GoTo or edit an existing bookmark, but clicking on Create clears the name and note text fields and fills the other option fields with defaults (Bookmark and private). The user can change or fill in fields freely. It is noted that the Bookmark/Note Name field is no longer a word wheel but a freeform text entry field in which the user can assign any valid name to the bookmark. The sticky notes text field is unavailable unless the sticky note option has been indicated. As with changes to bookmarks, merely filling in the fields in the bookmark/notes dialog box does not permanently store them on the maintenance and repair information system 10. The save control button saves the current bookmark options under the current bookmark name. If the user attempts to GoTo or Cancel without saving, the user is prompted to save or cancel the new bookmark. Regarding marking text for sticky notes, dependent upon InnerView, it is desirable for the user to be able to mark sticky note text within an InnerView document before clicking on the bookmark icon and bringing the bookmark dialog box to the screen. If this is possible, marked text would cause the sticky note option to come up as the default in the dialog box. If text cannot be marked before selecting the sticky notes option, the user should be prompted upon saving a sticky note to mark the text within the document that is to be associated with this sticky note. This allows the dialog box to be hidden while the user marks text. It is desired that a left click and drag action mark a portion of text (or graphic) within an InnerView document. Marking text causes the text to appear highlighted in yellow. Contemplated Modification: Once text is marked, two actions can be performed with it: create a bookmark or copy it to the program maintained clipboard. This requirement is dependent upon InnerView. 1.4.0 Flight Plan Control Function Description: Like a pilot's flight plan, the Flight Plan Control Function suggests methods for reaching a destination by an established route. Functionality: (See FIG. 11.) The Flight Plan function is accessed by clicking the Flight Plan icon. Three Flight Plan options are provided: Direct Flight; History List; and Aircraft Inspector Cross Reference. 1.4.1 Direct Flight Option Description: This function allows a user who knows a publication's document type and identification number to go directly to that document without going through one of the modes. This is not designed to be an i | ||||||