Methods and systems for clustering of repair orders based on alternative repair indicators

A method comprising:

• determining, by at least one processor, that a particular computer-readable vehicle repair order (RO) is contained in an existing cluster of ROs by determining that the particular RO is associated with an existing cluster identifier stored within a computer-readable medium to identify the existing cluster of ROs, wherein the computer-readable medium has stored thereon an indication that the particular RO is associated with the existing cluster identifier, wherein the particular RO specifies a particular vehicle symptom that was previously resolved and replacement of a particular vehicle component for resolving the particular vehicle symptom, wherein the existing cluster is arranged to contain ROs that specify the particular vehicle symptom and the replacement of the particular vehicle component for resolving the particular vehicle symptom, and wherein the computer-readable medium contains data that identifies a plurality of taxonomy terms each indicative of a respective alternative vehicle repair other than replacement of one or more vehicle components;
• after determining that the particular RO is contained in the existing cluster, making a determination, by the at least one processor, that the particular RO also specifies a particular alternative vehicle repair as having contributed to resolving the particular vehicle symptom other than by replacement of one or more vehicle components, wherein the at least one processor makes the determination by determining that the particular RO includes content that matches a particular taxonomy term, from among the plurality of taxonomy terms, indicative of the particular alternative vehicle repair;
• in response to making the determination that the particular RO specifies the particular alternative vehicle repair as having contributed to resolving the particular vehicle symptom other than by replacement of one or more vehicle components, the at least one processor moving the particular RO from the existing cluster to a different cluster of ROs, wherein the different cluster is arranged to contain ROs that specify the particular vehicle symptom, and both the replacement of the particular vehicle component and the particular alternative vehicle repair as having resolved the particular vehicle symptom, wherein moving the particular RO from the existing cluster to the different cluster comprises (i) removing from the computer-readable medium the indication that the particular RO is associated with the existing cluster identifier and (ii) storing at the computer-readable medium an indication that the particular RO is associated with a different cluster identifier, wherein the different cluster identifier is stored within the computer-readable medium to identify the different cluster of ROs, and wherein the different cluster contains a particular quantity of ROs after the particular RO is moved to the different cluster;
• receiving, by the at least one processor via a vehicle repair tool, a request that comprises at least one search term specifying at least the particular vehicle symptom;
• making a further determination, by the at least one processor, that the different cluster is associated with the at least one search term and that the particular quantity of ROs contained in the different cluster exceeds a threshold quantity;
• and
• based on the further determination, the at least one processor responding to the request by causing a display device of the vehicle repair tool to display a repair-hint associated with the different cluster, wherein the repair-hint specifies at least that the particular alternative vehicle repair contributes to resolving the particular vehicle symptom.

A computing system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of clusters of computer-readable vehicle repair orders (ROs), wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium contains data that identifies a plurality of taxonomy terms each indicative of a respective alternative vehicle repair other than replacement of one or more vehicle components;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the non-transitory computer-readable medium and programmed to:
• determine that a particular RO is contained in an existing cluster of ROs by determining that the particular RO is associated with an existing cluster identifier stored within the non-transitory computer-readable medium to identify an existing cluster of ROs, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored thereon an indication that the particular RO is associated with the existing cluster identifier, wherein the particular RO specifies a particular vehicle symptom that was previously resolved, and wherein the existing cluster is arranged to contain ROs that specify the particular vehicle symptom, but do not specify that the particular vehicle symptom was resolved by replacement of one or more vehicle components;
• after determining that the particular RO is contained in the existing cluster, make a determination that the particular RO specifies a particular alternative vehicle repair as having resolved the particular vehicle symptom other than by replacement of one or more vehicle components, wherein the at least one processor makes the determination by determining that the particular RO includes content that matches a particular taxonomy term, from among the plurality of taxonomy terms, indicative of the particular alternative vehicle repair;
• in response to making the determination that the particular RO specifies the particular alternative repair as having resolved the particular vehicle symptom other than by replacement of one or more vehicle components, move the particular RO from the existing cluster to a different cluster of ROs, wherein the different cluster is arranged to contain ROs that specify the particular vehicle symptom and the particular alternative vehicle repair as having resolved the particular vehicle symptom, wherein moving the particular RO from the existing cluster to the different cluster comprises (i) removing from the non-transitory computer-readable medium the indication that the particular RO is associated with the existing cluster identifier and (ii) storing at the non-transitory computer-readable medium an indication that the particular RO is associated with a different cluster identifier, wherein the different cluster identifier is stored within the non-transitory computer-readable medium to identify the different cluster of ROs, and wherein the different cluster contains a particular quantity of ROs after the particular RO is moved to the different cluster;
• receive, via a vehicle repair tool, a request that comprises at least one search term specifying at least the particular vehicle symptom;
• make a further determination that the different cluster is associated with the at least one search term and that the particular quantity of ROs contained in the different cluster exceeds a threshold quantity;
• and
• based on the further determination, respond to the request by causing a display device of the vehicle repair tool to display a repair-hint associated with the different cluster, wherein the repair-hint specifies at least that the particular alternative vehicle repair resolves the particular vehicle symptom.

A computing system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of clusters of computer-readable vehicle repair orders (ROs), wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium contains data that identifies a plurality of taxonomy terms each indicative of a respective alternative vehicle repair other than replacement of one or more vehicle components;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the non-transitory computer-readable medium and programmed to:
• determine that a particular RO is contained in an existing cluster of ROs by determining that the particular RO is associated with an existing cluster identifier stored within the non-transitory computer-readable medium to identify an existing cluster of ROs, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has stored thereon an indication that the particular RO is associated with the existing cluster identifier, wherein the particular RO specifies a particular vehicle symptom that was previously resolved and replacement of a particular vehicle component for resolving the particular vehicle symptom, wherein the existing cluster is arranged to contain ROs that specify the particular vehicle symptom and the replacement of the particular vehicle component for resolving the particular vehicle symptom;
• after determining that the particular RO is contained in the existing cluster, make a determination that the particular RO also specifies a particular alternative vehicle repair as having contributed to resolving the particular vehicle symptom other than by replacement of one or more vehicle components, wherein the at least one processor makes the determination by determining that the particular RO includes content that matches a particular taxonomy term, from among the plurality of taxonomy terms, indicative of the particular alternative vehicle repair;
• in response to making the determination that the particular RO specifies the particular alternative vehicle repair as having contributed to resolving the particular vehicle symptom other than by replacement of one or more vehicle components, move the particular RO from the existing cluster to a different cluster of ROs, wherein the different cluster is arranged to contain ROs that specify the particular vehicle symptom, and both the replacement of the particular vehicle component and the particular alternative vehicle repair as having resolved the particular vehicle symptom, wherein moving the particular RO from the existing cluster to the different cluster comprises (i) removing from the non-transitory computer-readable medium the indication that the particular RO is associated with the existing cluster identifier and (ii) storing at the non-transitory computer-readable medium an indication that the particular RO is associated with a different cluster identifier, wherein the different cluster identifier is stored within the non-transitory computer-readable medium to identify the different cluster of ROs, and wherein the different cluster contains a particular quantity of ROs after the particular RO is moved to the different cluster;
• receive, via a vehicle repair tool, a request that comprises at least one search term specifying at least the particular vehicle symptom;
• make a further determination that the different cluster is associated with the at least one search term and that the particular quantity of ROs contained in the different cluster exceeds a threshold quantity;
• and
• based on the further determination, respond to the request by causing a display device of the vehicle repair tool to display a repair-hint associated with the different cluster, wherein the repair-hint specifies at least that the particular alternative vehicle repair contributes to resolving the particular vehicle symptom.