System and method for semi-automatic generation of operating procedures from recorded troubleshooting sessions

A system for generating operating procedures comprising:

• memory which stores a device model, the device model including state charts for a plurality of components of the device and operability constraints for at least some of the components;
• a procedure generator which:
• receives a log of a troubleshooting session in which a user has performed operations on a device, the log including data from the device, the device data including a sequence of detected operations performed on the device, each detected operation causing a component of the device to change states,
• generates steps of a candidate operating procedure based on the log, each of the steps corresponding to one of the detected operations,
• identifies missing steps of the candidate operating procedure based on the device model, and
• compares the candidate operating procedure with existing operating procedures stored in an associated knowledge base for the device to identify at least one existing operating procedure which includes steps which match at least some of the steps of the candidate operating procedure and, based on the identified at least one existing operating procedure, generates a textual description based on the textual description of the matching steps;
• and
• generates a graphical user interface for presenting the candidate operating procedure to an editor for validation;
• and
• a processor in communication with the memory which implements the procedure generator.

A method for generating operating procedures comprising:

• with an interface generator, conducting a troubleshooting session in which a user receives instructions based on operating procedures stored in a knowledge base and performs operations on a device;
• generating a log of the troubleshooting session, the log including data from the device, the device data including a sequence of detected operations performed on the device, each detected operation causing a component of the device to change states;
• generating steps of a candidate operating procedure based on the log, each of the steps corresponding to one of the detected operations;
• comparing the candidate operating procedure with existing operating procedures stored in a knowledge base for the device to identify at least one existing operating procedure which includes steps which match at least some of the steps of the candidate operating procedure and, based on the identified at least one existing operating procedure, generating a textual description based on the textual description of the matching steps;
• and
• outputting the candidate operating procedure.
• wherein at least one of the generating and comparing is performed with a computer processor.