DE102014118298B4 - Method and apparatus for verifying the configuration of a production system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of verifying the configuration of a production system, the production system comprising a plurality of components, each having a client computer (4, 5, 14, 15, 17) connected to a host computer (10) via data links, and the components or having a plurality of exchangeable modules, comprising - scanning the individual components connected to the data network, - reading static parameters of the individual components and modules and identifying the components and / or modules based on the static parameters, wherein identifying the type of modules and / or Components is performed by comparing the detected static parameters with static parameters stored in a reference database, - checking if a comparison of the predetermined configuration is found during the comparison, if there is a configuration template for the deviating component or the differing module, and if so is , this component or module is configured using the configuration template.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for checking the configuration of a production system, in particular a printing system.

From the DE 36 14 744 C2 For example, there is an apparatus for controlling printing presses that include a plurality of computers that can communicate with each other.

Keller, A .; Subramanian, S .: Best Practices for Deploying a CMDB in Large-Scale Environments; Int'l Symposium on Integrated Network Management, June 2009, DOI: 10.1109 / INM.2009.5188880 discloses a method for determining a network topology in heterogeneous IP networks. The components connected to the network are scanned using standardized network protocols, such as: By means of SNMP or ICMP. The information obtained is evaluated or summarized by means of various algorithms so that information about the network components and the network topology can be made available. Changes made to the network or its components are recorded so that the information provided is kept up to date.

BREITBART, Yuri et al .: Topology Discovery in Heterogeneous IP Networks: The NetInventory System. In: Networking, IEEE / ACM Transactions on: Vol. 12 (3): 401-414: 2004 [IEEE] doi: 10.1109 / TNET.2004.828963 describes methods for creating a configuration management database (abbreviated to CMDB). The configuration management database is used to access and manage information about configuration items (CI). Such a configuration element represents a resource and includes hardware, software, documentation, procedures, IT services and tools. The configuration database thus stores detailed information about the network and the components connected to it.

US 2013/0321842 A1 describes a storage medium which serves a program for creating program-controlled maintenance routines for a production system, in particular an image-forming system. Upon the occurrence of an error code, a unit programmatically generates a maintenance routine that makes adjustments to the production system.

DE 10 2004 029 646 A1 describes a printing press control system having at least two hierarchical control levels, each control level having at least one control system component. Each component checks the status of all its subordinate control plane components that are communicating with it. The result of the check is transmitted to a component of a superordinate control level.

DE 10 2006 022 710 A1 describes a service platform for the maintenance of printing presses. The computer of a printing machine communicates via a public network with a management computer, which checks the admissibility of a permission for maintenance.

Furthermore, network analyzers are known that can be switched into a specific network and analyze the communications performed over data lines of a network. With such network analyzers, the functionality of a data network is checked, whereby only a small section of the data network is examined.

The company Ipswitch Inc., USA, offers software under the name WhatsUp Gold to monitor data centers and networks with 25 to 20,000 devices. It can also automatically record all resources and create a plan of their connections. For monitoring the individual computers active and passive monitoring technologies are used. Furthermore, alarms can be automatically issued in case of errors.

Production systems are becoming increasingly individualized today. It used to be common for certain types of high-performance printers to have a particular configuration made and sold for several hundred, and in some cases even a few thousand, times. Nowadays, it is common for a particular configuration of a high-performance printing system to be manufactured and sold a few tens of times or even individually assembled from predetermined components.

Production systems typically include a main computer running control software that controls the individual components of the production system. For each configuration of the production system, the control software is adapted and tested to ensure safe operation of the production system.

The main computer and control computers of the individual components of such a production system may be specially designed microcontrollers. However, it is increasing Standard computers because they provide more computing power at a much lower cost. For standard computers, however, the problem is that the generational cycle is typically no longer than one to two years. The overlap time between individual generations is often very short (eg <3 months). In addition, certain standard computer generations are only suitable for certain operating systems, so that the generation cycle of the hardware also requires a correspondingly short generation cycle of the software. In particular, it is customary to provide the hardware within even shorter intervals (eg 2 months) with new software versions of the operating system, so that computers of the same hardware generation can have different operating system software. These computers are designed for pure data center and office computing operations, but they are not intended to control production systems that are in continuous operation for several years and that need to be maintained reliably over their lifetime. Interruptions to the operation of a production system often cause high downtime costs.

These problems can be avoided by a manufacturer of a production system by buying and storing a large quantity from a computer of a certain type. However, this is not practical for the entire generation of a production system, which is offered for several years, because it is not predictable what quantities of the production system will be achieved in the next few years. Therefore, a manufacturer of a production system is forced to use a new generation of computers, at least after a few years.

Another problem with such a generation change of the computers in a production system is that the computers communicate via corresponding interfaces with the machine components of the production system in order to control them and / or to read them out from these operating parameters. When computers change generations, sometimes the corresponding interfaces change, so that the control of the machine components of the production system no longer works. The problems with the interfaces are very different, because only certain functionalities of the interfaces change, functions or interfaces completely disappear or the structure of the device changes completely and is no longer compatible with the predecessor model. The adaptation of the machine components to a new computer generation causes a considerable effort and thus high costs.

Manufacturers of production systems often come to terms with a large number of corresponding computers when the manufacturer of the computer announces an early termination of the corresponding model. This entails considerable costs and requires storage space at the manufacturer of the production equipment.

Manufacturers of production systems must therefore decide whether they want to take advantage of the low computational power of standard computers at the expense of short generation cycles, or use special microcontrollers that have lower computational power but are available over a longer period of time. A production system that could be quickly and easily adapted to a new computer generation of standard computers would be very beneficial.

The invention has for its object to provide a method and apparatus for configuring a control device for a production system, with which the control device for differently configured production systems or printing systems can be provided quickly and easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system and method for monitoring production systems with which components and corresponding third-party monitoring software can be integrated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for displaying control devices in a production system.

The object is achieved by a method and a production system as defined in independent claims 1 and 14, respectively. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the respective subclaims.

• - Abtasten der einzelnen Komponenten,
• - Erstellen eines Netzwerkplans anhand der abgetasteten Informationen, wobei der Netzwerkplan den Hauptcomputer, die Datenverbindungen und die Komponenten umfasst, und
• - Konfigurieren der Steuerungseinrichtung nach Maßgabe des erstellten Netzwerkplans, wobei für die jeweiligen Komponenten spezifische Überwachungsroutinen ausgeführt werden.

The inventive method for configuring a control device for a production system, in particular for a printing system, wherein the production system comprises a plurality of components, each provided with a client computer, which are connected via data links to a main computer, comprises the following steps:

• - scanning the individual components,
• - creating a network plan based on the scanned information, the network plan comprising the main computer, the data connections and the components, and
• - Configure the controller according to the created network plan, wherein for the respective components specific monitoring routines are executed.

By automatically scanning the individual components of the production system and creating a network plan based on the scanned information, the controller can be completely automatically configured in accordance with the created network plan. As a result, it is not necessary for a control software to be adapted manually to different configurations of the production system. Specific monitoring routines are provided for the respective components and are executed automatically.

The monitoring routines are preferably used, on the one hand, to monitor the functioning of the client computers of the individual components as well as the functionality of the components themselves, e.g. Printing units, conditioning unit, reversing unit, register unit, tension unit, fixing unit, air conditioning module, fluid control unit or its subcomponents, such as fans, rollers, drives, etc.

Client computers are all computers and microprocessor systems that are provided in the production system and are connected directly or indirectly via data connections to the main computer. The client computers may be connected to data links of a single network type, e.g. Ethernet, be formed. However, the data connections may be based on different network types, e.g. Ethernet, CAN bus, Infini bus, etc.

Preferably, the scanning of the components is carried out in two stages, basic information being determined first, e.g. MAC addresses, ARP lists, presence of remote maintenance functionality, switch ports, component ID. In a second step, detailed information of the individual components is then determined, wherein on the basis of the ascertained basic information, such as addresses and identifications specific to the respective components, a communication with the individual components is carried out in order to read the detailed information.

Preferably, the method is designed in such a way that when scanning the components exclusively either standard functions, in particular operating system functions, are called on the client computers, or the messages transmitted via the data connections are analyzed. As a result, it is not necessary for the client computer to be set up and executed at this specific software module. Typical standard functions are e.g. PING queries. When computers with data connections are connected, there is always some system communication. This system communication can be "intercepted" and analyzed, which can be used to derive specific information for the data network. Such a method has the advantage that the components that are integrated into the production system do not have to be prepared with a special software package.

According to a development of the method according to the invention, a control panel is configured in accordance with the created network plan. With the control panel, it should be possible for a user to see the functioning of the individual components and, if appropriate, if the user has the appropriate rights to be able to influence this.

The configuration is preferably carried out by means of predetermined templates for the individual components of the production system. The templates are assigned to them based on the components of specific identifications that have been determined during scanning of the individual components. Many different components can be provided for a production system, but the number of components is limited, even if it is large. For each component that is released for installation for the production system, a template has to be created only once. The template usually includes a component-specific monitoring routine and control parameters that must be adhered to during operation. Furthermore, the template may include configuration parameters that define the operation of the component depending on its position throughout the production system. Thus, a fan used to cool a computer as well as cool a sensor device may be configured differently depending on whether it is installed on the computer or on the sensor device.

If, during scanning of the components, a component is detected for which no template is present, then this component can be identified as an unknown component. By identifying an unknown component, a routine for analyzing the unknown component can be started. With this routine, for example, a serial number or other information of the component are read out. With an automatic search on the Internet then further information about the component can be determined. This information is provided to the operator who can then decide whether this component may remain in the production system. It may also be expedient if certain information is not available from components, to separate them from the data network by interrupting the corresponding data connection, or to separate generally unknown components from the data network.

According to a development of the method according to the invention, the data network can be automatically network conflicts, such. Address conflicts, to be investigated. The network conflicts can be corrected automatically. For example, network addresses are reassigned. On the other hand, network conflicts can be resolved by automatically disconnecting conflicting components from the network.

The scanning of the components is preferably carried out by means of a web user interface plug-in provided on the main computer. By using such web user interface plug-ins, the corresponding plug-ins for certain components or groups of components can be subsequently added as soon as the components have been released for installation in the production system. This makes the system modular and expandable at any time.

The configuration is preferably carried out by a web user interface arranged on the main computer. The scanning of the components can be carried out repeatedly. This creates network maps repeatedly. These network plans can be archived to document changes and developments in the production system.

The network plans can be exported. Different data of the network plans can be filtered here. It can e.g. an export of the network plans may be provided to a service technician listing the operating times and / or the number of units produced (e.g., printed pages) for the respective components. Error messages can be included so that a service technician instantly identifies which component to repair or service. On the other hand, data can be output with an export, which are important for accounting and / or maintenance contracts, which describe the use of the individual components or the consumption of materials. For the plant management, the network plan can be exported together with statistical data describing the reliability of the individual components.

The control device can be configured such that operating-specific parameters are read out at the components. Such operation-specific parameters are e.g. the number of processed product units, e.g. the number of pages printed, the number of hours used, the material consumed, etc. These operating parameters can be used to monitor the individual components. These parameters can also be analyzed and made available to other applications.

• - Abtastens der einzelnen an das Datennetzwerk angeschlossenen Komponenten, und
• - Auslesens von statischen Parametern der einzelnen Komponenten und Module und Identifizieren der Komponenten und/oder Module anhand der statischen Parameter.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for verifying the configuration of a production system, in particular a printing system, wherein the production system comprises a plurality of components, each having a client computer connected to a main computer via data links, and the components include on or several interchangeable modules. The method comprises the steps of

• - scanning the individual components connected to the data network, and
• - Reading out static parameters of the individual components and modules and identifying the components and / or modules based on the static parameters.

From the individual components and modules different parameters can be read out. There are dynamic parameters, e.g. the temperature, which can change during operation. On the other hand, there are static parameters that are always constant. Such static parameters are, for example, a component ID or version numbers of the individual components of the component or module, e.g. firmware, a kernel or integrated circuits, processors, in particular a CPU and other connected devices. Furthermore, on the components and modules type designations, information describing the design and configuration (settings) of the component and the module, such as the available memory areas, the clock frequency used, the number of ports, etc. are read, which are static parameters.

These static parameters are typical of the particular component or module and provide some sort of fingerprint for the type of component or type of module.

On the basis of these static parameters, the type of the respective component or of the respective module can be uniquely identified.

This identification allows automatic and reliable verification of the configuration of the production system. For this purpose, only the detected static parameters of the respective modules and / or components that have been detected need to be compared with corresponding static parameters of a reference database.

The reference database comprises a set of static parameters of all components and / or modules of the production system. This set of static parameters, referred to below as the reference set, can simply be assembled by the automatic sampling of the individual components explained above and stored in the database. This can be checked at any time, if there is a correct configuration of the production system.

Individual components and / or modules are interchangeable with other corresponding components and / or modules without affecting the function and operation of the production system. If such interchangeable components and / or modules are known, then these can be taken into account when creating the reference database and / or comparing the recorded sets of static parameters with the reference database. The reference database may comprise the sets of static parameters of the interchangeable components and / or modules, or in determining a deviation from the reference database may be tested in a further step, if the different set of static parameters of a replaceable component and / or a replaceable module is assigned. Preferably, only if the different set of static parameters is not to be associated with a replaceable component and / or an exchangeable module, a configuration of the deviating component and / or module is performed or evaluated as a configuration conflict.

If the deviating component and / or the deviating module is a component and / or module which does not affect the function and operation of the production system, then the set of static parameters of the deviating component and / or of the deviating modulus may be included as part of the Configuration stored in the reference database. This updates the reference database to the new state.

Furthermore, it is possible to check whether a configuration template suitable for the deviating component or the deviating module is available, and to configure the production system with the aid of the configuration template in such a way that the deviating component or the deviating module is integrated into the production system.

If a deviating component or a deviating module is found to be interchangeable or to be configured by means of a configuration template without impairing the function and operation, then the replacement of the component and / or the module is stored in a log file. Furthermore, the replacement of the component and / or the module can be reported to a predetermined location. The predetermined location is, for example, an operator of the production system who is informed of the replacement of the component and / or the module via a display on the control panel or a service organization responsible for the maintenance of the production system. Due to this message, the service organization is always informed about the current configuration of the production system and can immediately take appropriate measures in case of an unauthorized replacement of components and / or modules.

A deviation of the predetermined configuration can basically be evaluated as a configuration conflict. However, a deviation of the predetermined configuration may also be valued only as a configuration conflict if the deviation is based on a non-interchangeable component and / or a non-interchangeable module and / or a non-configurable component and / or a non-configurable module.

• - Melden des Konfigurationskonflikts;
• - Trennen der abweichenden Komponente vom Produktionssystem;
• - Separieren der abweichenden Komponente in ein virtuelles Netzwerk;
• - Ändern des Betriebsmodus des Produktionssystems.

If a configuration conflict is detected, then one or more of the following can be done:

• - reporting the configuration conflict;
• - separating the deviant component from the production system;
• - Separating the dissimilar component into a virtual network;
• - Change the operating mode of the production system.

The configuration conflict can be reported to the operator and / or an organization responsible for the service of the production system. This message can be sent by an indication on the control panel or via a separate message, by SMS, e-mail or other means of communication.

A different component can also be separated from the production system. This is particularly useful when an unauthorized computer or microprocessor is detected in the data network of the production system.

The deviating component can also be automatically separated into a virtual network. This address conflicts can be resolved and the accessibility of the different components are limited to the production system. For example, only such reading rights can be granted to such a deviating component, This ensures that the deviating component can not cause a change to the production system.

The changing of the operating mode of the production system is particularly useful when a different component is determined, which is of fundamental importance for the production operation, so that the operating mode is changed so that the further production is possible without the deviating component. For example, the production speed can be lowered. If the production system is a printing system for double-sided printing of a recording medium and a deviation at the printing unit is detected only for one side of the recording medium, then the operating mode can be limited to a one-sided printing.

• - Extrahieren von Abhängigkeiten aus dem eingelesenen Softwarepaket der neu zu installierenden Softwarekomponente von anderen Software- und Hardwarekomponenten,
• - Prüfen anhand der statischen Parameter, ob die für die neu zu installierende Softwarekomponente notwendige Software und Hardware am Produktionssystem vorhanden ist.

Software components to be installed on the production system may have dependencies on hardware and / or other software components present on the production system. In order to resolve such dependencies, one may extend the method of verifying the configuration of a production system to include the steps of: - reading a software package comprising a software component to be newly installed,

• - Extracting dependencies from the read software package of the newly installed software component from other software and hardware components,
• - Check on the basis of the static parameters whether the software and hardware required for the newly installed software component are present on the production system.

In addition to the software to be installed, a software package contains information that further describes the software. In particular, such information includes dependencies on other software components or packages and / or hardware components. These dependencies no longer need to be resolved by an installing service technician, but it is checked before installing the software component, whether the necessary software and hardware on the production system is present. This makes it possible to perform the installation of the software components of the production system error-free and efficient.

The term software encompasses all software that can be executed and executed on the production system, in particular application software, operating system software and firmware of the components present in the production system.

The method may be further extended by automatically installing non-existing software components on the production system, upon which the newly installed software component depends, prior to installing the new software component.

By automatically installing required software components, the installation of a production system is significantly faster and more efficient.

The static parameters used to check whether the software and hardware required for the software component to be installed are present on the production system can be read from a network plan created using the static parameters.

Additionally, the method may be extended to log any change made to the software components installed on the production system by installing a software component. If necessary, any change made can be completely undone, restoring a prior version of the software components.

Recording the changes made during a software installation allows you to quickly and easily revert to a previous software version that is known to work correctly with this software release.

Another advantage is that such a remote software management process can be initiated so that software component information or uninstallations can be performed without the installing service technician on site.

• - Schnittstellen für die Überwachungsprogrammmodule zum Übermitteln von Statusdaten der Komponenten und/oder Komponentengruppen, und
• - eine Auswerteeinrichtung zum Erfassen und Zuordnen der jeweiligen Statusdaten als Parameterwerte zu jeweils bestimmten Parametern eines Parametersatzes des Überwachungssystems, wobei Statusdaten unterschiedlicher Überwachungsprogrammmodule den gleichen Parametern zugeordnet werden können, und zum Überprüfen der Parameterwerte, wobei vorbestimmte Abweichungen als Fehler bewertet werden.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a system for monitoring a production system, in particular a printing system comprising a printing device and a control device having a plurality of components, the individual components and groups of components having different monitoring program modules, comprising:

• - Interfaces for the monitoring program modules for transmitting status data of the components and / or component groups, and
• - An evaluation device for detecting and assigning the respective status data as parameter values to each particular parameters of a parameter set of the monitoring system, wherein status data of different Monitoring program modules can be assigned to the same parameters, and to check the parameter values, with predetermined deviations are evaluated as errors.

Components are all parts of the production system that have a client computer that is directly or indirectly connected to the main computer through data connections, and that can therefore be contacted via an IP address.

By providing interfaces for the monitoring program modules, the possibility is created of integrating monitoring program modules, in particular of third-party suppliers, efficiently and inexpensively into the production system for its monitoring. This makes it possible to use the monitoring program modules without having to programmatically change them in their output or their other functions. It is only necessary to adapt the interfaces in order to transmit status data of the components and / or component groups via these interfaces.

From the status data transferred via the interfaces, parameter values are extracted which are assigned to specific parameters of the monitoring system in order to process them further. In particular, during further processing, the parameter values are checked in order to determine errors occurring in the production system.

The parameters describe properties of the production system and have parameter values. The parameter values include numerical values and logical values.

An error that has occurred can affect the correct and / or efficient functioning of the production system. The types of errors and their degrees are explained in more detail below.

In a further embodiment, the evaluation device is designed such that it accesses stored component data which describes the structure of the component in modules for each component of the production system and assigns the errors to the respective modules. In this case, a component is formed from one or more modules and a module is an exchangeable unit.

A module may in turn comprise further (sub) modules. Component data is hierarchically structured data that describes the structure of the components of modules and the (sub-) modules. This means that the component data maps modules to a component or module.

If a component now has an error, the modules from which the component is formed can be identified with the component data. By interpreting the transmitted status data, the evaluation device can infer the faulty modules or faulty (sub) modules of the component. Should the status data for this not be sufficient, then the evaluation device can request further status data, in particular status data of individual modules and / or individual (sub) modules from the monitoring program modules monitoring the component.

By identifying the module to be replaced, there is a fast and efficient containment of the fault of a faulty component. This speeds up troubleshooting in the run-up to the problem because the module that failed on the component can be determined and reported on.

• - Erfassen von Statusdaten von Komponenten und/oder Komponentengruppen eines Produktionssystems,
• - Zuordnen der Statusdaten als Parameterwerte zu jeweils bestimmten Parametern eines Parametersatzes des Überwachungssystems, wobei unterschiedliche Statusdaten demselben Parameter zugeordnet werden können, und
• - Überprüfen der Parameterwerte, wobei vorbestimmte Abweichungen als Fehler bewertet werden.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for monitoring a production system, in particular using a monitoring system explained above, is provided. The monitoring procedure comprises the steps:

• Acquiring status data of components and / or component groups of a production system,
• Assigning the status data as parameter values to particular parameters of a parameter set of the monitoring system, wherein different status data can be assigned to the same parameter, and
• Checking the parameter values, whereby predetermined deviations are evaluated as errors.

Various monitoring program modules may have various methods for determining status data of the components and / or component groups. In this case, the execution of these different methods for the same parameter due to measurement errors or measurement tolerances can cause the problem that the status data transmitted by the monitoring program modules make conflicting conclusions as to whether an error has occurred or not.

To solve this problem, all the status data of the various monitoring program modules are first stored and all status data for a same parameter is assigned to this parameter in order to use the be able to further process status data determined using different methods.

Preferably, during the execution of the monitoring method, an error is detected when different parameter values are transmitted for the same parameter and at least one of these parameter values has a predetermined deviation, which is evaluated as an error.

The parameter values may include numerical values or logical values. Logical values can be represented as numbers "0" or "1" or as a string ("correct", "false", "true" etc.). For numeric values, an error is usually detected when it is outside a predetermined range of numbers. For logical values, an error is detected if it differs from a predetermined logical value.

By being able to extract from the status data a plurality of parameter values that are assignable to the same parameter and when at least one of these parameter values represents an error evaluated as an error overall, it is ensured that it is sufficient to detect a fault, if only one these parameter values have the predetermined deviation. In order to be able to reliably detect an error, if only one parameter value of one of the monitoring program modules already has the predetermined deviation, an error is detected.

With the aid of the status data, component errors and / or errors of application software of the production system can be detected. The monitoring procedure detects all types of errors that occur.

A component error is any error in a component except for an error of an application software module running on that component. Errors of the application software have their origin in the respective application software, so they are triggered by this.

In a preferred embodiment, the monitoring method is designed to automatically report a detected error to an external service organization for troubleshooting.

Automatic forwarding includes an error message that is sent via e-mail, SMS, fax or another suitable communication channel. The forwarding takes place to an external service organization trained for troubleshooting the production system, whereby "external" means outside the production system. The automatic error message can quickly notify an organization of an error so that troubleshooting can be done efficiently and on time. In principle, errors can also be reported to an operator.

Preferably, the monitoring method is designed, if it has detected an error, to assign this error according to predetermined criteria an error priority for the error correction. The error priority describes the influence of the error on the production process of the production system.

With regard to the error priority, the errors are preferably divided into low error priority warnings, medium error priority errors, and high priority errors. The error priority can also be divided differently into several stages.

The warnings are low priority errors that do not immediately affect the operation of the production system. However, warnings can evolve in the future in such a way that an impairment of the operation due to a fault occurs.
The errors of mean error priority are errors that affect the production operation, but not completely prevent it.

The high-priority errors are errors that can no longer sustain production.

Based on the error priority, a service can be coordinated, whereby the error priority describes with which priority the error must be eliminated. Forwarding error priority gives alerts and / or errors to the external service organization responsible for troubleshooting the ability to efficiently break down the service forces available for troubleshooting to each error message. Accordingly, errors with a high error priority are preferably treated and available service forces are initially used to remedy them. Only when the errors are processed with a high error priority, the correction of errors of medium or low error priority or warnings of the same or other production systems is performed. This ensures a more efficient production operation even with a large number of production systems managed by the service organization.

In addition, the response times of the guarantee or maintenance agreements and / or a failure safety, which is explained in more detail below, can be taken into account in the service coordination, by the latter with the error priorities be linked. By taking into account the maintenance or guarantee agreements, it is possible to ensure that, in the case of limited service capacity, service or maintenance is carried out as promptly as possible for a production system in which unrestricted and trouble-free operation is emphasized, while in the case of a production system, has lower requirements, low error priority errors, and subordinate warnings.

Similarly, scheduling of service calls is accelerated, since a downstream system for service coordination by taking into account the criteria described above automatically perform the service coordination and thus can even control the service assignments automatically.

Preferably, the monitoring method is configured to display the components, the component groups, modules, the status data, the parameters and / or the parameter sets together with the respective errors on the control panel on one of the computers. A component is formed from one or more modules and a module is an exchangeable unit of a component. A module may in turn comprise further modules. These relationships between components and modules are already explained above.

The display allows an operator on the control panel to get an overview of the production system. In particular, the operator can detect errors occurring thereby quickly and efficiently.

The display preferably takes the form of a structured, in particular hierarchical and / or graphic representation. Here, the illustrated structure represents the network plan or a section thereof.

Through a structured representation in the form of the network plan, the operator at the control panel can be informed quickly and efficiently about an error that occurred even in complex production systems in an overview view of the production system with the associated network. Here, as a top level, the complete production system is displayed on the display device, with a visual indication on the displayed objects, i. the devices, devices, components and / or modules, the different types of errors and / or error priorities distinguishable, e.g. by coloring the object.

In this case, a plane represents a logical image of the objects present in a production system, such as components, modules, devices, devices. Here, the illustrated objects of a higher level include objects of a subordinate level, which are arranged hierarchically subordinate to them.

Through the graphical representation, the user of the control panel can be enabled by an interaction, e.g. clicking on an object with a mouse to display the next lower representable plane of the object with its child objects comprising the object, i. e. he can navigate to the next lower level. This makes it possible to display the error of an object at a lower level and thus to be able to further narrow the error.

The objects displayed in the individual levels of the display are displayed as graphics, whereby this graphic can schematically represent the external visual appearance of the respective object. The position where the object is located and its orientation is also reproduced in the representation of the objects as realistic as possible. As a result, support for an operator and in particular a service technician is made possible by this optical information. Since the service employee is notified of the position and orientation of the respective module to be exchanged or serviced when carrying out a troubleshooting or maintenance, he can carry out his work efficiently and simply, avoiding his own mistakes. In addition, the service technician can see instructions for action in the ad in order to support him in his work. Further, by changing the view of the displayed modules, for example from the front view to the rear view or side view, it is possible to provide the service technician with further assistance for his activity, in particular if modules have connections, displays, switches etc. on the front and the back.

The representation of the server rack or rack, the rack modules, the components and the modules will be explained in more detail below.

In a further embodiment of the monitoring method, an adjustment of the production system is determined from at least one detected error, in which the influence of the error on the production process is minimized or completely eliminated.

Here one or more possible changed settings can be determined. If the current setting of the production system is determined to be the only possible setting, then there is no other changed setting to further minimize or eliminate the impact of the error on the production process. In this respect remains the attitude of the production system as it is currently formed and the influence of the error remain. By determining one or more changed settings, however, it is possible to maintain the production process at least until the faulty module is replaced so that the productivity and / or production quality of the production system is minimally or not at all restricted.

The at least one determined, changed setting is displayed on the control panel so that an operator or service technician is assisted in performing it manually. In addition, further instructions regarding the reconfiguration can be displayed here. The operator or service engineer reconfigures the production system to apply the displayed setting to the production system.

In this case, a reconfiguration means applying a different setting to the production system or changing its current configuration. Reconfiguration affects the configuration settings of software and / or hardware, such as components or application software, where parameters of the production system can be changed.

Particularly in the case of a printing system, the determination of a changed setting also concerns printing parameters and the setting of software components also the setting of these printing parameters. For example, in the case of an error, a maximum possible printing speed or printing resolution can be displayed.

If at least one, preferably changed setting of the production system is determined by the monitoring method from a detected error, in which the influence of the error on the production process is minimized or completely eliminated, this setting is preferably carried out automatically. Here, components, application software and / or the production system are reconfigured accordingly.

It is advantageous if the reconfiguration of a changed setting is carried out automatically, since this ensures the efficiency or function of the production system directly or immediately without promptly available service technician. In addition, by immediate reconfiguration when an error occurs, a production scrap can be avoided or minimized, e.g. by lowering the production speed.

In particular, in a high-performance printing system, an error may result in a waste, e.g. 50 m on record carrier. This waste can be minimized or avoided by automatic reconfiguration, so that much less of the recording medium is lost.

In a further embodiment of the monitoring method, the detected errors with associated information are stored in a list of errors.

The information associated with the errors includes information such as timestamp, error location, component, module, error type, error priority, error frequency, error security and other information describing the error.

The error list is preferably transmitted to an external evaluation organization upon reaching a predetermined number of errors, at predetermined time intervals or as required for the further evaluation of the errors. The further evaluation of the errors includes the evaluation of the quality of components and / or modules.

A transmission on demand includes a transmission on demand. The term "external" means outside the production system.

By transmitting the error lists, it is possible to summarize the error lists of a large number of different production systems and thus to be able to evaluate them efficiently. This also has the advantage that with the help of such a broader database more accurate statements about the quality and compatibility of individual hardware and software components of the production system can be made. These statements can be used as a decision aid for new configurations of a production system and its settings.

In a further embodiment of the monitoring method, an error safety for a detected error is determined, wherein the error safety indicates how large the probability that an error has actually occurred or not.

The error safety can be transmitted in the error message to an external service organization, stored in the error list and transmitted to an external evaluation organization and / or taken into account for a reconfiguration of the production system. The error message, the error list and the reconfiguration are already explained above.

The error priority associated with the error safety allows a more accurate estimation of whether and when to perform service or maintenance or reconfiguration. If the error safety is large, then the error priority for the Assessment of the above measures. But if the reliability is low, then it is likely that none of the measures mentioned is to be carried out. Thus, for example, an external service organization or its system for service coordination on the basis of this information, the service assignments optimally schedule.

• - Überprüfen der Zuverlässigkeit des den Fehler auslösenden Parameterwerts durch Vergleichen mit Parameterwerten anderer Überwachungsprogrammmodule, wobei die Parameterwerte anderer Überwachungsprogrammmodule entweder den gleichen Parametern zugeordnet sind oder mit dem den Fehler auslösenden Parameterwert in logischer Beziehung stehen, wobei das Vergleichen eine gewichtete Beurteilung der verschiedenen Parameterwerte umfasst,
• - Überprüfen der Zuverlässigkeit des den Fehler auslösenden Parameterwerts unter Berücksichtigung von Messfehlern und/oder Messtoleranzen, und/oder
• - Ermitteln der Fehlerhäufigkeit und/oder der Dauerhaftigkeit des Fehlers.

The fault tolerance for a detected fault can be determined taking into account one or more of the following combined strategies:

• Checking the reliability of the parameter value triggering the error by comparing with parameter values of other monitoring program modules, wherein the parameter values of other monitoring program modules are either assigned to the same parameters or are logically related to the parameter value triggering the error, the comparison comprising a weighted assessment of the various parameter values,
• Checking the reliability of the parameter value triggering the error taking into account measurement errors and / or measuring tolerances, and / or
• - Determining the error frequency and / or the durability of the error.

Logically related parameter values are those in which the parameter values are linked because they come from status data having the same or logically related data foundation. Such a logical relationship is, for example, given by sensors which detect as the status data the same physical value at different positions of the production system.

By mapping such a parameter value having a deviation to a logically linked other parameter value, it is thus possible to evaluate the plausibility and thus the probability of the deviation.

The parameter values used for such an evaluation can be additionally weighted, whereby the weighting is equally distributed in the simplest case.

However, the status data of certain monitoring program modules can also be assigned a higher weight than those of other monitoring program modules. This makes it possible to incorporate status data from monitoring program modules, which determine more accurate status data, with a larger proportion into an evaluation of error safety than status data from other monitoring program modules that are less accurate. In particular, this can minimize the effects of measurement tolerances between different monitoring program modules.

Such a weighting also makes it possible to define a monitoring program module as a master and one or more others as a slave, the error safety basically being determined from the parameter values of all monitoring program modules. However, if the values between the master and the one or more slaves differ in such a way that no unambiguous fault tolerance can be determined, only the parameter values of the master are used to determine the fault safety.

Another possibility for determining error safety by means of weighting is to take into account the majority or the majority of the statements of the deviations of the individual parameter values for error safety in the presence of several, at least three logically linked parameter values of different monitoring program modules.

In addition, measurement tolerances of a monitoring program module can be taken into account for calculating the error safety by comparing the deviation of a transmitted status value with the deviation that is likely to be caused by the measurement tolerance.

A further possibility for determining an error security is to take into account the frequency of occurrence of an error and / or the permanence or permanence of the error. If an error is detected more frequently or permanently, its reliability is greater than if it is detected less frequently.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a system for representing control devices in a production system, in particular in a printing system, wherein the production system has a rack for accommodating a plurality of rack modules. In this case, the rack modules may be connected to components of the production system and / or have error display device for displaying errors in the rack module and / or for displaying errors on the respective component. A rack presentation unit is provided to display a rack representation, with which rack module representations, each showing an image of one of the rack modules, can be located at the location in the rack representation corresponding to the physical location of the corresponding rack module in the rack. The rack display unit is connected to the fault list, in which errors are stored by the production system are, and the rack presentation unit is designed such that the errors can be displayed on the corresponding Rackmoduldarstellungen in the rack display.

By providing a rack display unit designed in this way, the status, in particular whether and which faults in the production system have occurred, can also be checked from a greater distance (English: remote). In particular, a service technician or operator will be alerted to the rack display of real-world location of the corresponding rack module in case of errors occurring in the rack so that it is assisted in troubleshooting and is more likely to perform without errors.

A rack is a shelf or fixture that typically integrates a set of smaller elements or assemblies into a unit, such as a rack. a stand or a rack.

Preferably, the system for displaying control devices in a production system is such that one or more of the rack module representations includes error indication means corresponding to an error indicator of the corresponding rack module. With the error display means is present in the presence of a corresponding error this in a similar manner as in the error display device.

Accordingly, this allows only the information that changes the appearance of the error indication means to be transmitted to a client computer indicating the rack presentation in the event of a failure.

An error in the corresponding rack module representation may be indicated by a change, such as a color and / or shape.

In another embodiment of the system for representing control devices in a production system, the rack presentation unit for two or more rack modules includes two different rack module representations. One of the two rack module displays shows the rack module in normal operation and the other rack module display shows the rack module in error mode.

In this embodiment of the system for the representation of control devices, the rack module representations are replaced in the event of a fault. The rack module representation for the error case is designed so that the error is recognizable. This may e.g. be represented by the fact that in the rack module representation a certain error lamp, e.g. in the event of a fault, it lights up red, corresponding to red. On the other hand, this can also be an error that is not visible on the real rack. Is e.g. the real rack module is defective and has no error indicator, then the rack module with a corresponding warning color, in particular red color, be deposited in case of failure. This can also represent errors that are not visible on the real rack.

In another embodiment of the system for presenting control devices, the rack presentation unit includes both a front rack display and a rack representation for the back of the rack. In this case, the rack presentation unit is designed such that in the arrangement of a particular Rackmoduldarstellung at a certain location in the rack, the corresponding corresponding representation on the front or back is automatically assigned to the corresponding rack representation.

The system according to the invention allows rack displays to be displayed on the control panel, which have rack module arrangements whose location in the rack module representation corresponds to the location in the real rack. In addition, errors can be displayed on the individual rack module representations. This allows a production system operator to instantly see from the rack appearance which rack module the fault is in, whether the rack module itself or a production system component connected to the respective rack module is defective. Such racks may include a plurality of rack modules, often including a plurality of identical or very similar rack modules in a rack. Finding the faulty rack modules is much easier with the rack display unit according to the invention than was previously possible.

In another embodiment of the system for representing control devices, the production system comprises a control device comprising a main computer. The main computer is connected to one or more client computers by a data connection. A browser is running on the client computers. In this case, a control panel module library is installed and executed at the main computer, with which a control panel for the production system is generated and provided, which is transmitted as a markup language file from the main computer to the respective browser and executed in the browser for displaying the control panel. The rack image is displayed on the control panel.

This also allows the rack display to be viewed on one of the client computers remote from the rack display unit. By using a markup language file created according to a standard for markup languages, it is possible to use a browser-based standard as a browser. This makes the display of a rack image and the display of the control panel independent of any other software or hardware used by the client computer.

Preferably, the panels displaying the rack display may be displayed simultaneously on a plurality of the client computers.

This allows several people, such as operators and / or service technicians, to simultaneously perform maintenance or troubleshooting on the production system. Different rack displays can be displayed on the respective control panels on different client computers, so that different maintenance or service work can be performed on each control panel.

In a further embodiment of the system for the representation of control devices, the client computers are designed as mobile devices. In this case, the data connection to the main computer is formed via a radio link according to a radio system standard.

A mobile device is a mobile computer, such as a mobile computer. a tablet computer, a laptop, a notebook or a mobile phone. The radio system standard of the radio connection comprises WLAN, Bluetooth, GSM, UMTS and other suitable radio systems. By providing the client computers as mobile devices, it is possible for an operator or service technician performing a service or maintenance to go to the respective rack with the mobile client computer for the purpose of the rack presentation in the rack Control panel an error is displayed. By visually displaying a fault while the operator or service technician is at the rack, faster and more efficient troubleshooting is possible.

In another embodiment of the system for representing control devices, the mobile client computers include an environment sensor. The environmental sensor detects the position and / or orientation of the respective client computer. This information is transmitted from the environmental sensor to the rack display unit. In this case, the rack presentation unit is designed such that it controls the generation of the markup language file that is transmitted to the respective browser such that the position information and / or the alignment information of the corresponding client computer in the rack display on the control panel on the corresponding client computer is taken into account such that one of a plurality of rack representations is automatically selected and displayed on the control panel according to the relative position and / or orientation of the corresponding client computer to the production system.

This creates the possibility when using a mobile client computer that, depending on the position and / or orientation of the client computer in relation to the production system, one of several rack representations is automatically selected for display on the control panel.

The automatic selection can take place in such a way that the rack closest to the position of the client computer is displayed in the rack display. This makes it possible to automatically control the display of the rack representation based on the distance to the respective rack, in particular in the case of a production system that has several racks. When an operator and / or service technician moves from one rack to another rack, the rack image automatically switches to the other rack display when it is closer to that other rack.

By taking into account the orientation of the client computer, it is possible to automatically control the display of the rack representation such that, in a production system having multiple racks, an operator or service technician who places the mobile client computer in the computer Hand and looking at the display of the panel in his line of sight, automatically displays the rack representation of the respective rack, which is also in the viewing direction. If the operator or service technician now turns in a different direction, that is, if he changes his viewing direction and thus also changes the orientation of the client computer, then a rack coming in the direction of sight can be automatically displayed in the rack display.

Detecting a position and / or orientation also provides the ability to automatically toggle between displaying a front or back of a rack in the rack. If the operator or service technician is in front of or facing a rack, the front of the rack is displayed in rack view. However, if it is on the back or facing the back of a rack, the back of the rack will be displayed in rack view. Rack-to-rack switching occurs automatically when the user or service technician moves, according to the location and / or orientation of the client computer.

The production system is preferably a liquid toner pressure device.

Liquid toner printing devices are printing devices in which toner particles are applied to a recording medium to be printed using a liquid developer. For this purpose, a latent charge image of a charge image carrier is colored by means of a liquid developer by means of electrophoresis. The resulting toner image is transferred indirectly via a transfer element or directly onto the recording medium. The liquid developer has toner particles and carrier liquid in a desired ratio. The carrier liquid used is preferably mineral oil. To provide the toner particles with an electrostatic charge, charge control agents are added to the liquid developer. In addition, further additives are added in order to obtain, for example, the desired viscosity or a desired drying behavior of the liquid developer.

Such digital printers are for example from the DE 10 2010 015 985 A1 , of the DE 10 2008 048 256 A1 , of the DE 10 2009 060 334 A1 or the DE 10 2012 111 791 A1 known.

The production system may be configured to carry out one or more of the aspects discussed above.

Methods according to the individual aspects explained above can be carried out independently of each other. However, it is also possible to carry out these methods in any desired combinations.

• 1 eine Ansicht eines Digitaldruckers mit einer beispielhaften Konfiguration des Digitaldruckers,
• 2 schematisch in einem Blockschaltbild ein Druckgerät, eine Steuervorrichtung und damit verbundene Geräte,
• 3 schematisch in einem Blockschaltbild einen Hauptcomputer einer Steuervorrichtung und mit dem Hauptcomputer verbundene Client-Computer,
• 4 bis 14 schematisch Hardware- und Softwarekomponenten einer Steuervorrichtung bzw. von Client-Computern,
• 15a, 15b ein automatisch erfasstes Netzwerkschema in unterschiedlichen Ausschnitten,
• 16 eine Liste der automatisch erfassten Komponenten,
• 17 Detailinformationen zu bestimmten Komponenten der Liste aus 6,
• 18 eine Tabelle mit standardisierten AufrufParametern von Plugins,
• 19 eine Tabelle mit weiteren Aufrufparametern der Plugins,
• 20 Beispiele für Bereichsdefinitionen bei einem Aufruf eines Plugins,
• 21 Kommandozeilen für den Aufruf eines fiktiven Plugins in tabellarischer Anordnung,
• 22 eine Ansicht eines Druckgeräts mit Papiertransporteinheit,
• 23 eine Ansicht von Komponenten und Geräten bzw. Einrichtungen eines Produktionssystems, insbesondere eines Drucksystems, mit den logischen Verbindungen, die ein System zur Überwachung des Produktionssystems aufweist,
• 24 eine Ansicht einer Anzeige der Zustände von Hard- und Software eines Produktionssystems mit einer zugehörigen Fehlerliste, und
• 25 eine Ansicht einer Anzeige einer Rackdarstellung.

The invention will be explained below by way of example with reference to the drawings. The drawings show in:

• 1 a view of a digital printer with an exemplary configuration of the digital printer,
• 2 schematically in a block diagram a pressure device, a control device and associated devices,
• 3 schematically in a block diagram a main computer of a control device and connected to the main computer client computer,
• 4 to 14 schematically hardware and software components of a control device or of client computers,
• 15a . 15b an automatically recorded network scheme in different sections,
• 16 a list of automatically detected components,
• 17 Detailed information about specific components of the list 6 .
• 18 a table with standardized call parameters of plugins,
• 19 a table with further call parameters of the plugins,
• 20 Examples of area definitions when calling a plugin,
• 21 Command lines for calling a fictional plugin in a tabular format,
• 22 a view of a printing device with paper transport unit,
• 23 a view of components and devices of a production system, in particular a printing system, with the logical connections, which has a system for monitoring the production system,
• 24 a view of an indication of the states of hardware and software of a production system with an associated error list, and
• 25 a view of a display of a rack representation.

An embodiment of a digital printing system includes a printing device 1 and a control device 2 ( 2 ).

According to 1 is as a pressure device 1 a digital printer for printing a record carrier 120 one or more printing units 111a-111d and 112a-112d on which a toner image (printed image) on the recording medium 120 to press. As a record carrier 120 is - as shown - a web-shaped record carrier 120 from a roll 121 with the help of a developer 6 unwound and the first printing unit 111 fed. In a fuser unit 130 becomes the print image on the record carrier 120 fixed. Subsequently, the record carrier 120 on a roll 128 with the help of a rewinder 7 be wound up. Such a configuration is also referred to as a roll-to-roll printer.

In the in 1 The preferred configuration shown is the web-shaped record carrier 120 with four printing units 111 to 111d on the front and with four printing units 112a to 112d printed on the back in full color (a so-called 4/4 configuration). For this purpose, the recording medium 120 from the scheduler 6 from the role 121 unwound and via an optional conditioner 123 the first printing unit 111 fed. In the conditioner 123 can the record carrier 120 with a suitable substance pretreated or coated. Wax or chemically equivalent substances may preferably be used as coating material (also referred to as primer).

This substance can be over the entire surface or only on the later to be printed areas of the recording medium 120 be applied to the record carrier 120 prepare for printing and / or the suction behavior of the recording medium 120 to influence when applying the printed image. This prevents the later-applied toner particles or the carrier liquid from getting too much into the recording medium 120 penetrate, but essentially remain on the surface (color and image quality is thereby improved).

Subsequently, the recording medium 120 first in sequence the first printing units 111 to 111d supplied, in which only the front side is printed. Every printing unit 111 - 111d prints the record carrier 120 usually in a different color or with other toner material, such as MICR toner, which can be read electromagnetically.

After printing on the front side, the recording medium becomes 120 in a turning unit 124 turned and the remaining printing units 112a-112d supplied for printing on the back. Optionally, in the area of the turning unit 124 a further conditioning unit (not shown) can be arranged, through which the recording medium 120 is prepared for the backside printing, such as a Anfixieren (partial fixing) or otherwise conditioning the previously printed front side print image (or the entire front or back). This prevents the front side print image from being mechanically damaged during subsequent transport by the subsequent printing units.

To achieve a full-color print, at least four colors (and thus at least four printing units 111 . 112 ), for example the basic colors YMCK (yellow, magenta, cyan and black). There may also be other printing works 111 . 112 with special colors (eg custom colors or additional basic colors to extend the printable color space).

After the printing unit 112d is a register unit 125 arranged by the registration marks on the record carrier 120 be printed independently of the printed image (in particular outside the printed image) are evaluated. This allows you to set the cross and longitudinal slider (the basic color points that form a color point should be arranged one above the other or locally very close to each other, this is also known as color registration or four-color registration), and the register (front and back must match exactly), so that a good quality print image is achieved.

After the register unit 125 is the fuser 130 arranged through which the printed image on the record carrier 120 is fixed. In electrophoretic digital printers is used as a fuser 130 preferably a thermal dryer used, which largely evaporates the carrier liquid, so that only the toner particles on the recording medium 120 remain. This happens under the influence of heat. In this case, the toner particles on the recording medium 120 are melted, provided they have a meltable by heat material such as resin.

After the fuser 130 is a train 126 arranged that the record carrier 20 through all printing works 111 - 112d and the fuser 130 pulls without another drive is arranged in this area. Because by a friction drive for the record carrier 120 There is a risk that the not yet fixed printed image could be blurred.

The train 126 leads the record carrier 120 the rewinder 7 to that of the printed record carrier 120 roll up.

Central to the printing units 111 . 112 and the fuser 130 are all utilities for the digital printer 1 arranged, such as air conditioning modules 140 , Power supply 150 , Control device 2 (Controller), Liquid Management Modules 170 as a liquid control unit 171 and reservoir 172 of different liquids. As liquids, in particular pure carrier liquid, highly concentrated liquid developer (high proportion of toner particles in relation to the carrier liquid) and serum (liquid developer plus charge control substances) are required to produce the digital printer 1 as well as waste containers for liquids to be disposed of or containers for cleaning liquid.

The digital printer 1 is with its identical printing units 111 . 112 modular. The printing works 111 . 112 do not differ mechanically, but only by the liquid developer (toner color or toner type) used therein.

Such a printing unit 111 . 112 is based on the electrophotographic principle in which a photoelectric image carrier is dyed by means of a liquid developer with charged toner particles and the resulting image on the record carrier 20 is transmitted.

The printing unit 111 . 112 consists essentially of an electrophotography station, a developer station and a transfer station.

Depending on the model and configuration, such high-performance digital printers extend over a length of 10 m to 30 m. Therefore, it is expedient to provide several control panels that allow several people at the same time to read data from the digital printer and to be able to inspect panels in several places.

The pressure device 1 has internal controls that provide a pressure device control 4 and several print engine controls 5 (BDB: bar-driving-board) include ( 2 ). The printing unit controls 5 transmit the screened print data to the corresponding printing units. These rasterized print data are mostly binary print data, with each bit representing a pressure point. If the bit is set, the corresponding pressure point is printed. If the bit is not set, the corresponding pressure point will not be printed.

The pressure device control 4 controls the main module of the printing device 1 , the paper transport and performs general control tasks regarding the printing units 3 out. The pressure device control 4 has interfaces to pre- and post-processing devices, especially the unwinder 6 and the rewinder 7 include. There may be other pre- and post-processing equipment, such. As a cutting device, inserter or the like may be connected.

The control device 2 is used to process print jobs, which the control device 2 from a print server 8th be transmitted. Such a print job usually consists of the print data and a job ticket. The job ticket contains instructions on how to process the print data. The control device 2 has several computer units running over an internal LAN 9 connected to each other. The LAN can be designed, for example, as Ethernet or Infiniband. The computer units comprise a main computer 10 , several raster computers 11 and several interface computers 12 ,

The main computer 10 accepts the print jobs and distributes parts of the print jobs to the raster computers 11 for rasterizing the print data. The main computer 10 tries the raster computer 11 as evenly as possible. The raster computers 11 set the print data in the to drive the printing units 3 suitable rasterized print data. The rasterized print data is from the raster computers 11 to the interface computer 12 over the internal LAN 9 forwarded. At the interface computers 12 the rasterized print data is buffered. Every interface computer 12 is each with a fiber optic cable 13 with one of the print engine controls 5 connected and transmits over the fiber optic cable 13 the rastered print data to the appropriate print engine control 5 ,

The pressure device control 4 is to an external interface of the internal LAN 9 the control device 2 connected and receives from the main computer 10 the control device 2 Control commands for controlling the printing device and the pre- and post-processing devices.

The internal LAN 9 the control device 2 can use additional external interfaces to connect one or more control panel computers 14 and / or one or more service computers 15 respectively.

Furthermore, the control device 2 a router 16 on to a service computer over a WAN 17 can be connected.

A printer control panel computer 18 is directly connected to the main computer via a Service Panel Operator LAN (SPO) LAN 10 the control device 2 connected. The printer control panel computer 18 serves to control and control the print data. This printer control panel computer 18 is typically used by an operator who controls the operation of the various printing operations on the printing system. The control panel computers 14 or service computer 15 however, are used by operators or service technicians who are responsible for the continuous operation of the printing system itself.

The printing system can have multiple control panel computers 14 and / or multiple service computers 15 and also with multiple printer control panel computers 18 be connected.

The service computers 15 . 17 are different from the control panel computers 14 in their access rights, with the service computers 15 . 17 more settings on the printing system than the control panel computers 14 as explained below. At service computers one can, for example, make an installation of software components on the printing system, which is the case with control panel computers 14 not possible.

The control device 2 has a remote maintenance module (PCI: Power Control Interface) 19 on. With this remote maintenance module 19 can the control device 2 remotely powered up or shut down become. In addition, this remote maintenance module delivers 19 additional functions for remote control of the control device 2 ,

This printing system has several panels on the computers 14 . 15 . 17 . 18 intended.

At the main computer 10 the control device 2 is a panel module library 20 is provided, which comprises a plurality of control panel modules with which a control panel for the printing device can be displayed on the computer display ( 3 ). The control panel modules also allow control of the printing device 1 via the control panel shown on the computer display.

The printer control panel computer 18 is through the SPO-LAN with the control panel module library 20 connected. At the printer control panel computer 18 a client program is provided with which the control panel is displayed and the corresponding control functions are executed.

The control panel module library 20 is with a web user interface 21 which is a Web server with which the control panel modules of the control panel module library 20 be made available in a browser. In the present embodiment, the web user interface is 21 realized by an Apache Tomcat server. Basically, other web servers are also suitable here.

This web user interface 21 can directly with a browser provided on the same computer 22 communicate, with communication via websockets 24 . 25 is carried out. For communication with "external" browsers 23 which on other computers 14 . 15 are provided is the web user interface 21 with one more each of the WebSockets 24 coupled. The web socket 24 . 25 is a software module that provides an interface that can establish a permanent logical internet connection to a browser connected via a data connection to the computer to which the web socket 24 . 25 is arranged. In this case, the data connection is, for example, a data network.

The browser 22 on the main computer 10 and the browsers 23 at the computers 14 . 15 can thus be permanent with information from the web user interface 21 be supplied or at any time information and in particular messages to the web user interface 21 to transfer. The browsers 22 . 23 each have a corresponding web socket 25 on.

In the following, the individual software modules provided on the different computers are explained in more detail.

At the main computer 10 are next to the control panel module library already explained 20 , the web user interface 21 and the browser 22 an operating system 26 , a function code 27 , an infrastructure manager 28 for interfaces to hardware, a web user interface database 29 , Web User Interface Plugins 30 and a trace module 31 intended ( 4 ).

The trace module 31 is used to record error logs of all in the printing device 1 and / or in the control device 2 executed software components and / or "external" software components used on other computers 8th . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 be executed.

The function code 27 is designed to execute mainly pressure-relevant software routines, such as a load distribution of the print data from the main computer 10 on the raster computer 11 , Raster calculations on the raster computers 11 for rasterizing the print data and controlling caching of the rasterized print data on the interface computers 12 , With the function code 27 The incoming print jobs are processed in such a way that they are at the printing device 1 can be printed.

The web user interface database 29 includes all persistent data for operating the web user interface 21 such as, for example, long-term data, user configuration data, settings, initialization data, for example, for sensors, data for control structures, which are explained below, as well as other data related to the operation of the web user interface 21 necessary.

The web user interface plugins 30 serve to communicate with the local or other external computers to which corresponding web user interface plugins are provided. In a web user interface plugin 30 are pre-defined tasks or applications deposited.

The control panel module library 20 comprises a plurality of control panel modules, which are explained in more detail below ( 5 ):

A DE agent (Device Agent) 32 creates a data connection for communication between the control panel and the printing system and provides the link between the control panel and the printing system. Further, the DE agent 32 a standardized interface ready to provide the printer status.

An RMI server (Remote Method Invocation Server) 33 has functions that can be called from an external computer and run on the computer running the RMI server, for example, for event processing. Furthermore, it provides functions that facilitate such a remote access or enable. Such functions include the allocation of access tickets, as explained in more detail below.

An ORS Agent (OCE Remote Service Agent) 34 collects hardware data and data from software events and transmits this data from the main computer 10 to a computer (not shown) of a service center via a WAN (Wide Area Network).

A trace agent 35 enables the recording or logging of trace data of other modules and preparation of this data.

A web server 36 allows downloading of programming libraries, such as Java programming libraries, from the main computer 10 on the computer 14 to the control panel on this computer 14 represent and control. Next poses the web server 36 a web start feature, such as a Java Web Start feature, ready to use the control panel on the computer 14 to initialize. In the present embodiment, the web server 36 realized by an Apache Tomcat server. Basically, any other web server, any other programming library and / or any other web start function is suitable.
A system parameter manager 37 (SPManager) is used for data distribution between the modules.

An SEA agent (Service Eventlog Agent) 38 keeps a log or a log file of the events that have occurred.

An operating room master 39 provides a network interface, such as an SNMP gateway for transferring parameters to and from the printing device 1 ,

A UIC agent (User Interface Controller Agent) 40 allows the control of predetermined processes or the setting of certain states of the main computer 10 connected printing systems. For example, the startup of the printing device 1 hereby automatically executed.

A TR file collector 41 is an agent that complements the Trace Agent 35 Trace data from programs run on the main computer that have been provided by third-party producers, collects and processes.

An Ops PAC (Ops Privileged Access Service) 42 is used to assign privileged rights (administrator rights) to other agents or applications to perform specific functions. These privileged rights are temporarily necessary to execute the agents or applications with the desired effect.

An RDP Agent (Remote Diagnosis Process Agent) 43 provides an internal service interface.

An error agent 44 serves to set, collect, distribute, display and reset errors.

A CDC agent 45 is used for the standardized transfer of print parameters to other agents or modules to other control devices 2 other pressure equipment 1 , These print parameters are eg paper width, color etc.

The web user interface 21 comprises a plurality of web user interface modules, which are explained in more detail below ( 6 ):

A web server module 46 , for example, an Apache Tomcat, provides the web server functions of the web user interface already explained above 21 to disposal. The web server module 46 and the web server explained above 36 can also be summarized in a web server running on the main computer 10 is executable or is executed.

On the web server 46 is a framework 47 , the rules, methods, functions, classes and / or structures for controlling the web server module 46 , in particular with respect to data objects, with which a control panel is described provides. In the present embodiment, the framework 47 a Grails framework. Basically, other frameworks are suitable here.

The programming of the control of the web server module 46 or the web user interface 21 is done with the help of a program code 48 , Next are routines that are part of the program code 48 are, if necessary, to the browser 22 . 23 transmitted for execution, whereby by these transmitted program routines the browser 22 . 23 be controlled, preferably in a control panel file, as explained below. The program code 48 is created in one or more (scripting) programming languages. In the present embodiment, the (script) programming languages used are Java and Groovy. In principle, other programming languages or script programming languages are also suitable here. The program code 48 includes printer-specific Programs, routines, methods, functions, classes, structures and / or extensions.

External plug-ins 49 and external libraries 50 are used to provide additional functions for programming and / or controlling the web user interface 21 to provide.

Web server services 51 are from the web user interface 21 external communication partners, where external communication partners are devices, devices, devices or software modules that are external to the web user interface and with the web user interface 21 communicate. The web server services 51 are initiated by the external communication partners and perform functions within the web user interface 21 out.

With the help of views 52 Data is processed for presentation on the front panel user interface.
control structures 53 (English: controllers) take control functions within the web user interface 21 , prepare the content of the data to be presented, provide functions and data, in particular on requests from the browser 22 . 23 data to be displayed to the views 52 to be provided.

The web server services 51 comprise a plurality of service components, which are explained below ( 7 ).

An IsMa service (Infrastructure Manager service) 54 serves to invoke plug-ins and other IsMa services 28 on "external" systems, eg on other computers 11 . 12 , to communicate.

About a menu service 55 Menu structures are created and managed. For example, menus can be reloaded dynamically on "external" systems.

A PushHelper service 56 enables load distribution and controlled, staggered transfer of data to "external" systems.

An RMI service 57 enables communication between the web user interface 21 and the RMI server 33 the control panel module library 20 ,

A scheduler service 58 responds to software events and performs pre-scheduled tasks, such as a cleanup of a database.

The browsers 22 . 23 include various browser components, which are explained below ( 8th ).

A (script) programming language module 59 is used to control the browser 22 . 23 and to control their communication with the web user interface 21 , The (script)
programming module 59 is an interpreter or compiler for a scripting language or programming language. In the present embodiment, Java Script is used as the script programming language. In principle, other (script) programming languages are also suitable here.

A markup language module 60 allows the interpretation and presentation of the to the browser 22 . 23 provided markup language files, the markup language for structuring of digital content, such as text, images and hyperlinks, serves in electronic documents, as already explained above. In the present embodiment, the markup language according to the standard "HTML5" (Hypertext Markup Language) is realized, which is currently being developed by the World Wide Web Consortium. In principle, other markup languages are also suitable here.

A document access interface 61 is an interface that provides access to structured electronic documents, such as those to the browser 22 . 23 transmitted markup language files. In this case, their data structure can be represented in the form of a tree structure. In the present embodiment, a document access interface according to the standard "DOM Level 3" (English: Document Object Model) is used, which has been defined by the World Wide Web Consortium. In principle, other document access interfaces are also suitable here.

A design language module 62 provides a text-based design language for declarative programming language for style sheets of structured electronic documents. With the help of the design language module 62 will be the appearance of the browser 22 . 23 transmitted markup language files formatted. In the present embodiment, the design language is implemented according to the standard "CSS3" (cascading style sheets) defined by the World Wide Web Consortium. In principle, other design languages are also suitable here.

A raster computer 11 includes various software components ( 9 ). In the present embodiment, these software components are an operating system 26 , the function code 27 , of the infrastructure Manager 28 and web user interface plugins 30 which are already explained above.

An interface computer 12 includes various software components ( 10 ). In the present embodiment, these software components are an operating system 26 , the function code 27 , the Infrastructure Manager 28 and web user interface plugins 30 which are already explained above. In addition to these software components, there is still a print engine control driver 63 present, which allows the interface computer 12 the printing mechanism control 5 Transmitted print data.

The pressure device control 4 includes various software components ( 11 ), which are explained below.

A main module 64 Serves to control and monitor other software components of the printing device controller 4 ,

A paper transport module 65 controls the paper transport of the printing device 1 by getting the unwinder 6 , the rewinder 7 and further drive rollers (not shown) in the pressure device 1 controls.

A printing unit module 66 detects various parameters of the printing unit via sensors (not shown) 4 such as temperature, humidity, presence of paper, etc., which directly or indirectly affect the printability and / or the print quality. The pressure unit module determines from the acquired sensor data 66 a printer status by evaluating the captured parameters. This evaluation is done by checking whether the respective parameter values are within predefined ranges of values, which is a regular operation of the printing unit 4 define. The printer status is sent to the main computer 10 transmitted.

The remote maintenance module 19 includes as software components an operating system 26 and a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) service 67 ( 12 ). The SNMP service 67 Used for simple network communication of the remote maintenance module 19 with other devices of the control device 2 ,

The control panel computer 14 includes as software modules an operating system 26 , a browser 23 and a control panel user interface 68 ( 13 ). The control panel user interface 68 allows it on the control panel computer 14 Control panels for operating the printing device 1 and / or the control device 2 to display and make adjustments in these. The control panel user interface 68 is using the web server 36 on the control panel computer 14 downloaded Java programming libraries and the Java Web Start function initialized, displayed and controlled, as explained above.

The service computer 15 . 17 includes as software components an operating system 26 , a browser 23 and a service module (CoDi: Configuration and Diagnostics) 69 ( 14 ). With the help of the service module 69 can change the configuration of the printing device 1 and / or the control device 2 be changed as well as from the printing device 1 or the control device 2 Information about software and / or hardware diagnostics can be received.

In the embodiment of the present invention, at least some of the web user interface plugins are 30 for scanning with the main computer 10 formed connected components. Components are all parts of the printing system that have a client computer, directly or indirectly through data connections to the main computer 10 is connected and can thus be contacted via an IP address. Client computers are all computers and microprocessor systems provided in the production system and directly or indirectly via data connections to the main computer 10 to be able to communicate. Examples of components are the printing units 111 . 112 , the conditioner 123 , the turning unit 124 , the register unit 125 , the train 126 , the fuser 130 , the air conditioning module 140 , the fluid control unit 171 , the pressure equipment control 4 , the printing mechanism control 5 , the raster computer 11 , the interface computer 12 , the remote control module 19 ,

A plugin is a command-line utility that invokes set parameters and provides hardware or software information about predefined return values. Such a plugin is typically a compiled program or script that can be launched from a command line to invoke the appropriate parameters.

The plugins have a standardized call / return interface. Different plug-ins are provided for different types of components and / or modules. The plugins communicate with the interface of the respective components and / or modules and / or application software modules to read status data containing values (logical values and / or numerical values) describing characteristics of the components, modules, application software modules or parts thereof. These status data are analyzed by the plug-ins and further processed if necessary, so that values can be extracted from the status data that can be assigned to specific parameters of the production system. The plugins can use certain data processing modules Computer or the network, such as a RAID controller, a GbE switch, an uninterruptible power supply or certain production modules, such as a print head, a heater of the fuser, or read in the production system sensors, such as a temperature sensor read. In particular, status data relevant for the determination of errors, such as an error counter or certain sensors which measure a value relevant to the operation of the module or the production system, are recorded here. The plugins can use these values to generate error and / or warning signals, with the error and warning signals having different priorities.

The plugins 30 scan all components of the production system. When scanning the components, basic information is initially determined, such as IP address, MAC address, ARP lists, presence of remote maintenance functionality of each client computer and the used ports of distributors (switch) of the internal LAN 9 and the data connections of the printing device 1 , In this step, addresses and identifications specific to the respective components, such as a predetermined component ID, are determined. With these addresses and identifications can be a communication between the main computer 10 and the respective components are constructed.

The MAC address is a globally unique network address for a component. Such a MAC address is linked to the network standard IPv4 via the ARP list, which each network user maintains and updates based on the ARP requests of other network users, with the respective IP address associated with the component.

The individual client computers may have remote maintenance functionality provided via predetermined ports, such as e.g. the well-known product "Integrated Lights-Out" by Compaq.

For integration into the printing system only certain components are released. Each of these components has a component ID typical of that type of component. This component ID may be a typical identifier already present for a particular component. There are devices available on the market which have a device-specific identification number. This identification number, which is specific to a particular type of device, can be used as a component ID. If the components do not have a specific identification for the type of component, the component should be provided with such a component ID. Because the components have a client computer, this component ID can be stored in the memory of the client computer.

A second step of the scanning involves the communication of the plugins 30 that are on the main computer 10 with the individual components to read more detailed information from the components. This detail information may include, for example, configuration information or information describing the state of the component, such as operation time or the number of pages or sheets printed with this component.

The components are first scanned using standard operating system functions. For example, they can be retrieved with a ping query whose IP address is determined from the information in a stored and updated ARP list. Furthermore, there is the possibility to scan predetermined IP address spaces.

It is also possible to read and analyze the messages transmitted via the data connections. In particular, basic information can be obtained from the components integrated in the network.

At the main computer 10 are stored in control templates for each component released for integration of a printing system. Based on the specific identifications determined by the scanning, the individual templates are assigned the respective templates. Such a template includes a component-specific monitoring routine (monitoring service) and control parameters that must be observed during operation. Furthermore, the template may have configuration parameters that define the operation of the component as a function of its position throughout the printing system. The monitoring routines are in the web user interface 21 configured and executed according to the transmitted control parameters. The web user interface 21 thus serves as a control device for monitoring and controlling the individual components. When configuring the monitoring routines in the web user interface 21 It also takes into account the topology of a created network plan, which shows how the individual components are interconnected. The control device (= Web user interface 21 and monitoring routines) is thus configured automatically based on the control templates and the network plan. The creation of the network plan will be explained in more detail below.

If during scanning a component is detected for which no control template is present, then this component is identified as an unknown component. This unknown component can be further examined by means of a routine for analyzing such unknown components. If this analysis does not provide a description of the component that can be trusted then the data connection to that unknown component will be disconnected. This ensures that no components can be integrated into the printing system. Preferably, only pre-approved and certified components are allowed in the printing system.

The plugins represent a kind of abstraction layer between the control device and the hardware and software to be monitored. The control device is designed completely independently of the components and modules used. Only the plugins are specifically designed for the interfaces of the hardware and the application software. The plugins can be used to monitor not only the static parameters but also dynamic parameters such as data error rates, process temperature, room temperature, humidity, CPU voltage or other values. The plugins can already generate statistics for specific values. The controller may combine and evaluate the data provided by the different plugins. Since only the plugins are designed specifically for the individual modules, components and application software modules, their peculiarity must be taken into account only when creating the plugins. Thus, components released to the production system can be easily integrated by creating a corresponding plug-in for that type of component and at the main computer 10 is saved for execution so that it comes from the web user interface 21 can be called.

18 shows a table with standardized call parameters, which can be used to specify which information is transmitted when the corresponding plug-in is called. The individual parameters can be called up with a "-" and a single letter or with "-" and a corresponding parameter name, such as version, help, timeout, warning, critical etc. With the parameters - w (- warning) and - c (- critical), a threshold for a warning status or a threshold for a critical status is passed in each case. The parameter - v (- verbose) can be used to call detailed information (= status data) that is suitable for error analysis. The threshold values can be used to determine whether these status data represent a critical status or even a warning status. The thresholds may also be defined in terms of ranges. An area has a start and end point on a numeric scale, where the start or end point can also be +/- ∞.

19 shows a table with other call parameters, which are standardized and are mainly used to authenticate the query to be performed.

20 shows examples of area definitions when calling a plugin.

In 21 are tabular command lines for calling a fictitious plugin "check_stuff" listed with the respective call parameters.

The plugins are designed so that they deliver as output at least one line of text. It is also possible to output several lines of text.

• switch OK - HP ProCurve 1810G - 24 GE, P.2.12, eCos-2.0, CFE-2.1, GbESwitchLAN1

The following example shows the output of a plug-in for checking a GbE switch from HP:

• switch OK - HP ProCurve 1810G - 24 GE, P.2.12, eCos 2.0, CFE 2.1, GbESwitchLAN1

• CRITICAL System: Blade Bay 9 error; Device Degraded; MP reports device is degraded. Check MP LOG for more details.

Another example is the output of a plug-in for verifying an HP server enclosure, where an error occurred on a server called a blade in a particular slot "9":

• CRITICAL System: Blade Bay 9 error; Device Degraded; MP reports device is degraded. Check MP LOG for more details.

• PCI OK - U24482-C6100-V170000, 15:27:26 up 9 days, 7:46, load average: 0.41, 0.46, 0.41

Furthermore, the output of a plugin for checking the Power Control Interface (PCI) is shown:

• PCI OK - U24482-C6100-V170000, 15:27:26 up 9 days, 7:46, load average: 0.41, 0.46, 0.41

The output of a plugin can also provide performance data, configuration data (static or dynamic), and the appropriate component code.

The ones of the plugins 30 collected information is summarized and structured. The structuring of the information also means formatting, so that this information or data can be output formatted on the control panel or another graphical user interface (GUI). Preferably, the data is formatted in a tabular format, each line containing a description of a particular parameter and the associated value. Data already structured in this way by the plugin can be taken over directly by the control device and displayed on the control panel. In the present Embodiment, they are summarized as a JSON / XML file. Summarizing and structuring the data defines the topology of the network plan. This structured data is sent to the web user interface 21 to hand over.

Preferably, the plugins are designed such that static parameters can be interrogated with them. For example, the query parameter "- static" or "- json static" is provided, in which case the parameter values are output in JSON format (Java Script Object Notation). Such static parameter values can be used for a configuration comparison. For this purpose, a reference database is kept in the control device, which includes the static parameters of all components and / or modules that are released for integration into the production system. These static parameters represent a kind of fingerprint of the components and / or modules, so that these static parameters can be used to determine which component or which module or application software module is provided in the production system. This will automatically and completely capture the configuration of the production system.

The controller may use these "fingerprints" based on the static parameters for detecting configuration conflicts by judging conflicts between the detected static parameters and the static parameters included in the reference database as conflicting.

On the other hand, these "fingerprints" in the form of static parameters can also be used to automatically configure the production system. If a component releases a new version for the production system, then only one configuration template has to be created for this new component or module. This configuration template will be on the main computer 10 loaded. If the new version of the component or of the module is installed in the production system, this new version of the component or of the module is identified on the basis of the fingerprint of the static parameters and configured correctly in the production system by means of the configuration template. Because the configuration is done automatically, the cost of integrating new versions of components and modules is significantly reduced. This is particularly advantageous for the use of standard computers in the production system, which, as explained above, are subject to regular generation cycles of less than two years.

Since the configuration templates and the control templates explained above are used in each case after the detection of a new component and / or a new module in the production system, the control template and the configuration template of a particular component or a specific module can also be combined into a single template, both for the configuration of the control device, with which the individual components are monitored, as well as for the configuration of the production system are suitable per se.

By using the fingerprints explained above, one obtains a detailed description of the individual components or modules with which it is possible to carry out the automatic configuration by means of the configuration templates. These fingerprints therefore preferably include one or more static parameters describing the component or module per se (serial number, component ID, type designation, etc.) as well as one or more static parameters that further define the design of the component or module ( such as the installed memory area, the number of ports, identifications of the software installed on the component or module, in particular firmware and operating system software, and / or a description of the preferred settings, such as location or location ), (in-house) maintainer, maximum number of test attempts (English: max_check_attemps), (external) service contact (English: contacts), period for a new service notification in the event of a fault (English: notification-period) , Retry_interval). The parameters describing the setting may define settings on the respective component and / or settings on other components and / or modules that interact with the newly added component and / or the newly added module. Ranges to be complied with when setting certain parameters, such that in automatic configuration, a cut can be made for a particular parameter that is significant to multiple components or modules to determine one or more values that are appropriate for all these components or modules are suitable.

The scanning provides information about the individual components of the production system, as explained above. Based on the MAC addresses determined by a plugin, the topology of the network of the production system can be determined. This determined topology is stored in a suitable data structure representing the hierarchically arranged network plan. In this case, preferably the internal LAN 9 or one of the switches that form the internal LAN 9, in the network hierarchy at the top. The components connected to the respective switch of the internal LAN 9 are thereby added to the switch as hierarchically subordinate. The detailed information of the individual components, switches, etc. are already known by scanning, as explained above. This detail information is added to the components referenced by the MAC addresses in a further step of the data structure representing the network plan. This creates the network plan and can be used by other components and / or software modules.

The scanning of the components and the creation of the network plans can also be carried out repeatedly. Preferably, a network plan is created each time the printing system is restarted. During scanning, the individual components and / or modules are preferably recognized on the basis of the fingerprints explained above. In principle, however, it is possible that, instead of such a fingerprint, which comprises at least two and preferably at least three static parameters, the components are only recognized on the basis of a single parameter, in particular the component ID.

Furthermore, the network plan can be recreated after a certain interval. These intervals can range from a few hours to a few days. Preferably, a new network plan is created every day. The network plans are preferably archived so that the state of the printing system is documented.

Furthermore, it may be appropriate to automatically perform a scan of the printing system and to create a new network plan upon detection of a new component in the printing system.

A network map created in this way can be visualized on the control panel ( 15a . 15b) , Here, the network plan can be displayed in different sections with different zoom factors.

Preferably, the created network map is also used to configure the control panel. The individual templates may also include portions of the control panel that are based on either the panel module's predefined control panel modules 20 refer or supplement them.

It can also be the individual components ( 16 ) and details of the components ( 17 ) on the control panel.

Furthermore, the network plan can be exported. The export can be done as a data structure or image file. The data to be exported can also be filtered before exporting. It can e.g. an export of the network plans may be provided to a service technician listing the operating times and / or the number of units produced (e.g., printed pages) for the respective components. There may be error messages in the export file, so a service technician can immediately identify which component to repair or service.

On the other hand, the data can also be prepared for other purposes so that the data to be exported for accounting and / or maintenance contracts contain relevant data describing the use of the individual components or the consumption of materials. These data can be exported in different formats (for example pdf, SAP, xls). It may also be useful for the company or company management to export the network plan together with statistical data describing the reliability of the individual components.

The automatically recorded network plans can therefore be used in many ways.

• - Es liegen immer alle wesentlichen Informationen der einzelnen Komponenten des Drucksystems vor.
• - Es kann jederzeit ein Netzwerkplan bzw. Netzwerkschema visualisiert werden, sodass ein Operator einfach einen Überblick über das Drucksystem erhält.
• - Der aktuelle Stand des Drucksystems kann als Referenz archiviert werden.
• - Die Konfiguration der Steuerungseinrichtung wird vollautomatisch durchgeführt. Hierdurch werden Fehler vermieden. Das Drucksystem kann mit einer beliebigen Konfiguration schnell in Betrieb genommen werden.
• - Es sind keine aufwändigen Programmierarbeiten beim Zusammenstellen einer neuen Konfiguration des Drucksystems notwendig.
• - Änderungen in der Konfiguration des Drucksystems können überwacht und schnell erkannt werden.
• - Adressenkonflikte können erkannt werden. Derartige Adressenkonflikte treten beispielsweise auf, wenn ein Servicetechniker und/oder ein Entwickler einen Computer an das Drucksystem anschließt, der nicht korrekt eingestellt ist. Der Anschluss des Computers kann abgelehnt oder ein entsprechender Konflikt automatisch korrigiert werden.

With the method according to the invention the following advantages are achieved:

• - There is always all the essential information of the individual components of the printing system.
• - A network plan or network scheme can be visualized at any time so that an operator can easily get an overview of the printing system.
• - The current status of the printing system can be archived as a reference.
• - The configuration of the control device is carried out fully automatically. This avoids errors. The printing system can be put into operation quickly with any configuration.
• - There is no time-consuming programming work when assembling a new configuration of the printing system necessary.
• - Changes in the configuration of the printing system can be monitored and quickly detected.
• - Address conflicts can be detected. Such address conflicts occur, for example, when a service technician and / or a developer attaches a computer to the printing system connects, which is not set correctly. The connection of the computer can be rejected or a corresponding conflict can be corrected automatically.

The inventive method can be extended to install a software component on the production system to check dependencies of a software component to be installed by other software and hardware components and to manage the software installed on the production system.

An exemplary embodiment of such an extended method according to the invention, with which the software of a production system, in particular of a printing system, can be managed efficiently, will be explained below.

For installation or updating, the software to be installed is broken down into individual software packages. Such a software package contains, in addition to the software component to be installed, information further describing the software component, e.g. Name, creator, version, short and long description, dependencies on other software components or packages and / or hardware components, package signature, file list with checksums, used registry database values and environment variables.

If a software component is dependent on another software or hardware component, then it requires the installation of the other component to be executable.

The dependence of a software component on another software or hardware component includes at least the presence of the other component. Furthermore, the version of the respective component can also have an effect on the dependence, because a software component to be installed depends on other components with a predetermined version.

An automatic check of these dependencies before the installation of the software package is done by the method according to the invention by extracting such dependencies on components from the information contained in the software package and then checking for the respective component of the production system whether the required components on the production system installed or the software components are executable.

Verification of the software and hardware components installed on the production system can be efficiently performed by the information stored in the network plan and / or fingerprint of each component. Here, from the network plan or fingerprint, which are already explained above, can be efficiently determined whether a software and / or hardware component is present on the production system and the versions of the components.

As a result, dependencies no longer have to be manually recognized or resolved by the installing service technician, but are automatically checked during the execution of the method according to the invention prior to installation.

If it is determined during the review of the production system that a required component is not present, then a warning message on the control panel on the respective computer 10 . 14 . 15 . 17 and the installation is aborted so that no changes have been made.

As an alternative to issuing a warning, required software components are automatically installed before the installation of the software package triggered by the installing service technician is performed. This will ensure that the other software components needed for a software component exist. The desired behavior in case of detected dependencies of software components is predeterminable in that it can be selected in advance on the control panel, if an installation is aborted with no existing software components without changes to the installed software or if it is attempted to install the required software components in advance.

The software management system thus not only simplifies the installation of software and can be carried out efficiently, but it can automatically bring the entire or interdependent software of the production system with a few user interactions to a new state.

During a process of installing a software component and previously installing other software components on which the software component to be installed depends, any changes made to the production system by the installation routines are logged to prevent failure in the event of an error, e.g. if an error occurs during installation or during later operation of the production system, it is possible to reverse the software installation that has taken place and to restore the initial state of the software of the production system.

Furthermore, all software components executable on the production system can be centralized by the method according to the invention manage. This makes it easier to keep track of the various software components. This is particularly advantageous since many different software components, in particular as firmware, are present on the production system.

Recording the changes made during a software installation allows you to quickly and easily revert to a previous software version that is known to work correctly with this software release.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a system for monitoring a production system, in particular a printing system, explained ( 22 ).
In 22 are the printing device 1 as well as the liquidator 6 and the rewinder 7 , in the 2 are shown in more detail. In this case, the devices or devices provided with the same reference symbols, which correspond in the 2 are shown with those in the 22 match. In 22 Further, the physical connections that relate to the system for monitoring a production system are shown.

The pressure device control 4 includes a DE-LAN 70 , a main module 71 , a DE assembly for paper transport 72 , one or more DE modules for the printing unit 73 and one or more printed circuit boards 74 . 75 , The main module 71 , the DE assembly for paper transport 72 and the one or more DE modules for the printing unit 73 are with the DE-LAN 70 connected to the internal LAN 9 connected is.

One or more printed circuit boards 74 are over a CAN bus 76 with the DE assembly for paper transport 72 connected. Next are one or more printed circuit boards 75 with each individual DE assembly for the printing unit 73 via another CAN bus 76 connected. The printed circuit board for paper transport 74 is equipped with an actuator-sensor unit for the unwinder 77 connected to the unwinder 6 and with an actuator-sensor unit for the rewinder 78 connected to the rewinder 7 having. The one or more printed circuit boards for the printing unit 75 are with one or more actuator-sensor units for the printing unit 79 connected.

The DE-LAN 70 allows communication between the internal LAN 9 or the components connected to it and the main module 71 , the DE assembly for paper transport 72 and the one or more DE modules for the printing unit 73 ,

The DE assembly for paper transport 72 controls via the CAN bus 76 the printed circuit board for paper transport 74 on or receives from this status data. The printed circuit board for paper transport 74 controls the actuator-sensor unit for the unwinder 77 and the actuator-sensor unit for the rewinder 78 on or receives from this status data.

Each of the DE assemblies for the printing unit 73 controls via the respectively connected CAN bus 76 the associated printed circuit boards for the printing unit 75 or receives from this status data. The printed circuit boards for the printing unit control the connected actuator-sensor unit for the printing unit 79 on or receive from this status data.

At the main computer 10 or at the computers 11 . 12 monitoring program modules are executable or are executed there. The monitoring program modules acquire the status data of the components and / or component groups of the printing system. The monitoring program modules will be on the respective computer 10 . 11 . 12 from the web user interface plugins 30 Provided interfaces so that the supervisor modules are allowed to send the status data to the web user interface plugins 30 to hand over.

Next is at the main computer 10 in the web user interface 21 an evaluation device 80 provided the status data from the respective web user interface plugins 30 and assigns them as parameter values to particular parameters of a parameter set of the monitoring system ( 6 ). In this case, status data of different monitoring program modules can be assigned to the same parameters, so that it can happen that a parameter is assigned different parameter values that have been transferred as status data by different monitoring program modules.

The evaluation device 80 is further adapted to check the parameter values, with certain deviations being rated as errors.

The through the evaluation 80 components of the printing system to be monitored include the internal LAN 9 , via the internal LAN 9 the computer 11 . 12 and the DE-LAN 70 and via the DE-LAN 70 the main module 71 , the DE assembly for paper transport 72 as well as the one or more DE modules for the printing unit 73 , About the printed circuit boards 74 . 75 and the actuator-sensor units 77 . 78 . 79 be from the evaluation 80 continue the printing works 3 , the unwinder 6 and the rewinder 7 supervised.

The following are based on the 23 which are essentially the same design as the 2 and the 22 shows the logical links or connections of a system for monitoring a production system explained. In the 23 The devices and devices shown have the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG 2 and 22 are shown.

Essentially, the monitoring of the components and / or the application software of the production system is performed via various mechanisms having different logical connections, as explained below.

A first mechanism for monitoring the production system is monitoring the raster computers 11 as well as the interface computer 12 via the IsMa service 54 of the web user interface 21 , Where is the IsMa service 54 logically with the respective infrastructure manager 28 connected to each of the raster computers 11 and each of the interface computers 12 is executable or is executed there.

The one on these computers 11 . 12 respectively executed infrastructure manager 28 is logical with those on the same computer 11 . 12 running web user interface plugins 30 connected.

The monitoring takes place in such a way that the evaluation device 80 a verification command via the IsMa service 54 to the respective infrastructure manager 28 one of the computers 11 . 12 sends. The respective infrastructure manager 28 gives the command to the web user interface plugins 30 of the respective computer 11 . 12 further. The web user interface plugins 30 provide the supervisor modules with interfaces to accept their detected status data, as discussed above. The determination or acceptance of the status data takes place at predetermined times, ie periodically, as needed or can be triggered depending on the design of the respective monitoring program module and the provided interface.

The received status data is sent to the IsMa service 54 of the web user interface 21 which transmits the status data to the evaluation device for further processing 80 passes.

Another mechanism for monitoring the production system is designed such that the evaluation device 80 via the web user interface plugins 30 on the main computer 10 logically with the computers 11 . 12 , the internal LAN 9 , the DE-LAN 70 and the main module connected above it 71 and the connected DE modules 72 . 73 connected via standardized network interfaces. These standardized network interfaces are used to retrieve the status data of the named components by the evaluation device 80 from the web user interface plugins 30 of the main computer 10 Request status data. The web user interface plugins 30 of the main computer 10 forward this request via the standardized network interfaces to the respective component. The respective component sends the requested status data to the evaluation device via the same path 80 for further processing.

In a further embodiment of the system for monitoring a production system, in particular a printing system, the evaluation device 80 designed to point to a component database 81 to which she is connected. In the component database 81 Component data are stored which describes the structure of the component in modules for each component of the production system. In this case, a component is formed from one or more modules and a module is an exchangeable unit. The evaluation device 80 is further configured such that it can assign errors that have occurred with the aid of the component data to the respective defective modules.

The configuration of the system for monitoring a production system is preferably carried out by means of the predetermined control templates, which are already explained above. In this case, not only the monitoring routine and control parameters specific to the respective component are configured, but also further components of the respective component, such as the web user interface plug-ins 30 and the web server services 51 ,

It may happen that various monitoring program modules, which, as explained above, are provided for the transfer of status data interfaces, have different methods for determining identical status data of one of the components and / or component groups. In some cases, the execution of these different methods for determining the same status data, ie the status data for the same parameter, due to measurement errors or measurement tolerances causes the status data transmitted by the monitoring program modules to make contradictory conclusions as to whether an error occurred present or not. It happens, for example, that the parameter value of a supervisor module has a deviation that indicates no error while the parameter value of another monitoring program module for the same parameter of a parameter set of the monitoring system has a deviation indicating an error.

Therefore, all the status data of the different monitoring program modules are first stored and all status data for a same parameter assigned to this parameter so that the status data determined with different methods can be further processed.

If one of the different parameter values transmitted for the same parameter now has a predetermined deviation, which is evaluated as an error, then the evaluation device detects 80 an error. This ensures that it is sufficient for a detection of a fault when the evaluation 80 at least one of the status data, which can be assigned to the same parameter, detects a predetermined deviation. This means that the evaluation device 80 then determines as a result an error of the respective component and / or component groups of the production system, if only one detected status data has a predetermined deviation.

The case of the evaluation 80 Detected errors include component errors and / or errors of the application software of the production system.

In addition, the monitoring device 80 be adapted to automatically forward a detected error to an external service organization for troubleshooting. The evaluation device generates this 80 an error message that is sent via e-mail, sms, fax or other suitable communication channel. This type of automatic error message can quickly notify an external service organization of an error so that troubleshooting can be done efficiently and on-time. In particular, this makes it possible for the external service organization to efficiently divide up the available service forces to correct the errors in various production systems.

Next, the evaluation 80 be configured to associate a detected error according to predetermined criteria, an error priority for troubleshooting. The error priority describes the influence of the error on the production process of the production system.

The evaluation device 80 preferably evaluates a detected error as a low error priority warning, a medium error priority error, or a high error priority error. The error priority can also be divided differently into several stages.

Low error priority warnings or errors do not affect the operation of the production system immediately. However, warnings can evolve in the future in such a way that an impairment of the operation due to a fault occurs.

For example, the warnings include exceeding a predetermined threshold that is below the number of minimum guaranteed write cycles of a solid-state drive (SSD) that the main computer uses 10 is provided. This makes it possible to timely point out the imminent replacement of the semiconductor drive or to exchange this in good time before reaching the number of minimum guaranteed write cycles.

Another example of such a warning is a temperature value of a component in a boundary region that is between a temperature range for normal operation and a temperature range that signals an error. By responding appropriately to such a warning, it can be avoided that the temperature continues to increase, as a temperature value that triggers a fault in the production system can lead to the stoppage of the production system.

As another example of a warning, the achievement of a predetermined value of operating hours of a printhead of an inkjet printing system may apply. Such a printhead has a guaranteed total number of operating hours in which the printhead is intended to function without failure. If a predefined value lying below this number of guaranteed operating hours is exceeded, it is advantageous to generate a warning before the failure of the print head can be expected. This allows a timely replacement of the printhead before the expiration of or guaranteed minimum operating time.

The errors of mean error priority are errors that affect the production operation, but not completely prevent it.

An example of a medium-priority error error is a redundant hard disk network on the main computer 10 in which a failed hard disk causes a reduction in the data transfer rate. This problem may occur due to then additionally necessary calculations to reconstruct the correct, originally stored data as it is read from the hard disk network. By reducing the data transfer rate conditionally, the correct functioning of the production system is maintained, but a lower data transfer rate can cause a slower production rate because the data required for production is not provided on time.

The high-priority errors are errors that can no longer sustain production.

For example, a high error priority error may be a total failure of a non-redundant or non-multiple component of the production system, which component is essential to operating the production system, such as the host computer 10 , which is part of the control device and controls the production system as such, or one of the printing units 3 ,

Due to the fact that the evaluation device 80 If the error messages are given an error priority and forwarded to them, the external service organization responsible for troubleshooting has the option of efficiently dividing the service forces available for troubleshooting to correct the errors of the corresponding individual error messages.

Accordingly, errors with a high error priority are preferably treated and available service forces are initially used to remedy them. Only when the errors are processed with a high error priority, the correction of errors of medium or low error priority or warnings of the same or other production systems is performed. This ensures a more efficient production operation even with a large number of production systems managed by the service organization.

The evaluation device 80 is preferably adapted to the error occurring at the production system in an error list, which includes the parameters describing the error error, to the control panel module library 20 to hand over. This may cause the control panel module library 20 create a markup language file from the passed error information that represents a panel and in the browser 22 . 23 can be displayed, wherein the control panel includes the representation of the error list.

The error list includes the detected errors with associated information such as time stamp, error location, component, module, error type, error priority, error frequency, error safety and other information describing the error.

This will allow the components, component groups, modules, status data, parameters, and / or parameter sets along with any errors on the control panel to the computer 14 . 15 . 17 display. Thus, the operator on the control panel gets an overview of the production system and in particular about the errors occurring on the production system.

The control panel module library 20 generates for the display a structured, in particular hierarchical representation, which is preferably designed as a graphical representation. The structure represented here represents the network plan or a section thereof.

In the structured representation in the form of the network plan, the components and / or component groups which have an error can be marked or highlighted. This allows the production system overview view with associated network to notify the user of errors that have occurred on the control panel.

From the network plan, components, component groups, and modules can be presented in a more detailed display through operator interaction. Such an interaction enables navigation across the various logical levels of the production system, that is, the operator can switch the display on the control panel between the various logical levels. This can be done as the top logical level, a display, as shown in 1 is displayed, ie the entire production system is displayed on the control panel. This makes it possible to identify in an overview view of the production system efficiently parts of the production system that have errors.

An example of this is a server rack or rack highlighted in color in the representation of the production system because of an error, preferably red, which the user clicks on, after which the display changes in such a way that the components contained in the server rack or rack resp Rack modules, such as servers, etc., are displayed on the control panel, with the faulty component, such as one of the servers, also highlighted in color. Again, by clicking on this component, the modules that comprise the component are displayed as the next lower level, whereby the defective module, eg a server hard disk module, is again highlighted in color. Clicking again on the faulty module opens a display as the next lower level in which further module data, such as hard disk parameters, are displayed, whereby the module data containing the error is highlighted in color. Of course, the user in the display can not only from the higher to lower level but also navigate from a lower to a higher level.

Next, the evaluation 80 be designed to determine from at least one of the detected errors, a setting of the production system, in which the influence of the error on the production process is minimized or completely eliminated. The evaluation device 80 Passes data describing the changed configuration after a reconfiguration to the control panel module library 20 so that the control panel module library 20 It can generate a markup language file from within the browsers 22 . 23 can be displayed as a control panel with the reconfiguration information. This is for the information of the operator or the service technician who wants to remedy the error.

An example of a manual configuration to be performed by an operator or service technician upon appropriate display on the control panel is the replacement of a network connection from a faulty network port of the internal LAN (switch). 9 on a network port that has no errors.

In addition to determining an adjustment of the production system in the event of an error, the evaluation device 80 be configured to reconfigure the production system to the infrastructure manager 28 for automatic reconfiguration of the production system. This automatic adjustment of the production system will reconfigure components, application software, and / or the production system accordingly.

One from the infrastructure manager 28 Automatic reconfiguration performed, for example, is the reduction of the production speed of the production system, in particular the reduction of the printing speed of a printing system, if there is insufficient computing power due to a defective component in order to provide the data required for the current production speed in the corresponding time. This relates to the illustrated printing system, in particular a failure of one of the multiple raster computers 11 , The infrastructure manager 28 then reconfigures the printing system so that print data to be rasterized is no longer addressed to the one faulty raster computer 11 but to the other, properly functioning raster computers 11 be split for further processing.

Should it after reconfiguration by the infrastructure manager 28 to come to that, the computing power of the properly functioning raster computer 11 is not sufficient for the rasterization of the print data, then in a further step, the infrastructure manager 28 the raster computers 11 instruct to rasterize the print data with a lower print resolution. By using such a lower resolution of the effort and thus the required computing time for the screening of the print data is reduced.

Alternatively or additionally, the infrastructure manager 28 in case of a failure of one of the raster computers 11 reduce the printing speed by reducing the transport speed of the recording medium 120 reduces to a value that allows further printing without waste.

In other error situations, the infrastructure manager can also use other parameters for the correct operation of the production system 28 be automatically set or influenced.

The error list explained above can be provided by the evaluation device 80 upon reaching a predetermined number of errors, be transmitted to an external evaluation organization at predetermined intervals or as needed for further evaluation of the error. Such a transmission can be used to determine information about the quality and compatibility of individual hardware and software components of the production system from the defect lists of a multiplicity of different production systems. Such an evaluation usually takes place in the external evaluation organization according to statistical methods.

In addition, the evaluation device 80 be designed to determine a fault tolerance for a detected fault. The error security indicates how large the probability is that an error actually occurred or not. The error safety can be determined by the evaluation device 80 in the error message transmitted to an external service organization, stored in the error list and transmitted to an external evaluation organization and / or taken into account for a reconfiguration of the production system. Linking fault safety to fault priority allows a more accurate assessment of whether and when service or maintenance or reconfiguration needs to occur in the production system.

• - Überprüfen der Zuverlässigkeit des den Fehler auslösenden Parameterwerts durch Vergleichen mit Parameterwerten anderer Überwachungsprogrammmodule, wobei die Parameterwerte anderer Überwachungsprogrammmodule entweder den gleichen Parametern zugeordnet sind oder mit dem den Fehler auslösenden Parameterwert in logischer Beziehung stehen, wobei das Vergleichen eine gewichtete Beurteilung der verschiedenen Parameterwerte umfasst,
• - Überprüfen der Zuverlässigkeit des den Fehler auslösenden Parameterwerts unter Berücksichtigung von Messfehlern und/oder Messtoleranzen, und/oder
• - Ermitteln der Fehlerhäufigkeit und/oder der Dauerhaftigkeit des Fehlers.

The fault tolerance for a detected fault can be determined taking into account one or more of the following combined strategies:

• - Checking the reliability of the error-triggering parameter value by comparing with parameter values of other monitor program modules, wherein the parameter values of other monitor program modules are either associated with the same parameters or logically related to the parameter value triggering the error, the comparing comprising a weighted assessment of the various parameter values,
• Checking the reliability of the parameter value triggering the error taking into account measurement errors and / or measuring tolerances, and / or
• - Determining the error frequency and / or the durability of the error.

Logically related parameter values are those in which the parameter values are linked because they come from status data having the same or logically related data foundation. Such a logical relationship is, for example, given by sensors which detect as the status data the same physical value at different positions of the production system.

An example of such sensors in an electrophoretic printing system is the presence of different temperature sensors in the area of the fixing unit 130 in which, under the action of heat, the toner on the recording medium 120 is fixed. The temperature sensors measure the temperature at different points of the fuser unit 130 wherein there are temperature sensors located in thermally contiguous areas of the fixing unit 130 are arranged and determine there temperature values. The temperature values thus determined are therefore logically related to each other.

The logical relationship makes it possible to infer the temperature values of a temperature sensor to the temperature values of a logically related other temperature sensor. Although the measured temperature values are logically related, they often deviate from one another due to the different positions of the temperature sensors and the resulting temperature gradients between them. Therefore, it is expedient to take into account in the definition of the predetermined deviation, on the basis of which an error is detected, even deviations from measured values occurring even if the correct functioning of the printing system.

Now shows one of the temperature sensors, which are logically linked together, a deviation that the evaluation 80 evaluated as an error, a logically related other temperature sensor can be used to test the fault tolerance.

Another example of sensors which detect the same physical value at different positions of the production system as the status data are, in particular, sensors arranged in the printing system which control the speed of the recording medium 120 measure up. Because of this record carrier 120 is a continuous printable medium, the various velocity values determined by such sensors have a logical connection since they have the same physical parameter of the recording medium 120 capture.

The speed sensors are preferably at different locations on the path that the record carrier 120 through the printing system, arranged in a predetermined sequence. The evaluation device 80 taken into account when determining the error safety of a fault of the transport of the recording medium 120 not only the possibility of occurrence of small deviations of the measured recording medium speed of the individual sensors, but also the sequence of sensors within the printing system. This allows the evaluation 80 the probabilities of failure of such a sensor and failure of the transport of the record carrier 120 , such as a demolition of the record carrier 120 , determine.

In principle, deviations of logically coherent parameter values can occur due to component tolerances, measurement tolerances, different measuring methods, etc. For certain sensors, the positions at which they are located and / or their orientation may also cause deviations.

The evaluation device 80 can further evaluate various parameter values differently weighted, with the weighting being equally distributed in the simplest case. The evaluation device 80 but can also attach a higher weight to the status data of certain monitoring program modules, than those of other monitoring program modules. This makes it the evaluation 80 allows status data from monitoring program modules that are more accurate to be included in the fault assurance assessment with greater accuracy than other status data that is less accurate. This minimizes the evaluation 80 the effects of differences between different Monitoring program modules or their status data.

By appropriate weighting, the evaluation has 80 also the possibility to include the parameter values of a monitoring program module in the determination of the error safety, if no clear error safety can be determined from the parameter values of several monitoring program modules. For this purpose, one of the monitoring program modules that transmit the same or logically linked status data is marked as master. The other monitoring program modules transmitting the same status data are called slaves. If the parameter values transferred for a status data between the master and the slaves differ in such a way that no unambiguous error safety can be determined, the evaluation device takes into account 80 only the status data of the master for the determination of fault safety, whereby the status data of the slaves does not play a role in the determination of fault safety. Preferably, the master is a monitoring program module that provides more accurate parameter values than the slaves.

By means of a corresponding weighting, the evaluation device 80 Furthermore, in the case of deviations of status data from one another, which are logically linked to one another, the majority or the majority of the statements of the deviations of the individual parameter values must be taken into account when determining the error confidence.

Lying the evaluation 80 status data of different monitoring program modules that are in a logical relationship with each other, then the evaluation device 80 determine the fail-safety by calculating the ratio between the number of supervisor modules whose status data indicates an error and the total number of supervisor modules that submit the corresponding logically-linked status data. This ratio then corresponds to the error safety.

In addition, the evaluation device 80 be designed such that it takes into account the measurement tolerances of a monitoring program module for the calculation of the error safety by comparing the deviation of a transmitted status value with the deviation probably caused by the measurement tolerance.

For supervisor modules that have larger measurement tolerances, error safety is expected to be lower than for supervisor modules that more precisely convey certain status values.

In addition, the evaluation device 80 be designed such that it takes into account the frequency of occurrence of an error and / or the durability or permanence of the error to determine a fault tolerance. Detects the evaluation device 80 If an error is more frequent or permanent, its reliability is greater than if it is detected less frequently.

The various strategies for determining fault tolerance explained above can also be combined with each other.

The evaluation device 80 can also be used as a software module within the webserver services 51 be realized. Such a realization is in 7 as evaluation module 82 shown. The evaluation module 82 leads doing the above-mentioned functions of the evaluation 80 out.

An exemplary embodiment of a system for representing control devices in a production system, in particular in a printing system, will be explained below.

In the display of an overview of the production system, the states of the hardware and software of the production system on the control panel and an error list are displayed in the form of a tabular list ( 24 ).

In addition to the state of the computer, the state of the services and the state of the components of the production system are displayed in a graphical representation. The respective status display is provided with a legend for the different states, in particular for the different error types and priorities. By means of such a graphical representation, the states of the production system, in particular whether and which errors have occurred, can be detected efficiently.

The error list below shows more information about the errors that have occurred. In particular, the time stamp, the location, the service related to the error, the error priority and whether the error is still active are displayed here.

The display of the error list can be influenced by the user by the specification of display settings on the control panel. In particular, the columns displayed in the tabular representation can be specified or their display can be configured.

From the error list, information about errors that have occurred can be put together according to specific criteria and displayed on the control panel. Not only can you do that above columns are displayed, whose information is related to the hardware and / or software of the production system. Examples of such information include uptime, downtime, last check time, response time, other network statistics and information, execution time, time needed, response status, other service status related information, definitions from the monitoring system used templates and related information.

The in the 24 The critical errors shown are the high error priority errors discussed above.

In 25 the display of a rack representation is shown on a control panel, which display is generated by a rack presentation unit. This is a rack 1 displayed with front and back.

The respective front and back panels of the rack show rack module representations, each showing a picture of one of the rack modules. The rack module representations are located in the rack representation of the location of the corresponding rack module in the rack.

If an error occurs in a rack module, this error can be indicated by a change in the rack representation or rack module representation.

In this case, there is the possibility that one or more of the rack module representations have an error display means which corresponds to an error display device of the corresponding rack module and with which, in the presence of a corresponding error, this can be displayed in a manner similar to the error display device. For example, a hard disk that represents a rack module has an LED that is displayed on the hard disk when an error occurs, and thus as an error indicator. If the LED now indicates an error then this error is displayed in the rack module representation of the hard disk at the associated rack module representation error indicator corresponding to the hard disk.

Here, the error indication means is a separate software unit superimposed on the presentation of the rack module representation. As a result, when a fault occurs, not the rack module representation per se, but only the representation of the error message means is changed.

Accordingly, this only allows the information that changes the appearance of the error message means to be present upon the occurrence of an error to the client computer 14 . 15 . 17 to transmit the rack display on its control panel.

Alternatively or additionally, the rack presentation unit for two or more rack modules includes two different rack module representations. One of the two rack module displays shows the rack module in normal operation and the other shows the rack module in error mode. In the event of an error, therefore, the rack module representations are exchanged, whereby the rack module representation for the error case is designed in such a way that the error is recognizable. This can e.g. be represented by the fact that in the rack module representation a certain error lamp, e.g. in the event of a fault, it lights up red, corresponding to red. It can also detect or display an error that is not visible in the real rack. Is e.g. the real rack module is defective and has no error indicator, then the rack module with a corresponding warning color, in particular red color, be deposited in case of failure.

The rack display can simultaneously work on multiple panels on the client computers 14 . 15 . 17 are displayed, even over long distances.

The client computer 14 . 15 . 17 especially as mobile devices with a mobile data connection to the main computer 10 be educated. Provided with such a mobile device, an operator or service technician can change his position for troubleshooting and thus move around the rack, displaying it on the control panel front and back of the rack in the rack representation with the errors that have occurred.

Does one of these mobile devices on an environment sensor, the position and / or orientation of the respective client computer 14 . 15 . 17 The rack display unit uses this information to display the rack image of the rack on the control panel that is closest to the mobile device and / or in the direction of the mobile device operator. During a movement of the mobile device, the rack display unit automatically changes the display according to the criteria "next rack" and / or "rack in the direction of view", in particular between different racks.

The rack module representations of the individual rack modules are displayed as graphic templates, possibly with error display means, before the delivery of the Production system created and stored on the production system. Such a graphics template represents a rack module representation of a front or a back of a rack module.

The rack or rack module view can be configured for the particular production system. This configuration can be performed by placing the respective rack module representation graphics template in the rack representation at the location where the rack module actually resides in the rack. This location of the rack module representation is saved along with a reference to the graphics template of the rack module. The positioning of a graphic template can be done via a configuration file or in a graphical editor.

Here, as the basis for the graphic editing, the network map previously generated by the scanning is used. The network plan specifies the individual components, switches, rack modules etc. of the production system. Accordingly, the graphical editor is designed to have an import function for the network plan. After a network map has been imported into the graphical editor, the graphical editor displays corresponding graphics templates for the components, switches, rack modules, etc. of the production system. The user only has to position these displayed graphic templates accordingly.

In order to support the positioning of the graphic templates, the user can trigger a display of a configuration signal at the respective component in the graphic editor. The configuration signal is e.g. a flashing LED on a component to be placed for display. The user can trigger the display of the configuration signal on such a component so that it can identify the actual position of the component in the rack. This enables an efficient and error-free arrangement of the graphic templates. If the user has identified the respective component based on the configuration signal, then he resets the display of the configuration signal of the corresponding component in the graphical editor.

When creating a configuration file, it is sufficient to specify the real location of the rack module in the rack. When using the graphical editor, it is sufficient to place the front rack module image at the appropriate rack display position. In any case, the rack-module representation of the rear panel in the rack is automatically based on the position information obtained by positioning the front rack module image.

By user interactions, e.g. Mouse actions can be switched from a single rack representation to an overview representing the entire production system or parts of it. Similarly, user actions from the rack image can be used to show a single rack module in more detail by enlarging the control module to show the rack module representation of the selected rack module.

• - Abtasten der einzelnen an das Datennetzwerk angeschlossenen Komponenten,
• - Auslesen von statischen Parametern der einzelnen Komponenten und Module und Identifizieren der Komponenten und/oder Module anhand der statischen Parameter.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for checking the configuration of a production system, in particular a printing system. The production system includes several components, each containing a client computer ( 4 . 5 . 14 . 15 . 17 ), which communicate via data links to a main computer ( 10 ) are connected. The components have one or more replaceable modules. The procedure for checking the configuration of a production system comprises the steps:

• - scanning the individual components connected to the data network,
• - Reading out static parameters of the individual components and modules and identifying the components and / or modules based on the static parameters.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

printing device

2

control device

3

printing unit

4

Printing device control

5

Printing control

6

liquidator

7

rewinder

8th

print server

9

Internal LAN (switch)

10

main computer

11

grid computer

12

interface computer

13

Fiber-optic cable

14

panel computer

15

computer

16

router

17

computer

18

Printer Panel computer

19

Remote control module

20

Panel module library

21

Web user interface

22

browser

23

browser

24

Web Socket

25

Web Socket

26

operating system

27

function code

28

infrastructure Manager

29

Web user interface database

30

Web user interface plugins

31

Trace module

32

DE Agent

33

RMI server

34

ORS Agent

35

Trace Agent

36

Web server module

37

System parameters Manager

38

SEA Agent

39

OP-MasterCard

40

UIC Agent

41

TR-file Collector

42

Ops-PAC

43

RDP Agent

44

Error Agent

45

CDC agent

46

Web Server

47

Framework

48

program code

49

external plug-ins

50

external libraries

51

Web services

52

sight

53

control structures

54

ISMA service

55

menu service

56

Push Helper service

57

RMI service

58

Scheduler service

59

(Script) language module

60

Markup language module

61

Documents access interface

62

Design language module

63

Printing unit control driver

64

main module

65

Paper Transport module

66

A printing unit module

67

SNMP service

68

Panel user interface

69

service module

70

DE-LAN (switch)

71

main module

72

DE assembly for paper transport

73

DE assembly for printing unit

74

Printed circuit board for paper transport

75

Printed circuit board for the printing unit

76

CAN bus

77

Actuator-sensor unit for the unwinder

78

Actuator-sensor unit for the rewinder

79

Actuator-sensor unit for the printing unit

80

evaluation

81

Component database

82

evaluation module

111, 111a-111d

Printing unit (front side)

112, 112a-112d

Printing unit (back)

120

record carrier

121

Role (input)

123

Konditionierwerk

124

turning unit

125

register unit

126

tensioning mechanism

128

Role (Edition)

130

fuser

140

Cooling module

150

power supply

170

fluid management

171

Fluid control unit

172

reservoir

Claims (14)

A method of verifying the configuration of a production system, the production system comprising a plurality of components each having a client computer (4, 5, 14, 15, 17) connected to a host computer (10) via data links, and the components or more interchangeable modules comprising - scanning the individual components connected to the data network, - Reading static parameters of the individual components and modules and identifying the components and / or modules based on the static parameters, wherein identifying the type of modules and / or components by comparing the detected static parameters with stored in a reference database static parameters . Check if a comparison of the predetermined configuration is found during the comparison, if a configuration template exists for the deviating component or the deviating module, and if this is the case, this component or module is configured with the aid of the configuration template. Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the production system is a printing system. Method according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the reference database comprises sets of static parameters of all components and / or modules of the production system. Method according to Claim 3 , characterized in that the reference database is created by all the components of the production system are automatically scanned and the case read static parameters are stored in the reference database. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that, when comparing a deviation of the predetermined configuration is determined, it is checked whether the deviating component and / or the deviating module is a module or component that is neither the function nor the operation of the production system. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5 characterized in that a deviation of the predetermined configuration is basically evaluated as a configuration conflict, or that a deviation of the predetermined configuration is evaluated as a configuration conflict if the deviation is on a non-interchangeable component and / or a non-interchangeable module and / or a non-configurable component and or a non-configurable module. Method according to Claim 6 , characterized in that upon detection of a configuration conflict, one or more of the following steps are performed: - reporting the configuration conflict; - separating the deviant component from the production system; - Separating the dissimilar component into a virtual network; - Change the operating mode of the production system. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that of the plurality of components and / or modules in each case a plurality of static parameters, in particular at least three static parameters are read out to identify the components and / or modules. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 8th , characterized in that for each component and / or each module as static parameters at least one identification designation for the component or the module, such as a serial number, component ID or type number, and at least one further static parameter is read, the describes the configuration of the component and / or the module, such as a version number of the software stored on the component and / or other settings. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 9 for installing a software component on the production system, comprising the steps of: - importing a software package that includes a software component to be reinstalled, - extracting dependencies from the software package read in the software component to be reinstalled from other software and hardware components, - checking by means of the static Parameter, whether the software and hardware necessary for the newly installed software component is present on the production system. Method according to Claim 10 , characterized in that software components not present on the production system, on which the software component to be newly installed depends, are automatically installed prior to the installation of the new software component. Method according to one of Claims 10 or 11 , characterized in that the static parameters are read from a network plan created using the static parameters. Method according to one of Claims 10 to 12 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT any change made to a software component installed by the installation of a software component is logged to the software components installed on the production system and can be completely undone as needed to restore prior software component status. Production system, in particular printing system, the production system comprising a plurality of components, each having a client computer (4, 5, 14, 15, 17), which are connected to a main computer (10) via data links, wherein on the main computer (10) and the client computers (4, 5, 14, 15, 17) stored and executable software to perform a method according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 perform.

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