FR2987478A1 - Method for upgrading data processing version of physical table in field of visual management of car designing project, involves detecting identifier of added card in table boxes, and upgrading cell associated with boxes to leave identifier - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves establishing a physical table (1.1) that includes a set of boxes (7), where one of the set of boxes includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader (4) for detection of addition of a card (5) on the boxes. A data processing version of the table is established, where the data processing version includes a set of cells. An identifier of the added card is detected in the boxes. A cell associated with the boxes is upgraded to leave the collected identifier. The data processing version of the table is periodically stored in a memory. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a computer program product comprising instructions for performing a method for upgrading a data processing version of a physical table (2) a data processing system.

Description

The present invention relates to media for the organization of businesses, in particular in the field of visual management.

Visual management generally refers to a management system created during a ToyotaTM PriusTM project. It uses the principle of Obeya, which means "big room" in Japanese. For example, when a project is organized by a company, a plurality of information, technical, financial and organizational, can be displayed on paper in a meeting room to allow communication. simple and visual. Meetings can then be organized in this room, between teams of engineers involved in different aspects of the project. A display on paper, information panels, each panel that can be dedicated to an aspect of the project, in particular increases interactivity between team members. These tables are updated regularly according to the project schedule, results and costs. However, the use of paper supports or tables induces a number of limitations, among which: - lack of computer archiving; - the impossibility of exploiting this information remotely, for example in the case of a multi-site project; - difficulties associated with the processing of data, for example for the production of statistics, the creation of alerts or indicators; - congestion in the context of large projects; and - limitations in the hierarchy of information. To overcome these disadvantages, the organization of the project can be carried out on computer media.

However, such an organization does not retain many benefits related to visual management, such as simplicity, accessibility and location of information, team emulation and rapid decision-making.

The present invention improves the situation. For this purpose, it proposes a method for updating a computer version of a physical array, comprising: providing a physical array comprising a set of boxes, at least one box comprising a detection unit for detecting the addition a card on the box; - Provide a computer version of the table, the computer version comprising a set of cells, each cell being associated with a box of the set of boxes; - on detection of an addition of a file associated with an identifier in a given box of the table, collect the identifier of the added file; and - update the cell associated with the given box from the collected identifier. The term "table" means any support for hanging cards, vertically or horizontally, such as a wall or a frame. No restrictions are attached to the type of media considered. Similarly, the computer version can be performed on a table or on any type of adapted software. The type of detection provided by the invention relates not only to RFID reading, but also to write recognition, infrared communication, etc. The present invention thus makes it possible to cumulate the advantages of a physical table, allowing a significant interaction in a workgroup, with the advantages of a computer version of this table, thus proposing important post-processing as well as accessibility to distance. The method is also transparent to the user insofar as when a card is placed on the board, it is located and identified to update the computer version of the table. According to some embodiments of the invention, each identifier of a form is associated with descriptive data of the form, and the cell associated with the box in which the added form has been detected is updated from the descriptive data. associated with the collected identifier. Thus, not only can a plug-in identifier enrich a cell in the computer version, but pre-associated descriptive data can also be collected, which enhances the enrichment of the computer version of the table. As detailed in the following description, a card can be obtained by printing a file that is associated during printing with a unique identifier of the card, which retrospectively retrieves the file comprising descriptive data of the file. plug.

According to some embodiments, the form includes an RFID tag associated with a unique identifier, the unique identifier being the identifier of the form, the detection unit is an RFID reader adapted to detect the RFID tag of the added form. and to collect the identifier of the card by RFID reading of the RFID tag.

Thus, an embodiment of the invention provides the use of RFID technology that allows to identify precisely, quickly and unique cards on the table with RFID readers. The plug is located in a simple way to the extent that the RFID technology is a proximity technology. Thus, by hanging a card in a box of the table, only the RFID reader of this box will be able to detect the card. The table thus recognizes the place where the card was hung. In one embodiment, the method further includes determining a date on which the addition of the record has been detected and the cell associated with the given cell is updated from the collected identifier and the determined date. Thus, the update of the computer version can be enriched by the date of adding a file, which allows to determine a history, as part of the progress of a project for example. We can keep track of each progress in the project.

According to some embodiments, the method further comprises: - storing in a memory the computer version of the table comprising the updated cell. Thus, each updated computer version is kept, which makes it easier to reconstruct a history of a project for example.

Alternatively, the computer version of the table is stored periodically in a memory. Thus, the versions are recorded progressively which allows to determine the precision with which the history can be realized.

According to some embodiments, the method further comprises: detecting the deletion of a card from a box of the array; - update the cell associated with the box from which the card was deleted.

The present invention thus makes it possible to delete the sheets of the cells of the computer version when they are taken off the board. A card can also be moved to another box in the table. The detection unit of the other box will thus be able to detect the moved card in order to update the computer version accordingly.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code instructions recorded on a computer readable medium, for performing the steps of the method according to embodiments of the first aspect of the invention. . A third aspect of the invention relates to a data processing system comprising a table, the table comprising boxes, and the system comprising a database for storing a computer version of the table, the computer version comprising cells, each cell being associated with a box of the table, the table comprising: a unit for detecting an addition of a card associated with an identifier in a box of the table; a unit for receiving the identifier associated with the form; and the database comprising: a unit for updating the cell associated with the box of the table in which the card has been detected, from the identifier collected. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 shows a system according to some embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a physical table according to some embodiments of the present invention; - Figure 3 shows a structure of a plug according to some embodiments of the invention; - Figure 4 illustrates a diagram showing the steps of a method according to some embodiments of the invention.

Subsequently, the example of an industrial project is considered. However, this example is not restrictive and the present invention can be implemented in any professional or private setting. For example, it can be used to organize tasks within a home.

Figure 1 illustrates a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system comprises a device 1, a printing device 10 and a database 11. The device comprises a physical table 1.1, a reception unit 1.2 and a transmission unit 1.3. It should be noted that a physical table is used in the following description. However, the present invention can be applied to any support such as a frame or a wall for example. Figure 2 shows the physical table 1.1 according to one embodiment of the invention. Physical Table 1.1 consists of four lines 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 and four columns 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4. By way of illustration, each line may represent a working day and each column may represent a task to be performed within the framework of the project. Thus, line 2.1 may concern a day D of the project, line 2.2 on a day D + 1, line 2.3 on a day D + 2 and line 2.4 on a day D + 3. It should be noted that a line can represent any work period, such as several days or weeks for example.

As part of a design / manufacture project for a motor vehicle for example, column 2.1 can be dedicated to aspects related to welding, column 2.2 can be dedicated to aspects related to painting, column 2.3 can be dedicated to aspects related to editing and column 2.4 can be dedicated to aspects related to editing. Each column can further be broken down into two or more sub-columns. For example, column 2.2 is divided into a first sub-column 2.21 for displaying data related to the progress of tasks related to welding and a second sub-column 2.22 for displaying data related to problems. , delays or difficulties encountered in the progress of tasks related to welding. This table structure in no way restricts the scope of the present invention. Such a table could include any number of columns or rows and a column or line could be subdivided into a plurality of subparts. For example, column 2.3 dedicated to the assembly can be subdivided into subparts respectively related to the engine, chassis, seats, electronics, tests and finishing of the motor vehicle whose project is subject. In addition, the present invention can be applied to a structure different from that of an array. This may be for example a circular diagram, comprising a plurality of subdivisions. Table 1.1 thus comprises a set of boxes 7, each box being dedicated to a task and a given day, depending on the column and the line in which it is included. Each box 7 of Table 1.1 includes an RFID reader 4 (Radio Frequency IDentification), adapted for reading RFID tags. This example is not limiting and is only used to simplify the invention. Indeed, the invention also applies when the boxes 7 of Table 1.1 do not all include a dedicated RFID reader 4. Boxes can thus be empty, for example to store temporary data or that do not require any computer archiving.

Table 1.1 is adapted to receive cards 5, which can be fixed in the boxes of the table according to the task and the period to which it relates. With reference to FIG. 3, a card 5 comprises an RFID tag 5.1, a field 5.2 that can be entered manually or by computer, as well as fixing means 5.3 of the card 5 in table 1.1. No restriction is attached to the fastening means which may be mechanical means (holes that can allow the hook to hang from the hooks of Table 1.1), chemical (glue) or magnetic for example. The RFID tag 5.1 is cited by way of example and the present invention can be adapted to any electronic tag system. The RFID tag 5.1 is composed of an RFID chip in which information can be stored, in particular a unique identifier of the card, the RFID chip being connected to an RFID antenna. In one embodiment, the RFID 5.1 tags are passive, thus allowing a lower cost for the creation of such cards. This embodiment, on the other hand, implies a higher cost for the RFID readers 4 of Table 1.1. However, the RFID readers 4 can be in fixed number (the duration and the tasks to be performed during the project being predetermined) while the number of cards can depend on the progress of the project. Each RFID tag 5.1 may include an identifier that is unique. Thus, it is possible to identify by RFID reading of a card, the identifier associated with this card.

Such a form can be generated by the printing device 10. The printing device makes it possible to initially bind an RFID tag (or tag), comprising a unique identifier, with a blank sheet, placed in the tank of a printer 10.1. of the printing device 10 for example. The blank sheet may also be pierced (example of fixing means 43).

Thus, from a remote device on which a form 5 has been generated electronically, in PDF format for example, such as a smartphone or a laptop for example, it is possible to order the printing of this form . The form may include descriptive data such as a photo of a speaker, lines of text, a diagram, a date of discovery of a problem or a resolution manager, for example. These data are transmitted to the printer which prints them in the field 42 for example. The printer 10.1 is also connected to an RFID reader 10.2 of the printing device 10 adapted to read the identifier of the RFID tag of a card in a printing tray of the printer. Thus, the identifier of the form on which the descriptive data is printed can be associated as soon as printing with these descriptive data (or with a file identifier which is stored on a remote server, accessible by other entities). For this purpose, the RFID reader 10.2 coupled to the printer 10.1 will read only the RFID tag of the plug that has just been printed without being disturbed by other cards that may be present in the print tray of the printer . According to the invention, the printing device 10 further ensures that the association between the identifier of an RFID tag of a card and the data of the card itself is flawless so that there There is no gap between the plug and its identifier, even if there is a problem with the printer (lack of paper, jam, etc.). At each generation of a card, the printing device 10 supplies the database 11 with the identifier of the RFID tag of the card generated as well as the data of the card (picture of a participant, the lines of the card). text, a diagram, a date of discovery of a problem or a resolution manager for example) through a transmission unit 10.3, which allows the database 11 to search directly for a plurality of data on the base of a simple identifier of the RFID tag of a card. The database 11 therefore stores the descriptive data of the card in association with the identifier of the RFID tag of the card. When a first form 5, generated as previously explained, is fixed in a first box among the boxes 7 of Table 1, and the first box comprises an RFID reader 4, the RFID reader 4 of the first box can detect the adding the sheet 5 by detecting its RFID tag and can collect at the level of a receiving entity 1.2 the unique identifier of the RFID tag. Table 1 can thus provide the database 11 with the identifier collected from the card via the transmission unit 1.3. The receiving entity 1.2 is also adapted to receive from the RFID reader 4 having detected the addition of the card, an identifier of the box in which the card has been located (for example in the form of X and Y coordinates, or in the form of a box number). Finally, the reception unit 1.2 can receive a date on which the record has been detected. The date and the identifier of the box of table 1.1 are also transmitted to the database 11 via the transmission unit 1.3. It is the same when deleting a record, following which the identifier of the deleted record can be sent with either a new identifier of a box of table 1.1 (case of a displacement of the record), either a null box identifier (deletion case), as well as a date when the deletion was detected.

With this data collected in the database 11, the database 11 can generate a computer version of Table 1.1 through a refresh unit 11.2, the digital version comprising a set of cells. Each cell can be associated with a box of Table 1.1 comprising an RFID reader 4. Each cell can thus be pre-associated with one of the RFID readers 4 of Table 1.1. Thus, by collecting the identifier of a given box of table 1.1 in which a card has been detected, it is possible to update the cell that is associated with the given box. The updating of the computer version of the table 1.1 in the database 11 thus includes the addition of the identifier of the added card and the time at which it was added. It should be noted that the updating of the computer version of the table can also include, when the deletion of a record is detected, the deletion of the identifier of the record in the cell of the computer version of table 1.1. It should be noted that before (or after) each update of the computer version of the table 1.1, the database 11 can store in a memory 11.1 the current computer version in the database 11 in order to be able to calculate statistics or determine a progress history of the project. Alternatively, the computer version of Table 1.1 can be archived periodically (every day or every week for example). By archiving this computer version, it can be transmitted to people who are not present in a room including Table 1.1 but who have a Smartphone or a tablet capable of receiving the computer version of Table 1.1. Furthermore, the RFID readers of Table 1.1 are adapted for RFID reading of a plurality of cards stacked in the same box, which allows a dynamic update of the same box (if corrections are to be made for example). For this purpose, the RFID readers 4 can be wide frequency variations, which thus allows a stack of ten cards, for example, which can be detected by the same RFID reader 4. The present invention thus makes it possible to process in parallel a plurality of cards, even when they are arranged in one and the same box of Table 1.1. It is also provided by the present invention to modify the data associated with a given sheet in the database 11. For this purpose, the data stored in association with the identifier of the RFID tag of this given sheet can be modified in 11. Thus, if, for example, manually written data has been added to the sheet of table 1.1, it is possible to scan this sheet in order to collect additional data that can be transmitted with the unique identifier of the form. 5, in order to update the stored data in association with the identifier of the RFID tag 5.1 of the card 5. The content of the cards is thus evolutionary. It should be noted that table 1.1 may also comprise an additional row (or column) whose boxes are not associated with cells of the computer version of the table. In fact, when a card is detected in the supplementary line (by the same RFID reading system as for the other boxes detailed above), the identifier of the card 5 is collected in order to archive the data associated with the card identified. in the memory 11.1. According to some embodiments, the updating of the computer version when adding a card in a given box of table 1.1 may depend on sheets previously added in boxes associated with the given box. For example, a cell associated with the box in which a new record is added, can be updated based on the records in the same row (or column) as the box in which the new record is added. Thus, the update is enriched by taking into account neighboring cells or having a link with the cell that is updated. The database 11 can then be accessible to a remote terminal of a user who can thus view the current computer version of Table 1.1 via the update unit 11.2 or an archived computer version of Table 1.1 via the memory 11.1. Table 1.1 is thus dematerialized and its remote access is allowed. The remote user can also view the additions and deletions of the cards, display each of the cards of the current version, or an archived version (thanks to the association between the identifier of the RFID tag 5.1 of a sheet 5 and data from this sheet), zoom in on a sheet, or can regularly check the updates and defects treated that have been archived. The data of the database 11 may for this purpose be transmitted by mail, MMS, be accessible from a website or from a dedicated smartphone application. Thus, the present invention allows both to develop a digital version of Table 1.1, to develop statistics on the progress of a project for example and locate records. The statistics may relate to a speed of treatment of a problem, an alert or a distribution of cards 5 for example. Table 1.1 can also be autonomous. For this purpose, it can be used when the RFID reader system is deactivated for example. Thus, cards can be moved without the table 1.1 moved. At a next power-up, Table 1.1 can detect possible changes in the location of records and can thus update the database 11. The present invention can provide a complementary way to link defects between them (parallel processing, common implementation) as part of an industrial project progress table, to generate alerts according to the advance of the respective sheets, to automatically detect recurring defects in table 1.1 and to locate records following sorting (by manager, step by step, by product subassembly, by process). For this purpose, the user can select a category of cards on the computer version of the table, via a touch pad for example, and the tablet can then transmit box identifiers Table 1.1 in which are located the cards of the selected category to the device 1. The device 1 may for this purpose comprise signaling units, such as diodes, each of the diodes being distributed in a box of Table 1.1. Thus, the device 1 can signal a category of cards by lighting only the diodes of the boxes whose identifier has been received. Figure 4 shows a diagram showing the steps of a method according to some embodiments of the invention. In a step 41, a physical array, such as Table 1.1 is provided, this array comprising a set of boxes. At least one box of this table is equipped with a unit for detecting a card such as an RFID reader for example. During a step 42, there is provided a computer version of the physical table 1.1, this computer version comprising a set of cells, each cell corresponding to a given box of the physical table.

At a step 43, it is determined if a card is detected by one of the RFID readers of the physical array. For this purpose, a card according to the invention may be equipped with an RFID tag comprising a unique identifier. If no plug is detected in step 43, the method is looped in step 43 until a plug is detected.

When a card is detected, the RFID reader of the box in which the card has been added may collect the card's identifier in a step 44. The computer version of the physical array is then updated at a step 45 by setting update the cell corresponding to the box in which the form was added. The update is performed based on the identifier of the detected record. Thus, either the cell is updated by adding the identifier of the card, or descriptive data of the cards are obtained on the basis of the identifier of the card to inform the cell.

Claims (9)

REVENDICATIONS1. Method for updating a computer version of a physical array (1.1), characterized in that it comprises: - providing a physical array comprising a set of boxes (7), at least one box comprising a detection unit (4) for detecting the addition of a plug (5) to said box; - Provide a computer version of said table, said computer version comprising a set of cells, each cell being associated with a box of the set of boxes; - On detection of an addition of a record associated with an identifier in a given box of the table, collect the identifier of said added file; and - update the cell associated with the given box from said collected identifier. 15 2. Method according to claim 1, in which each identifier of a card (5) is associated with descriptive data of the card, and in which the cell associated with the box in which the added card has been detected is updated. from the descriptive data associated with the collected identifier. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plug (5) comprises an RFID tag (5.1) associated with a unique identifier, said unique identifier being the identifier of the plug, wherein the detection unit ( 4) is an RFID reader adapted to detect the RFID tag of the added plug and to collect the identifier of the card by RFID reading of the RFID tag. The method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising determining a date on which the addition of the form (5) has been detected and wherein the cell associated with the given box is updated to from the collected identifier and the determined date. 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, furthermore comprising: storing in a memory (11.1) said computer version of said table comprising the updated cell. 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the computer version of the table (1.1) is stored periodically in a memory (11.1). 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: - detecting the deletion of a plug (5) from a box (7) of said table (1.1); - update the cell associated with the box from which the card was deleted. A computer program product comprising program code instructions recorded on a computer-readable medium for performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. Data processing system characterized in that it comprises a table (1.1), said table comprising boxes (7), and in that it comprises a database (11) for storing a version computer of said table, the computer version comprising cells, each cell being associated with a box of the table, the table comprising: - a detection unit (4) of an addition of a record associated with an identifier in a box of said table ; a reception unit (1.2) of the identifier associated with said form; and the database comprising: an update unit (11.2) of the cell associated with the box of the table in which the card has been detected, from the collected identifier.