JP2003208217A - Machine state management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To grasp the state of a machine such as a construction vehicle, and to notice the machine state to each client in a method corresponding to the condition of the client. <P>SOLUTION: A vehicle monitoring system 1 monitors the latest states of remote vehicles 17, 17,..., and provides the display of the monitored results (position, failure, parts replacement period or the like) to a dealer system 7 and an end user system 9 as necessary, and when acquiring a new monitored result, the vehicle monitoring system 1 transmits a pop-up message to the user systems 7 and 9 to automatically display it. The vehicle monitoring system 1 prepares the report of the machine states in response to a request from the dealer system 7, and transmits it to the end user by a facsimile or electronic mail, and makes the end user system 9 automatically display the pop-up message of the result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is for monitoring the state of a machine and notifying a user of the result of monitoring.
The present invention relates to a machine state management system using a computer and communication between computers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Machines such as automobiles and construction vehicles in various places transmit data indicating the current state of the machine to a remote computer through a wireless communication network such as a satellite communication network, and the data is transmitted to the computer. There is known a remote monitoring system that displays the status of each machine on a display screen and notifies the owner or manager of the machine of the status of each machine. By using this system, the dynamic status such as the location of the machine, engine status, cumulative operating time, and consumable status can be displayed in a manner close to real time while the owner or manager of each machine is present. I can know. This facilitates timely maintenance and repair services for the machine.

[0003]

The items of machine status provided by the remote monitoring system are various. However, not all clients, such as machine owners and managers, need or can understand all of the machine status items from the remote monitoring system. For example, a dealer with specialists in machine maintenance and repairs may want to provide detailed information on the condition of the machine. On the other hand, many non-specialist end users may be confused by not being able to understand even when provided with, for example, a professional error code.

In order to refer to the machine status provided by the remote monitoring system, the client must connect his computer terminal to the remote monitoring system.
Clients who specialize in handling machines, such as dealers, can always connect to a remote monitoring system,
It would be possible to continuously monitor the machine condition. On the other hand, it must be difficult for many end users to connect to a remote monitoring system all the time to monitor the machine status. Therefore, the end user may not be able to grasp the machine state in a timely manner.

Further, in order to smoothly carry out maintenance and repair of the machine in a timely manner, it is essential to communicate the machine state between the end user and the dealer. However, conventional remote monitoring systems do not have the means to facilitate communication between such clients to convey machine state.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to grasp the machine state and notify each client of the machine state by an appropriate method according to the circumstances of the client.

Another object of the present invention is to grasp the state of the machine and notify each client of the machine state in a timely manner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to facilitate communication of machine state between clients associated with the same machine.

[0009]

A machine status management system according to one aspect of the present invention monitors a machine status and stores data of various items of the machine status obtained by the monitoring, and a database. The client server is provided with a client server that provides online the display of the data of a plurality of items selected from the data of the items of the machine state stored in the server to the client systems of a plurality of clients. A first type client server that provides an online display of data of the first set of multiple items of the machine state to the client system of the client, and a predetermined second set of multiple items of the machine state to the client system of the second type client. And a second type client server that provides a display of the above data online. The plurality of items of the second set are a part of the plurality of items of the first set.

In the preferred embodiment, an access barrier is interposed between the database server and the second type client server. This access barrier allows the second type client server to only reference the second set of items in the database server and not to access other items in the database server.

A machine state management system according to another aspect of the present invention monitors a state of a machine and stores data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring, and a machine stored in the database server. A client server that provides a client system with an online display of the data of the item desired by the client selected from the data of the various items of the state, and the client server provides the online display of the data of the desired item to the client system. When new data is added to the database server after being provided in step 1, the client system is online provided with an indication of the notification that the new data has been added. Thereby, on the client system, the display of the notification that the new data has been added to the database server automatically appears.

A machine state management system according to still another aspect of the present invention monitors a machine state and stores data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring, and a database server stored in the database server. A client server that provides an online display of data of various items of the machine state to the client system of the first client, the client server responding to a report request from the client system of the first client,
A report regarding data of a predetermined item among the items of the machine state is prepared, and the report is transmitted to a predetermined communication device used by a predetermined second client.

In a preferred embodiment, when the client server sends the report, the client server provides a display of a notification notifying that the report has been sent online to the client system of the second client. Thereby,
On the client system of the second client, the display of the notification that the above report has been sent automatically appears.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a machine state management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A machine to be serviced in this embodiment is, for example, a construction vehicle, but a person skilled in the art can easily understand that the present invention can be applied not only to the construction vehicle but also to various other machines by reading the description of the embodiment. You should understand.

As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle monitoring system 1,
The parts management system 3 and the rental system 5 are interconnected via an inter-computer network 11 so that they can communicate with each other. Further, the dealer system 7 used by a dealer who is engaged in sales, maintenance, repair, and the like of construction vehicles, and the end user system 9 used by the owners and users of individual construction vehicles are the inter-computer network 1
1 through the vehicle monitoring system 1, parts management system 3
It is also possible to communicate with the rental system 5. Furthermore, the mobile phone 13 possessed by the dealer's service personnel can also communicate with the above-mentioned various systems through the mobile phone network 15. Further, the vehicle monitoring system 1 can transmit a facsimile image to the facsimile device 10 used by the end user.

In this embodiment, there are two types of clients, namely, a dealer and an end user, as clients of this machine state management system, but this is merely an example, and another type of client may be present. In FIG. 1, only one client system such as the dealer system 7, the end user system 9 and the mobile phone 13 is shown for each type, but in reality, there are many client systems for all types. Is.

The vehicle monitoring system 1 includes a large number of construction vehicles 1.
The dynamic states of 7, 17, ... Are monitored through the satellite communication network 19. That is, each vehicle 17 has a sensor for measuring various dynamic states of the vehicle 17 (for example, current position, temperature of various parts, presence / absence of failure, usage time, etc.),
A communication computer is mounted which collects and processes detection signals of these sensors to generate messages and wirelessly transmits the messages. The vehicle monitoring system 1 receives a message indicating various states of the vehicle from the communication computer of each vehicle 17 regularly or at any time.

The vehicle monitoring system 1 includes a database server 21, a dealer server 23 and an end user server 2.
Have 5.

The database server 21 includes a large number of vehicles 1.
The status information of the vehicles 17, 17, ... Included in the messages received from 7, 17 ,.
Accumulate and manage. The dealer server 23 provides a service of providing the dealer system 7 and the mobile phone 13 of the service person with the vehicle state information in the database. The end user server 25 provides a service for providing the end user system 9 with the vehicle state information in the database. Further, the dealer server 23 and the end user server 25 assist the dealer in creating a report or other message relating to the end user's machine by facsimile or e-mail to the end user. It also provides services that mediate transmission.

The dealer server 23 and the end user server 25 have, for example, WWW servers, and these WWW servers provide interfaces to the dealer system 7, the mobile phone 13, and the end user system 9. Therefore,
The dealer and the end user can refer to the vehicle status information provided from the dealer server 23 and the end user server 25 by using the WWW browser installed in the dealer system 7, the mobile phone 13, and the end user system 9.

The parts management system 3 includes vehicles 17, 17,
It has a parts database (not shown) accumulating data (for example, product number, product name, applicable vehicle, selling price, image, drawing, stock status, etc.) of all parts. Also,
The parts management system 3 has a parts search system 27 and an order receiving system 29.

The parts search system 27 receives a parts search request from the dealer server 23, the end user server 25, and the mobile phone 13, searches the data of the requested parts, and searches the dealer server 23, the end user server 25, and the mobile phone. It has the function of returning to the telephone 13. The ordering system 29 is
It has a function of receiving a purchase order of a desired part from the parts search system 27, the dealer server 23, the end user server 25, and the mobile phone 13 and selling the part to the dealer and the end user.

The rental system 5 is a computer system operated by a construction vehicle rental company, and has data on a large number of construction vehicles owned by the rental company (for example, vehicle type, machine number, specifications, rental status, rental price, etc.). ) Is accumulated. The rental system 5 has a vehicle search system 31 and an order receiving system 33.

The vehicle search system 31 receives a vehicle search request from the dealer server 23, the end user server 25, and the mobile phone 13, retrieves the requested vehicle data, and searches the dealer server 23, the end user server 25, and the mobile phone. It has the function of returning to the telephone 13. The ordering system 33 is
It has a function of receiving a rental order of a desired vehicle from the parts search system 27, the dealer server 23, the end user server 25, and the mobile phone 13, and lending the vehicle to the dealer and the end user. A dealer or an end user uses the rental system 5 when arranging a substitute vehicle for a vehicle that cannot be used for maintenance or repair, for example. The rental company can also be one of the dealers and end users described above, and the rental vehicle owned by the company can also be under the monitoring of the vehicle monitoring system 1.

The interfaces of the parts management system 3 and the rental system 5 for the dealer system 7, the end user system 9 and the mobile phone 13 are as follows.
In this embodiment, similar to the vehicle monitoring system 1, the WWW
It is a server (not shown). Thereby, the dealer and the end user can connect to the vehicle monitoring system 1, the parts management system 3 and the rental system 5 only by using the WWW browsers in their respective systems. However, it is of course possible that the parts management system 3 and the rental system 5 have their own interfaces different from the WWW server. In that case, of course, the dealer system 7, the end user system 9, and the mobile phone 13 need to have a browser or viewer adapted to their own interface separately from the WWW browser.

FIG. 2 shows a data flow among the plurality of computer systems 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13 shown in FIG.

The vehicle monitoring system 21 has vehicles 17, 17,
The vehicle status data received from ... Is stored in the master table 35 of the database in the database server 21, which is classified for each vehicle. The vehicle state data in the master table 35 of each vehicle is read by the dealer server 23 in a timely manner (arrow 41), and in the form of a web page,
It is provided to the dealer's dealer system 7 in charge of the vehicle or the mobile phone 13 of the dealer's service person (arrows 47 and 49). The dealer server 23 can read all the items of the vehicle state data in the master table 35.

Further, the vehicle state data in the master table 35 of each vehicle is also read out by the end user server 25 in a timely manner (arrows 43 and 45), and in the form of a web page, the end user of that vehicle ends. It is provided to the user system 9 (arrow 51). In this case, the access barrier 37 is interposed between the master table 35 and the end user server 25, and of all the items of the vehicle state data in the master table 35, only the preset items are set in the end user server 25. Allow reading. For other items, the access barrier 37 shuts out the end user server 25. The predetermined items that the end user server 25 can read are items that are useful to the end user, such as remaining time of various replacement parts and normal / abnormal states of main parts such as the engine and brakes. On the other hand, an item that the end user server 25 cannot read is an item that is difficult for the end user to understand, such as a detailed error code or communication state. Further, the access barrier 37 is the master table 3
5 is referred to, and access other than reference is not made to the master table 35. As a result, although a strict condition must be passed in order to be registered as a dealer in this system, even if the end user can be freely registered under only mild conditions, the master table 35 Security against unauthorized access is ensured.

The dealer system 7 is a dealer server 2
3 receives a web page showing the vehicle status (arrow 4
7) and the web page are displayed. The dealer system 7 can be connected to the parts management system 3 and the rental system 5 using the displayed web page (arrows 53, 55, 57, 59).

For example, the dealer system 7 uses the link data or the control data which enables the connection to the parts retrieval system 27, which is embedded in the web page displaying the vehicle status received from the dealer server 47, in advance. By connecting to the parts search system 27, a search for a specific part of the vehicle displayed on the web page can be requested, and the searched parts information can be received from the parts search system 27 and displayed ( Arrow 53). Further, the dealer system 7 can select a specific part from the searched parts and send a purchase order for the selected part to the order receiving system 29 (arrow 55). As a result, the complicated work of grasping the state of the vehicle and purchasing the parts necessary for maintenance and repair of the vehicle according to the state can be performed easily and efficiently by a series of screen operations using the dealer system 7. You can do it.

Further, for example, the dealer system 7 uses the link data or the control data which enables the connection to the vehicle search system 31 which is embedded in the web page received from the dealer server 47 in advance, to search the vehicle search system. 31 to request a search for a rental vehicle of a desired vehicle type and connect the searched vehicle information to the vehicle search system 3
It can be received from 3 and displayed (arrow 57). Further, the dealer system 7 can send the rental order for the searched specific vehicle to the order receiving system 33 (arrow 55). With this, you can grasp the state of the vehicle,
If necessary according to the state, a complicated work of arranging a substitute for the vehicle can be easily and efficiently performed by a series of screen operations using the dealer system 7.

Like the dealer system 7 described above, the end user system 9 also receives a web page showing the vehicle state from the end user server 25 (arrow 51).
And the web page is displayed, and the web page is used to connect to the parts management system 3 and the rental system 5 to perform parts search, parts purchase order, vehicle search, vehicle rental order, etc. online. It is possible (arrows 61, 63, 65, 67).

Similarly, the mobile phone 13 of the service person also
When the web page showing the vehicle status is received from the dealer server 23 (arrow 49), the web page is displayed,
Then, by using the web page, it is possible to connect to the parts management system 3 or the rental system 5 and perform parts search, parts purchase order, vehicle search, vehicle rental order, etc. online (arrows 71, 73, 75, 7
7).

Further, the dealer system 7 may
Using the web page showing the vehicle status received from the dealer server 23 (arrow 47), a report (monitoring report) showing the latest status of the vehicle and comments from the dealer is created, and the monitoring report is created. Through the dealer server 23 and the end user server 25 to the facsimile device 1 of the end user of the vehicle.
0 or can be sent to an email box (arrows 81, 83, 85, 51).

3 and 4 show an example of the operation flow of the vehicle monitoring system 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, in step S1, the database server 21 of the vehicle monitoring system 1 causes the vehicle 17,
17, through the satellite communication network 19 to receive the data representing the current various states of each vehicle,
The received vehicle state data is stored in the master table 35 classified for each vehicle (step S1).

Here, there are several types of vehicle state data,
For example, it can be roughly classified into basic item data, error data, caution data, and replacement time data. The basic item data reports items of a predetermined basic state such as data of the current position (for example, latitude and longitude) of the vehicle and data of a service meter value (cumulative operating time). The error data reports errors such as failures and malfunctions of many parts and parts of the vehicle, and is further classified into mechanical error codes that report errors in mechanical parts and electrical error codes that report errors in electrical parts. To be done. The caution data is data that warns that a predetermined abnormal phenomenon has occurred, such as overheating of the engine water temperature, abnormal decrease of the engine oil pressure, and abnormal decrease of the battery charging voltage. The replacement time data reports the next replacement time of a predetermined consumable part that should be replaced regularly, for example, the remaining usable time.

The database server 21 can arrange the timing or schedule for receiving each data in accordance with the type of data described above. For example, the current position data and caution data are regularly (for example,
The error data may be received immediately each time an error occurs, and the replacement time data may be received at engine start or periodically (daily fixed time).

The database server 21 not only stores the received vehicle state data in the database, but also uses the received vehicle state data to determine a higher level vehicle state, and as a result of the determination, The master table 35 is generated by generating data representing a high-level vehicle state.
Save to. Examples of such high-level vehicle condition data include operation history data, statistical value data such as load factor, movement history data, security abnormality (for example, when moving outside the set area, at night or while locked). Security data indicating that the engine was started, etc.,
Abnormal communication conditions (for example, long-term position measurement is not possible,
There is communication status data, etc. that indicates that the power line is always disconnected.

Dealer server 23 of vehicle monitoring system 1
Upon receiving a login from the dealer system 7 of each dealer (S2), creates a web page called "notification screen" for that dealer and sends it to the dealer system 7 (S3). The notification screen displays an overview of the latest status of one or more vehicles handled by the dealer.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the notification screen.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the notification screen,
There is a notification table 109 in which there are records of error data, caution data, security data, and communication status data that have occurred from the time this notification screen was last displayed to the present, for one or more vehicles handled by the dealer. The number is displayed. There is also a vehicle status table 113 in the notification screen, which shows the detailed status of each of the one or more vehicles handled by the dealer. For example, latest update time of vehicle status data, user name, model, machine number (machine number), service meter value, latest position, presence of error data, presence of caution data,
The presence / absence of security data and the presence / absence of communication status data are displayed for each vehicle. The presence or absence of error, caution, security and communication status data is indicated by an exclamation mark, and when the exclamation mark is operated (for example, clicked with a mouse), the content of the data is displayed.

Display range designation area 11 in the notification screen
In the combo box of “Notification item” and “Target vehicle” in No. 1, the notification table 109 and the vehicle status table 1 described above are used.
The range of the vehicle for which the information desired to be displayed on each of 13 is selected can be selected. For example, as shown in the figure, if the name of the dealer such as "Komatsu vehicle service" is specified in the notice item combo box, information about all the vehicles in charge of the dealer is displayed in the notice table 109. Further, for example, as shown in the figure, if a specific end user such as “Komatsu-gumi” is specified in the target vehicle combo box, information on all vehicles handled by the dealer among the vehicles used by the end user Is displayed in the vehicle state table 113. The range that can be specified in these combo boxes depends on the dealer. That is, only the range that the dealer is in charge of can be specified, and the range that the dealer is not in charge of (for example, the end user name that is not in charge of the dealer) cannot be specified.

At the left end of the row of each vehicle displayed in the vehicle status table 113, there is a selection box, and when a check mark is put in that box, that vehicle is selected. When the “Read notification content” button 115 is operated (for example, clicked with the mouse) after a vehicle is selected, the currently existing error, caution, security and communication status data for the selected vehicle are selected. Is displayed.

If a "machine monitoring" button 103 in the machine information management area 101 is operated after a certain vehicle is selected in the vehicle status table 113, a new web page "machine monitor screen" is opened. And there,
The detailed latest status of the selected vehicle is displayed. Further, when the “vehicle operating status” button 105 is operated after a certain vehicle is selected, specific information regarding the operation such as the operating history and the load factor can be referred to for the selected vehicle. Further, when the "security" button 103 is operated after a certain vehicle is selected, various security-related information such as movement history is referred to for the selected vehicle, or security-related information such as engine lock setting is performed. Can be set.

Referring again to FIG. When the "machine monitoring" button 103 is operated after a certain vehicle is selected on the above notification screen (step S4), the dealer server 23 creates a web page "machine monitor screen" for the selected vehicle. And send it back to the dealer system 7 (S5). The latest status of the selected vehicle is displayed in detail on the machine monitor screen.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the machine monitor screen.

As shown in FIG. 6, at the top of the machine monitor screen, there is a vehicle status table 121, in which attribute information and status of the selected vehicle, such as manufacturer, model, machine number, model, The management number, the latest operation map date, the latest position, the latest operation map and operation time, the latest service meter value and date, etc. are displayed. When the "History" button 133 of the position item in the vehicle state table 121 is operated, the past movement history of the selected vehicle is displayed on the map, and
When the "History" button 135 of the operation map item is operated, the past operation history is displayed in a graph, and when the "History" button 137 of the service meter item is operated,
The history of past service meter values is displayed.

The machine monitor screen also has a gauge level box 123 and a monitor display code box 125. In the gauge level box 123, the latest engine water temperature gauge and fuel gauge of the selected vehicle and the dates of those gauges are displayed. Further, in the monitor display code box 125, the presence or absence of an error that has occurred within a very recent predetermined period, such as the current day, is displayed as an icon, and the date and time of occurrence thereof are displayed.

On the machine monitor screen, a caution box 127 is further provided, in which the latest predetermined period,
For example, the presence / absence of occurrence of a plurality of predetermined caution data in the selected vehicle within the latest 72 hours is displayed. If the caution data has not been generated within 3 days, for example, "normal" is displayed, and if it is generated, for example, an icon and a generation date are displayed. Caution box 12
When the "history" button 139 in 7 is operated, the history of past caution data of the selected vehicle is displayed.

The machine monitor screen further has a mechanical system error code box 128 and an electrical system error code box 129. Each of these boxes has a latest predetermined period, for example, within the latest 72 hours.
A list of error codes and error names of all mechanical and electrical errors that have occurred in the selected vehicle is displayed. "History" buttons 143, 1 in the mechanical system error code box 128 and the electrical system error code box 129
When 44 is operated, a history of past mechanical system errors and electrical system errors of the selected vehicle is displayed.

The machine monitor screen further includes a replacement time box 130, which is a standard list of various replacement parts detected by the selected vehicle within the latest predetermined period, for example, the latest 72 hours. A list of the remaining usage time until the replacement time of is displayed. When the "History" button 145 in the replacement time box 130 is operated, the history of past replacement of various parts of the selected vehicle is displayed. The replacement time box 130 may display the replacement time information for all replacement parts, or may display only the parts for which the remaining time is below a predetermined threshold value, or It is also possible to display only the parts specified by the dealer.

Further, the machine monitor screen has a memo box 131 in which the dealer can type in an arbitrary comment. When the "history" button 146 in the memo box 131 is operated, the history of past comments of the selected vehicle is displayed.

Further, the machine monitor screen has a "maintenance information" button 145 and a "monitoring report" button 147. When the "maintenance information" button 145 is operated, a web page called "maintenance information screen" is newly opened, in which guide information for performing maintenance and repair on the selected vehicle, particularly replacement and repair of parts is provided. Guide information for performing is displayed. Further, when the "monitoring report" button 147 is operated, a web page called "monitoring report screen" is newly opened, in which a report for reporting the vehicle state to the end user of the selected vehicle is displayed. Can be created.

Further, the machine monitor screen has a "screen update" button 149. When this button is operated, the display contents of the machine monitor screen are updated to the latest contents.

Referring again to FIG. When the "maintenance information" button 145 is operated on the above machine monitor screen (step S7), the dealer server 23 creates a web page "maintenance information screen" for the selected vehicle and returns it to the dealer system 7. To (S
8). On the maintenance information screen, guide information for performing maintenance and repair on the selected vehicle, particularly guide information for replacing and repairing parts, is displayed.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the maintenance information screen.

As shown in FIG. 7, the maintenance information screen has a vehicle status table 153, in which the same contents as the vehicle status table 121 in the machine monitor screen shown in FIG. 6 are displayed.

The maintenance information screen also has a failed parts table 155, which contains attribute information of all error target parts displayed in the error box 127 in the machine monitor screen shown in FIG. The error content, for example, part code, part name, installation date and time, phenomenon code, failure mode (fault name), occurrence date and time, occurrence timing, comment, etc. are displayed. FIG. 7 shows a failed parts list 1 for one part.
Although only 55 is displayed, if an error has occurred in a plurality of parts, the failed parts table 155 of all the parts is displayed. If all parts are normal, the failed parts table 155 is not displayed.

The maintenance information screen also has a replacement parts table 157, in which the attribute information of all replacement parts displayed in the replacement time box 131 in the machine monitor screen shown in FIG. 6 can be used. The remaining time and comments are displayed. In FIG. 7, a replacement parts table 1 of two replacement parts
57 is displayed, but there may be more or less displayed.

Further, the maintenance information screen has a "service history" button 151, and when this is operated, a new web page called "service history screen" is newly opened, in which the past history for the selected vehicle is displayed. The history of services such as maintenance and repairs performed in is displayed. By looking at the service history, it becomes easy to determine whether the selected vehicle is properly serviced, whether or not failures are concentrated on specific parts, and the like.

Further, the maintenance information screen includes a "parts arrangement" button 159 and a "substitute vehicle arrangement" button 161. When the “arrange parts” button 159 is operated, the dealer system 7 newly connects to the parts management system 3 and starts online processing to arrange new parts. Further, when the "arrange for substitute vehicle" button 161 is operated, the dealer system 7 newly connects to the rental system 5 and starts online processing for arranging a substitute vehicle.

Referring again to FIG. On the machine monitor screen shown in Fig. 6, "monitoring report" button 14
5 is operated (step S9), the dealer server 23
Creates a web page called "Monitoring Report Screen" for the selected vehicle and deals with the dealer system 7
Return to (S10). In the monitoring report screen,
A report for reporting the vehicle condition to the end user of the selected vehicle can be created.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the monitoring report screen.

As shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle status table 1 of the machine monitor screen shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the monitor report screen.
21, the basic state of the vehicle, which is basically the same as that displayed in the caution box 129 and the replacement time box 131,
The caution data and the remaining time of the replacement part are displayed in a format easy for the end user to understand. The error data that was displayed on the machine monitor screen is not listed on the monitor report screen because it may be difficult for the end user to understand.

Further, there is a destination area 171, a memo area 173, and a reporter area 175 at the top of the monitoring report screen. In the destination area 171, the end user name (report destination) of the selected vehicle is automatically displayed or typed. In addition, the memo area 17
In 3, free comments can be typed in. In the reporter area 175, the name of the dealer and the name of the person in charge are automatically displayed or typed. In the dealer system 7, a monitor report can be created by inputting a comment in the memo area 173 of the monitoring report screen or by inputting a person in charge in the reporter area 175.

In the monitoring report screen,
"Send" button 1 to send a monitoring report with the same contents as the monitoring report screen to the end user
There is 77.

Referring again to FIG. Dealer system 7
After the creation of the monitoring report using the above "Monitoring report screen" is completed, the "Send" button 17
7 is operated, the dealer server 23 passes the created monitoring report to the end user server 25, and the end user server 25 sends the monitoring report to the facsimile device 10 or the electronic mail of the end user of the selected vehicle. Send to box automatically (S1
1). The telephone number and e-mail address of the facsimile device 10 of the end user are included in the registration information of the end user when the end user is registered in the end user server 25. The end-user server 25 can send the monitoring report by both facsimile and e-mail, or can send the monitoring report only by either facsimile or e-mail, depending on the end user's request. Is based on the designation of the notification method included in the registration information of the end user. By sending an appropriate monitoring report from the dealer to the end user, the end user can check the state of his / her vehicle to some extent in a timely manner even if the end user system 9 cannot be connected to the vehicle monitoring system 1 24 hours a day. You can know
Moreover, the transmission of this monitoring report also serves as a communication between the dealer and the end user, which is necessary for smooth and timely maintenance and repair of the vehicle.

As described above, after the dealer system 7 logs in at step S2, the dealer server 23 sends the above-mentioned various screens to the dealer system 7,
All items of vehicle status information handled by the dealer can be notified to the dealer in real time or in a state close thereto in a timely manner.

Further, as shown in step S12 of FIG.
The dealer server 23 is currently displayed on the dealer system 7 based on the latest vehicle state data during the period from the login of the dealer system 7 to the logout thereof or at the time of receiving a data request from the dealer system 7. The contents of the displayed screen are updated based on the latest vehicle state data. This function enables the dealer server 23
Is timely in real time or near real time,
You can notify the dealer of the condition of the vehicle.

Furthermore, as shown in step S13 of FIG. 3, the dealer server 23 receives the new vehicle state data from the dealer system 7 after logging in until it logs out to the database server 21 each time. A pop-up screen for notifying the arrival of the new vehicle state data is created and transmitted to the dealer system 9 in real time or at short time intervals such as 10 minute intervals. As a result, the pop-up screen automatically appears on the dealer system 9.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the pop-up screen that automatically appears.

As shown in FIG. 9, on this pop-up screen, a message 109 indicating the new arrival of the vehicle status data and the type of the new arrival data is displayed, such as "There is new error notification." It When the "close window" button 303 is operated, the pop-up screen is closed.

After the pop-up screen appears, the dealer can see the contents of the new vehicle information by opening the notification screen shown in FIG. 5 or other appropriate screen described above. Further, when the vehicle information to be displayed on the currently opened screen is newly arrived, for example, when the error information of the vehicle is newly arrived when the machine monitor screen of a certain vehicle is currently opened, The contents of the new vehicle information are automatically displayed on the currently open screen. In this way, the timely automatic appearance of the pop-up screen enables the dealer to grasp new vehicle information that arrives from time to time, without fail, without fail, and in a timely manner.

The above is the operation of the dealer server 23 of the vehicle monitoring system 1. Even when the login is received from the mobile phone 13 of the service person, the dealer server 23
Performs the same operation as above on the mobile phone 13.

Next, refer to FIG. FIG. 4 shows an operation flow of the end user server 25 of the vehicle monitoring system 1.

The end user server 25 is also basically
The same operation as that of the dealer server 23 described above is performed. However, the operation of the end user server 25 has been modified to make it easier for the end user to use.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the end user server 25 receives the login of the end user system 9 of each end user (S14), it creates a notification screen for the end user and creates the end user system 9
To (S15). The notification screen for end users is basically the same as the notification screen for dealers shown in FIG. However, what is displayed on the notification screen for this end user is limited to only the information on the vehicle used by that end user, and the information on the vehicles of other end users is not displayed.

Although not shown in FIG. 9, the end user server 25 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 6 with respect to the vehicle selected by the end user according to the screen operation on the end user system 9. A machine monitor screen having a similar configuration and a maintenance information screen having a configuration basically similar to that shown in FIG. 7 are sent to the end user system 9.

However, on the machine monitor screen and maintenance information screen for end users, items that the end user server 25 cannot read from the database, such as error data, are not displayed. In addition, the "Monitoring Report" is displayed on the maintenance information screen for end users.
There are no buttons.

Furthermore, when the “arrange parts” button is operated on the maintenance information screen in the end user system 9, the end user system 9 connects to the parts management system 3 as in the case of the dealer system 7. Start the process of ordering parts online. In addition, when the "substitute car" button is operated on the maintenance information screen in the end user system 9, the end user system 9 is connected to the rental system 5 and connected online as in the case of the dealer system 7. The process of arranging a substitute car starts. Alternatively, the "Parts Arrangement" button and the "Substitute Car Arrangement" button are not displayed on the maintenance information screen for the end user, and the connection service to the parts management system 3 or the rental system 5 is not provided to the end user. Good.

Further, the end user system 9 receives the new vehicle information about the vehicle of the end user from the time the user logs in until the user logs out, as in the case of the dealer system 7. , A pop-up screen as shown in FIG. 9 can be sent to the end user system 9 and automatically appear. However, this pop-up screen does not contain any error notification messages that are not provided to the end user.

Further, as shown in step S16 of FIG. 9, the end user system 9 sends a monitoring report from the dealer to the end user by facsimile or e-mail from the time the user logs in until the user logs out. When sent by (Fig. 3, step
In S11), a pop-up screen for notifying the end user is immediately created and transmitted to the end user system 9. As a result, the pop-up screen automatically appears on the end user system 9.

FIG. 10 shows an example of this pop-up screen that automatically appears.

As shown in FIG. 10, on this pop-up screen, a message 311 indicating that the monitoring report has been sent, the target vehicle of the report, and the sender and destination of the report is displayed. When the "close window" button 313 is operated, this pop-up screen is closed.

By the automatic appearance of this pop-up screen,
The end user can confirm the monitoring report reliably and in a timely manner without overlooking.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various other modes without departing from the gist thereof.

For example, in the above embodiment, a pop-up screen that automatically appears is used to notify the client of the arrival of new data and reports in a timely manner. However, other methods can be used. For example, when a new data or report arrives by adding a display device such as an icon or banner in the screen referred to by the client, such as the above-mentioned notification screen or machine monitor screen, the display of that display device is displayed. A mode change (for example, blinking) may be automatically displayed, or a predetermined message may be automatically displayed in the display device.

Further, in the above embodiment, the vehicle monitoring system 1 provides the dealer system 9 with a facility for transmitting the machine monitoring report to the end user. However, the convenience for communication between clients for various other uses may be given to each client from the vehicle monitoring system 1. For example, when the end user informs the dealer of a vehicle defect, or when the dealer sends a report of the result of vehicle maintenance or repair to the end user, the vehicle monitoring system 1 notifies the end user or the dealer on the screen. The message may be edited and the edited message may be transmitted to the other party together with the current state information of the target vehicle or its history.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a machine state management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a communication flow between the plurality of computer systems 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation flow of the vehicle monitoring system 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of branch A from the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a notification screen.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a machine monitor screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a maintenance information screen.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a monitoring report screen.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a pop-up screen for notifying new data.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a pop-up screen for notifying arrival of a monitoring report.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 Vehicle monitoring system 3 parts management system 5 Rental system 7 dealer system 9 End user system 13 mobile phones 17 vehicles 21 database server 23 Dealer Server 25 End User Server 27 Parts search system 29 Ordering system 31 Vehicle search system 33 Ordering system

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Yoshida             2-3-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Komatsu Co., Ltd.             Inside the factory (72) Inventor Satoshi Hasegawa             2-3-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Komatsu Co., Ltd.             Inside the factory (72) Inventor Yutaka Kamata             2-3-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Komatsu Co., Ltd.             Inside the factory F-term (reference) 5H223 AA17 CC08 CC09 DD07 DD09                       FF08

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A database server (21) for monitoring the state of a machine and storing data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring, and various machine states stored in the database server (21). A client server (23, 25) that provides online display of data of a plurality of items selected from item data to a client system (7, 9, 13) of a plurality of clients; 23, 25) are a type 1 client server (23) that provides online display of data of the first set of a plurality of items of the machine state to the client system (7) of the type 1 client; Second type providing online a display of a predetermined second set of a plurality of items of data of the machine state to the client system (9) of the client of Ryan and a ActiveUpdate server (25), said second set of a plurality of items is part of in the first set of a plurality of items, the machine state management system. 2. The database server (21) and the second-type client server (25) are interposed between the database server (21) and the second-type client server (25), and the second-type client server (25) is installed in the database server (21). A machine state manager according to claim 1, further comprising an access barrier (37) that allows only a second set of items to be referenced and not allows access to other items in the database server (21). system. 3. A database server (21) for monitoring a state of a machine and storing data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring, and various kinds of the machine state stored in the database server (21). The client system (7, 7) displays the data of the item desired by the client selected from the item data.
9, 13) online-providing client server (23, 25), wherein the client server (23, 25) displays the data of the desired item on the client system (7, 25).
When new data is added to the database server (21) after being provided online to the client system (7, 9, 13), a notification display indicating that the new data has been added is displayed online to the client system (7, 9, 13). The client system (7, 9, 1)
A machine state management system that automatically displays the notification display in 3). 4. A database server (21) for monitoring a state of a machine and storing data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring, and various types of the machine state stored in the database server (21). A client server (23, 25) that provides a display of item data online to the client system (7) of the first client, wherein the client server (23, 25) is In response to a report request from the client system, a report regarding data of a predetermined item among the items of the machine state is prepared, and the report is used by a predetermined second client for a predetermined communication. A machine state management system for transmitting to a device (10). 5. The client server (23, 25)
Provides, when the report is sent, a display of a notification notifying that the report has been sent to the client system (9) of the second client online.
5. The machine state management system according to claim 4, whereby the display of the notification is automatically displayed on the client system (9) of the second client. 6. A database (21) for monitoring the state of a machine and storing data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring.
And a display of data of a first set of a plurality of items selected from data of the items of the machine state stored in the database, the client system of the first type client (7)
And a display of data of a second set of a plurality of items selected from data of the items of the machine state stored in the database, the client system of the second type client (9)
Providing online to the second,
A machine state management method, wherein a plurality of items of the set is a part of the plurality of items of the first set. 7. A database (21) for monitoring the state of a machine and storing data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring.
And a step of providing online to the client system (7, 9, 13) a display of the data of the item desired by the client selected from the data of the items of the machine state stored in the database. And when new data is added to the database (21) after providing a display of the data of the desired item to the client system (7, 9, 13) online,
An indication of the notification that new data has been added is provided online to the client system (7, 9, 13), whereby the client system (7, 9, 1) is provided.
3) The step of automatically causing the display of the notification to appear in 3). 8. A database (21) for monitoring the state of the machine and storing data of various items of the machine state obtained by the monitoring.
Storing the data of various items of the machine state stored in the database (21) on-line to the client system (7) of the first client; Client Quaint System (7)
In response to a report request from the machine, a report relating to data of a predetermined item among the items of the machine state is prepared, and the report is used by a predetermined communication device (10). ) To the machine state management method.