WO2004001602A1

WO2004001602A1 - Server machine, client machine, server-client system, server program, and client program

Info

Publication number: WO2004001602A1
Application number: PCT/JP2002/006359
Authority: WO
Inventors: Masao Kobayashi; Yoshiyuki Inage; Yoshikazu Toyoda; Hiroyuki Kosaka; Masao Koga
Original assignee: Fujitsu Limited
Priority date: 2002-06-25
Filing date: 2002-06-25
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Also published as: JPWO2004001602A1; AU2002315891A1

Abstract

A server-client system including a server machine and a client machine. For effectively operating the client machine, hardware failure of the client machine is monitored. When the client machine hardware fails, the failure information is sent to the server machine. According to the failure information, the server machine creates news information consisting of a recommendable maintenance contract plan and a repair cost estimate and sends the information to the client machine.

Description

Server machine, client machine, Sano, server program, and client program

The present invention relates to a server machine connected to a client machine via a communication line and providing information to the client machine, and a server machine connected via a communication line.

The present invention also relates to a server program that causes an information processing device to operate as a server machine and a client program that causes the information processing device to operate as a client machine.

Background art

Today, information processing devices such as personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as pc) have rapidly spread to ordinary households. Here, PC will be described as an example of such an information processing device.

Special knowledge is required to operate a PC comfortably. Particularly, when a failure occurs, if the failure is minor, it is hardly understood by ordinary users. In the event of a failure that can be seen, it is often unclear how to respond. In the past, it has been known to automatically analyze failures by performing automatic fault monitoring on the user's PC to compensate for the lack of knowledge and lack of experience of the general user. Nevertheless, it is uncertain when a failure will occur on your PC, the user cannot identify the faulty part from the error code or error message, he does not know the contact point for the failure, and how much repair cost is required The problem of uncertainty remains unsolved.

In addition, there is a means to enter into a maintenance contract with the manufacturer of the PC in order to compensate for the lack of knowledge and experience of ordinary users and operate the PC comfortably. The practice of signing a maintenance contract is not widespread among ordinary users who use it at home, and the number of general users who sign a maintenance contract is extremely small at present.

Disclosure of the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a server machine and a cry server program which compensate for the lack of knowledge and experience of a general user and employ a method for operating a user's own information processing apparatus comfortably for the user. Aim.

The server machine of the present invention that achieves the above object is a server machine that is connected to a client machine via a communication line and provides information to the client machine,

A hardware information receiving unit that receives hardware information indicating a hardware state of the client machine via a communication line;

A notification information creation unit that creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine based on the hardware information of the client machine received by the hardware information reception unit;

A notification information transmitting unit configured to transmit the notification information generated by the notification information generating unit to the client machine via a communication line, wherein the server machine according to the present invention includes: The hardware information receiving unit receives, from the client machine, the hardware failure information of the client machine as the hardware information, and the server machine receives the hardware information of the client machine received by the hardware information receiving unit. It is preferable that the system further comprises a failure analysis unit that analyzes the wear failure information and specifies a defective portion of the client machine, and the notification information creation unit creates notification information based on an analysis result by the failure analysis unit.

In this case, the notification information creation unit includes the recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit, and It is preferable to create notification information that includes an estimate of the repair cost of the defective part of the thin machine. Based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit, the failure of the client machine is regarded as a serious failure for which the notification information should be created immediately. In the case of a serious failure, the notification information creation section should be instructed to create the notification information immediately after a serious failure, or after a predetermined number of similar failures have occurred in the case of a general failure. It is also a preferable embodiment to provide a notification information creation instruction section.

The server machine of the present invention receives, from a client machine, hardware information of the client machine, for example, hardware failure information of the client machine, and creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan based on the hardware information. The client machine refers to the notification information and, depending on the user, knows the existence of the maintenance contract itself, or the user who knows the existence of the maintenance contract itself In any case, a maintenance contract plan suitable for the client machine can be known, and the conclusion of a maintenance contract is encouraged, thereby increasing the user's confidence.

Here, if the client machine sends hardware fault information and the server machine side identifies the faulty location, the client machine side identifies the faulty location from the hardware fault information. It is not necessary to place a large amount of data, which can be called a database, on the client machine, and there is no need to refer to the DB to identify defective points. The burden on the client machine is reduced as compared to the case.

Including not only the recommended maintenance contract plan in the announcement information but also the repair cost estimate for the defective part of the client machine, not only the advantage that the repair cost estimate shows the cost required for repair but also the maintenance contract It will also help determine whether to conclude.

In addition, by classifying serious failures and general failures and sending notification information according to the degree of the failures, the client machine is notified immediately of a serious failure and is frequently notified of a general failure. You will be relieved of the hassle of doing so. The client machine of the present invention that achieves the above object is a client machine connected to a server machine via a communication line and receiving information from the server machine.

A hardware monitoring unit that monitors the client machine and obtains hardware information indicating the hardware status of the client machine;

A hardware information transmitting unit that transmits the hardware information acquired by the hardware monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line;

A notification information receiving unit that receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan of the own client machine transmitted from the server machine in response to the transmission of the hardware information from the hardware information transmitting unit;

And a notification information output section for outputting the notification information received by the notification information receiving section.

Here, in the client machine of the present invention, it is preferable that the hardware monitoring unit acquires, as the hardware information, hardware failure information indicating a hardware failure of the client machine. The notification information receiving unit preferably receives the notification information including the recommended maintenance contract plan of the own client machine and the repair estimate of the defective part of the own client machine.

The client machine of the present invention monitors the own client machine, transmits the hardware information of the own client machine, receives the recommended maintenance contract plan, knows the maintenance contract plan suitable for the own client machine, and This will trigger a decision to enter into a maintenance contract to operate the machine with confidence.

In addition, a server client system of the present invention that achieves the above object has a server that includes a server machine that provides information and a client machine that receives provision of information from the server machine, the server machine being interconnected via a communication line. On the client system,

The server machine above

, Which sends eighty-one duer information indicating the status of the hardware A hardware information receiving unit for receiving via a line,

A notification information creation unit that creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine based on the client machine's 81-due information received by the hardware information reception unit;

A notification information transmitting unit that transmits the notification information created by the notification information creating unit to the client machine via a communication line;

A hardware monitoring unit that monitors the own client machine and obtains hardware information indicating a hardware state of the own client machine;

A hardware information transmitting unit that transmits the hardware information obtained by the hardware monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line;

And a notification information output unit that outputs the notification information received by the notification information receiving unit.

The server program of the present invention that achieves the above object is executed in an information processing device that executes a program and is connected to a client machine via a communication line, and the information processing device is transmitted to the client machine. A server program that operates as a server machine that provides information to

The above information processing device,

A hardware information receiving unit for receiving hardware information indicating a hardware state of the client machine via a communication line;

A notification information creation unit that creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine based on the hardware information of the client machine received by the hardware information receiving unit;

A sano equipped with a notification information transmitting unit that transmits the notification information created by the notification information creating unit to the client machine via a communication line.

It is characterized by being operated by Here, in the server program of the present invention, the hardware information receiving unit is configured to receive, from the client machine, hardware failure information of the client machine as hardware information. The information processing apparatus further operates as a server machine including a failure analysis unit that analyzes hardware failure information of the client machine received by the hardware information reception unit and identifies a defective portion of the client machine. In addition, it is preferable that the notification information creating unit creates notification information based on an analysis result by the failure analysis unit.

In this case, based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit, the notification information creation unit includes the notification information including the recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine and the repair cost estimate for the defective portion of the client machine. It is preferable to create one.

In addition, the server program is used to determine whether the information processing device is a client machine based on the result of the analysis performed by the failure analysis unit. The notification information creation section is provided with a notification information creation instruction section that instructs the creation of notification information immediately after a serious failure occurs, and after a specified number of failures of the same type occur for a general failure. It is also a preferable feature to operate as a vacuum machine.

According to the server program of the present invention, the information processing device can be operated as the server machine of the present invention.

The client program of the present invention that achieves the above object is executed in an information processing device that executes the program and is connected to a server machine via a communication line, and the information processing device is transmitted from the server machine. A client program that operates as a client machine that receives information,

The above information processing device,

A hardware monitoring unit that monitors the information processing apparatus and obtains eighty-one due information indicating a hardware state of the information processing apparatus;

A hard-air information transmitting unit that transmits the hardware information acquired by the hardware monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line, A notification information receiving unit that receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the information processing apparatus transmitted from the server machine in response to the transmission of the hardware information from the hardware information transmission unit;

Here, in the client program according to the present invention, it is preferable that the hardware monitoring unit acquires hardware failure information indicating a hardware failure of the information processing apparatus as the hardware information. Further, it is preferable that the notification information receiving unit receives the notification information including the recommended maintenance contract plan of the information processing device and the repair estimate of the defective portion of the information processing device.

According to the client program of the present invention, an information processing device such as a PC can be operated as the client machine of the present invention.

Further, the super program storage medium storing the server program of the present invention is executed in an information processing apparatus for executing a program, which is connected to a client machine via a communication line, and executes the information processing apparatus. A server program storage medium storing a server program to be operated as a server machine for providing information to the client machine,

The above information processing device,

A notification information creation unit that creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine based on the hardware information of the client machine received by the information reception unit;

A server program that operates as a server machine including a notification information transmitting unit that transmits the notification information created by the notification information creating unit to the client machine via a communication line is stored.

Here, in the server program storage medium,

The hardware information receiving unit is configured to receive the hardware from a client machine. As information, hardware failure information of the client machine is received.

The server program stored in the server program storage medium identifies the defective part of the client machine by analyzing the information processing device and the hardware failure information of the client machine received by the hardware information receiving unit. It operates as a server machine equipped with a failure analysis unit.

It is preferable that the notification information creation unit creates notification information based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit.

In this case, based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit, the notification information creation unit includes the recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine, and the estimated cost of repairing the defective part of the client machine. It is preferable to create

In addition, the server program storage medium removes the above information processing device from the client machine failure based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit, and the serious failure for which notification information is to be immediately created and the serious failure. It is classified into general faults, and the notification information creation section has a notification information creation instruction section that instructs the creation of notification information immediately after a serious failure, or after a predetermined number of similar failures occur in the case of a general failure. It is preferable to store a server program to be operated as a provided server machine.

Further, the client program storage medium storing the client program of the present invention is executed in an information processing device that executes the program and is connected to the server machine via a communication line. A client program storage medium storing a client program to be operated as a client machine receiving information,

The above information processing device,

A hardware monitoring unit that monitors the information processing device and obtains hardware information indicating the status of the hardware of the information processing device;

A hardware information transmitting unit that transmits the hardware information obtained by the hardware monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line; A notification information receiving unit that receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the information processing apparatus transmitted from the server machine in response to the transmission of the hardware information from the hardware information transmission unit;

And a notification program that operates as a client machine including a notification information output unit that outputs the notification information received by the notification information reception unit.

Here, in the client program storage medium, the hardware monitoring unit preferably acquires hardware failure information representing a hardware failure of the information processing apparatus, as the hardware information. Preferably, the notification information receiving unit receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the information processing device and a repair estimate for a defective portion of the information processing device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a server client system.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the computer whose appearance is shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the server program of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the client program of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the server client system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an overall block diagram showing a specific configuration example of the server client system of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing fault monitoring and notification means by a client machine (one user U).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data structure of the error information file.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a failure analysis method of the server machine (automatic failure analysis center S).

FIG. 10 is a data configuration diagram of the error code DB.

Figure 11 is a data configuration diagram of a past failure case DB. FIG. 12 is a data configuration diagram of the failure information storage DB for each user.

Figure 13 is a configuration diagram of the part price DB.

Figure 14 is a data configuration diagram of the replacement man-hour DB.

Figure 15 is a data configuration diagram of the maintenance contract plan DB.

FIG. 16 is a data configuration diagram of the “notification information” file.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing various information notification methods of the server machine (automatic failure analysis center).

Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the method of obtaining various types of information from a client machine (one user).

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a screen form of the “notification information” pop-up screen. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an electronic mail form of “notification information”. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a super client system.

Here, one computer 100 that operates as a server machine and four computers 200, 300, 400, and 500 that operate as client machines and are connected to the computer 100 via a communication line 600. Is exemplarily shown. The communication line 600 may be any one of the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), and the like.

A server program is installed on one computer 100, and a client program is installed on each of four computers 200, 300, 400, and 500, and operates as a server machine and a client machine, respectively. .

As these computers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, computers generally called workstations or personal computers can be used. In the system shown in FIG. 1, so-called notebook personal computers are used as the computers 200 and 300. The computer 100 has a built-in communication card 101 for data transmission and reception and HDDs 102, 103 to 108.

In addition, the computer 500 (hereinafter, computers 200, 300, and 400 are omitted because they are the same) include a communication card 501 for receiving data overnight and a hard disk (HDD) 502. A display device 503, a keypad 504, and a mouse 505 are provided.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the computer whose appearance is shown in FIG. Here, the computer 500 will be described as a representative, but the computers 100, 300, 400, and 500 have basically the same configuration. However, in FIG. 1, the computer 100 is provided with a plurality of hard disks, the keyboard and the mouse are not shown, and the computers 200 and 300 are not provided with a keyboard or a keyboard. However, a pointing device that replaces the mouse is integrated.

The hardware configuration diagram in Figure 2 includes CPU 511, RAM 512, hard disk controller 513, M513 drive 514, CD-ROM drive 515, mouse controller 516, keyboard controller 517, display controller 518, and Figure 1 Also shown are communication boards 501 for data transmission and reception, which are interconnected by a bus 510.

The MO drive 514 and the CD-ROM drive 515 are loaded with M〇 (magneto-optical disk) 1010 and CD-ROM 1000, respectively, and access the loaded MO 1 010 and CD-ROM 1000, respectively. The data transmission / reception communication board 501 is connected to the communication line 600 and is responsible for data transmission / reception. FIG. 2 also shows an HDD 502 accessed by a hard disk controller 513, a mouse 505 controlled by a mouse controller 516, a keyboard 504 controlled by a keyboard controller 517, and a display controller 518 also shown in FIG. A controlled image display 503 is also shown.

Each computer 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 shown in FIG. 1 has a server program storing a server program or a client program described below. A CD-ROM, which is a program storage medium or a client program storage medium, is loaded, the server program stored on the CD-ROM is installed on the computer 100, and the client program is stored on four computers 200, 300, 400, and 500, respectively. By installing the software, a server machine and four client machines are built and operated.

However, the server program and the client program may be installed from the beginning in the respective hard disks of the computer 100 and the computers 200, 300, 400, and 500 shown in FIG. 1 without the intervention of the CD-ROM. Alternatively, a client program stored in the computer 100 (server machine) or a client program stored in another device is transmitted to the computers 200, 300, 400, 500 via the communication line 600. Is also good. Alternatively, the server program and the client program may be recorded on a portable storage medium other than the CD-ROM, for example, MII, and read out and uploaded to the computers 200, 300, 400, and 500. Good.

Next, a server program and a client program as one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the server program of the present invention.

The server program 10 includes a hardware information receiving unit 11, a failure analysis unit 12, a notification information creation instruction unit 13, a notification information creation unit 14, and a notification information transmission unit 15. The server program 10 is stored in the CD-ROM 100OA, and therefore, the CD-ROM 1000A corresponds to an embodiment of the server program storage medium of the present invention. The operation of each of the units 11 to 15 constituting the server program 10 will be described later.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the client program of the present invention. The client program 20 includes a hardware monitoring unit 21, a hardware information transmission unit 22, a notification information reception unit 23, and a notification information output unit 24. The client program 20 is stored in the CD-ROM 1000 B, and therefore, the CD-ROM 1000 B > It corresponds to an embodiment of a storage medium. The operation of each of the units 21 to 24 constituting the client program 20 will be described later.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of the server client system of the present invention.

The server client system 30 shown in FIG. 5 includes a server machine 40 and a client machine 50 connected to each other via a communication line 600.

The server machine 40 is a function realized in the computer 100 when the computer program 100 shown in FIG. 3 is installed and executed on the computer 100 shown in FIG. 1. The client machine 50 is installed in each of the computers 200, 300, 400, and 500 shown in FIG. 1 with the client program 20 shown in FIG. This function is implemented within 200, 300, 400, and 500. However, in FIG. 5, the client machine 50 is one of the computers 200, 300, 400, 500 shown in FIG. 1 in order to avoid the complexity of the illustration. Only one client machine realized within 0 is shown.

The server machine 40 shown in FIG. 5 includes a hardware information receiving unit 41, a failure analysis unit 42, a notification information creation instruction unit 43, a notification information creation unit 44, and a notification information transmission unit 45. ing. The components 41 to 45 of the server machine 40 correspond to the components 11 to 15 of the server program 10 shown in FIG. 3, respectively. Each of the components 41 to 45 includes the hardware of the computer 100 shown in FIG. 1 and an operating system (OS) running on the computer 100, and an application running on the OS. As a program, it is composed of a composite with the server program 10 shown in Fig. 3.On the other hand, the components 10 to 15 of the server program 10 shown in Fig. 3 are only application program parts of them. It is configured.

The client machine 50 shown in FIG. 5 includes a hardware monitoring unit 51, a hardware information transmitting unit 52, a notice information receiving unit 53, and a notice information output unit 54. Each part of this client machine 50 51- Numeral 54 corresponds to each of the components 21 to 24 constituting the client program 20 shown in FIG. 4, respectively, but has the same relationship as the server machine 40 in FIG. 5 and the server program 10 in FIG. The components 51 to 54 of the client machine 50 shown in FIG. 5 include the hardware of the computer 500 shown in FIG. 1 and the OS running on the computer 500 and the OS running on the OS. While each of the components 21 to 24 constituting the client program 20 shown in FIG. 4 is composed of the application program and the client program 20 shown in FIG. It consists of only the program part.

The operation of each part 11 to 15 of the server program 10 of FIG. 3 when the server program 10 is installed and executed on the computer 100 of FIG. 1 is performed by the server machine of FIG. 40, and the client program 20 of each of the units 21 to 24 constituting the client program 20 in FIG. 4 is the same as the computer 5 in FIG. The operation when installed and executed in 00 is the same as the operation of each unit 51 to 54 constituting the client machine 50 in FIG. 5, and the server client system 30 in FIG. By explaining the operation of the components 41 to 45 and 51 to 54 of the server machine 40 and the client machine 50, the components of the server program 10 and the client program 20 in FIGS. 3 and 4 are described. 1 1 to 15 and 2 1 to 24 And the. The client machine 50 of the server client system 30 shown in FIG. 5 receives information from the server machine 40. The hardware monitoring unit 51 of the client machine 50 executes its own client machine. By monitoring 50, hardware error information indicating the status of the hardware of the client machine 50 is acquired. The hardware failure information acquired by the hardware monitoring unit 51 is transmitted to the server machine 40 via the communication line 600 by the hardware information transmitting unit 52.

On the other hand, the server machine 40 constituting the server client system 30 shown in FIG. 5 provides information to the client machine, and has been transmitted from the hardware information transmitting unit 52 of the client machine 50. The hardware failure information is received by the hardware information receiving unit 41 of the server machine 40. The hardware failure information of the client machine 50 received by the hardware information reception unit 41 is sent to the failure analysis unit 42, and the failure analysis unit 42 analyzes the 81-ware failure information. The defective part of the client machine 50 is specified.

The failure analysis result of the failure analysis unit 42 is sent to the notification information creation instruction unit 43, and the notification information creation instruction unit 43, based on the failure analysis result of the failure analysis unit 42, The failures are classified into serious failures, for which the notification information created by the notification information creation unit described below should be created immediately, and general failures except for the serious failures. In the case of, immediately in the case of a general failure, the same kind of failure occurs a predetermined number of times, and then the creation of notification information is instructed.

The notification information creation unit 44 receives the instruction from the notification information creation instruction unit 43 to create “notification information”. This “notification information” includes the recommended maintenance contract for the client machine, and also includes an estimate of the repair cost of the defective part of the client machine 50.

The notification information created by the notification information creation unit 44 is sent by the notification information transmission unit 45 via the communication line 600 to the hardware failure information that was the basis for the creation of the notification information. It is sent to the client machine 50 that has done it.

The “notification information” transmitted from the server machine 40 via the communication line 600 is received by the notification information receiving section 53 of the client machine 50, and the received “notification information” is the notification information. In the present embodiment, the output unit 54 displays the image on the display screen of the image display device 503 of the computer 100 shown in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described more specifically.

This server client system is composed of a client machine (user U) and a server machine (automatic failure analysis center S). When the power is turned on to the client machine (user U), the “automatic fault monitoring program Pl” is also started and resident at the same time, starts monitoring the client machine, and performs periodic machine checks. An error message output from the firmware of each device of the client machine or error information detected by another fault monitoring program may be received to detect that a fault has occurred in the client machine. Here, for example, the access state of the HDD 502 by the hard disk controller 51 shown in FIG. 2, the access state of the MO 101 by the M〇 drive 5.14, and the CD—ROM drive 51 5 CD — ROM Access status, data read / write to RAM 512, etc. are monitored, and access errors (read / write errors) or inaccessible (read / write) Is not monitored). During this monitoring, if a failure (abnormal) is detected, an error log is collected, a log information file (user ID + device configuration + error log) is automatically generated, and automatically sent to the "Automatic Failure Analysis Center S". To For this transmission and reception, for example, an electronic mail function is used.

Upon receiving the log information file, the “Automatic Failure Analysis Center S” starts the “Automatic Failure Analysis Program P2” and searches and automatically analyzes various DBs such as error code DBs and past failure case DBs to detect failures. Identify the location. The failure information after analysis is stored in the user DB as a user failure file (user ID + device configuration + defect location) for each user ID.

After identifying the defective part, the user DB is searched, and if there is the same or similar failure in the past three times as an example, the parts price DB (parts model name + parts drawing number for each part name) + Parts price) and replacement man-hours DB (Each device model + replacement work time for each part drawing number + work cost) Automatically generates “Estimated cost data for troubleshooting (repair)” and maintenance contract Select an appropriate “Maintenance contract conclusion promotion plan” based on the user device configuration from the plan DB (recommended maintenance contract plan for each device model name + device configuration + option model name), and select the “Notification information” file (user ID + Repair estimate cost + Maintenance contract promotion plan) and send (provide) notification information to users.

Hereinafter, the entire configuration of FIG. 6 will be described in more detail. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a fault monitoring and notification method by a client machine (user U), and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data configuration of an error information file.

As soon as the computer 500 is turned on (operating), the automatic fault monitoring program 701 is started automatically from the hard disk 502 and the HDD, CD-R〇M Check the various IZO systems regularly.

If error information is found during the execution of this check, an error information file as shown in FIG. 8 is automatically generated via the automatic fault monitoring program 701. The error information file stores (1) the user ID, (2) the device configuration of the user machine, and (3) information on the detected error log.

The automatically generated error information file is automatically transmitted to the computer 100 via the communication line 600 by the data transmission / reception communication card 501.

The computer 100 automatically receives the transmitted error information file by the data transmission / reception communication port 101.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a failure analysis method in the server machine (Automatic Failure Analysis Center S). Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 show the data structure of the error code DB and the data of the past failure case DB, respectively. Configuration, Data structure of failure information storage DB for each user, Data structure of parts price DB, Data structure of replacement man-hour DB, Data structure of maintenance contract plan DB, and data structure of "Notification information" file FIG.

The computer 100 automatically receives the error information file transmitted from the computer 500 by the data transmission / reception communication card 101 when the power is turned on (operating).

The automatic failure analysis program 8001, which is stored in the hard disk 102 built in the computer 100, is activated by receiving the error information file as a trigger.

The automatic failure analysis program 801 uses the error log information in the received error information file to generate the error code DB 803 (see Fig. 10) of the hard disk 103 built in the computer 100 and In the same way, we searched the past failure DB 804 (see Fig. 11) of the past failure of the hard disk 104 built in the computer 100. Automatically identify defective parts of the computer 500. It is determined whether the identified cause of failure is a cause of machine down or system down. If the cause is machine down or system down, the component price DB 808 of the hard disk 106 built into the computer 100 (see Fig. 13) A notification information file 901 (see FIG. 16) to the client machine is automatically generated from the replacement man-hour DB 809 of the hard disk 107 (see FIG. 14) and the maintenance contract plan DB810 of the hard disk 108 (see FIG. 15). In the present embodiment,

'Or the failure factor that leads to the system down is regarded as a serious obstacle.

Or if it is not the cause of the system failure, that is, if it is not a serious failure but a general failure, failure information is stored for each user in the failure information storage DB 807 (see FIG. 12) for each user. However, if the same user or the same or similar failure occurs three times as an example here, the part price DB 808 of the hard disk 106 built into the computer 100 (FIG. 13) and the replacement man-hour DB 809 of the hard disk 107 A notification information file 901 (FIG. 16) to the client machine is automatically generated from the maintenance contract plan DB810 (FIG. 15) of the hard disk 108 (FIG. 14).

The automatically generated notification information file 901 to the client machine has information on (1) repair cost estimate, (2) component cost, Z replacement work cost, and (3) recommended maintenance contract plan. The automatically generated notification information file 901 is automatically transmitted to the computer 500 via the communication line 600 by the communication card 101 for data transmission / reception. The computer 500 automatically receives the transmitted file by the data transmission / reception communication card 501.

Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the method of obtaining various information from the client machine (one user). FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a screen form of a “notification information” pop-up screen, and FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an e-mail form of “notification information”.

The computer 500 pops up the notification information file 901 automatically received by the data transmission / reception communication card 501 onto the display screen of the image display device 503. Screen (see Figure 19). Alternatively, display the e-mail screen (see Fig. 20) on the display screen using the e-mail function.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A server machine connected to a client machine via a communication line and providing information to the client machine,

A server machine comprising: a notification information transmitting unit that transmits the notification information created by the notification information creating unit to the client machine via a communication line.

2. The hardware information receiving unit receives hardware failure information of the client machine as the hardware information from the client machine,

The server machine further includes a failure analysis unit that analyzes hardware failure information of the client machine received by the hard-air information receiving unit and identifies a defective portion of the client machine.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein the notification information creation unit creates notification information based on an analysis result by the failure analysis unit.

3. The notification information creating section creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine and an estimate of a repair cost of a defective client machine based on the analysis result by the failure analysis section. 3. A sano according to claim 2, wherein

4. Based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit,

Severe obstacles for which notification information should be created immediately, and general obstacles excluding the serious obstacles The notification information creation unit, which instructs the creation of the notification information immediately after a serious failure or the same kind of failure after a predetermined number of failures, in the case of a general failure 4. The server machine according to claim 2, wherein the server machine is provided.

5. In a client machine connected to a server machine via a communication line and receiving information from the server machine,

An eighty-first due information transmitting unit that transmits the hardware information obtained by the hardware monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line;

A notification information receiving unit that receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan of its own client machine transmitted from the server machine in response to the transmission of the hardware information from the hardware information transmission unit;

A notification information output unit that outputs the notification information received by the notification information receiving unit.

6. The client machine according to claim 5, wherein the hardware monitoring unit acquires, as the hardware information, hardware failure information indicating a hardware failure of the client machine.

7. The notification information receiving unit receives a notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan of the own client machine and a repair estimate of a defective portion of the own client machine. The client machine mentioned.

8. A server client system having a server machine that provides information and a client machine that receives provision of information from the server machine, which are connected to each other via a communication line, The server machine is

A notification information transmitting unit that transmits the notification information created by the notification information creating unit to the client machine via a communication line, wherein the client machine includes:

A hardware information transmitting unit that transmits the hardware information acquired by the monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line;

A notification information receiving unit that receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan of its own client machine, which is transmitted from the server machine in response to the transmission of the hardware information from the hardware information transmission unit,

A notification information output unit configured to output the notification information received by the notification information receiving unit.

9. A server program that is executed in an information processing device that executes a program and is connected to a client machine via a communication line, and causes the information processing device to operate as a server machine that provides information to the client machine. In the information processing apparatus,

A notification information creation unit that creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract brand of the client machine based on the hardware information of the client machine received by the hardware information reception unit;

The announcement information created by the announcement information creation section is referred to as E A server program comprising: a server machine including a notification information transmitting unit that transmits information via a communication line to a server.

10. The hardware information receiving unit receives hardware failure information of the client machine from the client machine as the hardware information.

The server program may further include a failure analysis unit configured to analyze the hardware failure information of the client machine received by the hardware information reception unit and identify a defective portion of the client machine. To operate as a server machine,

10. The server program according to claim 9, wherein the notification information creation unit creates notification information based on an analysis result by the failure analysis unit.

11. The notification information creation unit creates notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the client machine and an estimate of a repair cost of a defective portion of the client machine based on the analysis result by the failure analysis unit. 10. The server program according to claim 10, wherein:

12. The information processing apparatus is further categorized into a failure of the client machine based on an analysis result by the failure analysis unit, a major failure for which notification information is to be immediately created, and a general failure excluding the major failure. A server machine provided with a notification information creation instruction section for instructing the creation of notification information immediately after a serious failure or a predetermined number of failures of the same type in the case of a general failure in the notification information creation section. 12. The server program according to claim 10, wherein the server program is operated as:

1 3. Executed in an information processing device that executes a program and is connected to a server machine via a communication line, and operates the information processing device as a client machine that receives information from the server machine. Client program smell hand,

The information processing device,

An eighty-one hardware monitoring unit that monitors the own information processing apparatus and acquires hardware information indicating a state of hardware of the own information processing apparatus;

An 81-due information transmission unit that transmits the hardware information acquired by the 81-d hardware monitoring unit to the server machine via a communication line;

A notification information receiving unit that receives notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan for the information processing apparatus transmitted from the server machine in response to the transmission of the hardware information from the hardware information transmission unit;

A client program that operates as a client machine including a notification information output unit that outputs notification information received by the notification information receiving unit.

14. The client program according to claim 13, wherein the hardware monitoring unit is configured to acquire, as the hardware information, hardware failure information indicating a hardware failure of the information processing apparatus.

15. The notification information receiving unit receives a notification information including a recommended maintenance contract plan of the information processing device and a repair estimate of a defective portion of the information processing device. The client program described in 13 or 14.