DE102016220580A1 - Computer terminal device and method of creating digital documentation for a food processing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer terminal device for accessing documentation of a machine of the food industry, in particular the beverage industry. The computer terminal device can also be used to access the dynamically created documentations via mobile devices. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for creating digital documentation documents of a machine.

Description

The invention relates to a computer terminal device for accessing documentation of a machine of the food industry, in particular the beverage industry according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for creating digital documentation of a machine according to the preamble of claim 7.

State of the art

For the specific requirements of machines of the beverage industry, the operability and maintenance of these machines are becoming increasingly complicated and expensive. Trained machine-line personnel and their modules face a wide and challenging challenge when it comes to maintaining machines and identifying and solving problems.

It is therefore essential that this technical staff is trained and trained at a very high level. The continuous training of technical staff is also of great importance. But even fully trained technical staff can not know all the peculiarities and special operating procedures of all machine modules. Furthermore, some machine procedures may also change, for example, by software and / or firmware updates of the machines installed by the manufacturer.

It is therefore immensely important that the technical staff can be trained quickly, and can quickly access the appropriate technical documentation of machines. By default, training documents and operator documentation are created by a manufacturer in classic word processing applications and handed over to the customer either as a hard copy or, for example, as a PDF file.

Such a rigid form of knowledge transfer can often be a hindrance when it comes to replacing old documentation with new ones and are also not very advantageous for finding information quickly.

In addition, this type of technical documentation is limited to texts and rigid graphics and does not allow knowledge transfer through, for example, videos or "live support".

task

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a computer terminal device for a machinery of the food industry, in particular the beverage industry for improved training on the machine, as well as a corresponding method for creating the digital documentation.

solution

The object is achieved by a computer terminal device according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 7. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are included in the subclaims.

An embodiment of the invention relates to a computer terminal device in the food industry, especially for beverage filling plants. The computer terminal device may include a user interface for entering commands from a user and for outputting information to the user. For example, the user interface may include a monitor, a keyboard, a touch screen, a microphone, a speaker, a mouse, multiple tablet computers or smartphones, etc.

Furthermore, the computer terminal device may include a data interface for exchanging data with a server. The server can be, for example, the server of a manufacturer of the beverage bottling plant.

Further, the computer terminal device may include a virtual trainer configured to process the digital documentation data for output by the user interface through the first data interface. The virtual trainer can continue to be the foundation of a digital classroom that allows videoconferencing with technicians.

The digital documentation data may include XML files, where the XML files may include procedure descriptions for at least one machine component.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention relates to a method for creating digital documentation documents for a machine in the food industry, in particular for beverage filling plants.

The method may include providing a plurality of templates for creating different operating and maintenance concepts for the machine in the food industry.

Furthermore, the method may include receiving a selection of a template from the plurality of Templates include, where the selection relates to at least one machine component.

After the selection is received, the method may automatically detect at least one procedure description, wherein the recognition is based on the selected template for the at least one machine component. The method can then create an XML file that stores the recognized procedure descriptions.

• 1 ein Blockdiagramm einer Umgebung, in der die Computerterminalvorrichtung Anwendung finden kann, gemäß einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• 2 ein Blockdiagramm einer Maschinenanlage, in der sich ein Benutzer mit einer Mobilvorrichtung bewegen kann und lokalisiert wird, gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung; und
• 3 eine beispielhafte Ablage-Struktur zum Zugriff auf verschiedene Dokumentationen einer Maschinenanlage 200, gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings. Show it:

• 1 a block diagram of an environment in which the computer terminal device may find application, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
• 2 a block diagram of a machinery in which a user can move with a mobile device and is located, according to an embodiment of the invention; and
• 3 an exemplary storage structure for accessing various documentation of a machinery 200, according to an embodiment of the invention.

One embodiment of the invention relates to a terminal, or computer terminal device, which acts as a kind of interface between a manufacturer of specialized machinery, such as food industry machines and the beverage bottling industry, and the customer operating those machines.

For example, the terminal may take the form of a computer that is fixed in the vicinity of the system and has classical input / output interfaces, such as a monitor, touch screen, keyboard, mouse, trackpad, microphone, speaker, camera, Fingerprint sensor, drive slots and interfaces for wireless connection to other devices such as cell phones, smartphones, tablets, SmartGlasses, etc.

For the specific requirements of the beverage industry, customer-specific knowledge and relevant documentation are stored by the manufacturer of the machines and transmitted to the terminal. For example, this information and data can be made available to all users within reach from the terminal via WLAN or Bluetooth, so that an explicit use of the terminal as a classic input / output device is not necessary. This "bring-your-own-device" concept (BYOD) allows greater flexibility for technical staff.

By embodiments of the invention, it is possible to access standard operating procedures (SOPs), general operating procedures (GOPs), training documents, and videos specific to the customer's machines. This extensive data, in the following simply called "documents", can be created, for example, directly with the manufacturer of the machines. The various instructions can be retrieved via the terminal, which is directly on the machine, or on electronic terminals, such as mobile devices, such as tablets or smartphones, anywhere within the range of the built-in WLAN.

In the case of using mobile devices communicating with the terminal, the mobile devices have installed corresponding applications by means of which communication with the terminal can be performed and which is adapted to display the contents as well. Both the mobile devices and the terminal each have a user interface that ensures a very high level of user friendliness on the part of the customer and the manufacturer.

The documents from the manufacturer are transmitted according to an embodiment by means of XML files to the terminal. Thus, there is a separation between the layout in the terminal and the actual content of the documentation. For example, the terminal may include a software component that receives the XML content from the server and assembles it individually for the user and selects an appropriate display format depending on the terminal on which the content is to be displayed.

The user can control via the terminal or the application on the mobile device through the machinery and download to various sub-machines or modules the corresponding documentation and display. For example, on an entry page of the application of the terminal, the machinery can be visualized. This can be done in various forms, such as by a three-dimensional visualization of the machinery or as a visualized virtual reality of the customer investment when the terminal is for example a pair of glasses.

In one embodiment, a user may be automatically located within the facility. This can for example be done by a certain number of (WLAN) antennas, by which the exact location of the user, or the mobile device can be identified. However, the location of the user is not on antennas limited and also other / other tools can be used, such as GPS, NFC, image information, sensors, etc.

By locating the user within the machine plant, the navigation within the documentation can be facilitated because the user / operator then no longer has to enter for which machine he wants information displayed. Instead, the terminal can immediately provide the user with information for physically closest machines as an automatic selection.

The terminal may also include, in one embodiment, a virtual trainer that receives the digital documentation data from and processes the manufacturer for output by the terminal and / or the mobile device. For bottling plant operators, it is often a problem that they do not have access to experts in the event of repeated misuse and thus incorporate incorrect routines that result in degraded efficiency. The terminal and the virtual trainer can be accessed via a type of videoconference, which can solve problems directly on the machine.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the documentation can be generated by an XML document generator. For example, this XML submittal generator may be in the form of an application that guides in the form of a template or template through the creation of essential operator documents, standard operating procedures (SOPs), general operating procedures (GOPs), ie, steps to properly start a machine , retrofitting, how to fix errors, etc. These documentation documents can be stored as logically stored individual data in XML and thus generated in different output formats for documents, which then for the various output devices, such as tablets, smartphones, smart glasses, virtual reality Glasses or different screens can be displayed optimally.

XML Documentation Generator makes it easy to manage documents and metadata. For example, this allows modular management of info objects (e.g., text-based descriptions, characters, videos) and separation of content and layout.

Further functions and applications are discussed in more detail below by the description of the figures.

1 FIG. 12 is a block diagram of an environment in which the computer terminal device. FIG 100 Application, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

The terminal 100 can be in an industrial plant, such as in a beverage bottling plant with a variety of machine elements.

The terminal may include a first and a second data link. The first data link may, for example, be a data link with which the terminal 100 with a server 104 can communicate. The server 104 can be, for example, with a manufacturer of the machinery and the communication between terminal 100 and server 104 runs over a network 102 such as the internet. The server 104 may comprise a database management system by means of digital documentation between the server 104 and the terminal 100 can be synchronized. The digital documentation data coming from the server 104 to the terminal 102 are transmitted and updated, are specific documentation data, which is accurate to the customer's plant, where the terminal 100 stands, are tailored.

In the terminal 100 Classic means can be used to ensure interaction with a user. For example, the terminal 100 in the simplest case via a touch-sensitive screen for input and output. The terminal 100 but can also continue to have a mouse or a trackpad or the like, by means of which mouse movements on the terminal 100 can be done by the user. Likewise, in one embodiment, the terminal may have speakers, a microphone, a camera, and other interfaces.

The terminal 100 , which is mounted in the vicinity of the machinery, is to serve the user and user and in particular the technical staff to quickly and reliably targeted access to a required documentation on workflows and operations of machine elements. Where by default still paper files or at best PDF or other office documents were needed to study technical documentation on the machinery, with the present invention, a very flexible work is possible. Due to the constant contact between terminal 100 and the server 104 The training and documentation data of the machinery can be updated and corrected by the manufacturer. Likewise, there is direct feedback from the user through the terminal 100 back to the manufacturer possible.

As will be discussed below, this exchange of documentation data between the server 104 and the terminal 100 particularly effective due to the peculiarities of digital storage of documentation data in an XML format.

Furthermore, the terminal 100 have a so-called virtual trainer who has different tasks. On the one hand, the virtual trainer can receive the data from the server and process it accordingly. For example, the virtual trainer can process the received "raw data" from the server into a layout that is ideally designed to be displayed on a monitor of the terminal 100 or another monitor. Another task of the virtual trainer may be to automatically provide further assistance to the user, for example by setting up a videoconference to a specialist. This allows a targeted problem solution directly on site at the machine, but does not require the physical presence of the specialist.

The digital documentation data may be corresponding procedure descriptions for individual machine modules or the entire system. For example, they can be text, video, graphics, metadata, device ID information, specific contact information for designated technicians, sound content, and / or a combination of several.

The digital documentation data can be automatically transferred via the first data link to the database management system of the server 104 be synchronized on both sides.

The terminal 100 may further comprise a second data link. By means of the second data link, the terminal 100 communicate with external devices. For example, the terminal can communicate with the machine system itself via this data link, but also with a mobile device 108 such as with a smartphone 108a , a tablet computer 108b and electronic glasses 108c , However, there are other external devices 108 possible and the embodiments of the invention are not limited to these examples.

According to one embodiment, the second data link may be between terminal 100 and the external device 108 be performed by a wireless communication technology, such as via a WLAN 106 , With the external device 108 can the functionality of the terminal 100 can be extended to the external device and the user can access the terminal from anywhere within the machinery 100 access.

The terminal 100 out 1 In addition to the components mentioned, it may also comprise more or fewer components and is not necessarily limited to the exact configuration described herein.

2 shows a block diagram of a machinery 200 in which a user 220 with a mobile device 108 can move and is localized. As can be seen, the machinery includes 200 the sub-machines or machine modules 201 to 112 , Near the machinery 200 is the terminal 100 positioned over which the user 220 the technical documentation of the machinery 100 can see.

The localization of the user 220 , or the mobile device 108 the user 220 relative to the machinery 100 can be done through different ways and means. For example, the mobile device can be located by means of several antennas due to the WLAN and / or mobile radio signal. But other tracking methods are possible, such as GPS, NFC, image-based methods or sensors in the system 200 ,

If the user 220 with the mobile device 108 relative to the machinery 200 moves, the locating can always give the possibility of selecting documentation data and procedure descriptions that are relevant for the nearest machine or machine module. Such as in 2 to see, the user is in relative proximity to the machine modules 202 and 203 , If the user 220 now the mobile device 108 activated and would like to select a corresponding documentation, so according to an embodiment, the user at the beginning of the choice of machine modules 202 and 203 given. This saves the user the navigation work through the documentation for the entire machine system 200 and get the entry into the right machine modules right away.

In one embodiment, this task of locating and corresponding selection of relevant documentation data may be performed by the virtual trainer.

However, the user can also manually select the procedure descriptions and documentation data for each other machine component. For example, the entire plant 200 can be visualized graphically and the user can view and select the menu for the available routines and procedures of this component by clicking on the appropriate component.

The present invention is particularly advantageous in that the digital documentation data are not created in a rigid form, such as in a PDF or a word processing program, but they are created dynamically according to a new method.

This method, as indicated above, is a method of creating digital documentation and includes providing a variety of templates for creating different operating and maintenance concepts for a machine or machine module. Thus, for example, it may be realized by an application that guides a creator of the documentation data through a template or template that eventually covers all important aspects of the documentation for a machine module.

Upon receiving a selection from a template or machine module to be documented, at least one procedure description is identified based on the selection of the template for the machine component. Alternatively, the creator may also be presented with several different procedure descriptions that are available to a machine, and the creator of the documentation may select the appropriate procedure descriptions, which are then automatically included in the digital documentation. If these steps are processed accordingly, an XML file can be created in which at least part of the recognized procedure descriptions are stored.

The finished XML files can then be sent to the terminal 100 where they can then be further processed for display. This procedure also reduces the amount of data transfer, as it does not need to rebuild and transfer all the documentation for each update and extension, just the corresponding XML file.

3 shows an exemplary storage structure for accessing various documentation of a plant 200 ,

As in 3 can be seen, after selecting a machine (eg labeling) different sub-modules or machine modules of the selected machine are displayed. Machine modules of the selected labeling machine are in this example the basic machine, labeling unit and SDC. According to one embodiment, this selection of the machine and / or the machine module can also be done automatically by locating the user.

After selecting one of the machine modules (e.g., basic machine), the various activities or procedures of the machine module for which respective documentation data is available are displayed. In the example shown, the activities or procedures switching on, switching off, grade change, CILT, maintenance and troubleshooting are available.

If a user then selects one of the activities, then in the drop-down structure corresponding media are displayed as procedure descriptions that are available for that activity. This can be, as described above, texts, videos, graphics, etc.

The exemplary storage structure 3 can both through the terminal 100 as well as through the mobile device 108 be retrieved.

If appropriate documentation on the terminal 100 or on the mobile device 108 can be recalled and displayed by a user 220 also changes or updates of the documents are made. These can then be in the terminal 100 be saved and sent to the server 104 be synchronized. In one embodiment, the files are then on the server 204 but not overwritten, but reported as a change to the manufacturer. Thus, a direct feedback to the manufacturer of the machines and creators of their documentation can be given.

Claims (10)

Computer terminal device in the food industry, in particular for beverage filling plants, the computer terminal device comprising: a user interface for inputting commands by a user and for outputting information to the user; a data interface for exchanging data with a server; and another data interface via WLAN or Bluetooth for exchanging information with a tablet computer or smartphone; a virtual trainer configured to receive digital documentation data via the data interface and process the digital documentation data for output by the user interface, wherein the digital documentation data comprises XML files, and wherein the XML files include procedure descriptions for at least one machine component. Computer terminal device behind Claim 1 wherein the further data interface further comprises communicating with a mobile device and input to and output to the user via the mobile device, the tablet computer or the smartphone. Computer terminal device behind Claim 2 wherein the virtual trainer is configured to establish a videoconference via the data interface with a technician. Computer terminal device behind Claim 2 wherein the virtual trainer is further configured to perform the steps of: detecting a current position of the mobile device, the tablet computer, or the smartphone relative to the beverage bottling plant; Selecting an appropriate selection of XML files depending on the detected position; and transmitting, by means of the further data interface, corresponding documentation data to the mobile device, the tablet computer or the smartphone. Computer terminal device according to one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the digital documentation data comprises text, video content, graphics content, metadata, device ID information, specific technician contact information, and / or sound content. Computer terminal device according to one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein changes and / or updates of the digital documentation data are automatically synchronized with a database management system of the server. A method of creating digital documentation for a machine in the food industry, in particular for bottling plants, the method comprising: Providing a variety of templates for creating different operating and maintenance concepts for the machine in the food industry; Receiving a selection of a template from the plurality of templates, the selection relating to at least one machine component of the machine; automatically recognizing a procedure description, wherein the recognition is based on the selected template for the at least one machine component; and Create an XML file with the recognized procedure description stored in the XML file. Method according to Claim 7 wherein the procedure descriptions include text, video content, graphics content, metadata, device ID information, specific technician contact information, and / or sound content. Method according to Claim 7 or 8th wherein providing the plurality of templates is dependent on a position of a user relative to the beverage bottling plant. Method according to one of Claims 7 to 9 where the XML file is formatted according to an output device.

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