JP2006072601A - Process management system, process management method, and process management device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To more efficiently manage processes. <P>SOLUTION: A process management device 10 sequentially registers, for each process, a correlation between a tray number d21 corresponding to a dot pattern of a label d2 read in from an electronic pen 30 and a process-based checking item corresponding to a dot pattern of a form d1 read from the electronic pen 30 with a storage device 12. Further, the process management device 10 outputs a process-based checking item for a process sequentially registered with the storage device 12 to management terminals 50a and 50b at a prescribed time in each process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a process management system that performs process management such as a repair process.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a system that converts an entry content into text data when a form on which a dot pattern is printed is entered with an electronic pen (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-127199 A (paragraphs 0060-0064)

  However, it has been desired to perform process management such as a repair process more efficiently by using the functions of the form and the electronic pen.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a process management system, a process management method, and a process management apparatus that can perform process management more efficiently. It is.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention sequentially registers the correspondence between the label identification information corresponding to the dot pattern read from the electronic pen and the check item for each process for each process, and the predetermined process for each process. Sometimes, the correspondence relationship for the sequentially registered processes is output to the outside.

  According to the present invention, process management can be performed more efficiently.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a process management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, the process management apparatus 10 performs process management on a target product 20 that is a process management target. Here, a maintenance product such as a mobile phone or a repair product is assumed to be the target product 20, but the type of the target product 20 is not particularly limited.
The process management device 10 is connected to a plurality of electronic pens 30 via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection device 40. That is, a wired transmission method using a USB cable is adopted between the process management device 10 and each electronic pen 30. However, for example, a wireless transmission method such as Bluetooth may be adopted.

  In addition, a plurality of management terminals (external devices) 50 a and 50 b are connected to the process management apparatus 10 on a LAN (Local Area Network) 60. Each of the management terminals 50a and 50b is a computer such as a personal computer and has a general configuration. That is, each management terminal 50a, 50b includes an input device such as a keyboard, a display device such as a computer display, a storage device such as a hard disk and a memory, and a processing device such as a CPU.

  A printer 70 is also connected on the LAN 60. The printer 70 prints a form d1, a label d2, and a name tag d3 which will be described later.

Further, the process management apparatus 10 performs data communication with the store terminal 90 via a network such as a dedicated line. The store terminal 90 is installed in a store that accepts a request for the target product 20. The store terminal 90 is a general-purpose computer having a general configuration, and includes a computer display, a memory, a CPU, and the like.
The process management system includes a form d1, a label d2, an electronic pen 30, and a process management apparatus 10.

This will be described more specifically. Each electronic pen 30 reads a unique dot pattern printed on the form d1, the label d2, and the name tag d3. The form d1, the label d2, and the name tag d3 are all paper on which a unique dot pattern is printed, and are created so that the entry position from the electronic pen 30 can be specified. Position information (XY coordinates) is assigned to the dot pattern.
Each form d1, label d2, and name tag d3 can be identified by a unique dot pattern.

  The form d1, the label d2, and the name tag d3 use paper with an Anoto function (Anoto paper) provided by Anoto, and the electronic pen 30 is compatible with the Anoto function provided by Anoto. This pen is used. The electronic pen 30 includes a writing ballpoint pen, a camera, a processor, a memory, a communication unit (USB connection compatible), a writing pressure sensor, and the like.

As will be described later, in the form d1, necessary items relating to the maintenance or repair process are printed on the dot pattern. That is, the form d1 is a check sheet for process management.
The label d2 is pasted on the tray 80 in advance. Although FIG. 1 shows the case where the label d2 is attached to the tray 80, the label d2 may be attached to the target product 20 itself.
The tray 80 is used for transporting the target product 20, and the form d <b> 1 can be put in the tray 80 together with the target object 20 during a maintenance or repair process. That is, both the form d1 and the label d2 are used accompanying the target product 20.

  On the label d2, as shown in FIG. 2, a tray number d21 as label identification information is printed on the dot pattern. The tray number d21 is marked so that it can be seen by a person. The label d2 is covered with a soda glass plate as shown in FIG. The soda glass plate has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 1 mm. In this case, even when the label d2 comes into contact with the electronic pen 30, since the ink for the ballpoint pen of the electronic pen 30 hardly adheres to the label d2, there is an effect of preventing the label d2 from being stained. Further, by covering as shown in FIG. 2, the electronic pen 30 comes into contact with the label d2 through the soda glass plate, and the pen tip of the electronic pen 30 is protected and beneficial. The label d2 is used repeatedly over and over, and when written with the electronic pen 30 over and over, the dot pattern printed on the label d2 cannot be read by humans with ink. However, by applying the soda glass plate to the label d2, the label d2 is not inked, and the label d2 can be used over and over again. As a result, annotated paper can be saved.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the name tag d3 is attached to the work clothes of each person in charge, for example. On this name tag d3, a person-in-charge ID (person-in-charge name) as information indicating the end of the process is printed on the dot pattern.

Next, the flow of the whole process managed by the process management apparatus 10 will be described. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of the entire process managed by the process management apparatus 10. Here, the flow of the whole process in the repair center which actually repairs the target product 20 is shown.
First, an object 20 that has been repaired at a store is received at a repair center, and a repair is received. At the time of this reception, the target product 20 and the form d1 related to the target product 20 are placed in the tray 80.

  Subsequently, the tray 80 moves in a sequence from the first step to the fifth step (final step) on a specific line (for example, A line) among the plurality of lines. As a process, there are various processes, such as a primary diagnosis and recombination, for example. In each step, the person in charge sequentially performs predetermined repair work (first diagnosis, etc.) on the target product 20 in the tray 80. In this way, when the repair work in all the processes is completed, the person in charge packs the target product 20 and sends it to the requesting store. In FIG. 3, the management terminal 50a shown in FIG. 1 is installed in the first process area, and the management terminal 50b shown in FIG. 1 is installed in the fifth process area.

Next, the configuration of the above-described form d1 will be described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the form d1.
The form d1 shown in FIG. 4 includes a header a1 and an entry section a2 at the time of inspection. In the header a1, predetermined items such as a request number (work request identification information) d14 and a model are printed. The request number d14 is information for identifying a request for the target product 20. The predetermined item described in the header a1 is information transmitted to the process management apparatus 10 from the dealer terminal 90 of the dealer who has received the request for the target product 20, and is stored in the storage device 12 of the process management apparatus 10. It is registered.

  On the inspection entry section a2, a check item d11 for each process is printed for each process d10 from the first process to the fifth process. In the check item for each process d11, for example, “normal” indicating the reported symptom and “recombination” indicating the determination are printed in advance. The process-specific check item d11 is printed in a check box format. Each person in charge enters the check item d11 for each process that matches the result of the process work (verification, etc.) with the electronic pen 30. In FIG. 4, the symbol d <b> 100 is a horizontal line, and the horizontal line d <b> 100 shows an example of entry with the electronic pen 30.

  4 is a correction item, and this correction item d12 is for correcting the process-specific check item d11 that has been entered with the electronic pen 30. Reference numeral d13 is an additional item. In this additional item d13, items such as a new process-specific check item d13 indicating a process of a newly introduced line are printed. For example, the case where a new process is introduced into the A line shown in FIG. In addition, when this additional item d13 is printed on the form d1, that effect is entered in the header a1. Thereby, it becomes possible to alert the person in charge. The same applies when there is a change in the check item d11 for each process.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the configuration of the process management apparatus 10 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, the process management device 10 includes a communication device 11, a storage device 12, and a processing device 13 that controls them. The process management apparatus 10 is a computer such as a server apparatus. Although FIG. 1 shows a single process management apparatus 10, the process management apparatus 10 may be configured to perform distributed processing using a plurality of computers.

  The communication device 11 is a communication interface such as a LAN adapter. The storage device 12 is a memory, a hard disk, or the like. The processing device 13 is a CPU or the like.

In the storage device 12, process-specific check items d11 and correction items d12 corresponding to the dot pattern printed on the form d1 shown in FIG. 4 are registered for each process d10. The storage device 12 registers a tray number d21 corresponding to the dot pattern printed on the label d2 shown in FIG. Further, the person in charge ID corresponding to the dot pattern printed on the name tag d3 shown in FIG. Note that the positional information assigned to the dot pattern is used for the association with the dot pattern.
Further, in the storage device 12, for each request number d14 shown in FIG. 4, the correspondence relationship between the label number d21 and the check item d11 for each process is registered.

  Next, computer processing for performing process management in the repair of the target product will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a procedure of process management processing in the process management apparatus. The operation of the process management apparatus 10 is realized by the processing apparatus 13 sequentially executing the process management program registered in the storage device 12. The process management program may be read from a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of the recording medium include a CD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, and a magnetic disk.

First, in the first step of the A line shown in FIG. 3, when the person in charge touches the label d2 of the tray 80 shown in FIG. 3 with the electronic pen 30, the electronic pen 30 is printed on the label d2. Read the position information assigned to the pattern. Then, the electronic pen 30 transmits the read position information to the process management device 10 via the USB connection device 40.
Then, the processing device 13 of the process management device 10 receives position information from the electronic pen 30. When the position information is received, the processing device 13 identifies the corresponding tray number d21 from the correspondence between the position information registered in the storage device 12 and the tray number d21. That is, the processing device 13 specifies the tray number d21 corresponding to the position information transmitted from the electronic pen 30 (S1). The tray number d21 is registered in the storage device 12 in association with the request number d14 registered in the storage device 12.

Subsequently, the person in charge takes out the target product 20 from the tray 80 shown in FIG. 3 and performs a predetermined operation on the target product 20. Then, the person in charge takes out the form d1 contained in the tray 80, and enters the check item d11 for each process with the electronic pen 30. The check item d11 for each process is entered for those that match the result of the process work. When the check item d11 for each process is entered with the electronic pen 30, the electronic pen 30 transmits the position information of the dot pattern printed on the check item for each process d11 to the process management device 10 via the USB connection device 40. To do.
Then, the processing device 13 of the process management device 10 receives the position information from the electronic pen 30. When the position information is received, the processing device 13 identifies the corresponding check item d11 for each process from the correspondence between the position information registered in the storage device 12 and the check item for each process d11. That is, the processing device 13 specifies the check item d11 for each process corresponding to the position information from the electronic pen 30 (S2).

  Next, the processing device 13 registers the process-specific check item d11 specified in S2 in the storage device 12 in association with the tray number d21 specified in S1 (S3). Thereby, it becomes possible to manage the data of the work content for the first step.

  Subsequently, the processing device 13 outputs the storage contents of the storage device 12, that is, the process-specific check item d11 registered in S3, to the A-line management terminal 50a shown in FIG. 3 via the LAN 60 (S4). ). The check item d11 for each process is read from the storage device 12 for each tray number d21. Thereby, the check item d11 for each process is displayed on the management terminal 50a.

  An example of this display is shown in FIG. In this display example, process-specific check items d11 printed on the form d1 shown in FIG. 4 are displayed. In addition, a tray number d21 and the like are displayed. Thereby, it becomes possible to prevent erroneous entry by the electronic pen 30. The person-in-charge ID is displayed by the process of S6 described later.

Then, the processing device 13 repeats the above-described processes from S2 to S4 until all the process-specific check items d11 are processed (S5). When the processes of all the check items d11 for each process in the first process shown in FIG. 3 are completed, the person in charge touches his / her name tag d3 with the electronic pen 30. When the electronic pen 30 touches the name tag d3, the electronic pen 30 reads the position information of the dot pattern printed on the name tag d3 and transmits it to the process management apparatus 10.
Then, the processing device 13 of the process management device 10 receives the position information from the electronic pen 30. When the position information is received, the processing device 13 identifies the corresponding person ID from the correspondence between the position information registered in the storage device 12 and the person ID. That is, the processing device 13 specifies the person-in-charge ID corresponding to the position information transmitted from the electronic pen 30 (S6). The person-in-charge ID is registered in the storage device 12 in association with the request number d14, tray number d21, and process-specific check item d11 registered in the storage device 12.

  Thus, when the processes from S2 to S6 are completed for the first process of the A line shown in FIG. 3, the processing device 13 processes the processes from S1 to S6 for all processes (here up to the fifth process). Repeat until it is done (S7). As a result, for all processes, all process-specific check items d11 and the person-in-charge IDs of all persons in charge are sequentially registered in the storage device 12. Note that the output of S4 is performed only for the process of the fifth step to the A-line management terminal 50b shown in FIG. Accordingly, in the fifth process, the check items d11 for each process for all processes are displayed on the management terminal 50b. This makes it possible to perform a final check on the work contents of all the processes.

  In addition, after the process of S7 is complete | finished, the processing apparatus 13 reads the check item d11 according to process for every request number d14 from the memory | storage device 12, and sells the check item d11 according to process for every read request number d14 as an external output. You may make it transmit to the terminal 90 for people. This makes it possible to notify the requesting store of the work result.

  Thus, according to the embodiment, by using the form d1 and the electronic pen 30, the check item d11 for each process for all processes can be managed on the storage device 12. Therefore, repair or maintenance process management can be performed more efficiently than in the past.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the process management device 10 specifies the check item d11 for each process specified in S2 until the person-in-charge ID is specified in S6 after the tray number d21 is specified in S1. The information is registered in the storage device 12 in association with the tray number d21 specified in S1. As a result, the person in charge can check the check item d11 for each process of the form d1 shown in FIG. 4 from when the electronic pen 30 touches the label d2 to when the electronic pen 30 touches the name tag d3. Therefore, the person in charge can prevent omission of input of the check item d11 for each process. In this case, for example, the process management device 10 measures the time from the identification of the tray number d21 in S1 shown in FIG. 5 to the identification of the person in charge ID in S6, and the time is stored in the storage device 12. By registering in, it is possible to manage the data of the work time (including work start time and work end time) for each process.

  In addition, since the tray number d21 is specified using the label d2, it is possible to identify the tray number d21 using annotated paper on which a dot pattern having a relatively small area is printed. Since the dot pattern is identified by the unit of the printed paper, the smaller the paper, the more effectively the dot pattern can be used. Also, the cost can be reduced by saving annot paper.

[Update process of process-specific check items in the process management apparatus 10]
Here, the update process of the check item for each process in the process management apparatus 10 will be described. Here, a case will be described in which the person in charge touches the correction item d12 of the form d1 shown in FIG. 4 with the electronic pen 30 in the process of a certain line shown in FIG.
In this case, first, the electronic pen 30 transmits the position information of the dot pattern printed on the correction item d12 to the process management apparatus 10.
Then, in the process management device 10, the processing device 13 reads the correction item d12 corresponding to the position information from the electronic pen 30 from the storage device 12. Thereby, the processing device 13 can permit the update of the check item d11 for each process stored in S3 illustrated in FIG. In this case, the person in charge first touches the check item d11 for each process to be corrected with the electronic pen 30, and then touches another check item for each process d11 with the electronic pen 30. Then, the processing device 13 updates the check item d11 for each process to be corrected to another check item for each process d11 on the storage device 12. Therefore, it is possible to correctly manage the contents of the process work.

[Reproduction processing of forms in the process management device]
Next, a process for reproducing the form d1 in the process management apparatus 10 will be described. In response to a request from the management terminals 50a and 50b, the process management apparatus 10 instructs the printer 70 to print the process-specific check item d11 (see FIG. 6) for the tray number d21 registered in the storage device 12. . The printed material is paper on which a dot pattern is printed. Thereby, for example, the checked form d1 (FIG. 4) can be reproduced.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the check item d11 for each process has been described in the case of the check box format, but may be an entry field. In this case, the contents of the work with the electronic pen 30 are written in the check item d11 for each process. Then, the electronic pen 30 first captures the written characters with the on-board camera. Subsequently, the electronic pen 30 transmits the image data photographed by the camera and the position information of the corresponding dot pattern to the process management apparatus 10. In response to this transmission, in the process management device 10, the processing device 13 performs character recognition based on the image data from the electronic pen 30. Then, the processing device 13 registers the correspondence between the character recognition result and the process-specific check item d11 corresponding to the position information from the electronic pen 30 in the storage device 12.

  Further, although the target product 20 has been described as being a repair product or a maintenance product, it may be a product, a food product, a logistics product, or the like. In this case, the process management apparatus 10 can manage processes such as production management, traceability, and distribution management.

  Further, the data structure of the storage device 12 and the order of program processing can be variously changed by a known technique.

It is a lineblock diagram showing a process management system concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the detail of the label of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the whole process managed by the process management apparatus of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the form of FIG. It is a figure which shows the procedure of the process management process in the process management apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display on the management terminal of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Process Management Device 20 Target Product 30 Electronic Pen 50a, 50b Management Terminal d1 Form d2 Label d3 Name Tag

Claims (12)

A label used in association with the target product at each step of the target product subject to process management and a dot pattern printed thereon, and a dot pattern used in association with the target product at each step together with the label Registering the form printed with the electronic pen, the electronic pen for reading the label and each dot pattern printed on the form, the label identification information and the check item for each process corresponding to each dot pattern read by the electronic pen A process management system comprising a management device,
The process management apparatus is
For each process, the correspondence between the label identification information corresponding to the dot pattern of the label read from the electronic pen and the check item for each process corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the electronic pen. While registering sequentially,
The process management system characterized in that, at a predetermined time of each process, the correspondence relationship for the sequentially registered processes is externally output. In the process management device, a correspondence relationship between the dot pattern and information indicating the end of the process is registered,
When the process management device sequentially registers the correspondence between the label identification information and the check items for each process, the specific process is read from the electronic pen after the label identification information is specified. Until the information indicating the end of the process corresponding to the dot pattern is identified, the check item for each process corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the specific electronic pen is associated with the identified label identification information. The process management system according to claim 1, wherein registration is performed. In the process management device, the correspondence between the dot pattern of the form and the correction items is further registered,
The said process management apparatus permits the update of the check item registered according to the process, when the correction item corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the said electronic pen is specified. Process management system.   The process management system according to claim 1, wherein the form includes a header for notifying the change or addition of the check item for each process independently of the dot pattern. . The said process management apparatus performs the instruction | indication which prints the corresponding registered check item according to the process about the registered identification information for labels according to the request | requirement from an external apparatus. Process management system. The form is provided with work request identification information in advance,
The process management apparatus sequentially registers the correspondence between the label identification information corresponding to the dot pattern and the check item for each process corresponding to the dot pattern for each work request identification information and for each process. As
2. After the registration of the correspondence relationship for all the steps is completed, all the check items for each step indicated in the correspondence relationship are externally output for each of the work request identification information. The process management system described. A label used in association with the target product at each step of the target product subject to process management and a dot pattern printed thereon, and a dot pattern used in association with the target product at each step together with the label Registering the form printed with the electronic pen, the electronic pen for reading the label and each dot pattern printed on the form, the label identification information and the check item for each process corresponding to each dot pattern read by the electronic pen A process management method for a process management system comprising a management device,
The process management apparatus is
For each process, the correspondence between the label identification information corresponding to the dot pattern of the label read from the electronic pen and the check item for each process corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the electronic pen. While registering sequentially,
The process management method characterized in that, at a predetermined time of each process, the correspondence relationship for the sequentially registered processes is output to the outside. In the process management device, a correspondence relationship between the dot pattern and information indicating the end of the process is registered,
When the process management device sequentially registers the correspondence between the label identification information and the check items for each process, the specific process is read from the electronic pen after the label identification information is specified. Until the information indicating the end of the process corresponding to the dot pattern is identified, the check item for each process corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the specific electronic pen is associated with the identified label identification information. The process management method according to claim 7, wherein registration is performed. In the process management device, the correspondence between the dot pattern of the form and the correction items is further registered,
The said process management apparatus permits the update of the check item according to the registered process, when the correction item corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the said electronic pen is specified. Process control method. The form is provided with work request identification information in advance,
The process management device sequentially registers the correspondence between the label identification information and the check items for each process for each of the work request identification information and for each process,
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein after the registration of the correspondence relationship for all the processes is completed, all the check items for each process indicated in the correspondence relationship are externally output for each piece of work request identification information. The process control method as described. A process management apparatus used in the process management system according to claim 1,
The correspondence between the label identification information corresponding to the dot pattern printed on the label according to claim 1 and the check item by process corresponding to the dot pattern printed on the form according to claim 1 is registered for each process. A storage device to
2. The identification information for each label and the check item for each process are specified for each process by referring to the correspondence registered in the storage device from the dot pattern read from the electronic pen according to claim 1. A processing apparatus for sequentially registering the correspondence between the identification information for labels and the check items for each process in the storage device for each process and outputting the correspondence for the processes sequentially registered in the storage device at the time of the process And a process management apparatus comprising: In the storage device, a correspondence relationship between the dot pattern and information indicating the end of the process is registered,
When the processing apparatus sequentially registers the correspondence between the label identification information and the check item for each process, the dot read from the electronic pen is further specified for the specific process after the identification information for the label is specified. Until the information indicating the end of the process corresponding to the pattern is read from the storage means and specified, the identification information for the label that identifies the check item for each process corresponding to the dot pattern of the form read from the electronic pen The process management apparatus according to claim 11, wherein registration is performed in association with each other.

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