JP2010218410A - Apparatus and method for distributing equipment maintenance management information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system having inexpensive cost and high versatility and capable of distributing management information with quick problem solving of equipment troubles in the maintenance of maintenance target equipment. <P>SOLUTION: The system receives equipment specific information and operation state information from a cellular phone 11 which reads out the equipment specific information and the operation state information of the maintenance target equipment 10, via a public network, analyzes the information, and transmits the optimum maintenance management information of the equipment to the cellular phone 11 so as to display the maintenance management information on a display screen of the cellular phone 11 and download an electronic document or program necessary for maintenance management. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a device maintenance management information distribution apparatus and a device maintenance management information distribution method for distributing information such as a maintenance method of a device to be maintained to a user.

  The user knows how to use the equipment, how to maintain it, and how to repair it. Read the related documents such as the instruction manual attached to the equipment, call the maintenance service, and the equipment support web page. In any case, the user himself / herself must investigate the state of the device and actively search for information that conforms to the state. In addition, in order to facilitate maintenance management of maintenance equipment, the server stores the information held in the data center from the unique ID and maintenance history that are stored in the tag by combining the mobile phone and the wireless tag attached to the equipment. The prior art of providing to a mobile phone is known (Patent Document 1).

  However, methods such as reading related documents such as instruction manuals attached to devices, calling maintenance services, and viewing device support web pages are not organically related. Also, the complexity and diversification of equipment will increase the thickness of the instruction manual, and it may take time to find where the information you need is located. A web page has a search function that seems convenient, but it's not always easy to get to the information you need. Eventually, there is a problem that necessary information is often not found even though time is spent.

  The prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 only exchanges management information of maintenance equipment, and does not present specific countermeasures, countermeasures, and the like.

JP 2008-46755 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of distributing maintenance management information to a user who is inexpensive, highly versatile, and quick in solving a problem of equipment trouble when performing maintenance on a maintenance target equipment. And

In order to solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention,
A maintenance target device, a mobile phone having a proximity wireless communication means between the maintenance target device, and a server capable of communicating with the mobile phone via a public network;
The maintenance target device includes a status information acquisition unit that periodically acquires its own device-specific information and operation state information, and stores the device-specific information and operation state information. A wireless communication unit that transmits information and operating state information and receives maintenance management information;
The mobile phone reads the device specific information and the operation state information from the maintenance target device, and has a function of writing the maintenance management information to the maintenance target device, the operation state information and the maintenance management information A user presentation section for displaying to the user,
A server communication unit that transmits the device-specific information and operation state information to and from the server and receives the maintenance management information;
The server is a mobile phone communication unit capable of communicating with a server communication unit of the mobile phone;
An operation information obtained from the mobile phone communication unit is analyzed to generate optimum maintenance management information, and an acquisition information analysis unit is provided for transmitting the maintenance management information to the mobile phone communication unit. An apparatus maintenance management information distribution apparatus is provided.

  In addition, the server includes a database, generates an optimal search expression from the device-specific information and the operation state information acquired from the mobile phone, and displays an electronic document related page or program necessary for maintenance management together with the optimal search result. An apparatus maintenance management information distribution apparatus is provided which can be called from the database and transmitted to the mobile phone.

  Furthermore, an apparatus maintenance management information distribution device is provided in which the user presentation unit is a web browser.

  Further, there is provided a device maintenance management information distribution apparatus, wherein the close proximity wireless communication means is electronic tag communication or Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication.

  Furthermore, the device specific information and the operation state information are received via the public network from the mobile phone that has read the device specific information and the operation state information of the maintenance target device via the proximity wireless communication means, and the information is analyzed. Transmitting optimum maintenance management information of the maintenance target device to the mobile phone, displaying the maintenance management information on a display screen of the mobile phone, and enabling downloading of an electronic document or program necessary for maintenance management A characteristic device maintenance management information distribution method is provided.

  According to the present invention, a user can automatically perform daily maintenance of a device used using his / her mobile phone, and can obtain a method for dealing with a failure only by reading an information tag of the device used.

It is a block diagram of the apparatus maintenance management information delivery apparatus which concerns on this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a device maintenance management information distribution apparatus according to the present invention. It comprises a maintenance target device 10, a mobile phone 11, and a device maintenance management information distribution device (server) 12. The maintenance target device 10 and the mobile phone 11 are connected by proximity wireless communication, and the mobile phone 11 and the device maintenance management information distribution device (server) 12 are connected by a public network or the like.

  In order to check whether or not the maintenance target device 10 is operating normally, the sensor 13 is attached to each part in the maintenance target device 10, and the value is periodically read by the state acquisition unit 14. This acquired information is called operation state information.

  This operating state information is information that dynamically changes when the device is used, such as device failure information and the usage period of consumable parts built into the device. Further, the device specific information of the maintenance target device 10 is also periodically read by the state acquisition unit 14. The device specific information refers to fixed information for identifying a device such as a device model number and a manufacturing number, and a version of firmware installed in the device. All or part of the operation state information and the device specific information is selected and stored in the data storage unit 16 in the wireless communication unit 15. The storage timing may be when the change in the operating state becomes a certain level or more, or may be periodic.

  The device specific information and the operation state information stored in the data storage unit 16 are transmitted to the mobile phone 11 via the communication unit 17 by electronic tag communication, proximity wireless communication means such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The cellular phone 11 receives this information at the data reading / writing unit 18, passes the device specific information and the operation state information to the presentation unit 19, and displays the current operation state of the device to the user.

  Here, the user presentation unit 19 has a function of displaying operation state information, device specific information, and maintenance management information described later, and allowing the user to select a next operation. The user views the display screen of the web browser or dedicated application and selects the next operation. If there is no abnormality in the maintenance target device 10, the end is selected. If abnormality or maintenance information is necessary, it is possible to transmit the operation state information and the device specific information to the server 12 via the server communication unit 20 in accordance with an instruction on the display screen.

  The server 12 receives the information transmitted from the mobile phone 11 by the mobile phone communication unit 21. The acquired information analysis unit 22 includes a database 23, generates an optimal search expression from the device-specific information acquired from the mobile phone 11 and the operation state, and if there is information data necessary for maintenance management together with the optimal search result, the database 23, and can be transmitted to the mobile phone 11 via the mobile phone communication unit 21.

  The optimum information data transmitted by the acquired information analysis unit 22 is the cause and countermeasure when the maintenance target device does not operate properly, the related information page of the device manual, the download of dedicated applications such as device maintenance firmware, etc. Point to.

  The mobile phone 11 interprets the appropriate information transmitted from the server 12 by the user presentation unit 19 and presents it to the user. When the firmware needs to be installed, the mobile phone 11 can write to the maintenance target device 10. . This is performed by close proximity wireless communication means performed between the data reading / writing unit 18 of the mobile phone 11 and the communication unit of the maintenance target device 10.

  Installation instruction operation is also performed in the user presentation unit 19 and is performed via a web browser function or a dedicated application of the mobile phone.

  In particular, the present invention can be used for support for home appliances. As a practical example, when a user who uses a refrigerator with an information tag reads the state of the refrigerator with a mobile phone because the refrigerator is recently cold, the server refers to the temperature record in the refrigerator, and the defrosting is It is possible to determine whether it is necessary or a failure of the cooling mechanism, etc., and to have the user present the contact method to the support center when the check method or repair is necessary on the mobile phone.

  In the present invention, it is possible to update the firmware of the maintenance target device. If a device malfunctions due to a firmware bug, it can be repaired without calling a service person. It is also possible to add new functions to the equipment by updating the firmware. For example, an air conditioner can have an optimal eco-mode driving schedule, and a washing machine can reduce the washing time. Firmware and programs are updated on a PC or the like, and new functions can be added. However, the present invention is very effective for devices that are not connected to the network or devices that cannot display their own operating status.

  As described above, according to the device maintenance management information distribution apparatus and the device maintenance management information distribution method according to the present invention, the user can automatically perform daily maintenance of the used device by using his / her mobile phone and read the information tag of the device. You can also obtain a response method at the time of failure. Furthermore, when maintenance is required or when you want to know the operation method, send the tag information of the device to the server, analyze the device status on the server side, and support the user when checking method, coping method and repair are necessary It is possible to present the contact information to the center on the mobile phone. Furthermore, it is possible to download new firmware from the server side to the mobile phone and load it on the target device, which is advantageous in that it is possible to distribute management information that is inexpensive and quick to solve problems for the maintenance of the device used.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, the constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Maintenance object apparatus 11 ... Mobile telephone 12 ... Management information delivery apparatus (server)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 ... Sensor 14 ... Status acquisition part 15 ... Wireless communication part 16 ... Data storage part 17 ... Communication part 18 ... Data reading / writing part 19 ... User presentation part 20 ... Server communication part 21 ... Cell-phone communication part 22 ... Acquisition information Analysis unit 23 ... database

Claims (5)

A maintenance target device, a mobile phone having a proximity wireless communication means between the maintenance target device, and a server capable of communicating with the mobile phone via a public network;
The maintenance target device includes a status information acquisition unit that periodically acquires its own device-specific information and operation state information, and stores the device-specific information and operation state information. A wireless communication unit that transmits information and operating state information and receives maintenance management information;
The mobile phone reads the device specific information and the operation state information from the maintenance target device, and has a function of writing the maintenance management information to the maintenance target device, the operation state information and the maintenance management information A user presentation section for displaying to the user,
A server communication unit that transmits the device-specific information and operation state information to and from the server and receives the maintenance management information;
The server is a mobile phone communication unit capable of communicating with a server communication unit of the mobile phone;
An operation information obtained from the mobile phone communication unit is analyzed to generate optimum maintenance management information, and an acquisition information analysis unit is provided for transmitting the maintenance management information to the mobile phone communication unit. Equipment maintenance management information distribution device.   The server includes a database, generates an optimal search expression from device-specific information and operation state information acquired from the mobile phone, and stores related pages or programs of electronic documents necessary for maintenance management together with an optimal search result. The apparatus maintenance management information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus maintenance call information can be transmitted to the mobile phone.   The apparatus maintenance management information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user presentation unit is a web browser.   2. The apparatus maintenance management information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proximity wireless communication means is electronic tag communication or Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication.   From the mobile phone that has read the device-specific information and the operation state information of the maintenance target device via the proximity wireless communication means, the device-specific information and the operation state information are received via the public network, and the information is analyzed and the The optimal maintenance management information of the maintenance target device is transmitted to the mobile phone, the maintenance management information is displayed on the display screen of the mobile phone, and an electronic document or program necessary for maintenance management can be downloaded. To distribute device maintenance management information.

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