JP2012133511A - Question and answer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a question and answer system in which a plurality of respondents can present an answer while appropriately having consultation to a question originated from a user.SOLUTION: In the question and answer system, an image forming composite device 25, various terminal devices PC1-PC5 and a server 20 are connected to a LAN 10. To the server 20, an optional comment is inputted from the devices 25, PC1-PC5 through the LAN 10. The server 20 displays the input comment only to browsers (service person, developer) sectioned beforehand, and is capable of arbitrarily switching a group of the browsers sectioned beforehand. The image forming composite device 25 is capable of logging into the server 20 as the device 25 itself, as a manager or as a user to originate a comment, and the browser is capable of writing in response to the comment. At the time, the service person and developer are capable of speaking to each other in the group of themselves only.

Description

  The present invention relates to a question answering system, and more particularly to a question answering system in which various responders can appropriately respond to comments from a plurality of speakers.

  When a user is operating an image forming device such as a copier or printer, if trouble occurs or if there is a question about the setting method or operation method, conventionally, a service person or a service center is called, Sending emails. In this case, the correspondence is one-to-one, and if the service person who responded cannot respond alone, it responds to the user after making an inquiry to another service person etc., which is troublesome and takes time. It was.

  In recent years, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers have been combined with data communication processing means (hereinafter, this type of apparatus is referred to as an image forming composite apparatus). In this type of image forming composite device, as the network becomes widespread, the image forming composite device itself can be remotely connected to the service center, or the online help function and online manual function can be used to suit the situation of the device at any time. Systems for updating manuals are known. However, in this type of system, it is difficult for the user to arrive at the desired information, and the problems of the conventional response system remain in that the service person responds one-on-one. In other words, in response to inquiries from users, servicemen have not focused on their wisdom, or involved developers to deal with ad hoc changes, and have not been able to provide users with the best possible countermeasures.

  Patent Literature 1 describes an after-service method in which a user who obtains an answer from an expert can select an expert. In this method, an answer from an expert designated by the user can be obtained. However, cooperation between experts and exchange of opinions are not possible.

  Patent Literature 2 describes a question answering system in which a support center uses personal information within a range approved by a customer to obtain an appropriate answer. However, in this system, since the response content is selected from a database in which responses are stored in advance, it is difficult to obtain a response that corresponds sufficiently for each user or for each question.

  Patent Document 3 describes an inquiry / answer management system that stores a question and a partner to whom the answer is disclosed and permits browsing by the partner. However, in this system, only the setting of publishing the Q & A collection by manually deciding the disclosure range and setting not to publish is set, and it is not possible to determine the range of information to be exchanged while communicating with the user in a timely manner.

JP 2005-196296 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-010974 JP 2005-011085 A

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a question answering system in which a plurality of respondents can present an answer to a question transmitted from a user while appropriately discussing the question.

A question answering system according to one aspect of the present invention includes:
An image forming composite apparatus, an input unit to which an arbitrary comment is input from various terminal devices through a network, and a comment input to the input unit are displayed only for viewers classified in advance, and are classified in advance. A display instruction means capable of arbitrarily switching a group of viewers, and a data processing device having
The image forming composite apparatus can send a comment to the input unit by logging into the data processing apparatus as the apparatus itself, as an administrator, or as a user,
The viewer can write in response to the comment;
It is characterized by.

  For example, a viewer is a service person, a service center, a developer of an apparatus, etc., and these viewers are hierarchically divided and received from users (various terminal devices such as an image forming composite apparatus and a computer). In response to comments (questions), for example, a service person alone or after discussing with other service persons using this system, or taking into account the answers from the developer, answering the users (Write). Such questions and answers can be viewed by all users, or only answers related to the user's own ID can be viewed.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of respondents can present an answer to a question transmitted from a user while appropriately discussing the question.

It is a block diagram which shows the network structure of the question answering system which is one Example. It is explanatory drawing regarding the function of the server shown in FIG. (A)-(D) is explanatory drawing which shows the screen structure of a display part, respectively. It is explanatory drawing which shows the display screen for developers. It is explanatory drawing which shows the screen for users.

  Embodiments of a question answering system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the network on which the question answering system according to the embodiment operates is configured around a server 20 connected to the LAN 10, and includes a plurality of image forming complex devices 25 and computers of service personnel. A PC 1 (or a portable terminal M), a service center computer PC 2, and a developer computer PC 3 related to the image forming composite apparatus 25 are respectively connected. A plurality of users may be set in the image forming composite apparatus 25, and the computer PC4 may be connected to be capable of remote control. Furthermore, a computer PC5 used by the user is also connected.

  An arbitrary comment is input to the server 20 via the LAN 10 from each of the image forming composite apparatus 25 and the computers PC1 to PC5. As shown in FIG. 2, the server 20 is grouped into a user layer, a serviceman layer, and a developer layer. The user layer targets users all over the country, and the service man layer includes a service center and may be divided into regions such as Kanto and Kinki. The developer group is for developers all over the country. Of course, the user layer and the developer layer may be divided into regions, and the serviceman layer may be targeted nationwide.

  A user uses a web setting screen of an information processing function (including a screen and a keyboard) installed in his / her image forming composite apparatus 25 or through a remote operation function to input a comment (question) by a keyboard input to the server 20. Make a call to Comments (questions) input to the server 20 are divided into groups divided in advance as described above, and are first displayed on the screen of the computer PC1 of the serviceman layer. Here, the displayed object may include a user layer or a developer layer. Thus, the server 20 can switch the group of viewers of comments from the user. The server 20 issues a login ID to each user or the image forming composite apparatus 25 and the computers PC1 to PC5. A user or the like accesses the server 20 using the issued ID.

  FIG. 3A shows an operation screen of the display unit of the image forming composite apparatus 25 or the user's computer PC5. This screen is a screen installed in the image forming composite apparatus 25, a printer driver screen, or a web setting screen. When the “inquiry” button 31 displayed there is clicked, as shown in FIG. 3B, a writing column 32 is displayed together with a display of “What are you doing?”. In the writing field 32, the user is in trouble, for example, “What should I do if an error xx occurs in the setting of Active Directory?”, “Generate PDF with 2 in 1 and make NAS of manufacturer B Is it possible to send to "?" The image forming composite apparatus 25 can automatically attach its own individual information, user setting information, and operation log.

  The comment (question) is input to the server 20, and the server 20 transfers the comment to limited viewers (serviceman layer, developer layer). Note that the server 20 can arbitrarily switch the transfer destination here. FIG. 3C shows a writing screen on the display unit of the computer PC1 of the serviceman, writes necessary items in the writing field 33, and selects a destination from “user”, “serviceman”, and “developer”. Send to server 20. FIG. 3D shows a writing screen on the display unit of the developer's computer PC3, in which necessary items are written in the writing column, and the destination is selected from “user”, “serviceman”, and “developer”. 20 to send.

  As described above, various writings are made based on one comment (question). FIG. 4 shows an example of the display screen of the developer computer PC3, and the display of the uppermost L1 and the lowermost L5 is displayed on the screens of the user, the serviceman, and the developer. The display of the second level L2 and the third level L3 is displayed on the screen of the serviceman and developer. The display of the fourth level L4 is displayed only on the developer's screen. In other words, service personnel exchange information such as “Where is FTP of model ABC?” And “I think it is a network menu” between service personnel A and B, and the results are expressed by developer C. Are confirming with each other, as B says. While confirming his / her own comment, the user can obtain an answer from the service person A “It is in the destination setting of the network menu”.

  Note that all writing information may be displayed on the user's screen as shown in FIG. In other words, if information such as “A serviceman is examining” or “A developer is examining” is obtained, the stress of waiting for a response is alleviated.

  As for the writing in response to the comment from the user, only the writing related to the login ID owned by the comment sender may be displayed to the comment sender. In addition, this display restriction can be canceled. Further, the server 20 itself can limit the range of viewers and the like by the model ID of the image forming composite apparatus 25, the ID of the responsible service person, and the ID of the responsible area of the responsible service person.

  When the service person logs in to the server 20 from his computer PC1, he or she can receive a display focused on comments from the user he is in charge of based on the service person ID. In addition, the service person can log in to the server 20 from his / her mobile terminal M and display it as a news bar in real time. Thus, it is possible to quickly respond to questions from the user. In the service center of each region, the latest writing of the region may be displayed based on the ID of the region to which the region belongs.

  The developer may log in to the server 20 using his / her ID to receive a display that is narrowed down according to the model in charge or the type of job in charge. This refinement can be canceled by the developer himself.

  Servicemen can exchange opinions and information between servicemen by inputting from the screen shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the writing to the serviceman layer is not displayed on the user layer, but if the item “speak to the user” is clicked on the screen of FIG. 3C, it is also displayed on the user layer. .

  Developers can exchange information between developers in response to comments from users and writing by service personnel. Click the “Speaker in Developer” item on the screen in FIG. Good. If the content of the answer is known, the answer to the service person layer is transferred via the server 20, and the answer to the user layer is also possible directly. In FIG. 5, the progress status can be transmitted to the user by returning to the user layer information such as the developer following the writing of the service person A.

  In addition, when the service person answers the user, the reliability of the statement is given to the user by automatically attaching the reliability information such as “the survey result of two service persons and one developer”. It can also be communicated. Regarding the display range, in addition to narrowing down by person level or model such as serviceman or developer, in addition to displaying in the order that does not follow, or setting to search past statements, comments are left unattended You can avoid that. The display of writing in response to the comment may be arranged in time series, or may be narrowed down and displayed based on a specific image forming composite apparatus, user, service person, service center, and / or developer.

  Further, the server 20 can freely change the combination of groups for determining the display range. For example, the user layer is divided into a printing company that provides a printing service using the image forming composite apparatus 25 and a general user that is used for personal printing, and each is grouped with an ID, or a service corresponding to the group. A unique ID may be attached to a group of men, and so-called linking may be performed.

  It should be noted that the question answering system according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified within the scope of the gist thereof.

  As described above, the present invention is useful for a question answering system, and is particularly excellent in that a plurality of respondents can present an answer while appropriately discussing a question transmitted from a user.

10 ... LAN
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Server 25 ... Image forming composite apparatus PC1-PC5 ... Computer

Claims (7)

An image forming composite apparatus, an input unit to which an arbitrary comment is input from various terminal devices through a network, and a comment input to the input unit are displayed only for viewers classified in advance, and are classified in advance. A display instruction means capable of arbitrarily switching a group of viewers, and a data processing device having
The image forming composite apparatus can send a comment to the input unit by logging into the data processing apparatus as the apparatus itself, as an administrator, or as a user,
The viewer can write in response to the comment;
Question answering system characterized by   The question answering system according to claim 1, wherein the viewer is an image forming composite apparatus, a user, a service person, a service center, and / or a developer.   The question answering system according to claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus assigns an ID for login to an image forming composite apparatus, a user, a service person, a service center, and / or a developer.   4. The image forming composite apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a comment can be transmitted by keyboard input using a web setting screen of the apparatus itself or through a remote operation function. The question answering system described in any one.   5. The writing in response to the comment is such that only writing related to a login ID owned by the comment sender is displayed to the comment sender. The question answering system described.   The question answering system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the viewer himself / herself can switch a group of viewers classified in advance by the data processing device.   The viewer can display the display of writing in response to the comment in chronological order, or narrow down the display based on a specific image forming composite device, user, serviceman, service center, and / or developer. The question answering system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

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