JP2016157152A - Remote help guide system and remote help guide method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote help guide system and a remote help guide method which can truly resolve a malfunction occurring in an image forming apparatus and improve customer satisfaction and convenience of a user.SOLUTION: There is provided a remote help guide system which includes an image forming apparatus, a server, and an operator operation terminal. The image formation apparatus comprises an information collection part which collects information on a malfunction when the malfunction occurs and a transmission part which transmits the information collected by the information collection part to the server. The server comprises a response part which sends countermeasures against the malfunction back to the image forming apparatus on the basis of the information transmitted by the transmission part, and a control part which gives notification to the operator operation terminal when the response from the response part satisfies a prescribed condition, and urges the operator to guide. There is also provided a remote help guide method.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote help guide system and a remote help guide method.

  An operation procedure guidance server that monitors a network via a network and automatically provides a method for solving the problem that has occurred is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-086944 A

  However, when a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus, the solution provided from the guide server may not be generally correct. At this time, there is a case where support is required from the call center so that the user can solve the problem without dispatching a service person.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and the problem of the present invention is that it is possible to truly solve the problems that have occurred in the image forming apparatus and to improve customer satisfaction and convenience for the user. And providing a remote help guide method and a remote help guide method.

  In order to solve the above problems, a remote help guide system according to the present invention is a remote help guide system having an image forming apparatus, a server, and an operator operation terminal, and the image forming apparatus has a problem. An information collecting unit that collects information about the defect, and a transmitting unit that transmits the information collected by the information collecting unit to the server, wherein the server is transmitted by the transmitting unit. Based on the information, a response unit that responds to the image forming apparatus with a countermeasure for the defect, and a control that notifies the operator operation terminal when the response by the response unit satisfies a predetermined condition and prompts the operator to guide It is characterized by providing a part.

  The remote help guide method according to the present invention is a remote help guide method including an image forming apparatus, a server, and an operator operation terminal. When a problem occurs in the image forming apparatus, the remote help guide method includes: Collecting defect information; searching for a handling method corresponding to the defect information by the server; and switching from the server to a guide by the operator operation terminal based on a search result in the server. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a remote help guide system and a remote help guide method that can achieve true resolution of problems occurring in an image forming apparatus and can improve customer satisfaction and convenience for a user. can do.

It is a system configuration figure of the remote help guide concerning this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the structure of knowledge DB which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the structure of correspondence log | history DB which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the whole operation | movement of the remote help guide which concerns on this embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following description, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can change suitably.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a remote help guide system according to the present embodiment. The remote help guide system according to the present embodiment includes a help guide server 101, an image forming apparatus 102, and an operator operation terminal 103 as system components, which are connected via networks 105 and 107. Further, the portable terminal 104 as an information terminal may exchange information with the image forming apparatus 102 via the communication line 128 and access the help guide server 101 via the network 106 as necessary.

  The help guide server 101 includes a help guide control AP 110 that also serves as a control unit and a response unit that collectively control operations related to the help guide, an information transmission / reception unit 111 that controls transmission / reception of information via the networks 105 to 107, Based on an ID for identifying a coping method for a problem, a problem information search unit 112 that searches the knowledge DB 108 for a coping method corresponding to the ID, and a printer information matching unit that collates information transmitted from the image forming apparatus 102 113, a correspondence history management unit 114 that manages the correspondence history DB 109, and a knowledge DB 108 including a rewritable storage device such as a flash memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), the correspondence history DB 109, and the knowledge DB 108, for example. Exchanges with the forming device 102 or the mobile terminal 104 And a exchange history storage unit 129 stores a history.

  Here, the configuration of the knowledge DB 108 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the knowledge DB 108 includes an ID 1081 that is a storage area of an ID that uniquely identifies a countermeasure method for a defect, a countermeasure method 1082 that is a storage area of a countermeasure method corresponding to the ID, and an image forming apparatus. 102 or a transmission means 1083 that is a storage area of a notification means for the user at the portable terminal 104. For example, the value “0001” of the ID 1081 is a value for identifying a coping method for “paper jam” as a problem, and the coping method corresponding to the value of the ID is “please open the front cover”. . Then, based on the “display, sound” defined by the transmission means, the image forming apparatus 102 or the portable terminal 104 notifies the user of “Please open the front cover” as a countermeasure.

  Next, the configuration of the correspondence history DB 109 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the correspondence history DB 109 is a storage area for asset numbers 1091 and models 1092 that are storage areas for uniquely identifying image forming apparatuses, and IP addresses for specifying positions on the network. This is a storage area for storing a certain IP address 1093, a date 1094 which is a storage area for the reception date and time of information transmitted from the image forming apparatus, and the selected coping method as a correspondence history with the ID value shown in FIG. Correspondence history (ID) 1095. For example, from an image forming apparatus having an IP address on the network identified by “192.168.10.27”, an asset number 1091 of “ASN12345678”, and a model 1092 of “MC860”, the date and time “2014/7/6 12” : Based on the information received at “15”, the coping method “Open the front cover” corresponding to the ID value “0001” indicated by the correspondence history (ID) 1095 is selected and guided to the image forming apparatus. Means that In the example shown in FIG. 3, based on the information received on the date “2014/7/6 12:17”, the image forming apparatus having the asset number 1071 of “ASN12345678” and the model 1092 of “MC860” The countermeasure for "Please open the front cover" corresponding to the ID value "0001" shown in the correspondence history (ID) 1095 is further guided, and the same target twice for the same image forming apparatus Indicates that the method has been guided.

  Returning to FIG. 1 again, the help guide server 101 includes an exchange storage unit 129 that stores exchanges performed with the user (the image forming apparatus 102 or the portable terminal 104) via the knowledge DB 108 as an exchange history. The information stored in the exchange history storage unit 129 is transmitted to the operator terminal device 103 via the information transmission / reception unit 111. When the exchange with the user via the knowledge DB 108 is switched to the exchange with the operator operation terminal 103, the information transmission / reception unit 111 uses the exchange history stored in the exchange history storage unit 129 as an operator operation terminal using e-mail or the like, for example. 103.

  Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 102 will be described. The image forming apparatus 102 is activated in response to pressing of a help button (not shown), and a help guide AP 115 that comprehensively controls the operation related to the help guide in the image forming apparatus 102, information of the information via the network 105 and the communication 126. An information transmission / reception unit 116 that controls transmission / reception, an information input unit 117 that includes input means such as a touch panel (not shown), various input buttons, a numeric keypad, or a help guide button, and receives input of information from the user, When a display means such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) (not shown) is provided and the display is defined as a transmission means for the countermeasure described with reference to FIG. 2, the help display unit 118 notifies the user of the countermeasure by display. If the voice is defined as a transmission means for the coping method described with reference to FIG. A voice generation unit 119 that informs the user through an event, and an information collection unit 120 that collects information about a malfunction occurring in the apparatus in response to the user pressing a help guide button. Similar to the image forming apparatus 102, the portable terminal 104 shown in the figure includes a help guide AP 122, an information transmission / reception unit 123, an information input unit 124, a help display unit 125, an audio generation unit 126, and an information collection unit 127. Since these configurations can be the same as those of the image forming apparatus 102, description thereof is omitted here.

  Similarly, the configuration of the operator operation terminal 103 will be described with reference to FIG. The operator terminal device 103 is, for example, a terminal operated by an operator who is registered at a call center or the like, and includes an operator-compatible AP 121. Based on the notification from the help guide server 101, the operator handling AP 121 acquires history information of the image forming apparatus 102 in which the problem has occurred from the response history DB 109 provided in the help guide server 101, and aims to truly solve the problem. Centrally control the above operations.

  Next, the overall operation of the remote help guide according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, in the image forming apparatus 102, for example, when an error (failure) such as a paper jam occurs (step S401), the user presses a help guide button (not shown) (step S402).

  In response to pressing of the help guide button, the help guide AP 115 of the image forming apparatus 102 is activated. The activated help guide AP 115 gives an instruction to the information collecting unit 120 to collect information on the trouble that has occurred. Receiving the instruction, the information collecting unit 120 collects the information (step S403) and outputs it to the information transmitting / receiving unit 116. Then, the information transmission / reception unit 116 transmits the information to the help guide server 101 via the network 105 (step S404).

  In step S <b> 405, the help guide server 101 that has received the information via the information transmission / reception unit 111 performs collation with the image forming apparatus 102 that is the information transmission source in the printer information collation unit 111, and outputs the information to the help guide control AP 110. To do.

  The help guide control AP 110 determines a problem in the image forming apparatus 102 from the input information, and outputs an ID corresponding to a coping method for solving the problem to the problem information search unit 112 (step S406).

  Based on the input ID, the problem information search unit 112 searches the knowledge DB 108 for a coping method 1082 corresponding to the ID (step S407).

  The help guide control unit AP110 is searched in the correspondence history DB 109 by the asset number, model, IP address, date and time, and problem information search unit 112, which are management information of the image forming apparatus 102, and provides guidance to the image forming apparatus 102. The response history management unit 114 is instructed to record the handling method to be recorded as the response history (ID). Upon receiving the instruction, the correspondence history management unit 114 records the above contents in the respective storage areas of the correspondence history DB 109 (step S408).

  Next, the help guide control unit AP110 searches for past countermeasures for the image forming apparatus 102 (step S409). Here, when the guidance of the coping method searched in step S407 is different from the guidance of the coping method in the past (No in step S410), the help guide control AP 110 handles the coping information including the coping method and the transmission means searched in step S407. Is sent to the image forming apparatus 102. Upon receiving the instruction, the information transmitting / receiving unit 111 transmits the handling information to the image forming apparatus 102. Further, even if the guidance for the coping method searched in step S407 is the same as the guidance for the past coping method (Yes in step S410), for example, whether the content can be dealt with within 15 minutes. If it is larger than the threshold (No in step S411), the help guide control AP 110 causes the image forming apparatus 102 to transmit the handling information including the handling method and the transmission means searched in step S407.

  In step S 413, the help guide AP 115 of the image forming apparatus 102 that has received the handling information via the information transmitting / receiving unit 116 displays the response method on the help display unit 118 according to the content of the transmission means included in the handling information, or the sound. The user is notified by voice guidance in the generation unit 119 (step S414).

  The user performs the instructed countermeasure. As a result, when the problem is resolved (Yes in step S415), the help guide AP 115 ends the process. On the other hand, if the problem is not resolved (No in step S415), the help guide AP 115 repeats the processing from step S403.

  On the other hand, the guidance of the coping method searched in step S407 is the same as the guidance of the past coping method (Yes in step S410), and it is below the threshold value, for example, whether the content can be dealt with within 15 minutes. If there is (Yes in step S411), the help guide control AP 110 transmits the handling information including the handling method and the transmission means searched in step S407 to the image forming apparatus 102 (step S412), and causes the operator operation terminal 103 to send the handling information. Notification is made (step S416). Further, the information transmission / reception unit 111 transmits the exchange history stored in the exchange history storage unit 129 to the operator operation terminal 103 using e-mail or the like, for example.

  Upon receiving the notification, the operator handling AP 121 of the operator operation terminal 103 transmits the corresponding history information to the handling history management unit 114 in order to acquire information on the coping method guided from the help guide server 101 so far. And request this (step S417).

  The operator who operates the operator operation terminal 103 confirms the history information acquired in step S417 and the exchange history, and guesses the cause of the same coping method being guided (step S418). For example, the operator confirms the history in which the countermeasure method of “please open the front cover” with the ID value “0001” indicated by the correspondence history (ID) shown in FIG. Then, it is presumed that the coping method guided by the user of the image forming apparatus 102 is misunderstood to open another cover, and an appropriate coping method is input via the operator corresponding AP 121 so as to open the correct cover (step S419). ). The input coping method is recorded in the correspondence history DB 109 via the help guide server 101 and then transmitted to the information transmitting / receiving unit 116 of the image forming apparatus 102.

  The help guide AP 115 of the image forming apparatus 102 that has received the handling information via the information transmission / reception unit 116 (step S413) displays the response method on the help display unit 118 according to the content of the transmission means included in the handling information, or the sound. The user is notified by voice guidance in the generation unit 119 (step S414). The user tries to solve the problem based on the displayed coping method or the coping method based on the voice guidance. When this solves the problem (Yes in step S415), the help guide AP 115 ends the process. At this time, as indicated by an arrow in the figure, it is also possible to reflect, in the response history DB 109, exchanges of countermeasures up to the resolution of the problem.

  As a result, the problem that the problem occurred in the image forming apparatus 102 cannot be solved by the same misunderstood operation is eliminated, and the user can truly solve the problem.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to make the problem solving means due to a user's misunderstanding be realized, and it is possible to realize a help function for leading to the true resolution of the problem. That is, it is possible to reduce useless time for the user to perform the same operation many times, and it is possible to improve user convenience.

  In the description of the present embodiment, the form in which only the coping method is guided from the operator to the user has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, after obtaining the user's permission, a processing command may be transmitted from the operator operation terminal to the image forming apparatus, and setting change or countermeasure processing may be performed remotely. By doing so, it is possible to solve the problem without bothering the user.

  Further, in the description of the present embodiment, the automatic response and the response by the operator input are described separately on the time axis when the coping method is a short time (for example, 15 minutes), but in addition to this, for example, the knowledge DB No handling method is stored in memory, that is, a notification is sent to the operator operation terminal when a problem occurs in which the handling method is unknown, or a notification is sent to the operator operation terminal when the guidance for the same handling method reaches a predetermined number of times. It is also possible. Furthermore, it is possible to reflect the contents corresponding to the operator input in the knowledge DB after the authorized person approves. As a result, the range that can be handled by automatic response can be expanded during operation, and as a result, the number of man-hours required for the operator can be reduced.

101 Help Guide Server 102 Image Forming Apparatus 103 Operator Operation Terminal 104 Mobile Terminal 105, 106, 107 Network 108 Knowledge DB
109 Correspondence history DB
110 Help Guide Control AP
111 Information Transmission / Reception Unit 112 Problem Information Search Unit 113 Printer Information Collation Unit 114 Corresponding History Management Unit 115, 122 Help Guide AP
116, 123 Information transmission / reception unit 117, 124 Information input unit 118, 125 Help display unit 119, 126 Voice generation unit 120, 127 Information collection unit 121 AP for operator
128 communication line 129 exchange history storage unit

Claims (9)

A remote help guide system having an image forming apparatus, a server, and an operator operation terminal,
The image forming apparatus includes:
An information collection unit that collects information about the defect when the defect occurs;
A transmission unit that transmits the information collected by the information collection unit to the server;
The server
A response unit that responds to the image forming apparatus with a countermeasure for the defect based on the information transmitted by the transmission unit;
A remote help guide system comprising: a control unit that notifies the operator operation terminal when a response by the response unit satisfies a predetermined condition and prompts the operator to guide. The server includes a storage unit that stores a coping method for the defect,
The remote help guide system according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores a response history by the response unit in association with the handling method. The remote help guide system according to claim 2, wherein the response history includes an identifier for identifying the image forming apparatus in which a failure has occurred. The remote help guide system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined condition is a time required until the countermeasure for the malfunction is completed. The remote help guide system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined condition is a response count of a coping method for the malfunction. 6. The remote according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus stores a response exchange with the server in the storage unit when the problem is solved. 7. Help guide system. The server includes an exchange history storage unit that stores exchanges with the image forming apparatus as a history.
The said exchange history memorize | stored in the said exchange log | history memory | storage part is transmitted to the said operator operation terminal when prompting the guide by the said operator, The operator operation terminal of any one of Claim 1 thru | or 6 characterized by the above-mentioned. Remote help guide system. The remote guide system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an information terminal connected to the image forming apparatus via a communication line. A remote help guide method having an image forming apparatus, a server, and an operator operation terminal,
Collecting defect information of the image forming apparatus when a defect occurs in the image forming apparatus;
The server searching for a coping method corresponding to the defect information;
A remote help guide method comprising: switching from the server to a guide by the operator operation terminal based on a search result in the server.