JP2018107756A - Information processing apparatus, control method of the same, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mechanism that makes it easier for a user to identify a cause of an error when the error occurs in a monitored area.SOLUTION: By using image data obtained by imaging an object to be imaged when an error occurs and image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when no error occurs, the information processing apparatus identifies a portion that is highly likely to cause an error from the image data of the image of the object to be imaged when the error occurs and controls so that the image is captured by zooming on the portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method for the information processing apparatus, and a program, and more particularly to a mechanism that allows a user to easily identify the cause of an error when an error occurs in a monitoring target area.

  Generally, in a production factory, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is used to control various machine tools, and when a malfunction occurs in the production process, the PLC raises an error alert. In addition, a network camera for monitoring the production line is installed separately, and both may operate as separate systems or as one system.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism for monitoring an object production process using a network camera. Further, Patent Document 1 discloses that when an alert is raised from a machine tool, the network camera is directed in the direction in which the alert is raised.

JP 2008-17158 A

  By the way, when an alert is raised from a machine tool as in Patent Document 1, there is a case where it is difficult to specify the cause of what actually caused an error simply by pointing the network camera in that direction. There was a possibility. For example, the sensor attached to the arm of the manufacturing apparatus that lifts the product and packs it in the box is supposed to turn on if the machine tool 101 is lifting the product 301, but it does not turn on. If the error event is caused by the unscrewing of the arm of the machine tool 101, the error event and the direction in which the alert was raised are imaged over a wide range. There is a possibility that the image data of the network camera 104 is not known.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that allows a user to easily identify the cause of an error when an error occurs in a monitoring target area.

  The present invention relates to an image capturing unit that captures an image of a monitoring target area, and when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, the information processing apparatus can communicate with the image capturing unit that captures an imaged target corresponding to the error. , Using acquisition means for acquiring image data captured by the imaging means, the image data acquired by the acquisition means, and image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when the error does not occur A specifying unit that identifies a portion that is likely to cause an error from the image data acquired by the acquiring unit, and a portion that is specified by the specifying unit is zoomed and imaged by the imaging unit. And a control means for controlling.

  Further, the present invention provides an imaging unit that images a monitoring target area, and when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, the information processing apparatus is capable of communicating with the imaging unit that captures an imaging target corresponding to the error. In the control method, the acquisition unit of the information processing device acquires the image data captured by the imaging unit, and the image data acquired by the specifying unit of the information processing device in the acquisition step; Identifying a location that is likely to cause an error from the image data acquired by the acquisition unit using image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when the error does not occur And a control step of controlling the control means of the information processing apparatus so as to zoom and pick up an image of the location specified in the specifying step with the image pickup means.

  In addition, the present invention is an image processing unit that captures an image of a monitoring target area. When an error occurs in the monitoring target area, the information processing apparatus can communicate with the image capturing unit that captures an imaged target corresponding to the error. A read-executable program when the information processing apparatus acquires an image data captured by the imaging unit, the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, and the error does not occur Using the image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged, a specifying unit that specifies a portion that is likely to cause an error from the image data acquired by the acquiring unit, and specified by the specifying unit It is characterized by functioning as a control means for controlling the imaged portion to be zoomed and imaged by the imaging means.

  According to the present invention, when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, the user can easily identify the cause of the error.

The system block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the production process monitoring system of this invention. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus applicable to the PLC client terminal 103, the relay server 105, the recording server 106, and the browsing client terminal 107 illustrated in FIG. The figure which shows an example to which the production process monitoring system of this invention is applied. The figure which shows an example of a network camera database. The figure which shows an example of a display screen when the image imaged with the network camera 104 is displayed on the browsing client terminal 107. FIG. The figure which shows an example of the flowchart regarding the whole process in the production process monitoring system of this invention. The figure which shows an example to which the production process monitoring system of this invention is applied. The figure explaining the detail of the process of step S605 of FIG. The figure which shows an example of a display screen when the image imaged with the network camera 104 is displayed on the browsing client terminal 107. FIG. The figure explaining the detail of the process of step S609 of FIG. The figure explaining the detail of the process of step S612 of FIG. The figure which shows an example of a display screen when the image imaged with the network camera 104 is displayed on the browsing client terminal 107. FIG. The figure explaining the detail of the process of step S614 of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below shows an example when the present invention is specifically implemented, and is one of the specific embodiments having the configurations described in the claims.

  FIG. 1 shows a production process for monitoring a production process of an object flowing through a factory line including a machine tool 101, a PLC 102, a PLC client terminal 103, a network camera 104, a relay server 105, a recording server 106, and a browsing client terminal 107 of the present invention. It is a system configuration figure showing an example of the composition of a monitoring system.

In the production process monitoring system, each device is connected to be communicable via a network 108 or a wireless LAN (including a mobile communication network).
The machine tool 101 performs assembly, processing, packing, and the like of a product to be produced.

  The PLC 102 controls the machine tool 101. When an error occurs in the machine tool 101, the error is detected and the processing result of the PLC 102 is transmitted to the PLC client terminal 103. When an abnormality occurs in the machine tool 101, a code indicating the cause at the time of the abnormality is transmitted to the PLC client terminal 103.

  The PLC client terminal 103 receives the processing result of the PLC 102 transmitted from the PLC 102 and a code indicating the cause at the time of occurrence of the abnormality, and when the received information is a code indicating the cause at the time of occurrence of the abnormality of the PLC 102, An event indicating an error (also referred to as an error event) is transmitted to the relay server 105.

  The error event is, for example, a production process monitoring such as “In the production process A, the container take-out robot_gripping OFF abnormality (the sensor attached to the hand of the machine tool 101 that takes out the product container is not turned on)”. Various errors that occur on the system.

  When the relay server 105 receives an event indicating an error from the PLC client terminal 103, the relay server 105 performs PTZ (panning to the left and right, tilting to move up and down, and telephoto or wide-angle) of the network camera 104 according to the contents of the event. (Zoom) is determined, and the determined content is transmitted to the recording server 106.

  The recording server 106 sends an acquisition request for image data (also referred to as imaging data) to the network camera 104, acquires and stores the image data captured by the network camera 104, and the image acquired in the browsing client terminal 107. Or send data. Further, the recording server analyzes the acquired image data and determines whether the PTZ adjustment of the network camera 104 is necessary.

  In this embodiment, the relay server 105 and the recording server 106 are separate devices. However, as another embodiment, the relay server 105 and the recording server 106 may be the same device.

  One or a plurality of network cameras 104 are provided for each production process, and images each production process. Then, the image data captured by the network camera 104 is transmitted to the recording server 106. Further, the PTZ of the network camera 104 is adjusted according to an instruction from the recording server 106.

The browsing client terminal 107 is used by the user to confirm image data when an error event occurs, and displays the image data transmitted from the recording server 106 on a display.
This is the end of the description of FIG.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus applicable to the PLC client terminal 103, the relay server 105, the recording server 106, and the browsing client terminal 107 illustrated in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a CPU that comprehensively controls each device and controller connected to the system bus 204. In the ROM 202 or the external memory 211, a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System), an operating system program (hereinafter referred to as OS), which is a control program of the CPU 201, and various functions described later that are necessary for realizing the functions executed by the PC. Programs and so on are stored.

  A RAM 203 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 201. The CPU 201 implements various operations by loading a program necessary for execution of processing from the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 into the RAM 203 and executing the loaded program.

  An input controller 205 controls input from a pointing device such as a keyboard (KB) 209. A video controller 206 controls display on a display device such as a display 210 (regardless of liquid crystal or cathode ray tube).

  A memory controller 207 is provided in an external storage device (hard disk (HD)), a flexible disk (FD), or a PCMCIA card slot for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, various data, and the like. Controls access to an external memory 211 such as a compact flash (registered trademark) memory connected via an adapter.

  A communication I / F controller 208 connects and communicates with an external device via a network, and executes communication control processing on the network. For example, communication using TCP / IP is possible.

  Note that the CPU 201 enables display on the display 210 by executing outline font rasterization processing on a display information area in the RAM 203, for example. Further, the CPU 201 enables a user instruction with a mouse cursor (not shown) on the display 210.

  Various programs to be described later for realizing the present invention are recorded in the external memory 211 and executed by the CPU 201 by being loaded into the RAM 203 as necessary. Further, a setting file used when executing the program is also stored in the external memory 211, and detailed description thereof will be described later. This is the end of the description of FIG.

  Next, it is a figure which shows an example which applied the production process monitoring system of this invention using FIG. 3, and is the figure which looked at the production line of a certain factory from the top.

  The production line shown in FIG. 3 includes three production processes from production process A to production process C, and one network camera 104 is installed for each production process. The network camera 104 normally performs imaging with a preset preset by the user at the time of installation.

  Information on the network camera 104 installed on the production line is managed by the network camera database shown in FIG.

A machine tool 101 is provided for each production process, and the machine tool 101 assembles, processes, and packs the product 301. The product 301 is conveyed to each production process by a conveyance table 302. This is the end of the description of FIG.
Next, the network camera database will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the network camera database managed by the relay server 105 or the external memory 211 of the recording server 106. The network camera database is a network camera name for uniquely identifying each network camera 104. 401, an imaging target 402 indicating a production process being shot by the network camera 104 indicated by the network camera name 401, and a preset 403 indicating a preset of the network camera 104 indicated by the network camera name 401. This is the end of the description of FIG.

  Next, an example of a display screen when an image captured by the network camera 104 is displayed on the browsing client terminal 107 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when an image captured by the network camera 104 displayed on the display 210 of the browsing client terminal 107 is displayed on the browsing client terminal 107.

  The display screen 500 includes a production line display area 501 for displaying image data of the production line, a live video area 502 for displaying image data (live video) currently captured by the network camera 104, and an error in the production process. It consists of a recorded video display area 503 for displaying image data (recorded video) when an event occurs, and a list area 504 for displaying a list of error events that have occurred in the production process.

  In the production line display area 501, image data is displayed so that the user can recognize the position of the network camera 104 currently displaying the live video.

A list area 504 includes a date and time 505 indicating the date and time when the error event occurred, a name 506 indicating an error state (displayed as “new” if the error event is newly added), a message 507 indicating the content of the error event, and an error It includes a production process in which an event has occurred and a source 508 indicating the network camera 104 that captures the production process. This is the end of the description of FIG.
Next, the overall processing in the production process monitoring system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart relating to the overall processing in the production process monitoring system of the present invention.

  Each step of the flowcharts shown in FIG. 6 and FIGS. 8, 10, 11, and 13 described later is executed by the CPU of each device.

  In step S601, the PLC client terminal 103 receives the processing result of the PLC 102 transmitted from the PLC 102 and a code indicating the cause at the time of occurrence of abnormality, and the received information is a code indicating the cause at the time of occurrence of the abnormality of the PLC 102. (Step S602), and if the received information is a code indicating the cause of the occurrence of an abnormality in the PLC 102, an error event is transmitted to the relay server 105 (step S603).

  In step S604, when the relay server 105 receives an error event from the PLC client terminal 103 (step S604), the relay server 105 executes the received error event analysis process (step S605). Details of the processing in step S605 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Note that the error event received from which PLC 102 can be determined from the IP address of the transmission source. Further, although the PLC 102 has different error event transmission procedures and transmission data formats depending on the manufacturer, the relay server 105 can implement a reception driver for each manufacturer for the transmission procedures and transmission data formats of a plurality of corresponding PLC manufacturers. , The difference between manufacturers can be absorbed.

  Further, in the present invention, it is assumed that an approximate location of an error and the content of the error can be specified from the error event.

  If there are a plurality of error events, the relay server 105 acquires all the error events in step S604.

  Step S604 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires a detection result by a detection unit that detects that an error has occurred in the production process according to the present invention.

  In step S606, the relay server 105 adjusts the PTZ of the network camera 104 determined by the processing in step S605 (panning to move left and right, tilting to move up and down, and zooming to telephoto and wide angle). Information of the error event including the contents is transmitted to the recording server 106, and an adjustment instruction is given to the network camera 104 via the recording server 106.

  In step S606, the determination unit according to the present invention captures the production process in which the error has occurred with the imaging unit other than the imaging unit that images the production process in which the error has occurred. When it is determined to control in this way, it is an example of a control unit that controls the other imaging unit to image the production process in which an error has occurred.

  In step S <b> 607, the recording server 106 transmits an acquisition request for image data captured by the network camera 104 to the network camera 104.

  In step S608, the recording server 106 acquires the image data transmitted from the network camera 104 in response to the image data acquisition request in step S607, and executes processing on the image data (step S609). Details of the processing in step S609 will be described later with reference to FIG. The acquired image data is buffered for a predetermined time.

  In step S610, the recording server 106 transmits the image data acquired from the network camera 104 to the browsing client terminal 107.

  In step S611, the network camera 104 receives a request from the recording server 106, and executes processing according to the request (step S612). Details of the processing in step S612 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In step S613, the browsing client terminal 107 receives the image data transmitted from the recording server 106, and executes processing for displaying the image data on the display 210 (step S614). Details of the processing in step S614 will be described later with reference to FIG.

Step S613 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires image data captured by the imaging unit when an error occurs in the monitoring target area in the present invention.
This is the end of the description of FIG.
Next, details of the processing in step S605 of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As described with reference to FIG. 4, since the network camera 104 to be imaged for each production process is determined, when an error event occurs in the production process, the network camera 104 having the production process as an imaging target (imaging target 402). (Network camera indicated by network camera name 401) images the production process. However, depending on the content of the error, the error state may not be grasped only by the image data of the network camera 104.

  For example, in the state shown in FIG. 3, when an error event occurs in the production process A, in the camera 1, the side opposite to the side imaged by the camera 1 of the machine tool a, that is, the back side of the machine tool a is the camera 1. May become a blind spot and the error location may not be imaged. In addition, when an error event occurs below the transport table 302 that transports the product 301, there is a possibility that the error location cannot be imaged.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a mechanism capable of imaging an error location even in the above-described case by executing the processing shown in FIG.

  Specifically, by executing the processing of FIG. 8, when an error event occurs at a position that is a blind spot of the network camera 104 that captures the production process in which the error event has occurred, Since the approximate position can be identified from the information of the error event transmitted from the PLC client terminal 103, in such a case, as shown in FIG. 7, the network camera 104 that captures another production process also generates an error event. Decide to image the production process.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example to which the production process monitoring system of the present invention is applied. In the production line shown in FIG. 3, an error event is detected at a position that is a blind spot of the network camera 104 that captures the production process in which an error event has occurred. FIG. 6 is a diagram in which the network camera 104 (camera 2 and camera 3) that captures another production process also captures the production process in which an error event has occurred.

  The network camera 104 that captures other production processes also captures the production process in which an error event has occurred, so that the camera 1 can also capture a spot that is a blind spot.

Further, at this time, the network camera 104 (camera 3 in the case of FIG. 7) that captures the production process farthest from the production process in which the error event has occurred is controlled to be zoomed out (that is, a wide range is imaged). Thus, according to the present invention, even if an error event generated in the production process affects other production processes, the influence can be confirmed from the image data of the network camera 104 zoomed out.
Now, each step of FIG. 8 will be described.

  In step S801, the relay server 105 causes the network camera 104 that captures another production process other than the production process in which the error event is acquired in the error event acquired in step S604 to capture the production process in which the error event has occurred. Determine whether it is an error event to be set. That is, it is determined whether an error event has occurred at a position that is a blind spot of the network camera 104 that captures the production process in which the error event has occurred. If the network camera 104 that captures another production process is also an error event that should capture the production process in which the error event has occurred, the process proceeds to step S803, and the network camera 104 that captures another production process. If it is not an error event that should image the production process in which the error event has occurred, the process proceeds to step S802.

  In step S <b> 802, the relay server 105 determines that the network camera 104 that captures the production process in which the error event has occurred is to capture the location where the error has occurred, and ends this processing.

  In step S803, the relay server 105 determines whether an error event has occurred in another production process, acquires a plurality of error events in step S604, and determines whether the production process in which each error event has occurred is different. . If it is determined that an error event has occurred in another production process, the process proceeds to step S805; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S804.

  In step S804, the relay server 105 determines that the network camera 104 that captures another production process other than the production process in which the error has occurred also captures the production process in which the error has occurred.

  In step S804, in the present invention, the detection result acquired by the acquisition unit is used to detect the other imaging unit that images the production process other than the imaging unit that images the production process in which an error has occurred. It is an example of the determination means which determines whether it controls to image the said produced production process.

  In step S805, the relay server 105 determines from the contents of the error event acquired in step S604 whether an error event occurring in another production process is an error event indicating a serious error. The relay server 105 shifts the process to step S806 if the error event indicates a serious error, and shifts the process to step S804 if the error event does not indicate a serious error.

  That is, even if an error event has occurred in another production process, if it is a minor error event, the network camera 104 that captures another production process other than the production process in which the error has occurred is also in the production process in which the error has occurred. Is determined to be imaged.

  Whether the error event is a serious error event can be specified by the user by setting a weight for each error event, and when the weighting value exceeds the reference value, the user can identify a serious error event.

  The serious error here is, for example, a case where the machine tool 101 malfunctions and becomes uncontrollable or the machine tool 101 is completely stopped.

  In step S806, the relay server 105 determines that each network camera 104 is to image the production process that was originally the imaging target (imaging target 402).

Note that in step S801, even if an error event occurs in a position that becomes a blind spot of the network camera 104 that captures the production process in which the error event has occurred, if it is a minor error event, the network camera 104 that captures another production process. It is not necessary to image the production process in which the error has occurred. Above, description of FIG. 8 is complete | finished.
Next, details of the processing in step S609 in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As described above, when the relay server 105 receives an error event from the PLC client terminal 103, the network camera 104 that captures the production process in which the error event has occurred captures the production process. It is difficult to identify the cause of what caused an error by simply checking the contents of the error event and the image data of the network camera 104 that captures the production process with a preset preset. Exists. For example, the sensor attached to the arm of the machine tool 101 that lifts the product 301 and packs it in a box was not turned on although it should have been turned on if the machine tool 101 was lifting the product 301. If the error event indicates that the cause of the error event is due to the arm part of the machine tool 101 being removed, the error event or imaging with a preset preset is performed. There is a possibility that the image data of the network camera 104 is not known.

  Therefore, in the present invention, image data (normal image data) when the machine tool 101 is correctly executed in the production process, which is managed in advance by the recording server 106, is read into the Plug-in application. The image data change pattern during a normal time (image data change pattern when the machine tool 101 is operating correctly) is recognized, and the production process is imaged when an error event occurs. Among the changes in the image data, a change different from the change pattern of the recognized image data is detected. Then, the network camera 104 is instructed to zoom in on the position in the real space corresponding to the portion where the different change is detected. By checking the image data captured by the zoomed network camera 104, the user can check in more detail the location that caused the error event.

Further, in the present invention, when detecting a change in an image, a rectangle is set in advance at a rough position that is likely to cause an error in the image data from the content of the error event. By detecting whether the change in the image data is different from the recognized image data, the processing time required for specifying the change is reduced and the load on the recording server 106 is reduced.
Note that the rectangle is set for a location where a problem is expected to occur from the contents of the error event.
FIG. 9 shows an image of the result of performing the processing so far.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when image data captured by the network camera 104 displayed on the display 210 of the browsing client terminal 107 is displayed on the browsing client terminal 107.

  In FIG. 9, a rectangle 901 is set at a rough position where there is a high possibility of causing an error in the image data in the recorded video display area 503. In the example of FIG. 9, the location of the frame 902 is specified as a location in the rectangle 901 that is different from the change pattern of the image data obtained by capturing the production process during normal time that has been recognized in advance. It shows the state. After that, when zoom imaging is executed by the network camera 104 instructed by the recording server 106 to zoom the portion of the frame 902, image data (zoom image data 903) obtained by zooming in the recorded video display area 503 is displayed. Is done. As another embodiment, the image data obtained by capturing the production process at the normal time is temporarily displayed in the production line display area 501 or the live video area 502, so that the production process when an error event occurs is displayed. It is also possible to allow the user to compare the difference in change from the captured image data (image data displayed in the recorded video display area 503).

  In step S1001, the recording server 106 determines whether an error event has been received. If the recording server 106 receives an error event, the recording server 106 shifts the processing to step S1004, and if not, shifts the processing to step S1002-1.

  In step S1002-1, the recording server 106 transmits the image data to the browsing client terminal 107 so that the image data acquired from the network camera 104 in step S608 is displayed in the live video area 502 of the browsing client terminal 107. If no error event is received in step S1001 while image data is buffered for a predetermined time, the image data is deleted in step S1002.

  In step S1003, the recording server 106 determines whether an end instruction has been received from the user. If the end instruction is received, the recording server 106 ends the process. If not, the process returns to step S1001.

  In step S1004, the recording server 106 instructs the operation of the network camera 104 from the relay server 105 (specifically, the network camera 104 that captures another production process other than the production process in which the error in step S804 has occurred). It is determined whether an instruction to capture an image of the generated production process is received. If an operation instruction for the network camera 104 has been received from the relay server 105, the received operation instruction is transmitted to the network camera 104 (step S1005). Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S1006.

  In step S1006, the recording server 106 stores (records) in the external memory 211 image data of a predetermined time before and after the occurrence of the error event among the buffered image data.

  In step S <b> 1007, the recording server 106 determines a change pattern of the image data obtained by capturing the production process at a normal time, which is recognized in advance, among the changes in the image data obtained by capturing the production process when the error event occurs. Identify different changes.

  Step S1007 uses the image data acquired by the acquisition unit according to the present invention and the image data acquired by the acquisition unit using the image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when the error has not occurred. It is an example of a specifying means for specifying a portion that is likely to cause an error from among the above.

  In step S1008, the recording server 106 determines whether the zoom of the network camera 104 is necessary as a result of the process in step S1007. If the network camera 104 needs to be zoomed, the process proceeds to step S1009; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S1001.

  In step S1009, the recording server 106 transmits a request to the network camera 104 so as to zoom and image the position of the production process corresponding to the location identified as having changed differently in step S1007. Thereafter, the network camera 104 zooms and acquires image data captured and stores (records) it in the external memory 211.

Step S1009 is an example of a control unit that performs control so that the part specified by the specifying unit in the present invention is zoomed and imaged by the imaging unit.
This is the end of the description of FIG.
Next, details of the processing in step S612 in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S1101, the network camera 104 determines what the request received in step S611 is to be performed. If it is a transmission request for image data captured by the network camera 104, the image data is transmitted to the recording server 106 in step S1102, and if it is a preset position change instruction, it is changed to the preset position supported in step S1103 and zoomed in. If the instruction is a zoom-out instruction, zoom-in or zoom-out is executed. If the instruction is any other instruction, an operation according to the content of the instruction is executed. If the instruction is an end instruction, the process ends. This is the end of the description of FIG.
Next, details of the processing in step S614 in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As described with reference to FIG. 5, when an error event occurs in the production process, the browsing client terminal 107 displays image data (recorded video) when the error event occurs in the recorded video display area 503. The image data (recorded video) when the event occurs is displayed in the recorded video display area 503, and when the next error event occurs while the user is viewing the image data of the error event, the next video data is displayed in the recorded video display area 503. Since the image data when the error event occurred is displayed, the browsing of the image data of the error event that the user had been browsing until then was interrupted.

  Therefore, if the user wants to continue browsing the image data of the error event for which browsing has been interrupted, the corresponding error event is searched from the list area 504, displayed in the recorded video display area 503, and further to the place where the browsing is interrupted. It was necessary to send image data, and the operation was very complicated.

Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 12, if the next error event occurs while the user is viewing the image data of the error event, the image data when the next error event occurs is displayed as a recorded video. When a pop-up 1201 for causing the user to select whether to display in the area 503 is displayed on the display screen 500 and the YES button 1202 is selected according to the user operation, the image data when the next error event occurs is displayed as a recorded video. When the NO button 1203 is selected according to the user operation, the image data when the current error event occurs is continuously displayed in the recorded video display area 503, so that the user can perform complicated operations. Reduce.
Now, each step of FIG. 13 will be described.

  In step S <b> 1301, the browsing client terminal 107 displays the image data (live video) acquired by the recording server 106 from the network camera 104 in the live video area 502.

  In step S <b> 1302, the browsing client terminal 107 determines whether image data of an error event has been received from the recording server 106. If the error event image data is received from the recording server 106, the process proceeds to step S1304. If the error event image data is not received from the recording server 106, it is determined whether an end instruction has been received from the user ( In step S1303), if an end instruction is accepted, this process ends.

  In step S1304, the browsing client terminal 107 determines whether the image data when the error event occurs is currently displayed in the recorded video display area 503. If the image data when the error event has occurred is displayed in the currently recorded video display area 503, the process proceeds to step S1306, and the image data when the error event has occurred is displayed in the current recorded video display area 503. If not displayed, the received image data is displayed in the recorded video display area 503 in step S1305.

  In step S1304, when the image data is acquired by the recording unit according to the present invention, control is performed so that the display control unit displays the image data captured by the imaging unit when another error has already occurred. It is an example of the determination means which determines whether it is doing.

  Step S1305 is an example of display control means for controlling to display the image data acquired by the acquisition means in the present invention.

  In step S1306, if the browsing client terminal 107 is a serious error that determines whether the error event that received the image data from the recording server 106 is a serious error, in step S1309 the image data that was forcibly received is viewed. If it is not displayed in the recorded video display area 503, otherwise, in step S1307, the user selects whether to display the image data when the next error event shown in FIG. 12 occurs in the recorded video display area 503. Is displayed on the display screen 500.

  In step S1307, it is determined by the determination unit in the present invention that it is determined that the display control unit displays image data captured by the imaging unit when another error has already occurred. It is an example of a notification means for notifying a condition.

  Here, the serious error is, for example, a case where the machine tool 101 malfunctions and becomes uncontrollable, or the machine tool 101 is completely stopped.

  In step S1308, the browsing client terminal 107 determines whether the YES button 1202 of the pop-up 1201 displayed in step S1307 has been selected according to the user operation. When the YES button 1202 is selected according to the user operation, the process proceeds to step 1309, and when the NO button 1203 is selected according to the user operation, the process proceeds to step S1310 and the current error event occurs. The image data is continuously displayed in the recorded video display area 503.

In step S1311, the browsing client terminal 107 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed after the NO button 1203 is selected in accordance with a user operation or that a current error event that is continuously displayed in the recorded video display area 503 has occurred. When the reproduction of the image data ends, the process proceeds to step S1309.
This is the end of the description of FIG.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, the user can easily identify the cause of the error.

  The present invention can be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, program, storage medium, or the like, and can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices. You may apply to the apparatus which consists of one apparatus.

  Note that the present invention includes a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments directly or remotely from a system or apparatus. The present invention also includes a case where the system or the computer of the apparatus is achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, and the like.

  Examples of the recording medium for supplying the program include a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW. In addition, there are magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), and the like.

  As another program supply method, a browser on a client computer is used to connect to an Internet home page. The computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function can be downloaded from the homepage by downloading it to a recording medium such as a hard disk.

  It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. Let It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the downloaded key information and install the program on a computer.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program. In addition, based on the instructions of the program, an OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can also be realized by the processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples of implementation in carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the technical idea or the main features thereof.

101 Machine tool 102 PLC
103 PLC client terminal 104 Network camera 105 Relay server 106 Recording server 107 Viewing client terminal

Claims (5)

An imaging unit for imaging a monitoring target area, and when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an imaging unit for imaging an imaging target corresponding to the error,
Obtaining means for obtaining image data imaged by the imaging means;
Using the image data acquired by the acquisition unit and the image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when the error has not occurred, the cause of the error from the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, A specific means of identifying the likely location,
An information processing apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to perform control so that the part specified by the specifying unit is zoomed and imaged by the imaging unit.   The specifying unit is acquired by the acquiring unit using a predetermined region of the image data acquired by the acquiring unit and image data obtained by capturing the object to be imaged when the error has not occurred. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion that is highly likely to cause an error is identified from the image data.   The image processing apparatus includes display control means for controlling the image data acquired by the acquisition means and the image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged to be displayed in parallel when the error has not occurred. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. An imaging unit that images a monitoring target area, and when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, a control method for an information processing apparatus that can communicate with an imaging unit that captures an imaging target corresponding to the error,
An acquisition step in which the acquisition unit of the information processing apparatus acquires image data captured by the imaging unit;
The identification unit of the information processing apparatus uses the acquisition unit to acquire the image data acquired in the acquisition step and image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when the error has not occurred. A specific process for identifying a portion that is likely to cause an error from the image data;
A control method for controlling the information processing apparatus, comprising: a control step for controlling the imaging unit to zoom and image the location specified in the specifying step. An image capturing unit that captures an image of a monitoring target area, and when an error occurs in the monitoring target area, a program that can be read and executed by an information processing apparatus that can communicate with the image capturing unit that captures an image capturing target object corresponding to the error There,
The information processing apparatus;
Obtaining means for obtaining image data imaged by the imaging means;
Using the image data acquired by the acquisition unit and the image data obtained by imaging the object to be imaged when the error has not occurred, the cause of the error from the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, A specific means of identifying the likely location,
A program for causing a part specified by the specifying means to function as a control means for controlling to take an image by zooming with the imaging means.

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