JP2022133391A - Communication device, server and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication device for unitarily managing various information including position information of a facility, a server and a program.

SOLUTION: A communication device 100 includes a position information acquisition part 101, a reception part 102, a transmission part 103, a display part 104, an input part 105, and a control part 110. The position information acquisition part 101 acquires position information of the communication device 100. The reception part 102 receives pump information including identification information of a pump device from the pump device, and also receives map information from a server. The transmission part 103 transmits transmission data including the pump information and the position information to the server. The display part 104 displays display object data such as the map information. The input part 105 receives a user input for correcting the position information, or the like. The control part 110 includes a transmission data generation part 111 for generating the transmission data transmitted by the transmission part 103, and a position correction part 112 for correcting the position information.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to management of various information of facilities.

In general, electrical and mechanical equipment are regularly maintained even after delivery in order to prevent breakdowns. In order to perform maintenance in a timely and efficient manner, maintenance companies require information such as where and how many of the target equipment are located, and the condition of the equipment, for example, how much maintenance the equipment requires. .

In Patent Document 1, a computer system detects its own position information by GPS (Global Positioning System) after delivery, and transmits management information including the position information to a maintenance management center. Registering information is disclosed.

Further, in Patent Document 2, for each component identification information that identifies the type of component that constitutes a pump system, an inspection cycle and an inspection notification period of the component are stored in association with each other, and the next inspection notification period of the component is stored. It is disclosed to notify the terminal about inspection or replacement of the part when it arrives.

JP-A-2000-285161 JP 2017-180349 A

In Patent Literature 1, each computer system needs to have means for detecting position information and means for transmitting management information to a maintenance management center. Therefore, depending on the configuration of the equipment to which the technique described in Patent Document 1 is applied, the addition of such means may increase manufacturing costs, maintenance costs such as communication charges, and power consumption.

Although the pump system described in Patent Literature 2 notifies the terminal device of the inspection or replacement of parts, such notification is made only during inspection work and other periods during which communication between the terminal device and the pump system is possible. Limited to On the other hand, it is not possible to know what state the parts of the pump system are in during other periods.

An object of the present invention is to centrally manage various information including location information of facilities.

According to one aspect of the invention, a communication device communicates with a server and a target equipment. The communication device includes an acquisition unit, a reception unit, and a transmission unit. The acquisition unit acquires position information of the communication device. The receiving unit receives identification information for identifying the target equipment from the target equipment. The transmission unit transmits the identification information and the location information of the target facility based on the location information of the communication device to the server.

According to another aspect of the invention, a server communicates with a communication device. The server includes a receiver, a generator, and a transmitter. The receiving unit receives the identification information and the location information of the target equipment from the communication device. The location information of the target facility is based on the location information of the communication device. The creation unit creates map information by mapping the icon representing the target facility according to the position information. The transmission unit transmits map information to the communication device.

According to another aspect of the invention, the pump device communicates with a communication device. The pump device includes a pump, a memory and a transmitter. The storage unit stores identification information of the pump device. The transmission unit transmits the identification information read from the storage unit to the communication device. The communication device transmits identification information of the pump device and location information of the pump device based on the location information of the communication device to the server.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, various information containing the positional information on an installation can be centrally managed.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a pump information management system according to an embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the communication device in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a server in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the pump device in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating map information created by the server of FIG. 3 and displayed on the communication device of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of correction of position information by the communication device of FIG. 2; 4 is a diagram illustrating pump information stored in the server of FIG. 3; FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the communication device of FIG. 2; 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the server of FIG. 3; 5 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the pump device of FIG. 4;

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Elements that are the same as or similar to elements that have already been explained are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and overlapping explanations are basically omitted.

In the following description, for the sake of convenience, it is assumed that the facility to be managed (target facility) is a pump device, but the target facility is not limited to this. Target equipment may include any electrical or mechanical equipment, such as computers, OA (Office Automation) equipment, home appliances, robots, industrial machines, and the like. Target equipment is typically equipment that requires after-sales follow-up such as periodic maintenance, but may also include equipment for which after-sales follow-up is not assumed.

(embodiment)
The pump information management system according to the embodiment includes a communication device 100, a server 200, and a pump device 300, as illustrated in FIG.

The communication device 100 can be connected to the server 200 via a network using, for example, wireless communication technology such as mobile communication (3G, 4G) and Wimax. On the other hand, the communication device 100 uses, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), (short-range) wireless communication technology such as NFC (Near Field Communication), or wired communication such as USB (Universal Serial Bus). technology can be used to connect to the pump device 300 .

The communication device 100 receives pump information including identification information for identifying the pump device 300 from the pump device 300 . The pump information may include operational information or failure information of the pump device 300 in addition to identification information. On the other hand, the communication device 100 acquires the position information of the communication device 100 itself using GPS, for example. As will be described later, the communication device 100 derives the position information of the pump device 300 based on this position information, and transmits (uploads) it to the server 200 together with the received pump information.

The communication device 100 can also receive (download) map information from the server 200 and display it. This map information is created by server 200 based on location information and pump information collected from communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown). In this map information, icons representing the pump device 300 or other pump devices (not shown) are mapped according to their positional information, and the pump information of each pump device (300) can also be viewed. Therefore, according to this map information, a user (for example, a maintenance worker) of the communication device 100 can see where and how many pump devices are installed and what state each is in. This map information is used, for example, for formulating a maintenance plan for pump devices, and is useful for timely and efficient maintenance.

By the way, the position of the communication device 100 is strictly different from the position of the pump device 300 . Specifically, the location of the communication device 100 may be tens of meters or more away from the location of the pump device 300 . Therefore, the communication device 100 may accept user input to correct the position of the pump device 300 . The communication device 100 calculates position information of the pump device 300 based on this user input, and transmits the corrected position information to the server 200 . As a result, the icon of the pump device 300 is mapped to a more accurate position on the map information, so that, for example, it takes time to find the pump device 300 during re-maintenance, or it may be mistaken for another pump device installed nearby. can be prevented.

Note that the map information is not limited to the terminal located near the site where the communication device 100, that is, the pump device 300 is installed, and may be downloaded to, for example, a terminal used by an operator who gives instructions to maintenance workers.

Server 200 receives location information and pump information of pump device 300 from communication device 100 . The server 200 may similarly collect location information and pump information of pump devices (not shown) other than the pump device 300 from the communication device 100 or other communication devices (not shown). The server 200 maps icons representing the pump device 300 or other pump devices (not shown) according to the location information of the pump device (300) to create map information. Server 200 then transmits the map information in response to a request from communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown).

Further, the server 200 may create map information by changing the appearance of the icon of the pump device (300) based on the operation information included in the pump information. Making the appearance of an icon different may mean changing the color, pattern, decoration, etc. of an icon with the same pattern, or switching to an icon with a different pattern. According to this map information, the maintenance worker or operator can intuitively grasp the state of the pump device (300). Furthermore, the server 200 may estimate the current operating state of the pump device (300) and change the appearance of the icon according to the estimated operating state. As a result, even if the pump information is not reported frequently, the current state of the pump device (300) can be grasped more accurately and intuitively.

As will be described later, the pump device 300 includes an electrical unit including a storage unit, and identification information of the pump device 300 is written in the storage unit at the time of manufacture, shipment, or delivery, for example. In response to a request from the communication device 100 , for example, the pump device 300 reads its own identification information from the storage unit and transmits it to the communication device 100 .

The configurations and operations of the communication device 100, the server 200, and the pump device 300 in FIG. 1 will be described in order below with reference to the drawings.
The communication device 100 may be, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), a mobile terminal (eg, tablet, smart phone, laptop, feature phone, etc.), but is not limited to these. The communication device 100 includes a processor (for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array ), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc.), and a memory that temporarily stores a program executed by the processor and data used by the program in order to realize the processing. This program can also be called a pump management application, for example.

The communication device 100 can also use a communication I/F (interface) for connecting to an external device. The communication I/F may be built in the communication device 100 or may be externally attached to the communication device 100 .

The communication I/F communicates with the server 200 via a network, typically the Internet. The communication I/F transmits (uploads) transmission data including identification information and location information of pump device 300 to server 200 and receives (downloads) map information from server 200 .

Also, the communication I/F communicates with the pump device 300 using short-range wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC. The communication I/F receives identification information of the pump device 300 from the pump device 300 .

The communication I/F for connecting to the server 200 may be the same as the communication I/F for connecting to the pump device 300, or may be different. For example, the former may be a 4G module and the latter a Bluetooth module. In addition, the communication I/F may include a GPS module for acquiring position information of communication device 100 .

Communication device 100 can also use an output I/F for outputting video and/or audio of downloaded content including map information, web pages, and the like. The output I/F may be built in the communication device 100 or may be externally attached to the communication device 100 .

The output I/F may include a display device for displaying moving images, still images, text, etc., and/or a speaker for outputting audio, music, and the like. The display device is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (electroluminescence) display, a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display, or the like. A display device displays display data including content. Note that the display device may have an input I/F function like a touch screen.

Communication device 100 can also use an input I/F for receiving user input. The input I/F may be built in the communication device 100 or may be externally attached to the communication device 100 .

The input I/F may be, for example, a keyboard, mouse, numeric keypad, microphone, camera, etc., or may have an output I/F function like a touch screen. User input may typically be a tap, click, drag, press of a particular key, or the like. Additionally, user input may include, for example, speech captured by a microphone.

Next, the description of the configuration example of the communication device 100 will be continued using FIG. Communication device 100 in FIG. 2 includes location information acquisition unit 101 , reception unit 102 , transmission unit 103 , display unit 104 , input unit 105 , and control unit 110 .

The location information acquisition unit 101 acquires location information of the communication device 100 and sends it to the control unit 110 . Specifically, the location information acquisition unit 101 acquires location information by GPS using a user input, a program instruction, or the like as a trigger. The location information acquisition unit 101 can correspond to a combination of the above-described processor and memory, and communication I/F.

Note that the position information acquisition unit 101 may use GPS position information attached to a photograph or video of the pump device 300 or its vicinity, for example. In this case, photo or video data may be uploaded as part of the pump information. This enables maintenance workers and operators who are not on site to grasp the state of the pump device 300 and its vicinity. Furthermore, the location information acquisition unit 101 may acquire location information of the communication device 100 based on information on the base station to which the reception unit 102 and/or the transmission unit 103 are connected, for example, without being limited to GPS.

The receiving unit 102 receives pump information including identification information of the pump device 300 from the pump device 300 . The receiving unit 102 sends the received pump information to the control unit 110 . The receiving unit 102 also receives map information from the server 200 . Receiving unit 102 sends the received map information to control unit 110 . The receiving unit 102 can correspond to the aforementioned communication I/F.

Note that the receiving unit 102 can also be separated into a functional unit for receiving data from the server 200 and a functional unit for receiving data from the pump device 300 .

Here, the identification information of the pump device 300 corresponds to, for example, the model information corresponding to the product name of the pump device 300 and/or the product number obtained by encoding the model information, and the individual identification number of the pump device 300. serial number. With these pieces of information, it becomes possible to identify which product and which individual the pump device 300 is. It should be noted that the product number and manufacturing number do not necessarily have to be different information elements, and it is possible to design so that both the product and the individual can be identified from one number.

Further, as part of the identification information or pump information, a revision number indicating version information of the program (eg, firmware) used to control the pump device 300 may be included. This makes it possible to distinguish between pump devices that require firmware update and those that do not on the map information (for example, by the appearance of icons). Here, the communication device 100 may relay firmware update data stored in the server 200 or another server for the pump device 300 .

The pump information may include, for example, operational information and/or failure information of the pump device 300 in addition to identification information of the pump device 300 . The operating information may represent a history of the operation of the pump device 300, such as when and how the pump device 300 was operated, how long it was operated, and the like. The operating information may include, for example, the cumulative number of times the pump device 300 has been operated and/or the cumulative operating time. The failure information can represent a history of failures of the pump device 300, such as when and how the pump device 300 failed, how long it failed, and the like.

The transmission unit 103 receives transmission data from the control unit 110 and transmits (uploads) it to the server 200 . The transmitted data may be a combination of pump information and location information for the pump device 300, corrected location information for the pump device 300, etc., as described below. The transmission data may be transmitted using a protocol unique to the pump management application described above, or may be transmitted using a general protocol, for example, as part of an e-mail. The transmission unit 103 can correspond to the communication I/F described above.

Note that the transmission unit 103 transmits some data for establishing a connection between the communication device 100 and the pump device 300, for example, a pump as an advertiser when the communication device 100 and the pump device 300 are connected by Bluetooth as a scanner and an advertiser, respectively. A request to the device 300 may also be sent.

The display unit 104 receives, from the control unit 110, data to be displayed, such as the screen of the pump management application described above and map information, and displays the data. The display unit 104 can correspond to the aforementioned output I/F.

An example of map information is shown in FIG. In the map information of FIG. 5, icons P1 to P4 representing the pump device 300 and other pump devices (not shown) are mapped on the map image according to their positional information. Therefore, maintenance workers and/or operators can have a bird's-eye view of how many pumping devices are installed in which region. Furthermore, the pump information of the pump device represented by each icon may be displayed on the map information. This allows maintenance personnel and/or operators to verify the type (or product number), serial number, operating information, failure information, revision number, etc. of installed pumping equipment without being on-site. . In order to avoid deterioration of the visibility of the map information, for example, the pump information may be popped up only for the icon selected by the user.

Input unit 105 receives user input. The input unit 105 sends user input to the control unit 110 . The user input may be, for example, a user input for starting the pump management application described above, a user input for operating the pump management application, or a photograph of the pump device 300 or its vicinity. Alternatively, it may be a user input for shooting a moving image, or a user input for correcting the position information of the pump device 300, which will be described later. The input unit 105 can correspond to the aforementioned input I/F.

The control unit 110 controls various functional units inside the communication device 100 and performs calculations based on data collected from the various functional units. Specifically, the control unit 110 includes a transmission data generation unit 111 that generates transmission data to be transmitted by the transmission unit 103 and a position correction unit 112 that corrects the position information of the pump device 300 . Control unit 110 may correspond to the aforementioned processor and memory.

The transmission data generation unit 111 receives the position information of the communication device 100 from the position information acquisition unit 101 and receives the pump information of the pump device 300 from the reception unit 102 . The transmission data generation unit 111 combines, for example, the location information of the pump device 300 based on the location information of the communication device 100 and the pump information of the pump device 300 (for example, packetization after combination) to generate transmission data. In addition, the transmission data generation unit 111 may receive post-correction position information of the pump device 300 from the position correction unit 112 . The transmission data generator 111 generates transmission data by combining the corrected position information of the pump device 300 and the pump information (for example, identification information) of the pump device 300 . The transmission data generator 111 sends transmission data to the transmitter 103 .

The position correction unit 112 receives map information from the reception unit 102 and receives user input for correcting the position information of the pump device 300 from the input unit 105 . The position correction unit 112 corrects the position information of the pump device 300 according to user input. When the position information of the communication device 100 is used as the initial position information of the pump device 300 , the initial position information does not represent the true position of the pump device 300 . The distance between the pump device 300 and the communication device 100 may be tens of meters or more. The user of the communication device 100 visually performs a user input to correct the position information of the pump device 300, so that the maintenance worker and the operator who are not on site can grasp more accurate position information of the pump device 300. becomes possible.

For example, when the user drags the icon P3 of the pump device 300 on the map information of FIG. Rewrite the map information as follows. The position correction unit 112 sends position information corresponding to the icon after movement (that is, position information after correction) to the transmission data generation unit 111 . As a result, the location information of the pump device 300 can be matched between the rewritten map information displayed on the display unit 104 and the pump information stored in the server 200 .

Here, on the premise that the connection between the communication device 100 and the pump device 300 has been established, and considering that the position information of the communication device 100 is used as the initial position information of the pump device 300, the distance between the two is The maximum value of is theoretically determined by the communicable range of the wireless communication system used for connection between the two. Therefore, the position correction unit 112 corrects the position information of the target equipment only within a correctable range determined depending on the wireless communication method used for the reception unit 102 to receive the pump information from the pump device 300, for example. may be allowed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the position information of the pump device 300 from being erroneously rewritten due to, for example, a user's erroneous operation or misunderstanding.

When the wireless communication system is Bluetooth, the correctable range may be defined as a radius of 30 m from the position of the communication device 100, for example. On the other hand, when the wireless communication system is Wi-Fi, the correctable range may be set to a radius of 100 m from the position of the communication device 100, for example.

Alternatively, instead of the position correction unit 112 directly rewriting the map information, the communication device 100 transmits a user input for correcting the position information of the pump device 300 to the server 200, and the server 200 rewrites the map information and returns it. Then, the communication device 100 may receive and display the map information. In this case, the position corrector 112 may be unnecessary.

The initial position information of the pump device 300 may be set to be the same as the position information of the communication device 100, or the position information of the communication device 100 may be automatically corrected by some algorithm. For example, the initial position information of the pump device 300 may be generated by shifting the position information of the communication device 100 toward the direction of arrival of radio waves from the pump device 300 by a distance corresponding to the received power intensity. Alternatively, the user inputs the direction of the pump device 300 as viewed from the communication device 100 and the distance between the two (these may be estimated or actually measured), and the position information of the communication device 100 is obtained. The initial position information of the pump device 300 may be generated by shifting based on these.

Next, a configuration example of the server 200 will be described. The server 200 is, for example, a server computer such as a web server. The server 200 includes a processor that processes requests from the communication device 100, creates map information, estimates driving information (to be described later), and programs that are executed by the processor and used by the processor to realize these processes. and a memory for temporarily storing data to be processed.

Server 200 can also use a communication I/F for connecting to an external device. The communication I/F may be built in server 200 or externally attached to server 200 .

The communication I/F communicates with the communication device 100 via a network, typically the Internet. The communication I/F receives transmission data including identification information and position information of the pump device 300 from the communication device 100 and transmits map information to the communication device 100 .

The server 200 can also use an auxiliary storage device for storing data. The auxiliary storage device may be built in the server 200 or may be externally attached to the server 200 .

The auxiliary storage stores, for example, pump information received from the communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown), map information created based on the pump information, and the like. The auxiliary storage device is preferably a non-volatile storage medium such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, or the like. Alternatively, the auxiliary storage device may be a file server connected to server 200 via a network.

Next, the description of the configuration example of the server 200 will be continued using FIG. The server 200 of FIG. 3 includes a receiver 201 , a transmitter 202 , a pump information storage 203 , a map information storage 204 and a controller 210 .

The receiving unit 201 receives transmission data from the communication device 100, such as a combination of pump information and position information of the pump device 300, corrected position information of the pump device 300, and the like. The receiving unit 201 sends received data to the control unit 210 . The receiving unit 201 can correspond to the communication I/F described above.

The transmission unit 202 receives transmission data such as map information from the control unit 210 and transmits it to the communication device 100 . The transmission unit 202 can correspond to the communication I/F described above.

The pump information storage unit 203 stores pump information and position information of the pump device (300) transmitted (reported) from the communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown). The pump information storage unit 203 can correspond to the aforementioned auxiliary storage device.

Information is read from and written to the pump information storage unit 203 by the control unit 210 . For example, when the reception unit 201 receives transmission data including pump information and position information of the pump device 300 from the communication device 100 , the control unit 210 stores the pump information and position information in the pump information storage unit 203 . Further, when the reception unit 201 receives transmission data including the corrected position information of the pump device 300 from the communication device 100, the control unit 210 determines the pump device stored in the pump information storage unit 203 based on the corrected position information. 300 position information is rewritten. Furthermore, the control unit 210 reads the pump information stored in the pump information storage unit 203 in order to create map information.

In the pump information storage unit 203, for example, each time there is a report from the communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown), as illustrated in FIG. , the location information of the pump device (300) and the date and time of the report may be stored, and the operation information and failure information of the pump device (300) at the time of reporting may be further stored.

The map information storage unit 204 stores map information created by the control unit 210 . The map information storage unit 204 can correspond to the aforementioned auxiliary storage device. Information is read from and written to the map information storage unit 204 by the control unit 210 . For example, when the receiving unit 201 receives pump information and location information of the pump device (300) from the communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown), the control unit 210 generates map information based on the collected pump information and location information. created and stored in the map information storage unit 204 . If the map information has already been created, the control unit 210 reads out the map information from the map information storage unit 204, adds the received pump information and position information, and updates the map information. Map information may be stored in the map information storage unit 204 . Also, for example, when the receiving unit 201 receives a map information download request from the communication device 100 or another communication device (not shown), the control unit 210 reads the map information stored in the map information storage unit 204 .

As will be described later, when the control unit 210 estimates the current operating information of each pump device (300), the map information stored in the map information storage unit 204 is updated at the timing of the estimation. may For example, if the control unit 210 reflects the current estimated operation information of each pump device (300) in the map information every time the map information is downloaded, the control unit 210, when receiving the download request, the map The map information stored in the information storage unit 204 is read, the map information is updated based on the current estimated driving information, and the updated map information is stored in the map information storage unit 204 .

The control unit 210 controls various functional units inside the server 200 and performs calculations based on data collected from the various functional units. Specifically, the control unit 210 includes a request processing unit 211 that processes requests from the communication device 100 , a map information creation unit 212 that creates map information, and a pump device ( 300 ) registered in the pump information storage unit 203 . ) and a driving information estimation unit 213 for estimating current driving information. Control unit 210 may correspond to the aforementioned processor and memory.

The request processing unit 211 receives requests from the communication device 100 from the receiving unit 201 and processes them. For example, when the request processing unit 211 receives a map information download request, the request processing unit 211 instructs the map information creation unit 212 to create (update) map information, and sends the created map information to the transmission unit 202 as transmission data. send. Further, when the request processing unit 211 receives the pump information and location information of the pump device (300) (these can also be interpreted as a registration/update request for the pump device (300)), the request processing unit 211 and position information in the pump information storage unit 203, and the map information storage unit 204 may be instructed to create (update) map information. Furthermore, when the request processing unit 211 receives the corrected position information of the pump device (300) (this can also be interpreted as a request for correction of the position information of the pump device (300)), the request processing unit 211 receives the corrected position information. The corresponding position information stored in the pump information storage unit 203 may be rewritten with later position information, and the map information storage unit 204 may be instructed to create (update) map information.

The map information creation unit 212 creates (updates) map information according to instructions from the request processing unit 211 . Specifically, the map information creation unit 212 reads out the pump information and position information of each pump device (300) stored in the pump information storage unit 203, and changes the icon representing the pump device (300) to the pump device ( 300) to create map information by mapping according to the position information. The map information creation unit 212 stores the created map information in the map information storage unit 204 . Note that the map information creation unit 212 may save labor in creating map information by updating created map information using newly collected pump information and position information.

Here, the map information creation unit 212 may create map information such that the appearance of the icon of the pump device (300) varies depending on the operation information of the pump device (300). As described above, making the appearance of an icon different may mean changing the color, pattern, decoration, etc. of an icon with the same pattern, or switching to an icon with a different pattern. This allows maintenance workers and/or operators to intuitively grasp the operating state of the pump device (300). As an example, the map information creation unit 212 displays a green icon for the pump device (300) whose operating state is normal, a yellow icon for the pump device (300) whose operating state requires attention, and a yellow icon for the pump device (300) whose operating state requires maintenance/failure. may be colored red.

Further, the map information creation unit 212 may change the appearance of the icon of the pump device (300) depending on current estimated driving information described later, instead of the driving information at the time of reporting. As a result, the maintenance worker and/or operator can intuitively grasp the appropriate operating state of the pump device (300) even after a long period of time has passed since the report.

The operation information estimation unit 213 estimates the current operation information of each pump device (300) registered in the pump information storage unit 203 before the map information creation unit 212 creates the map information, and maps the estimated operation information to the map. Send to the information creation unit 212 .

Specifically, the operation information estimation unit 213 can estimate one or both of the cumulative number of times of operation and the cumulative operation time of each pump device (300). The operation information estimation unit 213 increases the cumulative number of operations and/or the cumulative operating time according to the elapsed time since the cumulative number of operations and/or the cumulative operating time of the target pump device (300) was received. to obtain the current estimated cumulative number of times of operation and/or the estimated cumulative operating time.

The rate of increase in the cumulative number of operation times and/or the cumulative operating time may be a constant determined according to, for example, the type of the target pump device (300), the usage environment, the purpose of use, etc. 300) may be calculated separately. For example, the operation information estimator 213 calculates the difference between the latest cumulative number of operations and/or cumulative operating time reported for the target pump device (300) and the older cumulative number of operations and/or cumulative operating time. is divided by the difference between the two reporting dates and times, statistically how much the cumulative number of operations and/or cumulative operating time increases per unit time, that is, the rate of increase in the cumulative number of operations and/or cumulative operating time can ask.

The current estimated operation information may be displayed together with other pump information on the map information. As a result, the maintenance worker and/or the operator can intuitively and roughly grasp the operating state from the appearance of the icons, and to grasp the detailed operating state from the numerical values, as required.

Next, a configuration example of the pump device 300 will be described. The pump device 300 is a pump incorporating an electrical component. The electrical unit of the pump device 300 includes a processor that reads, writes, and sends pump information, and a memory that temporarily stores programs executed by the processor to implement such processing and data used by the processor. and These processors and memories may be integrated, for example, as a microcontroller.

The pump device 300 can also use a communication I/F for connecting to an external device. The communication I/F may be built in pump device 300 or externally attached to pump device 300 .

The communication I/F communicates with the communication device 100 using short-range wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC. The communication I/F transmits identification information of the pump device 300 to the communication device 100 .

Further, the communication I/F receives a request to write the identification information of the pump device 300 when the pump device 300 is manufactured, shipped, delivered, or the like. This communication I/F may be common to or different from the communication I/F for connecting to the communication device 100 .

Pumping device 300 can also utilize a secondary storage device for storing data. The auxiliary storage device may be built in the pump device 300 or may be externally attached to the pump device 300 .

The auxiliary storage stores, for example, pump information of the pump device 300 and the like. The auxiliary storage device is preferably a non-volatile storage medium such as flash memory. Among the pump information, the type, product number, serial number, and the like, which are constant information, may be written, for example, in a ROM built into the microcontroller when the pump device 300 is manufactured, shipped, or delivered. . Writing of these information may be performed using either wired or wireless communication. On the other hand, the operational information, failure information, revision number, etc., which are variable information among the pump information, can be appropriately updated after delivery of the pump device 300 .

Next, the description of the configuration example of the pump device 300 will be continued with reference to FIG. A pump device 300 in FIG. 4 includes a pump 301 and an electrical section 310 . Pump 301 can be any type of pump. That is, the pump 301 may be a pump for any purpose such as pumping water, draining water, conveying water, or compressing water. Also, when applying this embodiment to a target facility different from the pump device 300, the pump 301 is replaced with another mechanical or electrical device.

Electrical unit 310 includes a control unit 311 , a pump information storage unit 312 , a receiving unit 313 and a transmitting unit 314 .

The control unit 311 controls various functional units inside the pump 301 and the electrical unit 310, and performs calculations based on data collected from these. Control unit 311 may correspond to the aforementioned processor and memory.

Specifically, the control unit 311 receives a request to write the identification information of the pump device 300 from the receiving unit 313 at the time of manufacture, shipment, or delivery of the pump device 300, and stores this in the pump information storage unit 312. do. The control unit 311 also controls the operation of the pump 301, and updates the operation information or failure information of the pump device 300 stored in the pump information storage unit 312 according to an event related to the operation or failure of the pump 301. do. Further, for example, after the connection with the communication device 100 is established, the control unit 311 reads the pump information of the pump device 300 from the pump information storage unit 312 and sends it to the transmission unit 314 as transmission data.

The pump information storage unit 312 stores pump information of the pump device 300, such as identification information, operation information, and failure information of the pump device 300, for example. The pump information storage unit 312 may correspond to, for example, the aforementioned auxiliary storage device. Information is read from and written to the pump information storage unit 312 by the control unit 311 .

The receiving unit 313 receives a request to write the identification information of the pump device 300 at the time of manufacture, shipment, or delivery of the pump device 300 and sends the request to the control unit 311 . The receiving unit 313 can correspond to the aforementioned communication I/F.

Note that the receiving unit 313 receives some data for establishing a connection between the communication device 100 and the pump device 300, for example, when the communication device 100 and the pump device 300 are connected by Bluetooth as a scanner and an advertiser, respectively, data as a scanner. A request from the communication device 100 may also be received.

The transmission unit 314 receives transmission data from the control unit 311 and transmits it to the communication device 100 . The transmission data is, for example, pump information of the pump device 300 , but may also include other data necessary to establish connection with the communication device 100 . The transmission unit 314 may correspond to the communication I/F described above.

Next, an operation example of the communication device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the communication device 100 establishes connection with the pump device 300 (step S401). For example, the communication device 100 may be configured to constantly or intermittently scan for a connection partner pump device 300 while the pump management application is running. As a result, not only the pump device (300) subject to maintenance, but also other pump devices (300), when the user carrying the communication device 100 running the pump management application passes by, It can automatically establish a connection and report pump and location information. This means that there are more opportunities for server 200 to collect pump information and location information without burdening maintenance personnel. For example, even if a delivery or maintenance worker misses a report to be made at the time of delivery or maintenance of the pump device (300), someone in possession of the communication device 100 running a pump management application may 300) can be complemented.

After step S401, the position information acquisition unit 101 acquires the position information of the communication device 100 (step S402). On the other hand, after step S401, the receiving unit 102 receives pump information from the pump device 300 (step S403).

The pump information may be transmitted from the pump device 300 triggered by a request from the communication device 100, or may be automatically transmitted after step S401. Also, these steps S402 and S403 may be performed in the reverse order of FIG. 8, or may be performed in parallel. Alternatively, the pump information may be embedded in signals transmitted prior to connection establishment, such as beacon frames in Wi-Fi. In this case, step S401 may be omitted and step S402 may be performed after step S403.

The transmission data generation unit 111 combines the position information of the pump device 300 based on the position information acquired in step S402 and the pump information received in step S403 to generate transmission data (step S404). Then, the transmission unit 103 transmits (uploads) the transmission data generated in step S404 to the server 200 (step S405).

Through the processing from step S401 to step S405, the communication device 100 can report the location information and the pump information of the pump device 300 to the server 200. FIG. After that, the receiving unit 102 can download map information reflecting the information uploaded in step S405 (step S406). The map information may be automatically downloaded after step S405, or may be downloaded triggered by user input.

The display unit 104 displays the map information downloaded in step S406 (step S407). The user compares the map information displayed in step S407 with the actual installation status of the pump device 300, and can provide user input to the input unit 105 for correcting the position information uploaded in step S405. The position correction unit 112 corrects the position information of the pump device 300 according to the user input received by the input unit 105 (step S408). Then, the transmission unit 103 uploads the corrected position information generated in step S408 to the server 200 (step S409).

Next, an operation example of the server 200 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the receiving unit 201 receives transmission data from the communication device 100 (step S501). The transmission data here includes pump information (at least identification information) and location information of the pump device 300 . The location information of the pump device 300 is based on the location information of the communication device 100 .

The request processing unit 211 stores the pump information and position information included in the transmission data received in step S501 in the pump information storage unit 203 (step S502). Subsequently, the receiving unit 201 may receive a map information acquisition request from the transmission source of the transmission data received in step S501 (step S503). Note that the map information may be automatically created and transmitted for the communication device 100 that is the transmission source of the transmission data received in step S501. In this case, step S503 may not be necessary.

After step S503, the operation information estimation unit 213 estimates the current operation information of each pump device (300) registered in the pump information storage unit 203 (step S504). It should be noted that the estimation of the current operating information is performed in a cycle independent of the map information creation timing, such as once a day, and may be stored in the pump information storage unit 203 as part of the pump information. good. In this case, step S504 after step S503 may not be performed. If step S504 after step S503 is omitted, the process of step S504 becomes unnecessary, so it is possible to shorten the time required for downloading the map information. On the other hand, by performing step S504 after step S503 as shown in FIG. 9, the communication device 100 can download the map information reflecting the latest estimated driving information.

After step S503, the map information creation unit 212 creates map information based on the position information and pump information of each pump device (300) stored in the pump information storage unit 203 (step S505). Note that the map information creation unit 212 can use the map information stored in the map information storage unit 204 if map information has been created in the past, and if step S504 has been performed immediately before. can utilize estimated driving information.

The map information creation unit 212 stores the map information created in step S505 in the map information storage unit 204 (step S506). On the other hand, the transmission unit 202 transmits the map information created in step S505 to the communication device 100 that is the transmission source of the transmission data received in step S501 (step S507). Note that in step S507, the map information may be broadcast not only to the communication device 100 that is the transmission source of the transmission data received in step S501, but also to other communication devices (not shown) that are executing the pump management application. . As a result, on the screen of the communication device (100) running the pump management application, the map information is updated in real time based on the information reported from the other communication devices (100). This can aid in coordination between workers, for example in cases where multiple delivery workers or maintenance workers work in the same or nearby areas in parallel.

Subsequently, the receiving unit 201 may receive the post-correction position information of the pump device 300 from the communication device 100 that is the transmission source of the transmission data received in step S501 (step S508). Then, the request processing unit 211 rewrites the position information of the pump device 300 stored in the pump information storage unit 203 in step S502 with the corrected position information received in step S508 (step S509). Note that map information may be created and transmitted after step S509.

Next, an operation example of the pump device 300 will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . The operation of FIG. 10 is repeated until the electrical unit 310 of the pump device 300 terminates the operation due to power shutdown or the like (step S607).

While the pump 301 is operating, the control unit 311 updates the operation information (or failure information) of the pump device 300 stored in the pump information storage unit 312 according to the operation event (or failure event). (Steps S601 and S602). Specifically, the control unit 311 reads out the cumulative number of times of operation and/or the cumulative operating time stored in the pump information storage unit 312 and increases them according to the actual operation of the pump 301 . Then, the control unit 311 stores the updated pump information in the pump information storage unit 312 (step S603).

Further, when the connection between the pump device 300 and the communication device 100 is established, the control unit 311 reads the pump information from the pump information storage unit 312 (steps S604 and S605). Then, the transmission unit 314 transmits the pump information read in step S605 to the communication device 100 (step S607).

It should be noted that, as mentioned above, the pump information may be embedded in signals transmitted prior to connection establishment, such as beacon frames in Wi-Fi, for example. In this case, steps S605 and S606 may be performed without the condition that the connection between the pump device 300 and the communication device 100 has been established.

As described above, the communication device according to the embodiment receives facility information including identification information of the target facility from the target facility such as a pump device, and determines the position of the target facility based on the position information of the communication device. Report to server with information. Therefore, according to this communication device, even if the target facility does not have means for detecting position information such as a GPS module and means for transmitting information to the server such as a mobile communication module, It is possible to centrally manage the approximate location information and equipment information of the target equipment in a server. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the target equipment can save manufacturing costs, maintenance costs such as communication charges, and power consumption by eliminating the need to provide such means.

Further, the server according to the embodiment creates map information based on various information about the target facility reported from the communication device, and transmits the map information to the communication device. According to this map information, for example, a maintenance worker, who is a user of the communication device, can see where and how many target facilities are installed and what state each of them is in. This map information is used to formulate a follow-up (for example, maintenance) plan after delivery of the target equipment, and is useful for timely and efficient implementation of the follow-up.

The above-described embodiments merely show specific examples to aid understanding of the concept of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Embodiments can add, delete, or convert various components without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Various functional units described in the above embodiments may be realized by using circuits. A circuit may be a dedicated circuit that implements a specific function, or it may be a general-purpose circuit such as a processor.

At least part of the processing in each of the above embodiments can also be implemented using a general-purpose computer as basic hardware. A program that implements the above process may be provided by being stored in a computer-readable recording medium. The program is stored in the recording medium as an installable format file or an executable format file. Recording media include magnetic disks, optical disks (CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD, etc.), magneto-optical disks (MO, etc.), semiconductor memories, and the like. Any recording medium may be used as long as it can store the program and is readable by a computer. Alternatively, the program that implements the above processing may be stored on a computer (server) connected to a network such as the Internet, and downloaded to the computer (client) via the network.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100... Communication apparatus 101... Position information acquisition part 102,201,313... Reception part 103,202,314... Transmission part 104... Display part 105... Input part 110,210, 311... Control unit 111... Transmission data generation unit 112... Position correction unit 200... Server 203, 312... Pump information storage unit 204... Map information storage unit 211... Request process Part 212... Map information creating part 213... Driving information estimating part 300... Pump device 301... Pump 310... Electrical part

Claims (12)

an acquisition unit that acquires position information of its own device;
a receiving unit that receives identification information identifying the equipment from the equipment to be maintained;
a transmission unit that transmits the identification information and the location information of the facility based on the location information of the own device to a server;
The receiving unit receives map information in which an operating state requiring maintenance is reflected for each facility,
Based on the map information, when a connection is established with equipment of the same type other than the equipment to be maintained in the process of working on the equipment to be maintained, the transmission unit transmits identification information and location of the equipment of the same type. A communications device that transmits information to the server. The receiving unit receives at least one of operation information and failure information of the equipment from the equipment,
The transmission unit transmits at least one of operation information and failure information of the equipment to the server in addition to the identification information and the location information of the equipment.
A communication device according to claim 1 . 3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the operation information of the equipment includes at least one of an accumulated number of times of operation and an accumulated operation time of the equipment. 4. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a correction unit that corrects the position information of said facility. The receiving unit wirelessly receives identification information of the equipment from the equipment,
The correcting unit corrects the location information of the equipment within a correctable range determined depending on the wireless communication method used by the receiving unit to receive the identification information of the equipment.
5. A communication device according to claim 4. 6. A communication device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said equipment is a pumping device. The map information reflects version information that requires an update of a program used to control the equipment,
7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said transmission unit relays data for updating said program from said server to said equipment. A communication device that communicates with a server and target equipment,
an acquisition unit that acquires position information of the communication device;
a receiving unit that receives identification information identifying the target equipment from the target equipment;
a transmission unit that transmits the identification information and the location information of the target equipment based on the location information of the communication device to the server;
The communication device, wherein the position information is initial position information corrected by a distance corresponding to received power intensity in the direction of arrival of radio waves from the target facility. A server that communicates with the communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A receiving unit that receives identification information and location information of equipment to be maintained from the communication device and identification information and location information of equipment of the same type other than the equipment to be maintained, which has established a connection with the communication device. When,
a creation unit that maps the icons representing the facilities according to the location information and creates map information;
a transmission unit that transmits the map information to the communication device;
the location information of the equipment is based on the location information of the communication device;
server. The receiving unit further receives operation information of the equipment from the communication device,
The creation unit creates the map information such that the appearance of the icon of the facility differs depending on the operation information of the facility.
A server according to claim 9 . The operation information of the equipment includes at least one of an accumulated number of times of operation and an accumulated operating time of the equipment,
The server increases at least one of the cumulative number of operations and the cumulative operating time according to the elapsed time since at least one of the cumulative number of operations and the cumulative operating time is received, and increases the estimated cumulative number of operations and the estimated cumulative operating time. further comprising an estimator for obtaining at least one of
The creation unit updates the appearance of the icon of the facility in the map information depending on at least one of the estimated cumulative number of operations and the estimated cumulative operating time of the facility.
A server according to claim 10 . the computer,
a means for acquiring location information of its own device;
means for receiving identification information identifying the equipment from the equipment to be maintained;
A program for functioning as means for transmitting the identification information and the location information of the facility based on the location information to a server,
The means for receiving receives map information in which an operating state requiring maintenance is reflected for each facility,
The means for transmitting, based on the map information, when a connection is established with equipment of the same type other than the equipment to be maintained in the process of working on the equipment to be maintained, identification information of the equipment of the same type and A program that transmits location information to the server.

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