JP2023111111A - Information processing system, method, and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To stably process a print request while satisfying various kinds of requirements included in the print request.SOLUTION: A method includes: a step (A) of extracting, from data included in a first print request, first data regarding a predetermined item related to an event that may occur in processing the print request; and a step (B) of predicting an event that may occur on a specific device in a specific factory in processing the first print request, from the first data and second data which is related to the predetermined item and extracted from data included in a second print request to be processed by the specific device in the specific factory before the first print request.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to information processing technology related to printing.

When printing and various post-printing processes are actually executed, various events such as adjustment, malfunction, failure, and maintenance of the printing apparatus and other devices occur, and human support is required for these events. Conventionally, the need for human support has been predicted mainly by monitoring devices such as printing devices. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200000 discloses a technique for determining the scheduled execution time of maintenance work for coping with a detected symptom without interfering with the execution schedule of each process in a printer as much as possible. Specifically, the predictor detection system detects a predictor of the occurrence of a malfunction event in each printer, and notifies the maintenance management device of the identification information of the printer for which the predictor has been detected, the type of the malfunction event, and the predicted occurrence timing. The schedule information acquisition unit of the maintenance management device acquires the job schedule of the printer for which the sign has been detected from the job schedule management system based on the notified information. The maintenance plan processing unit sets the scheduled time of the maintenance work for the failure event related to the symptom within the free time frame of the job schedule.

Predicting the occurrence of failure events by monitoring the device in this way and scheduling maintenance work accordingly is a useful mechanism for device maintenance companies. ), it cannot be said to be sufficient preparation. Specifically, the print request requires that all processing proceed so that the final product that meets the quality requirements included in the print request can be received by the delivery deadline. Problems that can be predicted are only a part of them, and even if only a part of such problems can be dealt with, it depends on the workers in the printing factory whether the quality and delivery requirements can be satisfied and the final product can be delivered. There is a high possibility that it will depend on the competence of That is, if there are highly skilled workers, they can cope with various events and satisfy the requirements specified in the print request such as quality and delivery date. If an event occurs that the operator cannot handle, the print job may be delayed or quality problems may not be corrected immediately. In such a situation, it is only possible to stably ensure that the requirements specified in the print request, such as quality and delivery date, are met by allowing a margin in the scheduling of print jobs. This makes it impossible to increase the operating rate of the printing plant, which also affects the profit of the printing plant.

In this way, focusing only on the behavior of the device is not sufficient from the standpoint of satisfying various requirements included in the print request and stably processing the print request. is required.

JP 2015-215690 A

An object of the present invention, according to one aspect, is to provide a technique for satisfying various requirements included in a print request and stably processing the print request.

The information processing method according to the present invention includes: (A) the step of extracting first data related to a predetermined item related to an event that may occur when processing a print request from data included in the first print request; and (B) data extracted from the first data and data included in a second print request processed by a specific device in a specific factory prior to the first print request and related to the predetermined item. and from the second data, making a prediction of events that may occur for a particular device at a particular factory when processing the first print order.

According to one aspect, various requirements included in the print request can be satisfied, and the print request can be stably processed.

FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually explaining an example of a network printing system. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a configuration relationship within a factory and a relationship between the factory and a print order placement server and the like. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the print order placing/ordering server. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between skill levels and work types that can be performed. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing flow in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing flow in the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow in the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of a computer.

[Embodiment 1]
The configuration of the entire system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually explaining an example of a network printing system 1. As shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the internal configuration of the factory 400 and an example of the relationship between the factory 400 and the print order placing/ordering server 300 and the like. 1 and 2 are conceptual diagrams, and actual configurations and relationships are not limited to those shown in FIGS.

The network printing system 1 includes a user terminal 200 operated by a user requesting printing via a network 100 such as the Internet, a print ordering server 300 accepting a printing request from the user terminal 200, and a maintenance company server used by a maintenance company P. 350 and a factory 400 that processes print requests received from the print order server 300 .

A user terminal 200 is a terminal operated by a user who requests printing. However, reception of a print request by the print order receiving/ordering server 300 is not limited to via the network 100 . For example, an employee of a contact company that provides a network printing service provided through the network printing system 1 operates a terminal (not shown) connected to the print order server 300 to input a print request to the print order server 300. You may

In the case of this embodiment, the factories 400 included in the network printing system 1 may be dispersed in a plurality of countries or regions instead of being concentrated in one country or region. In the case of FIG. 1, six factories 400 exist dispersedly in Japan and the United States.

In the present embodiment, the factory 400 is used to mean a place where devices used for producing printed matter (hereinafter also referred to as “production devices”) are arranged. Therefore, the factory 400 also includes a printing shop or office where only one production device is arranged.

Also, the factory 400 may not be a place dedicated to printing, and may be a place where production devices are arranged in part of the section. For example, if facilities and offices of delivery companies, postal companies, electric companies, gas companies, public interest corporations, medical companies, etc. Contained in factory 400 in the form. In other words, it does not matter what type of business the company is in as long as it has a production device for printed matter. In this sense, printing companies include delivery companies, postal companies, electric companies, gas companies, public interest corporations, medical companies, and the like.

In the case of this embodiment, six factories 400 are managed by a plurality of printing companies. In the case of FIG. 1, there are four printing companies W, X, Y, and Z. This is due to space limitations, not actually numbers. Note that the printing companies W, X, Y, and Z are different corporations. Moreover, the printing companies W, X, Y, and Z do not have to have a business relationship such as a capital relationship or affiliate relationship. Rather, in this embodiment, printing companies W, X, Y, and Z who do not have a business relationship such as a capital relationship or affiliate relationship are assumed.

Note that the printing company does not have to own the factory 400, nor does it need to own the production apparatus that produces the printed matter. Further, in the case of this embodiment, the number of factories 400 connected to the print order placement/ordering server 300 may differ for each printing company.

In the case of FIG. 1, the number of factories 400 connected by printing companies W, X, and Z is one, but the number of factories 400 connected by printing company Y is three. In other words, the number of factories 400 that each printing company connects to the print ordering server 300 is arbitrary.

In the case of this embodiment, the factory 400 includes a data collection server 500 that collects information related to printing and registers it in the print ordering server 300, a printing device 600 that produces printed matter, and a processing unit that processes the printed matter. A device 700, a workflow management device 800 that manages the printing schedule, an inventory management device 900 that manages the inventory of consumables, and a sensor 1000 that detects the quality of printed matter, the environment in the factory, the movement of people in the factory, and the like. are placed. Note that the factory 400 may be provided with a device for managing the attendance of personnel who operate the production devices.

The printing device 600 and the processing device 700 here are both examples of production devices. In the example of FIG. 1 , both the printing device 600 and the processing device 700 are arranged in the factory, but only one of them may be arranged in the factory 400 . In other words, factory 400 may be a factory dedicated to printing or a factory dedicated to processing.

Also, the workflow management device 800 is an example of a production management device. Also, the inventory management device 900 is an example of an inventory management device.

In the case of FIG. 1, only one maintenance company server 350 is drawn, but this is due to restrictions on drawing, and any number of servers can be arranged. Note that the maintenance company server 350 may be any computer.

Further, in the case of FIG. 1, the maintenance company server 350 is managed by the maintenance company P, but of course there may be more than one maintenance company. When there are multiple maintenance companies, there are also multiple maintenance company servers 350 . Even if there is only one maintenance company, for example, a maintenance company server 350 may be provided for each region.

In the case of the present embodiment, the data collection server 500 is installed in each factory 400 by, for example, the contact company that operates the print order receiving/ordering server 300 .

In the case of FIG. 1, only one printer 600 is shown in the factory 400, but this is due to restrictions on drawing, and any number of printers can be arranged. Therefore, the number of printing apparatuses 600 arranged in the factory 400 may be one or plural. The manufacturer of the printing device 600 may differ for each factory 400 . Also, in the factory 400, printers 600 from a plurality of manufacturers may coexist. A dedicated device ID (IDentifier) is assigned to each printing device 600, and information regarding the execution of print jobs and information regarding the operation of each device are managed for each device.

The processing device 700 is also similar to the printing device 600 . That is, the processing device 700 does not have to be limited to one in the factory 400, and may be plural. Also, the manufacturer of the processing device 700 may differ for each factory 400 . Further, processing apparatuses 700 of a plurality of manufacturers may coexist in the factory 400 .

The workflow management device 800 is a device that collectively manages production in a factory. For example, the workflow management device 800 performs order processing for print jobs, imposition processing for grouping print jobs with the same specifications, management of print schedules and processing schedules, progress management of printing and processing, and monitoring of the amount of paper used in the factory. Execute the process to be managed.

The workflow management device 800 is connected to the printing device 600 and the processing device 700 through the network in the factory, and exchanges various data. For example, received print data (including manuscript data and plate data) is transmitted from the workflow management apparatus 800 to the printing apparatus 600 according to the print schedule.

The workflow management apparatus 800 according to the present embodiment includes (i) output data from a sensor 1000 that is arranged on a path along which paper or the like is conveyed in the process of printing and detects printing defects and abnormalities; Output data from the sensor 1000 that is arranged on the conveying path in the process of processing and detects processing defects and abnormalities, (iii) Output data from the sensor 1000 that manages the quality of the printed matter as a finished product, such as stains and defects. It also manages output data.

The sensor 1000 may be arranged inside the housing of the printing device 600 or the processing device 700 , or may be arranged separately from the printing device 600 or the processing device 700 . Moreover, the sensor 1000 may be attached to equipment used by workers for work.

The workflow management device 800 in the present embodiment also manages information on the delivery service company used to deliver the manufactured product (printed matter before processing when processing is performed at another factory). The information of the delivery service company includes the name of the company that provides the delivery service, the name of the service, the details of the delivery service, the date of shipment, the shipment number, the amount billed per order, the total billed amount per orderer, It also manages information specifying information that prohibits the use of

The workflow management apparatus 800 implements management of this information and provision of functions through application programs running on a computer.

The inventory management device 900 in the present embodiment manages information on inventory of members such as paper, ink, and toner consumed by the printing device 600 and films consumed by the processing device 700 . The information on inventory includes a code identifying inventory (i.e., inventory ID), name of parts, category of parts, number of inventory, code identifying business operator supplying parts (i.e., supplier ID), name of business operator, The type of material supplied by the operator may be included.

Information about inventory is updated, for example, by reading a code identifying the inventory as the material is consumed. Also, it is updated by reading the information recorded on the IC tag attached to the stock or the packaging of the stock.

The data collection server 500 communicates with the printing device 600, the processing device 700, the workflow management device 800, the inventory management device 900, and the sensor 1000, and collects various information related to printing from each device. Communication here may be wired or wireless.

The data collection server 500 receives from the printing device 600, for example, a code that identifies the device (i.e., device ID), device name, device specification information, device status, status details, printing type, printing speed, Units of speed, maximum and minimum size of paper that can be handled, color space and color reference information, daily production capacity, type of paper used per print order or job received, print order received or print Collect information such as the amount of paper used for each job. The amount of used paper and the like are automatically calculated based on data obtained from a sensor 1000 provided in the printing apparatus 600 or the like, for example.

The status here is identified by, for example, idle state, failure, in use, and in maintenance. The format of the description of these pieces of information varies depending on the manufacturer of the printing device 600, and may differ depending on the model even if the manufacturer is the same.

In addition, the data collection server 500 receives from the processing device 700, for example, a code for identifying the device (that is, device ID), device name, device specification information, device status, status details, processing type, processing type. Collect information such as speed, speed units, and daily production capacity.

The status here is the same as for the printing device 600 . Further, the types of processing include, for example, folding processing, corner rounding processing, perforating processing, sewing processing, streaking processing, surface processing, foil stamping processing, panel processing, and punching processing. The format of the description of these pieces of information varies depending on the manufacturer of the printing device 600, and may differ depending on the model even if the manufacturer is the same.

The data collection server 500 also receives order information, printing schedules, processing schedules, progress information of each schedule, operation status of each production apparatus, operation rate of each production apparatus, maintenance records of each production apparatus, and so on from the workflow management apparatus 800, for example. Get information such as

The data collection server 500 also collects information about the inventory of consumables consumed by the production equipment from the inventory management device 900 . In the case of the present embodiment, the information about the inventory of consumables includes inventory information for each type of paper for each paper manufacturer.

The data collection server 500 acquires information at the same time as information is generated in each device or sensor 1000 . That is, the data collection server 500 according to the present embodiment automatically collects information that occurs during production in the factory and changes over time.

In addition, the data collection server 500 in the present embodiment has a function of organizing (cleansing) the collected information into information in a format that does not depend on the model difference, and the information after cleansing (after maintenance) is sent to the print order receiving and ordering server 300. Send to The difference in models here includes the difference in manufacturers.

In the case of this embodiment, the data collection server 500 also transmits information obtained by analyzing the information after cleansing (after maintenance) to the printing order receiving/ordering server 300 through a secure line. Information obtained by analyzing information after cleansing (after maintenance) is also an example of information in a format that does not depend on the model. In addition, the information obtained by analyzing the information after cleansing (after maintenance) includes, for example, the availability of production equipment at the present time, the forecast of the availability of production equipment in the future, and the forecast of inventory amount. may Maintenance schedules, holidays, and the like are also reflected in the calculation of the operating availability. In the case of this embodiment, the cleansing (maintenance) function is provided in the data collection server 500, but cleansing may be executed on the print order receiving/ordering server 300 side. In this case, the print ordering server 300 receives part of the filtered raw data through a secure path.

Although the print data is directly transmitted from the print ordering server 300 to the workflow management device 800 , it can also be sent to the workflow management device 800 via the data collection server 500 .

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, an example of the functional configuration of the print order placing/ordering server 300, which is the main part of this embodiment, will be described.

The print order receiving/ordering server 300 includes a data collection unit 310, a basic data DB 311, an order processing unit 312, a preprocessing unit 313, an analysis unit 314, an analysis result DB 315, an actual action DB 317, an actual event DB 316, It has a first learning processing unit 318 , a prediction unit 319 , a prediction result DB 321 , an event processing unit 322 , a second learning processing unit 323 , an instruction handling DB 324 , and an output processing unit 325 .

The data collection unit 310 mainly stores the data received from the data collection server 500 in the basic data DB 311 . However, in the present embodiment, for use in the first learning processing unit 318, when an event such as adjustment, malfunction, failure, or maintenance of a device such as the printing device 600 or the processing device 700 occurs, data related to the event is It is also accumulated in the real event DB 316 . Furthermore, for use in the second learning processing unit 323 , the actual handling DB 317 accumulates data relating to the handling actually performed for the event.

The data related to the event includes, for example, the identifier of the print request or print job being processed when the event occurred, the identifier of the event, the content of the event, the time when the event occurred, and the identifier of the device where the event occurred. is included. The data related to the action actually taken for the event includes, for example, the identifier of the print request or print job being processed when the event occurred, the identifier of the event, the time when the action was taken, and the time when the action was taken. This includes the identifier of the device that was used.

The basic data DB 311 includes a client DB, a request DB, a factory DB, and the like. The requester DB stores information about the requester. Information about the requester includes, for example, the identifier of the requester (i.e., customer ID), the name of the requester, the place of residence or location of the requester, information about the person in charge of the requester, the contact information of the requester, the industry of the requester, It includes a service management number prepared for each customer, billing information, and the like.

The request DB stores data related to print requests. The data related to the print request includes, for example, an order ID, conditions specified at the time of request, information related to print data, billing ID, information related to billing, progress status of ordered printing, and the like.

In addition, the conditions specified at the time of request include, for example, desired delivery date, desired printing company, desired factory, country or region where printing is performed, desired application, desired amount, desired delivery method, desired paper type of paper, weight of paper, desired color profile, desired production quantity, finished size, specification of single-sided or double-sided printing, type of processing, specification of document layout section, product form, single product or multiple products, etc. . The application here is used, for example, to specify the type of printed matter such as direct mail and books.

The forms of products include, for example, books, postcards, leaflets, business cards, tickets, catalogs, slips, envelopes, stickers, labels, bags, boxes (packages), and the like.

The information about print data includes print data. The print data is provided by the customer as, for example, a PDF (Portable Document Format) file.

New information uploaded from the data collection server 500 is automatically accumulated and updated in the factory DB. Information calculated by the print order receiving/ordering server 300 based on the information uploaded from the data collection server 500 is also recorded in the factory DB.

The information derived based on the information uploaded from the data collection server 500 includes, for example, information evaluating the quality of each factory, past and current conditions of each factory, production capacity calculated from past performance, It includes the expected schedule and so on. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the production schedule can be specified for each device in each factory.

The factory DB also records registration information such as the location of the factory 400 and business days. The registration information here is so-called static information that does not change with the passage of time.

In the factory DB, the evaluation of the factory 400 by the user who requested the printing, the evaluation of the factory 400 by the business operator who orders the factory 400 participating in the service for the printing received through the Internet etc., the delay in the delivery date in the past Records related to quality defects confirmed for past deliveries are also recorded.

The factory DB also stores information about the paper used in the print orders and print jobs.

Furthermore, the factory DB may also store work schedule data for workers working in each factory. In this case, data on the skill level of each worker is also accumulated. In addition, work schedule data may include data about which workers are assigned to which devices.

The order processing unit 312 accepts a customer's print request from the user terminal 200, and responds to the print request based on the conditions specified at the time of the request (that is, the order conditions) and the information on the factory accumulated in the factory DB. , a process of allocating a specific factory to process the print request and a specific device installed in the specific factory. The order processing unit 312 stores the data related to the print request in the request DB, and stores the data related to the ordered print request in the factory DB in association with the factory to which the print request is placed.

How the order processing unit 312 allocates the factory and the device to the print request is not the main part of this embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted. If factories and equipment are identified and multiple combinations of factories and equipment are identified as candidates, the factory with the highest rating shall be given priority. Since there is a delivery date requirement, the production schedule is naturally taken into account, and the order processing unit 312 also specifies the time zone in which the current print request is to be processed, that is, the scheduled processing time zone.

A preprocessing unit 313 executes, for example, a preflight check of print data included in a print request. Preflight checks check for issues such as color, fonts, use of transparency, image resolution, ink coverage, and file version compatibility. Also, the order processing unit 312 may select the model of the printing apparatus 600 to process the print data using the data extracted by the preflight check.

The analysis unit 314 extracts data related to predetermined items related to events that can occur when processing a print request from the data related to the print request. The predetermined items include items included in the conditions specified at the time of request, items included in the print data, and the like. Items included in the print data include items extracted from the print data by the preprocessing unit 313 .

Predetermined items include, for example, the following data.
・Print data file format (version, original data editing software and OS (Operating System) may be included)
・Color or monochrome ・Page orientation and size ・Object and its metadata (if the object is text, the font used, data related to the text (vertical writing, horizontal writing, etc.), etc., if it is an image, in the page number and size of images, resolution, etc.)
・Total amount of ink ・Type and quantity of paper to be used Combining such data with factory and equipment makes it possible to predict issues of compatibility between paper and equipment (coloring, fixation, etc.).

The predetermined items shown above mainly relate to events that can occur in the printing device 600 , but may include items that relate to events that can occur in the processing device 700 . For example, items such as processing type and product form may be included. In some cases, an event that can occur in the printing device 600 and an event that can occur in the processing device 700 are separately processed by the prediction unit 319 .

The analysis result DB 315 accumulates data extracted by the analysis unit 314 (that is, analysis results). At this time, it is assumed that the analysis result DB 315 holds extracted data so that the order in which print requests are processed can be known for each device in each factory.

The prediction unit 319 calculates the extracted data (corresponding to the first data) related to the current print request and the print data to be processed before the current print request in the factory and apparatus to which the current print request is assigned. From the extracted data (corresponding to the second data) about the request (preceding print request), an event that can occur while the current print request is being processed by the assigned factory and device is predicted.

The events include failures, troubles, maintenance, etc. that should be dealt with by the equipment maintenance company, and adjustments, troubles, and maintenance that should be dealt with by workers in the factory. For example, the former includes replacement of supplies (toner, belt, transfer/conveyor, etc.), occurrence of contamination, and the like. The latter includes self-maintenance matters other than events to be dealt with by the maintenance company. Multiple events may be predicted to occur.

The prediction unit 319 includes, for example, a trained model learned by supervised machine learning. The degree of preceding extracted data to be used is adjusted by experiment or the like, but at least the extracted data for the immediately preceding print request is used. Alternatively, the occurrence probabilities of all events may be output, and an event whose occurrence probability is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value may be selected as an event to occur.

However, the prediction unit 319 is not a trained model learned by machine learning, but a prediction based on specific logic and rules obtained by analyzing the knowledge obtained so far. good too.

The prediction unit 319 stores the data of the predicted event in the prediction result DB 321 in association with the factory and apparatus to which the print request is assigned and the data regarding the print request.

The first learning processing unit 318 performs learning processing to generate a trained model for the prediction unit 319 . The first learning processing unit 318 collects data related to events that occurred during processing of past print requests, which are collected by the data collection unit 310 and accumulated in the actual event DB 316 , and the past events accumulated in the analysis result DB 315 . and the data related to events predicted to occur for past print requests accumulated in the prediction result DB 321, and the time series of the extracted data for a specific factory and a specific device. Generate a trained model that infers events that occur from data.

The event processing unit 322 identifies a coping method for the event predicted this time and identifies data for identifying a person who implements the coping method. For example, if the predicted event is an event to be dealt with by a worker in the factory, the skill level (in this embodiment, the skill level (in this embodiment, the level and rank). On the other hand, if the predicted event is an event that should be dealt with by the maintenance company, it specifies how to deal with the event.

The event processing unit 322 stores the predicted event and the specified countermeasure in the instructed countermeasure DB 324 in association with the identifier of the print request.

The event processing unit 322 includes, for example, a trained model learned by supervised machine learning. It is also possible to output the occurrence probabilities for all coping methods, and select coping methods whose occurrence probabilities are greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value as possible coping methods.

However, for the event processing unit 322, it is not a learned model learned by machine learning, but a specific logic and rule obtained by analyzing the knowledge obtained so far, a correspondence table of events and countermeasures, etc. Based on this, it is also possible to specify a countermeasure for the event.

The second learning processing unit 323 performs processing on the actually occurred event data collected by the data collection unit 310 and stored in the actual event DB 316 and the actually occurred event data stored in the actual response DB 317. By learning the countermeasures that were actually implemented in the system and the countermeasures that were specified for the predicted event that are stored in the instructed countermeasure DB 324, the countermeasures are determined from the events for the specific factory and the specific equipment. Generate a trained model that infers

Furthermore, the event processing unit 322, for example, holds a table in which countermeasures (types of work) that can be carried out by workers belonging to the level and rank of workers in the factory are registered in association with the levels and ranks of workers in the factory. are doing. An example of this table is shown in FIG. For example, levels 1 to 3 are set based on the results of a predetermined certification test, and are divided into three ranks according to the division of actual working hours at each level. The number of levels and the number of ranks are merely examples, and various divisions are possible. For each combination of level and rank, work types that can be performed by workers belonging to that level and rank are listed. It is assumed that such a table is set for each device type. Note that the actual working hours are an example, and the rank may be set from other viewpoints. Further, in the table as shown in FIG. 4, when focusing on a certain work type, the associated level and rank are the minimum level and rank at which the work type can be performed. The work type shall be able to be performed. Also, the table shown in FIG. 4 is just an example, and when event types and work types are one-to-one, event types may also be associated with each other.

The work types include removal and installation of the IA pump, replacement of the ink pump motor and adjustment of the coupling height, replacement and cleaning of the gear pump (SAS), replacement of the TIC board, adjustment of the compressor air pressure, replacement of the CS belt and motor. , CS catch tray removal and cleaning, CS pump replacement, CS imaging oil flow correction, imaging oil pump replacement and impeller replacement, EBV suction blower replacement, ITM lamp replacement, main motor removal and installation, main motor gear Cleaning and grease lubrication, removal and installation of BID engagement motor, removal and installation of BID motor and coupling, replacement of BID recognition sensor, replacement of BDU, cleaning of drawer belt of feeder head unit, removal and installation of feeder head unit, sheet separator height adjustment, removal and installation of VSP unit, motor and belt replacement, AMTEK blower replacement, vacuum valve and sensor replacement, slave board replacement, power supply unit replacement, bridge vacuum box replacement and belt replacement, PSTB unit (IR sensor ) removal and installation, IFR unit removal and installation, Exit conveyor unit removal and installation/belt replacement, Exit conveyor extension (ILS) unit removal and installation/belt replacement, Stacker transport belt replacement, Stacker vacuum box replacement and belt replacement, Paper transport system Calibration, Secondary pressure correction wizard, Simplex buckle distortion adjustment, Duplex buckle distortion adjustment, Suction cup margin, Image placement, Duplex conveyor gap adjustment, Paper LUT, Front/back registration wizard, IA pump, Gear pump, Operation check of CS motor, etc. Run the lubrication wizard, run the torque and wavelength wizard, check the operation of each blower, lubricate the GDU, clean the ITM slip ring, replace the PIP/ITM carbon brush, replace the vacuum pump blades, and so on.

Using such a table, the event processing unit 322 identifies the level and rank of the worker who can take measures against the event, if there is an event to be handled by the worker in the factory.

The output processing unit 325 sends data related to the print request, data related to an event predicted to occur, data related to the event predicted to occur, data related to the print request to, for example, the workflow management device 800 or the data collection server 500 in the factory 400 to which the print request is placed, If there is an event to be dealt with, it transmits data on how to deal with the event and data on the level and rank of workers who can carry out the action.

Furthermore, if there is an event to be dealt with by the maintenance company, the output processing unit 325 outputs data relating to the event, data relating to the coping method, and extracted data (preceding print data depending on the case). (extracted data about the request), data about the factory and equipment of the print request ordering party, data about the scheduled processing time zone of the print request, and the like are transmitted to the maintenance company server 350 .

Next, the processing contents of the printing order receiving/ordering server 300 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG.

First, when receiving a print request from the user terminal 200, the order processing unit 312 identifies the factory and device (the factory and device of the ordering party) for processing the printing request, is stored in the basic data DB 311 (FIG. 5: step S1). In this step, the pre-processing unit 313 may use the result of, for example, a preflight check on the print data. In addition, as described above, for example, the factory and equipment that satisfy the conditions specified at the time of request are given priority based on evaluation of the factory and the like, and the factory and equipment with the highest priority are specified. It should be noted that there are cases where the priority is given after considering the geographical conditions of the delivery destination of the product. Also, in addition to the ordering party's factory and equipment, the scheduled processing time period is also specified.

Next, the analysis unit 314 extracts data (first data) related to a predetermined item related to an event that may occur when processing the print request from the data related to the print request, and stores the data in the analysis result DB 315 for printing. It is stored in association with the ordering party's factory and equipment together with the data on the request (step S3). The predetermined items are items as described above. It may also include data extracted by the preprocessing unit 313, as described above.

Then, the prediction unit 319 extracts data (first data) about the current print request stored in the analysis result DB 315, and the factory and the device of the ordering party that processes the current print request. One or a plurality of events that may occur during the processing of the current print request are predicted using the extracted data (second data) about the print request scheduled to be issued, and the prediction result DB 321 stores the print request The identifier is stored in association with the data relating to the print request (step S5).

The reason why the extracted data related to the print request preceding the current print request is used in this way is that the processing of the preceding print request will have an effect on the ordering party's factory and apparatus. That is, depending on the preceding print request, a specific event may or may not easily occur while the current print request is being processed.

Further, the event processing unit 322 identifies a countermeasure for each of the predicted one or more events, and stores the event-related data in correspondence with the print request identifier in the instruction countermeasure DB 324 (step S7). As for coping methods (i.e. work types for events), there are coping methods to be implemented by the maintenance company and coping methods to be implemented by workers in the factory. In some cases, it has been changed. It is also possible to distinguish between events to be dealt with by the maintenance company and events to be dealt with by the workers in the factory based on the type of event, and to distinguish the countermeasures against the events based on the classification of the events.

Then, the event processing unit 322 determines whether or not the identified countermeasure includes a countermeasure to be implemented by the maintenance company (step S9). When the worker in the factory implements all of the specified countermeasures, the processing shifts to the processing of FIG. 6 via terminal A. On the other hand, if the identified countermeasure includes a countermeasure to be taken by the maintenance company, the event processing unit 322 sends the output processing unit 325 data on the event, data on the countermeasure, and the event Extracted data (first data, including second data in some cases) where the occurrence of is predicted, data on the factory and equipment of the ordering party of the print request, data on the processing schedule of the print request, etc. to the maintenance company server 350, and the output processing unit 325 transmits the data to the maintenance company server 350 according to the instruction (step S11). Then, the process shifts to the process of FIG. 6 via terminal A. FIG.

Moving on to the description of the processing in FIG. 6, the event processing unit 322 determines whether or not the specified coping method includes a coping method to be implemented by the worker in the factory (step S13). If all of the specified countermeasures should be taken by the maintenance company, the process proceeds to step S17.

On the other hand, if a countermeasure to be taken by workers in the factory is included, the event processing unit 322 uses a table such as that shown in FIG. The skill level (for example, level and rank) of the capable worker is specified (step S15). The level and rank may be specified for each coping method (work type), or the skill level requiring the highest level and rank among the specified coping methods may be specified.

Then, the output processing unit 325 sends data related to the print request, data related to an event predicted to occur, and data related to events predicted to occur in the factory to, for example, the workflow management device 800 or the data collection server 500 in the factory 400 to which the print request is placed. If there is an event to be dealt with by the worker, data on the coping method for the event and data on the skill level of the worker who can carry out the coping method are transmitted (step S17).

By executing such a process, the supplier's factory can have workers with the specified skill level engaged in the current printing request while processing the current printing request. It becomes possible to process print requests.

Conversely, from the point of view of the window company and the customer who operate the printing order receiving/ordering server 300, each factory 400 has a worker having the skill level specified by the printing order ordering server 300 engaged in the current printing request. By making this mandatory, stable processing of print requests will be ensured.

Moreover, since the occurrence of various events can be predicted earlier than predicted failures by monitoring the equipment, the factory 400 can also prepare for the occurrence of events in advance. In addition, since the data about the event and the countermeasure are transmitted to the maintenance company server 350, the maintenance company can also prepare for the occurrence of the event in advance. Furthermore, since the extracted data (however, it may be part of it) is also notified, the maintenance company server 350 can also use it for analysis of maintenance events and failures and improvement of countermeasures. .

Also, if there is a difference between the predicted event and the event that actually occurred, the first learning processing unit 318 updates the learned model to predict (that is, infer) an event that can occur more accurately. Become so. Similarly, if there is a difference between the predicted event handling method and the actually occurring event handling method, the learned model is updated by the second learning processing unit 323 to more accurately handle the event. Law can be identified.

[Embodiment 2]
In the first embodiment, factories 400 are obliged to secure workers with a specific skill level for each printing request, and the actual placement of workers is left up to each factory 400. become.

On the other hand, if the data of the skill levels and work schedules of the workers belonging to each factory 400 are accumulated in, for example, a factory DB on the printing order receiving/ordering server 300 side, the factories with workers capable of coping with possible events can Placing a print request ensures more reliable processing of the print request.

Processing in such a case will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. Although the configuration of the print order receiving/ordering server 300 is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, some components have different functions.

First, when receiving a print request from the user terminal 200, the order processing unit 312 identifies candidate factories and apparatuses capable of processing the print request ( FIG. 7 : step S31). For example, the factory and equipment that satisfy the conditions specified at the time of request are specified, and priority is given based on evaluation of the factory. In some cases, priority is given after taking into consideration the geographical conditions of the delivery destination of the product. At this stage, factories and equipment are extracted from other requirements without considering the worker's skill level and work schedule, but the scheduled processing time period is specified for each candidate factory and equipment.

Next, the analysis unit 314 extracts data (first data) related to a predetermined item related to an event that can occur when processing the print request from the data related to the print request (step S33). The analysis unit 314 outputs extracted data (first data) for the current print request to the prediction unit 319 so that the prediction unit 319 can predict event occurrence for each candidate factory and device.

The prediction unit 319 initializes the counter i of the candidate to 1 (step S35), and extracts data (first data) for the current print request and processes the i-th candidate factory and device in advance. Using the extracted data (second data) about the print request scheduled to be issued, one or more events that can occur during processing of the current print request are predicted (step S37). The analysis unit 314 outputs data related to the predicted event to the event processing unit 322, and requests processing of events that may occur when the current print request is placed for the i-th candidate factory and device. .

The event processing unit 322 identifies one or more events predicted to occur when the current print request is placed for the i-th candidate factory and device, and specifies how to deal with the event (step S39). As in the first embodiment, events to be dealt with by the maintenance company and events to be dealt with by the workers in the factory can be included, so how to deal with each (work type) is specified.

Then, the event processing unit 322 determines whether or not the specified coping method includes a coping method to be implemented by the worker in the factory (step S41). If there is no countermeasure to be taken by the worker in the factory, the process proceeds through terminal B to the process of FIG. On the other hand, if a countermeasure to be taken by workers in the factory is included, the event processing unit 322 uses a table such as that shown in FIG. The skill level (for example, level and rank) of the capable worker is specified (step S43). For each of the specified measures (work type), the level and rank of the worker who can carry out the measure (work type) may be specified, or the highest level and rank among the specified measures may be specified. You may make it specify the skill level about the coping method which requires. The event processing unit 322 outputs to the order processing unit 312 data about the skill level of the worker required to process the current print request at the i-th candidate factory and device.

The order processing unit 312 determines whether or not a worker having the specified skill level can be engaged in the current printing request based on the work schedule data and worker skill level data at the i-th candidate factory. (step S45). Since the scheduled processing time slot for placing an order to the i-th candidate factory and equipment is also specified, it is determined whether or not a worker having the specified skill level is scheduled to work during the scheduled processing time slot. do. If the work schedule data includes data about the devices assigned to each worker and the print request, it may be further determined whether the worker is available to process the current print request. In other words, if the job is assigned to process another print request, it may be determined that the job cannot be engaged in the process of the current print request.

If it is determined that a worker having the specified skill level can engage in the processing of the current print request, the order processing unit 312 maintains the priority of the i-th candidate factory and device. (step S47). This is because it is presumed that this print request can be processed as evaluated thus far. However, processing for increasing the priority may be performed. Then, the process moves to step S51.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the worker having the specified skill level cannot engage in the processing of the current print request, the order processing unit 312 assigns the i-th candidate factory and device priority is lowered (step S49). Since there is a possibility that this print request cannot be processed according to the previous evaluation, lower the priority. However, when the priority is raised in step S47, the priority may be maintained in step S49, but the relative priority is lowered. It should be noted that it may be excluded from candidates so as not to be selected as a supplier. Then, the process moves to step S51.

The prediction unit 319 determines whether or not all candidates have been processed (step S51). Return to step S37 in FIG. On the other hand, when all the candidates have been processed, the order processing unit 312 determines the plant and apparatus of the candidate with the highest priority as the ordering party for this print request (step S55). The order processing unit 312 registers data on printing requests, extracted data (first data), data on predicted events, data on countermeasures, etc. in each DB for the factory and the device determined as the ordering party. instructs the analysis unit 314 , the prediction unit 319 and the event processing unit 322 . In addition, the order processing unit 312 registers in the basic data DB 311 data relating to the print request for the factory and the apparatus determined as the ordering party.

Then, the output processing unit 325 sends data related to the print request, data related to an event predicted to occur, and data related to events predicted to occur in the factory to, for example, the workflow management device 800 or the data collection server 500 in the factory 400 to which the print request is placed. If there is an event to be dealt with by the worker, data on how to deal with the event is transmitted (step S57). It is also possible to transmit data on the skill level of the worker who can implement a countermeasure against an event that may occur, or to transmit data on the worker to be specifically engaged.

Further, the output processing unit 325 determines that the specified countermeasures against the events that may occur during the processing of the current print request in the factory and the device determined as the ordering party include the countermeasures to be taken by the maintenance company. It is determined whether or not it is included (step S59). When the worker in the factory implements all of the identified countermeasures, the processing for this print request ends. On the other hand, if the identified countermeasure includes a countermeasure to be taken by the maintenance company, the event processing unit 322 sends the output processing unit 325 data on the event, data on the countermeasure, and the event Extracted data (first data, including second data in some cases) where the occurrence of is predicted, data on the factory and equipment of the ordering party of the print request, data on the processing schedule of the print request, etc. to the maintenance company server 350, and the output processing unit 325 transmits the data to the maintenance company server 350 according to the instruction (step S61). Then the process ends.

By executing such processing, an order can be placed with a factory that has a system in place to reliably deal with events that may occur while processing a print request.

[Other embodiments]
In the embodiment described above, in order to simplify the explanation, it is assumed that the scheduled processing time period for the current print request will be set after the print requests that have been ordered so far. However, if there is an idle time slot between the processing of the first print request and the processing of the second print request in the production schedule, the third print request may be processed during the idle time slot. In such a case, if the third print request is scheduled in the idle time zone, the third print request will be added as a preceding print request for the second print request. For requests (and subsequent print requests), the events that can occur may change, which in turn may change the skill level of the workers who can handle those events.

Therefore, when the third print request is added, it is checked whether the event that can occur for at least the second print request changes, and whether or not the workers already assigned can handle it. Judgment is preferred.

After such confirmation, the processing after the processing for predicting the event that can occur for this print request is performed, and if the worker who can handle the event cannot engage, the priority is lowered. .

In addition, in the second embodiment, it was not assumed that the once specified scheduled processing time zone is changed. For example, the scheduled processing time period may be changed as long as the delivery date is met. However, in such a case, there is a possibility that the print requests that have been ordered so far will be affected as described above. As described above, it is preferable to confirm whether the event that can occur changes at least for the second print request, and to determine whether or not the already assigned workers can cope with the event.

In addition, when a specific factory is specified according to the conditions specified at the time of requesting a print request, if the free time is selected as the scheduled processing time, there may be cases where it is not possible to secure workers who can handle events that may occur. also occurs. In such a case, it is conceivable to change the order of processing the print requests. Even in such a case, there is no effect on print requests that are processed before the processing order of this print request, but print requests that will be processed after the processing order of this print request will not be affected. Since there is a possibility that it will be affected in the same way as described in , it is preferable to check whether the event that can occur will change and determine whether it can be dealt with by the workers already assigned.

In cases such as when a specific factory is specified under the conditions specified at the time of requesting a print request, selecting the most preferred specific device during the idle time period as the scheduled processing time period will ensure that workers who can handle possible events are selected. may not be ensured. In this case, the next preferred idle time slot of the device may be selected as the scheduled processing time slot, but the influence on other print requests is also taken into consideration. However, since the events that can occur differ depending on the device, there are cases where other print requests are not affected.

Furthermore, if the number of events predicted to occur for a print request becomes large, or if it is predicted that an unfavorable predetermined combination of events will occur, etc., orders will not be placed to the factory and device concerned. In some cases,

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. For example, in the processing flow, the order of steps may be changed or multiple steps may be executed in parallel as long as the processing result does not change.

In some cases, the functional block configuration of the print order placing/ordering server 300 does not correspond to the program modules. The database configuration is only an example, and similar data may be held with a different configuration.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, an example is shown in which a coping method for an event is specified by the printing order placing/receiving server 300 side. , such that the computer in the factory 400 identifies it.

Furthermore, the print order placement/ordering server 300 may be realized not by one computer but by a plurality of computers or on the cloud.

The above-described print ordering server 300 is a computer device, and as shown in FIG. A display control unit 2507 connected to the device 2509 , a drive device 2513 for the removable disk 2511 , an input device 2515 and a communication control unit 2517 for connecting to the network are connected via a bus 2519 . An operating system (OS) and an application program for performing processing in this embodiment are stored in the HDD 2505 and read from the HDD 2505 to the memory 2501 when executed by the CPU 2503 . The CPU 2503 controls the display control unit 2507, the communication control unit 2517, and the drive device 2513 according to the processing content of the application program to perform predetermined operations. In addition, data in the middle of processing is mainly stored in the memory 2501, but may be stored in the HDD 2505 as well. In the embodiment of the present technology, an application program for performing the processing described above is stored and distributed in a computer-readable removable disk 2511 and installed from the drive device 2513 to the HDD 2505. It may be installed in the HDD 2505 via a network such as the Internet and the communication control unit 2517 . Such a computer device implements the various functions described above through organic cooperation between hardware such as the CPU 2503 and memory 2501 described above and programs such as the OS and application programs. .

The present embodiment described above can be summarized as follows.

The information processing method according to the present embodiment includes: (A) extracting first data related to a predetermined item related to an event that may occur when processing a print request from data included in the first print request; (B) the predetermined item extracted from the first data and data contained in a second print order processed by a specific device at a specific factory prior to the first print order; and from the second data associated with, predicting events that may occur for a particular device at a particular factory when processing the first print order.

In this way, if it is possible to predict events that may occur with respect to a specific device in a specific factory from a print request, it is possible to grasp events that may occur when processing the print request before placing the print request, and to prepare for such events. can. For example, it is possible to secure appropriate workers in a factory, or to take measures such as not to place an order depending on the event.

It should be noted that the information processing method may further include the step of identifying a skill level of the worker who is capable of coping with the predicted event or capable of performing a coping method for the predicted event. Identifying the skill level of workers capable of dealing with a predicted event allows for proactive human preparedness for the predicted event.

Further, the information processing method identifies whether a worker having the skill level of the identified worker is available to process the first print request while processing the first print request. and determining that a worker having the identified worker skill level is unavailable to process the first print order while processing the first print order. In some cases, the method may further include the step of setting a specific factory to relatively lower priority as an order recipient of the first print request. To place an order to a factory and a device that can surely process a print request by relatively lowering the priority of the factory and the device that may not be able to properly deal with the event so as not to place the order.

Further, in the information processing method, if the predicted event or the countermeasure to the predicted event is an event to be dealt with by a maintenance company of a specific printing device or a countermeasure to be executed by the maintenance company, the maintenance company The method may further include sending a notification to. Even the maintenance company can prepare for the occurrence of an event earlier than the prediction in the equipment.

Also, the notification addressed to the maintenance company described above may include at least part of the first data and the second data. This allows the maintenance company to analyze the event.

Further, in the information processing method, the predicted event or the coping method for the predicted event is an event to be handled by a worker in a specific factory where the specific device is installed, or an event to be executed by a worker in the specific factory. If so, further comprising the step of outputting to a computer at the particular factory an output requesting that a worker having the identified worker skill level be assigned to the first print order. Also good. By obliging specific factories to assign workers with a sufficient skill level, it is expected that printing requests will be processed stably.

The output may include at least one of the content of the predicted event and the content of the coping method for the event. This will allow the factory to make sufficient preparations in advance.

Further, the information processing method identifies whether a worker having the skill level of the identified worker is available to process the first print request while processing the first print request. and determining that a worker having the identified worker skill level is unavailable to process the first print order while processing the first print order. In some cases, determining whether the first print order can be reordered or processed on other equipment at the particular factory; If it is impossible to change the processing order of or process the first print request in another device in the specific factory, the specific factory has priority as the order recipient of the first print request A step of relatively lowering the rank may be further included.

It is possible to create a program for causing a computer to execute the processing described above, and the program can be, for example, a flexible disk, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory (eg, ROM). , a computer-readable storage medium or storage device such as a hard disk. Note that data that is being processed is temporarily stored in a storage device such as a RAM.

310 data collection unit 311 basic data DB 312 order processing unit 313 preprocessing unit 314 analysis unit 315 analysis result DB
316 Actual event DB 317 Actual countermeasure DB
318 first learning processing unit 319 prediction unit 321 prediction result DB
322 event processing unit 323 second learning processing unit 324 instruction handling DB 325 output processing unit

Claims (10)

a step of extracting, from data included in the first print request, first data relating to a predetermined item related to an event that may occur when processing the print request;
a second print request related to the predetermined item extracted from the first data and data included in a second print request processed by a specific device in a specific factory prior to the first print request; from the data, predicting events that may occur for the particular device at the particular factory when processing the first print order;
A computer-implemented method of processing information, including 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying a worker's skill level capable of reacting to said predicted event or performing a remedy for said predicted event. It is determined whether or not a worker having the specified skill level of the worker can engage in processing the first print request while processing the first print request for the specific factory. determining based on work schedule data;
If a worker having the identified skill level of the worker cannot engage in processing the first print request while processing the first print request, for the particular factory: a step of relatively lowering the priority of the order recipient of the first print request;
3. The information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising: If the predicted event or the countermeasure for the predicted event is an event to be dealt with by the maintenance company of the specific printing device or a countermeasure to be executed by the maintenance company, a notification is sent to the maintenance company. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising: transmitting. 5. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the notification addressed to the maintenance company includes at least part of the first data and the second data. The predicted event or the predicted action against the event is an event to be dealt with by a worker of the specific factory where the specific device is installed or a action to be taken by the worker of the specific factory. outputting an output to said specific factory computer requesting that a worker having the identified skill level of said worker be assigned to said first print order. 2. The information processing method according to 2 above. 7. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said output includes at least one of details of said predicted event and details of countermeasures for said event. It is determined whether or not a worker having the specified skill level of the worker can engage in processing the first print request while processing the first print request for the specific factory. determining based on work schedule data;
If a worker having the specified skill level of the worker cannot engage in processing the first print request while processing the first print request, the first print request or determining whether it is possible to process the first print request on another device at the specific factory;
If it is impossible to change the processing order of the first print request or process the first print request in another device in the specific factory, the first print request for the specific factory a step of relatively lowering the priority of the print request supplier;
3. The information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising: A program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 8. means for extracting, from data included in the first print request, first data relating to a predetermined item related to an event that may occur when processing the print request;
a second print request related to the predetermined item extracted from the first data and data included in a second print request processed by a specific device in a specific factory prior to the first print request; means for predicting, from the data, events that may occur for the particular device at the particular factory when processing the first print order;
Information processing device having

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