JP3219309B2 - Work management system and input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work management system such as a plant monitoring and control system, and more particularly to a method for precisely managing each work of a plurality of workers when the work is performed. Work management system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a plant monitoring system such as a nuclear power plant or a steel system, one monitoring group is formed by 4 to 5 persons, and the system is operated while being replaced by each group. Looking at each work, one work is performed by a plurality of groups by a plurality of operators. However, since the plant system needs to be operated 24 hours a day, there is no need to issue a system start command (such as log-in at a computer) as in an information system before an individual works. Therefore, the system does not perform the personal management of each worker.

However, in important facilities such as a dangerous place or a central operation room in a nuclear power plant, only the operation management as a group is performed by controlling the entry / exit of operators / operators. However, even in such a system, at present, each operation terminal has only a touch panel, and therefore, the computer does not know who has touched and operated.

On the other hand, in the field of OA (Office Automation), Xerox has proposed a system using an “active badge” (“a computer in the 21st century”, Nikkei Science, November 1991, p60-p70). An "active badge" is one in which a small computer is put on a name tag and the number of the worker is constantly transmitted from there. It is conceptually described that the system monitors the signal and automatically manages the person's location and room entry / exit and work diary. However, in the case of a control system, the control terminals are located adjacent to each other, so that each worker works in a very close state. I can't recognize. Further, when a plurality of persons work on the same terminal at the same time, there is also a problem that it is not known which person performed each work.

As related to the above-mentioned prior art,
JP-A-63-66623, JP-A-62-82455
JP-A-61-42059, JP-A-63-7587
No. 5, etc.

[0006]

In an information system such as an OA (office automation) system, a computer is used to enable an individual to use the computer independently.
Each person manages file operations and computer use rights. Therefore, each individual can perform an individual-based service such as defining his or her own operation environment regardless of other people and managing operation records of each individual. In the future, even in the field of control such as a plant system, it is necessary to digitize OA work and the like, and process it by integrating it with actual control information. Therefore, it is necessary to individually manage the work of each worker. However, due to the above-described device problems, personal management of work is not currently performed. In the case of a control system, the system is operated continuously for 24 hours, and it is not possible to perform an operation for restarting the system as in an information system. In addition, since actual workers are not familiar with computers such as information systems, the operations need to be simple.

[0007] In the case of an information system, mainly 1
In the case of a control system, while a plurality of people work on a plurality of computers, a plurality of people work on a single screen at the same time. , It is necessary to perform a work management method different from the OA system.

[0008] A first object of the present invention is to provide a work management system capable of managing the work of each worker by simple personal authentication and performing a service corresponding to each worker.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a work management system capable of managing work of each worker even when a plurality of workers work simultaneously.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a pen-type input means for outputting a signal for specifying an operator who has performed an operation together with an input operation performed by the operator. Storage means for storing the work performed by the worker in association with the work performed by the worker; and management means for automatically managing the work of the worker based on the storage without making the worker aware of the input of the work record. The input means is provided with a pen position detecting means for detecting a pen pointing position, a timing detecting means for detecting a timing at which the position is detected, and a worker information output means for outputting worker information. Is done. Further, the input means is provided with a pen position detecting means for detecting a pen pointing position, and a pen identifying means for detecting a pen type, and the pen pointing position, a device instructed by the worker and the pen by the pen instruction, and This is also achieved by detecting

[0011]

When a worker inputs using the pen-type input means, the system stores a pair of a work name and a worker name in the storage means . At the same time, the system
Knowing that the terminal associated with the input means is currently operated by the worker, the personal information of the worker is obtained from the personal information management means, and a service corresponding to the worker is provided.

Further, by using the input means, even if a plurality of workers perform operations on one terminal, the system manages the work names and the workers in pairs. Can also be managed.

[0013]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a terminal system in which a work management system according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied to plant monitoring. This system has a control unit 10 that manages the entire system.
3. The pen 111 for the operator to point on the screen, the tablet 101 stuck on the screen 100 of the terminal, the receiving unit 106 for receiving the ID number of the worker from the pen 111, the received I
A work management unit 104 that manages the D number 121 and work, a personal information management unit 105 that manages personal information of each worker, and a plant information management unit 102 that manages information related to a plant
Consists of

The tablet 101 has an infrared light emitting element 10
7, 109 and light receiving elements 108, 110 are arranged around the tube surface of the screen 100 as shown in the figure. Then, the tablet 101 detects which point on the tablet is pointed by using the fact that when an obstacle comes on the tablet 101, the light at that point is blocked. For example, in the case of FIG. 1, the pen 111 points to the point 120 (x1, y1) on the tablet 101. In this case, the vertical light emitting element 109 and the light receiving element 1
The light of x1 out of the 10 pairs cannot be received by the light receiving element 110.
Similarly, of the pair of the horizontal light emitting element 107 and the light receiving element 108, y
One light receiving element 108 cannot receive light. Thus, the tablet 101 can detect that the pen 111 is pointing at the coordinates of (x1, y1) 120.

Further, the tablet 101 does not emit light from all the light-emitting elements 107 and 109 at once, but displays the screen 1 indicated by the vertical and horizontal light-emitting / light-receiving element pairs (107-108, 109-110).
Scanning is performed so that each point on 00 is shifted in time. That is, a pair of a certain vertical light emitting element 109 and a certain light receiving element 110 (a certain x
The pair of the light emitting element 107 and the light receiving element 108 in the horizontal direction are sequentially operated while keeping the coordinate pair) constant, and the light emission /
The light receiving element pair (109-110) is operated. This is performed sequentially from the top pair to the bottom pair.

The pen 111 has a built-in optical sensor 112 as shown in FIG. 1, detects light shielded on the tablet 101 in the x and y directions, and detects the point 120 at which the tablet 101 points the pen 111. Know the detection time. At the same time, the pen 111 stores the worker's I
The D number 121 is transmitted from the transmission unit 114. The optical sensor 112 of the pen 111 needs to sense vertical and horizontal light independently of each other, but there are several ways to realize this depending on the configuration of the tablet 101.

For example, when using the vertical and horizontal light emitting / receiving element pairs (107-108, 109-110) having different wavelengths of light on the tablet 101 side, the optical sensor 112 in the pen 111 is sensitive to two lights. And two light receiving elements. Also tablet
When the light emitting cycle is changed (encoded) between the vertical and horizontal light emitting / receiving element pairs (107-108, 109-110) of 101, the optical sensor 112 of the pen 111 also detects the sign and detects the vertical and horizontal light. To distinguish. Here, the ID number 121 of the worker in the pen 111 is rewritable, and one pen 111 can be shared by a plurality of persons.

The control unit 103 controls the pen 11 from the tablet 111
Receive the pointed coordinates 120 of 1 and simultaneously pen
The operator also receives the worker's ID number 121 from 111, and knows the pointing operation on the screen 100 performed by the worker and the ID number 121. In the case of this system, even when a plurality of workers are working simultaneously using a plurality of pens 201, 202, and 203 as shown in FIG. 2, the work of each worker can be managed. This is because the tablet 101 scans each point on the screen 100 with a time shift, and the pen 201, 202, 203 also transmits the worker's ID numbers 211, 212, 213 only when the system scans the pointing point. Input 2
This is because even if 01, 202, and 203 occur, the system can detect them individually with a time lag.

Next, a method of managing work in the present system will be described. The control unit 103 inquires of the plant information management unit 102, which manages the current screen information, using the pointing position detected as shown in FIG. 3 for work items (step 303). Then, the work item 402
(See FIG. 4) and the detected ID number 403
To memorize. The work management unit 104 stores a work item 402, a worker ID number 403, and a work time 404 in a table form 401. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the personal information management unit 105 stores the worker ID number 502, the personal name 503, and the personal management information 50.
4 (access level 505, skill level 506, work environment 507) are stored in a table format 501.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, an example of a service which can be performed by the present system will be described. FIG. 6 is a screen example of the control terminal in the plant control system. Screen 60
Numeral 0 includes a plant structure diagram 601, a trend graph 602 for graphically displaying various control information, an ITV (IndustrialTV) monitor screen 603 showing the actual site situation, and various menus 604.

When the operator points the “check” menu 604 with the pen 111 on the screen 600 shown in FIG. 6, the system performs the check operation by the worker A based on the detected pointing position of the tablet 101 and the ID number from the pen 111. Knowing what to do, put the system in check mode. However, at this time, the system checks the worker's access level 505 from the personal information management unit 105,
It is determined whether the worker can perform the work, and if the worker does not have the right to check, a warning sound is issued to notify the worker.

After the operation mode is set to the inspection mode, a worker displays a figure (for example,
By simply pointing the boiler 605) with the pen 111, the location can be checked. Of course, all this work
The information is recorded in the work management unit 104 by the method described above.

Next, the operator operates the "work log" menu 701.
When the control unit 103 points, the work log 702 is opened from the personal information management unit 105 by opening the work log 702.
The work item 402 that the worker performed is searched from 104 and inserted into the work log 702 in advance as shown in FIG. This allows
The worker only needs to input items to be added to the work log 702. As for the input environment at this time, the system provides an environment adapted to each individual by referring to the work environment 507 of the personal information management unit 105.

When writing the work log 702, a virtual keyboard such as displaying a keyboard on the screen and inputting with the pen 111 may be used. However, it is more common to use an actual keyboard. It is a target. In such a case, the keyboard 801 as shown in FIG.
When inputting with 01, the pen 111 is placed on the pen holder 802 of the keyboard 801. The same light-emitting elements 803 and 804 as the tablet 101 are incorporated in the pen holder 802, and the same light as the tablet 101 is emitted toward the pen tip every time an operator performs input using the keyboard 801. Thus, the keyboard input timing is detected, and each time the pen 111 transmits the worker's ID number. As a result, even for inputs other than the pen 111 such as the keyboard 801, work management can be performed for each worker. Here, if the keyboard is operated without placing the pen 111 on the pen rest, the control unit 103
Is notified to the worker by a warning sound or the like, or is managed as an input unknown to the worker.

By using the present system as described above, the touch panel is touched with a finger,
Just by touching the screen 100 with the pen 111 by the worker, the system can authenticate the worker's individual, manage the work for each individual, and provide services corresponding to each individual. Or you can. Of course, there are many other services that can be considered,
Guidance display tailored to workers and work analysis for each worker are also conceivable.

Next, a work management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment described above, the number of terminals is one. However, in a plant control system, a plurality of work terminals are generally installed. When a plurality of terminals are required, it is possible to construct a system by arranging a plurality of terminals of the first embodiment. However,
In this case, the signal from the pen 111 is localized so that signals from the pen 111 do not interfere with each other between adjacent terminals, and the receiving unit 106 also receives only the signal from the pen 111 related to the terminal. Action is required. One of the methods is to weaken a signal from a pen and localize the signal.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram of the second embodiment. This system deals with a case where a plurality of control terminal systems exist and mutual interference occurs between the terminals. For each terminal in this system, a terminal code storage unit 902 is added to the terminal described in the first embodiment, and a terminal code detection unit 901 is added to the pen side. The terminal code storage unit 902 stores light emission patterns (codes) of the light emitting elements 107 and 109 unique to each terminal. Each terminal is
When each light emitting / receiving element pair (107-108, 109-110) emits light, it emits light in the pattern stored in the terminal code storage unit 901.

The terminal code detector 901 in the pen 111 has a pen
The terminal code corresponding to the terminal code of the terminal input in 111 and the terminal code are all stored. The optical sensor 112 of the pen 111 not only detects the timing of the pointing, but also compares the light emission pattern between the light emitting / receiving elements with the stored pattern by the terminal code detection unit 901 in the pen 111. The terminal that is pointing is also detected, and the terminal number 122 and the worker ID number are transmitted using the transmitting unit 114.
Send 121.

Using the pointing coordinates 120 from the tablet 101, the worker ID 121 and the terminal number 122 from the pen 111, the control unit 103 can manage "who did what at what terminal". Here, as a method of assigning the terminal codes to the terminals, there is a method of simply changing the terminal codes for all the terminals. In addition, a plurality of receiving units 106 are prepared,
A different terminal code is assigned only within the effective range of the receiving unit 106, and different terminal codes are used between adjacent receiving units 106 to prevent interference more severely, but the same terminal code is duplicated between non-adjacent receiving units. And the like.

Next, a work management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the case of a plant control system, as shown in FIG. 10, between a plurality of distant sites (a central monitoring center and an on-site operator's cab) 1020, 1021
Are connected by a network 1000, and 102
The plant may be operated while meeting at 0,1021. In such a case, a plurality of persons exchange work on one terminal or perform work instructions and operations at the same time. If this system is used, each worker can use a pen 1001, 1002, 1003 for each person. By operating, the system
It is possible to know who performed what kind of operation or instruction, and as shown in FIG. 10, the input of each worker can be divided and displayed for each worker (1011, 1012, 1013), and the work can be performed to a remote person. The staff and their work can be communicated in real time. In this way, by using the present system, it is possible to manage the work of a plurality of remotely distant workers,
Cooperative operation such as CSCW (Computer Suported Collaborate Work) can also be performed.

Here, the case of an input operation other than the pen operation will be described with reference to FIGS. As an operation other than the pen, an operation using a voice such as an instruction by voice input or a voice memo can be considered. In such a case,
As shown in FIG. 11, voice is picked up by the voice input unit 1101,
By applying the voice to the voice recognition unit 1102 and recognizing the person making the voice, the same work management as in the above embodiment can be performed. Further, the system can also manage voice information such as voice memos using the names of workers.

As an operation other than the pen operation, an operation using a video such as an instruction by a video input (gesture or the like) or a video memo can be considered. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 12, the video is captured by the image input unit 1201, the video is applied to the image recognition unit 1202, and the person in the video is recognized. Can be performed. The system can also manage video information such as video memos using the names of workers.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the pen input in the above embodiment, the pen
The control unit 103 receives the worker number 121 from the 111 side and the pointing position 120 from the tablet 101 side, respectively. This embodiment is an example in which the pointing position and the worker number are received from the tablet 101. In this embodiment, the shape of the tip of each pen is different for each pen 1301. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the pen information 1402 and the worker ID 10
The pen management information 1401 corresponding to the 43 and the pen information management unit 1303
I remember. In this embodiment, as compared with the first embodiment, the light emitting / receiving element pairs (107-108, 109-110) of the tablet 101 are finely arranged so that two or more lights hit the pen tip.

When the worker points the tablet 101 with the pen 1301, the tablet 101 inputs a plurality of (x, y) coordinate sequences 1311 hidden by the pen tip to the control unit 103. Control unit 1
03 calculates the area of the pen tip (the number of coordinates becomes the area) from the coordinate point sequence 1311, compares it with the pen information 1402 from the pen information management unit 1303, identifies the pen having that area, Determine the worker ID 1403. The center point of the input coordinate point sequence is used as the point actually pointed. In the case of the system according to the present embodiment, the terminal identification processing is eliminated and the pen is inexpensive as compared with the first embodiment.

Here, a wireless mouse is used as an input device.
The case in which it is performed will be described using FIG. In such cases,
Apply the wireless mouse to a surveillance system using a large screen
The following is an example. The input device of this system is
These are wireless mice 1503 and 1504 shown in FIG. This wireless mouse is similar to a conventional wireless mouse.
When 3,1504 is moved, work information 1512,1522 such as coordinates and mouse button operation is wirelessly transmitted. Further, the wireless mouse stores ID numbers 15111 and 1521 therein, and transmits the stored ID numbers 1511 and 1521 when transmitting the work information 1512 and 1522. The receiving unit 106 of the system includes work information 1512, 152 from the wireless mouse 1503, 1504.
From 2 and the ID numbers 1511 and 1521, it is detected which worker did what and where.

The control unit 103 moves the pointers 1501 and 1502 of each worker on the large screen 100 in accordance with the work information 1512 and 1522 and operates the work information from the mouse 1503 and 1504 in the same manner as in the above embodiment. Perform work according to 1512, 1522. here,
The pointers 1501 and 1502 of each worker may be the same, but the shape of each pointer can be changed so that the worker operating the pointer can be visually specified. In this case , a wireless mouse 150 is used as an input device.
In addition to 3,1504, such as trackballs and digitizers
It is also possible to use an input device capable of outputting the work information 1512, 1522 and the ID numbers 1511, 1521.

[0037]

According to the present invention, with a simple operation such as pointing at the screen with a pen, the system performs simple personal authentication, manages the work of each worker, and provides services corresponding to each worker. It can be carried out. In addition, even when a plurality of workers work at the same time, work management for each worker can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a work management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram when a plurality of workers perform pen input.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a work management processing procedure in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a data configuration diagram in a work management unit.

FIG. 5 is a data configuration diagram in a personal information management unit.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a screen of an “inspection” operation.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a screen of a “work log” work.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of how to use a keyboard.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a work management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a work management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a work management system when a voice is used for an input operation .

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a work management system when a video is used for an input operation .

FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a work management system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a data configuration diagram of pen management information.

FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of a work management system when a wireless mouse is used as an input device .

[Explanation of symbols]

100 ... process control terminal screen, 101 ... tablet, 102 ...
Plant information management unit, 103: control unit, 104: work management unit,
105: personal information management unit, 106: receiving unit, 107: horizontal light emitting element, 108: horizontal light receiving element, 108: vertical light emitting element, 11
0: Vertical light receiving element, 111: Input pen, 112: Optical sensor, 1
13 ... ID storage unit, 114 ... Transmission unit, 120 ... Ponting coordinates, 121 ... Transmission ID number, 201,202,203 ... Work pen, 21
1, 212, 213: Each worker's transmission ID number, 221, 222, 223: Each pointing coordinate, 301: ID number receiving processing, 302: Screen coordinate extraction processing, 303: Processing for determining work contents from screen coordinates, 304: To work management unit Record processing, 305: work content execution processing, 401: work management section information, 402: work item information, 403: worker ID number, 404: work time, 501: personal information management section information, 502: worker ID number 503: worker's personal name, 504: personal management information, 505: each person's access level, 506 ... each person's skill level, 507 ... each person's work environment, 600
… Example of terminal screen, 601… Plant structure diagram, 602… Trend graph, 603… ITV screen, 604… Inspection menu, 605… Boiler figure, 701… Work log menu, 702… Work log,
801: keyboard, 802: pen holder, 803, 804: light emitting element, 901: terminal code detection unit, 902: terminal code storage unit, 1020
… Site A, 1021… Site B, 1000… Network, 100
1,1002,1003… Input pens for each worker, 1011,1012,1013…
Each worker input, 1101 ... voice input unit, 1102 ... voice recognition unit,
1201 ... Image input unit, 1202 ... Image recognition unit, 1301 ... Pen, 13
02: pen tip, 1303: pen information management unit, 1401: pen management information, 1402: pen information, 1403: worker ID number, 15
01,1502 ... Pointer of each worker, 1503,1504 ... Wireless mouse of each worker, 1511,1521 ... Each ID number, 1512,1522 ... Each work information.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masayasu Futagawa 4026 Kuji-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi Research Laboratory, Ltd. In-house (72) Inventor Masato Hotta 4026 Kuji-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Within Hitachi Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. 72) Inventor Atsuhiko Hirota 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside the Hitachi, Ltd. Omika Plant (56) References JP-A-3-84609 (JP, A) JP-A-4-46745 (JP, a) Patent Akira 64-8495 (JP, a) JP Akira 61-105678 (JP, a) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ^7, DB ) G06F 17/60

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A work management system in a system in which a plurality of workers work, a pen-type input means for outputting a signal for specifying the worker who performed the operation together with an input operation performed by the worker; Storage means for storing a worker and a work performed by the worker in association with each other, and management means for automatically managing the work of the worker based on the storage without making the worker aware of the input of the work record The input means is provided with a pen position detecting means for detecting a pointed position of the pen, a timing detecting means for detecting a timing at which the position is detected, and a worker information output means for outputting worker information. Work management system characterized by the following. 2. The work management system according to claim 1, wherein said input means is provided with a device detecting means for detecting a device specified by said pen. 3. A work management system in a system in which a plurality of workers work, wherein a pen-type input means for outputting a signal for specifying the worker who performed the work together with the input operation performed by the worker; Storage means for storing a worker and a work performed by the worker in association with each other, and management means for automatically managing the work of the worker based on the storage without making the worker aware of the input of the work record The input means is provided with a pen position detecting means for detecting a pen pointing position, and a pen identifying means for detecting a pen type, and the pen pointing position, the worker's instruction and the pen's instruction are given by the pen instruction. A work management system characterized by detecting a failed device. 4. A pen type input device in a system in which a plurality of workers work, a pen position detecting means for detecting a pointing position of a pen, a timing detecting means for detecting a timing at which the position is detected, An input device comprising: worker information output means for outputting information. 5. The input device according to claim 4, characterized in that a device detecting means for detecting an instruction by the apparatus of the pen. 6. A pen-type input device in a system in which a plurality of workers work, provided with a pen position detecting means for detecting a pointing position of a pen, and a pen identifying means for detecting a type of a pen. An input device for causing a system to detect a pointing position of a pen, an operator, and a device instructed by the pen.