JPH0950316A - State monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To timely transmit the abnormality, the faults, etc., of an electronic equipment to a prescribed place via a communication circuit. SOLUTION: When the internal state of a copying machine 100 is detected by an internal state detection part 102, a sending message is produced according to the detected internal state. Then, a transmitting part 104 telephones a receiving part 106 via its telephone number, and the part 106 is called via a communication circuit 105. When the part 106 is called, the sending message is synthesized in voice by a voice synthesizing part 103, and the part 104 sends the synthesized voice to the part 106 via the circuit 105.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a status monitoring device for monitoring the status of electronic equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, when paper has run out in a copying machine or the like, the user can find it and refill it,
The copy machine or the like outputs a voice message such as "please supply paper" to prompt the user to supply paper. Further, when a failure occurs, the user finds it and requests a service center or the like for repair.

In an automatic vending machine or the like, the manager regularly inspects the product, and when the product is sold out or fails, the manager replenishes or repairs the product.

[0004]

However, since the user or the administrator cannot immediately know the abnormality or the failure, there is a problem that the inspection and the maintenance cannot be performed immediately.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide a condition monitoring device capable of timely transmitting abnormality or failure of electronic equipment to a predetermined place through a communication line. To do.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided state detecting means for detecting an internal state of an electronic device, message producing means for producing a message in accordance with the internal state detected by the state detecting means, and message producing means. When a message is created by the means, a transmission means for transmitting the message as a synthesized voice to a predetermined destination via a communication line is provided.

When the message reception confirmation is not received from the predetermined transmission destination, the transmission means retransmits to the predetermined transmission destination instead of the predetermined transmission destination.

The present invention further comprises setting means for setting whether to try the retransmission of the message at a short time interval or at a long time interval, and the transmission means performs the retransmission according to the setting by the setting means. Try.

When the user runs out of paper, the user is automatically called and, for example, when a voice synthesis message such as "please replenish the paper" is transmitted or a failure point is detected, the user is automatically notified. Call the service center to explain the breakdown and request repairs.

When a product is sold out or sold out, the administrator is automatically called and a voice synthesis message is sent to inform the effect, and the product is replenished or the defective part is tested. Request.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. This is an example of a copier. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a copying machine, which is an external receiving unit 1 via a communication line 105.
It is connected to 06. Reference numeral 102 denotes an internal state detection unit that detects the internal state of the copying machine 100. 1
A control unit 01 creates a message according to the internal state detected by the internal state detection unit 102. A voice synthesis unit 103 reads the message created by the control unit 101 with synthetic voice.
Reference numeral 104 denotes a transmission unit which, when a message is created by the control unit 101, sets up a line with the reception unit 106 and transmits the synthesized voice from the voice synthesis unit 103.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of a control procedure by the control unit 101 shown in FIG. Step S2
At 01, the internal state detection unit 102 detects the internal state of the copying machine 100. Here, it is assumed that it is detected that the paper is running low. Then, step S202
Then, the control unit 101 creates a transmission message "This is a copying machine in the laboratory. The paper is running low. Please replenish the paper." Then, in step S203, the transmission unit 10 is added to the telephone number of the reception unit 106.
4 to make a call, and the receiving unit 1 through the communication line 105.
Call 06.

Then, when a call is made to the receiving unit 106,
In step S205, the created transmission sentence is voice-synthesized by the voice synthesis unit 103, and the transmission unit 104 transmits the synthesized voice to the reception unit 106 via the communication line 105.
Then, when the reception end is determined in step S206, the control ends.

On the other hand, in step S204, the receiving unit 10
If 6 is not displayed, a predetermined fixed period (for example, 20
end) and then the call ends.

<Second Embodiment> This embodiment is based on the first embodiment.
This is an example of transmitting to the second and third users when the transmission to the user of No. has failed.

FIG. 3 shows a second control by the control unit 101 shown in FIG.
3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in the embodiment of FIG. In step S301, the internal state of the copying machine 100 is detected by the internal state detection unit 102. Here, it is assumed that it is detected that the paper is running low.
Then, in step S302, the control unit 101 creates a transmission message "This is a copying machine in the laboratory. The paper is running low. Please replenish the paper." Then, in step S303, the destination user (i = 1) having the highest priority is set. In step S304, it is determined whether or not the user (N) having the lowest priority has been called. Here, if the user (N) with the lowest priority is called and is not received,
The process ends.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S304 that the user (N) having the lowest priority has not been called, the transmission destination of the transmission sentence is set to the user (i) in step S305. Make a call to the telephone number of user (i). Then, as a result of the determination in step S306, if the user (i) does not pick up the call within a fixed time, in step S307, the user with the next highest priority (i = i
+1) is selected as the transmission destination, and the process returns to step S304.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S304 that (i≤N), the destination of the transmitted text is set to the user (i) and the telephone number of the user (i) is called in step S305. . If the user (i) picks up the call within a certain time in step S306, the created text is synthesized by the speech synthesis unit 103 in step S308, and the user makes a call in step 309. It is determined whether or not the call is placed, and when a negative decision is made, the process returns to step S308, and thereafter, steps S308 and S309 are repeated until the user places the call.

<Third Embodiment> This embodiment is an example of an automatic vending machine, and the automatic vending machine has an internal state detecting section 102, a voice control section 103, a control section 101, and an internal state detecting section 102 shown in FIG.
The transmission unit 104 is included.

FIG. 4 shows a third control by the control unit 101 shown in FIG.
3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in the embodiment of FIG. If the administrator is unable to receive the message due to the absence of the message even after transmitting the sent message, send the message again at short intervals if you want to send the message quickly, and if you do not need to send the message quickly. Is an example of sending a message again at long intervals.

In step S401, the internal state of the vending machine is detected by the internal state detecting unit 102. Here, it is assumed that the product A is sold out. Then, in step S402, a transmission statement "This is the vending machine B in OO town, XX ward. Product A is sold out. Please replenish." Step S
At 403, the telephone number of the administrator of the vending machine is called. Next, in step S404, when the administrator picks up the call, the process proceeds to step S408 and step S4.
In step S08, the transmission sentence synthesized by the speech synthesis unit 103 is transmitted, and in step S409, it is determined whether the reception is completed. When a negative determination is made, step S4
Returning to step 08, steps S408 and S409 are repeated until the administrator places a call.

On the other hand, as a result of the judgment in step SS404, if the manager does not answer the telephone, it is judged in step S405 whether or not the supply of the goods is urgent. If it is determined that the user is in a hurry, in step S406, the process returns to step S403 after a short time, for example, waiting for one hour and waiting for one hour. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no urgency, step S40
At 7, a long time (for example, 24 hours) is waited, and after 24 hours have elapsed, the process returns to step S403.

[0023]

With the above-described structure, it is possible to timely detect an abnormality, a failure, a sold-out, etc. of the electronic device, and inspect and maintain the electronic device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in the first embodiment by a control unit 101 shown in FIG.

3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in a second embodiment by a control unit 101 shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in a third embodiment by a control unit 101 shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 copy machine 101 control unit 102 internal state detection unit 103 voice synthesis unit 104 transmission unit 105 communication line 106 reception unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A state detecting means for detecting an internal state of an electronic device, a message producing means for producing a message according to the internal state detected by the state detecting means, and a case where a message is produced by the message producing means. And a transmission means for transmitting the message as a synthesized voice to a predetermined transmission destination via a communication line. 2. The transmission means according to claim 1, wherein when there is no message reception confirmation from the predetermined transmission destination, the transmission means retransmits to a predetermined transmission destination instead of the predetermined transmission destination. Status monitoring device. 3. The transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting whether to attempt message retransmission at a short time interval or a long time interval. A condition monitoring device characterized in that the device attempts to retransmit.