JPH1013596A - Diagnosis instruction device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a diagnosis instruction device that aids troubleshooting by grasping entirely a plurality of faults even when the faults are occurred. SOLUTION: A control section 11 sends diagnostic items set according to an instruction from the operator sequentially to a diagnosed device 2 via a communication section 12. The diagnosed device 2 uses a self-diagnosis section 22 to self-diagnose the sent diagnosis items and sends the diagnosis result or a fault code on the occurrence of a fault to a diagnosis instruction device 1. The diagnosis instruction device 1 receives the diagnosis result via a communication section 12 and stores the result of diagnosis to a fault storage section 13 when the diagnosis result is in error. After the diagnosis result is obtained from all set diagnostic items, an electronic manual connection menu is displayed on a display section 14 depending on the contents of the fault storage section 13. When a fault is instructed in this display, a corresponding electronic manual is extracted from an electronic manual storage section 16 and displayed on the display section 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a diagnosis instruction to a device to be diagnosed having a self-diagnosis function such as an image forming apparatus.
The present invention relates to a diagnosis instruction device that processes a diagnosis result.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, devices such as an image forming apparatus having a self-diagnosis function for making a diagnosis inside the apparatus have been developed. When performing diagnosis in a device having such a self-diagnosis function, the internal self-diagnosis function is operated, diagnosis is sequentially performed according to a predetermined procedure, and when an abnormality is detected, the abnormality is displayed on a display device, for example. Is displayed.

Further, a system has been developed in which a self-diagnosis function is externally operated through a line or the like or directly connected to a device to obtain a diagnosis result and perform a remote diagnosis. In such a system as well, diagnosis is performed according to a certain procedure, and the diagnosis is stopped when an abnormality is detected, or further diagnosis is performed according to the procedure according to the diagnosis result.

Various procedures for making such a diagnosis have been considered, for example, to make it easier to detect each abnormality or to detect from an important abnormality, and have been documented. .

When a maintenance work is performed by such a conventional diagnostic procedure, for example, after taking measures against one abnormality and further operating the self-diagnosis function, another abnormality may be found. . In this case as well, countermeasures are taken against another discovered abnormality. When such a procedure is repeatedly performed, if the ordering and replacement of parts are repeated, a large amount of time is required until recovery, and the use efficiency is reduced and the user's dissatisfaction is increased. In addition, when an abnormality occurs repeatedly, the cause of the abnormality discovered later may cause other abnormalities,
There is also a problem that abnormal measures taken so far may be wasted.

As a conventional failure diagnosis apparatus, for example, an apparatus described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 18738/1990, when a failure occurs, a failure countermeasure procedure set in advance using the self-diagnosis function of the apparatus to be diagnosed is used. It describes a technique that automatically executes a part and gives necessary instructions to a maintenance technician. This apparatus does not describe how the self-diagnosis function is performed on the apparatus to be diagnosed, but it is still a method of collecting diagnostic data according to a predetermined procedure. Therefore, when a plurality of failures have occurred, it can be said that the above problem still exists.

[0007] For example, the system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-253403 is a system for guiding an operator in an emergency operation of a nuclear power plant according to a predetermined manual. Also in this system, diagnosis and recovery are performed only in a predetermined procedure according to a manual, and the problem when a plurality of faults occur as described above is not considered.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. Even when a plurality of faults have occurred, it is possible to grasp them as a whole and take measures. It is an object of the present invention to provide a diagnostic instruction device for assisting the user.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a diagnostic instructing device for giving a diagnostic instruction to a device to be diagnosed having a self-diagnosis function. Communication means for receiving a result of diagnosis by the device to be diagnosed; and control means for controlling a plurality of tests to be instructable to the device to be diagnosed via the communication means, wherein the control means comprises means for diagnosing by the device to be diagnosed. It is characterized in that a plurality of tests can be specified regardless of the result.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the diagnostic instruction device according to the first aspect, further comprising a display unit, wherein the control unit determines that at least a failure has been diagnosed among the diagnostic results of the device to be diagnosed. A plurality of diagnostic results can be displayed on the display means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the diagnostic instruction device according to the second aspect, the diagnostic instruction device further includes a storage unit for storing at least a diagnosis result of a failure diagnosed by the device to be diagnosed. The diagnostic result stored in the storage means is displayed on the display means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the diagnostic instruction apparatus according to the second or third aspect, an electronic manual storage means for storing a manual for a failure, and a selection for selecting a diagnosis result displayed on the display means. Means, wherein the control means causes the display means to display a manual stored in the electronic manual storage means corresponding to the diagnosis result selected by the selection means.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a system including an embodiment of a diagnosis instruction apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a diagnostic instruction device, 2 is a device to be diagnosed, 11 is a control unit, 12 is a communication unit, 13 is a fault storage unit, 14 is a display unit, 15 is an input unit, 16 is an electronic manual holding unit,
Reference numeral 21 denotes a communication unit, and reference numeral 22 denotes a self-diagnosis unit. Diagnostic device 2
Has a configuration for performing its original function, but is omitted here, and only the communication unit 21 and the self-diagnosis unit 22 are shown. The communication unit 21 exchanges data with the diagnosis instruction device 1 when the diagnosis instruction device 1 is connected. The self-diagnosis unit 22 performs a diagnosis in the device under diagnosis 2 according to the diagnosis instruction obtained through the communication unit 21, and sends a diagnosis result to the diagnosis instruction device 1 through the communication unit 21.

The diagnostic instruction device 1 includes a control unit 11, a communication unit 1
2, a storage unit 13, a display unit 14, an input unit 15, an electronic manual holding unit 16, and the like. The control unit 11 sends a diagnosis instruction to the device to be diagnosed 2 via the communication unit 12 in accordance with an instruction of the operator, receives a diagnosis result via the communication unit 12, and causes the fault storage unit 13 to store all or selectively. The diagnosis result is checked, and at least the diagnosis result diagnosed as a failure is displayed on the display unit 14, and a manual corresponding to the failure specified by the operator is taken out of the electronic manual holding unit 16 and displayed on the display unit 14.

The communication unit 12 exchanges data with the device under diagnosis 2. The fault storage unit 13 holds at least all or a part of the diagnosis results received from the device under diagnosis 2. The display unit 14 displays guidance for input to the operator, displays all or a part of the diagnosis results sent from the device under diagnosis 2, displays an electronic manual, and the like. The input unit 15 receives an instruction from an operator and passes the instruction to the control unit 11. The electronic manual holding unit 16 holds an electronic manual.

The electronic manual holding section 16 has an R
In addition to the configuration including an AM, a ROM, and a hard disk, the configuration may be such that data of an electronic manual is supplied by, for example, a CD-ROM, a memory card, an MO, or the like. When supplying the electronic manual with such a medium, the electronic manual can be exchanged and used according to the device under diagnosis 2.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing an example of the operation of the diagnosis instruction apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the operation up to the display of the diagnosis result, and FIG. 3 shows a process of displaying the electronic manual of the first embodiment. First, the diagnosis instruction device 1 is connected to the device to be diagnosed 2 directly or via a line. And turn on the power,
Perform necessary operations. For example, a self-test is selected from a system menu on the diagnostic instruction device. Or,
The self-test function starts when the power is turned on.

In S31, the operator sets a diagnosis item on the diagnosis instruction device 1. The diagnosis items may be set for a plurality of items, or may be set for all items. Upon confirming that the operator has instructed execution in S32, the diagnostic instructing apparatus 2 proceeds to S33.
Clears the fault storage unit 13 and instructs the device under diagnosis 2 to execute one of the diagnosis items in S34.

The diagnosed device 2 executes the instructed diagnosis. If the result of the diagnosis is normal, it indicates "normal", and if the result is abnormal, it indicates "abnormal" and a fault code indicating its cause. To the diagnosis instruction device 1. The diagnosis instruction device 1 waits for a diagnosis result from the device to be diagnosed 2 in S35, and upon receiving the diagnosis result, proceeds to S36.

In this example, an example is shown in which the fault storage unit 13 stores only when the diagnosis result is as described above. S
At 36, it is determined whether the diagnosis result received from the device under diagnosis 2 is normal or abnormal, and if the diagnosis result is abnormal,
At 37, the presence or absence of a fault code is determined. If there is a fault code, the diagnostic result is stored in the fault storage unit 1 in S38.
Register to 3.

In S39, it is determined whether or not there remains a diagnostic item that has not yet been diagnosed. If so, in S40, an instruction is given to the device under diagnosis 2 to execute the next diagnostic item. Then, the process returns to S35, and waits for the diagnosis result, and performs processing for the diagnosis result. S35-S40
Is performed for all the diagnostic items specified by the operator.

When the processing for all the diagnostic items specified by the operator is completed, in S41,
It is determined whether the diagnosis result is stored with reference to the fault storage unit 13. If the diagnosis result is stored in the fault storage unit 13, the fault code is converted into a fault name and displayed on the display unit 14 in S42. This display screen is referred to as an electronic manual connection screen in the following description.

If no diagnostic result is stored in the fault storage unit 13, a message indicating that there is no abnormality may be displayed. Also, for items for which the diagnostic result is normal, a display indicating that the item is normal may be displayed. After receiving the execution instruction from the operator in S32, until the electronic manual connection screen is displayed, the display unit 14 displays "Executing" or the like to indicate to the operator that the diagnosis is being executed. A message should be displayed.

In this way, not all diagnoses are performed in accordance with a predetermined order and a procedure according to a diagnostic result as in the conventional case, but all the instructed diagnoses are performed and displayed. Therefore, even if a plurality of faults have occurred, They can be diagnosed and displayed.

A configuration without the electronic manual holding unit 16 is also possible. In this case, referring to the contents of the electronic manual connection screen displayed in this way, the manual is identified from the displayed fault name and the like. Refer to and recover from the failure.

The use of the electronic manual will be further described with reference to FIG. In step S51, an electronic manual connection screen is displayed. This step is the same step as S42 in FIG. After confirming in step S52 that the cancel button has not been pressed, in step S53, the operator selects an arbitrary fault from the displayed fault names and selects [OK]. [OK] in S54
After confirming that is pressed, the electronic manual page corresponding to the fault designated in S55 is opened, and the display unit 14 is opened.
To be displayed. The operator refers to the displayed electronic manual and recovers from the fault related to the fault.

When the operator presses [close] after recovery from the failure, this is detected in S56, the electronic manual is closed in S57, and the process returns to S51. The electronic manual connection screen is displayed again in S51.

After all the faults have been recovered or during recovery, if the operator wants the diagnostic device 2 to perform a self-diagnosis again, the operator presses [Cancel]. When this is detected in S52, the electronic manual connection screen is closed.

Here, an example in which the electronic manual connection screen is automatically displayed after the acquisition of the diagnosis result has been described. However, if it is desired to display this screen manually, it is possible to select from the system menu on the diagnosis instruction device. it can.

The above example is effective when a device to be diagnosed is specified. However, for example, when a plurality of types of devices to be diagnosed are to be supported, the device to be diagnosed is selected in S31. I just need. Alternatively, for example, when the electronic manual is a removable medium such as a CD-ROM or a memory card, the type of the device to be diagnosed is stored in the medium, and the type of the device to be diagnosed is determined upon mounting. It can also be configured to be performed.

Next, the above-mentioned operation will be described using a specific example. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a diagnosis item setting screen. When the operator sets a diagnosis item in S31 of FIG. 2, it can be performed, for example, on a setting screen as shown in FIG. There is an area for setting diagnostic items on the left side of the screen. In this example, either “specify all” or “individual specification” can be selected.
When "individual designation" is selected, the user can further select which diagnostic item is to be set. Here, six diagnostic items are displayed, and one or a plurality of diagnostic items can be selected. In addition, the displayed diagnosis item can be changed by designating “next page” and “previous page”. In the example shown in FIG. 4, "specify all" is selected.

After setting such diagnostic items,
Instruct "execute" in the lower right. In FIG. 4, although “enclosed” is surrounded by a broken line, this “execution” can be selected while the diagnosis item is being set. The diagnosis is started with the instruction of “execution”. With the start of the diagnosis, a message “executing” is displayed at the bottom as shown in FIG. 4, and “execute” cannot be selected, and “stop” can be selected. Even while the diagnosis is being executed, the diagnosis being executed can be stopped by selecting “stop”.

In this example, the progress of the execution is displayed on the right side of the screen. The diagnosis instructing device sequentially instructs the device to be diagnosed to perform a self-diagnosis for each diagnosis item, and receives a diagnosis result. FIG.
In the example shown in (1), first, "memory check" is instructed to the device to be diagnosed, and "running" is displayed. When a diagnosis result is received from the device to be diagnosed, the diagnosis result is displayed. The diagnosis result of this memory check was “normal end”. Next, a "read signal check" is instructed to the device to be diagnosed, and a diagnosis result of "abnormal end" is received from the device to be diagnosed. In the diagnosis instructing device of the present invention, the process proceeds to the next diagnosis item regardless of the diagnosis result.
Even if the diagnosis result is received, the diagnosis of the next "loopback signal check" is executed as it is. In this way, the diagnosis is sequentially executed for each set diagnosis item, and the diagnosis result is received.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the electronic manual connection screen. As described above, diagnosis is performed for each set diagnosis item, and when a diagnosis result is obtained, an electronic manual connection screen as shown in FIG. To be displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 5, a fault code obtained along with the diagnosis result and a fault name corresponding to the fault code are displayed. The “New” part displays the fault code and name of the fault that has occurred this time.
If the "old" part has a previous fault,
The fault code and fault name are displayed. 1
If it does n’t fit on the screen,
By instructing "next page", the previous screen or the next screen can be displayed.

In the display state as shown in FIG. 5, a displayed fault code / fault name pair is selected. When "OK" is designated, the electronic manual corresponding to the selected fault is called up and displayed.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a display example of the electronic manual. As the electronic manual to be displayed, in addition to the text display as shown in FIG. 6 (A), a display including a chart as shown in FIG. 6 (B), and a block diagram as shown in FIG. 6 (C) For example, various modes can be displayed. In addition, since the electronic manual corresponding to each fault rarely fits into one screen, it is configured to display the previous screen or the next screen according to an instruction such as “previous page”, “next page”, etc. Various functions such as a function of directly displaying a related page can be added.

By instructing "close" during the display of the electronic manual as shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to return to the electronic manual connection screen as shown in FIG. You can select another fault here to open the electronic manual. In addition, by instructing "cancel", the diagnostic processing is terminated, and the display can return to, for example, a system menu. Further, the system menu may be configured to return to the electronic manual connection screen as shown in FIG. The display screens shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 are merely examples, and the screen configuration, displayed items, and the like can be arbitrarily changed.

The diagnostic instruction device of the present invention may be connected to the device to be diagnosed directly or via a line, or may be incorporated in the main body of the device to be diagnosed. In this case, the display unit 14 may be configured using a display device of the main body. In addition,
The diagnosis instructing apparatus of the present invention is applicable to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and other various apparatuses to be diagnosed having a self-diagnosis function.

[0038]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, all faults occurring during a series of diagnoses can be known, so that even if a plurality of faults have occurred, These can be grasped as a whole and countermeasures can be taken, and failure repair work can be performed more accurately and quickly. In addition, in order to continuously obtain all the diagnostic results, for example, when the device to be diagnosed and the diagnostic instruction device are connected via a public line, an operator or the like does not intervene during the diagnosis, so that the line occupancy time is short, and The usage fee can be reduced.

Further, the fault detected during the diagnosis is displayed, and an appropriate electronic manual page can be opened by selecting the fault by the operator, so that the operator's operation is simple and the fault repair work can be started more quickly. In addition, when the electronic manual is opened, since the fault code has already been obtained, there is no need to perform a process such as requesting a fault code again from the device to be diagnosed, so that the operator can refer to the electronic manual smoothly. There are various effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a diagnosis instruction apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a diagnosis execution instruction and a fault display operation according to the embodiment of the diagnosis instruction apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation at the time of starting an electronic manual according to the embodiment of the diagnosis instruction apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a diagnosis item setting screen.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an electronic manual connection screen.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a display example of an electronic manual.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Diagnosis instruction | indication device, 2 ... Device to be diagnosed, 11 ... Control part, 1
2 ... communication unit, 13 ... fault storage unit, 14 ... display unit, 1
5: input unit, 16: electronic manual holding unit, 21: communication unit, 22: self-diagnosis unit.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location H04N 1/32 H04N 1/32 J

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A diagnosis instruction device for giving a diagnosis instruction to a device to be diagnosed having a self-diagnosis function, a communication unit for sending a test instruction to the device to be diagnosed and receiving a diagnosis result by the device to be diagnosed; Control means for controlling the plurality of tests to be instructable to the device to be diagnosed via the communication means, wherein the control means is capable of instructing a plurality of tests irrespective of a result of diagnosis by the device to be diagnosed. A diagnostic instruction device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display at least a plurality of diagnosis results of a diagnosis of a failure among the diagnosis results of the device to be diagnosed. The diagnostic instruction device according to claim 1. 3. A storage unit for storing at least a diagnosis result of a failure diagnosed by the device to be diagnosed, wherein the control unit displays the diagnosis result stored in the storage unit on the display unit. The diagnostic instruction device according to claim 2, wherein: 4. An electronic manual storage means for storing a manual for a fault, and a selection means for selecting a diagnosis result displayed on the display means, wherein the control means stores the diagnosis result selected by the selection means. The diagnostic instruction device according to claim 2, wherein a corresponding manual stored in the electronic manual storage unit is displayed on the display unit.