Maintenance object management system, management device, management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a device and a system for solving such a problem that selection of an executor or an execution candidate for executing maintenance for an event occurring in a maintenance object device is not considered in a conventional technology.SOLUTION: A maintenance target device 7 detects an event occurring in a self device (step S21), and transmits event information representing the detected event to a management device 5 (step S22). The management device 5 selects selection target information related to maintenance for the event (information related to an executor capable of executing maintenance or an execution candidate) based on the event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7 and the maintenance result information representing the performance of maintenance executed in the past for the maintenance target device 7 (step S23) and transmits the selected selection target information to a communication terminal 3 (step S24).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a maintenance target management system, a management device, a management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, techniques for managing maintenance work on printers and the like and job execution have been known.

[0003] For example, a technology is known in which, when a symptom of a malfunction requiring maintenance work on a printer is detected, the scheduled time to perform the maintenance work corresponding to the malfunction indicated by the symptom is set within the free time closest to the standard deadline for performing the maintenance work, out of the continuous free time periods that are equal to or longer than the length of time required for the maintenance work and that are set based on the predicted timing of occurrence, in order to determine the scheduled time to perform maintenance work to address detected symptoms without interfering with the scheduled execution of each process on the printer as much as possible (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Also, a technology is known in which actual values ​​determined from data obtained by measuring the time required for multiple image forming devices and / or operators to execute a job are accumulated, the time required to execute a new job is predicted based on the accumulated values, and the image forming device and / or operator and / or execution start time to be determined (assigned) based on the predicted value (see Patent Document 2). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, these conventional techniques have a problem in that they do not take into consideration the selection of selection target information for carrying out maintenance for an event that occurs in a maintenance target device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 provides a maintenance object management system having a maintenance target device and a management device that manages the maintenance target device, wherein the maintenance target device has a detection means for detecting an event occurring in the maintenance target device and an event information transmission means for transmitting event information representing the detected event to the management device, and the management device has a receiving means for receiving the event information transmitted by the maintenance target device, a selection means for selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance performance information representing the performance of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device, and a selection target information transmission means for transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal. Effect of the Invention

[0007] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to select selection target information for carrying out maintenance for an event occurring in a maintenance target device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a communication terminal according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a management apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a maintenance target device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a candidate management table according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a setting information management table according to the embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a maintenance record management table according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 13 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an overall process including a process for selecting implementation candidates according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a selection process of implementation candidates according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between a schedule of a maintenance target device and a schedule of a maintenance candidate according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a relationship between a schedule for a maintenance target device according to an embodiment, a record of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device, and a UI screen displayed on a communication terminal. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a maintenance provider selection screen displayed on the communication terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] 11 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of the relationship between the schedule of the maintenance target device, the track record of the maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device, and the UI screen displayed on the communication terminal according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of the maintenance provider selection screen displayed on the communication terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another example of the maintenance provider selection screen displayed on the communication terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an information processing system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an information processing system according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and the description of overlapping parts will be omitted.

[0010] [First embodiment] [Overall configuration of information processing system] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an information processing system. As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system 1 has a communication terminal 3, a management device 5 capable of communicating with the communication terminal, and a maintenance target device 7 capable of communicating with the management device 5. The information processing system 1 further has a maintenance target management system 2 including the management device 5 and the maintenance target device 7. In the information processing system 1, the communication terminal 3, the management device 5, and the maintenance target device 7 are connected to each other via a communication network 100.

[0011] The communication network 100 is a wired or wireless communication network in which an unspecified number of communications are carried out, and is constructed by the Internet, an intranet, a LAN (Local Area Network), or the like. The communication network 100 may include a communication network using wireless communication such as 4G (4th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), and LTE (Long Term Evolution). The communication terminal 3 and the management device 5 may be connected to each other by a dedicated local area network or the like.

[0012] <Communication terminal> The communication terminal 3 is used by a user (user) who uses the information processing system 1, and is a device capable of displaying each UI screen. There may be one or more users. The communication terminal 3 may be realized by an information processing device (computer system) for performing communication equipped with a general OS or the like, and is one of the components that configure the information processing system 1. The communication terminal 3 has a communication application for communicating with the management device 5 via the communication network 100 installed and stored in a storage means.

[0013] The communication terminal 3 may be a communication terminal having a communication function, such as a commonly used PC (Personal Computer), a portable notebook PC, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal (sunglasses type, wristwatch type), etc. The communication terminal 3 may further be a communication device or a communication terminal capable of operating browser software and various application software.

[0014] <Management device> The management device 5 is a device that manages the maintenance target device 7. The management device 5 is realized by an information processing terminal (computer system) for performing communication equipped with a general OS or the like, and is one of the components that configure the information processing system 1. The management device 5 installs and stores in a storage means a communication application or the like for communicating with the communication terminal 3 and the maintenance target device 7.

[0015] The management device 5 may be a communication terminal having a communication function, such as a commonly used PC (Personal Computer), a portable notebook PC, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. The management device 5 may further be a communication device or a communication terminal capable of operating browser software and various application software.

[0016] Furthermore, the management device 5 may notify (transmit) data (information) by push notification (transmission) to other communication terminals etc. connected via the communication network 100. In this case, the management device 5 performs the push notification via, for example, FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging), which is an example of a push notification server.

[0017] <Devices to be maintained> The maintenance target device 7 is realized by an information processing terminal (computer system) for communication equipped with a general OS, etc., and is one of the components that construct the information processing system 1. The maintenance target device 7 installs and stores a communication application, etc. for communicating with the management device 5 in a storage means. The maintenance target device 7 also includes an image forming device as a multifunction peripheral (MFP), a PC, an electronic whiteboard, a projector, a rice ball making machine, a rice cracker baking machine, and an inspection device in a logistics system. When the maintenance target device 7 is a multifunction peripheral, for example, it can be operated from an application installed in the communication terminal 3, a Web browser, etc. Also, a server may be provided between the communication terminal 3 and the maintenance target device 7, and a user-side application (client) may communicate with the server. In this case, the maintenance target device 7, which is an example of a multifunction device, executes a command input by the user via the browser. Here, the maintenance (maintenance) performed by the maintenance target device 7, for example, in the case of an image forming device, is not limited to advanced maintenance performed by a specialized service person, but may be daily maintenance performed by an operator, manager, etc. of the customer where the maintenance target device 7 is installed. In this case, routine maintenance includes, for example, cleaning, replacement of consumable parts, and the like.

[0018] In addition, when the maintenance target device 7 is the above-mentioned PC, it may be a communication terminal having a communication function such as a commonly used PC (Personal Computer), a portable notebook PC, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc. The maintenance target device 7 may further be a communication device or a communication terminal capable of operating browser software and various application software.

[0019] ●About terminology● In this embodiment, the maintenance target is a target of maintenance that is performed for a failure symptom, which is an example of an event that occurs in the maintenance target device 7. Information related to an event that includes a failure symptom is called event information.

[0020] In this embodiment, the term "performer" or "performer candidate" refers to a maintenance performer who performs maintenance on the maintenance target device or a maintenance performer candidate who is a candidate for performing maintenance. In this embodiment, "maintenance" may be referred to as "maintenance" hereafter. The term "performer" or "performer candidate" refers to a user (user, consumer) who uses the communication terminal 3. Note that the term "performer" or "performer candidate" includes not only a maintenance performer (maintenance performer) who performs maintenance on the maintenance target device 7, but also a person in charge of maintenance planned by the maintenance target management system 2, a user who checks various information related to notifications regarding the type of maintenance and the date and time of maintenance, and an administrator of the client where the maintenance target device 7 is installed.

[0021] Maintenance to prevent malfunction symptoms occurring in the maintenance target device 7 includes, for example, replacement of ink, toner, etc. in the case of a multifunction printer (MFP). These are carried out in advance during idle time when jobs being executed by the multifunction printer are not being printed without interruption. Furthermore, the amount of jobs is also detected as a malfunction symptom, and the maintenance target device 7 carries out maintenance in advance before the execution of the jobs.

[0022] [Hardware configuration] Next, the hardware configuration of the device or apparatus constituting the information processing system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Note that components may be added or deleted from the hardware configuration of the communication terminal or apparatus shown in Figures 2 to 4 as necessary.

[0023] <Hardware configuration of communication terminal> Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a communication terminal according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the communication terminal 3 is constructed by, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, an EEPROM 304, a HD (Hard Disk) 305, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) controller 306, a display 307, a short-range communication I / F 308, a CMOS sensor 309, and an image sensor I / F 310. The communication terminal 3 further includes a network I / F 311, a keyboard 312, a pointing device 313, a media I / F 315, an external device connection I / F 316, a sound input / output I / F 317, a microphone 318, a speaker 319, and a bus line 320.

[0024] Among these, the CPU 301 controls the operation of the entire communication terminal 3. The ROM 302 stores programs and the like used to drive the CPU 301. The RAM 303 is used as a work area for the CPU 301. The EEPROM 304 reads or writes various data such as applications under the control of the CPU 301. The HD 305 stores various data such as programs. The HDD controller 306 controls the reading or writing of various data from the HD 305 under the control of the CPU 301. Here, the communication terminal 3 may have a hardware configuration equipped with an SSD (Solid State Drive) instead of the HD 305 and the HDD controller 306. The display 307 displays various information such as a cursor, a menu, a window, a character, or an image. In this embodiment, the display 307 functions as an example of a display means. The short-range communication I / F 308 is a communication circuit for performing data communication with a communication device or a communication terminal having a wireless communication interface such as NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth (registered trademark; omitted below), or Wi-Fi (registered trademark; omitted below). The CMOS sensor 309 is a type of built-in imaging means that captures an image of a subject under the control of the CPU 301 to obtain image data or video data. The imaging means may be an imaging means constituted by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor or the like instead of a CMOS sensor. The image sensor I / F 310 is a circuit that controls the driving of the CMOS sensor 509.

[0025] The network I / F 311 is an interface for data communication with the management device 5 using the communication network 100. The keyboard 312 is a type of input means having a plurality of keys for inputting characters, numbers, various instructions, etc. Note that, instead of or in addition to the keyboard 312, an input means such as a touch panel for operating a predetermined button, icon, etc. may be used. The pointing device 313 is a type of input means for selecting and executing various instructions, selecting a processing target, moving a cursor, etc. The media I / F 315 controls reading or writing (storing) data from and to a recording medium 314 such as a flash memory. The external device connection I / F 316 is an interface for connecting various external devices. In this case, the external device may be, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, etc. The sound input / output I / F 317 is a circuit for processing input / output of sound signals between a microphone 318 and a speaker 319 according to the control of the CPU 301. The microphone 318 is a built-in circuit that converts sound into an electrical signal, and obtains information using the electrical signal by acquiring voice or sound waves emitted from an external speaker or the like. The speaker 319 is a built-in circuit that converts an electrical signal into physical vibrations to produce sound such as music or voice. The bus line 320 is an address bus, a data bus, or the like for electrically connecting each component such as the CPU 301. The bus line 320 is an address bus, a data bus, or the like for electrically connecting each component such as the CPU 301.

[0026] <Hardware configuration of management device> Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a management device according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the management device 5 is constructed by, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU 501, a ROM 502, a RAM 503, an EEPROM 504, a HD (Hard Disk) 505, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) controller 506, and a display 507. The management device 5 further includes a network I / F 511, a keyboard 512, a pointing device 513, a media I / F 515, an external device connection I / F 516, and a bus line 520.

[0027] Among these, the CPU 501 controls the operation of the entire management device 5. The ROM 502 stores programs and the like used to drive the CPU 501. The RAM 503 is used as a work area for the CPU 501. The EEPROM 504 reads or writes various data such as applications under the control of the CPU 501. The HD 505 stores various data such as programs. The HDD controller 506 controls the reading or writing of various data from the HD 505 under the control of the CPU 501. Here, the management device 5 may be a hardware configuration equipped with an SSD (Solid State Drive) instead of the HD 505 and the HDD controller 206. The display 507 displays various information such as a cursor, a menu, a window, a character, or an image. In this embodiment, the display 507 functions as an example of a display means.

[0028] The network I / F 511 is an interface for data communication using the communication network 100. The keyboard 512 is a type of input means having a plurality of keys for inputting characters, numbers, various instructions, etc. Note that, instead of or in addition to the keyboard 512, an input means such as a touch panel for operating a predetermined button, icon, etc. may be used. The pointing device 513 is a type of input means for selecting and executing various instructions, selecting a processing target, moving a cursor, etc. The media I / F 515 controls reading or writing (storing) data from and to a recording medium 514 such as a flash memory. The external device connection I / F 516 is an interface for connecting various external devices. In this case, the external device may be, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, etc. The bus line 520 is an address bus, a data bus, etc. for electrically connecting each component such as the CPU 501.

[0029] The above program may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium as an installable or executable file, or may be distributed by downloading via a network. Examples of the recording medium include a CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), a Blu-ray Disc (Blu-ray is a registered trademark; omitted below), an SD card, and a USB memory. The recording medium may be provided domestically or internationally as a program product. For example, the management device 5 realizes the management method according to the present invention by executing the program according to the present invention.

[0030] <Hardware configuration of the equipment to be maintained> Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a maintenance target device according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the maintenance target device 7 is constructed by, for example, a computer, and is, for example, an MFP. As shown in Fig. 4, the maintenance target device 7 has hardware resources including a controller 710, an external device connection I / F 725, an engine control unit 730, an operation panel 740, and a network I / F 750.

[0031] Of these, the controller 710 has a CPU 701 which is the main part of the computer, a system memory (MEM-P) 702, a north bridge (NB) 703, a south bridge (SB) 704, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 705, a local memory (MEM-C) 706 which is a storage unit, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) controller 207, and an HD (Hard Disk) 708 which is also a storage unit, and is configured such that the NB 703 and the ASIC 705 are connected by an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus 721.

[0032] Of these, the CPU 701 is a control unit that performs overall control of the maintenance target device 7. The NB 703 is a bridge for connecting the CPU 701 with the MEM-P 702, the SB 704, and the AGP bus 721, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the MEM-P 702, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) master, and an AGP target.

[0033] The MEM-P 702 is composed of a ROM 702a which is a memory for storing programs and data for implementing the various functions of the controller 710, and a RAM 702b which is used for developing the programs and data, and as a drawing memory during memory printing, etc. The programs stored in the RAM 702b may be provided by being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or DVD in the form of an installable or executable file.

[0034] The SB704 is a bridge for connecting the NB703 to a PCI device and a peripheral device. The ASIC705 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) for image processing purposes having hardware elements for image processing, and plays the role of a bridge connecting the AGP bus 721, the PCI bus 722, the HD708, and the MEM-C706. The ASIC705 includes a PCI target and an AGP master, an arbiter that arbitrates the drive timing of each signal according to a predetermined priority in the ASIC705, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C706, a plurality of DMACs (Direct Memory Access Controllers) that rotate image data using hardware logic, and a PCI unit that transfers data between the ASIC705 and a scanner unit 731 and a printer unit 732 (described later) via the PCI bus 722. A USB interface or an IEEE1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394) interface may be connected to the ASIC705.

[0035] The MEM-C706 is a local memory used as an image buffer for copying and a code buffer. The HD708 is a storage for storing image data, font data used during printing, and forms. The HD708 controls the reading and writing of data from and to the HD708 under the control of the CPU701. The AGP bus 721 is a bus interface for a graphics accelerator card proposed to speed up graphic processing, and by directly accessing the MEM-P702 at high throughput, the graphics accelerator card can be made faster.

[0036] The external device connection I / F 725 is an interface for connecting to the management device 5, and is, for example, a USB interface.

[0037] The maintenance target device 7 may include a short-range communication circuit having an antenna for the short-range communication circuit. The short-range communication circuit is, for example, a communication circuit such as NFC, Bluetooth (registered trademark, omitted below), or Wi-Fi (registered trademark, omitted below).

[0038] Furthermore, the engine control unit 730 is composed of a scanner unit 731, a printer unit 732, and a FAX unit 733. The operation panel 740 includes a panel display unit 740a such as a touch panel that displays current setting values ​​and a selection screen, etc., and receives input from an operator, as well as operation keys 740b including a numeric keypad that receives setting values ​​for image formation conditions such as density setting conditions, and a start key that receives a copy start instruction. In this embodiment, the panel display unit 740a functions as an example of a display unit. The controller 710 controls the entire maintenance target device 7, and controls, for example, drawing, communication, and input from the operation panel 740. The scanner unit 731 or the printer unit 732 includes an image processing unit such as error diffusion and gamma (γ) conversion. The FAX unit 733 includes an analog I / F, a modem, a speaker, etc. for performing facsimile communication using an analog line (public line) connecting with an external device.

[0039] The maintenance target device 7 can successively switch and select the document box function, copy function, printer function, and facsimile function by using the application switching key on the operation panel 740. When the document box function is selected, the device enters document box mode, when the copy function is selected, the device enters copy mode, when the printer function is selected, the device enters printer mode, and when the facsimile mode is selected, the device enters facsimile mode.

[0040] Furthermore, the network I / F 750 is an interface for performing data communication using the communication network 100. The external device connection I / F 725 and the network I / F 750 are electrically connected to the ASIC 705 via a PCI bus 722. Note that the maintenance target device 7 is not limited to the above-mentioned MFP as long as it is a device, a communication terminal, or the like that is capable of performing maintenance on an event that occurs in the device itself.

[0041] [Functional configuration of information processing system] Next, the functional configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an information processing system according to the embodiment. Fig. 5 shows communication terminals or devices shown in Fig. 1 that are related to processing or operation described later.

[0042] <Functional configuration of communication terminal> Next, the functional configuration of the communication terminal 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the communication terminal 3 has a transmission / reception unit 31, an operation reception unit 32, an acquisition unit 33, a display control unit 34, a determination unit 35, a generation unit 37, a management unit 38, and a storage / reading unit 39. Each of these functional units is a function or means realized by operating any of the hardware resources shown in FIG. 2 by an instruction from the CPU 301 according to a program for the communication terminal 3 that is expanded from at least one of the ROM 302, the EEPROM 304, the HD 305, and the recording medium 314 to the RAM 303. The communication terminal 3 also has a storage unit 3000 (an example of a storage unit) constructed by at least one of the ROM 302, the EEPROM 304, the HD 305, and the recording medium 314 shown in FIG. 2. A communication program (communication application) for communicating with the management device 5 via the communication network 100 and the like are installed and stored in the storage unit 3000.

[0043] <<Functional configuration of communication terminal>> Next, a detailed description will be given of each functional configuration of the communication terminal 3. The transmission / reception unit 31 of the communication terminal 3 shown in Fig. 5 is mainly realized by processing of the CPU 301 on the network I / F 311 and the short-range communication I / F 308, and transmits and receives various data (or information) to and from the management device 5 via the communication network 100. In this embodiment, the transmission / reception unit 31 functions as an example of at least one of the first transmission means and the reception means.

[0044] The operation acceptance unit 32 is realized by the CPU 301 processing signals generated by various operations accepted by at least one of the keyboard 312 and the pointing device 313, and accepts operations for the communication terminal 3. In this embodiment, the operation acceptance unit 32 functions as an example of a accepting means.

[0045] The acquisition unit 33 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 301, and acquires various information received by the transmission / reception unit 31. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 33 functions as an example of an acquisition means.

[0046] The display control unit 34 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 301 on the display 307, and controls the display of various UI screens displayed on the communication terminal 3. In this embodiment, the display control unit 34 functions as an example of a display control means.

[0047] The determination unit 35 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 301, and performs various determinations in the communication terminal 3. In this embodiment, the determination unit 35 functions as an example of a determination means.

[0048] The generation unit 37 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 301, and generates various information (or data), UI screen data, and the like in the communication terminal 3. In this embodiment, the generation unit 37 functions as an example of a generation means.

[0049] The management unit 38 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 301, and manages various information (or data) including the user's maintenance schedule information in the communication terminal 3. In this embodiment, the management unit 38 functions as an example of a management means.

[0050] The storage / reading unit 39 is mainly realized by processing of the CPU 301 on at least one of the ROM 302, the EEPROM 304, the HD 305, and the recording medium 314, and stores various data (or information) in the storage unit 3000 and reads various data (or information) from the storage unit 3000. In this embodiment, the storage / reading unit 39 functions as an example of a storage control means.

[0051] <Functional configuration of management device> Next, the functional configuration of the management device 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the management device 5 has a transmission / reception unit 51, an acquisition unit 53, a display control unit 54, a judgment unit 55, a calculation unit 56, a selection generation unit 57, a setting management unit 58, and a storage / reading unit 59. Each of these functional units is a function or means realized by operating any of the hardware resources shown in FIG. 3 by an instruction from the CPU 501 according to a program for the management device 5 that is expanded from at least one of the ROM 502, the EEPROM 504, the HD 505, and the recording medium 514 to the RAM 503. The management device 5 also has a storage unit 5000 (an example of a storage unit) constructed by at least one of the ROM 502, the EEPROM 504, the HD 505, and the recording medium 514 shown in FIG. 3. A communication program (communication application), a browser application, and the like for communicating with the management device 5 via the communication network 100 are installed and stored in the storage unit 5000.

[0052] <<Functional configuration of management device>> Next, each functional configuration of the management device 5 will be described in detail. The transmission / reception unit 51 of the management device 5 shown in FIG. 5 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501 for the network I / F 511, and transmits and receives various data (or information) between the communication terminal 3 and the maintenance target device 7 via the communication network 100. The transmission / reception unit 51 also receives event information indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7 transmitted by the maintenance target device 7. The transmission / reception unit 51 also transmits selection target information selected by a selection generation unit 57 described later to the communication terminal 3. Here, the selection target information is information related to a terminal device described later that is associated with an account including at least one of a performer who can perform maintenance for the event, a performer candidate, and a performer and a performer candidate. In this embodiment, the transmission / reception unit 51 functions as an example of at least one of a selection target information transmission means and a reception means.

[0053] The acquisition unit 53 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501, and acquires, for example, free time immediately before the maintenance implementation deadline. The acquisition unit 53 also acquires the schedule of the person who will implement the free time. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 53 functions as an example of an acquisition means.

[0054] The display control unit 54 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501 for the display 507 or the communication terminal 3 connected via the communication network 100. The display control unit 54 controls the display of various screens and information (data) for the management device 5. The display control unit 54 also displays a display screen generated by HTML or the like using a Web browser on the display 507 of the management device 5 or the display of the communication terminal 3 connected to the management device 5 via the communication network 100. The display control unit 54 further starts and executes a Launcher that runs on an OS (Operating System) and an external application, thereby displaying various screens generated by an API (Application Programming Interface) provided by the OS on the display 507 or the display of another communication terminal. The display control unit 54 also displays on the communication terminal 3 a maintenance implementer selection screen for selecting a implementer or implementation candidate represented by the selection target information. The display control unit 54 also displays on the communication terminal 3 a screen on which other candidates associated with the implementer or implementation candidate can be selected as the maintenance implementer selection screen. In this embodiment, the display control unit 54 functions as an example of a display control means.

[0055] The determination unit 55 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501, and performs various determination processes in the management device 5. In this embodiment, the determination unit 55 functions as an example of a determination means.

[0056] The calculation unit 56 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501. The calculation unit 56 calculates, for example, free time of a task in the schedule of the maintenance target device 7, free time in the schedule of a person who performs maintenance, an average implementation time for performing maintenance on the maintenance target device 7, etc. In this embodiment, the calculation unit 56 functions as an example of a calculation means.

[0057] The selection generation unit 57 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501, and selects selection target information related to the maintenance for an event based on event information indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7 and maintenance performance information indicating the performance of maintenance performed on the maintenance target device 7 in the past. The selection generation unit 57 also selects selection target information related to the maintenance of the maintenance target device for a failure symptom. The selection generation unit 57 also selects selection target information based on at least one of the proficiency level related to the performance of maintenance for the event, the predicted time related to the implementation of maintenance, and a selection on the UI of the communication terminal 3. The selection generation unit 57 also selects the implementer with the lowest proficiency level from among the implementation candidates. The selection generation unit 57 further selects the implementer or implementation candidate based on execution schedule information indicating the schedule of the processing to be executed on the maintenance target device 7. In this embodiment, the selection generation unit 57 functions as an example of a selection means and an example of a generation means.

[0058] The setting management unit 58 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 501, and performs maintenance settings used when selecting a person or candidate for maintenance to be performed on the maintenance target device 7. The setting management unit 58 also manages the time of implementation of the maintenance to be performed on the maintenance target device 7 and scheduled information of the person who will implement the maintenance. In this embodiment, the setting management unit 58 functions as an example of a setting means and an example of a management means.

[0059] The storage / reading unit 59 is mainly realized by processing of the CPU 501 on at least one of the ROM 502, the EEPROM 504, the HD 505, and the recording medium 514, and stores various data (or information) in the storage unit 5000 and reads various data (or information) from the storage unit 5000. In this embodiment, the storage / reading unit 59 functions as an example of a storage / reading means.

[0060] ● Candidate Management Table ● Fig. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an implementation candidate management table according to an embodiment. Note that the structure and contents of the data table described below are merely examples and are not limited thereto. An implementation candidate management DB 5001 configured by an implementation candidate management table as shown in Fig. 6 is constructed in the memory unit 5000. In the implementation candidate management table, for each tab with a maintenance name as a tab, a candidate ID, a candidate name, and an implementation candidate target are associated and stored and managed.

[0061] Among these, the maintenance name is a name indicating the maintenance to be performed on the maintenance target device 7. The candidate ID is identification information for identifying the candidate who will perform the maintenance. The candidate indicates a target flag indicating the candidate who will perform the maintenance on the maintenance target device 7, and is managed, for example, as "True" when the candidate is determined to be a candidate, and as "False" when the candidate is not determined to be a candidate. The target flag of the candidate can be set for each user (candidate) via the display 307 of the communication terminal 3 or the display 507 of the management device 5.

[0062] In this embodiment, the implementation candidate management table (implementation candidate management DB 5001) functions as an example of implementation candidate management means.

[0063] ●Settings information management table● Fig. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a setting information management table according to an embodiment. Note that the structure and contents of the data table described below are merely examples and are not limited thereto. A setting information management DB 5002 configured by a setting information management table as shown in Fig. 7 is constructed in the storage unit 5000. In the setting information management table, setting information of a maintenance target device and a maintenance implementer selection setting (mode) are associated with each maintenance name, stored, and managed.

[0064] Among these, the setting information of the maintenance target device represents various information set in the maintenance target device 7. The maintenance implementer selection setting (mode) represents a mode for selecting a maintenance implementer, and includes the items of "skill level information priority", "schedule priority", and "manual selection". "Skill level information priority" is a mode for selecting a user with the lowest level of proficiency (the least track record) in each maintenance when selecting a maintenance implementer or candidate. "Schedule priority" is a mode for selecting a user with the shortest calculated maintenance predicted time when selecting a maintenance implementer or candidate. "Manual selection" is a mode for allowing a user to select a maintenance implementer or candidate on a UI screen each time a maintenance implementer or candidate is selected. In the setting information management table, one of these settings (modes) is set in association with each maintenance name, but multiple settings (modes) may be set in association with each maintenance name. In this case, the maintenance target management system 2 may set the setting priority of each setting (mode) in advance.

[0065] As the maintenance technician selection setting (mode) managed in the setting information management table, the setting selected by the user via the UI operation unit (display 307) of the communication terminal 3 is recorded.

[0066] In this embodiment, the setting information management table (setting information management DB 5002) functions as an example of a setting information management means.

[0067] ●Maintenance record management table● Fig. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a maintenance record management table according to an embodiment. Note that the structure and contents of the data table described below are merely examples and are not limited thereto. A maintenance record management DB 5003 configured by a maintenance record management table as shown in Fig. 8 is constructed in the storage unit 5000. In the maintenance record management table, for each tab with the name of the maintenance as a tab, a candidate ID, candidate name, implementation time, number of implementations, average implementation time, and proficiency are associated and stored and managed.

[0068] Among these, the implementation time is the time required for each implementer who performed maintenance for an event that occurred in the maintenance target device 7. The number of implementations is the number of times each implementer performed maintenance for an event that occurred in the maintenance target device 7. The average implementation time is the time obtained by dividing the implementation time by the number of implementations. The proficiency level represents the degree of proficiency of the implementer for a given maintenance. The proficiency level can be obtained, for example, from the relationship between the average implementation time obtained for each performed maintenance and a given threshold (required time). If the average implementation time is less than the given threshold, the proficiency level is "medium" or higher, and if the average implementation time is equal to or greater than the given threshold, the proficiency level is "medium" or lower. If the proficiency level is "medium" or higher and less than a second given threshold that is smaller than the given threshold, the proficiency level is "high". Similarly, if the proficiency level is "medium" or lower and equal to or greater than a third given threshold that is larger than the given threshold, the proficiency level is "low".

[0069] In addition to using the number of times maintenance has been performed in the past to calculate the proficiency level, with the smaller the number of times, the lower the proficiency level, the cumulative maintenance time may be used, with the greater the cumulative maintenance time being evaluated as being higher. Also, the average maintenance time may be used, with the smaller the average maintenance time being evaluated as being higher. Furthermore, other representative values ​​such as the most recent maintenance performance time, the variation in maintenance performance time, or a weighted average of maintenance performance time with weight placed on the most recent maintenance performance time may be used to calculate the proficiency level.

[0070] In this embodiment, the maintenance record management table (maintenance record management DB 5003) functions as an example of a maintenance record management means.

[0071] <Functional configuration of the equipment to be maintained> Returning to FIG. 5, the functional configuration of the maintenance target device 7 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the maintenance target device 7 has a transmission / reception unit 71, an operation reception unit 72, a detection acquisition unit 73, a display control unit 74, an execution processing unit 76, and a storage reading unit 79. Each of these functional units is a function or means realized by operating any of the hardware resources shown in FIG. 4 by an instruction from the CPU 701 according to a program for the maintenance target device 7 that is expanded from at least one of the ROM 702a and the HD 708 to the RAM 702b. The maintenance target device 7 also has a storage unit 7000 (an example of a storage unit) constructed by at least one of the ROM 702a and the HD 708 shown in FIG. 4. A communication program (communication application), a browser application, etc. for communicating with the management device 5 via the communication network 100 are installed and stored in the storage unit 7000.

[0072] <<Functional configuration of the equipment to be maintained>> Next, each functional configuration of the maintenance target device 7 will be described in detail. The transmission / reception unit 71 of the maintenance target device 7 shown in Fig. 5 is mainly realized by processing of the CPU 701 for the network I / F 750, and transmits and receives various data (or information) with the management device 5 via the communication network 100. The transmission / reception unit 71 also transmits event information indicating an event that has occurred in the maintenance target device 7 and that has been detected by the detection / acquisition unit 73, to the management device 5. In this embodiment, the transmission / reception unit 71 functions as an example of at least one of the event information transmission means and the reception means.

[0073] The operation reception unit 72 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 701 on the operation panel 740, and receives various operations on the maintenance target device 7. In this embodiment, the operation reception unit 72 functions as an example of a reception unit.

[0074] The detection and acquisition unit 73 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 701, and detects events that occur in the maintenance target device 7. In this embodiment, the detection and acquisition unit 73 functions as an example of a detection means and an example of an acquisition means.

[0075] The display control unit 74 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 701 on the panel display unit 740a of the operation panel 740. The display control unit 74 controls the display of various screens and information (data) on the panel display unit 740a of the maintenance target device 7. In this embodiment, the display control unit 74 functions as an example of a display control means.

[0076] The execution processing unit 75 is mainly realized by the processing of the CPU 701 for each unit of the maintenance target device 7 including the engine control unit 730, and executes various processes in the maintenance target device 7. In this embodiment, the execution processing unit 75 functions as an example of an execution means.

[0077] The memory / reading unit 79 is mainly realized by processing of the CPU 701 on at least one of the ROM 702a and the HD 708, and stores various data (or information) in the memory unit 7000 and reads various data (or information) from the memory unit 7000. In this embodiment, the memory / reading unit 79 functions as an example of a memory / reading means.

[0078] [Processing or Operation of the Embodiment] Next, each process or operation in the information processing system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0079] <Overall process including candidate selection process> Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the overall process including the selection process of implementation candidates according to the embodiment. Note that the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 9 is an example, and is not limited to this. In the first embodiment, the explanation is given on the premise that a predetermined communication is established between the communication terminal 3 and the management device 5, and between the management device 5 and the maintenance target device 7, and they are in a state where they can communicate with each other.

[0080] First, the acquisition unit 33 of the communication terminal 3 acquires schedule information (step S11). Specifically, the acquisition unit 33 acquires schedule information related to the schedule of a user (implementer or candidate) who uses the communication terminal 3, for example, from a schedule server connected to the communication terminal 3 via the communication network 100.

[0081] Asynchronously with the process of step S11, the acquisition unit 53 of the management device 5 acquires a device schedule (step S12). Specifically, the acquisition unit 53 acquires schedule information related to the schedule of the task executed in the maintenance target device 7 from, for example, a device schedule server that manages the schedule of the task executed in the maintenance target device 7 connected to the management device 5 via the communication network 100.

[0082] Next, the transmitting / receiving unit 31 of the communication terminal 3 transmits a schedule information notification to the management device 5 (step S13). As a result, the transmitting / receiving unit 51 of the management device 5 receives the schedule information notification transmitted by the communication terminal 3. At this time, the schedule information notification includes the schedule information of each implementer (or implementer candidate).

[0083] Next, the setting management unit 58 of the management device 5 registers (sets) the schedule information (step S14). Specifically, the setting management unit 58 stores the schedule information of each implementer (or implementation candidate) received in step S13 in a predetermined area of ​​the memory unit 5000 via the memory reading unit 59.

[0084] Alternatively, the detection and acquisition unit 73 of the maintenance target device 7 detects a fault symptom (step S21). Specifically, the detection and acquisition unit 73 detects a fault symptom, which indicates a fault as an example of an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7, by using various sensors and the like provided in the maintenance target device 7. The process of step S21 is performed asynchronously with the processes from step S11 to S14 described above.

[0085] Next, the transmitting / receiving unit 71 of the maintenance target device 7 transmits a failure sign notification to the management device 5 (step S22). As a result, the transmitting / receiving unit 51 of the management device 5 receives the failure sign notification transmitted by the maintenance target device 7. At this time, the failure sign notification includes the failure sign detection data detected in step S21.

[0086] Next, the management device 5 executes a process of selecting candidates for maintenance (step S23). Specifically, the management device 5 selects selection target information related to the maintenance for the event (information related to a person capable of performing the maintenance or a candidate for performing the maintenance) based on the event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7 and the maintenance performance information indicating the performance of the maintenance performed in the past for the maintenance target device 7. The details of the process of step S23 will be described in detail below.

[0087] <<Details of the candidate selection process>> Here, the details of the process of step S23 described above will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the process of selecting candidates for maintenance according to the embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 10 is an example, and is not limited to this. First, the calculation unit 56 of the management device 5 calculates the expected maintenance time of each performer from the track record of maintenance (step S23-1). Specifically, the calculation unit 56 calculates the expected maintenance time based on the track record of maintenance for each candidate associated with each maintenance name performed in the past. More specifically, the calculation unit 56 reads out the maintenance track record management DB 5003 (see FIG. 8) via the storage and reading unit 59, and sets the average implementation time for each maintenance of each candidate as the expected time. As another method, the calculation unit 56 may set the most frequent value of the maintenance implementation time or the most recent maintenance implementation time as the expected time of the maintenance. The calculation unit 56 may further calculate the expected maintenance time for the maintenance based on the average implementation time for each maintenance of each candidate and the proficiency level managed in the maintenance track record management DB 5003.

[0088] Next, the acquisition unit 53 acquires the free time immediately before the maintenance implementation deadline (step S23-2). Specifically, the acquisition unit 53 reads the device schedule (printer schedule) of the device acquired in the above-mentioned step S12 from a predetermined area of ​​the storage unit 5000 via the storage reading unit 59, and acquires the free time. At this time, the acquisition unit 53 sets the free time search range to be the period starting from the implementation deadline of the device and ending a certain time after the current time.

[0089] Next, the determination unit 55 determines whether the free time is equal to or longer than the estimated maintenance time (step S23-3). Specifically, the determination unit 55 compares the free time in the acquired schedule of the maintenance target device 7 with the estimated maintenance time to verify whether there is free time equal to or longer than the estimated maintenance time.

[0090] If the free time is equal to or longer than the predicted maintenance time (step S23-3: YES), the acquisition unit 53 acquires the schedule of the implementer for the free time (step S23-4). Specifically, the acquisition unit 53 acquires the schedule of the implementer (implementer candidate) acquired in the above-mentioned step S14.

[0091] Next, the determination unit 55 determines whether there is a person capable of performing the maintenance work (step S23-5). Specifically, the determination unit 55 determines whether there is a person capable of performing the maintenance work (candidate) for the maintenance to be performed on the maintenance target device 7, based on the schedule of the person (candidate) acquired in step S23-4.

[0092] When it is determined that there is a person capable of performing the maintenance work (step S23-5: YES), the selection generation unit 57 selects a candidate according to the maintenance worker selection setting (step S23-6). Specifically, the selection generation unit 57 reads the candidate management DB 5001 (see FIG. 6) via the storage and reading unit 59, and selects a candidate whose flag for the candidate is "True" from among the candidates associated with the maintenance name representing the maintenance to be performed. Furthermore, the selection generation unit 57 reads the maintenance worker selection setting associated with the maintenance name representing the maintenance to be performed, which is managed in the setting information management DB 5002 (see FIG. 7), via the storage and reading unit 59, and selects a candidate who satisfies the read setting. Note that, when the maintenance worker selection setting (mode) is set to "skill level improvement priority" (marked with a circle), the selection generation unit 57 reads the maintenance record management DB 5003 (see FIG. 8) via the storage and reading unit 59, and selects a candidate with the lowest level of proficiency. Moreover, the selection generating unit 57 may select candidates based on the time spent by the candidates for each maintenance task, instead of the level of proficiency.

[0093] Next, the selection generation unit 57 generates a maintenance implementation plan screen and exits this flow (step S23-7). Specifically, the selection generation unit 57 generates screen data representing a maintenance implementation plan screen including the implementation candidates selected in step S23-6, stores the data in a predetermined area of ​​the storage unit 5000 via the storage reading unit 59, and exits this flow.

[0094] On the other hand, if the free time is not longer than the estimated maintenance time in the determination process of step S23-3 described above, that is, if the estimated maintenance time is longer than the free time, the acquisition unit 53 acquires (searches for) the next free time (step S23-8). Specifically, the acquisition unit 53 acquires the (next) free time other than the free time acquired in step S23-2 from the device schedule (printer schedule) of the device acquired in step S12 described above.

[0095] Next, the determination unit 55 determines whether the maintenance implementation period is between the maintenance implementation deadline and the current time (step S23-9).

[0096] If the maintenance implementation period is between the maintenance implementation deadline and the current time (step S23-9: YES), the judgment unit 55 returns to the processing of step S23-3 and recursively performs the processing of steps S23-3 to S23-9 described above for all users up to the boundary of the free time search range.

[0097] On the other hand, if the maintenance implementation period is not between the maintenance implementation deadline and the current time (step S23-9: NO), the selection generation unit 57 generates a notification screen to the effect that there is no time available for maintenance implementation and exits this flow (step S23-10). Specifically, the selection generation unit 57 generates screen data representing a notification screen to the effect that there is no time available for maintenance implementation, stores the screen data in a predetermined area of ​​the storage unit 5000 via the storage reading unit 59, and exits this flow.

[0098] In the above-described candidate selection process, if there is no candidate or person capable of performing maintenance in any of the available time slots, a notification to the effect that there is no time available for the user to perform maintenance is displayed, for example, on the display 307 of the communication terminal 3, and the maintenance planning process is terminated. In such a case, since it is not possible to prevent a predicted failure if maintenance is not performed, a message recommending the user to plan maintenance may be displayed on the display 307, or the user may be guided to operate from the notification dialog to a means for implementing the maintenance plan.

[0099] <Display notification screen> 9, the transmitting / receiving unit 51 transmits a selection process notification to the communication terminal 3 (step S24). Specifically, the transmitting / receiving unit 51 transmits the selection process notification as the selection target information (information related to the contractor capable of performing the maintenance or the contractor candidates) selected in step S23 to the communication terminal 3. As a result, the transmitting / receiving unit 31 of the communication terminal 3 receives the selection process notification transmitted by the management device 5. At this time, the selection process notification includes selection screen data representing a selection screen to be displayed on the communication terminal 3.

[0100] Next, the display control unit 34 of the communication terminal 3 or the display control unit 54 of the management device 5 displays a notification screen (step S25). Specifically, the display control unit 34 causes the display 307 to display a maintenance person selection screen represented by the selection screen data included in the selection process notification received in step S24. In addition, the display control unit 54 of the management device 5 causes the display 507 of the management device 5 or a display of the communication terminal 3, etc. to display a maintenance person selection screen (an example of a display screen) generated by HTML using a Web browser, for example.

[0101] Next, the operation accepting unit 32 accepts an operation by the user (maintenance candidate) (step S26). Specifically, the operation accepting unit 32 accepts an operation by the user on the maintenance implementer selection screen displayed in step S25. This allows the communication terminal 3 to accept the maintenance implementer or maintenance candidate selected by the user.

[0102] In the writing system according to this embodiment, for example, when the processes of steps S13 and S24 described above are executed, other devices, etc. may exist between the communication terminal 3 and the management device 5. In other words, each piece of information (data) transmitted and received between the communication terminal 3 and the management device 5 may be configured to be transmitted and received once via another device, etc. The above-mentioned configuration can be applied even when other processing steps exist between the communication terminal 3 and the management device 5.

[0103] Furthermore, in the writing system according to this embodiment, for example, when the process of step S22 described above is executed, other devices may exist between the management device 5 and the maintenance target device 7. In other words, each piece of information (data) transmitted and received between the management device 5 and the maintenance target device 7 may be configured to be transmitted and received once via another device. The above-mentioned configuration can be applied even when other processing steps exist between the management device 5 and the maintenance target device 7.

[0104] <Relationship between the schedule of the equipment to be maintained and the schedule of the candidate for maintenance> Fig. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the relationship between the schedule of a maintenance target device and the schedule of a candidate for maintenance according to the embodiment. In Fig. 11, the relationship between the schedule of a printer (printer schedule), which is an example of a maintenance target device 7, and the user schedule of each candidate for maintenance is expressed in association with each other by time. Here, a plan to perform "maintenance A" within the time between task A and task B in the printer schedule is expressed. Note that free time refers to the time when none of the tasks registered for the maintenance target device 7 is being performed.

[0105] In this case, "Maintenance A", which requires a certain amount of time to perform, is shown to be planned to be performed in the user schedule of the candidate "User C" (between "User Task C"). Note that it is also possible to plan the performance of "Maintenance A" in the user schedule of "User A" (between "User Task A"), but as managed in the maintenance record management DB 5003 shown in FIG. 8, the proficiency level of "User C" is lower than that of "User A". Therefore, "Maintenance A" is assigned to "User C", including for the purpose of training.

[0106] In FIG. 11, the search for free time starts from the maintenance implementation deadline. First, it is determined whether maintenance can be performed during "free time A". Since "free time A" is shorter than the expected time for performing maintenance A, it is determined that there is not enough time to perform maintenance A, and the next "free time B" is determined. Since "free time B" is longer than the expected time for performing maintenance A, it is determined that it is free time during which maintenance A can be performed. After that, for example, a maintenance implementer is selected from each candidate managed in the maintenance record management DB 5003 (see FIG. 8). At this time, the selection of a maintenance implementer is performed from candidates who are managed as "True" in the implementation candidate management DB 5001 (see FIG. 6).

[0107] <Relationship between schedule and UI screen> 12 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the relationship between the schedule of the maintenance target device according to the embodiment, the results of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device, and the UI screen displayed on the communication terminal. As shown in FIG. 12, "Maintenance R" scheduled to be performed on the maintenance target device 7 is scheduled to be performed between 17:00 and 18:00 on 1 / 19. At this time, the UI screen displays that "User B", who has performed "Maintenance R" the least number of times as a worker, has been selected as the person to perform the maintenance (the candidate to perform the maintenance).

[0108] ●Example of the screen display for maintenance notification● Here, an example of a screen notification related to the maintenance notification will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a maintenance implementer selection screen displayed on a communication terminal according to the embodiment. In FIG. 13, a maintenance implementer selection screen 3111 is displayed by the display control unit 34 of the communication terminal 3. The implementer selection screen 3111 displays information that a failure symptom has been detected in the maintenance target device 7, that maintenance is planned with priority given to users with little experience of maintenance A, the date and time of maintenance implementation, and the implementer. The implementer selection screen 3111 further displays an OK button 3151 and a cancel button 3152, and can accept operations by the user. In this case, the schedule of the user selected as the maintenance implementer is registered in the schedule server or the like described above. This makes it possible to avoid bias in the maintenance experience of users when deciding on a maintenance implementer. Furthermore, it is possible to provide an opportunity for users with little experience of maintenance to improve their skills.

[0109] <Other examples of the relationship between schedules and UI screens> Fig. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of the relationship between the schedule of the maintenance target device according to the embodiment, the track record of the maintenance performed in the past for the maintenance target device, and the UI screen displayed on the communication terminal. Unlike the case shown in Fig. 11, Fig. 14 shows a case where the "schedule priority" setting is selected when selecting a maintenance implementer, which selects a user who will perform the maintenance in the shortest time. That is, as managed in the maintenance track record management DB 5003 (see Fig. 8), the result that "User A" has the shortest average implementation time for "Maintenance A" is managed. As a result, a case is shown where "User A" is selected as the implementer for "Maintenance A" and maintenance is performed between "User Task A".

[0110] As shown in FIG. 14, the search for free time starts from the maintenance implementation deadline, as in FIG. 11. First, it is determined whether maintenance can be performed during "free time A". Since "free time A" is shorter than the expected maintenance time, it is determined that there is not enough time to perform the maintenance, and the next "free time B" is determined. Since "free time B" is longer than the expected maintenance time, it is determined that it is free time during which maintenance can be performed. After that, for example, a maintenance implementer is selected for each candidate managed in the maintenance record management DB 5003 (see FIG. 8). At this time, the selection of a maintenance implementer is performed for candidates who are managed as "True" as the implementation candidate target in the implementation candidate management DB 5001 (see FIG. 6).

[0111] In FIG. 14, the performers or candidates who can perform maintenance during "free time B" are "UserA" and "UserC". These two are considered as candidates for performing maintenance. Here, when selecting a performer or candidate who can perform maintenance in the maintenance settings, the "schedule priority" setting is selected, which selects the candidate who will have the shortest predicted maintenance time. Therefore, the user with the shortest average maintenance time among the performer candidates is determined as the performer or candidate. From the maintenance record management DB 5003, of the performer candidates "UserA" and "UserC", the user with the shortest average maintenance time is "UserA". Therefore, "UserA" is selected as the performer or candidate who can perform maintenance for "UserA".

[0112] ●Other examples of screen displays related to maintenance notifications● Here, an example of a screen notification related to the maintenance notification will be described. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another example of the maintenance implementer selection screen displayed on the communication terminal according to the embodiment. In FIG. 15, a maintenance implementer selection screen 3112 is displayed by the display control unit 34 of the communication terminal 3. On the implementer selection screen 3112, a message is displayed indicating that a failure symptom has been detected in the maintenance target device 7, a message is displayed urging the user to select a maintenance implementer from users (implementation candidates) who can implement the maintenance A, the date and time of the maintenance implementation, and a dialogue of the implementation candidates. On the implementer selection screen 3112, an OK button 3153 and a cancel button 3154 are further displayed, and each of them can accept an operation by the user. In this way, on the implementer selection screen 3112, a screen is displayed on the communication terminal 3 that allows users, including the implementation candidate, to select a maintenance implementer.

[0113] In the case of FIG. 15, the users who can perform maintenance during free time of the task are "User A" and "User C". As a result, these two are displayed in the candidate dialogue of the maintenance implementer selection screen 3112 as candidates for performing maintenance. This allows the user to select any user, including the implementer himself, as the implementer of the specified maintenance (maintenance A). Therefore, similar to the case shown in FIG. 13, it is possible to avoid bias in the maintenance performance of users when selecting a maintenance implementer. Note that the implementer selection screen 3112 is an example of a maintenance implementer selection screen.

[0114] ●Other examples of screen displays related to maintenance notifications● Here, another example of a screen notification related to the maintenance notification will be described. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing another example of a maintenance implementer selection screen displayed on a communication terminal according to the embodiment. In FIG. 16, a maintenance implementer selection screen 3113 is displayed by the display control unit 34 of the communication terminal 3. On the implementer selection screen 3113, a message is displayed indicating that a failure symptom has been detected in the maintenance target device 7, a message is displayed urging the user to select a maintenance implementer from users (implementation candidates) who can implement the maintenance A, the date and time of the maintenance implementation, the implementer, and the dialogue of the accompanying person. At this time, the dialogue of the accompanying person may be displayed when the user hovers the cursor 3161 over any candidate on the dialogue of the implementer. On the implementer selection screen 3113, an OK button 3155 and a cancel button 3156 are further displayed, and operations by the user can be accepted, respectively. In this way, if the process of selecting a implementer to implement the maintenance is for educational purposes, an assignment based on a pair system may be considered. The implementer selection screen 3113 is an example of a maintenance implementer selection screen.

[0115] [Major Effects of the First Embodiment] As described above, according to this embodiment, the maintenance target device 7 detects an event occurring in itself (step S21) and transmits event information indicating the detected event to the management device 5 (step S22), and the management device 5 selects a performer or a candidate who can perform maintenance for the event based on the event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7 and maintenance performance information indicating the performance of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device 7 (step S23), and transmits selector information indicating the selected performer or candidate to the communication terminal 3 (step S24). This provides the effect of making it possible to select a performer or a candidate as selection target information for performing maintenance for an event occurring in the maintenance target device.

[0116] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the maintenance target device is not limited to an image forming device, and may be a device, equipment, or terminal in various fields. Specifically, the maintenance target device 7 may be, for example, a terminal for a deliverer or an inspection device in a logistics system. Furthermore, the maintenance (maintenance work) in a logistics system refers to various management and preservation including checking the quality and quantity of products in each phase (presence or absence of defective products, presence or absence of missing products, etc.) when each phase is a process such as storage (management), transportation (transportation), sorting, and delivery (maintenance) of a specific product.

[0117] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an information processing system according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 17, the information processing system 11 has a maintenance target management system 12 including a logistics system 17 and a management device 15 that manages the logistics system 17, and a communication terminal 13. Note that the second embodiment is similar to the system configuration, hardware configuration, functional configuration, and various databases of each device and communication terminal that construct the information processing system 1 described in the first embodiment, so that the same symbols are given to those having the same configuration and function, and the description thereof will be omitted. As a result, in the second embodiment, the logistics system 17 can take the place of the maintenance target device 7 and execute the same processes as those shown in the first embodiment.

[0118] In this way, in the second embodiment, the logistics system 17, which replaces the maintenance target device 7, constructs the maintenance target management system 12. The logistics system 17 is, for example, a system for distributing products such as agricultural crops and industrial products. Therefore, the management device 15 may manage information related to the maintenance performed in this logistics system 17 (for example, each inspection process in logistics, etc.) in correspondence with the maintenance described in the first embodiment.

[0119] [Major Effects of the Second Embodiment] As described above, according to this embodiment, by applying the present embodiment to an inspection process performed by an inspection device in a logistics system as a maintenance target device, it becomes possible to select a performer or a candidate for performing maintenance as selection target information for performing maintenance for an event that occurs in the maintenance target device, as in the first embodiment.

[0120] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, for example, a general personal PC (an example of a terminal device) equipped with an application security function is applied to the maintenance target device. In this case, the maintenance (maintenance work) may be replaced with a pseudo security attack process targeted at a PC with low security robustness and low proficiency. Here, the security proficiency refers to, for example, in the case of commonly used antivirus software, the frequency, number of times, degree, etc. of updating the software version of the antivirus software to improve its own defense capability against various attacks (threats) by computer viruses, etc.

[0121] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an information processing system according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 18, the information processing system 21 has a maintenance target management system 22 including one or more terminal devices 27 and a management device 25 that manages the terminal devices 27, and a communication terminal 23. Here, the one or more terminal devices 27 (terminal device 27A, terminal device 27B, terminal device 27C, ...) are terminal devices associated with an account including at least one of a person who can perform maintenance and a candidate for maintenance. Note that the third embodiment is similar to the system configuration, hardware configuration, functional configuration, and various databases of each device and communication terminal that construct the information processing system 1 described in the first embodiment, and therefore, the same reference numerals are assigned to those having the same configuration and function, and the description thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, the hardware configuration and functional configuration of the terminal device 27 may be similar to the hardware configuration and functional configuration of the communication terminal 23. As a result, in the third embodiment, a terminal device 27 (e.g., a general personal PC) can act as a maintenance target device 7 or a logistics system 17 and execute various processes similar to those shown in the first embodiment.

[0122] In this way, in the third embodiment, the terminal device 27 instead of the maintenance target device 7 constructs the maintenance target management system 22. Therefore, the management device 25 may manage information related to the maintenance (e.g., security functions including virus detection) performed by the terminal device 27 itself in correspondence with the maintenance described in the first embodiment.

[0123] [Major Effects of the Third Embodiment] As described above, according to this embodiment, by applying the maintenance target device to the execution process of the security function of the terminal device (PC), it becomes possible to select information related to the terminal device as selection target information for performing maintenance for an event that occurs in the maintenance target device. Note that the information related to the terminal device is information related to the terminal device associated with an account that includes at least one of the person responsible for maintenance and the candidate for maintenance.

[0124] [Supplementary description of the embodiment] Each function in each of the above-mentioned embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a device programmed to execute each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit. This device refers to, for example, a processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (digital signal processor), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), a SOC (System on a chip), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a conventional circuit module designed to execute each of the above-mentioned functions.

[0125] In the above-described embodiment, the information processing system 1 may be configured to execute various judgments in the above-described various processes by machine learning (learning using artificial intelligence: AI). This eliminates the need to use corresponding data tables.

[0126] Here, machine learning is a technology for making a computer acquire a human-like learning ability, and refers to a technology in which a computer autonomously generates an algorithm required for judgment such as data identification from learning data that is previously loaded, and applies this to new data to make predictions. The learning method for machine learning may be any of supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, reinforcement learning, and deep learning. The learning method for machine learning may further be a combination of these learning methods, and any learning method for machine learning is acceptable.

[0127] So far, we have described a maintenance target management system, management device, management method, and program according to one embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other embodiments can be added, modified, or deleted, etc., within the scope that can be conceived by a person skilled in the art. In any aspect, as long as the functions and effects of the present invention are achieved, it is included in the scope of the present invention.

[0128] ■ Summary ■ For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows.

[0129] <First aspect> A maintenance target management system 2 (an example of a maintenance target management system; the rest omitted) having a maintenance target device 7 (an example of a maintenance target device; the rest omitted) as a first aspect and a management device 5 (an example of a management device; the rest omitted) that manages the maintenance target device 7, The maintenance target device 7 is A detection and acquisition unit 73 (an example of a detection means; omitted below) that detects an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7, and a transmission and reception unit 71 (an example of an event information transmission means; omitted below) that transmits event information representing the detected event to the management device 5, The management device 5: The system includes a transmission / reception unit 51 (an example of a receiving means; omitted below) that receives event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7, a selection generation unit 57 (an example of a selection means; omitted below) that selects selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance performance information that represents the performance of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device 7, and a transmission / reception unit 51 (an example of a selection target information transmission means; omitted below) that transmits the selected selection target information to a communication terminal 3 (an example of a communication terminal; omitted below).

[0130] According to the first aspect, it is possible to select selection target information for carrying out maintenance for an event occurring in a maintenance target device.

[0131] <Second aspect> In the first aspect, the selection generation unit 57 of the management device 5 in the second aspect selects selection target information related to maintenance of the maintenance target device 7 in response to the failure symptoms, in the event information that is the first aspect, and the selection generation unit 57 selects selection target information related to maintenance of the maintenance target device 7 in response to the failure symptoms.

[0132] According to the second aspect, by selecting selection target information related to maintenance for a failure symptom as an event occurring in a maintenance target device, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the first aspect.

[0133] <Third aspect> The selection generation unit 57 of the management device 5 in the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, selects information to be selected based on at least one of the proficiency level related to the performance of maintenance for the event, the predicted time related to the performance of maintenance, and a selection on the UI of the communication terminal 3.

[0134] According to the third aspect, it is possible to increase the variety of selections when selecting selection target information.

[0135] <Fourth aspect> The selection target information generated by the selection generation unit 57 of the management device 5 as the fourth aspect is information related to a terminal device associated with an account including at least one of a implementer, a candidate, or a implementer and a candidate who can perform maintenance for an event in any of the first to third aspects.

[0136] According to the fourth aspect, it becomes possible to select various types of selection target information.

[0137] <Fifth aspect> The selection generation unit 57 of the management device 5 as the fifth embodiment selects a implementer or an implementer candidate based on execution schedule information indicating a schedule of a process to be executed in the maintenance target device 7 in the fourth embodiment.

[0138] According to the fifth aspect, it becomes possible to carry out maintenance without affecting the processing executed in the maintenance target device.

[0139] <Sixth aspect> The selection generation unit 57 of the management device 5 as the fifth embodiment selects the implementer with the lowest level of proficiency from among the implement candidates in the fourth embodiment.

[0140] According to the sixth aspect, it becomes possible to improve the skill level of a person who carries out maintenance through the performance of the maintenance.

[0141] <Seventh aspect> The management device 5 of the maintenance target management system 2 as the seventh aspect further has a display control unit 54 (omitted below as an example of a display control means) that displays on the communication terminal 3 a maintenance implementer selection screen for selecting a implementer or candidate represented by the selection target information in any of the first to sixth aspects.

[0142] According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to allow users, including the maintenance person, to select a maintenance person or a maintenance candidate.

[0143] <Eighth aspect> The display control unit 54 as an eighth aspect further causes the communication terminal 3 to display a screen as a maintenance installer selection screen in any of the first to seventh aspects, whereby other candidates associated with the installer candidate can be selected.

[0144] According to the seventh aspect, by selecting both the maintenance worker and an accompanying person (another candidate associated with the maintenance candidate), it becomes possible to appropriately improve the skill level of the worker who will perform the maintenance.

[0145] <Ninth aspect> In the maintenance target management system 2 of the ninth aspect, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the maintenance target device 7 includes an image forming device, an electronic whiteboard, a projector, an inspection device in a logistics system, and a PC equipped with a security function.

[0146] According to the ninth aspect, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the first aspect for various types of maintenance target devices.

[0147] <Tenth aspect> A management device 5 (an example of a management device; omitted below) that manages a maintenance target device 7 (an example of a maintenance target device; omitted below) as a 10th aspect has a transmission / reception unit 51 (an example of a receiving means; omitted below) that receives event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7 and indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7, a selection generation unit 57 (an example of a selection means; omitted below) that selects selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance performance information that indicates the performance of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device 7, and a transmission / reception unit 51 (an example of a selection target information transmitting means; omitted below) that transmits the selected selection target information to a communication terminal 3 (an example of a communication terminal; omitted below).

[0148] According to the tenth aspect, like the first aspect, it is possible to select a person or candidate for performing maintenance for an event that occurs in a maintenance target device.

[0149] <Eleventh aspect> The management method performed by a management device 5 (an example of a management device; hereinafter omitted) that manages a maintenance target device 7 (an example of a maintenance target device; hereinafter omitted) as an eleventh aspect executes processes including a receiving step of receiving event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7 and indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7, a selection step of selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance performance information indicating the performance of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device 7, and a selection target information transmission step of transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal 3 (an example of a communication terminal; hereinafter omitted).

[0150] According to the eleventh aspect, similarly to the first aspect, it becomes possible to select selection target information for carrying out maintenance for an event occurring in a maintenance target device.

[0151] <Twelfth aspect> The program as a twelfth aspect causes a management device 5 (an example of a management device; omitted below) that manages a maintenance target device 7 (an example of a maintenance target device; omitted below) to execute processing including a receiving step of receiving event information transmitted by the maintenance target device 7 and indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device 7, a selection step of selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance performance information indicating the performance of maintenance performed in the past on the maintenance target device 7, and a selection target information transmission step of transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal 3 (an example of a communication terminal; omitted below).

[0152] According to the twelfth aspect, similarly to the first aspect, it becomes possible to select selection target information for carrying out maintenance for an event occurring in a maintenance target device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0153] 1. Information Processing Systems 2, 12, 22 Management systems to be maintained (examples of management systems to be maintained) 3. Communication terminals 31 Transmitting / receiving unit (an example of a transmitting means, an example of a receiving means) 32 Operation reception unit (an example of a reception means) 33 Acquisition unit (an example of an acquisition means) 34 Display control unit (an example of a display control means) 35 Judgment unit (an example of a judgment means) 37 Generation unit (an example of a generation means) 39 Memory readout unit (an example of a memory control means) 307 Display (an example of a display means) 3000 Memory unit (an example of a memory means) 5 Management device 51 Transmitting / receiving unit (an example of a selection target information transmitting means, an example of a receiving means) 54 Display control unit (an example of a display control means) 57 Selection and generation unit (an example of a selection means, an example of a generation means) 58 Setting management unit (an example of a setting means, an example of a management means) 59 Memory readout unit (an example of a memory control means) 5000 Memory unit (an example of a memory means) 7 Equipment subject to maintenance 71 Transmitting / receiving unit (an example of an event information transmitting means, an example of a receiving means) 73 Detection acquisition unit (an example of a detection means) [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0154] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-215690 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-168482

Claims

1. A maintenance management system having a maintenance target device and a management device that manages the maintenance target device, The maintenance target device is A detection means for detecting an event occurring in the maintenance target device; an event information transmission means for transmitting event information representing the detected event to the management device; having The management device includes: a receiving means for receiving the event information transmitted by the maintenance target device; a selection means for selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance record information representing a record of maintenance performed on the maintenance target device in the past; a selection target information transmitting means for transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal; having A maintenance object management system comprising:

2. The event information is information including a failure symptom occurring in the maintenance target device, The selection means is selecting selection target information related to maintenance of the maintenance target device in response to the failure symptom; 2. The maintenance target management system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance target management system comprises:

3. The selection means is selecting the selection target information based on at least one of a proficiency level related to the performance of maintenance for the event, a predicted time related to the implementation of the maintenance, and a selection on a UI of the communication terminal; 3. The maintenance target management system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance target management system is a maintenance target management system.

4. The selection target information is information related to a contractor capable of performing maintenance for the event, a contractor candidate, and a terminal device associated with an account including at least one of the contractor and the contractor candidate.

3. The maintenance target management system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance target management system is a management system for managing a maintenance target.

5. The selection means is selecting the person to be maintained or the candidate to be maintained based on execution schedule information indicating a schedule of a process to be executed in the maintenance target device; 5. The maintenance target management system according to claim 4,

6. The selection means is Selecting the implementer with the lowest level of proficiency from among the implementation candidates; 5. The maintenance target management system according to claim 4,

7. The management device further comprises: a display control means for displaying on the communication terminal a maintenance installer selection screen for selecting the installer or the candidate represented by the selection target information; 3. The maintenance target management system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance target management system is a maintenance target management system.

8. The display control means displaying, on the communication terminal, a screen on which the maintenance person can be selected, the maintenance person or other candidates associated with the maintenance candidate; 8. The maintenance target management system according to claim 7,

9. The maintenance target device is Image forming devices, electronic whiteboards, projectors, inspection devices for logistics systems, PCs equipped with security functions, etc.

3. The maintenance target management system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance target management system is a maintenance target management system.

10. A management device for managing a maintenance target device, A receiving means for receiving event information indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device, the event information being transmitted from the maintenance target device; a selection means for selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance record information representing a record of maintenance performed on the maintenance target device in the past; a selection target information transmitting means for transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal; having A management device comprising:

11. A management method executed by a management device that manages a maintenance target device, comprising: a receiving step of receiving event information indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device, the event information being transmitted from the maintenance target device; a selection step of selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance record information representing a record of maintenance performed on the maintenance target device in the past; a selection target information transmitting step of transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal; Perform a process that includes A management method comprising:

12. A program to be executed by a management device that manages a maintenance target device, a receiving step of receiving event information indicating an event occurring in the maintenance target device, the event information being transmitted from the maintenance target device; a selection step of selecting selection target information related to maintenance for the event based on the received event information and maintenance record information representing a record of maintenance performed on the maintenance target device in the past; a selection target information transmitting step of transmitting the selected selection target information to a communication terminal; A program that executes a process including:

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