Operation management method, operation management terminal, and operation management system

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of scrutinizing operation hours of apparatuses of which operation is outsourced in managed services.SOLUTION: An operation management system S includes: ATM error information 211, 411 in which error messages output by an ATM5 are accumulated; and error code determination tables 212, 412 indicating a correspondence between an operation stop of the ATM5 related to the error messages and the corresponding one among operation for which an operation administrator is not responsible, suspension for which the operation administrator is responsible, or suspension (deliberation) that requires the operation administrator and an outsourcing party to deliberate whether or not the operation administrator is responsible for. The operation management system S calculates and displays operation hours and suspension hours of the ATM 5 according to the result obtained by determining which one of the operation, the suspension, or the suspension (deliberation) the operation stop related to the error messages corresponds to. The operation management system S also distinguishes and displays operation stop hours corresponding to the suspension (deliberation). In response to user instructions, the operation stop hours related to the operation stop corresponding to the suspension (deliberation) is subtracted from the suspension hours and added to the operation hours.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation management method, an operation management terminal, and an operation management system.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, in financial institutions such as banks, the operation management of ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) is carried out using an operation management system in which an ATM is connected to a monitoring server for operating and managing the ATM via a network.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, in financial institutions as well, a managed service that outsources (entrusts) operations such as the operation management, maintenance, and response to failures of ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) has been adopted. In the managed service in financial institutions, for example, there is a mechanism in which the entrusted operation management company on the receiving side manages the operation of ATMs, and as consideration therefor, an entrusted fee is paid from the financial institution on the entrusting side to the operation management company on the receiving side.

[0005]

[0006] In this case, some downtimes are the responsibility of the asset management company, while others are not. Therefore, the client financial institution and the asset management company discuss whether or not the asset management company is responsible for the downtime. Then, downtime for downtimes for which the asset management company is not responsible is added to the operating hours, and downtime for downtime for which the asset management company is responsible is subtracted from the operating hours. Because the calculation of operating hours used to determine the managed service fee is done manually, a great deal of effort and time is required for scrutinizing and negotiating the operating hours, which has resulted in delays in determining the actual amount of the fee to be paid.

[0007] The objective of this invention is to streamline the review and negotiation of operating hours of equipment subject to operational outsourcing in managed services, taking into consideration the problems described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, in one aspect of the present invention, there is an operation management method performed by an operation management system that supports the operation management of equipment performed by an operation manager at the request of a client, the operation management system having a storage unit that stores equipment failure information which has accumulated error messages output when the equipment stops operating, and a determination table which indicates the correspondence between the operation of the equipment related to the error message and whether it is operation not the responsibility of the operation manager, a shutdown which is the responsibility of the operation manager, and a shutdown (deliberation) which requires deliberation between the operation manager and the client as to whether it is the responsibility of the operation manager, and a processor that cooperates with the memory, wherein the processor refers to the determination table and determines whether the operation stoppage related to the error message is operation, a shutdown, or a shutdown The system determines whether the operation is stopped or under review, and if the operation stop falls under operation, it adds the downtime for the operation stop that falls under operation to the operating time, which represents the total time the equipment was in operation; if the operation stop falls under pause or pause (review), it adds the downtime for the pause or pause (review) that falls under operation to the pause time, which represents the total time the equipment was stopped; the operating time and pause time are displayed on the display screen; the error message for the operation stop that falls under pause (review) and the downtime for the operation stop that falls under pause (review) are identified and displayed on the display screen; and, in response to user instructions, the downtime for the operation stop that falls under pause (review) is subtracted from the pause time and added to the operating time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the review and negotiation of operating hours for equipment subject to operational outsourcing in managed services can be streamlined. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of the overall system configuration according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of ATM failure information according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of the error code determination table according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a user terminal according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] A flowchart showing an example of screen display processing according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing an example of the button press detection process according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit of a user terminal according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit of a user terminal according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit of a user terminal according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a list display screen shown on the display unit of a user terminal according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a monitoring server according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of higher-level fault information according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a user terminal according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 14] A flowchart showing an example of the error code determination table update process according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 15] A diagram showing an example of updating the error code determination table according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 16] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of server failure information according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 17] A diagram showing an example of updating the error code determination table according to Embodiment 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment is an exemplification for explaining the present application including the drawings. In the embodiment, for clarity of explanation, omissions and simplifications are made as appropriate. Unless otherwise particularly limited, the components of the embodiment may be singular or plural. Also, a form combining one embodiment and another embodiment is also included in the embodiments according to the present disclosure.

[0012] In the following description, the same or similar components are given the same reference numerals, and in the subsequent embodiments and examples, the description may be omitted or only the description centered on the differences may be made. Also, when there are a plurality of the same or similar components, they may be described with different subscripts attached to the same reference numeral. Also, when it is not necessary to distinguish these plurality of components, the subscripts may be omitted in the description.

[0013] In the following description, various types of information will be described in a table format, but the various types of information may be expressed in a data structure other than a table. Since the "XX table" is independent of the data structure, it can be called "XX information". When explaining the content of various types of information, expressions such as "identification information", "identifier", "name", "ID", "number", etc. are used, but these are interchangeable.

[0014] In the embodiment, the processing performed by the program may be described. The computer performs the processing defined by the program while using the memory of the main storage device and the like by a processor (for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)). Therefore, the subject of the processing performed by executing the program may be the processor. By the processor executing the program, a functional unit for performing the processing is realized.

[0015] Similarly, the entity performing the processing by executing the program may be a controller, device, system, computer, or node having a processor. The entity performing the processing by executing the program may be an arithmetic unit, and may include dedicated circuits that perform specific processing. Examples of dedicated circuits include FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits).

[0016] The program may be installed on the computer from the program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server or a non-temporary storage medium readable by the computer. If the program source is a program distribution server, the program distribution server includes a processor and storage resources for storing the program to be distributed, and the processor of the program distribution server may distribute the program to other computers. In addition, in some embodiments, two or more programs may be implemented as a single program, or one program may be implemented as two or more programs.

[0017] In the following embodiment, an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) is used as an example of equipment that the operation manager will operate under contract from the client. However, the equipment is not limited to ATMs; it may also be computers such as servers and terminals, information processing equipment such as storage devices, or various communication-enabled devices such as IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

[0018] [Embodiment 1] (Configuration of the overall system 1 according to Embodiment 1) Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of the overall system 1 according to Embodiment 1. The overall system 1 consists of multiple ATMs 5, a monitoring server 20 that remotely monitors and manages these ATMs 5, a user terminal 4, and a bank accounting system host 32.

[0019] Monitoring server 20 is located in operation center 2 and is the server of the ATM5 operation management company (operation manager). The ATM5 operation management company is entrusted with the operation management of ATM5 by financial institutions such as banks.

[0020] Host 32 is the host computer of a financial institution, such as a bank, that uses ATM 5, and is installed in the bank center 3 together with the core system server 31. Host 32 communicates with ATM 5 via the core system server 31 and the network. ATM 5 is installed in each branch and sub-branch of the bank.

[0021] ATM5 performs data transmission and reception of accounting messages with the core system server 31 during normal banking operations (core business operations). If an error occurs in the transmission or reception of accounting messages, the core system server 31 sends an error message (transmission / reception error message) to the monitoring server 20 to notify it of the error.

[0022] The monitoring server 20 includes a storage unit 21, a processor 22, and a communication unit 23. The monitoring server 20 communicates with the ATM 5, the core system server 31, and the user terminal 4 via the communication unit 23. Communication between the monitoring server 20 and the ATM 5, and communication between the monitoring server 20 and the core system server 31, is conducted via a dedicated line network or a virtual private network.

[0023] Storage 21 provides a storage area for programs and data, and stores ATM failure information 211 (Figure 2) and an error code determination table 212 (Figure 3).

[0024] User terminal 4 is an operation management terminal and is a mobile tablet PC (Personal Computer), notebook PC, or other computer used by the user.

[0025] The operation management system S consists of a monitoring server 20 and a user terminal 4.

[0026] (Configuration of ATM malfunction information 211) Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of ATM failure information 211 according to Embodiment 1. The configuration of ATM failure information 411 (Figure 4), which will be described later, is the same as that of ATM failure information 211.

[0027] ATM failure information 211 is an example of equipment failure information and has columns for ATMID 2111, ATM error ID 2112, timestamp 2113, and ATM error message 2114.

[0028] ATMID2111 is the ID that identifies ATM5. ATMErrorID2112 is the ID that links and identifies a series of ATM error messages 2114 that are output due to the same malfunction.Timestamp2113 is the date and time that each ATM error message 2114 was output by ATM5.ATMErrorMessage2114 is a message that indicates the nature of the malfunction that occurred in ATM5.

[0029] The first line of ATM failure information 211 indicates that ATM5 with ATMID2111"001" output ATM error message 2114, "Journal jam ERROR," at timestamp 2113"202209070626" (6:26 AM on September 7, 2022). The second line indicates that the same ATM5 output ATM error message 2114, "Restart" (restart of ATM5), at timestamp 2113"202209071014" (10:14 AM on September 7, 2022).

[0030] The third line also indicates that, on the same ATM5, ATM error message 2114 with the message "ONLINE" (ATM5 connected to overall system 1) was output at timestamp 2113 "202209071015" (10:15 AM on September 7, 2022). These three ATM failure information records 211 are linked by ATM error ID 2112 "#1" as a series of error messages output from the time the error occurred until recovery, all caused by the same failure. The time from ATM error message 2114 "Journal jam ERROR" to "ONLINE" for ATM error ID 2112 "#1" represents the downtime of ATM5 due to that error.

[0031] (Configuration of Error Code Determination Table 212) Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the error code determination table 212 according to Embodiment 1. The configuration of the error code determination table 412 (Figure 4), which will be described later, is the same as that of the error code determination table 212.

[0032] The error code determination table 212 has columns for ATM error message 2121 and determination result 2122.

[0033] ATM error message 2121 is the same as ATM error message 2114 (Figure 2). The judgment result 2122 shows the result of a detailed examination of the operating status of ATM 5, and is a label that indicates the rule for how to treat the downtime during which ATM 5 stopped operating due to the failure indicated by each ATM error message 2121 as "downtime", "downtime (under review)", or "operational" for ATM 5.

[0034] "Downtime" refers to the cessation of ATM5's operation due to a malfunction or event for which the ATM5's operating management company is responsible. Therefore, when calculating the ATM's uptime, downtime is subtracted from the total operating time of ATM5.

[0035] "Suspension (under review)" refers to the cessation of ATM5's operation due to a malfunction or event that requires review because it is unclear whether the ATM5 operation management company is responsible. Therefore, when calculating the ATM's operational rate, the operation management company, which is contracted to manage ATM5, and the client financial institution will discuss whether or not the suspension time should be deducted from the total operating time of ATM5.

[0036] "Operation" refers to the period during which ATM5 is shut down due to a malfunction or event for which the ATM5 operation management company is not responsible. Therefore, when calculating the ATM's operational rate, downtime is not subtracted from the total operating time of ATM5, but is included in the total operating time.

[0037] Returning to the explanation of Figure 1, the processor 22 implements the ATM failure information management unit 221 by executing a program in cooperation with the memory (not shown) of the monitoring server 20. The ATM failure information management unit 221 receives error messages related to the failure sent from each ATM 5 when a failure occurs at each ATM 5. The ATM failure information management unit 221 stores the received failure notification as ATM failure information 211 in the storage 21.

[0038] Furthermore, the ATM failure information management unit 221 reads the ATM failure information 211 and the error code determination table 212 from the storage 21 in response to a request from the user terminal 4, and sends them to the requesting user terminal 4.

[0039] (Configuration of User Terminal 4 according to Embodiment 1) Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of a user terminal 4 according to Embodiment 1. The user terminal 4 has a storage unit 41, a processor 42, a communication unit 43, and a display unit 44.

[0040] The user terminal 4 communicates with the monitoring server 20 via the communication unit 43. Information exchange between the user terminal 4 and the monitoring server 20 may be carried out by wired or wireless communication via a public network, virtual private network, or dedicated line network via the communication unit 43. Alternatively, information exchange between the user terminal 4 and the monitoring server 20 may be carried out using a semiconductor storage medium such as an SD card and a medium read / write device.

[0041] Storage 41 provides a storage area for programs and data, and stores ATM failure information 411 and an error code determination table 412. ATM failure information 411 is a copy of ATM failure information 211 (Figure 2) obtained from the monitoring server 20 in response to instructions from a user operating the user terminal 4. The error code determination table 412 is a copy of the error code determination table 412 (Figure 2) obtained from the monitoring server 20 along with the ATM failure information 211 in response to instructions from a user operating the user terminal 4.

[0042] The processor 42 works in cooperation with the memory (not shown) of the user terminal 4 to execute a program, thereby realizing the screen display processing unit 421, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422, and the table update unit 423. Details of the processing of the screen display processing unit 421, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422, and the table update unit 423 will be described later with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

[0043] (Screen display processing according to Embodiment 1) Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of screen display processing according to Embodiment 1. Figures 7 to 9 show examples of display screens 44D1 displayed on the display unit 44 of the user terminal 4 according to Embodiment 1. The screen display processing is executed at predetermined timings, such as monthly, according to user instructions.

[0044] The screen display processing is executed by the screen display processing unit 421 (Figure 4) in response to instructions from the user operating the user terminal 4 (for example, specifying ATM 5 by selecting or switching tabs 44a1 and 44a2).

[0045] First, in step S11, the screen display processing unit 421 of the user terminal 4 obtains ATM failure information 211 from the monitoring server 20 in response to the user's instructions. The user's instructions include specifying a financial institution that has a contract with the operation management company for the operation management of the ATM 5. The screen display processing unit 421 obtains the ATM failure information 211 related to the ATM 5 that is entrusted with operation management by the financial institution specified by the user from the user terminal 4 from the monitoring server 20, and stores it as ATM failure information 411 in storage 41.

[0046] Next, in step S12, the screen display processing unit 421 reads one unread record from the ATM failure information 411 acquired in step S11 and stored in the storage 41.

[0047] Next, in step S13, the screen display processing unit 421 determines whether the ATM error message 2114 in the ATM failure information 411 record read in step S12 corresponds to "operational" in the error code determination table 412. If it corresponds to "operational" (step S13 YES), the screen display processing unit 421 moves to step S14, and if the determination result is "suspended (under review)" or "suspended" (step S13 NO), it moves to step S16.

[0048] In step S14, the screen display processing unit 421 decides to display "Operating" as the corresponding "Operating" record in the ATM failure information 411 on the display screen 44D1 (Figures 7 to 9).

[0049] The "operational" identification display is a record display (for example, a green display) that informs the user that the ATM failure information 411 record corresponding to "operational" is classified as operational rather than stopped, as shown in Figures 7 to 9 (display 44g1).

[0050] Furthermore, when the "Operating" indicator is displayed, the downtime 44g2 of ATM5 indicated by the corresponding record is added to the operating time 44d, which represents the total time that ATM5 was operating normally. The "Operating" indicator includes the display of the corresponding downtime 44g2, the subtraction button 44g3, and the update button 44g4. The subtraction button 44g3 is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) element that accepts an execution command to subtract the corresponding downtime 44g2 from the operating time 44d and add it to the downtime 44f, which represents the total time that ATM5 was down. The update button 44g4 is a GUI element that accepts an update operation of the error code determination table 412 (Figure 3) after the subtraction button 44g3 has been pressed.

[0051] Next, in step S15, the screen display processing unit 421 adds the downtime 44g2 of the ATM 5 indicated by the ATM failure information 411 record that was determined to correspond to "operational" in step S14 to the operating time 44d of the ATM 5.

[0052] Next, in step S16, the screen display processing unit 421 determines whether the ATM error message 2114 in the ATM failure information 411 record read in step S12 corresponds to “Paused (Deliberation)” in the error code determination table 412. If it corresponds to “Paused (Deliberation)” (step S16 YES), the screen display processing unit 421 moves to step S17, and if it corresponds to “Paused” (step S16 NO), it moves to step S18.

[0053] In step S17, the screen display processing unit 421 decides to display the identification "Paused (Under Review)" for the corresponding "Paused (Under Review)" record in the ATM failure information 411 on the display screen 44D1 (Figures 7 to 9).

[0054] The "suspended (under review)" identification display is a record display (for example, colored yellow) that prompts the user to decide whether to classify the operational stoppage indicated by the ATM failure information record 411 corresponding to "suspended (under review)" as normal operation or suspended (display 44h1).

[0055] Furthermore, when the "Paused (Under Review)" indicator is displayed, the ATM5 downtime of 44h2 indicated by the corresponding record is added to the downtime of 44f. The "Paused (Under Review)" indicator includes the corresponding downtime of 44h2, the add button 44h3, and the update button 44h4. The add button 44h3 is a GUI element that accepts an execution command to subtract the corresponding downtime of 44h2 from the downtime of 44f and add it to the operating time of 44d. The update button 44h4 is a GUI element that accepts an update operation of the error code determination table 412 (Figure 3) after the add button 44h3 has been pressed.

[0056] Meanwhile, in step S18, the screen display processing unit 421 decides to display the "suspended" identification for the corresponding "suspended" record in the ATM failure information 411 on the display screen 44D1 (Figures 7 to 9).

[0057] The "suspended" identification display is a record display (for example, colored red) that informs the user that the operational stoppage indicated by the ATM failure information record 411 corresponding to "suspended" is classified as suspended (display 44i1).

[0058] Furthermore, when the "pause" indicator is displayed, the ATM5 downtime 44i2 indicated by the corresponding record is added to the pause time 44f. The "pause" indicator includes the corresponding downtime 44i2, the add button 44i3, and the update button 44i4. The add button 44i3 is a GUI element that accepts an execution command to subtract the corresponding downtime 44i2 from the pause time 44f and add it to the operating time 44d. The update button 44i4 is a GUI element that accepts an update operation of the error code determination table 412 (Figure 3) after the add button 44i3 is pressed.

[0059] When step S17 or S18 is completed, the screen display processing unit 421 moves on to step S19.

[0060] In step S19, the screen display processing unit 421 adds the ATM 5 downtime 44h2, 44i2, indicated by the ATM failure information 411 record which was determined to be "suspended (under review)" or "suspended" in step S14, to the suspension time 44f.

[0061] Next, in step S20, the screen display processing unit 421 determines whether it has read all records of the ATM failure information 411. If all records have been read (step S20 YES), the screen display processing unit 421 proceeds to step S21, and if there are unread records (step S20 NO), it proceeds to step S12.

[0062] In step S21, the screen display processing unit 421 displays information from each record of the ATM failure information 411 on the display screen 44D1 according to the identification displays determined in steps S14, S17, and S18. The screen display processing unit 421 also displays the operating time 44d, the operating rate 44e, and the downtime 44f on the display screen 44D1.

[0063] (Processing upon detection of button press according to Embodiment 1) Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of button press detection processing according to Embodiment 1. When explaining Figure 6, please also refer to Figures 7 to 9. Addition and subtraction processing is performed by the addition and subtraction processing unit 422 (Figure 4) in response to instructions from the user operating the user terminal 4 (pressing the addition buttons 44h3, 44i3, and subtraction button 44g3).

[0064] First, in step S31, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 determines whether it has detected the pressing of either the addition button 44h3 or 44i3. If the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 detects that either the addition button 44h3 or 44i3 has been pressed (step S31YES), it moves to step S32. If it does not detect that either the addition button 44h3 or 44i3 has been pressed (step S31NO), it moves to step S34.

[0065] In step S32, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 performs an addition operation by subtracting the downtime 44h2 and 44i2 of the corresponding ATM failure information 411 from the downtime 44f and adding it to the operating time 44d. Next, in step S32, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 changes the addition buttons 44h3 and 44i3, which were detected to have been pressed in step S31, to the subtraction button 44g3. Also, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 changes the displays 44h1 and 44i1 to the display 44g1, which indicates operation, in accordance with the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 adding the downtime 44h2 and 44i2 to the operating time 44d. When step S33 is completed, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 moves on to step S39.

[0066] As a result of steps S31 to S33, for example, the ATM failure information record 411, which was displayed in the manner of display 44h1 in Figure 7, is changed to be displayed in the manner of display 44g1 as shown in Figure 8. Also, the downtime value 44h2 of the ATM failure information record 411, which was displayed in the manner of display 44h1 in Figure 7, was added to the downtime 44f. However, as shown in Figure 8, it is subtracted from the downtime 44f (43-4=39 seconds) and added to the operating time 44d (43,157+4=43,161 seconds). In addition, the add button 44h3 was displayed corresponding to the ATM failure information record 411, which was displayed in the manner of display 44h1 in Figure 7, but as shown in Figure 8, it has been changed to display a subtract button 44g3. The total operating time 44c is the sum of the operating time 44d and the downtime 44f, and remains unchanged after processing in steps S31 to S33.

[0067] In step S34, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 determines whether it has detected that the subtraction button 44g3 has been pressed. If the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 detects that the subtraction button 44g3 has been pressed (step S34YES), it proceeds to step S35; if it does not detect that the subtraction button 44g3 has been pressed (step S34NO), it proceeds to step S38.

[0068] In step S35, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 performs a subtraction operation, subtracting the downtime 44g2 of the corresponding ATM failure information 411 from the operating time 44d and adding it to the downtime 44f. Next, in step S36, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 changes the subtraction button 44g3, which was detected to have been pressed in step S34, to an addition button. Also, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 changes the display 44g1 to the display 44i1, which indicates downtime, in accordance with the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 adding the downtime 44g2 to the downtime 44f. When step S36 is completed, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 moves on to step S40.

[0069] In steps S34 to S36, for example, the ATM failure information 411 record displayed in the manner of display 44g1 in Figure 7 is changed to be displayed in the manner of display 44i1 (not shown). Also, the value of the downtime 44g2 in the ATM failure information 411 record displayed in the manner of display 44g1 in Figure 7 is added to the operating time 44d, but is subtracted from the operating time 44d and added to the downtime 44f. In addition, the subtraction button 44g3 displayed in the manner of display 44g1 in Figure 7 is changed to display an add button (not shown). The total operating hours 44c remain unchanged even after processing in steps S34 to S36.

[0070] In step S37, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 determines whether it has detected the pressing of any of the update buttons 44g4, 44h4, or 44i4. If the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 detects that any of the update buttons 44g4, 44h4, or 44i4 has been pressed (step S37YES), it proceeds to step S38. On the other hand, if the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 does not detect that any of the update buttons 44g4, 44h4, or 44i4 have been pressed (step S37NO), it proceeds to step S39.

[0071] In step S38, the table update unit 423 performs a table update process to update the corresponding judgment result 2122 in the error code judgment table 412 for the ATM failure information 411. Specifically, when the table update unit 423 detects that the update button 44h4 was pressed after the add button 44h3 was pressed, it updates the corresponding judgment result 2122 in the error code judgment table 412 from "suspended (under review)" to "operating". Similarly, when the table update unit 423 detects that the update button 44i4 was pressed after the add button 44i3 was pressed, it updates the corresponding judgment result 2122 in the error code judgment table 412 from "suspended" to "operating".

[0072] Meanwhile, when the table update unit 423 detects that the update button 44h4 was pressed before the add button 44h3 was pressed, it updates the corresponding judgment result 2122 in the error code judgment table 412 from "Paused (Deliberation)" to "Paused".

[0073] Furthermore, when the table update unit 423 detects that the update button 44g4 was pressed after the subtraction button 44g3 was pressed, it updates the corresponding judgment result 2122 in the error code judgment table 412 from "operating" to "suspended".

[0074] Next, in step S39, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 determines whether to terminate the addition / subtraction process. If the addition / subtraction processing process is to be terminated (step S39YES), the processing moves to step S40; otherwise, if it is not to be terminated (step S39NO), the processing returns to step S31.

[0075] In step S40, if the error code determination table 412 has been updated in step S38, the addition / subtraction processing unit 422 uploads the updated error code determination table 412 to the monitoring server 20. The monitoring server 20 updates the error code determination table 212 of the relevant financial institution with the received updated error code determination table 412.

[0076] (User terminal list display screen 44D2 according to Embodiment 1) Figure 10 shows an example of a list display screen 44D2 displayed on the display unit 44 of the user terminal 4 according to Embodiment 1. The display screen 44D1 (Figures 7 to 9) is provided with a list display button 44j. When the user presses the list display button 44j, the processor 42 of the user terminal 4 displays the list display screen 44D2 on the display unit 44 of the user terminal 4. The list display screen 44D2 displays a list for each ATM 5, showing the total business hours 44c, operating hours 44d, utilization rate 44e, and downtime 44f, as well as the payment percentage and payment amount, which are displayed on the display screen 44D1 when the list display button 44j is pressed. The payment percentage is the utilization rate 44e rounded down. The payment amount is the amount actually paid by the financial institution to the asset management company, calculated by multiplying it by the full commission fee.

[0077] (Effects of Embodiment 1) In the above-described embodiment 1, it is determined based on the error code determination table 412 whether the ATM error message corresponds to operation, suspension, or suspension (deliberation). If the suspension corresponds to operation, the suspension time corresponding to operation is added to the operation time, which represents the total time the ATM 5 was operating. If it corresponds to suspension or suspension (deliberation), the suspension time corresponding to suspension or suspension (deliberation) is added to the suspension time, which represents the total time the ATM 5 was stopped. The suspension time corresponding to suspension (deliberation) is also identified and displayed. Then, in response to user instructions, the suspension time corresponding to suspension (deliberation) is subtracted from the suspension time and added to the operation time.

[0078] Therefore, according to Embodiment 1, the client and the service provider can efficiently review and negotiate, using a GUI, whether to include the ATM5's downtime in operating hours or downtime, even with a massive amount of data. In other words, it streamlines the review and negotiation of operating hours and downtime for equipment subject to management outsourcing in managed services.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment 1, the label of the judgment result associated with the error message in the error code judgment table is changed in response to user instructions. Therefore, the results of the review and negotiation of the operating hours and downtime of ATM 5 in this instance can be automatically reflected in subsequent reviews and negotiations, thereby eliminating the waste of repeatedly making similar judgments and streamlining the review and negotiation of the operating hours and downtime of the equipment subject to operation outsourcing.

[0080] [Embodiment 2] In Embodiment 1, the only fault information that the monitoring server 20 can collect is ATM fault information 211 and 411 collected from ATM 5. Therefore, in Embodiment 1, the user terminal 4 has little basis for determining whether the error message "suspended (under review)" among the ATM fault information 211 and 411 actually means "operating" or "suspended." Consequently, in Embodiment 1, operating time and suspension time may be incorrectly calculated due to human judgment.

[0081] In contrast, in Embodiment 2, the monitoring server 20 collects additional fault information (additional fault information) collected by the fault detection function added to the ATM 5. Then, the user terminal 4 determines whether the error message "suspended (under review)" among the ATM fault information 211,411 is "operating" or "suspended" based on the error code determination tables 212,412 and the additional fault information.

[0082] In the following description of Embodiment 2, we will focus on the differences from Embodiment 1, and descriptions of configurations and processes similar to those in Embodiment 1 will be omitted as appropriate.

[0083] In the following, the additional fault detection function sends an error detection command from ATM5 to the higher-level core server 31 and host 32 when the error message “Line error (no upstream connection)” is detected in ATM5, and investigates the status of the upstream side. However, the additional fault detection function is not limited to investigating external faults of ATM5. For example, when a banknote jam error is detected in ATM5, it may also be a function that investigates internal faults of the ATM, such as a function that has a sensor that can detect abnormalities such as the end user mistakenly inserting a bent banknote or a banknote with a clip attached.

[0084] Furthermore, the additional fault information collected by the additional fault detection function is based on the detection of faults on ATM5 that are the responsibility of parties other than the operation management company, such as errors on a higher level. Therefore, it is assumed that the operation management company is not responsible for the shutdown of ATM5 due to the additional fault information.

[0085] (Configuration of monitoring server 20B according to Embodiment 2) Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the monitoring server 20B according to Embodiment 2. Compared to the monitoring server 20 according to Embodiment 1, the storage 21 of the monitoring server 20B further stores higher-level fault information 213. The processor 22 also further includes a higher-level fault information management unit 222.

[0086] (Configuration of the higher-level failure information 213 according to Embodiment 2) Figure 12 shows an example of the configuration of the higher-level failure information 213,413 according to Embodiment 2. The higher-level failure information 213 has columns for higher-level error ID 2131, timestamp 2132, and higher-level error message 2133.

[0087] The higher error ID 2131 is the identification information for each record in the higher failure information 213. The timestamp 2132 is the timestamp when the error message “Line error (no higher connection)” was detected in ATM5.

[0088] The upstream error message 2133 is an additional error message returned from the upstream side in response to an error detection command sent from ATM5 to the upstream side when a line error (no upstream connection) error occurred at ATM5. If the error detection command reveals, for example, that the connection cannot be established due to a malfunction in the upstream core server 31 (Figure 1), then the upstream error message 2133 will be an additional error message indicating the investigation result, such as "Upstream server malfunction". Also, if the error detection command reveals that the connection cannot be established due to a malfunction in network equipment such as a line or router, then the upstream error message 2133 will be an additional error message indicating the investigation result, such as "Line / equipment error".

[0089] (Configuration of user terminal 4B according to Embodiment 2) Figure 13 shows an example of the configuration of user terminal 4B according to Embodiment 2. Compared to user terminal 4 according to Embodiment 1, the storage 41 of user terminal 4B further stores higher-level failure information 413. Also, the processor 42 has a table update unit 423B instead of a table update unit 423.

[0090] The screen display processing unit 421 performs the same processing as the screen display processing according to Embodiment 1 (Figure 5). The higher-level failure information 413 is a copy of the higher-level failure information 213 obtained from the monitoring server 20 along with the ATM failure information 211 in step S11 of the screen display processing (Figure 5).

[0091] (Error code determination table update process according to Embodiment 2) Figure 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the error code determination table update process according to Embodiment 2. The error code determination table update process is executed, for example, by the table update unit 423B before the execution of the screen display process (Figure 5) (or at any arbitrary timing). In other words, in Embodiment 2, the screen display processing unit 421 executes the screen display process based on the error code determination table 412 updated by the error code determination table update process.

[0092] In step S41, the table update unit 423B determines whether there are records in the ATM failure information 411 and higher-level failure information 413 with matching (or close within a predetermined range) timestamps. If there are records with matching timestamps in the ATM failure information 411 and higher-level failure information 413 (step S41 YES), the table update unit 423B proceeds to step S41; otherwise, it proceeds to step S42 (step S41 NO).

[0093] In step S42, the table update unit 423B adds a new record to the error code determination table 412 based on the record of higher-level failure information 413 whose timestamp matches the record of ATM failure information 411.

[0094] Furthermore, after the completion of step S42, the table update unit 423B updates the error code determination table 212 in accordance with the update of the error code determination table 412.

[0095] (Example of updating the error code determination table 412 according to Embodiment 2) A specific example of updating the error code determination table 412 in step S42 will be explained with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a diagram showing an example of updating the error code determination table 412 according to Embodiment 2.

[0096] For example, suppose there is an error message "Upstream Server Malfunction" in upstream failure information 413 that matches the timestamp of ATM error message 2121 "Line Error (No Upstream Connection)" in ATM failure information 411. Before updating the error code determination table 412, as shown in row L11 of the error code determination table 412 in Figure 16, the determination result 2122 "Suspended (Under Review)" is associated with ATM error message 2121 "Line Error (No Upstream Connection)".

[0097] Then, by updating the error code determination table 412, the ATM error message 2121 "Line error (no upstream connection)" is refined to "Line error (upstream server malfunction)" as shown in row L12. The "Line error (upstream server malfunction)" is caused by a malfunction in the upstream server, which is not the responsibility of the ATM5's administrator. Therefore, a new record is added to the error code determination table 412 so that the determination result 2122 "Operational" is associated with the ATM error message 2121 "Line error (no upstream connection)".

[0098] The same applies to ATM error message 2121 “Line error (equipment / line error)” shown in row L13 of error code determination table 412.

[0099] Note that rows L14 and L15 of Figure 15 show an example of updating the error code determination table 412 when a function to further investigate internal failures in ATM 5 is added. As shown in row L14, before updating the error code determination table 412, the determination result 2122 "Halted" is associated with the ATM error message 2121 "Banknote Jam".

[0100] Then, by updating the error code determination table 412, the ATM error message 2121 "Banknote Jam" is refined to "Banknote Jam (End User Caused)" as shown in row L15. "Banknote Jam (End User Caused)" is a malfunction that is not the responsibility of the ATM 5's administrator. Therefore, a new record is added to the error code determination table 412 so that the determination result 2122 "Operational" is associated with the ATM error message 2121 "Banknote Jam (End User Caused)".

[0101] (Effects of Embodiment 2) In the above-described embodiment 2, based on the error code determination table and additional higher-level failure information, it is determined whether the downtime of ATM 5 related to the ATM failure information falls under operation, downtime, or downtime (under review). Therefore, since the determination of whether to include the downtime in operation downtime or downtime is based on the higher-level failure information, the validity of the results of the scrutiny of operation time and downtime can be increased, and negotiations can be conducted more smoothly.

[0102] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment 2, a new record labeled "suspended (under review)" is added to the error code determination table based on higher-level failure information, so the error code determination table can be automatically updated in response to new failures.

[0103] [Embodiment 3] In Embodiment 2, the ATM error message 2121 in the detailed error code determination tables 212,412, which are based on the higher-level failure information 213,413 collected by the failure detection function that detects failures on the higher-level host 32, is associated with "operational". In this way, by changing the determination result 2122 "suspended (under review)" in the error code determination tables 212,412 to "operational" based on the additional failure information, the calculation of operating time and suspension time is made valid.

[0104] In contrast, Embodiment 3 uses the failure information (server failure information) of the accounting system message sent from the core system server 31 of the bank center 3 to the monitoring server 20B, instead of the higher-level failure information 213 and 413, thereby achieving the same effect as Embodiment 2.

[0105] In other words, instead of the higher-level failure information 213 (Figure 12) of Embodiment 2, the server failure information 213C (Figure 16) is used, and the error code determination table update process (Figure 14) is executed to update the error code determination table 412 as shown in Figure 17. In this way, the error code determination table 412 can be automatically updated for new errors.

[0106] (Server failure information 213C, 413C related to Embodiment 3) Figure 16 shows an example of the configuration of server failure information 213C and 413C according to Embodiment 3. The monitoring server 20B stores server failure information 213C in storage 21 instead of higher-level failure information 213 (Figure 12). The user terminal 4B stores server failure information 413C in storage 41 instead of higher-level failure information 413 (Figure 12).

[0107] Server failure information records 213C and 413C have columns for server error ID 2134, timestamp 2135, and server error message 2136. Server error ID 2134 is the identification information for each record in server failure information records 213C and 413C. Timestamp 2135 is the timestamp when the server error message was detected in ATM 5. Server error message 2136 is a message error message that notifies the error details sent by the core system server 31 when an error occurs in the transmission or reception of accounting system messages.

[0108] (Example of updating the error code determination table 412 according to Embodiment 3) Figure 18 shows an example of updating the error code determination table 412 according to Embodiment 3. Similar to Embodiment 2, by using ATM failure information 211 and server failure information 213C and executing the error code determination table update process (Figure 14), the error code determination table 412 can be updated as shown in Figure 17.

[0109] For example, suppose that the ATM error message 2121 “Line error (no upstream connection)” in ATM failure information 411 has a timestamp that matches or is within a specified range of similar error messages “Router failure” in server failure information 413C. Before updating the error code determination table 412, as shown in row L21 of the error code determination table 412 in Figure 18, the determination result 2122 “Suspended (Under Review)” is associated with the ATM error message 2121 “Line error (no upstream connection)”.

[0110] Then, by updating the error code determination table 412, the ATM error message 2121 "Line Error (No Upstream Connection)" is refined to "Line Error (Router Failure)" as shown in row L22. "Line Error (Router Failure)" is a network malfunction that is not the responsibility of the ATM5's administrator. Therefore, a new record is added to the error code determination table 412 so that the determination result 2122 "Operational" is associated with the ATM error message 2121 "Line Error (Router Failure)".

[0111] The same applies to ATM error message 2121 “Line error (core system error)” shown in row L23 of error code determination table 412.

[0112] [Other embodiments] (1) Configuration of the operation management system S In the embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the user terminals 4 and 4B in the operation management system S are assumed to perform screen display processing (Figure 5), button press detection processing (Figure 6), and error code determination table update processing (Figure 14). However, the monitoring servers 20 and 20B may perform screen display processing, button press detection processing, and error code determination table update processing, and display the GUIs exemplified in Figures 7 to 9 on the display devices connected to the monitoring servers 20 and 20B. In other words, the integration and distribution of the processing functions of the monitoring servers 20 and 20B and the user terminals 4 and 4B in the operation management system S can be changed as appropriate.

[0113] (2) Determination of whether the operation is "operational," "suspended," or "suspended (under review)" In embodiments 2 and 3 described above, the system determined whether the ATM error message 2121 (Figure 3) corresponds to "operating," "suspended," or "suspended (under review)" based on the error code determination table 412 updated by the error code determination table update process (Figure 14). However, the system is not limited to this, and in the screen display process (Figure 5), the system may also determine whether the system corresponds to "operating," "suspended," or "suspended (under review)" based on the error code determination table 412 before the update (steps S13, S16). That is, if there is a record of higher-level failure information 413 (server failure information 413C) whose timestamp matches the record of ATM failure information 411, the system may determine that the ATM error message 2121 of the corresponding ATM failure information 411 corresponds to "operating." This allows the system to automatically respond to new errors and appropriately review the operating time and suspension time.

[0114] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention and are not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add configurations of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment, as long as it does not contradict the original. Furthermore, parts of the configuration of each embodiment can be added, deleted, replaced, merged, and divided. In addition, each process shown in the embodiments may be distributed or merged as appropriate based on processing efficiency or implementation efficiency. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] S: Operation management system, 4,4B: User terminal, 20,20B: Monitoring server, 22,42: Processor, 44D1: Display screen, 44d: Uptime, 44f: Downtime, 211,411: ATM failure information, 212,412: Error code determination table, 213: Higher-level failure information, 213C: Server failure information.

Claims

1. An operation management method performed by an operation management system that supports the operation management of equipment performed by an operation manager under contract from a client, The aforementioned operation management system is The equipment failure information, which is a collection of error messages output when the aforementioned equipment stops operating, A determination table that shows the correspondence between whether the shutdown of the equipment related to the error message falls under the following categories: operation not at the responsibility of the operations manager, shutdown at the responsibility of the operations manager, and shutdown (deliberation) where the operations manager and the client need to deliberate on whether or not it is at the responsibility of the operations manager, A memory unit for storing, It has a processor that works in cooperation with memory, The aforementioned processor, Referencing the aforementioned determination table, determine whether the shutdown related to the error message corresponds to operation, suspension, or suspension (deliberation). If the aforementioned shutdown corresponds to the aforementioned operation, the shutdown time related to the shutdown corresponding to the operation shall be added to the operating time, which represents the total time the equipment was in operation. If the aforementioned shutdown falls under the category of suspension or suspension (deliberation), the shutdown time related to the shutdown that falls under the category of suspension or suspension (deliberation) shall be added to the suspension time, which represents the total time the equipment was not operating. The operating time and the downtime are displayed on the display screen. The error message related to the shutdown corresponding to the aforementioned suspension (deliberation) and the shutdown time related to said shutdown are identified and displayed on the display screen. In response to user instructions, the downtime for the aforementioned shutdown (for deliberation) is subtracted from the shutdown time and added to the operating time. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

2. The operation management method according to claim 1, The aforementioned processor, In response to user instructions, the system changes the status of the shutdown (suspension / deliberation) associated with the error message related to the shutdown, which has been determined to fall under the aforementioned suspension (deliberation), to operation in the determination table. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

3. The operation management method according to claim 1, The aforementioned processor, In response to user instructions, the downtime corresponding to the aforementioned shutdown is subtracted from the shutdown time and added to the operating time. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

4. The operational management method described in claim 3, The aforementioned processor, In response to user instructions, the system changes the status of the shutdown that is determined to correspond to the shutdown in the judgment table to the shutdown in operation. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

5. The operation management method according to claim 1, The aforementioned processor, In response to user instructions, the downtime corresponding to the operation stop is subtracted from the operating time and added to the downtime. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

6. The operation management method described in claim 5, The aforementioned processor, In response to user instructions, the operation that is determined to be in operation and is associated with the error message related to the shutdown of the operation, as determined in the determination table, is changed to the suspension. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

7. The operation management method according to claim 1, The aforementioned storage unit is The system stores additional error messages that indicate the results of the investigation into the operational stoppage related to the error message that was performed when the aforementioned device output the aforementioned error message, The aforementioned processor, By referring to the aforementioned determination table and based on the aforementioned error message and the aforementioned additional error message, it is determined whether the shutdown related to the error message corresponds to operation, suspension, or suspension (deliberation). A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

8. The operation management method described in claim 7, The aforementioned processor, If an additional error message exists whose timestamp matches the aforementioned error message, and the shutdown related to that error message corresponds to the aforementioned suspension (deliberation), a new error message is created based on the aforementioned error message and the additional error message. Add the record corresponding to the operation to the new error message to the determination table. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

9. The operation management method according to claim 1, The aforementioned storage unit is The system stores server failure information, which consists of server error messages related to data transmission received from the core system server that transmits and receives data related to core business operations with the aforementioned equipment. The aforementioned processor, By referring to the aforementioned determination table and based on the error message and the server error message, it is determined whether the shutdown related to the error message corresponds to operation, suspension, or suspension (under review). A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

10. The operation management method according to claim 9, The aforementioned processor, If a server error message exists whose timestamp matches the aforementioned error message, and the shutdown related to that error message corresponds to the aforementioned suspension (deliberation), a new error message is created based on the aforementioned error message and the server error message. Add the record corresponding to the operation to the new error message to the determination table. A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

11. An operational management method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The aforementioned device is an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine). A method of operational management characterized by the following features.

12. An operation management terminal that supports the operation management of equipment performed by an operation manager under contract from the client, The aforementioned operation management terminal is The equipment failure information, which is a collection of error messages output when the aforementioned equipment stops operating, A determination table that shows the correspondence between whether the shutdown of the equipment related to the error message falls under the following categories: operation not at the responsibility of the operations manager, shutdown at the responsibility of the operations manager, and shutdown (deliberation) where the operations manager and the client need to deliberate on whether or not it is at the responsibility of the operations manager, A memory unit for storing, It has a processor that works in cooperation with memory, The aforementioned processor, Referencing the aforementioned determination table, determine whether the shutdown related to the error message corresponds to operation, suspension, or suspension (deliberation). If the aforementioned shutdown corresponds to the aforementioned operation, the shutdown time related to the shutdown corresponding to the operation shall be added to the operating time, which represents the total time the equipment was in operation. If the aforementioned shutdown falls under the category of suspension or suspension (deliberation), the shutdown time related to the shutdown that falls under the category of suspension or suspension (deliberation) shall be added to the suspension time, which represents the total time the equipment was not operating. The operating time and the downtime are displayed on the display screen. The error message related to the shutdown corresponding to the aforementioned suspension (deliberation) and the shutdown time related to said shutdown are identified and displayed on the display screen. In response to user instructions, the downtime for the aforementioned shutdown (for deliberation) is subtracted from the shutdown time and added to the operating time. An operational management terminal characterized by the following features.

13. An operation management system that supports the operation management of equipment performed by an operation manager under contract from a client, The aforementioned operation management system is The equipment failure information, which is a collection of error messages output when the aforementioned equipment stops operating, A determination table that shows the correspondence between whether the shutdown of the equipment related to the error message falls under the following categories: operation not at the responsibility of the operations manager, shutdown at the responsibility of the operations manager, and shutdown (deliberation) where the operations manager and the client need to deliberate on whether or not it is at the responsibility of the operations manager, A memory unit for storing, It has a processor that works in cooperation with memory, The aforementioned processor, Referencing the aforementioned determination table, determine whether the shutdown related to the error message corresponds to operation, suspension, or suspension (deliberation). If the aforementioned shutdown corresponds to the aforementioned operation, the shutdown time related to the shutdown corresponding to the operation shall be added to the operating time, which represents the total time the equipment was in operation. If the aforementioned shutdown falls under the category of suspension or suspension (deliberation), the shutdown time related to the shutdown that falls under the category of suspension or suspension (deliberation) shall be added to the suspension time, which represents the total time the equipment was not operating. The operating time and the downtime are displayed on the display screen. The error message related to the shutdown corresponding to the aforementioned suspension (deliberation) and the shutdown time related to said shutdown are identified and displayed on the display screen. In response to user instructions, the downtime for the aforementioned shutdown (for deliberation) is subtracted from the shutdown time and added to the operating time. An operational management system characterized by the following features.

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