Information management device, information management system, information management method, and program

Abstract

An information management device (100) is provided with: a data collection unit (170) that collects, at a preset collection timing, screen data items for displaying information about a plurality of devices (200) on a display screen; an identification unit that identifies another device (200) that satisfies a preset relationship with a device (200) that satisfies a preset condition; a screen data extraction unit that extracts a screen data item that satisfies a preset rule from screen data items of the device (200) that satisfies the condition and of the other device (200) identified by the identification unit, among the screen data items collected by the data collection unit (170); and an output unit that outputs the screen data item extracted by the screen data extraction unit.

Description

Information management device, information management system, information management method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information management device, an information management system, an information management method, and a program.

[0002] At production sites, technology is known for collecting and saving data indicating the operating status of production equipment and inspection equipment in order to analyze the causes of problems such as breakdowns and abnormalities. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a display device that associates and saves video data obtained by capturing images of a desired location with device status data, and displays the saved status data in accordance with the playback time of the saved video data on a display screen. This configuration makes it possible to identify the timing at which a problem occurred in the equipment from the status data, and to refer to video footage taken before and after the time the problem occurred, thereby helping to identify the cause of the problem.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-056098

[0004] A problem occurring in a certain device may be caused by another device in the same production line. Therefore, when a problem occurs, it is desirable to analyze data from not only the device where the problem occurred but also other devices. However, the display device described in Patent Document 1 only stores data from connected devices. Therefore, in order to analyze data from multiple devices using the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to identify the timing of the problem occurrence and individually refer to and analyze the video data and status data before and after the identified timing for each device. This makes the data analysis process complicated and time-consuming. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of making it easier to identify the cause of the problem.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to propose an information management device, an information management system, an information management method, and a program that can make it easier to investigate the cause of a problem.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the information management device of the present disclosure includes a data collection unit that collects screen data for displaying information about each of a plurality of production devices on a display screen at a predetermined collection timing; an identification unit that identifies production devices that satisfy predetermined conditions and other production devices that satisfy predetermined relationships; a screen data extraction unit that extracts screen data that satisfies predetermined rules from the screen data collected by the data collection unit, from the screen data of the production devices that satisfy the conditions and from the screen data of the other production devices identified by the identification unit; and an output unit that outputs the screen data extracted by the screen data extraction unit.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, production equipment that satisfies a condition and other production equipment that satisfies a preset relationship are automatically identified, and screen data that satisfies a preset rule is automatically extracted from the screen data of each production equipment identified as satisfying the condition. Using the extracted screen data, it is possible to investigate the cause of a problem across multiple production equipment, such as by checking the status and changes of the multiple production equipment. This makes it easier to investigate the cause of the problem.

[0008] 1. FIG. 1 shows an example of system configuration information stored in the system configuration information management unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows an example of time-series data generated by the output screen merge unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows an example of a display screen file including display screen data and back screen data, generated by the file output unit shown in FIG. 1. BLOCK DIAGRAM showing an example of a physical configuration of an information management device according to an embodiment. A flowchart of a collection process executed by the information management device according to an embodiment. A flowchart of a backup process executed by the information management device according to an embodiment. A diagram showing an example of output data generated by the output screen merge unit shown in FIG. 1. A diagram showing another example of time-series data generated by the output screen merge unit shown in FIG. 1. BLOCK DIAGRAM showing a configuration of an information management system according to a modified example.

[0009] Hereinafter, an information management device, an information management system, an information management method, and a program according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or corresponding parts in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0010] An information management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described using an example in which it is applied to an information management system 1 shown in Fig. 1. As shown in the figure, the information management system 1 includes a plurality of devices 200 installed on a production line 2, a display 300 that generates screen data for displaying the status of the devices 200 and uses the screen data to display the status of the devices 200 on a display panel, an information management device 100 that collects and stores the screen data generated by the display 300, a production management system 400 that manages the production status of products produced on the production line 2, and a user terminal 500 used by a user. The information management device 100 is communicably connected to the devices 200, the display 300, the production management system 400, and the user terminal 500 via a network 600.

[0011] The devices 200 are installed on the production line 2 and cooperate with each other to process workpieces and produce products. Examples of the production devices include processing devices, processing equipment, conveying devices, inspection devices, and control devices. The processing and treatment may be physical or chemical. Each device 200 operates according to various instructions provided by the display 300. The devices 200 also output device data, including status data indicating the operating status of the device 200 collected by sensors included in the device 200 or sensors installed on the device 200, control data related to the control of the device 200, and error information indicating a malfunction of the device 200. The status data may be, for example, the on / off status of the device 200, operating status / standby status, applied voltage, current, power, temperature of each part, pressure, frequency, rotation speed, coordinate data, etc., and may be any data. The control data may be information related to the control of the device 200, such as process information currently being executed, step information currently being executed, error information, etc. Error information is information that indicates that some kind of malfunction has occurred, and is information that indicates a failure in processing the work and the details thereof, a failure in information processing by the device 200 and the details thereof, detection of a malfunction or abnormality in the device itself, etc.

[0012] The display 300 is a terminal device including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, VRAM (Video Random Access Memory), a display panel, a graphics controller, etc. For ease of understanding, the present embodiment shows an example in which one display 300 is installed in one device 200, but one display 300 may be installed in multiple devices 200, or multiple display devices 300 may be installed in one device 200. Furthermore, the display 300 may be built into the device 200 or may be externally attached via a wired or wireless connection.

[0013] The display unit 300 generates an operation screen for the operator to input various instructions to the device 200 and displays it on the display panel. The display unit 300 also acquires device data supplied from the device 200, generates a monitor screen showing the status of the corresponding device 200, and displays it on the display panel. The operator can monitor the status of the device 200 by checking the monitor screen.

[0014] A specific example of a monitor screen will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the CPU of the display device 300 generates four images, i.e., monitor screens 20a-20d, in memory based on device data supplied from the corresponding device 200, displaying status data indicating the status of the corresponding device 200. The screen data for the monitor screens 20a-20d includes, for example, text data, vector image data, raster data, table data, etc., and defines the screen, i.e., the image. For example, the monitor screen 20a indicates the operating status of the corresponding device 200, such as on / off, operating, preparing for operation, or standby. The monitor screen 20b indicates the operating power status of the device 200, such as the input voltage, input current, and power consumption of the device 200. Similarly, the monitor screens 20c and 20d each display status data or control data. The monitor screens 20a-20d are assigned image IDs (IDs) of 001-004. Note that the monitor screens 20a-20d in memory may be collectively referred to as monitor screens 20. The screen data of the monitor screen 20 may also be referred to as screen data 20 .

[0015] The CPU further converts the image data of the monitor screens 20a-20d formed in memory into dot pattern data, expands it on VRAM, and generates dot pattern monitor screens 21a-21d. The CPU selects one of the monitor screens 21a-21d in accordance with a user instruction or a display switching sequence, and displays it on the physical screen 23. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the monitor screen 21a being selected and displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel. Note that the monitor screens 21a-21d on the VRAM may be collectively referred to as the monitor screen 21, and the screen data of the monitor screen 21 may be referred to as screen data 21. Screen data 20 and screen data 21 are both examples of screen data. There may be multiple physical screens 23. Furthermore, the monitor screen 21 may be a color screen or a monochrome screen. Note that a color screen typically requires processing of dot pattern data of the three primary colors RGB on the VRAM, but this is a well-known matter and will not be discussed in detail below.

[0016] 1, the production management system 400 stores production management data related to the production status of products. The production management data includes production quantity data for products produced by the production line 2, quality control data, and operation data such as the names of workers who operate each device 200, production methods, materials, etc.

[0017] The user terminal 500 is a computer typified by an industrial personal computer (PC) and a tablet terminal, and displays the information output from the information management device 100 .

[0018] The information management device 100 is an edge computer installed at a production site. The information management device 100 collects and stores screen data 21 generated by the display device 300 at preset timing. At the collection timing, the information management device 100 collects display screen data indicating the screen data 21 displayed on the display device 300 and back screen data indicating the screen data 21 not to be displayed. When a device error indicating a malfunction of a device 200 occurs, the information management device 100 extracts display screen data and back screen data before and after the error from the display screen data storage unit 111 and back screen data storage unit 112, respectively, for the device 200 where the error occurred and each display device 300 connected to other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 where the error occurred. The information management device 100 imports the extracted display screen data and back screen data, merges them into a format that makes it easy to identify the cause of the error, and generates an output screen file. The information management device 100 outputs the generated output screen file to a user terminal 500. The user displays the output screen file on the user terminal 500 and uses it for error analysis. The information management device 100 is not limited to an edge computer installed at a production site and may be, for example, a cloud server. For example, the functions of the information management device 100 may be implemented by a cloud server and an edge computer. Specifically, the cloud server may execute the functions of the screen data storage unit 110, system configuration information management unit 120, output screen capture unit 130, output screen merging unit 140, output screen storage unit 150, file output unit 160, device information storage unit 180, and production information storage unit 190, while the edge computer executes the function of the data collection unit 170. The information management device 100 may also import the screen data 21 and generate an output screen file not only when a device error occurs, but also when it determines that a predetermined condition has been met, such as the occurrence of a defective product or the need to replace a consumable item, or when a check instruction is input by an operator.

[0019] the information management device 100 includes a screen data storage unit 110 that stores screen data 21 generated by the display 300; a system configuration information management unit 120 that manages system configuration information indicating the devices 200 that make up the production line 2; an output screen capture unit 130 that identifies and copies the screen data 21 to be output from the screen data storage unit 110; an output screen merging unit 140 that merges the screen data 21 copied by the output screen capture unit 130 to generate a display screen file; an output screen storage unit 150 that stores the display screen file generated by the output screen merging unit 140; a file output unit 160 that outputs the display screen file to the user terminal 500; a data collection unit 170 that inputs and outputs data to and from the devices 200, the display 300, and the production management system 400; an device information storage unit 180 that stores device data indicating the status of the devices 200; and a production information storage unit 190 that stores production management data that is data regarding the production status of products.

[0020] The screen data storage unit 110 includes a display screen data storage unit 111 that stores display screen data, which is the screen data 21 displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel at the collection timing, among the plurality of screen data 21 generated by the display device 300, and a rear screen data storage unit 112 that stores rear screen data, which is the screen data 21 that is not to be displayed at the collection timing. The screen data storage unit 110 is an example of a data storage unit.

[0021] The display screen data storage unit 111 stores display screen data. The display screen data is created in the VRAM of the display device 300 and is screen data 21 to be displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel at preset collection times, such as every second, every 10 seconds, or every minute. The display screen data may be, for example, a hard copy of the screen data 21 displayed on the physical screen 23 converted into an image format such as JPEG, RGB, or BMP; screen data 21 at the time of display on the physical screen 23 packaged for each collection time; or screen data 21 managed by time so that the screen data 21 displayed on the physical screen 23 at each collection time can be reproduced at each collection time. Specifically, the data collection unit 170 collects the screen data 21 displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel from the display device 300 at preset collection times. The data collection unit 170 assigns to the collected screen data 21 a device ID for uniquely identifying the device 200 connected to the display 300, a screen ID for uniquely identifying which screen data 21 it is, the date and time the screen data 21 was collected, and identification information for identifying that the screen data 21 is display screen data, and stores the data in the display screen data storage unit 111.

[0022] The back screen data storage unit 112 stores back screen data. The back screen data is screen data 21 that can be displayed on the physical screen 23 by being selected in accordance with a user instruction or a display switching sequence, and that can reproduce the monitor screen 21 when displayed on the physical screen 23. The back screen data may be, for example, a hard copy of the screen data 21 that is not to be displayed, virtually displayed on the physical screen 23 and converted into an image format such as JPEG, RGB, or BMP; screen data 21 that is not to be displayed at the time of being displayed on the physical screen 23, packaged for each collection timing; or screen data 21 that is not to be displayed, managed by time, so that the screen data 21 that is not to be displayed can be reproduced for each collection timing. Specifically, the data collection unit 170 collects the screen data 21 that is not to be displayed from the display device 300 at the same collection timing as the display screen data. The back screen data storage unit 112 assigns to the collected screen data 21 the device ID of the device 200 connected to the display 300, the screen ID, the date and time when the back screen data was collected, and identification information for identifying the screen data 21 as back screen data, and stores the screen data in the back screen data storage unit 112.

[0023] The system configuration information management unit 120 stores system configuration information that indicates the devices 200 that constitute the production line 2. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the system configuration information includes a system ID that is information for uniquely identifying the production line 2, a "system name" that indicates the name of the production line 2, a device ID that is information for uniquely identifying the devices 200 that constitute the production line, and a "device name" that indicates the name of the device 200. In the illustrated example, device A with device ID "A001", device B with device ID "B001", and device C with device ID "C001" indicate that they are devices 200 that constitute the production line 2 with system ID "PL1" and system name "production line 1", respectively.

[0024] When a device error occurs, the output screen capture unit 130 executes a capture process to identify and duplicate screen data 21 before and after the error. Specifically, the output screen capture unit 130 has preset rules regarding the period for extracting screen data 21 to be output, such as extracting screen data 21 for five minutes before and after the error. When a device error occurs, the output screen capture unit 130 extracts and duplicates the screen data 21 of the device 200 in which the device error occurred, collected within five minutes before and after the time the device error occurred, from the screen data storage unit 110. The output screen capture unit 130 also references the system configuration information illustrated in FIG. 3 to identify other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 in which the device error occurred. The output screen capture unit 130 extracts and duplicates the screen data 21 collected within five minutes before and after the time the device error occurred for each of the identified other devices 200. The output screen capture unit 130 then transmits each of the duplicated screen data 21 to the output screen merge unit 140. The output screen capture unit 130 is an example of an identifying unit, a screen data extracting unit, and a configuration information acquiring unit.

[0025] Returning to FIG. 1 , the output screen merge unit 140 merges the screen data 21 transmitted by the output screen capture unit 130 to generate a display screen file. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4 , the output screen merge unit 140 adjusts the size of the display screen data and the back screen data collected at the same collection timing to half vertically and horizontally, combines two data vertically and two data horizontally, and merges them to generate a single full-size image data 31. The output screen merge unit 140 generates time-series data 30 for each device 200, in which the image data 31 is arranged in chronological order before and after the occurrence of an error. In the illustrated example, the output screen merge unit 140 merges the screen data 21 for each of screen IDs 001, 002, 003, and 004, which indicate the status of device ID "A001," collected every minute for five minutes before and after the error occurrence date and time "October 10, 2023, 13:00," to generate each image data 31, and arranges the image data 31 in chronological order to generate the time-series data 30. The output screen merge unit 140 generates time-series data 30 for each of all devices 200 in the production line 2 identified by the output screen capture unit 130. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 5 , the output screen merge unit 140 compiles the time-series data 30 for each device 200 into a single file for each production line 2 to generate a display screen file. Note that the method for merging screen data is arbitrary. For example, four full-size screen data 21 may be combined and merged in one direction to form large-size image data 31. Note that the output screen merge unit 140 is an example of an output data generation unit.

[0026] 1 , the output screen storage unit 150 stores the display screen file generated by the output screen merge unit 140. Specifically, the output screen storage unit 150 generates a folder whose folder name is a character string including the device ID of the device 200 in which the error occurred, the date and time the error occurred, and the like, and stores the display screen file in the generated folder.

[0027] The file output unit 160 outputs the display screen file stored in the output screen storage unit 150 to the user terminal 500 via the network 600. The user displays the display screen file output by the file output unit 160 on the screen of the user terminal 500, and checks and analyzes the contents of the screen data 21 generated by the display 300 connected to each device 200 before and after the device error occurred. The file output unit 160 is an example of an output unit.

[0028] The data collection unit 170 inputs and outputs data between the device 200, the display 300, and the production management system 400. Specifically, the data collection unit 170 acquires device data indicating the status of the device 200 from the device 200 at preset collection times and stores the data in the device information storage unit 180. The data collection unit 170 also collects display screen data and back screen data from the display 300 at preset collection times and stores the data in the display screen data storage unit 111 and back screen data storage unit 112, respectively. The data collection unit 170 also acquires production management data, which is data regarding the production status of products, from the production management system 400 at preset collection times and stores the data in the production information storage unit 190.

[0029] The device information storage unit 180 stores device data indicating the status of the device 200. The device data includes status data indicating the operating status of the device 200, control data related to control of the device 200, and error information indicating that a malfunction has occurred in the device 200. Specifically, the data collection unit 170 collects device data of each device 200 from the device 200 via the network 600 at predetermined intervals and stores the collected data in the device information storage unit 180.

[0030] The production information storage unit 190 stores production management data for products produced on each production line 2. The production management data is data related to the production status of the products, and includes production quantity data, quality control data, and work data such as the names of workers operating each device 200, production methods, and materials. Specifically, the data collection unit 170 collects production management data from the production management system 400 via the network 600 at predetermined intervals and stores the data in the production information storage unit 190.

[0031] Next, the physical configuration of the information management device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The information management device 100 includes a processor 11 that executes processing according to a program, a volatile random access memory (RAM) 12, a non-volatile read only memory (ROM) 13, a storage unit 14 that stores data, an input unit 15 that accepts input of information, a display unit 16 that visualizes and displays information, and a communication unit 17 that transmits and receives information, all of which are connected via an internal bus 99.

[0032] The processor 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 11 executes various processes by loading programs stored in the storage unit 14 into the RAM 12 and executing the programs. The processor 11 executes processes by an output screen capture unit 130 and an output screen merge unit 140 as main functions provided by the programs.

[0033] The RAM 12 is used as a work area for the CPU. The ROM 13 stores a control program executed by the CPU for the basic operation of the information management device 100, a BIOS (Basic Input Output System), and the like.

[0034] The storage unit 14 includes a hard disk drive, stores programs executed by the CPU, and stores various data used when the programs are executed. The storage unit 14 functions as a screen data storage unit 110, a system configuration information management unit 120, an output screen storage unit 150, a device information storage unit 180, and a production information storage unit 190.

[0035] The input unit 15 is a user interface including a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The display unit 16 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display that visualizes and displays information.

[0036] The communication unit 17 is a network termination device or a wireless communication device that connects to the network, and a serial interface or a LAN interface that connects to them. The communication unit 17 receives signals from the outside and outputs data indicated by these signals to the processor 11. The communication unit 17 functions as a file output unit 160 and a data collection unit 170.

[0037] Next, the operation of the information management device 100 having the above configuration will be described. As a premise, the devices 200 on the production line 2 process workpieces together to manufacture products. During this operation, the display device 300 acquires device data supplied from the devices 200, generates screen data 21 as shown in FIG. 2, and repeatedly displays one selected piece of screen data 21 on the physical screen 23 of the display panel. By referring to the screen data 21 displayed on the physical screen 23, an operator can determine the operating status of the device 200, the presence or absence of abnormalities, etc.

[0038] The information management device 100 performs a collection process to collect and store display screen data and back screen data at preset collection timings while the production line 2 is operating. When a device error occurs, the information management device 100 identifies the device 200 in which the error occurred and other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 in which the error occurred, and extracts the display screen data and back screen data before and after each error occurred. The information management device 100 merges the display screen data and back screen data collected at the same timing to generate image data 31, and performs a backup process to generate and store time-series data 30 by arranging the image data in chronological order for each device 200.

[0039] First, the collection process of the information management device 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0040] When the user requests the start of the collection process by operating the input unit 15, the information management device 100 starts the process. The collection process may be started automatically when the production line 2 starts operating.

[0041] The data collection unit 170 determines whether it is time to collect data (step S11). Specifically, the data collection unit 170 determines whether a preset time has elapsed since the time when the data collection unit 170 received a request to start the collection process or since the previous collection time. If the data collection unit 170 determines that the preset time has elapsed, it determines that it is time to collect data (step S11; Yes). If the data collection unit 170 determines that the preset time has not elapsed, it determines that it is not time to collect data (step S11; No).

[0042] When the data collection unit 170 determines that it is time to collect data (step S11; Yes), it collects the screen data 21, device data, and production management data (step S12). Specifically, the data collection unit 170 collects screen data 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, and so on written to the VRAM of each display device 300 illustrated in FIG. 2. In the example of FIG. 2, the data collection unit 170 collects the screen data 21a with screen ID "001" displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel as display screen data, and collects the screen data 21b, 21c, 21d, and so on with other screen IDs "002," "003," "004," and so on as background screen data. The data collection unit 170 also collects device data, including status data indicating the status of each device 200, from each device 200 and production management data, which is data related to the production status of the product, from the production management system 400.

[0043] Next, the data collection unit 170 assigns attribute information to each piece of data collected in step S12 and stores the data (step S13). Specifically, the data collection unit 170 assigns to the collected screen data 21 a device ID for uniquely identifying the device 200 connected to the display 300, a screen ID for uniquely identifying which screen data 21 it is, the date and time when the screen data 21 was collected, and identification information for identifying whether the screen data 21 is displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel. The data collection unit 170 stores the screen data 21 assigned with the identification information indicating that it is screen data 21 displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel in the displayed screen data storage unit 111, and stores the screen data 21 assigned with identification information indicating that it was not to be displayed in the back screen data storage unit 112.

[0044] The data collection unit 170 also assigns an apparatus ID indicating which apparatus 200 the apparatus data belongs to and the collection date and time to the collected apparatus data, and stores the data in the apparatus information storage unit 180. The data collection unit 170 also assigns a production line ID or apparatus ID indicating which production line 2 or apparatus 200 the production management data belongs to and the collection date and time to the collected production management data, and stores the data in the production information storage unit 190.

[0045] Next, the data collection unit 170 determines whether or not a termination condition for the collection process is satisfied (step S14). Specifically, when the data collection unit 170 determines that a preset termination condition is satisfied, such as when a signal instructing the data collection process to be stopped is received, when a preset collection schedule time has elapsed, or when a preset number of collections has been exceeded (step S14; Yes), the data collection unit 170 terminates the process. On the other hand, when the data collection unit 170 determines that the termination condition is not satisfied (step S14; No), the process returns to step S11 and repeats the process.

[0046] Next, the backup process of the information management device 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0047] The system configuration information management unit 120 stores in advance, through user input, system configuration information indicating the devices 200 that constitute the production line 2. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the system configuration information includes a system ID, which is information for uniquely identifying the production line 2, a "system name" indicating the name of the production line 2, a device ID, which is information for uniquely identifying the devices 200 that constitute the production line, and a "device name" indicating the name of the device 200. When a user constructs a new production line 2 or changes the configuration of an existing production line 2, the user creates system configuration information and stores it in the system configuration information management unit 120.

[0048] The output screen capture unit 130 determines whether error information has been received (step S21). Specifically, the output screen capture unit 130 determines whether the device data collected in step S12 includes error information. The determination may include input of a failure or abnormality detection from an operator, input of a detection signal from another sensor, and the like.

[0049] Next, when the output screen capture unit 130 determines that it has received error information (Step S21; Yes), it identifies the device 200 in which the error occurred and the other devices 200 that are set up on the same production line 2 as the device 200 in which the error occurred (Step S22). Specifically, the output screen capture unit 130 identifies each device 200 by referring to the system configuration information exemplified in FIG. 3. For example, when the error information is received from device A, the output screen capture unit 130 identifies device A as the device 200 in which the error occurred. Next, it identifies device A from the system configuration information as being installed on production line 2, which has a system ID of "PL1" and a system name of "Production Line 1," and identifies the other devices 200 installed on this production line 2 as device B and device C.

[0050] Returning to FIG. 8 , the output screen capture unit 130 then extracts screen data 21 from each device 200 identified in step S22 before and after the error occurs (step S23). Specifically, for example, the output screen capture unit 130 has preset rules for extraction periods, such as extracting screen data for 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes before and after the error occurs. The output screen capture unit 130 identifies the date and time when the error occurred from the received error information. The output screen capture unit 130 extracts display screen data and back screen data from the display screen data storage unit 111 and back screen data storage unit 112 for each device 200 identified in step S22 that satisfy the extraction rules.

[0051] Next, the output screen capture unit 130 copies the display screen data and back screen data extracted in step S23 (step S24). The output screen capture unit 130 transmits the copied display screen data and back screen data to the output screen merge unit 140.

[0052] Next, the output screen merger 140 generates a display screen file by merging the display screen data and the back screen data copied in step S24, and stores the display screen file in the output screen storage unit 150 (step S25). Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the output screen merger 140 generates image data 31 by merging the display screen data and back screen data collected at the same collection timing, and generates time-series data 30 for each device 200, arranged in chronological order before and after the error occurrence. The output screen merger 140 generates time-series data 30 for each device 200 in the production line 2 identified by the output screen capture unit 130. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the output screen merger 140 combines the time-series data 30 for each device 200 into a single file to generate a display screen file.

[0053] 8 , next, the file output unit 160 outputs the display screen file generated in step S25 to the user terminal 500 (step S26), and the process ends. The user displays the display screen file output by the file output unit 160 on the user terminal 500, and analyzes the information in the screen data 21 before and after the error occurred for the device 200 in which the error occurred and for other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 in which the error occurred.

[0054] On the other hand, returning to step S21, if the output screen capture unit 130 determines that no error information has been received (step S21; No), the process returns to step S21 and determines whether or not error information has been received.

[0055] As described above, when an error occurs in a device 200, the information management device 100 extracts, from the screen data 21 collected in advance, screen data 21 of the device 200 where the error occurred and of other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 where the error occurred, both before and after the error occurred. From the extracted screen data 21, the information management device 100 generates time-series data 30 in a format that makes it easy to identify the cause of the error. Therefore, the user can check the changes in the display screen when the error occurred in chronological order. This eliminates the need for the user to select the device 200 to be analyzed from the saved screen data 21 or to extract data from the selected device 200 at a specific time, making it easier to determine the cause of the problem.

[0056] Furthermore, the information management device 100 collects and stores back screen data in addition to the display screen data displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel. This allows the user to check in chronological order even screens that are not actually displayed on the display screen. This allows the user to use information that was not displayed on the physical screen 23 of the display panel for analysis, thereby enabling more accurate investigation of the cause of a problem.

[0057] As long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure, it is possible to select and discard the configurations given in the above embodiments, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate.

[0058] In the embodiment, processing is performed by a single information management device 100, but the system configuration is arbitrary. For example, the functions of the information management device 100 may be realized by multiple devices, such as a cloud server and an edge computer. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 12 , a cloud server 700 may execute the functions of the screen data storage unit 110, system configuration information management unit 120, output screen capture unit 130, output screen merging unit 140, output screen storage unit 150, file output unit 160, device information storage unit 180, and production information storage unit 190 of the information management device 100, and an edge computer 800 may execute the function of the data collection unit 170 of the information management device 100. In this information management system 1A, the cloud server 700 is connected to the user terminal 500 instead of the information management device 100. The edge computer 800 executes the collection process shown in FIG. 7 to collect device data of the device 200, display screen data and back screen data of the display device 300, and production management data of the production management system 400 at preset collection timings, and transmits the collected data to the cloud server 700. The cloud server 700 executes steps S21 to S24 of the backup process shown in FIG. 8 to extract and copy screen data 21 of the device 200 where the error occurred and other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 where the error occurred, before and after the error occurred, if an error occurs. The cloud server 700 then executes steps S25 and S26 to generate and save a display screen file. The user then simply displays the generated display screen file on the user terminal 500.

[0059] Furthermore, for example, the cloud server 700 may execute the functions of the output screen merging unit 140, the output screen storage unit 150, and the file output unit 160 provided in the information management device 100. When a device error occurs, the information management device 100 extracts screen data 21 before and after the error from the device 200 in which the error occurred and from other devices 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the device 200 in which the error occurred, and transmits the extracted screen data 21 to the cloud server 700. The cloud server 700 then executes the processes of steps S25 and S26 to generate a display screen file and output it to the user terminal 500.

[0060] Furthermore, for example, the cloud server 700 may execute the functions of the output screen storage unit 150 and the file output unit 160. In this case, the information management device 100 executes the processes of steps S21 to S25 to generate a display screen file, outputs the generated display screen file to the cloud server 700, and stores it in the output screen storage unit 150 included in the cloud server 700. Then, the file output unit 160 of the cloud server 700 outputs the display screen file to the user terminal 500.

[0061] In the above embodiment, in step S22, the apparatus 200 installed on the same production line 2 as the apparatus 200 in which the error occurred is identified, but the relationship with the apparatus 200 in which the error occurred is not limited to this, and it is sufficient to identify other apparatuses 200 that operate as a single system. In this case, the configuration of the apparatuses 200 that operate as a single system may be stored in the system configuration information exemplified in FIG.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the capture process is executed when error information is received from the device 200, but this is not limited to this. For example, the capture process may be executed when it is determined that a preset condition, such as the occurrence of a defective product or the need to replace a consumable, is met. Specifically, the information management device 100 may execute the capture process when it determines in step S21 that the production management data collected from the production management system 400 includes information indicating the occurrence of a defective product, and when it determines that the numerical value indicating the remaining amount of a consumable included in the device data collected from the device 200 is equal to or less than a threshold.

[0063] The output screen merge unit 140 may also generate output data 50 that associates the time-series data 30 with the device data 40, as illustrated in FIG. 9 . In this case, in step S25, the output screen merge unit 140 retrieves device data 40 corresponding to each piece of image data 31 generated by the output screen merge unit 140 from the device information storage unit 180 using the device ID and collection date and time as keys, and associates the device data 40 with the image data 31. The device data 40 may be, for example, PLC device data, and may indicate the operating state of the device 200 at the time of the failure. Therefore, by comparing the time-series data 30, in which the screen data 21 is arranged in chronological order, with the device data 40, it is possible to more easily analyze the cause of the error. In other words, the cause can be inferred from the time-series data 30, and the hypothesis can be verified from the device data 40. Note that the device data 40 is an example of device display data.

[0064] 4, the output screen merge unit 140 generates time-series data 30 in which image data 31 obtained by merging screen data 21 collected at the same collection timing is arranged in chronological order before and after the occurrence of an error, but this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, time-series data 30A in which screen data 21 collected for the same device ID and at the same collection timing is arranged in chronological order may be generated for each screen ID. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11, time-series data 30B in which image data 31 obtained by merging screen data 21 collected at the same collection timing is displayed on a single screen may be generated for each collection timing.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the data collection unit 170 collects screen data, device data, and production management data at preset time intervals, but this is not limited to this. For example, various types of data may be collected according to any rule, such as collecting data every minute during normal operation and every 10 seconds for a certain period of time after receiving error information.

[0066] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which, when an error, i.e., a failure or abnormality, occurs in a certain device 200, the screen data 21 of all devices 200 arranged on the same production line 2 is checked. However, this is not limited to this. Apart from the production line, a device 200 from which screen data is to be collected may be set for each device 200. For example, screen data of a predetermined specific device 200 in the same production line in which a failure or abnormality is detected may be collected. Furthermore, screen data of a predetermined specific device 200 other than the same production line in which a failure or abnormality is detected may be collected. The range of screen data to be collected can be set for each device 200. In these cases, the information set in the system configuration information management unit 120 may be set appropriately.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the information management device 100 collects the screen data 21, i.e., dot pattern data, from the VRAM of the display device 300 and stores it in the screen data storage unit 110. However, the information management device 100 may collect the screen data 20 from the memory of the display device 300. The screen data 20 includes, for example, text data, vector data, table data, etc. By enabling the user terminal 500 to directly or indirectly access the screen data 20 stored in the screen data storage unit 110, it becomes possible to search for the screen data 20. The search function of the information management device 100 may be used.

[0068] Furthermore, the information management device 100 can be realized using a normal computer system, rather than a dedicated device. For example, a program for realizing each function of the information management device 100 may be stored and distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) or a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and this program may be installed on a computer to configure a computer that can realize each of the above-mentioned functions.

[0069] Furthermore, when each function is realized by sharing the functions between an OS (Operating System) and an application, or by cooperation between the OS and the application, only the application may be stored on the recording medium.

[0070] Furthermore, various embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. That is, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the meaning of the disclosure equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] 1, 1A Information management system, 2 Production line, 11 Processor, 12 RAM, 13 ROM, 14 Storage unit, 15 Input unit, 16 Display unit, 17 Communication unit, 99 Internal bus, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 21, 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d Monitor screen, 23 Physical screen, 30, 30A, 30B Time series data, 31 Image data, 40 Device data, 50 Output data, 100 Information management device, 110 Screen data storage unit, 111 Display screen data storage unit, 112 Back screen data storage unit, 120 System configuration information management unit, 130 Output screen capture unit, 140 Output screen merge unit, 150 Output screen storage unit, 160 File output unit, 170 Data collection unit, 180 Device information storage unit, 190 Production information storage unit, 200 Device, 300 display, 400 production management system, 500 user terminal, 600 network, 700 cloud server, 800 edge computer.

Claims

1. An information management device comprising: a data collection unit that collects screen data for displaying information about each of a plurality of production devices on a display screen at a preset collection timing; an identification unit that identifies production devices that satisfy preset conditions and other production devices that satisfy preset relationships; a screen data extraction unit that extracts screen data that satisfies preset rules from the screen data collected by the data collection unit, from the screen data of the production devices that satisfy the conditions and the other production devices identified by the identification unit; and an output unit that outputs the screen data extracted by the screen data extraction unit.

2. The information management device of claim 1, further comprising a configuration information acquisition unit that acquires configuration information indicating the production equipment that constitutes the production line, wherein the identification unit identifies other production equipment that constitutes the production line to which the production equipment that satisfies the condition belongs as other production equipment that satisfies the relationship based on the configuration information acquired by the configuration information acquisition unit.

3. The information management device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the data collection unit further collects equipment data indicating the status of the production equipment, and when the identification unit receives the equipment data including error information of the production equipment, it determines that the production equipment that sent the equipment data is a production equipment that satisfies the condition.

4. An information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the screen data extraction unit extracts the screen data for a preset period from the date and time when it is determined that there is a production device that satisfies the condition as screen data that satisfies the rule.

5. An information management device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the data collection unit collects display screen data, which is screen data displayed on the display screen at the collection timing, and background screen data, which is screen data of display data that is not to be displayed at the collection timing.

6. The information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an output data generation unit that generates time series data for each production device by arranging the screen data extracted by the screen data extraction unit in chronological order.

7. The information management device of claim 6, wherein the output data generation unit generates image data by merging display screen data, which is screen data displayed on the display screen at the collection timing, and back screen data, which is screen data not to be displayed at the collection timing, and generates time series data by arranging the generated image data in chronological order.

8. An information management device as described in claim 6 or 7, further comprising a data storage unit which stores the screen data collected by the data collection unit and the equipment data indicating the status of the production equipment in correspondence with each other, wherein the output data generation unit further generates equipment display data which displays the equipment data respectively associated with each of the screen data, and outputs output data including the time series data generated by the output data generation unit and the equipment display data.

9. The information management device according to claim 8, wherein the output data is data for displaying the time-series data and the device display data on a single display screen.

10. The information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the information management device is a cloud server or an edge computer installed at a production site.

11. An information management system comprising an edge computer and a cloud server, wherein the edge computer comprises: a data collection unit that collects screen data for displaying information of each of a plurality of production devices on a display screen at a preset collection timing; and the cloud server comprises: an identification unit that identifies production devices that satisfy preset conditions and other production devices that satisfy preset relationships; a screen data extraction unit that extracts screen data that satisfies preset rules from the screen data collected by the data collection unit, from the screen data of the production devices that satisfy the conditions and the screen data of the other production devices identified by the identification unit; and an output unit that outputs the screen data extracted by the screen data extraction unit.

12. An information management system comprising: an information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 10; a plurality of displays that display information about the production devices on their respective display screens using screen data for displaying the information about the production devices on the display screens; and a production management system that outputs production management data, which is data showing the production status of products produced by the production devices, to the information management device.

13. An information management method comprising: a step of collecting screen data for displaying information about each of a plurality of production devices on a display screen at a predetermined collection timing; a step of identifying a production device that satisfies a predetermined condition and another production device that satisfies a predetermined relationship; and a step of extracting screen data that satisfies a predetermined rule from the collected screen data of the production device that satisfies the condition and from the screen data of each of the identified other production devices.

14. A program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: collecting screen data for displaying information about each of a plurality of production devices on a display screen at a predetermined collection timing; identifying production devices that satisfy a predetermined condition and other production devices that satisfy a predetermined relationship; and extracting screen data that satisfies a predetermined rule from the collected screen data of the production devices that satisfy the condition and from the screen data of each of the identified other production devices.

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