Component management system and component management method

Abstract

Provided is a component management system for managing information relating to components installed in a managed device, the component management system including a component information database which is provided in the managed device and which sequentially stores update information relating to updates of the components occurring after the managed device has been shipped. The update information is identification information that associates a component before the update with a component after the update.

Description

Parts management system and parts management method

[0001] The present invention relates to a parts management system and a parts management method for managing information on parts of a device to be managed, such as an automatic analyzer.

[0002] As a system for determining the locations of replaceable parts in a managed device, a chromatography system including a storage unit for storing information about replaceable parts and their installation locations is known (Patent Document 1).

[0003] International Publication No. 2020 / 183760

[0004] In the above-described conventional technology, by storing information about parts of a managed device, such as their installation location, part name, and lot number, in association with each other, it is possible to identify the part to be removed and its installation location by comparing it with information about the replacement part to be installed when replacing the part. However, after the managed device is shipped from its manufacturer, the parts manufacturer may update the parts of the managed device due to improvements or discontinuation. When a part used in the managed device is updated with a compatible part, the information about the updated compatible part usually does not match the information about the part currently installed in the managed part. As a result, it is not possible to identify the part to be removed from the information about the replacement part to be installed, which can hinder the part replacement process.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a parts management system and a parts management method that can smoothly incorporate even parts updated by a parts manufacturer into a device to be managed.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a parts management system that manages information about parts installed in a managed device, the parts management system including a parts information database that is provided in the managed device and that sequentially stores update information regarding updates to the parts that is obtained from the manufacturer of the parts after the managed device is shipped.

[0007] According to the present invention, even parts that have been updated by the parts manufacturer can be smoothly incorporated into the managed device.

[0008] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an automatic analyzer, which is an example of a managed device of the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of records recorded in a component parts database provided in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of records recorded in a parts information database provided in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a data flow when update information for parts updated by a parts manufacturer is shared with an automatic analyzer in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for parts record management executed by the parts management device when parts are replaced in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on a display unit displaying a plurality of parts that are candidates for parts to be replaced in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on a display unit displaying the parent-child relationships of parts of managed devices in a tree format in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a record set of kit parts recorded in a parts information database provided in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of optional parts recorded in a parts information database provided in the parts management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing, in a tree format, the relationship between optional parts and existing parts after the optional parts shown in FIG. 10 have been additionally incorporated into the managed device.

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] -Component Management System- Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a component management system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an automatic analyzer 20, which is an example of a device to be managed by the component management system 1. The component management system 1 is a system that manages information about components installed in devices to be managed. In this embodiment, an example of a device to be managed by the component management system 1 is an automatic analyzer 20 used, for example, in clinical testing, to analyze the components of samples such as blood and urine. While Fig. 1 shows only one automatic analyzer 20 as a device to be managed, the component management system 1 can manage multiple devices to be managed (including cases where there are multiple automatic analyzers 20). The following description will be given using an example where the device to be managed is the automatic analyzer 20.

[0011] The component management system 1 of this embodiment includes a component management device 10, an automatic analyzer 20, a manufacturing server 30, a shared server 40, a management server 50, and a component center 60. In this embodiment, the component management device 10 and the automatic analyzer 20, the automatic analyzer 20 and the management server 50, the manufacturing server 30 and the shared server 40, the shared server 40 and the management server 50, and the management server 50 and the component center 60 are all connected via a network NW and can communicate with each other. The manufacturing server 30 and the management server 50 may also be connected via the network NW, for example, without the shared server 40. In this embodiment, the component management system 1 includes the entire automatic analyzer 20, which is a device to be managed. However, with regard to the automatic analyzer 20, the component management system 1 may also include only the functional units and interfaces, excluding the device main body 20a ( FIG. 2 ), which is the mechanical unit that performs the analysis operation. Specifically, the automatic analyzer control unit 21, the automatic analyzer storage unit 22, the automatic analyzer communication unit 23, the input unit 80 ( FIG. 2 ), the display unit 90 ( FIG. 2 ), etc. Furthermore, at least one of the management server 50 and the parts management device 10 connected to the automatic analyzer 20 via the network NW can be considered as an operation system for the automatic analyzer 20. In this embodiment, the management server 50 and the parts management device 10 constitute the system of the automatic analyzer 20.

[0012] The analytical performance of the automated analyzer 20 is affected by the condition of the components that make up the main body 20a of the automated analyzer 20. Because the condition of components changes due to factors such as deterioration over time, maintaining the performance of the main body 20a requires understanding the condition of the main body 20a and periodically replacing worn components and timely replacing broken components. Managing the components of the main body 20a using the component management system 1 allows for flexible response to subsequent information changes associated with updates (such as design changes or specification changes) by component manufacturers for the components being managed, enabling accurate record management of the components of the main body 20a over the long term. To achieve this component record management, the component management system 1 includes component information databases 25, 34, 44, and 56, which store records related to component update information. Of these, the component information database 25 is included in the automated analyzer 20. The component information databases 25, 34, 44, and 56 sequentially store update information related to component updates that occur after the automated analyzer 20 is shipped. The update information is identification information that associates a pre-update part with a post-update part.

[0013] The parts management system 1 is equipped with component parts databases 24, 55, which store records for each part installed in the main body 20a of the automatic analyzer 20. Of these, the component parts database 24 is installed in the automatic analyzer 20, and the parts management device 10, which is connected to or installed in the automatic analyzer 20, identifies from the component parts database 24 the parts to be removed from the automatic analyzer 20 in exchange for the replacement parts, based on information about the replacement parts to be installed in the automatic analyzer 20. This allows, for example, when a user operating the automatic analyzer 20 replaces a part, the user can easily identify the part to be removed and the location of the part to be replaced from the record of the replaced part. However, if the replacement part to be installed was updated by the parts manufacturer after the automatic analyzer 20 was shipped and a matching record does not exist in the component parts database 24, the part to be replaced cannot be identified from the component parts database 24 based on the information about the replacement part.

[0014] In such a case, the parts management device 10 refers to the records in the parts information database 25 to extract from the component parts database 24 the parts that are associated with the replacement parts in the parts information database 25, and identifies the parts to be replaced that should be removed from the automatic analysis device 20.

[0015] A record is stored in the component parts database 24 for each component installed in the automated analyzer 20. When a replacement part is installed in the automated analyzer 20, the component management device 10 adds a record of the installed replacement part to the component parts database 24. The record of the replacement part is basically created based on the record of the replaced part that will be removed from the automated analyzer 20 in exchange for the installed replacement part. However, for example, if the replacement part to be installed is a recently updated part and the replaced part is identified based on the record in the component information database 25, the component information (e.g., part ID, described below) for the replacement part may not match the existing record of the replaced part recorded in the component parts database 24. In this case, the component management device 10 generates a record of the replacement part based on the record in the component information database 25 for the replacement part (part-specific information such as part ID) and the record in the component parts database 24 for the replaced part (e.g., the part's position in the automated analyzer 20, such as its detailed location, and its relationship to other components), adds the record to the component parts database 24, and updates the component parts database 24. The component parts database 24 also contains records of replaced parts that have been removed in exchange for replacement parts, that is, parts that have already been removed and are no longer present inside the automatic analyzer 20 .

[0016] Next, examples of the component parts database 24 and the part information database 25 will be described in order.

[0017] -Component Parts Database- Figure 3 shows an example of records stored in the component parts database. The automatic analyzer 20 and the management server 50 each have a component parts database (component parts databases 24, 55). While Figure 3 illustrates an example of the records in the component parts database 24 of the automatic analyzer 20, the component parts database 55 also contains similar records. The component parts database 24 of the automatic analyzer 20 stores records related to the components of the automatic analyzer 20 to which it belongs. In contrast, the component parts database 55 of the management server 50 stores records of each component for each of the multiple managed devices in the component management system 1, including the automatic analyzer 20. The records related to the components of the automatic analyzer 20 in the component parts databases 24, 55 are synchronized at set times (e.g., periodically, upon component replacement, or in response to user operation). The component parts database 55 of the management server 50 also stores information necessary for using the component parts database 24 of each managed device, such as device installation information (device ID information and installation location information) for each managed device.

[0018] The component database 24 shown in FIG. 3 stores, as records, the following information for each component: "component identification number," "component name," "part ID," "parent ID," "status," "lot number," "replacement type," "insertion date and time," "replacement interval," and "detailed location." The "component identification number" is an ID assigned to each component of the automated analyzer 20 and is used to identify that component among the components of the automated analyzer 20. The "component name" is information about the name of each component. The "part ID" is an ID number (e.g., a model number) that identifies the type of each component. The "parent ID" is information about the parent-child relationship (hierarchy) for each component within the automated analyzer 20. The "status" is information about the status of each component (described below). The "lot number" is information about the production lot of each component (described below). The "replacement type" is information about the replacement type of each component (described below). The "insertion date and time" is information about the time when each component was installed in the automated analyzer 20. The "replacement interval" is information about the number of days each component can be used. The "detailed position" is information about the mounting position of a part, and is useful for distinguishing the part from other parts when there are multiple parts of the same type that are used at the same level.

[0019] The part status information classifies the part status into "Status 1," "Status 2," "Status 3," and "Status 4." "Status 1" indicates a status in which the part is installed in the automatic analyzer 20 and is operating normally. "Status 2" indicates a status in which the part needs to be replaced and is waiting for the part to be procured. "Status 3" indicates a status in which the part has been procured and is waiting for replacement. "Status 4" indicates a status in which the part has already been removed from the device main body 20a of the automatic analyzer 20 due to part replacement and is not currently present in the device main body 20a.

[0020] The part lot information records the part lot number assigned by the parts manufacturer when shipping the part. When a part malfunction occurs due to a defective lot, parts manufactured in the same lot as the malfunctioning part or in a nearby lot are likely to cause the malfunction and must be recalled. The automated analyzer 20 incorporating the part requiring recall is identified based on the device installation information (device ID information and installation location information) recorded in the component parts database 55 of the management server 50.

[0021] The part replacement type information indicates the reason for the part replacement. For example, the replacement type information is recorded as "regular" for a part that is being installed in the automatic analyzer 20 due to periodic replacement, and as "failure" for a part that is being installed in the automatic analyzer 20 due to a malfunction. Because replacement due to a malfunction is more urgent than periodic replacement, the replacement type information is referenced when determining the priority of replacement based on factors such as the part inventory status. Furthermore, records remain in the component parts database 24 for parts that are removed from the device main body 20a in order to replace them. As mentioned above, for removed parts, "Status 4" is recorded as status information. Recording the replacement type information for parts in Status 4 is useful when collecting necessary information about each part, for example, when investigating the relationship between the lifespan of each part and the operating environment of the automatic analyzer 20.

[0022] The information on the insertion date and time and replacement interval for each part stored in the automatic analyzer 20 can be used to determine whether or not each part needs to be replaced periodically. For example, if the condition (insertion date and time + replacement interval - current date and time ≦ number of days until part replacement recommendation notification) is met for a certain part, then that part needs to be replaced periodically.

[0023] --Component Information Database-- Figure 4 shows an example of records recorded in the component information database. The component information database 25 is provided in each of the automatic analysis device 20, manufacturing server 30, shared server 40, and management server 50 (component information databases 25, 34, 44, 56). Records related to components updated by the component manufacturer due to component modifications, discontinuation, etc., are recorded as update information in the component information database 34 of the manufacturing server 30 owned by the manufacturer of the automatic analysis device 20. The update information is obtained by the manufacturer of the automatic analysis device 20 from notifications from the component manufacturers or documents disclosed by the component manufacturers, and is recorded in the component information database 34.

[0024] In this embodiment, the part information database 34 of the manufacturing server 30 is relayed to the management server 50 by the shared server 40. Specifically, the part information database 34 of the manufacturing server 30 is transmitted to the shared server 40 and stored therein, and the part information database 44 of the shared server 40 is transmitted to the management server 50 and stored therein. Then, information in the part information database 56 of the management server 50 is transmitted to the automatic analyzer 20 and reflected in the part information database 25. While Fig. 4 illustrates the part information database 25 of the automatic analyzer 20 as an example, the same applies to the other part information databases 34, 44, and 56.

[0025] The part information database 25 shown in FIG. 4 records, as update information, "ID," "part name," "part ID," "compatible ID," and "parent ID" for each type of updated part (e.g., model number). [ID] is an identification number assigned to each type of updated part. "Part name" is information about the name of the updated part. "Part ID" is ID information (e.g., model number) that identifies the type of each updated part. "Compatible ID" is information about the part ID of the pre-update part with which the updated part is compatible. The example in FIG. 4 indicates that part B' with part ID: PID006 is compatible with part ID: PID002. The part with part ID: PID002 is part B, which has a record in the component parts database 24. "Parent ID" is information about parts that have a parent-child (hierarchical) relationship with the updated part. The example in FIG. 4 indicates that part BA' with part ID: PID007 has a parent-child relationship with part B' with part ID: PID006.

[0026] 4, the manufacturer can also record, as necessary, information about each part, such as work instructions for "replacement," "installation," or "removal," as well as information about the lot number, replacement deadline, and the type of equipment to be installed, in the part information database 34. The part information databases 25 and 34 can also include records of kit parts, which are multiple different types of replacement parts bundled together in one package, and records of optional parts that are added to and incorporated into the automated analyzer 20 to add functions or improve performance (i.e., they cannot be replaced by the parts to be replaced).

[0027] 1 and 2, the components of the parts management system 1, namely, the parts management device 10, the automatic analysis device 20, the management server 50, the parts center 60, the manufacturing server 30, and the shared server 40 will be described in order.

[0028] -Component Management Device- The component management device 10 includes a component management device control unit 11, an ID tag reading unit 12, an input unit 13, a display unit 14, and a component management device communication unit 15. In the examples of Figures 1 and 2, the component management device 10 is connected to the automatic analyzer 20 via a network NW, but it may also be a component provided in the automatic analyzer 20, for example, a component that is externally integrated with the automatic analyzer 20 (for example, a component that is incorporated into the housing of the automatic analyzer 20).

[0029] The parts management device control unit 11 is a computer equipped with a computing device such as a CPU (not shown), and storage devices such as RAM, ROM, HDD, and SSD, and executes programs stored in the ROM by expanding them into the RAM. For example, the aforementioned parts record management performed using the component parts database 24 and the parts information database 25 of the automatic analyzer 20 during part replacement, etc., is executed by a program in the parts management device control unit 11. In this way, the parts management device 10 is configured as an information processing device, and can exchange data with the automatic analyzer control unit 21 and remotely operate the automatic analyzer 20. Furthermore, for example, the processing of the processor 21-1 (FIG. 2) of the automatic analyzer control unit 21, which analyzes samples based on measurements from the analysis unit 20-1 (FIG. 2) in the automatic analyzer 20, can be configured to be executed by the parts management device 10 instead of or in parallel with the processor 21-1.

[0030] The parts management device control unit 11 is also communicably connected to other components of the parts management device 10, such as the ID tag reading unit 12, the input unit 13, the display unit 14, and the parts management device communication unit 15. The parts management device control unit 11 can exchange data with these other components and can also relay exchange of data between the components. For example, the parts management device control unit 11 outputs information from an ID tag read by the ID tag reading unit 12 to the display unit 14 for display.

[0031] The ID tag reading unit 12 includes an ID tag reading device, and outputs information read from ID tags attached to components of the main body 20 a of the automatic analyzer 20 to the component management device control unit 11 .

[0032] The input unit 13 includes an input unit (for example, a keyboard or a pointing device) and outputs an operation input from the input unit by a user to the parts management apparatus control unit 11 .

[0033] The display unit 14 includes a display and displays information input from the parts management device control unit 11 .

[0034] The parts management device communication unit 15 is connected to the automatic analyzer communication unit 23 via the network NW so as to be able to communicate bidirectionally. For example, the parts management device communication unit 15 communicates with the automatic analyzer communication unit 23 to acquire information from the component parts database 24 and the parts information database 25 of the device main body 20a of the automatic analyzer 20.

[0035] -Automatic analyzer- The automatic analyzer 20 is operated by a user such as a hospital, and is equipped with an automatic analyzer control unit 21, an automatic analyzer memory unit 22, an automatic analyzer communication unit 23, as well as an apparatus main body (mechanical unit) 20a that performs the analysis operation.

[0036] The automatic analyzer control unit 21 is a computer, and includes as its main components a processor (CPU) 21-1 such as a CPU, memory 21-2 such as RAM or ROM, input interface 21-4, output interface 21-3, media interface 21-6, input / output interface 21-5, and bus 21-7. The processor 21-1 executes predetermined processing in accordance with a program loaded into the memory 21-2. The automatic analyzer control unit 21 is also communicatively connected to other components of the automatic analyzer 20, such as the automatic analyzer storage unit 22, automatic analyzer communication unit 23, device main body 20a, input unit 80, and display unit 90. The automatic analyzer control unit 21 can exchange data with these other components and can also relay the exchange of data between the components.

[0037] An input unit 80 such as a keyboard or pointing device is connected to the input interface 21-4. A display unit 90 such as a display is connected to the output interface 21-3. A storage medium 70 such as a USB memory or CD can be connected to the media interface 21-6. The input / output interface 21-5 communicates with each component included in the device main body 20a. The bus 21-7 connects the processor 21-1, memory 21-2, automatic analyzer storage unit 22, input interface 21-4, output interface 21-3, media interface 21-6, automatic analyzer communication unit 23, and input / output interface 21-5 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0038] The automatic analyzer storage unit 22 is a storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive (not shown), and includes a component database 24 and a component information database 25. As described above, the component database 24 stores information about each component of the apparatus main body 20a, with one set of records stored for each component of the apparatus main body 20a. The component database 24 records for each component are written by the component management device 10 when the component is installed in the automatic analyzer 20. The component information database 25 sequentially stores records related to update information for each component that occurs after the automatic analyzer 20 is shipped. As described above, the update information stored in the component information database 25 is information about components updated by the component manufacturer after the automatic analyzer 20 is shipped, and serves as identification information that associates the pre-update component with a compatible updated component. The automatic analyzer storage unit 22 may also be configured to function as a storage device built into the automatic analyzer control unit 21. The records of each part in the part information database 25 are recorded by, for example, the manufacturing server 30 appropriately inputting the records recorded in the part information database 34 into the automatic analyzer 20 .

[0039] The automatic analyzer communication unit 23 is connected to be able to communicate with the parts management device 10 (parts management device communication unit 15) and the management server 50 (management server communication unit 54) via the network NW. The automatic analyzer communication unit 23, for example, transmits information from the component parts database 24 of the automatic analyzer 20 to the management server 50, and receives the above-mentioned update information to be stored in the parts information database 25 from the management server 50. The automatic analyzer communication unit 23 may be built into the automatic analyzer control unit 21, for example.

[0040] The device main body 20a of the automatic analyzer 20 is a mechanical part that performs the sample analysis operation, and as shown in Figure 2, includes various devices such as a sample input unit 20-7, an analysis unit 20-1, a sample storage unit 20-8, and a transport line 20-9. The sample input unit 20-7 and the sample storage unit 20-8 are connected by the transport line 20-9. The analysis unit 20-1 is arranged along the transport line 20-9. A sample container containing a sample to be analyzed is input into the sample input unit 20-7, and the sample container is transported to the analysis unit 20-1 or the sample storage unit 20-8 via the transport line 20-9.

[0041] In this example, the sample containers are transported in a state where one or more are mounted on a sample rack 20-10. The samples are identified by identification information, such as a barcode or RFID, attached to the sample container. The identification information of the sample placed in the sample loading section 20-7 is read by a reading device (not shown) provided in the sample loading section 20-7 and sent to the automatic analyzer control section 21.

[0042] The analysis unit 20-1 includes a reaction disk 20-2 that holds a plurality of reaction vessels and a reagent disk 20-5 that holds a plurality of reagent bottles 20-4 containing reagents used in sample analysis. Samples are dispensed into the reaction vessels on the reaction disk 20-2 by a sample probe 20-3 from sample vessels transported via a transport line 20-9. Furthermore, reagents are dispensed into the reaction vessels into which the samples have been dispensed by a reagent probe 20-6 from reagent bottles 20-4 on the reagent disk 20-5. The analysis unit 20-1 uses a measuring device (not shown) to measure the mixture (reaction solution) of the sample and reagent contained in the reaction vessel. For example, if the analysis unit 20-1 performs biochemical analysis, it is equipped with a spectroscopic analyzer as the measuring device, and the absorbance, scattered light intensity, etc. of the reaction solution are measured by the analyzer. The spectroscopic analyzer is an example of a measuring device for the analysis unit 20-1, and the analysis unit 20-1 is equipped with a measuring device appropriate for the measurement content. The measurement values ​​obtained by the analysis unit 20-1 are output to, for example, the automatic analyzer control unit 21, and are processed by the processor 21-1 to obtain the analysis results of the sample.

[0043] - Management Server - The management server 50 is, for example, a server operated by a management company (such as the manufacturer of the automatic analyzer 20 or a contractor) that manages parts of the automatic analyzer 20. The management server 50 includes a management server control unit 51, a management server storage unit 52, an analysis unit 53, and a management server communication unit 54. The management server storage unit 52 includes a component parts database 55 and a part information database 56. The management server 50 can transmit part update information in the part information database 56 to the automatic analyzer 20 via the network NW.

[0044] The management server control unit 51 is a computer equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc. (not shown), and can load programs stored in the ROM into the RAM and execute them. The management server control unit 51 is also connected to other components of the management server 50, and can not only exchange data with those components, but also relay data exchange between the components.

[0045] The management server storage unit 52 is configured with a flash memory (not shown) or the like. Like the automatic analyzer storage unit 22, this management server storage unit 52 includes a component database 55 and a component information database 56. The component database 55 of the management server 50 aggregates information recorded in the component databases 24 of multiple managed devices, including the automatic analyzer 20, managed by the component management system 1. Therefore, by referencing the component database 55 of the management server 50, it is possible to check component information for all managed devices managed by the component management system 1. Furthermore, in addition to the information in the component database 24 of each managed device, including the automatic analyzer 20, the component database 55 of the management server 50 also records information necessary for using the component database 24 of each managed device, such as installation information of each managed device, as needed.

[0046] The analysis unit 53 can analyze information received from the management server control unit 51 and transmit the results to the management server control unit 51. For example, the analysis unit 53 analyzes whether any parts currently installed in the automatic analyzer 20 need to be replaced based on information from the component parts database 55 received from the automatic analyzer 20, and outputs the analysis results to the management server control unit 51. As an example, the analysis unit 53 determines whether there are any parts that satisfy the condition (insertion date + replacement interval - current date and time ≦ number of days until part replacement recommendation notification) and whose status is "Status 1." The analysis unit 53 outputs to a display unit (not shown) an analysis result that lists parts that satisfy the condition (insertion date + replacement interval - current date and time ≦ number of days until part replacement recommendation notification) and whose status is "Status 1" as parts that need to be replaced, or outputs to the display unit an analysis result indicating that no parts need to be replaced if no corresponding parts are found.

[0047] The management server communication unit 54 is communicably connected to the automatic analyzer communication unit 23, the parts center communication unit 61, and the shared server communication unit 42. For example, the management server 50 receives information from the component parts database 24 of the automatic analyzer 20, which is transmitted via the network NW, via the management server communication unit 54. The management server communication unit 54 also transmits update information for the parts information database 56 to the automatic analyzer 20 via the network NW, and transmits parts arrangement requests and receives arrangement completion notifications from the parts center 60.

[0048] - Parts Center - The parts center 60 includes a parts center communication unit 61 and an ID tag creation unit 62 .

[0049] The parts center communication unit 61 is connected to be able to communicate with the management server communication unit 54. For example, the parts center 60 receives a parts arrangement request from the management server 50 via the parts center communication unit 61. The management server 50 that sent the request updates the status of the record for the relevant part to "Status 2."

[0050] The ID tag creation unit 62 creates a label including an ID tag to be attached to the procured part or its packaging (packaging box, etc.) when the part is transported. The ID tag creation unit 62 records two types of information in the ID tag.

[0051] The first information recorded in the ID tag is information for identifying the removed part from the component part database 24 of the automatic analyzer 20 when replacing the part. In this embodiment, this corresponds to the "part ID."

[0052] The second information recorded in the ID tag is information that must be transmitted to the parts management device 10 when generating a record for a replacement part to be incorporated into the automated analyzer 20 during part replacement. For example, this information cannot be uniquely determined or referenced in the component parts database 24 by the parts management device 10. In this embodiment, this information is the "lot number." When generating a record in the component parts database 24 for a replacement part to be incorporated into the automated analyzer 20, some of the generated record can use existing records or default values ​​for the replaced part. For example, the part name, parent ID, replacement interval, detailed location, etc. may be derived from existing records for the replaced part to be removed. Furthermore, since the replacement part to be incorporated is expected to operate normally, the status can be uniquely recorded as "Status 1." The replacement type and insertion date and time are also information that the parts management device 10 can grasp without assistance. However, the lot number is information that the parts management device 10 cannot obtain from the automated analyzer 20 and therefore requires external input. By recording such information on the ID tag, when the ID tag is read by the ID tag reading unit 12 in the parts management device 10, it is automatically recorded as a record of the replacement part, thereby reducing the effort required for the user to manually enter the information, for example.

[0053] In this embodiment, as described above, the part ID and lot number are recorded on the ID tag, but the information recorded on the ID tag can be changed depending on the use case. For example, in the case of part replacement, the part name and replacement interval can be obtained from the record of the part to be replaced, but when an additional part is installed, there is no part to be replaced in its place, and the record of the part to be replaced cannot be used. In such a case, the part name, etc. can also be recorded on the ID tag.

[0054] After shipping the part, parts center 60 sends an arrangement completion notice to management server 50. Upon receiving the notice, management server 50 updates the status of the record for the part in component parts database 55 to "Status 3."

[0055] - Manufacturing Server - The manufacturing server 30 includes a manufacturing server control unit 31, a manufacturing server storage unit 32, and a manufacturing server communication unit 33, and is communicably connected to the shared server 40 via the manufacturing server communication unit 33 over a network NW. The manufacturing server control unit 31 is a computer having a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and the manufacturing server storage unit 32 is a storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive. A parts information database 34 is stored in the manufacturing server storage unit 32. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the manufacturing server 30 is connected to the management server 50 via the shared server 40 is illustrated, but the manufacturing server 30 may also be connected to the management server 50, the automatic analyzer 20, etc. over the network NW without via the shared server 40.

[0056] The manufacturing server control unit 31 collects update information on parts from each parts manufacturer via, for example, the network NW or a storage medium, and records the newly acquired update information in the parts information database 34 to update the parts information database 34. The parts information database 34 can also be updated by manual input operations. The parts information database 34 is sent to the automatic analyzer 20 via the shared server 40 or management server 50 via the network NW each time it is updated or periodically, and the parts information database 25 of the automatic analyzer 20 is updated.

[0057] However, the method of transmitting the information in the part information database 34 to the automated analyzer 20 is not limited to via the network NW. It is also possible to record the information in the part information database 34 on a storage medium such as a USB memory or a CD, and then have the automated analyzer 20 read the information from the storage medium and record it in the part information database 25. Of course, both the storage medium and the network NW may be used. For example, the information in the part information database 25 may be transmitted from the manufacturing server 30 to the management server 50 via the network NW, and the management server 50 may connect a storage medium on which the information in the part information database 56 is recorded to the automated analyzer 20, where it may be recorded in the part information database 25. For example, the storage medium may be sent by mail or the like from the management company that operates the management server 50 to the user who operates the automated analyzer 20, or may be brought by a service technician from the management company. Alternatively, the manufacturer of the automatic analysis device 20 that operates the manufacturing server 30 may send a storage medium containing information from the parts information database 34 to the management company, and the information from the parts information database 56 of the management server 50, updated with the information from the storage medium, may be transmitted to the automatic analysis device 20 via the network NW.

[0058] The timing at which the automatic analysis device 20 obtains information for updating the part information database 25 may be when the part information database 34 is updated in the manufacturing server 30 or at regular intervals. It is sufficient that information on parts for which no record exists in the component parts database 24 is stored in the part information database 25 of the automatic analysis device 20 before the parts are incorporated into the automatic analysis device 20.

[0059] - Shared Server - The shared server 40 includes a shared server control unit 41, a shared server communication unit 42, and a shared server storage unit 43, and is connected to the manufacturing server 30 and the management server 50 via the shared server communication unit 42 and the network NW. The shared server 40 serves to relay update information for the parts information database 34 received from the manufacturing server 30 to the management server 50. Specifically, the shared server control unit 41 records the update information for the parts information database 34 of the manufacturing server 30 received by the shared server communication unit 42 in the shared server storage unit 43, and transmits the information of the parts information database 44 in the shared server storage unit 43 to the management server 50 via the shared server communication unit 42.

[0060] However, the shared server 40 is not necessarily required, and data can be exchanged between the manufacturing server 30 and the management server 50 using a storage medium such as a USB memory or a CD, as described above.

[0061] - Data Flow - Figure 5 is a diagram showing the data flow when update information for parts updated by a parts manufacturer is shared with the automatic analyzer 20 in the parts management system 1. Figure 5 illustrates an example of transmitting update information from the manufacturing server 30 to the automatic analyzer 20 via the network NW. The series of data flows includes the following steps (1) to (6).

[0062] (1) The manufacturing server 30 transmits update information (information in the part information database 34) of parts obtained in connection with the revision or discontinuation of parts, etc., to the shared server 40. The timing for transmitting the update information is, for example, the timing when the update information of the parts is obtained from the part manufacturer. However, the timing is not limited to the timing when the update information is obtained, as long as the update information is received by the automatic analyzer 20 before the updated part is incorporated into the automatic analyzer 20.

[0063] (2) In the shared server 40 that has received the update information from the manufacturing server 30, the received update information is recorded and reflected in the part information database 44 of the shared server storage unit 43.

[0064] (3) The data in the part information database 44 of the shared server 40 and the part information database 56 of the management server 50 need to be synchronized. At this time, the information in the part information database 44 of the shared server 40 is newer than the information in the part information database 56 of the management server 50, so the part record updated in the part information database 44 is sent from the shared server 40 to the management server 50.

[0065] (4) In the management server 50 that has received the update information from the shared server 40, the received update information is recorded and reflected in the part information database 56 of the management server storage unit 52.

[0066] (5) The updated information of the part information database 56 of the management server 50 is sent to the automatic analyzer 20 together with the device information at an appropriate timing (for example, periodically).

[0067] (6) In the automatic analyzer 20, the update information received from the management server 50 is recorded and reflected in the part information database 25 of the automatic analyzer storage unit 22.

[0068] 6 is a flowchart showing the part record management processing procedure executed by the part management device 10 during part replacement in this embodiment. The processing in FIG. 6 is started when, for example, a user, when replacing a part in the automatic analyzer 20, operates the input unit 13 to instruct the start of the part replacement work on an operation screen (not shown) displayed on the display unit 14 of the part management device 10.

[0069] When the process of Figure 6 starts, the parts management device 10 reads the ID tag attached to the packaging box or part body of the replacement part that will be installed in the device body 20a of the automatic analysis device 20 using the ID tag reading unit 12, and obtains the information recorded on the ID tag (step S101).

[0070] Next, the parts management device 10 searches the component parts database 24 for records of parts whose part ID matches the part ID of the replacement part included in the read information (step S102). At this time, at least one other piece of information, such as the condition, insertion date and time, replacement interval, or replacement type, can be added as a search condition to narrow down the candidates for the part to be removed. The parts management device 10 then determines whether a record of the corresponding part, i.e., a part whose part ID matches the replacement part, exists in the component parts database 24 (step S103). Since parts of the same type are generally replaced, the part IDs of the replaceable part and the replacement part often match. If a corresponding part is found, the parts management device 10 proceeds to step S110, which will be described later.

[0071] However, for example, if the part ID is changed due to a change in the part manufacturer's part ID, the part ID of the replacing part and the part being replaced may not match, and a corresponding record may not exist in the component parts database 24. In this case, the part management device 10 searches the part information database 25 for a record of a part whose part ID matches that of the replacing part (step S104). Then, similar to the process of step S103, the part management device 10 determines whether a record of the relevant part, i.e., a part whose part ID matches that of the replacing part, exists in the part information database 25 (step S105). If a corresponding record exists in the part information database 25, the part management device 10 obtains the compatibility ID recorded in the record with the matching part ID in the part information database 25. This compatibility ID is the part ID of the part before the update, and the component parts database 24 is again searched for a record of a part with the matching part ID using the compatibility ID (step S102).

[0072] On the other hand, if the processing in step S105 does not find a corresponding record in the part information database 25, the part management device 10 outputs an error message on the display unit 14 (step S106). For example, if the replacement part (the part whose ID tag was read in step S101) is a part not recommended by the manufacturer of the automatic analyzer 20 (an aftermarket part or a discontinued part), if the part is a part planned to be installed in another managed device (an incorrect part), or if the part is a part to be additionally installed in the automatic analyzer 20 (if no part to be replaced exists), there is a possibility that a corresponding record will not be extracted in the processing in step S105.

[0073] If an error is displayed, the parts management device 10 displays a message on the display unit 14 to confirm whether or not the user wants to continue the part replacement work, and determines whether or not to continue the part replacement work using the part whose ID tag was read in step S101 based on the user's response (step S107). If, after displaying the message and leaving it to the user to decide whether or not to continue the part replacement using the part, the user inputs an operation to cancel the part replacement, the parts management device 10 ends the processing in FIG. 6.

[0074] After displaying the message and leaving it to the user to decide whether to continue or cancel the part replacement using the part in question, if the user inputs an instruction to continue the part replacement, the part management device 10 displays an input screen for the part ID of the part to be replaced on the display unit 14 and acquires the part ID of the part to be replaced through the user's input operation (step S109). For example, an aftermarket part not recommended by the manufacturer of the automatic analyzer 20 but permitted for use by the management company may be installed in the automatic analyzer 20. A replacement history record is also required for this non-recommended part. Anticipating such a case, the part management device 10 is configured to display a part ID input screen and prompt the user to input the part ID. The part ID input screen can be, for example, a screen in which the user manually inputs the part ID of the part to be replaced, or a screen in which the user selects from a list of options (e.g., all parts recorded in the component parts database 24). After acquiring the part ID of the part to be replaced through the user's input operation, the parts management device 10 searches the component parts database 24 again using the part ID input by the user (step S2102).

[0075] If it is determined in step S103 that a record whose part ID matches the part information acquired in step S101, step S104, or step S109 exists in the component parts database 24 of the automatic analysis device 20, the parts management device 10 displays the record of the corresponding replaced part on the display unit 14. At that time, if there is a parent-child part (a part associated with a parent ID) of the part, the record is associated with the parent-child part and displayed on the display unit 14 (step S110). If there are multiple parts (whose part ID matches the replacement part) that are candidates for the replaced part, the records of all of the corresponding parts are displayed together with the records of the parent-child part, if there is a part with the parent ID.

[0076] The parts management device 10 determines whether there are multiple candidate parts for the part to be replaced (step S111). If there are multiple candidate parts, a selection screen for selecting the part to be replaced from the candidates is displayed on the display unit 14, and the user is prompted to select the part to be replaced (step S112). If the part to be replaced is inevitably determined in the processing of step S111 (if there is only one part), or if the part to be replaced is selected in the processing of step S112, the parts management device 10 displays, for example, a button to confirm the user's intention to perform the replacement, then generates a record of the replacement part and adds it to the component parts database 24 (step S113), and ends the processing of Figure 6. Accordingly, the user removes the replaceable part from the automatic analyzer 20 and installs the replacement part into the automatic analyzer 20 to perform the part replacement.

[0077] The record of the replacement part created in the process of step S113 and added to the component parts database 24 is created from the record of the part to be replaced and the information of the replacement part read from the ID tag, as described above. However, for a replacement part for which the part to be replaced is identified using the parts information database 25, information in the parts information database 25 specific to that part (for example, the part ID of the replacement part) is also reflected in the record that is created.

[0078] --Display Screen-- FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the screen of the display unit 14 displaying multiple parts that are candidates for replacement parts. In this example, assume that, for example, in the process of step S101 in FIG. 6, a record with a part name "Part E'" and a part ID "PID009" is read from the ID tag of the replacement part. This part E' is a post-update part that does not currently have a record in the component parts database 24. In the process of step S104, assume that the part management device 10 recognizes that this part is a compatible part for the pre-update "Part E." Assume also that multiple parts E are used in the automated analyzer 20, as shown in FIG. 3. In this case, in the process of step S110, for example, records of multiple parts E that are candidates for replacement parts are displayed, as shown in FIG. 7. Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, the parent ID of part E is the automated analyzer 20 (there is no parent part), and therefore the parent ID is not displayed in the example of FIG. 7.

[0079] In this way, the part management device 10 can output to the display unit 14 a screen displaying information on replaceable parts, which are multiple components constituting the automated analyzer 20 and will be removed from the automated analyzer 20 instead of replacement parts. The part management device 10 can also be configured to highlight identified replaceable parts in an appropriate manner, such as by changing the text color, highlighting, underlining, or marking. The degree of highlighting (e.g., display color) may be changed depending on the degree of necessity for part replacement (e.g., the number of days since the part replacement recommendation notice date). When there are multiple parts that could potentially be replaceable parts, these multiple candidate replaceable parts are highlighted. Figure 7 illustrates an example in which two candidate replaceable parts, part E, are highlighted. In this example, part E, extracted as a candidate replaceable part, does not have a record in the current component parts database 24 and is identified by referencing the part information database 25. Therefore, the parts management device 10 highlights on the screen of Fig. 7 the information of part E, which has been extracted as a part to be replaced with the replacement part (part E'), based on the information in the parts information database 25 for part E', which is a replacement part, and the information on part E in the component parts database 24. Highlighting candidates for parts to be replaced reduces the burden on the user of finding the part to be replaced from among a large number of part records.

[0080] The screen illustrated in FIG. 7 also serves as a screen for selecting multiple candidates for the part to be replaced (the selection screen displayed in step S112). The selection means are check boxes 6-1 displayed in the records of the two parts E. When there are multiple candidates, the part to be replaced is not determined simply by reading the ID tag of the replacement part. However, the user can select and determine the part to be replaced by selectively checking the check boxes 6-1. The example in FIG. 7 shows that the upper part E (part E at detailed position SP1) of the two parts E has been selected. The two parts E have the same purpose and do not differ in part ID or replacement deadline, but their installation locations are different. Therefore, by displaying detailed position or parent ID information along with the part ID, the user can select the part to be replaced from the two parts E.

[0081] The part management device 10 can also output a confirmation screen on the display unit 14 that lists the part to be replaced and the replacement part selected on the screen. FIG. 7 shows an example in which a list of current parts is displayed on the left and a list of replaced parts is displayed on the right, for the replacement location of part E in the automated analyzer 20. The display after replacement on the right shows an image of the part being replaced as selected, with part E at detailed position SP1 replaced with part E'. By comparing the part displays on the left and right, the user can confirm that there are no errors in the part replacement to be performed. Although not shown in FIG. 7, the replaced part (part E' to be installed) may be highlighted in the list of parts on the right side of the figure to make it easier for the user to recognize.

[0082] After confirming that the part to be replaced is correct, the user presses the button 16-2 at the bottom of the screen labeled "Replace" to actually replace the part. In response to the operation of button 16-2, the parts management device 10 creates a record for part E', which has been incorporated into the automatic analyzer 20 as a replacement part, as described above, and adds this record to the component parts database 24.

[0083] While the display screen in FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which an image of the replaceable part (part E at detailed position SP1) selected in checkbox 16-1 being replaced with a replacement part (part E') is displayed in list format, the display format can be changed as appropriate. For example, the part management device 10 can be configured to display an image of the relationship (hierarchy) of the replaceable part selected on the screen with other parts after the part is replaced with the replacement part in tree format, as shown in FIG. 8. The current relationships between parts before the part replacement may also be displayed in a similar tree format. Displaying part information in tree format visually presents the user with an image of the replaceable part after being replaced with the replacement part, reducing the user's mistake in selecting the part to be replaced and contributing to the accurate execution of the part replacement work and its recording.

[0084] - Kit Parts - As mentioned above, the parts information databases 25 and 34 may contain records of kit parts, which are multiple different types of replacement parts grouped together in one package.

[0085] FIG. 9 shows an example of a kit part record set recorded in the part information database 25, 34. In the example of FIG. 9, the "part name," "part ID," "compatible ID," and "parent ID" are displayed, similar to the example of FIG. 4. The "part name," "part ID," and "parent ID" are the same as those in the example of FIG. 4, but in this embodiment, the part management device 10 recognizes the "compatible ID" in the kit part record set as a part ID that identifies a part that contains the part. In the example of FIG. 9, the compatible ID: PID999 for parts L, M, and N indicates that parts L, M, and N are contained in part K with part ID: PID999. Whether a compatible ID is a part that contains the part can be recognized by predefined rules, such as determining that if a compatible ID in a part record has a PID in the 900s, the part is a contained part of the part represented by the compatible ID. Generally, a kit part is assigned an ID as a single part, and so although it can be recognized as a single part, it is not possible to recognize the individual parts contained in the kit part. However, by recording kit part records as in the example of Figure 9, it is also possible to handle replacement of individual parts contained in the kit part.

[0086] - Optional Parts - As mentioned above, the parts information databases 25 and 34 may contain records of optional parts that are added to and incorporated into the automated analyzer 20 to add functions or improve performance (i.e., do not involve replaceable parts).

[0087] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an optional part record recorded in the part information database 25, 34. In the example of FIG. 10, as in the example of FIG. 4, "part name," "part ID," "compatible ID," and "parent ID" are displayed. The "part name," "part ID," "compatible ID," and "parent ID" represent the same things as in the example of FIG. 4. While FIG. 10 shows records in the part information database 25, the records for parts BD, F, FA, and FB shown in the figure do not contain compatible ID data. This allows the part management device 10 to recognize these parts BD, F, FA, and FB as optional parts that are not currently installed in the automated analyzer 20 and for which no compatible parts exist.

[0088] FIG. 11 is a tree diagram showing the relationships between optional parts and existing parts after the optional parts shown in FIG. 10 have been additionally incorporated into the automated analyzer 20. By referencing the parent ID data of parts BD, F, FA, and FB, the parts management device 10 can recognize the relationships between these parts added to the component parts database 24 and existing parts, as shown in FIG. 11 , and generate and record records for these parts. In FIG. 11 , the part identification numbers for optional parts BD, F, FA, and FB are blank because these parts have not yet been incorporated into the automated analyzer 20. For example, when button 16-2 in FIG. 7 is operated in conjunction with the incorporation of parts BD, F, FA, and FB, the parts management device 10 assigns part identification numbers to each of the newly generated records for parts BD, F, FA, and FB. While it is generally not possible to automatically add part information for optional parts that are subsequently incorporated, recording optional part records as shown in the example of FIG. 10 allows for editing of part hierarchy information and part information, making it easy to add records for optional parts.

[0089] -Effects- (1) According to this embodiment, the automatic analyzer 20 is provided with a parts information database 25 that stores part update information. Therefore, even if a part to be incorporated into the automatic analyzer 20 has been updated by a parts manufacturer after the automatic analyzer 20 was shipped, the record in the parts information database 25 can be used as auxiliary information to easily identify the part to be replaced, and the replacement part can be smoothly incorporated into the automatic analyzer 20. For example, while it is conceivable to manage all of the numerous parts that make up the automatic analyzer 20 with ID tags, this would be practically difficult from an economic and physical standpoint. However, this embodiment does not require this and can be easily realized.

[0090] (2) Furthermore, parts to be incorporated into the automatic analyzer 20 need to be recorded in the component parts database 24 for future parts management. However, parts that are subsequently updated by a parts manufacturer do not have records in the component parts database 24, and therefore records cannot be added to the component parts database 24 by following the existing records in the component parts database 24. In contrast, in this embodiment, for a replacement part whose replacement part is identified based on the part information database 25, the part management device 10 automatically generates a record of the replacement part based on the record in the part information database 25 related to the replacement part and the record in the component parts database related to the replaced part, and adds the record to the component parts database 24. In this way, even when a part that has been subsequently updated is incorporated into the automatic analyzer 20, an accurate record is automatically recorded in the component parts database 24, so that the components of the automatic analyzer 20 can be accurately identified and highly accurate parts management can be performed.

[0091] (3) The component parts database 24 contains records of replaced parts that have been removed and replaced with replacement parts. In this embodiment, this corresponds to parts in "Status 4." Data on previously installed parts like this is useful for collecting necessary information about each part, for example, when investigating the relationship between the lifespan of each part and the operating environment of the automatic analyzer 20.

[0092] (4) Furthermore, during part replacement work, the parts management device 10 extracts the replaceable parts to be replaced with the replacement parts based on the information on the replacement parts and the component parts database 24, and the extracted replaceable parts are highlighted on the screen of the display unit 14. Since the automated analyzer 20 has an extremely large number of component parts, the extracted replaceable part candidates are highlighted, which reduces the burden on the user of finding the replaceable part from the records of a large number of parts.

[0093] (5) Furthermore, during part replacement work, a confirmation screen (FIG. 7) displaying the selected part to be replaced and the replacement part side by side is output to the display unit 14. By comparing the information before and after the part replacement displayed side by side in this manner, the user can confirm in advance that there are no mistakes in the part replacement to be carried out.

[0094] (6) Furthermore, the part management device 10 can display in a tree format an image of the relationship between the replacement part and other parts when the replaceable part selected on the screen is replaced with the replacement part. By displaying the image after the part replacement in a tree format, the user can visually grasp the image after the part replacement, reducing the chance of selecting the part to be replaced and improving the accuracy of the part replacement work and its recording.

[0095] (7) Because the automatic analyzer 20 is equipped with the automatic analyzer communication unit 23 that receives update information to be stored in the part information database 25, the received update information can be automatically reflected in the part information database 25. In this case, compared to, for example, when update information is exchanged between a management company or the like by transferring a storage medium, the effort, time, cost, and human error required to update the part information database 25 can be reduced.

[0096] (8) The component management system 1 includes a management server 50 that transmits update information to the automatic analyzer 20 via the network NW, allowing component information for multiple managed devices, including the automatic analyzer 20, to be centrally managed by the management server 50. Furthermore, by installing the management server 50, information exchange between manufacturers of managed devices, component manufacturers, and the component center 60 can be consolidated.

[0097] (9) Furthermore, because a kit part is generally assigned an ID as a single part, it is possible to recognize the kit part as a single part, but it is not possible to recognize the individual parts included in the kit part. In contrast, in this embodiment, by recording kit part records as in the example of FIG. 9, it is possible to handle replacement of individual parts included in the kit part, and the kit part records can also be recorded automatically.

[0098] (10) Generally, it is not possible to automatically add part information for optional parts that are additionally incorporated into a managed device after the managed device is shipped. In contrast, in this embodiment, by recording records of optional parts as shown in the example of FIG. 10, it is possible to edit part hierarchy information and part information, and it is also possible to easily add records of optional parts.

[0099] - Additional remarks - The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and may include various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. It is possible to delete some of the configurations of the above-described embodiments or replace them with other configurations, or to add other configurations. For example, as mentioned above, the shared server 40 and the like can be omitted.

[0100] Furthermore, some or all of the configurations, functions, processes, processing means, etc. of the above embodiments may be implemented by hardware, such as an integrated circuit. The above configurations, functions, etc. may be implemented by software, with a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function may be stored in various storage media. Examples of various storage media include recording devices such as memory, hard disks, and solid-state drives (SSDs), as well as flash memory cards and digital versatile disks (DVDs). Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the information input / output lines (e.g., Figures 1 and 2 ) indicate those considered necessary for explanation and do not necessarily represent all lines in the product. In reality, all components may be considered to be interconnected.

[0101] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the parts management system 1 according to the above embodiment can manage components of various multi-function devices, such as the automatic analyzer 20 used in clinical testing, as well as ships and aircraft used in the fields of transportation and transport, and machine tools used in parts manufacturing and processing, whose components change due to replacement or repair of consumable parts, as managed devices.

[0102] 1...parts management system, 10...parts management device, 14...display unit, 20...automatic analyzer (managed device), 23...automatic analyzer communication unit (communication unit), 24...component parts database, 25...parts information database, 30...manufacturing server, 34...parts information database, 40...shared server, 44...parts information database, 50...management server, 55...component parts database, 56...parts information database, NW...network

Claims

1. A parts management system that manages information on parts installed in a device to be managed, characterized in that the system includes a parts information database that is provided in the device to be managed and that stores update information regarding updates to the parts that occur after the device to be managed is shipped.

2. A parts management system according to claim 1, wherein the update information is identification information that associates parts before the update with parts after the update.

3. A parts management system as claimed in claim 2, comprising: a component parts database provided in the managed device; and a parts management device connected to or provided in the managed device, wherein the parts management device identifies a replaceable part to be removed from the managed device from the component parts database based on information on a replacement part to be incorporated into the managed device, and when the replaceable part is not identified from the component parts database, extracts from the component parts database a part associated with the replacement part in the parts information database, and identifies the replaceable part from the managed device.

4. In the parts management system described in claim 3, the parts management device generates a record of the replacement part for the replacement part whose replacement part has been identified based on the parts information database, based on the record in the parts information database relating to the replacement part and the record in the component parts database relating to the part to be replaced, and adds the record to the component parts database.

5. A parts management system according to claim 4, wherein said component parts database includes records of replaced parts that have already been removed in exchange for said replacement parts.

6. A parts management system according to claim 3, comprising a parts management device connected to or provided with said managed device, said parts management device outputs a screen to a display unit displaying information on a plurality of parts constituting said managed device, and highlights on said screen the replaceable part that should be replaced with said replacement part based on the information on the replacement part and the parts information database.

7. A parts management system according to claim 6, wherein the parts management device outputs to the display unit a confirmation screen that lists the replaceable part and the replacement part selected on the screen.

8. A parts management system according to claim 6, characterized in that the parts management device displays in a tree format an image of the relationship of the replacement part with other parts after the replaceable part selected on the screen has been replaced with the replacement part.

9. A parts management system according to claim 1, wherein the managed device is provided with a communication unit for receiving the update information to be stored in the parts information database.

10. A parts management system according to claim 9, further comprising a management server that transmits the update information to the managed device via a network.

11. A parts management system as claimed in claim 10, comprising: a manufacturing server that records the update information; and a shared server connected to the manufacturing server and the management server via a network, wherein the shared server relays the update information received from the manufacturing server to the management server.

12. A parts management system according to claim 1, wherein said parts information database includes records of kit parts, which are a collection of multiple parts in one package.

13. A parts management system according to claim 1, wherein said parts information database includes records of optional parts that are additionally incorporated into said managed devices.

14. A parts management system according to claim 1, wherein the device to be managed is an automatic analyzer.

15. A parts management method for managing information on parts installed in a device to be managed, characterized in that update information regarding updates to the parts that occur after the device to be managed is sequentially stored in a parts information database provided in the device to be managed.

Images