Information processing method, program, and information processing system

Abstract

Provided are an information processing method, a program, and an information processing system that facilitate efficient maintenance of equipment. In the information processing method, prescribed component information related to a prescribed component from among a plurality of components included in equipment to be maintained is acquired (S41). In the information processing method, a schedule (second maintenance plan) including second maintenance that is associated with a sign of an unexpected abnormality of a prescribed component and can be performed aperiodically unlike first maintenance performed periodically is generated on the basis of the acquired prescribed component information (S44). The information processing method includes outputting the generated schedule.

Description

Information Processing Method, Program, and Information Processing System

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus for assisting in reducing costs related to component replacement.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-34585

[0004] The present disclosure provides an information processing method or the like that makes it easy to achieve efficient maintenance of equipment.

[0005] In an information processing method according to an aspect of the present disclosure, predetermined component information regarding a predetermined component among a plurality of components of equipment to be maintained is acquired, and based on the acquired predetermined component information, a schedule is generated that includes a second maintenance associated with a sudden abnormality sign of the predetermined component, which can be performed irregularly unlike the first maintenance that is performed periodically, and the generated schedule is output.

[0006] The present disclosure has an advantage of making it easy to achieve efficient maintenance of equipment.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration including an information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an operation example of the information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a life prediction thread by the information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a temporary maintenance plan generation process by the information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a grouping process by the information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a timing optimization process by the information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an irregular maintenance plan generation thread by the information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a regular maintenance plan. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an irregular maintenance plan.

[0008] [1. Findings on which the present disclosure is based] First, the inventor's point of view is described below.

[0009] For example, after a user purchases equipment such as a projector, a service could be provided to perform regular maintenance on the equipment. This maintenance would include replacing parts with new ones when they are nearing the end of their lifespan due to deterioration from prolonged use. By performing regular maintenance in this way, users can continue to use the equipment for a long period of time.

[0010] Incidentally, in addition to their lifespan, some equipment has components that become unusable due to sudden malfunctions or other abnormalities. When such components are replaced with new ones after a sudden malfunction occurs, the user will be unable to use the equipment for the period from the time the malfunction occurs until the new part is installed. In other words, even if the equipment is regularly maintained, if a sudden malfunction occurs in a component of the equipment, there is a problem in that the user will be unable to continue using the equipment.

[0011] In light of the above, the inventor has created this disclosure.

[0012] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, any components in the following embodiments that are not described in an independent claim will be described as optional components.

[0013] Please note that each figure is a schematic diagram and not necessarily a strictly accurate representation. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0014] (Embodiment) [2. Configuration] The information processing system 100 according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration including the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment. The information processing system 100 is a system for generating a maintenance schedule for the equipment 1 and outputting it to the user. The user here may be an individual or a legal entity such as a company. In the embodiment, the information processing system 100 is implemented by a server 2.

[0015] Equipment 1 is the equipment subject to maintenance. In this embodiment, Equipment 1 is a projector. A projector is a device that projects images onto a screen or wall or other display surface, and is a display device that outputs predetermined information (images). Equipment 1 is not limited to a projector; it can be any equipment that has parts that may experience sudden malfunctions such as failures, as will be described later, and that can be used continuously by replacing such parts with new parts. Furthermore, there may be one or more Equipment 1 units subject to maintenance. In this embodiment, it will be explained assuming that the user has purchased and is using multiple Equipment 1 units.

[0016] Device 1 comprises one or more non-main components 11 (an example of a first component), one or more main components 12 (an example of a second component), and one or more sensors 13. In other words, device 1 has multiple components (one or more non-main components 11 and one or more main components 12).

[0017] Non-main components 11, also known as non-main components, are components that, even if a malfunction or other abnormality occurs, will not render the device 1 unusable; in other words, they are components that have a relatively small impact on the operation of the device 1. On the other hand, main components 12, also known as main components, are components that, if a malfunction or other abnormality occurs, will cause the device 1 to shut down and become unusable; in other words, they are components that have a greater impact on the operation of the device 1 compared to non-main components. In this embodiment, each of the multiple components of the device 1 is pre-set to be either a non-main component 11 or a main component 12, but for example, a user may appropriately set each of the multiple components to be either a non-main component 11 or a main component 12.

[0018] Sensor 13 is installed on or near the component to be detected and detects the state of the component. Sensor 13 may be, for example, a sensor that detects the temperature of the component to be detected, a sensor that detects the input voltage or output voltage of the component to be detected, or a sensor that counts the number of times a switch on or off is turned on or off on the component to be detected, in other words, the number of times the component to be detected has been used. Sensor 13 may also include, for example, a sensor that detects the rotation speed of a motor on the component to be detected.

[0019] In this embodiment, one or more types of sensors 13 are installed on each of the components of the device 1. For example, one component may be equipped with a temperature-sensing sensor 13 and a voltage-sensing sensor 13, while another component may be equipped with only a temperature-sensing sensor 13. Of course, it is not necessary for all components of the device 1 to be equipped with one or more types of sensors 13, but rather some components may be equipped with one or more types of sensors 13 each. Furthermore, the operating state of other components that do not have sensors 13 may be determined based on information from other sensors or information about their placement.

[0020] As previously mentioned, the information processing system 100 is implemented by the server 2 in this embodiment. The information processing system 100 includes an acquisition unit 21, a processing unit 22, an output unit 23, and a storage unit 24. The processing unit 22 may be implemented by a dedicated circuit, or by a processor executing a computer program stored in memory. The storage unit 24 does not have to be included in the server 2, and may be an external storage device different from the server 2.

[0021] The acquisition unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with an external network N1, such as the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network), which includes one or more devices 1. The acquisition unit 21 acquires component information for each of the multiple components of the device 1 to be maintained. The component information includes, for example, information about each of the multiple components at the time of factory shipment of the device 1. The component information also includes, for example, information about the replacement history of each of the multiple components. Furthermore, the component information includes predetermined component information (described later) for a specific component among the multiple components. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 21 also acquires status information (described later) indicating the usage status of each of the multiple components. The various types of information acquired by the acquisition unit 21 are stored in the storage unit 24 as a database.

[0022] The processing unit 22 generates a maintenance schedule for the device 1 based on various information acquired by the acquisition unit 21, in other words, the database stored in the storage unit 24. In this embodiment, the schedule generated by the processing unit 22 includes a regular maintenance plan for periodic maintenance (an example of first maintenance) and an irregular maintenance plan for irregular maintenance (an example of second maintenance). Note that the schedule generated by the processing unit 22 only needs to include at least one of the regular maintenance plan and the irregular maintenance plan.

[0023] The periodic maintenance plan includes the scheduled date for the periodic maintenance, the equipment to be maintained, and the maintenance costs required for the periodic maintenance. Periodic maintenance is maintenance performed periodically on equipment 1. During periodic maintenance, for example, work is performed to replace parts of equipment 1 that are nearing the end of their lifespan due to age-related use, or parts that have reached the end of their lifespan due to age-related use, with new parts.

[0024] Maintenance costs include the cost of replacing parts and the cost of maintenance work. The cost of replacing parts includes the cost of procuring new parts. The cost of maintenance work includes the cost of transporting new parts and the service costs for the parts replacement work.

[0025] An irregular maintenance plan includes the equipment that should undergo irregular maintenance and the actions to be taken on that equipment during the irregular maintenance. The irregular maintenance plan may also include the scheduled date for the irregular maintenance and the maintenance costs required for it. Unlike regular maintenance, irregular maintenance is maintenance that may be performed irregularly, and is related to the sudden onset of abnormalities in a specific component among several parts. Irregular maintenance may involve tasks such as replacing a specific component that shows signs of sudden abnormality with a new one. For example, if equipment 1 is a projector, the specific component might be a fan.

[0026] The output unit 23 outputs the schedule generated by the processing unit 22. In this embodiment, the output unit 23 is a communication interface for communicating with the information processing terminal 3 via the network N1, and outputs the schedule generated by the processing unit 22 to the information processing terminal 3 via the network N1. Note that the acquisition unit 21 and the output unit 23 may be implemented using the same communication interface.

[0027] The storage unit 24 is a storage device such as a hard disk, SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory, and stores various information acquired by the acquisition unit 21 as a database.

[0028] The information processing terminal 3 is a terminal used by a user of the information processing system 100, and may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, or a desktop or laptop personal computer. By viewing the schedule output from the information processing system 100 on the display of the information processing terminal 3, the user can understand what kind of maintenance to perform on equipment 1 and when.

[0029] [3. Operation] The operation of the information processing system 100 (server 2) according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the information processing system 100 executes a life prediction thread S1, a periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2, an irregular maintenance plan generation thread S3, and an output thread S4 for each piece of equipment 1 to be maintained.

[0030] [3-1. Life Prediction Thread] As shown in Figure 2, the life prediction thread S1 includes the process of predicting the lifespan of each of the multiple components of the device 1, and the process of outputting the predicted lifespan of each component (in this case, the remaining lifespan of each component). Here, the remaining lifespan is the time from the time the lifespan of the component is predicted until the lifespan of that component is exhausted.

[0031] The lifetime prediction thread S1 will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a lifetime prediction thread S1 by the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment.

[0032] First, the acquisition unit 21 of the information processing system 100 acquires status information (S11). In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 21 acquires status information by acquiring detection data from one or more sensors 13 provided by the device 1. The status information includes, for example, the temperature of each of the multiple components, the input voltage or output voltage, the number of uses, or parameters that affect the lifespan of the components, such as the rotation speed of the motor.

[0033] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 predicts the lifespan of each of the multiple components based on the status information acquired by the acquisition unit 21 (S12). For example, if the status information includes the temperature of each of the multiple components, the processing unit 22 predicts the lifespan of the component by inputting the acquired temperature into a function that shows the correlation between the temperature and lifespan of the component, which is stored in advance in the storage unit 24 or the like. The same prediction process can be performed if the parameters of each of the multiple components included in the status information are input voltage or output voltage, number of uses, or motor rotation speed. If the predicted lifespan of a component exceeds the predetermined maximum lifespan of that component, the lifespan of that component is considered to be the maximum lifespan.

[0034] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 outputs the remaining lifespan of each of the multiple components (S13). Here, the processing unit 22 outputs the predicted lifespan or maximum lifespan for each of the multiple components as the remaining lifespan of each component. The output remaining lifespan of each of the multiple components is referenced by the periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2.

[0035] [3-2. Thread for Generating Periodic Maintenance Plans] As shown in Figure 2, the periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2 includes a process for generating a provisional maintenance plan, a timing optimization process for optimizing the timing of maintenance, and a process for outputting a periodic maintenance plan. Here, a provisional maintenance plan is a temporary periodic maintenance plan generated based on an arbitrarily set minimum maintenance interval. The minimum maintenance interval is the minimum interval at which periodic maintenance is performed. The processing unit 22 generates a periodic maintenance plan so that the interval at which periodic maintenance is performed does not fall below the minimum maintenance interval. The minimum maintenance interval may be set in advance, or it may be set by the user as appropriate.

[0036] The periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2 will be described in detail below using Figures 4, 5, and 6. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the provisional maintenance plan generation process by the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the grouping process by the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the timing optimization process by the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment.

[0037] First, the process of generating a provisional maintenance plan in the regular maintenance plan generation thread S2 will be explained using Figure 4. The processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 obtains the remaining lifespan of one or more main components 12 from among the multiple components (S21). Specifically, the processing unit 22 obtains the remaining lifespan of one or more main components 12 from among the remaining lifespans of multiple components output by the lifespan prediction thread S1.

[0038] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 sets the minimum maintenance interval (S22). As already mentioned, the minimum maintenance interval may be set in advance or set by the user as appropriate.

[0039] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 determines the timing of the periodic maintenance for each of the one or more main components 12 (S23). Specifically, for each main component 12, the processing unit 22 determines the timing of the periodic maintenance for that main component 12 to be the time when the remaining lifespan of that main component 12 has elapsed from the present time. If the timing of the periodic maintenance for each of the multiple main components 12 falls within a predetermined range, the timing of the periodic maintenance for the remaining main components 12 may be set to the timing of the periodic maintenance of the main component 12 with the shortest remaining lifespan among these main components 12. In this embodiment, the predetermined range is preferably the minimum maintenance interval, and may be set in advance or may be set as appropriate by the user.

[0040] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 obtains the remaining lifespan of one or more non-main components 11 from among the multiple components (S24). Specifically, the processing unit 22 obtains the remaining lifespan of one or more non-main components 11 from among the remaining lifespans of the multiple components output by the lifespan prediction thread S1. The processing unit 22 may execute steps S21 and S24 together. In other words, the processing unit 22 may obtain the remaining lifespan of each of the multiple components together.

[0041] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 determines the timing of the periodic maintenance of one or more non-main components 11 based on the timing of the periodic maintenance of one or more main components 12 (S25). Specifically, the processing unit 22 first determines the timing of the periodic maintenance of each non-main component 11 as the time when the remaining lifespan of the non-main component 11 has elapsed from the present time. Then, the processing unit 22 performs a grouping process to determine the timing of the periodic maintenance of two or more components based on the main components 12. Specifically, the processing unit 22 performs a process for each non-main component 11 to adjust the timing of the periodic maintenance of the non-main component 11 to the timing of the periodic maintenance of the main component 12 that is closest to that timing, within a range that does not exceed the remaining lifespan of the non-main component 11.

[0042] Here, a specific example of the grouping process will be explained using Figure 5. In the example shown in Figure 5, the equipment to be maintained 1 is "Equipment A" and is assumed to have at least the parts "Part 1" to "Part 8". In the example shown in Figure 5, "Part 1", "Part 4", and "Part 7" are assumed to be the main parts 12, and the remaining parts are all assumed to be non-main parts 11. The times shown in Figure 5 are all set to "0h" when Equipment A starts being used. In the example shown in Figure 5, the minimum maintenance interval is "7,300h".

[0043] As shown in Fig. 5, for "Component 1" which is a main component 12, the timing of regular maintenance is determined such that the first regular maintenance is carried out at the first timing T1 when 20,000 h has elapsed since the start of use, and the second regular maintenance is carried out at the third timing T3 when 40,000 h has elapsed since the start of use.

[0044] Also, although "Component 4" is a main component, since its remaining life time is within the minimum maintenance interval from the first timing T1, the timing of regular maintenance is determined such that the first regular maintenance is carried out earlier at the first timing T1 when 20,000 h has elapsed since the start of use. Also, the timing of regular maintenance is determined such that the second regular maintenance is carried out at the third timing T3 when 40,000 h has elapsed since the start of use.

[0045] Also, for "Component 7" which is a main component 12, since its remaining life time is not within the minimum maintenance interval from the first timing T1, the timing of regular maintenance is determined such that the first regular maintenance is carried out at the second timing T2 when 29,500 h has elapsed since the start of use.

[0046] Here, the timing of regular maintenance for "Component 2" which is a non-main component 11 is the timing when 21,000 h has elapsed since the start of use, but it is adjusted to the first timing T1 which is closest to this timing. The timing of regular maintenance for "Component 3" which is also a non-main component 11 is similarly adjusted to the first timing T1.

[0047] The timing of regular maintenance for "Component 5" which is a non-main component 11 before the change was the timing when 25,500 h had elapsed since the start of use, and the one closest to this timing was the second timing T2. However, since the second timing T2 exceeds the remaining life time of "Component 5", the timing of regular maintenance for "Component 5" is advanced to the first timing T1 which does not exceed the remaining life of "Component 5".

[0048] The timing of the regular maintenance of "Part 6", which is a non-primary part 11, is also the point when 29,000 h has elapsed since the start of use. Since the remaining life is exceeded, the timing of the regular maintenance of "Part 6" is adjusted to the timing of the regular maintenance of "Part 4", which is a primary part 12 and does not exceed the remaining life time of "Part 6" (the first timing T1).

[0049] The timing of the regular maintenance of "Part 8", which is a non-primary part 11, is the timing when 33,000 h has elapsed since the start of use, but it is adjusted to the second timing T2 that is closest to this timing.

[0050] Returning to FIG. 4, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 calculates the maintenance cost (S26). Specifically, the processing unit 22 calculates the maintenance cost required until all parts are replaced at least once. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the processing unit 22 calculates the cost required for replacing "Part 1" to "Part 6" to be replaced at the first timing T1 and the cost required for the regular maintenance work at the first timing T1. In addition, the processing unit 22 calculates the cost required for replacing "Part 7" and "Part 8" to be replaced at the second timing T2 and the cost required for the regular maintenance work at the second timing T2. In addition, the processing unit 22 calculates the cost required for replacing "Part 1" to "Part 6" at the third timing T3 and the cost required for the regular maintenance work at the third timing T3. Then, the processing unit 22 calculates the sum of these calculated costs as the maintenance cost. Note that depending on the assumed usage mode of the device 1, it is possible that none of the parts reach the end of their life. In this case, the cost required for regular maintenance may be calculated as zero.

[0051] Returning to Figure 4, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 generates a provisional maintenance plan (S27). Specifically, the processing unit 22 calculates the number of days from the present to the scheduled date of the periodic maintenance by dividing the time from the present to the determined timing of the periodic maintenance by the average usage time of equipment 1. Then, the processing unit 22 calculates the scheduled date of the periodic maintenance by adding the calculated number of days to the present. The average usage time of equipment 1 can be calculated, for example, by the acquisition unit 21 periodically acquiring the usage time of equipment 1, and may be an average per day or an average over multiple days.

[0052] In the example shown in Figure 5, assuming that the average usage time of "Equipment A" is "10 hours," the scheduled date for the first timing T1 periodic maintenance will be 2,000 days (= 20,000 hours / 10 hours) from the present. The scheduled date for the second timing T2 periodic maintenance will be 2,950 days (= 29,500 hours / 10 hours) from the present. The scheduled date for the third timing T3 periodic maintenance will be 4,000 days (= 40,000 hours / 10 hours) from the present.

[0053] The processing unit 22 then generates a provisional maintenance plan, which includes the scheduled date for the scheduled maintenance, the equipment 1 to be maintained, and the maintenance costs required for the scheduled maintenance. The generated provisional maintenance plan is referenced in the timing optimization process of the scheduled maintenance plan generation thread S2.

[0054] In this embodiment, the processing unit 22 performs the process of generating a provisional maintenance plan as many times as there are candidates for the minimum maintenance interval. For example, if there are five candidates for the minimum maintenance interval, namely "7,300h", "7,000h", "6,700h", "7,600h", and "7,900h", the processing unit 22 generates a total of five provisional maintenance plans.

[0055] Next, the timing optimization process in the periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2 will be explained using Figure 6. The processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 acquires a provisional maintenance plan for each minimum maintenance interval (S31). Here, we will explain assuming that a total of five provisional maintenance plans have been acquired as described above.

[0056] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 selects a temporary maintenance plan that satisfies predetermined conditions from among a plurality of temporary maintenance plans (S32). The predetermined conditions may include, for example, minimizing maintenance costs. The predetermined conditions may also include, for example, minimizing the number of maintenance sessions. Note that the predetermined conditions may be set by the user as appropriate. Here, we will explain assuming that the predetermined condition is minimizing maintenance costs. Therefore, the processing unit 22 obtains the temporary maintenance plan with the minimum maintenance cost from among the five temporary maintenance plans.

[0057] Then, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 generates a periodic maintenance plan (S33). Specifically, the processing unit 22 generates a temporary maintenance plan that satisfies the predetermined conditions selected in step S32 as the periodic maintenance plan. Here, the processing unit 22 generates a temporary maintenance plan that minimizes maintenance costs as the periodic maintenance plan. The generated periodic maintenance plan is referenced by the output thread S4.

[0058] [3-3. Irregular Maintenance Plan Generation Thread] The irregular maintenance plan generation thread S3, as shown in Figure 2, includes processing for detecting signs of abnormality in a predetermined component and processing for outputting an irregular maintenance plan. Although not shown in this embodiment, the irregular maintenance plan generation thread S3 not only detects signs of abnormality in a predetermined component but also performs processing to detect an actual abnormality in the predetermined component.

[0059] The irregular maintenance plan generation thread S3 will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the irregular maintenance plan generation thread S3 by the information processing system 100 according to the embodiment.

[0060] First, the acquisition unit 21 of the information processing system 100 acquires predetermined component information relating to a predetermined component among a plurality of components (S41). In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 21 acquires predetermined component information by acquiring detection data from one or more sensors 13 provided by the device 1 that correspond to a predetermined component. The predetermined component information includes parameters such as the temperature, input voltage or output voltage of the predetermined component, or the rotational speed of the motor.

[0061] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 extracts feature quantities that indicate the state of a predetermined component included in the predetermined component information (S42). Here, the feature quantities are parameters that show signs of sudden abnormalities in the predetermined component. For example, if the predetermined component is a fan, the feature quantities are the fan's rotation speed, etc.

[0062] Next, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 detects signs of a sudden malfunction in a predetermined component based on the extracted feature quantities (S43). In other words, the processing unit 22 determines, based on the feature quantities, whether or not irregular maintenance is necessary in response to signs of a sudden malfunction in the predetermined component. That is, if the processing unit 22 detects signs of a sudden malfunction in the predetermined component, it determines that irregular maintenance is necessary; if it does not detect signs of a sudden malfunction, it determines that irregular maintenance is unnecessary.

[0063] For example, the processing unit 22 compares the time-series data of the extracted feature quantities with the time-series data of the feature quantities of a predetermined component under normal conditions (i.e., when no abnormalities occur) that is stored in the storage unit 24 beforehand. If the time-series data of the extracted feature quantities contains data that deviates significantly from the time-series data of the feature quantities under normal conditions, the processing unit 22 detects that there is a sign of a sudden abnormality in the predetermined component. Alternatively, the processing unit 22 may refer to a pattern of feature quantities corresponding to a sign of a sudden abnormality in the predetermined component that is stored in the storage unit 24 beforehand, and if the time-series data of the extracted feature quantities contains that pattern, it may detect that there is a sign of a sudden abnormality in the predetermined component.

[0064] In this embodiment, the processing unit 22 also detects actual abnormalities that occur in a predetermined component. For example, based on the extracted feature quantities, the processing unit 22 detects that an abnormality has actually occurred in the predetermined component if the feature quantities match the feature quantities at the time of the abnormality.

[0065] Then, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 generates an irregular maintenance plan (S44). Specifically, if the processing unit 22 detects signs of a sudden malfunction in a predetermined part in step S43, it generates an irregular maintenance plan that includes the equipment 1 that should undergo irregular maintenance and the actions to be taken on the equipment 1 during the irregular maintenance. The actions here include, for example, replacing the predetermined part with a new part.

[0066] In this embodiment, the processing unit 22 also generates an irregular maintenance plan when it detects that an abnormality has actually occurred in a predetermined component. As previously mentioned, the processing unit 22 may also generate an irregular maintenance plan that includes the scheduled date for the irregular maintenance and the maintenance costs required for the irregular maintenance. The generated irregular maintenance plan is referenced by the output thread S4.

[0067] [3-4. Output Thread] The output thread S4 includes the process of outputting a schedule, as shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the schedule includes the periodic maintenance plan generated by the periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2. The schedule also includes the irregular maintenance plan if an irregular maintenance plan is generated by the irregular maintenance plan generation thread S3. In this embodiment, the output unit 23 of the information processing system 100 outputs the schedule generated by the processing unit 22 to the information processing terminal 3 via the network N1.

[0068] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a periodic maintenance plan. The example shown in Figure 8 is a periodic maintenance plan for a user who is using 10 units of "Equipment A," 16 units of "Equipment B," and 5 units of "Equipment C." In Figure 8, "Parts Combination" represents the combination of parts to be replaced, "Parts Cost" represents the cost required to replace the parts, and "Service Cost" represents the cost required to perform the parts replacement work. Also in Figure 8, "Total" represents the total maintenance costs for the month in which the periodic maintenance is performed.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 8, regular maintenance is scheduled to be performed on the "Kit1" component combination of "Equipment A" for one unit in September 2023, four units in December 2023, and five units in April 2024. In the example shown in Figure 8, regular maintenance is scheduled to be performed on the "Kit2" component combination of "Equipment A" for two units in June 2024, three units in August 2024, and five units in December 2024. In the example shown in Figure 8, regular maintenance is scheduled to be performed on the "Kit1" component combination of "Equipment B" for sixteen units in January 2023, and regular maintenance is scheduled to be performed on the "Kit2" component combination of "Equipment B" for sixteen units in August 2024. In the example shown in Figure 8, regular maintenance is scheduled to be performed on the "Kit1" component combination of "Equipment C" for one unit in April 2024, and four units in May 2024.

[0070] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an irregular maintenance plan. Figure 9(a) shows an irregular maintenance plan when an actual abnormality occurs in a specified part, and Figure 9(b) shows an irregular maintenance plan when a sudden sign of abnormality in a specified part is detected.

[0071] For example, in the example shown in Figure 9(a), a warning has been issued for the fan in "Device A" with serial number "AAAAAA1," indicating that the part should be replaced. Also, for example, in the example shown in Figure 9(b), signs of impending failure have been observed in the fan in "Device A" with serial number "AAAAAA5," indicating that the part should be replaced.

[0072] [4. Advantages, etc.] The advantages of the information processing system 100 (information processing method) according to the embodiment will be described below. As already mentioned, the periodic maintenance of equipment described in [1. Knowledge that forms the basis of this disclosure] cannot respond when a sudden malfunction occurs in a component of the equipment, and there is a problem that the user will be unable to continue using the equipment for the period from the time the malfunction occurs until the component is replaced with a new one.

[0073] In contrast, the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment outputs a schedule that includes irregular maintenance in response to signs of sudden malfunctions in predetermined parts that may occur irregularly. This has the advantage that predetermined parts in the equipment 1 can be replaced with new parts before a sudden malfunction occurs in those parts, thus shortening the period during which the equipment 1 is unusable. As a result, the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment has the advantage of making it easier to achieve efficient maintenance of the equipment 1.

[0074] Furthermore, in the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment, the timing of periodic maintenance for two or more of the multiple components is set to be the same based on lifespan information indicating the lifespan of each of the multiple components. Therefore, the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment has the advantage of making it easier to reduce the number of periodic maintenance sessions and the costs associated with periodic maintenance, compared to cases where the timing of periodic maintenance is different for each component. This advantage is particularly effective when, for example, a device 1 such as a projector has a large number of components.

[0075] Furthermore, the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment generates a schedule that minimizes the cost of periodic maintenance, which has the advantage of making it easier to reduce the number of periodic maintenance sessions while also reducing the cost of periodic maintenance.

[0076] Furthermore, the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment predicts the lifespan of each of the multiple components based on status information indicating the usage status of each of the multiple components. Compared to the case where the lifespan of each component is uniformly set and a schedule is generated, this has the advantage of making it easier to replace each component with a new one at an appropriate time, such as just before its lifespan is about to end.

[0077] [5. Other Embodiments] Although embodiments have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0078] For example, in the information processing system 100 according to the above embodiment, a schedule including a periodic maintenance plan is generated and output to the information processing terminal 3 when the equipment 1 to be maintained is put into use, but it is not limited to this. For example, the processing unit 22 of the information processing system 100 may update the schedule based on the timing of periodic maintenance if periodic maintenance is performed on one or more of the multiple components. In this embodiment, for example, even if the first periodic maintenance for any component is not performed on schedule, the schedule is updated to include the dates of the second and subsequent periodic maintenance for that component based on the actual date of the periodic maintenance, which has the advantage of making it easier to replace the component with a new one before the end of its lifespan.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the regular maintenance plan presents the user with the month in which the regular maintenance will be performed. However, it is not limited to this, and the user may be presented with the day on which the regular maintenance will be performed. For example, if regular maintenance is to be performed on multiple units of equipment 1 in the same month, the user may be proposed to perform the regular maintenance on all units of equipment 1 together on one of the days in that month, or the user may be asked to specify the day on which the regular maintenance will be performed.

[0080] In the information processing system 100 according to the above embodiment, timing optimization processing is performed in the periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2, but it is not limited to this. For example, the information processing system 100 may generate multiple temporary maintenance plans with different minimum maintenance intervals, without performing timing optimization processing in the periodic maintenance plan generation thread S2, and output a schedule including the multiple temporary maintenance plans to the information processing terminal 3. In this case, the user can select the desired temporary maintenance plan from among the multiple temporary maintenance plans as the periodic maintenance plan.

[0081] The information processing system 100 according to the above embodiment determines whether or not irregular maintenance is necessary based on a feature quantity indicating the state of a predetermined part, but is not limited to this. For example, the information processing system 100 may statistically determine whether or not irregular maintenance is necessary based on the usage time of the equipment 1. For example, by referring to past usage statistics of the equipment 1, the information processing system 100 may determine that the probability of a sudden malfunction of a predetermined part occurring after 500 hours of use of the equipment 1 is only a few percent, and therefore irregular maintenance is not necessary at that point. Alternatively, for example, the information processing system 100 may determine that irregular maintenance is necessary after 1000 hours of use of the equipment 1, because the probability of a sudden malfunction of a predetermined part occurring rises to about 50%.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the information processing system 100 is implemented by the server 2, but it is not limited to this. For example, the information processing system 100 may be provided on an information processing terminal such as a personal computer installed in a closed space. In other words, the information processing system 100 may be implemented by cloud computing or by edge computing.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the processing performed by a specific processing unit may be performed by another processing unit. Also, the order of multiple processing units may be changed, or multiple processing units may be executed in parallel.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may also be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0085] Furthermore, each component may be implemented by hardware. Each component may also be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or they may be separate circuits. Also, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0086] Furthermore, the general or specific embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM. They may also be implemented as any combination of a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

[0087] Furthermore, this disclosure may be implemented as an information processing method executed by a computer, such as the information processing system of the above embodiment. This disclosure may be implemented as a program (computer program product) for causing a computer to execute such an information processing method, or as a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0088] Furthermore, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art could conceive, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0089] (Summary) As explained above, the information processing method according to the first embodiment acquires predetermined part information relating to a predetermined part among a plurality of parts of the equipment 1 to be maintained (S41). Based on the acquired predetermined part information, the information processing method generates a schedule (irregular maintenance plan) that includes irregular maintenance, which may be performed irregularly in response to sudden signs of abnormality in a predetermined part, unlike the regularly scheduled maintenance (S44). The information processing method outputs the generated schedule (S4).

[0090] This information processing method has the advantage of allowing a predetermined component of device 1 to be replaced with a new component before a sudden malfunction occurs in that component, thus shortening the period during which device 1 is unusable. As a result, this information processing method has the advantage of facilitating efficient maintenance of device 1.

[0091] Furthermore, for example, in the information processing method according to the second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the necessity of irregular maintenance is determined based on a feature quantity indicating the state of a predetermined part included in the predetermined part information (S42, S43).

[0092] This information processing method has the advantage of making it easier to determine whether or not there are signs of a sudden malfunction in a given part, because it determines whether or not there are signs of a sudden malfunction in that part based on a feature quantity that indicates the state of the part, rather than the usage time of that part.

[0093] Furthermore, for example, in the information processing method according to the third embodiment, life information indicating the lifespan of each of the multiple parts is acquired in the first or second embodiment (S21, S24). The information processing method generates a schedule that further includes the timing of periodic maintenance for each of the multiple parts (S33). In the process of generating the schedule, the timing of periodic maintenance for two or more of the multiple parts is set to be the same based on the acquired life information (S23, S25).

[0094] This information processing method has the advantage of making it easier to reduce the number of periodic maintenance sessions and the costs associated with them, compared to having different maintenance schedules for each component.

[0095] Furthermore, for example, in the information processing method according to the fourth embodiment, in the process of generating a schedule according to the third embodiment, the schedule is generated such that the sum of the costs required for the replacement of each of the multiple parts and the costs required for the periodic maintenance work on each of the multiple parts is minimized (S31 to S33).

[0096] This type of information processing method has the advantage of making it easier to reduce the frequency of periodic maintenance while also lowering the costs associated with it.

[0097] Furthermore, for example, in the information processing method according to the fifth embodiment, in the third or fourth embodiment, the plurality of parts include non-main parts 11 and main parts 12 that have a greater impact on the operation of the device 1 than the non-main parts 11. In the process of generating a schedule, the timing of periodic maintenance of two or more parts is determined based on the main parts 12 (S25).

[0098] This information processing method has the advantage of making it easier to prevent equipment 1 from malfunctioning, as the timing of periodic maintenance is determined based on the main components 12 that have a significant impact on the operation of equipment 1.

[0099] Furthermore, for example, in the information processing method relating to the sixth embodiment, if periodic maintenance is performed on one or more of the multiple components in any one embodiment of the third to fifth embodiments, the schedule is updated based on the timing of said periodic maintenance.

[0100] This information processing method has the advantage that, for example, even if the first scheduled maintenance for a particular part is not carried out as scheduled, the schedule will be updated to include the dates for subsequent scheduled maintenance for that part based on the actual scheduled maintenance date. This makes it easier to replace the part with a new one before its lifespan ends.

[0101] Furthermore, for example, in the information processing method according to the seventh embodiment, status information indicating the usage status of each of the multiple components is acquired in any one of the third to sixth embodiments (S11). In the information processing method, lifespan information is acquired by predicting the lifespan of each of the multiple components based on the acquired status information (S12).

[0102] This information processing method predicts the lifespan of each component based on status information indicating the usage status of each component. Compared to generating a schedule by uniformly setting the lifespan of each component, this method has the advantage of making it easier to replace each component with a new one at an appropriate time, such as just before its lifespan is about to end.

[0103] Furthermore, for example, the program according to the eighth embodiment causes one or more processors to execute the information processing method according to any one of the first to seventh embodiments.

[0104] Such a program has the advantage of being able to replace a predetermined component of device 1 with a new one before a sudden malfunction occurs in that component, thus shortening the period during which device 1 is unusable. As a result, such a program has the advantage of making it easier to achieve efficient maintenance of device 1.

[0105] Furthermore, for example, the information processing system 100 according to the ninth embodiment includes an acquisition unit 21, a processing unit 22, and an output unit 23. The acquisition unit 21 acquires predetermined part information relating to a predetermined part among a plurality of parts of the equipment 1 to be maintained. Based on the predetermined part information acquired by the acquisition unit 21, the processing unit 22 generates a schedule that includes irregular maintenance, which may occur irregularly in response to sudden signs of abnormalities in the predetermined part, unlike regularly scheduled maintenance. The output unit 23 outputs the schedule generated by the processing unit 22.

[0106] Such an information processing system 100 has the advantage that a predetermined component of the device 1 can be replaced with a new component before a sudden malfunction occurs in that component, thus shortening the period during which the device 1 is unusable. As a result, such an information processing system 100 has the advantage of making it easier to achieve efficient maintenance of the device 1.

[0107] This disclosure can be used, for example, in systems for maintaining equipment such as projectors.

Claims

1. An information processing method that acquires predetermined component information for a predetermined component among multiple components of equipment to be maintained, generates a schedule based on the acquired predetermined component information that includes a second maintenance, which may be performed irregularly in response to a sudden abnormality in the predetermined component, unlike a first maintenance that is performed regularly, and outputs the generated schedule.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, which determines whether the second maintenance is necessary based on a feature quantity indicating the state of the predetermined part included in the predetermined part information.

3. An information processing method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: acquiring life information indicating the lifespan of each of the plurality of parts; generating the schedule further including the timing of the first maintenance for each of the plurality of parts; and in the process of generating the schedule, setting the timing of the first maintenance for two or more of the plurality of parts to be the same based on the acquired life information.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3, wherein the process for generating the schedule generates the schedule such that the sum of the costs required for replacing each of the plurality of parts and the costs required for the first maintenance work on each of the plurality of parts is minimized.

5. The information processing method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of parts include a first part and a second part that has a greater impact on the operation of the device than the first part, and in the process of generating the schedule, the timing of the first maintenance of the two or more parts is determined based on the second part.

6. The information processing method according to claim 3, wherein if the first maintenance is performed on one or more of the plurality of parts, the schedule is updated based on the timing of the first maintenance.

7. The information processing method according to claim 3, comprising: acquiring status information indicating the usage status of each of the plurality of components; and acquiring lifespan information by predicting the lifespan of each of the plurality of components based on the acquired status information.

8. A program that causes one or more processors to execute the information processing method described in claim 1 or 2.

9. An information processing system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires predetermined part information relating to a predetermined part among a plurality of parts of equipment to be maintained; a processing unit that generates a schedule, based on the predetermined part information acquired by the acquisition unit, which includes a second maintenance that may be performed irregularly, unlike a first maintenance that is performed periodically, in response to a sudden abnormality in the predetermined part; and an output unit that outputs the schedule generated by the processing unit.

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