Card-Based Machine State Management for Factory Remote Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in efficiently managing the operation states of multiple industrial machines installed in a factory, as viewing operation screens on a PC connected to the network becomes cumbersome and inefficient for managing multiple machines simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

An operation state management system comprising one or more servers that periodically collect and store operation state data from industrial machines, and terminals that communicate with the server to display an operation state management screen. This screen displays cards for each machine, showing identification, operation rate, and current state, allowing for efficient monitoring and management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If operation screens of multiple industrial machines are viewed sequentially on a PC connected to the network, then remote management capability is achieved, but management efficiency deteriorates due to the time-consuming sequential viewing process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote management capabilityVSAvoidmanagement efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The operation state management screen is segmented into multiple card-shaped display regions, with each card representing a different industrial machine. This segmentation allows operators to view multiple machine states simultaneously on a single screen rather than navigating through separate screens sequentially, thereby maintaining remote management capability while significantly improving management efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If detailed operation screens for each machine are accessed individually, then comprehensive information is obtained, but time consumption increases due to sequential access requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation state information completenessVSAvoidtime for checking operation states
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple machine operation state displays are merged into a single comprehensive management screen. Each machine's essential information (identification name, operation rate, current state) is combined into card-shaped regions that are simultaneously visible, eliminating the need to access individual screens sequentially while preserving complete operation state information for all machines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4557028A1Operation state management system
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 THE JAPAN STEEL WORKS LTD
  • EP4557028A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4557028A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4557028A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An operation state management system includes one or a plurality of servers configured to manage operation states of a plurality of industrial machines, and one or a plurality of terminals configured to communicate with the server. Information on the operation states of the plurality of industrial machines is periodically transmitted to the server and stored. The server includes an operation state management screen displayed on the terminal in response to a call from the terminal. A plurality of cards corresponding to each of the plurality of industrial machines are displayed on the operation state management screen, and each of the cards displays an industrial machine identification name, an operation rate, and a current operation state of the corresponding industrial machine.