Mobile Terminal Device System for Maintenance Information Sharing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In plant maintenance settings, the sharing of maintenance information among multiple device setting apparatuses is inefficient, leading to redundant operations and increased costs due to the need for a dedicated shared server, which burdens workers and incurs additional expenses.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal device system that includes a shared disk for storing and managing information, allowing mobile terminal devices to automatically acquire and share maintenance information with each other via a network, reducing the need for a centralized server and streamlining data sharing processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a dedicated shared server is installed to manage and share maintenance information among multiple device setting apparatuses, then information sharing capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance information sharingVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local copying of maintenance information between device setting apparatuses through direct communication. Each apparatus maintains local copies of relevant maintenance data, eliminating the need for a centralized server while ensuring information availability across the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the functions of multiple device setting apparatuses by enabling direct peer-to-peer communication and information exchange. This combination approach allows shared access to maintenance information without requiring separate server infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of information

If a dedicated shared server is installed to share maintenance information, then information sharing capability is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance information sharingVSAvoidimplementation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses local copying of maintenance information between apparatuses, replacing expensive server infrastructure with lightweight local storage and direct transfer mechanisms, thereby reducing implementation costs while maintaining information sharing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs lightweight, temporary data storage and transmission mechanisms between devices rather than permanent server infrastructure, using cost-effective solutions for information sharing that eliminate the need for expensive dedicated hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Loss of information

If all maintenance information is uploaded to a shared server for sharing, then information completeness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the burden of searching and selecting relevant information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance information completenessVSAvoidinformation retrieval operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by enabling each device setting apparatus to maintain and access only the specific maintenance information relevant to its operations. Information is distributed locally rather than centralized, allowing workers to access needed data without searching through all information on a server.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Each device setting apparatus autonomously manages its own maintenance information and directly exchanges data with other apparatuses as needed. This self-service approach eliminates the need for workers to manually search and select information from a centralized repository, as the system automatically provides relevant data to the appropriate devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2905663B1Device setting apparatus, storage storing device setting program, and method for sharing information among a plurality of device setting apparatuses
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2905663B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2905663B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2905663B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A device setting apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a data transmission processor configured to automatically and collectively acquire information used in at least one another device setting apparatus as other-device information from an external storage and an other-device information storage storing the other-device information. The external storage is communicatively connectable to the device setting apparatus via a network.