Operation Support Device Hiding Irrelevant Branch Nodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators face difficulties in assessing the overall workload of operating an apparatus due to the need to repeatedly check and determine branch conditions for conditional branches in operation procedures, especially when multiple branches have the same condition.

Innovation Solution

An operation support apparatus that detects conditional branches in an operation procedure and uses a tree structure to hide branch nodes that do not satisfy the branch conditions, reducing the number of determinations required by the operator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the operation procedure includes multiple conditional branches with the same branch condition, then the operation procedure can handle different apparatus configurations, but the operator needs to repeatedly check and determine the same branch condition multiple times

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to handle different apparatus configurationsVSAvoidtime for repeated determination of branch conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination of branch conditions by detecting apparatus information once and storing it. This pre-detected information is then reused across multiple conditional branches, eliminating the need for repeated determinations and reducing operator time loss while maintaining adaptability to different configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a copy of the apparatus information (detected once) and reuses it across multiple conditional branch evaluations. Instead of re-determining the same branch condition repeatedly, the system copies the previously detected apparatus information and applies it to multiple branches, significantly reducing redundant operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If the operation procedure includes conditional branches requiring operator determination, then the procedure can be customized for different apparatus types, but the operator cannot easily assess the overall workload

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization for different apparatus typesVSAvoidvisibility of overall workload

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and hides conditional branches that will not be executed based on pre-detected apparatus information. By removing irrelevant branches from the displayed operation procedure, the system provides the operator with a clearer view of the actual workload while maintaining the ability to customize procedures for different apparatus types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary filtering of conditional branches by detecting apparatus information in advance and determining which branches are relevant. This preliminary action allows the display control to show only the necessary workload to the operator, providing visibility of actual work requirements while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If all conditional branches are displayed in the operation procedure, then the operator has complete information, but the procedure becomes complex and difficult to follow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of operation informationVSAvoidcomplexity of operation procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display control unit extracts and removes conditional branches that are not applicable to the current apparatus from the displayed operation procedure. This extraction maintains completeness of information for the relevant path while eliminating unnecessary complexity from irrelevant branches, making the procedure easier to follow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different display qualities to different parts of the operation procedure: relevant conditional branches are displayed with full detail, while irrelevant branches are hidden or simplified. This local differentiation maintains necessary information completeness while reducing overall procedural complexity for the operator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250037054A1Operation support device, operation support method, and operation support program

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP

AI summary

An operation support apparatus acquires a value related to determination on a conditional branch in a PAD from configuration information of an apparatus to be operated, and detects a conditional branch node from the PAD using the acquired value. Then, the operation support apparatus determines whether the apparatus to be operated satisfies a condition indicated by the detected conditional branch node by using the acquired value. Thereafter, the operation support apparatus hides, from the PAD, a branch node when the apparatus to be operated does not satisfy the condition indicated by the conditional branch node.