JP2018125602A - Maintenance server, maintenance program, and maintenance method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a maintenance server, a maintenance program and a maintenance method capable of improving the convenience of maintenance against an error. SOLUTION: A maintenance server that manages a maintenance history indicating maintenance performed for an error in the MFP and notifies the occurrence of the error (S133 to S135). When the error occurs in the MFP, the maintenance server is the same as the error. When the maintenance history indicates that the maintenance for the error of the type is executed for at least one MFP belonging to the same group as this MFP, the reoccurrence of the error is notified (S134 or S135). And [Selection diagram]

Description

  The present invention relates to a maintenance server, a maintenance program, and a maintenance method for notifying occurrence of an error in an electronic device.

  Conventionally, a technique for notifying the occurrence of an error in an electronic device is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1-3).

JP 2000-293344 A JP 2004-164389 A JP 2007-060404 A

  However, in the prior art, when notifying the occurrence of an error, it is not clear whether it is an error that has occurred for the first time or an error that has recurred, which is inconvenient for users who perform maintenance on the error. There is a problem.

  For example, when a service person performs maintenance for an error in a customer's electronic device, when the error recurs after maintenance, the customer has a bad image for the service person compared to when the error first occurred. easy. Therefore, a user such as a service person who performs maintenance for an error may prefer to prioritize maintenance for a recurring error.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a maintenance server, a maintenance program, and a maintenance method that can improve the convenience of maintenance for errors.

  The maintenance server of the present invention comprises error notification means for notifying the occurrence of an error in an electronic device, and history management means for managing a maintenance history indicating maintenance performed on the error, the error notification means, When the error occurs in the electronic device, the maintenance for the same type of error as the error is performed on at least one electronic device belonging to the same group as the electronic device. When indicated in the maintenance history, the recurrence of the error is notified.

  With this configuration, when the occurrence of an error is notified, the maintenance server of the present invention notifies that the error has recurred if the error has recurred, so the convenience of maintenance for the error can be improved. .

  In the maintenance server of the present invention, when the error occurs in the electronic device, the error notification means is that the maintenance for the error of the same type as the error is performed on the electronic device. When indicated in the maintenance history, the reoccurrence of the error in the same electronic device may be notified.

  With this configuration, the maintenance server of the present invention notifies of the recurrence of an error in the same electronic device, so that the user can confirm the previous maintenance or the same electronic device is different from the previous maintenance. Maintenance can be performed by the user.

  In the maintenance server of the present invention, when the error occurs in the electronic device, the maintenance for the error of the same type as the error belongs to the same group as the electronic device. When the maintenance history indicates that the electronic device other than the electronic device has been executed, it may notify the recurrence of the error between the different electronic devices belonging to the same group. good.

  With this configuration, the maintenance server of the present invention notifies of the recurrence of an error between a plurality of different electronic devices belonging to the same group, so the same maintenance is performed for a plurality of electronic devices belonging to the same group. Can be executed by the user, or the user can execute confirmation regarding this error for an electronic device that has not yet generated this error among the electronic devices belonging to this group.

  The maintenance program according to the present invention causes a computer to implement error notification means for notifying an occurrence of an error in an electronic device and history management means for managing a maintenance history indicating maintenance performed on the error, and the error notification. When the error occurs in the electronic device, the maintenance for the same type of error as the error is performed on at least one electronic device belonging to the same group as the electronic device. When the fact is indicated in the maintenance history, the reoccurrence of the error is notified.

  With this configuration, when the computer that executes the maintenance program of the present invention notifies of the occurrence of an error, if it is a recurring error, it notifies that the error has recurred, thus improving the convenience of maintenance for the error. can do.

  The maintenance method of the present invention comprises an error notification step for notifying the occurrence of an error in an electronic device, and a history management step for managing a maintenance history indicating maintenance performed on the error, wherein the error notification step includes: When the error occurs in the electronic device, the maintenance for the same type of error as the error is performed on at least one electronic device belonging to the same group as the electronic device. It is a step of notifying the recurrence of the error when indicated in the maintenance history.

  With this configuration, in the case of notifying the occurrence of an error, the maintenance method of the present invention notifies the fact that the error has recurred if the error has recurred, so the convenience of maintenance for the error can be improved. .

  The maintenance server, maintenance program, and maintenance method of the present invention can improve the convenience of maintenance against errors.

1 is a block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP shown in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram of the maintenance server shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the device management information shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the error log | history shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the maintenance log | history shown in FIG. It is a block diagram of the computer shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 when an error occurs in the MFP. It is a flowchart of operation | movement of the error notification means shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen displayed on the display part shown in FIG. 7 about generation | occurrence | production of the error which is not a recurring error. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display unit shown in FIG. 7 for error recurrence in the same MFP. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on the display unit illustrated in FIG. 7 about the recurrence of an error between a plurality of different MFPs belonging to the same group. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 when a maintenance server is notified of the execution of maintenance for an error via a computer. It is a sequence diagram of operation | movement of the system shown in FIG. 1 in the case of displaying a history in a computer.

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

  First, the configuration of the system according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 includes an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 20 as an electronic device, a maintenance server 30 that notifies the occurrence of an error in the MFP, and a computer 40 used by a user such as a service person. I have.

  The system 10 may include one or more MFPs similar to the MFP 20 in addition to the MFP 20. Similarly, the system 10 may include one or more computers similar to the computer 40 in addition to the computer 40.

  The MFP 20 and the maintenance server 30 can communicate via a network such as the Internet. Similarly, the maintenance server 30 and the computer 40 can communicate via a network such as the Internet.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP 20.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the MFP 20 includes an operation unit 21 that is an input device such as buttons for inputting various operations, and a display unit 22 that is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) that displays various information. And a scanner 23 that reads an image from a document, a printer 24 that prints an image on a recording medium such as paper, an external facsimile apparatus not shown, and a communication line such as a public telephone line A fax communication unit 25, which is a fax device that performs fax communication, and a communication unit 26, which is a communication device that communicates with an external device via a network or directly by wire or wireless without going through the network, Semiconductor memory, HDD (Hard Di) k Drive) and the storage unit 27 is a nonvolatile storage device such as, and a control unit 28 which controls the entire MFP 20.

  The storage unit 27 stores a device information transmission program 27a for transmitting various information about the MFP 20 (hereinafter referred to as “device information”). The device information transmission program 27a may be installed in the MFP 20 at the manufacturing stage of the MFP 20, or may be additionally installed in the MFP 20 from an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or from the network. It may be additionally installed in the MFP 20.

  The control unit 28 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing a program and various data, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area of the CPU. Yes. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 27.

  The control unit 28 implements a device information transmission unit 28a that transmits device information by executing the device information transmission program 27a.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the maintenance server 30.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the maintenance server 30 receives various types of information from a communication unit 31 that is a communication device that communicates with an external device directly via a network or via a network without using a network. A storage unit 32 that is a non-volatile storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD that stores data and a control unit 33 that controls the entire maintenance server 30 are provided.

  The storage unit 32 stores a maintenance program 32a for notifying the occurrence of an error in the MFP. The maintenance program 32a may be installed in the maintenance server 30 at the manufacturing stage of the maintenance server 30, or may be transferred to the maintenance server 30 from an external storage medium such as a CD (Compact Disk), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or a USB memory. It may be additionally installed, or may be additionally installed on the maintenance server 30 from the network.

  The storage unit 32 stores device management information 32b for managing MFPs included in the system 10.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the device management information 32b.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the device management information 32b includes, for example, MFP identification information (hereinafter referred to as “device ID”) and MFP administrator identification information (hereinafter referred to as “manager ID”). The MFP installation location and the MFP type are included for each MFP. Note that the type of MFP may be classified according to the model of the MFP, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the storage unit 32 can store an error history 32c indicating an error that has occurred in the MFP.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the error history 32c.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the error history 32c includes, for example, the device ID of the MFP in which the error has occurred, the type of error, and the time when the error occurred for each error.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the storage unit 32 can store a maintenance history 32 d indicating maintenance performed for an error.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the maintenance history 32d.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the maintenance history 32 d includes, for example, the device ID of the maintenance target MFP, the type of maintenance target error, and the maintenance execution time for each maintenance.

  The control unit 33 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and a RAM that is used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 32.

  The control unit 33 executes the maintenance program 32a to realize an error notification unit 33a that notifies the occurrence of an error in the MFP and a history management unit 33b that manages the error history 32c and the maintenance history 32d.

  In the above, an example in which the maintenance server 30 is configured by one computer has been described. However, the maintenance server 30 may be realized by a cloud server, for example.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the computer 40.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the computer 40 includes an operation unit 41 that is an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse for inputting various operations, a display unit 42 that is a display device such as an LCD that displays various information, Non-volatile storage such as a communication unit 43 that is a communication device that communicates with an external device directly via wired or wireless connection via a network or via a network, and a semiconductor memory or HDD that stores various types of information A storage unit 44 that is a device and a control unit 45 that controls the entire computer 40 are provided. The computer 40 may be configured by, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), a tablet, a smartphone, or the like.

  The control unit 45 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and a RAM that is used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 44.

  Next, the operation of the system 10 will be described.

  First, the operation of the system 10 when an error occurs in the MFP 20 will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the system 10 when an error occurs in the MFP 20.

  When an error occurs in the MFP 20, as shown in FIG. 8, the device information transmitting unit 28a of the MFP 20 transmits device information indicating the occurrence of the error to the maintenance server 30 (S101). Here, the device information indicating the occurrence of an error includes the device ID of the MFP 20, the type of error that has occurred, and the time at which the error occurred.

  When the history management unit 33b of the maintenance server 30 receives the device information transmitted in S101, the history management unit 33b determines the error history based on the error type, error occurrence time, and MFPID acquired from the received device information. 32c is stored (S102).

  Next, the history management unit 33b acquires the maintenance history 32d (S103).

  Next, the error notification unit 33a of the maintenance server 30 determines whether or not the error stored in the error history 32c in S102 (hereinafter referred to as “target error”) is a recurring error (S104). Specifically, the error notification unit 33a performs maintenance for the same type of error as the target error, and at least one MFP belonging to the same group as the MFP in which the target error has occurred (hereinafter referred to as “target MFP”). If it is indicated in the maintenance history 32d acquired in S103 that what has been executed for (hereinafter referred to as “same group MFP”) is determined that the target error is a recurring error. On the other hand, when the maintenance history 32d acquired in S103 does not indicate that maintenance for the same type of error as the target error has been performed on the same group MFP, the error notification unit 33a recurs the target error. It is determined that this is not an error.

  The group range can be set arbitrarily. For example, the error notification unit 33a is configured such that MFPs managed by the same administrator are set as the same group, or among MFPs managed by the same administrator, MFPs of the same type are set. It can be set as the same group, or each MFP can be set as a separate group, that is, only one MFP can be set for each group.

  When the MFPs managed by the same administrator are set as the same group, the error notification unit 33a determines that the MFPs associated with the same administrator ID in the device management information 32b are the same. It is determined that the MFP belongs to the group.

  When the same type of MFPs managed by the same administrator are set as the same group, the error notification unit 33a is associated with the same administrator ID in the device management information 32b. Among the MFPs that are associated with each other, the MFPs associated with the same type in the device management information 32b are determined as MFPs belonging to the same group.

  When each MFP is set as a separate group, the error notification unit 33a determines that each device ID in the device management information 32b is a separate group.

  After the process of S104, the error notification means 33a notifies the computer 40 of the occurrence of an error by means such as e-mail according to the determination result in S104 (S105). Therefore, the control unit 45 of the computer 40 displays the occurrence of an error in the MFP 20 on the display unit 42 in accordance with the information notified in S105 (S106). The error notification means 33a is necessary for the contents displayed in S106, such as the administrator ID, installation location, device ID and type of the administrator of the MFP in which the target error has occurred, and the type and time of occurrence of the target error. Such information is included in the notification in S105.

  Next, of the operations shown in FIG. 8, the operation of the error notification means 33a of the maintenance server 30 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the operation of the error notification means 33a of the maintenance server 30.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the error notification means 33a of the maintenance server 30 determines whether or not the error stored in the error history 32c in S102, that is, whether the target error is a recurring error (S131). S131 is the process described as S104 in the operation shown in FIG.

  If the error notifying unit 33a determines in S131 that the error has been recurred, it determines whether the target error is a recurring error in the same MFP (S132). The error notification means 33a indicates that maintenance for the same type of error as the target error has been performed on the MFP in which the target error has occurred, that is, the target MFP, as indicated in the maintenance history 32d acquired in S103. If the target error exists, it is determined that the target error is a recurring error in the same MFP. On the other hand, the error notifying unit 33a determines that the maintenance for the same type of error as the target error has not been performed on the target MFP in the maintenance history 32d acquired in S103, that is, the target error. If the maintenance history 32d acquired in S103 indicates that the maintenance for the same type of error is performed on an MFP other than this MFP belonging to the same group as the target MFP, the target It is determined that the error is not a recurring error in the same MFP, that is, the target error is a recurrent error among a plurality of different MFPs belonging to the same group as the target MFP.

  If the error notification means 33a determines in S131 that the error is not a recurring error, the error notification means 33a notifies the computer 40 of the occurrence of an error that is not a recurring error (S133), and ends the operation shown in FIG. If the error notifying unit 33a determines in S132 that the target error is a recurring error in the same MFP, the error notifying unit 33a notifies the computer 40 of the reoccurrence of the error in the same MFP (S134) and ends the operation shown in FIG. To do. If the error notification means 33a determines in S132 that the target error is not an error recurred in the same MFP, the error notification means 33a notifies the computer 40 of the reoccurrence of errors between different MFPs belonging to the same group ( S135), the operation shown in FIG. Each of S133 to S135 is the process described as S105 in the operation shown in FIG.

  When the occurrence of an error that is not a recurring error is notified in S105 (S133), the control unit 45 of the computer 40 determines that the recurring error is not displayed in S106 by using a screen 51 as shown in FIG. The occurrence of no error is displayed on the display unit 42. Further, when the reoccurrence of the error in the same MFP is notified in S105 (S134), the control unit 45 displays the reoccurrence of the error in the same MFP on the screen 52 as shown in FIG. 42. Further, when the reoccurrence of an error between a plurality of different MFPs belonging to the same group is notified in S105 (S135), the control unit 45 uses a screen 53 as shown in FIG. An error recurrence among a plurality of different MFPs belonging to the same group is displayed on the display unit 42.

  Next, the operation of the system 10 when the maintenance execution for the error is notified to the maintenance server 30 via the computer 40 will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the system 10 when the maintenance server 30 is notified of the execution of maintenance for an error via the computer 40.

  When an error is displayed on the display unit 42 in S106, a user such as a service person visits the installation location of the MFP in which the error has occurred, performs maintenance for the error, and then provides information on the performed maintenance on the operation unit. 41 can be entered. This maintenance information includes, for example, the administrator ID of the administrator of the maintenance target MFP, the device ID of the maintenance target MFP, the type of maintenance target error, and the like. When the maintenance information is input, the control unit 45 of the computer 40 notifies the maintenance server 30 of the input maintenance information as shown in FIG. 13 (S161).

  Accordingly, the history management unit 33b of the maintenance server 30 adds information on newly executed maintenance to the maintenance history 32d based on the maintenance information notified in S161 (S162).

  Next, the operation of the system 10 when displaying a history on the computer 40 will be described.

  FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the system 10 when the history is displayed on the computer 40.

  A user such as a service person can instruct the display of history such as errors and maintenance via the operation unit 41. When the display of the history is instructed, the control unit 45 of the computer 40 requests the maintenance server 30 for the history instructed to display as shown in FIG. 14 (S201).

  When a history is requested from the computer 40, the history management means 33b of the maintenance server 30 transmits the history requested in S201 out of the error history 32c and the maintenance history 32d to the computer 40 (S202).

  When the control unit 45 of the computer 40 receives the history transmitted from the maintenance server 30, the control unit 45 displays the received history on the display unit 42 (S203).

  Therefore, a user such as a service person can check the history of errors, maintenance, and the like on the display unit 42.

  As described above, when the maintenance server 30 notifies the occurrence of an error, if the error has recurred, the maintenance server 30 notifies that the error has recurred (S134 or S135). The convenience of maintenance against errors can be improved, such as maintenance can be performed by the user with priority.

  Since the maintenance server 30 notifies the recurrence of an error in the same MFP (S134), for example, confirmation regarding the previous maintenance such as confirmation of whether or not the part has failed when the part is replaced in the previous maintenance is performed. It is possible to cause the user to perform it, or to allow the user to perform maintenance different from the previous maintenance for the same MFP.

  The maintenance server 30 notifies the user of the same maintenance for a plurality of MFPs belonging to the same group because the maintenance server 30 notifies of the recurrence of an error between different MFPs belonging to the same group (S135). It is possible to make the user execute confirmation regarding this error for MFPs belonging to this group that have not yet generated this error.

  The electronic apparatus of the present invention is an MFP in the present embodiment, but may be an image forming apparatus other than an MFP, such as a printer dedicated machine, a scanner dedicated machine, a copy dedicated machine, a fax dedicated machine, a PC, etc. Electronic equipment other than the image forming apparatus may be used.

20 MFP (electronic equipment)
30 Maintenance server (computer)
32a Maintenance program 32d Maintenance history 33a Error notification means 33b History management means

Claims (5)

An error notification means for notifying the occurrence of an error in the electronic device;
A history management means for managing a maintenance history indicating maintenance performed for the error, and
When the error occurs in the electronic device, the error notifying unit performs maintenance for the error of the same type as the error on at least one electronic device belonging to the same group as the electronic device. When the maintenance history indicates that the error has been executed, the maintenance server notifies that the error has recurred.   The error notification means indicates that when the error occurs in the electronic device, the maintenance history indicates that the maintenance for the error of the same type as the error has been performed on the electronic device. The maintenance server according to claim 1, notifying the recurrence of the error in the same electronic device.   When the error occurs in the electronic device, the error notification means includes the electronic device other than the electronic device in which the maintenance for the error of the same type as the error belongs to the same group as the electronic device. The reoccurrence of the error between a plurality of different electronic devices belonging to the same group is notified when the maintenance history indicates that the operation has been performed on the device. The maintenance server according to claim 2. An error notification means for notifying the occurrence of an error in the electronic device;
Realizing a history management means for managing maintenance history indicating maintenance executed for the error on a computer;
When the error occurs in the electronic device, the error notifying unit performs maintenance for the error of the same type as the error on at least one electronic device belonging to the same group as the electronic device. When the maintenance history indicates that the error has been executed, the maintenance program notifies the recurrence of the error. An error notification step for notifying the occurrence of an error in the electronic device;
A history management step for managing a maintenance history indicating maintenance performed for the error, and
In the error notification step, when the error occurs in the electronic device, the maintenance for the error of the same type as the error is performed on at least one electronic device belonging to the same group as the electronic device. The maintenance method is a step of notifying the recurrence of the error when the maintenance history indicates that the error has been executed.

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