JP2021103221A - Failure prediction device and electronic apparatus including the failure prediction device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a failure prediction device that can cause a user to actively replace consumables before a predetermined component reaches the end of its life and an electronic apparatus fails.SOLUTION: A failure prediction device 100 comprises: a failure prediction unit 21 that predicts the time of failure of a predetermined component provided in an electronic apparatus 1; a reward determination unit 23 that determines a reward given to a user when the user replaces the predetermined component before the time of failure of the predetermined component predicted by the failure prediction unit 21; a display unit 5a that displays information; a display control unit 24 that causes the display unit 5a to display the time of failure of the predetermined component predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 and the reward determined by the reward determination unit 23 in association with each other; and a reward giving unit 25 that, when the predetermined component is replaced, executes, at the time of replacement, predetermined processing for giving the reward determined by the reward determination unit 23 to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a failure prediction device and an electronic device provided with the failure prediction device.

Conventionally, electronic devices such as copiers, printers, facsimiles, and multifunction devices (MFPs) have been known to be equipped with a failure prediction device that predicts failures of parts such as consumables in advance and notifies the user. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-25060

However, the failure prediction device shown in Patent Document 1 has a function of prompting the user to actively replace a predetermined part only by notifying the user of the electronic device of the failure time of the consumable part (predetermined part). Not. Therefore, even if the failure time of the predetermined part is notified, some users leave the predetermined part without replacing it. Many of these users find it more cost effective to replace a given part after it has reached the end of its useful life.

However, if a predetermined component fails due to its life, the electronic device may not operate normally. In that case, the administrator of the electronic device needs to call a serviceman to restore the electronic device to a normal state. As a result, the user cannot use the electronic device until the restoration work by the service person is completed, and suffers the disadvantage of losing the usage opportunity.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to have a user actively replace a predetermined part before the predetermined part reaches the end of its life and the electronic device breaks down. The purpose is to provide a failure prediction device and an electronic device capable of the above.

The failure prediction device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a failure prediction unit that predicts the failure time of a predetermined component provided in an electronic device, and a user before the failure time of the predetermined component predicted by the failure prediction unit. A reward determination unit that determines the reward given to the user when the predetermined part is replaced, a display unit that displays information, a failure time of the predetermined part predicted by the failure prediction unit, and the reward determination unit A display control unit that is associated with the determined reward and displayed on the display unit, and a reward determined by the reward determination unit at the time of replacement when the predetermined part is replaced are given to the user. It is equipped with a reward granting unit that executes predetermined processing.

The electronic device according to another aspect of the present invention includes the above-mentioned failure prediction device.

According to the present invention, there is provided a failure prediction device and an electronic device capable of allowing a user to actively replace consumables before a predetermined part reaches the end of its life and the electronic device breaks down.

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a function selection screen displayed on the touch panel. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a warning screen 36 displayed on the touch panel. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a failure prediction list detail screen displayed on the touch panel. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a failure prediction list detail screen displayed on the touch panel.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.
<< Embodiment >>

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes, for example, a copying machine, and includes an image forming apparatus main body 2 and an image reading apparatus 3 mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 2. doing.

The image reading device 3 optically reads the original image and transmits the image data to the image forming device main body 2. The image forming apparatus main body 2 is configured to print the image data transmitted from the image reading apparatus 3 on a sheet (recording material such as paper or OHP sheet).

Specifically, the image forming apparatus main body 2 has a paper feeding unit 4, an operating unit 5, an image forming unit 6, a fixing unit 7, a paper ejection unit 8, a transport unit 9, a sensor group 10, and a controller 20. ..

The paper feed unit 4 has a paper feed cassette that accommodates the sheets in a bundled state, and a paper feed roller that supplies the sheets in the paper feed cassette to the image forming unit 6.

The operation unit 5 has an operation key (not shown) and a touch panel 5a. The operation unit 5 detects the operation of the operation keys and the touch panel 5a and outputs the detection signal to the controller 20.

The image forming unit 6 forms a toner image on the sheet by an electrophotographic method. The image forming unit 6 includes a photoconductor drum, a charger, a developing device, a transfer roller, and the like arranged around the photoconductor drum. The image forming unit 6 transfers the toner image to the sheet supplied from the paper feeding unit 4 based on the image data read by the image reading device 3.

The fixing portion 7 has a fixing roller heated by a heating means and a pressure roller pressed against the fixing roller. The fixing portion 7 fixes the toner image supported on the sheet to the sheet by passing the sheet through the nip portions of the fixing roller and the pressure roller (both not shown).

The paper ejection unit 8 has a plurality of paper ejection rollers, and ejects the sheet supplied from the fixing portion 7 to the sheet ejection tray by the plurality of paper ejection rollers. The sheet discharge tray is projected from the side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 2, for example.

The transport unit 9 has a plurality of transport rollers provided in the sheet transport path between the paper feed unit 4 and the paper discharge unit 8, and the plurality of transport rollers eject the sheet from the paper feed unit 4. Transport to section 8.

The sensor group 10 has a plurality of sheet detection sensors 10a arranged at intervals along the sheet transport path, and a component detection sensor 10b for detecting consumable parts.

The network interface unit 11 is composed of a communication module such as a LAN board. The network interface unit 11 transmits and receives data to and from the mobile terminal 16 and the reward granting server 17, which will be described later, via a LAN or the Internet.

The controller 20 is composed of a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM.

The controller 20 has functional units such as a failure prediction unit 21, a consumption degree calculation unit 22, a reward determination unit 23, a display control unit 24, and a reward granting unit 25. The processing by each of the functional units is realized by the cooperation between the software and the hardware by executing the program stored in the ROM by the CPU of the controller 20.

The consumption degree calculation unit 22 reads the consumable parts list stored in advance in the ROM and calculates the consumption degree of each consumable part included in the consumable parts list (not shown). In this embodiment, a paper feed roller, a fixing roller, a photoconductor drum, and a plurality of transport rollers are listed as examples of consumable parts. Since these consumable parts have a configuration in which the sheet is sent to the downstream side of the transport while rotating the cylindrical drum or roller, the outer peripheral surface rubs against the sheet and the wear progresses. The degree of wear calculation unit 22 calculates this amount of wear as a percentage (%) based on the amount of wear when it reaches the end of its life.

Specifically, the consumable degree calculation unit 22 calculates a transport ratio (= K1 / K2) between the theoretical transport amount K1 of the sheet and the actual transport amount K2 of the sheet, and each consumable component corresponding to the calculated transport ratio. Calculate the degree of consumption (%) of. The relationship between this transport ratio and the degree of consumption (%) of each consumable part is stored in advance as correlation data in the ROM. The theoretical transport amount K1 of the sheet may be calculated based on, for example, the number of pulses given to the motor for driving each consumable part within a predetermined period. Further, the actual transfer amount K2 of the sheet may be calculated based on the detection signal from the sheet detection sensor 10a arranged in the sheet transfer path. In the present embodiment, the amount of wear of consumable parts is calculated as a percentage, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the amount may be calculated as an absolute amount or a ratio. Further, the wear amount of the consumable part may be directly detected by an optical sensor or the like provided separately, and the wear degree may be calculated based on the detected wear amount.

The failure prediction unit 21 has, for example, the failure date of each consumable part based on the degree of wear of each consumable part calculated by the degree of wear calculation unit 22 and the usage history of each consumable part (for example, frequency of use, total usage time, etc.). Predict. In the present embodiment, the failure date is predicted as an example of the failure time, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the time may be predicted in addition to the date. In addition, the failure period may span a certain range, for example, from December 12th to December 14th.

The reward determination unit 23 gives reward points (an example of reward) to be given to the user of the image forming apparatus 1 based on the failure prediction date predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 for each consumable part listed in the consumable parts list. calculate. Specifically, the reward determination unit 23 is based on the following formula (1) when the failure date predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 is within one month (an example of a predetermined period) for each consumable part. And calculate the reward points.

Reward points = Parts price x (100-consumption (%)) ÷ 100 ... (1)

On the other hand, the reward determination unit 23 sets the reward point to 0 for each consumable part when the failure date predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 is not within one month from the present time (when it is after the day after the day when one month has passed). To do.
When a consumable part is replaced with a new part, the failure prediction time is usually earlier than one month later, so the reward point of the consumable part calculated by the reward determination unit 23 becomes 0.

The display control unit 24 controls the display content of the touch panel 5a. When the power of the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on, the display control unit 24 displays the function selection screen 30 (see FIG. 2) on the touch panel 5a.

The function selection screen 30 includes a copy button 31, a send button 32, a BOX button 33, an application start button 34, and an application start button 35. The copy button 31 is a button for causing the image forming apparatus 1 to execute a copying process (scanning and printing), and the sending button 32 is a button for transmitting scan data to an e-mail address selected by the user. The BOX button 33 saves the scanned image in the box (BOX) set in the image forming apparatus 1. The application start button 34 is, for example, a button for starting a scan sentence translation application based on the OCR function. The application start button 35 is, for example, an application start button for uploading scan data to a storage server on the Internet. The user can cause the image forming apparatus 1 to execute the functions assigned to each of the buttons 31 to 35 by operating the buttons 31 to 35 with a finger.

When the display control unit 24 detects that the copy button 31 is pressed on the function selection screen 30, the failure date predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 is within one month from the present time (an example within a predetermined period). It is determined whether or not consumable parts are present, and if it is determined that they are present, the warning screen 36 (see FIG. 3) is displayed on the touch panel 5a, while if it is determined that they are not present, the warning screen 36 is displayed. Instead, the display of the function selection screen 30 (see FIG. 2) is maintained. When the copy button 31 is pressed, the image forming apparatus 1 executes the copying process in parallel regardless of whether or not the warning screen 36 is displayed on the touch panel 5a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the warning screen 36 includes a message 36a for notifying the failure date within one month from the present time and prompting for detailed confirmation, a detail button 37 for displaying details regarding the failure of consumable parts, and the warning. It includes a close button 38 for closing the screen 36.

When the display control unit 24 detects that the detail button 37 has been pressed on the warning screen 36, the display control unit 24 determines that the detail button 37 has been pressed.
The failure prediction list detail screen 40 (see FIG. 4) is displayed on the touch panel 5a.

As shown in FIG. 4, the failure prediction list detail screen 40 displays a failure list table 41 in which the name of each consumable part, the failure prediction date, the degree of wear, and the current reward are associated with each other.

The fault list table 41 is composed of four column data 42 to 45 arranged from the left side of the screen to the right side of the screen of the touch panel 5a. The first column data 42 is a list of consumable parts, the second column data 43 is the failure date of each consumable part predicted by the failure prediction unit 21, and the third column data 44 is each calculated by the consumption degree calculation unit 22. It is the degree of consumption of consumable parts, and the fourth column data 45 is the current reward points calculated for each consumable part by the reward determination unit 23.

As mentioned above, the reward points are calculated only for consumable parts whose failure prediction date comes within one month from the present time. In the example of FIG. 4, since the current date is September 1, 2019 as displayed in the upper right corner of the failure prediction list detail screen 40, the failure prediction date is October 1, 2019, one month later. Reward points are calculated for previous consumable parts (only the fixing roller in the example of FIG. 4), and rewards for other consumable parts (paper feed roller, photoconductor drum, transfer roller A and transfer roller B in the example of FIG. 4). The point is determined to be "none".

FIG. 5 is a failure prediction list detail screen 40 of September 20, 2019, in which 20 days have passed from the state of FIG. In this example, a paper feed roller is added in addition to the fixing roller as a consumable part whose failure prediction date is within one month from the present time. Regarding the degree of wear, the degree of wear of the fixing roller has progressed from 75% to 90%, and the degree of wear of the paper feed roller has progressed from 70% to 75%, but the degree of wear of other parts has not changed. The method of changing the degree of wear is an example, and it changes depending on the material and usage of each consumable part.

The reward giving unit 25 (see FIG. 1) determines whether or not each consumable part has been replaced with a new part based on the signal from the part detection sensor 10b that detects each consumable part, and determines that the consumable part has been replaced. In this case, reward data in which the information of the current reward points corresponding to the consumable parts and the user identification information assigned to the user of the image forming apparatus 1 are associated with each other is generated (an example of predetermined processing). The user identification information is composed of, for example, a user ID or a user password, and is stored in a storage unit (not shown) of the image forming apparatus 1. The component detection sensor 10b may be a communication sensor capable of communicating with consumable components.

The reward granting unit 25 executes a process (example of a predetermined process) of converting the generated reward data into barcode image data and transmitting the generated reward data to the user's mobile terminal 16 and the reward granting server 17 via the network interface unit 11. To do. The barcode image data transmitted to the mobile terminal 16 is stored in a predetermined folder by the user. Further, the barcode image data transmitted to the reward granting server 17 is stored in the storage unit 17a in the reward granting server 17. The reward granting server 17 is connected to the cash register 18 of a store that sells consumable parts via a communication line such as a LAN.

[How to use reward points]
Next, an example of how to use the reward points transmitted to the user's mobile terminal 16 will be described. When the user uses the reward points, he / she presents the barcode image stored in the mobile terminal 16 at the cash register 18 of the store that sells consumable parts, and the clerk of the cash register 18 uses the barcode reader to display the barcode image. The information of the data is read, and the read information is transmitted from the barcode reader to the reward granting server 17. This information includes user identification information and reward point information, which are conversion source information of barcode image data.

The reward granting server 17 collates the user identification information included in the information received from the barcode reader with the identification information stored in the storage unit 17a of the reward granting server 17 to execute user authentication, and succeeds in user authentication. If so, the above-mentioned reward point information associated with the user identification information is read, and the discount amount of consumable parts for the read reward points is calculated. As an example, in the present embodiment, 1 yen is set as a discount amount for each 1 Pt of reward points. The reward granting server 17 transmits the calculated discount amount to the cash register 18, and the cash register 18 presents the amount obtained by subtracting the discount amount and executes accounting for the purchase price of consumable parts.

The usage mode of the reward points is not limited to this, and for example, the reward granting server 17 and the net banking system may be linked to transfer an amount corresponding to the reward points to the user's account. ..

As described above, in the failure prediction device 100 (see FIG. 1) of the present embodiment, the failure prediction unit 21 for predicting the failure time of the consumable parts provided in the image forming device 1 and the consumption predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 The reward determination unit 23 that determines the reward given to the user when the user replaces the consumable part before the component failure time, the touch panel 5a that displays information, and the consumption predicted by the failure prediction unit 21. The display control unit 24 that displays the failure time of the component and the reward determined by the reward determination unit 23 on the touch panel 5a, and the reward determination unit 23 at the time of replacement when the consumable part is replaced are determined. It is provided with a reward giving unit 25 that executes a predetermined process for giving reward points to the user.

According to this configuration, the touch panel 5a displays a failure list table 41 in which the failure time of the consumable part predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 and the reward determined by the reward determination unit 23 are associated with each other. Therefore, the user can easily recognize the reward when the consumable part is replaced before the failure prediction date by looking at the failure list table 41.

Therefore, the user can be motivated to replace the consumable part before it reaches the end of its life and fails. Therefore, the operation stop time of the image forming apparatus 1 (the period during which the image forming apparatus 1 cannot be used) is shortened as compared with the case where a serviceman is called to replace the consumable parts after the consumable parts have reached the end of their service life and failed. The effective use can be achieved.

If the failure time of the consumable part predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 is not within one month (within a predetermined period) from the present time, the reward determination unit 23 determines that there is no reward corresponding to the consumable part. It is configured in.

According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the consumable parts from being unnecessarily replaced by presenting a reward for replacement even though the consumable parts have a sufficient life. As a result, the consumable parts can be effectively used until just before the end of their life (one month before in the above embodiment).

The reward determination unit 23 increases the reward points as the period from the current time to the predicted failure time is longer when the failure date predicted by the failure prediction unit 21 is within one month from the present time. The reward points are determined (see the above formula (1)).

According to this configuration, the earlier the consumable parts are replaced, the more reward points will be given to the user. Therefore, the user is motivated to replace the consumable part at an early stage, and the possibility that the consumable part is left unattended until it fails can be reduced.

[Other Embodiments]
In the above embodiment, the reward determination unit 23 transmits the current reward points to the mobile terminal 16 and the reward granting server 17 when it is determined that the consumable parts have been replaced with new parts, but this is limited to this. It's not a thing. That is, when the reward determination unit 23 determines that the consumable part has been replaced with a new part, the reward point information at the present time and the identification information (symbol, character, or figure) exclusively for the regular user issued by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus 1 are used. Etc.) and may be simply executed on the sheet (predetermined process). This sheet acts as a kind of discount voucher, and the store clerk who receives the presentation of this sheet confirms the identification information for the authorized user printed on the sheet and then writes it on the sheet. You can manually give a discount according to the reward points you have at the time of checkout.

In the above embodiment, the failure prediction unit 21 predicts the failure date of the consumable part in consideration of the frequency of use of the image forming apparatus 1, so that, for example, the image forming apparatus 1 is left unused for a certain period of time. In this case, the failure prediction unit 21 calculates by extending the failure prediction date of the image forming apparatus 1 by this neglected period. Therefore, it is unlikely that the predicted failure date is earlier than the current date, but the predicted failure date may be earlier than the current date depending on the accuracy of the prediction algorithm in the failure prediction unit 21. In this way, when the failure prediction date has passed, the reward points by the reward determination unit 23 are set to a predetermined level (for example, about 1/5 to 1/10 of the reward points of the parts price in the equation (1)). You may try to revive it. Thereby, in a situation where the probability of failure of the consumable part is extremely high, it is possible to strongly urge the user to replace the consumable part and reduce the non-operating time of the image forming apparatus 1 due to the failure of the consumable part.

In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 has been described as an example of the electronic device, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the electronic device may be, for example, a mobile phone, a personal computer, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the touch panel 5a of the image forming apparatus 1 is also used as the display unit of the failure prediction apparatus 100, but the present invention is not limited to this. In addition to the touch panel 5a of the image forming apparatus 1, the failure prediction apparatus 100 may be provided with a dedicated display unit.

As described above, the present invention is useful for a failure prediction device and an electronic device provided with the failure prediction device.

1: Image forming device (electronic device)
5a: Touch panel (display unit)
20: Controller 21: Failure prediction unit 22: Consumption degree calculation unit 23: Reward determination unit 24: Display control unit 25: Reward granting unit 30: Function selection screen 40: Failure prediction list detail screen 41: Failure list table 100: Failure prediction apparatus

Claims (5)

A failure prediction unit that predicts the failure time of predetermined parts provided in electronic devices,
A reward determination unit that determines a reward given to the user when the user replaces the predetermined component before the failure time of the predetermined component predicted by the failure prediction unit.
A display unit that displays information and
A display control unit that displays the failure time of the predetermined component predicted by the failure prediction unit and the reward determined by the reward determination unit on the display unit in association with each other.
A failure prediction device including a reward giving unit that executes a predetermined process for granting a reward determined by the reward determining unit to a user at the time of replacement when the predetermined part is replaced. In the failure prediction device according to claim 1,
The reward determination unit is configured to determine that there is no reward corresponding to the predetermined part when the failure time of the predetermined part predicted by the failure prediction unit is not within a predetermined period from the present time. There is a failure prediction device. In the failure prediction device according to claim 2,
When the failure time of the predetermined part predicted by the failure prediction unit is within the predetermined period from the present time, the reward determination unit pays the longer the period from the present time to the predicted failure time. A failure predictor configured to make the reward determination to increase. In the failure prediction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The electronic device is a failure prediction device, which is an electrophotographic image forming device. The electronic device provided with the failure prediction device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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