JP7549495B2 - Management device, management method, management program, and management system - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a management device, a management method, a management program, and a management system for managing facilities.

In transactions involving power transmission lines, which are a type of equipment, manufacturers generally prepare quotations in response to requests from companies wishing to purchase (hereafter referred to as customer companies). Note that power transmission lines are a comprehensive concept that includes bare wires, uncoated wires such as insulated wires, CV (cross-linked polyethylene insulated vinyl sheath cable) cables, and OF cables. The customer company reviews the contents of the quotation and places an order. The manufacturer processes the order for each part so that it will be delivered in time for the delivery date of the ordered product (designated delivery date) based on the parts and quantities required to produce the ordered product, the time it takes from ordering each part to delivery (hereafter referred to as delivery lead time), the time it takes to manufacture, and the schedule when the construction company can carry out the wire installation work.

If the parts required to manufacture the ordered products are not in stock, production will be carried out using the parts or materials with the longest delivery lead time, and there is a possibility that the request for a short delivery time cannot be met.

Therefore, a technology has been proposed that sets a safety stock to secure inventory for parts or materials with long delivery lead times, and allows production without being affected by the delivery lead time of the parts as long as the quantity is within the range of the safety stock (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-18253 A

However, if the inventory level is set low, excess inventory is not held, and manufacturing companies can reduce costs for producing and storing inventory. However, if orders are received that exceed the inventory level, it becomes difficult to fulfill them within the delivery lead time, and requests for short delivery times cannot be met, which affects the operations of customer companies. On the other hand, if the inventory level is set high, equipment can be provided in response to orders from customer companies, and there is no impact on the operations of customer companies. However, if orders continue to fall below the inventory level, inventory will be held for a long period of time, making it difficult for manufacturing companies to reduce costs for producing and storing inventory. As a result, social infrastructure cannot be maintained, or the maintenance costs of social infrastructure increase.

The present invention aims to provide a management device, a management method, a management program, and a management system that can maintain social infrastructure and reduce maintenance costs by minimizing the impact on the operations of client companies and reducing the costs for manufacturing and storing equipment by manufacturing companies.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the management device according to the present disclosure is a management device for managing an inventory of equipment, and includes a first registration unit that registers customer information including at least information regarding equipment used by the customer, a first calculation unit that calculates a total number of each type of equipment based on information regarding the equipment included in the customer information and calculates a first inventory number for each type of equipment based on the total number, a determination unit that compares the first inventory number calculated by the first calculation unit with the actual equipment inventory number and determines whether the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient, a first ordering unit that places an order for the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient when the determination unit determines that the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient, a calculation unit that calculates a payment amount based on the cost of a replacement for the equipment for each customer registered by the first registration unit, and a presentation unit that presents the payment amount calculated by the calculation unit to the customer.

The management device according to the present disclosure, as disclosed above, is configured to include a reception unit that receives equipment replacement requests from customers registered in the first registration unit, a subtraction unit that subtracts the number of pieces of equipment to be replaced received by the reception unit from the actual number of pieces of equipment in stock, and a second ordering unit that, when a request for equipment replacement is received by the reception unit, places an order for equipment replacement with a contractor.

The management device according to the present disclosure, in the above disclosure, comprises at least a second registration unit that registers information about construction contractors including information about past construction, and when a plurality of construction contractors are registered and a request for replacing one piece of equipment is received by the reception unit, the management device determines the priority of the construction contractors based on the information about the past construction included in the information about the construction contractors, or when a plurality of construction contractors are registered and a request for replacing multiple pieces of equipment is received by the reception unit, the management device determines the priority of the construction contractors based on the information about the past construction included in the information about the construction contractors and performs the construction based on the information indicating the priority of the equipment. and a first determination unit that determines the priority of the equipment to be replaced, and the second ordering unit is configured to, when multiple construction companies are registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, select a construction company based on the priority of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit and place an order for the selected construction company to replace the equipment, or, when multiple construction companies are registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace multiple pieces of equipment, select a construction company based on the priority of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit and place an order for the selected construction company to replace the equipment determined based on the priority of the equipment determined by the first determination unit.

The management device according to the present disclosure, in the above disclosure, is configured to include at least a second registration unit that registers information about a construction contractor, including information about past construction, and a first determination unit that, when only one construction contractor is registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, determines the construction contractor, or when only one construction contractor is registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace multiple pieces of equipment, determines the construction contractor, and determines the priority of the equipment to be constructed based on information indicating the priority of the equipment, and the second ordering unit is configured to, when only one construction contractor is registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, place an order for the replacement of the equipment to the construction contractor determined by the first determination unit, or when only one construction contractor is registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace multiple pieces of equipment, place an order for the replacement of the equipment determined based on the priority of the equipment determined by the first determination unit, to the construction contractor determined by the first determination unit.

The management device according to the present disclosure, in the above disclosure, includes a notification unit that, when the reception unit receives an equipment replacement request, selects multiple construction companies based on the priority order of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit and notifies the selected multiple construction companies of a construction specification, a first reception unit that receives quotations from the multiple construction companies, a first transmission unit that transmits the quotations to the customer who received the equipment replacement request by the reception unit, a second reception unit that receives the selection result by the customer who sent the quotations by the first transmission unit, and a second transmission unit that transmits the selection result to the multiple construction companies who received the quotations by the first reception unit, and the second ordering unit is configured to place an order for equipment replacement with the construction company selected by the customer based on the selection result.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured to include a second determination unit that determines the timing for purchasing materials for manufacturing equipment, and the first ordering unit instructs the purchase of materials for manufacturing equipment at the timing determined by the second determination unit.

The management device according to the present disclosure, in the above disclosure, is configured to include a second calculation unit that calculates information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment based on the information on the equipment included in the customer information, and the first calculation unit determines the total number of each type of equipment based on the information on the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number and the information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured such that, in the above disclosure, the second calculation unit uses a prediction model generated based on information about the equipment provided from an external device to calculate information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment based on information about the equipment included in the customer information.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured such that, in the above disclosure, the calculation unit determines a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculates the reserve fund based on the reserve period and the cost of replacing the equipment.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured such that, in the above disclosure, the calculation unit determines a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculates the reserve fund based on the reserve period and the cost of proactive measures before replacing the equipment with a replacement for the equipment.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured such that, in the above disclosure, the calculation unit determines a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculates the reserve fund based on the reserve period and the cost of diagnosing initial defects when replacing equipment.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured as described above, in which the calculation unit calculates the cost of a replacement for the equipment based on the manufacturing price of the equipment manufactured by the order of the first ordering unit, recalculates the payment based on the calculated cost of the replacement for the equipment and the accumulation period, and the presentation unit presents the payment recalculated by the calculation unit to the customer.

The management device according to the present disclosure is configured such that, in the above disclosure, the equipment is a power transmission line that transmits power, the power transmission line has a plurality of specifications, a power transmission line configured with a higher specification is compatible with a power transmission line configured with a lower specification, and the first inventory quantity includes at least one power transmission line configured with a higher specification.

In the management device according to the present disclosure, the higher specification means a higher allowable voltage that can be transmitted through the power transmission line, a larger size of the power transmission line, or a higher type of power transmission line.

In the management device according to the present disclosure, in the above disclosure, the second calculation unit calculates the useful life of each specification of the power transmission line based on the information on the equipment included in the customer information, or by using a prediction model generated based on the information on the equipment provided by an external device, based on the information on the equipment included in the customer information; the first calculation unit obtains the total number of each specification of the power transmission line based on the information on the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory number for each specification of the power transmission line based on the total number and the useful life of each specification of the power transmission line calculated by the second calculation unit; the determination unit compares the first inventory number calculated by the first calculation unit with the actual inventory number of the power transmission line, and determines whether the actual inventory number of the power transmission line is insufficient; and when the determination unit determines that the actual inventory number of the power transmission line is insufficient, the first order unit calculates a replacement date from the useful life of each specification of the power transmission line calculated by the second calculation unit, calculates a manufacturing start date taking into account the time required to manufacture the power transmission line from the replacement date, and orders the manufacture of the power transmission line based on the manufacturing start date.

In the management device disclosed herein, in the above disclosure, a power transmission line configured with a higher specification is compatible with a power transmission line configured with a lower specification, and the first inventory quantity includes at least one power transmission line configured with a higher specification.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the management method according to the present disclosure, which manages the inventory of equipment, includes a first registration step of registering customer information including at least information on equipment used by the customer, a first calculation step of calculating the total number of each type of equipment based on the information on the equipment included in the customer information and calculating a first inventory number for each type of equipment based on the total number, a determination step of comparing the first inventory number calculated in the first calculation step with the actual equipment inventory number and determining whether the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient, a first ordering step of ordering the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient if it is determined by the determination step that the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient, a calculation step of calculating a payment amount based on the cost of a replacement for the equipment for each customer registered in the first registration step, and a presentation step of presenting the payment amount calculated in the calculation step to the customer.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the management program for managing equipment inventory according to the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the following steps: a first registration step of registering customer information including at least information regarding equipment used by the customer; a first calculation step of calculating the total number of each type of equipment based on the information regarding the equipment included in the customer information and calculating a first inventory number for each type of equipment based on the total number; a determination step of comparing the first inventory number calculated in the first calculation step with the actual equipment inventory number to determine whether the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient; a first ordering step of ordering the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient if it is determined by the determination step that the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient; a calculation step of calculating a payment amount for each customer registered in the first registration step based on the cost of a replacement for the equipment; and a presentation step of presenting the payment amount calculated in the calculation step to the customer.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, a management system including a server according to the present disclosure and a management device for managing equipment inventory is provided, the management device including a first registration unit that registers customer information including at least information regarding equipment used by a customer and stores the customer information in the server, a first calculation unit that calculates a total number of pieces of equipment for each type of equipment based on information regarding the equipment included in the customer information and calculates a first inventory number for each type of equipment based on the total number, a determination unit that compares the first inventory number calculated by the first calculation unit with the actual equipment inventory number and determines whether the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient, a first ordering unit that places an order for the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient when the determination unit determines that the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient, a calculation unit that calculates a payment amount for each customer registered by the first registration unit based on the cost of a replacement for the equipment, and a presentation unit that presents the payment amount calculated by the calculation unit to the customer.

This disclosure makes it possible to maintain social infrastructure and reduce maintenance costs by minimizing the impact on customer company operations and reducing the costs for manufacturing companies to manufacture and store equipment.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a management system. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating customer information. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing equipment information for each piece of equipment (stock) that requires replacement. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a table showing the inventory quantity for each piece of equipment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the second calculation unit. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the first information. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the second information. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the third information. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a typical model of the reserve fund calculated by the calculation unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a model for calculating reserve funds before and after recalculation. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of information related to a construction contractor. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of information indicating the priority order of facilities. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the steps of a management method for suppressing the impact on the operations of a client company and suppressing the costs of manufacturing and storing equipment by a manufacturing company. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of a computer. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another configuration of a computer.

The configuration and operation of the management device, management method, management program, and management system for managing the equipment according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiment. Furthermore, the components described below include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the components described below can be combined as appropriate.

(Management system configuration)
1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a management system 100 including a server 2 and a management device 1 for managing the inventory of equipment according to this embodiment. In the management system 100, a customer terminal device 3 and the management device 1 are connected to each other via a network NW1. In this embodiment, when referring to a "customer terminal device 3," it may refer to multiple customer terminal devices 3a, 3b, ..., 3n individually, or may refer to multiple customer terminal devices 3a, 3b, ..., 3n as a whole. Note that while the more customers, the better, the effects of this embodiment can be achieved even with just one company.

The management device 1 is a device operated by a company (hereinafter referred to as an equipment manufacturing management company) or organization that manufactures equipment and manages the inventory of that equipment. Equipment refers to components that are laid on buildings and roads, both indoors and outdoors, such as electric wires (including communication lines and power lines), utility poles, power-related equipment (insulators, transformers, connection parts, etc.), optical fiber, and optical fiber-related equipment (closures). In this embodiment, electric wires are described as a representative example of equipment. The customer terminal device 3 is a device operated by a company or organization that receives equipment manufactured by the equipment manufacturing management company.

In the management system 100, the contractor terminal device 4 and the management device 1 are connected to each other via the network NW2. In this embodiment, when referring to the contractor terminal device 4, it may refer to multiple contractor terminal devices 4a, 4b, ..., 4n individually, or may refer to multiple contractor terminal devices 4a, 4b, ..., 4n as a whole. The contractor terminal device 4 is a device operated by a company or organization that installs equipment manufactured by an equipment manufacturing management company.

In the management system 100, a management device 1 and a server 2 are connected. In this embodiment, when referring to a "server 2," it may refer to the multiple servers 2a, 2b, and 2c individually, or may refer to the multiple servers 2a, 2b, and 2c as a whole. Note that the multiple servers 2a, 2b, and 2c may be configured as a single server. Also, the server 2 may be configured to be mutually connected to the management device 1 via the network NW1 or the network NW2.

In addition, in the configuration example shown in Figure 1, network NW1 and network NW2 are shown as separate networks, but this is not limited to the configuration and they may be the same network.

(Configuration of management device)
As shown in FIG. 1 , the management device 1 includes a first registration unit 11 , a first calculation unit 13 , a determination unit 14 , a first ordering unit 15 , a calculation unit 16 , and a presentation unit 17 .

The first registration unit 11 registers customer information including at least information about the equipment used by the customer. Here, the customer information will be explained. The customer uses the customer terminal device 3 to fill in the necessary information in a specific registration form provided by the management device 1. The customer also sends the registration form with the necessary information entered to the management device 1. The first registration unit 11 generates customer information based on the contents of the registration form received from the customer terminal device 3.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing a schematic of customer information I1. Customer information I1 is generated for each customer ID that uniquely identifies a customer, and includes information such as an equipment ID, which is an ID (identification) for uniquely identifying the equipment, an installation date indicating the date on which the equipment was installed, the equipment's useful life, and the manufacturing date on which the equipment was manufactured. The first registration unit 11 stores the generated customer information I1 in the server 2a.

The first calculation unit 13 determines the total number of each type of equipment based on the information about the equipment included in the customer information I1, and calculates the first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number.

Here, the operation of the first calculation unit 13 will be described. The first calculation unit 13 accesses the server 2a, reads out the customer information I1, and generates equipment information based on the read out customer information I1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing equipment information I2 for each equipment (inventory) that needs to be replaced. Equipment information I2 is generated for each type of equipment. In the example shown in FIG. 3, equipment information I2_1 for electric wires (power), equipment information I2_2 for electric wires (communication), and equipment information I2_n for optical fibers are shown as equipment, but are not limited to these. In addition, the equipment information I2 shows the number of pieces that need to be replaced for each customer ID. The total number of pieces of equipment that need to be replaced (total number) is the sum of the numbers for each piece of equipment. The equipment information I2 is stored, for example, in the server 2a.

The first inventory quantity is a number that is smaller than the total number of pieces of equipment that require replacement. Specifically, the first calculation unit 13 may be configured to calculate the first inventory quantity using a table or function that calculates a predetermined first inventory quantity based on the total number N of electric wires that require replacement.

In addition, the rule for calculating the first inventory quantity may be changed depending on the type of equipment. For example, when the total number of electric wires (electric wires used for signal transmission) is 600, the first calculation unit 13 reduces the number by 50% (the first inventory quantity is 300) or 90% (the first inventory quantity is 60). In addition, when the total number of electric wires (electric wires used for power transmission) is 600, the first calculation unit 13 reduces the number by 40% (the first inventory quantity is 360) or 80% (the first inventory quantity is 120). There is a social demand to shorten the delivery lead time after a wire breaks for both electric wires (electric wires used for signal transmission) and electric wires (electric wires used for power transmission). Here, for example, electric wires (electric wires used for signal transmission) can sometimes be temporarily restored using a mobile wireless vehicle or the like. Therefore, the inventory quantity may be determined while taking these circumstances into consideration.

The determination unit 14 compares the first inventory quantity calculated by the first calculation unit 13 with the actual equipment inventory quantity, and determines whether the actual equipment inventory quantity is insufficient. As described above, the first inventory quantity is calculated based on the total number N of wires that will need to be replaced in the future. Therefore, generally, if the total number N increases, the first inventory quantity increases, and if the total number N decreases, the first inventory quantity decreases. However, the increase or decrease rate of the total number N is not the same as the increase or decrease rate of the first inventory quantity. For example, even if the total number N increases by 300 from 600 (increase rate of +150%) to 900, the first inventory quantity does not increase by 150%. In other words, it is possible to reduce the resources that need to be secured to maintain the infrastructure.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of table T1 showing the stock quantity for each facility. Table T1 showing the actual stock quantity of facilities is stored in server 2b and is updated to always show the latest stock quantity. In the example shown in Figure 4, table T1_1 showing the stock quantity of electric wires (electricity), table T1_2 showing the stock quantity of electric wires (communication), and table T1_n showing the stock quantity of optical fiber are shown, but are not limited to these.

When the determination unit 14 determines that the actual inventory of equipment is insufficient, the first ordering unit 15 places an order for the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient. In response to the order from the first ordering unit 15, the company that manages the management device 1 starts manufacturing the equipment.

The calculation unit 16 calculates the payment amount for each customer registered by the first registration unit 11 based on the cost of the replacement equipment. Specifically, the calculation unit 16 calculates the payment amount for each customer registered by the first registration unit 11 based on the information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit 12, which will be described in detail later. The cost of the replacement equipment includes the cost of manufacturing the replacement equipment, the cost of storing the replacement equipment, the cost of transporting the replacement equipment to the site, and the cost of installing the replacement equipment. The cost of the replacement equipment may also include the cost of taking precautions before replacing the replacement equipment. The payment amount may be paid in a lump sum or in installments. In the following, the money paid in installments is referred to as a reserve fund.

For example, if the useful life of a certain piece of equipment is 20 years and the cost of replacing the equipment is set at 120 million yen, the monthly reserve fund will be 500,000 yen. Also, if the useful life of a certain piece of equipment is 20 years and the cost of replacing the equipment is set at 12 million yen, the monthly reserve fund will be 50,000 yen.

The presentation unit 17 presents the payment amount calculated by the calculation unit 16 to the customer. Specifically, the presentation unit 17 notifies the relevant customer terminal device 3 of information regarding the payment amount via the network NW1. For example, if the payment amount is a savings fund paid in installments, the customer deposits the savings fund into a specified bank account by a specified due date each month.

In this way, the management device 1 can receive payment for the equipment from the customer in advance and use this payment as a source of funds to manufacture the equipment, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and storing the equipment by the manufacturing company.

In addition, when the determination unit 14 determines that the actual inventory of equipment is insufficient, the management device 1 orders the manufacture of the equipment through the first ordering unit 15, so that a certain amount of inventory can be secured and the impact of inventory shortages on the operations of the client company can be reduced.

As described above, the management device 1 can reduce the impact on the operations of the client company and reduce the costs for the manufacturing company to manufacture and store the equipment. As a result, it is possible to maintain the social infrastructure and reduce the maintenance costs.

(Operation of the second calculation unit)
The management device 1 includes a second calculation unit 12. The second calculation unit 12 accesses the server 2a, reads out the customer information I1, and calculates information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment based on information about the equipment included in the read out customer information I1 (e.g., the useful life of the equipment and the date of manufacture of the equipment).

The information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment is information indicating the useful life of the equipment or the extension or shortening of the useful life of the equipment. The useful life of the equipment may be indicated, for example, as "20 years left" or "30 years left", or as "20 to 30 years left" or "30 to 35 years left". The procedure for calculating the useful life of the equipment will be described in detail later.

Information indicating an extension or shortening of the equipment's useful life may be shown, for example, as "useful life + useful life x 20%", "useful life - useful life x 20%", or "useful life ± useful life x 20%". For example, if the equipment's useful life was 20 years but it was actually replaced after 15 years, it is assumed that the useful life was shortened (reduced by 25%) due to the environmental conditions of the location where the equipment was installed. In this case, the second calculation unit 12 calculates "20 years - 5 years (20 years x 25%)" as information indicating an extension or shortening of the equipment's useful life.

The first calculation unit 13 determines the total number of each type of equipment based on the information about the equipment included in the customer information I1. The first calculation unit 13 calculates the first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number and the information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit 12.

The first calculation unit 13 calculates the first inventory quantity by M/N based on the total number N of electric wires that need to be replaced and the useful life (average useful life) M of the electric wires calculated by the second calculation unit 12. For example, if the total number of electric wires that need to be replaced is 600 and the useful life (average useful life) of the electric wires calculated by the first calculation unit 13 is 20 years, the second calculation unit 12 sets the first inventory quantity for the first year to 30 (= 600/20 years).

The first calculation unit 13 may also divide the useful life into periods and calculate the first inventory quantity based on the total number of wires that belong to each period. For example, an i-th group is set for each decade. The first group is (0-10 years), the second group is (11-20 years), and the third group is (21-30 years). With respect to the number of wires Ni that belong to each group, N1 is 100 wires in the first group, N2 is 300 wires in the second group, and N3 is 200 wires in the third group. Assuming that a ratio R of 1/10 wires is held as inventory for each group, the first group may have 10 wires (N1 x R), the second group 30 wires (N2 x R), and the third group 20 wires (N3 x R).

The first calculation unit 13 may calculate the first inventory quantity by using a table for calculating a predetermined first inventory quantity based on the total number N of electric wires that need to be replaced and the useful life (average useful life) M of the electric wires calculated by the second calculation unit 12. For example, if the total number of electric wires that need to be replaced is 600 and the useful life (average useful life) of the electric wires calculated by the first calculation unit 13 is 20 years, the first inventory quantity may be reduced by 50% (the first inventory quantity is 300), or if the total number of electric wires that need to be replaced is 600 and the useful life (average useful life) of the electric wires calculated by the first calculation unit 13 is 40 years, the first inventory quantity may be reduced by 90% (the first inventory quantity is 60).

(Useful life calculation procedure 1)
The second calculation unit 12 calculates the useful life based on, for example, the "useful life" and "date of manufacture" included in the customer information I1 shown in Fig. 2. The useful life will now be described. Facilities installed in these buildings, including structures, generally have a set designed useful life. The useful life may be indicated in years, such as "20 years" or "30 years," or may be indicated in terms of time, such as "20 to 30 years" or "30 to 40 years."

The second calculation unit 12 determines the replacement time from the useful life and the manufacturing date, and calculates the useful life from the replacement time and the calculation date. For example, if the useful life is "30 years", the manufacturing date of the equipment is "October 9, 1998", and the calculation date is "October 10, 2020", the second calculation unit 12 determines the replacement time to be "October 2028" and calculates the useful life to be "8 years (later)".

(Useful life calculation procedure 2)
As described above, the equipment installed in these buildings, including structures, generally has a design service life (10 to 20 years, etc.). However, the equipment deteriorates more than expected depending on the installation environment and usage conditions, and this service life changes. For example, the deterioration factors of an electric wire, which is an example of equipment, include electrical factors such as overvoltage and overcurrent, water infiltration into the inside of the electric wire, mechanical factors (vibration, impact, compression, bending, etc.), thermal factors (decrease in physical properties due to high and low temperatures), ultraviolet rays and salt adhesion (decrease in physical properties), deterioration due to microorganisms, and poor construction. In addition, the combination of multiple deterioration factors may further accelerate the deterioration of the equipment, and replacement may be required before the service life. In addition, even if the equipment is the same, if the installation environment and usage conditions are different, the deterioration state and service life will be different for each equipment.

In particular, in long structures (e.g., 10 m or more, and preferably 100 m or more) such as electric wires and optical fibers, even if they are one unit, the structure, installation environment, or usage conditions differ depending on the part, and therefore the deterioration state differs. For example, in a power transmission line, the structure differs between the terminal section and the electric wire section. Furthermore, when the electric wire section is installed over a long distance (e.g., several km), there will be parts of the same electric wire section that are installed in different environments or usage conditions. As a result, the service life and deterioration state will differ depending on the part.

The second calculation unit 12 is configured to calculate the useful life of the equipment based on the installation environment or usage conditions. Specifically, the second calculation unit 12 is configured to use a prediction model generated based on equipment information provided from an external device to calculate (actually, predict) the useful life of the equipment based on equipment information included in customer information I1. Equipment information provided from an external device includes, for example, equipment information (delivery time, product name, lot, year of installation, materials used, etc.), environmental information around the equipment (water, humidity, temperature, etc.), information on the reference equipment (the fact that it broke after 20 years, product name, lot, year of installation, materials used, etc.), and environmental information around the reference equipment (water, humidity, temperature, etc.).

Figure 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the second calculation unit 12. The second calculation unit 12 includes a learning unit 51, a data processing unit 52, and an analysis and prediction unit 53.

The learning unit 51 performs learning based on multiple pieces of data stored in the server 2, and generates multiple prediction models from the learning results. In this embodiment, a case is described in which the prediction models are generated using machine learning or deep learning, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the models may be generated using regression calculations.

The operation of the learning unit 51 will now be described. The learning unit 51 performs learning based on multiple pieces of data stored in the server 2, and generates a predictive model relating to the deterioration factors of the equipment and the useful life of the equipment from the learning results. The server 2 has first information I3, second information I4, and third information I5 associated with each equipment ID. The first information I3, second information I4, and third information I5 are information provided by a person who operates and manages the equipment (for example, the administrator of the customer terminal device 3).

Figure 6 is a diagram showing a schematic example of the first information I3. Figure 7 is a diagram showing a schematic example of the second information I4. Figure 8 is a diagram showing a schematic example of the third information I5.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first information I3 includes an equipment ID, a manufacturing date indicating the date the equipment was manufactured, a manufacturing company name indicating the name of the company that manufactured the equipment, specification information indicating the rated voltage and rated temperature of the equipment, an installation date indicating the date the equipment was installed, an installation company name indicating the name of the company that installed the equipment, a worker name indicating the name of the worker who actually installed the equipment, and environmental information indicating information about the environment when the equipment was installed (such as temperature, humidity, and weather). Note that the items included in the first information I3 are not limited to the items shown in FIG. 6.

The same equipment ID is assigned to the same equipment based on the equipment's shape (flat, round, etc.), purpose (for communications, for power, etc.), material name (vinyl, polyethylene, etc.), size, etc.

In addition, each manufacturing company may assign its own unique equipment ID. In this case, the management device 1 edits the equipment ID based on a predefined conversion table or the like so that the same ID is assigned to similar products.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second information I4 is information that is composed of, for each equipment ID, information about changes in the environment around the equipment and information about changes in the environment inside the equipment acquired by various sensors (hereinafter sometimes referred to as sensing information) arranged in chronological order. The sensing information includes the temperature, humidity, internal pressure, amount of water ingress inside the equipment casing, temperature of the cable body, bending condition of the cable, tensile condition, stress of the cable, etc.) Note that FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of the second information I4 for "equipment ID: 0000000a" as a representative example.

The sensing information is information such as the temperature, humidity, vibration frequency, bending and pulling conditions of the cable, and cable stress around the equipment. Note that the sensing information is not limited to the temperature, humidity, vibration frequency, bending and pulling conditions of the cable, and cable stress around the equipment, but may also include the amount of solar radiation, amount of ultraviolet rays, and acidity of precipitation around the equipment.

Various sensors are placed around the equipment to detect temperature, humidity, vibration, submersion, etc. The various sensors sense temperature, etc. at predetermined times. The predetermined times are, for example, every 10 minutes, every 30 minutes, every hour, etc. The timing of data sensing and the timing of data transmission do not have to be simultaneous. In addition, while it is preferable to obtain data online using a wired or wireless connection, data may also be obtained offline using a robot or manually. Furthermore, environmental evaluation test pieces that do not use electronic circuits may also be used. That is, for example, a sensor that changes color when it comes into contact with water may be placed, and the color change may be analyzed offline.

The second information I4 may also be composed of data obtained by averaging data sensed by various sensors for a specified period of time. For example, in the case of temperature, the average temperature may be shown as a morning average value and an afternoon average value for each day, or as a minimum temperature and a maximum temperature.

The second information I4 may also be composed of all data sensed by various sensors. In this configuration, the management device 1 may perform processing such as averaging each piece of data included in the second information I4 for a predetermined period of time.

As shown in FIG. 8, the third information I5 includes an equipment ID, date and time information indicating the date and time when the deterioration state of the equipment was confirmed, and information on the deterioration state of the equipment. Note that the items included in the third information I5 are not limited to the items shown in FIG. 8.

The deterioration state of equipment is information that serves as a guide for repair or replacement of the equipment. The deterioration state is explained below for the case where the equipment is a covered electric wire. For example, if the electric wire is broken and replaced, it is classified as in condition "A." If there is a change in the appearance of the electric wire (sheath (outer layer)) (discoloration, deterioration, corrosion, dust adhesion, etc.), it is classified as in condition "B." If there is no change in the appearance of the electric wire, it is classified as in condition "C."

The equipment-related data may include information other than the first information I3, the second information I4, and the third information I5, for example, information related to maintenance records (equipment inspection records, records of malfunction repairs). Means for inputting equipment-related data include keyboards, cameras, videos, various sensors, and the like. Furthermore, data input from a keyboard or the like may be calculated and processed as secondary data to be used as equipment-related data.

For example, the learning unit 51 extracts equipment IDs whose equipment degradation status is in "A" status based on the third information I5.

The learning unit 51 extracts information that may be a cause of deterioration from the information associated with the extracted facility ID. Information that may be a cause of deterioration means data on high-quality facilities, such as the name of the installation contractor, the name of the worker, and information on the environment when the facility was installed, all of which are included in the first information I3, and the sensing information and period until the facility's deterioration state reaches "A" state, all of which are included in the second information I4. The period until the facility's deterioration state reaches "A" state can be calculated, for example, from the date of installation, which is included in the first information I3, and the date and time information, which is included in the third information I5.

The name of the installer, the name of the worker, and information about the environment when the equipment was installed are information that can be the cause of poor construction. For example, equipment installed by worker A may have a shorter lifespan than equipment installed by other workers. In such a case, the name of worker A corresponds to information that characterizes the cause of deterioration.

The sensing information could be information about water penetration into the wire, the presence of water around the wire, mechanical factors (vibration, impact, compression, bending, etc.), thermal factors (decrease in physical properties due to high or low temperatures), and other environmental factors (humidity, solar radiation). In particular, it is desirable to measure the effects of water.

The learning unit 51 learns the characteristics of each deterioration factor based on the extracted information that may be a deterioration factor, and generates a prediction model for the deterioration factor and useful life of each piece of equipment from the learning results.

The learning unit 51 may also be configured to automatically evaluate a prediction model once it has been generated at a predetermined timing, and to perform a process of updating the prediction model based on this evaluation. Specifically, when the learning unit 51 detects a decrease in accuracy of a certain prediction model, it automatically updates the prediction model. For example, the learning unit 51 may detect a decrease in accuracy when the number of times the prediction model is used decreases. By being configured in this manner, the learning unit 51 can maintain the prediction accuracy (quality of the prediction model). Furthermore, information regarding the decrease in prediction accuracy may be notified to the administrator of the management device 1 or the person who provided the first information I3, the second information I4, and the third information I5 (for example, the administrator of the customer terminal device 3).

The data processing unit 52 processes the customer information I1 registered by the first registration unit 11. For example, the data processing unit 52 processes the customer information I1 to identify the equipment ID and environmental information in which the equipment is to be installed.

The analysis and prediction unit 53 uses the prediction model generated by the learning unit to predict the service life of the equipment based on the results processed by the data processing unit 52, depending on the environment in which the equipment is installed.

The second calculation unit 12 may also be configured to calculate the useful life of the equipment without using a predictive model as described above. For example, a dummy sample is placed near the equipment (electric wire) that is actually installed, and is collected after a predetermined period of time (e.g., one year) has passed. The second calculation unit 12 may also be configured to analyze the collected dummy sample, and calculate the useful life of the equipment (electric wire) that is installed in the vicinity of where the dummy sample was placed based on the analysis results. The dummy sample is assumed to be more susceptible to environmental influences and degradation than the installed equipment (electric wire).

Furthermore, as a basis for comparison, both information on the electric wire serving as teacher data and information on the customer's electric wire may be presented to present the customer with the service life. That is, information on the electric wire serving as teacher data, information on the surrounding environment of the electric wire serving as teacher data, information on the customer's electric wire, or information on the surrounding environment of the customer's electric wire may be presented to the customer. For example, the average humidity around the electric wire serving as teacher data and the average humidity around the customer's electric wire serving as customer data may be presented to present the deterioration of the customer's electric wire in comparison. That is, it may be quantitatively shown that the humidity is "higher on average annually" than the electric wire serving as teacher data, "equal to" the humidity, or "lower on average annually". The surrounding environment information on the electric wire may be inferred from the measurement values of a sensor near the electric wire stored in an external server.

(First Operation of the Calculation Unit)
The calculation unit 16 may be configured to determine the reserve period based on the information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit 12, and to calculate the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of replacing the equipment. In the following, the payment will be described as an installment reserve.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing a typical model of the reserve fund calculated by the calculation unit 16. Figure 9(a) is a diagram showing a typical example of a model for calculating the reserve fund when the useful life of the equipment is 20 years remaining.

For example, if the useful life of the equipment is 20 years and the total cost of replacing the equipment is set to 120 million yen, the calculation unit 16 calculates the monthly reserve fund to be 500,000 yen. Note that the calculation unit 16 may be configured not to equalize the monthly reserve fund. For example, the calculation unit 16 may change the reserve fund up to the 10th year and the reserve fund from the 10th year onwards.

Figure 9(b) is a diagram showing an example of a model for calculating the reserve fund when the useful life of the equipment is 5 years remaining. If the useful life of the equipment is 5 years remaining and the total cost of replacing the equipment is set to 120 million yen, the calculation unit 16 calculates the reserve fund per month to be 2 million yen. As described above, the calculation unit 16 may be configured not to equalize the reserve fund per month. For example, the calculation unit 16 may change the reserve fund for the first 3 years and the reserve fund for the third year and thereafter.

In addition, after the reserve fund is full (total cost related to replacement equipment), the cost of transporting replacement equipment to the site and the cost of installing replacement equipment may rise due to rising fuel and labor costs. Therefore, as shown in Figures 9(a) and 9(b), a certain amount of cost may be collected even after the reserve fund is full.

With this configuration, the management device 1 can receive a portion of the cost of equipment replacement from the customer in advance as a regular reserve fund, and can use this reserve fund to manufacture the equipment, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and storing the equipment by the manufacturing company. In addition, the customer company can plan ahead and save for the costs of equipment replacement.

Figure 9 (c) is a diagram showing a schematic example of a model for calculating the reserve fund when equipment is damaged before the end of its useful life. Even if equipment is damaged before the end of its useful life, the management device 1 has the reserve fund that was accumulated up until the time of the damage, so it is possible to settle the payment to the client company with a small amount, and a replacement for the equipment can be provided in a timely manner, so there is no impact on the operations of the client company.

(Second Operation of the Calculation Unit)
The calculation unit 16 may be configured to determine the reserve period based on the information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit 12, and to calculate the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of preparatory measures before replacing the equipment with a substitute. In the following, the payment will be described as a reserve fund to be paid in installments.

The cost of pre-emptive measures before replacing equipment with alternative parts refers to the cost of emergency measures or long-term measures. In emergency measures, electric wires are replaced as emergency measures, which are easy to install and can absorb differences in customer specifications. These emergency measures allow for quick emergency measures, for example by reducing current capacity and long-term reliability compared to long-term measures, making them lighter and easier to bend. In addition, the period during which the emergency measures are used is subject to restrictions on the customer's electricity usage and duration. Furthermore, long-term measures with improved current capacity and long-term reliability are manufactured during the period in which the emergency measures are used. The reserve fund may be calculated from the costs required for these initial measures.

(Regarding the third operation of the calculation unit)
The calculation unit 16 may be configured to determine a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit 12, and calculate the payment (reserve fund) based on the reserve period and a diagnosis of initial defects when the equipment is replaced.

After replacement, in order to diagnose initial defects in the replaced equipment, it will be necessary to install sensors to obtain environmental information and to analyze images of the installed equipment. The payment (reserve fund) may be calculated from the costs required to diagnose initial defects when replacing such equipment.

The calculation unit 16 may also be configured to calculate the cost of a replacement for the equipment based on the manufacturing price of the equipment manufactured based on an order from the first ordering unit 15, and recalculate the payment amount based on the calculated cost of the replacement for the equipment. In this configuration, the presentation unit 17 presents the payment amount recalculated by the calculation unit 16 to the customer. The payment amount may be paid in a lump sum or in installments. Money paid in installments is called a savings fund.

Figure 10 is a diagram that shows a schematic example of a model for calculating reserve funds before and after recalculation. For example, in the case of electric wires made from copper, the base price of copper varies depending on the time of copper purchase. Therefore, if copper is purchased when the base price of copper is low and electric wires are manufactured, the manufacturing price of the electric wires can be kept low. In addition, fuel costs and labor costs also vary depending on the time of year. Therefore, if electric wires are transported and installed when fuel and labor costs are low, the costs of transporting a replacement to the site and the costs of installing the replacement can be kept low.

For example, as shown in Figure 10(a), if the useful life of a certain piece of equipment is 20 years and the cost of replacing the equipment (reserve amount P1) is set at 120 million yen, the monthly reserve will be 500,000 yen.

Then, after 10 years have passed and the copper base price and labor costs have fallen, the calculation unit 16 resets the cost for equipment replacement from the 10th year onwards (reserve amount P2) to 100 million yen, as shown in FIG. 10(b). Also, since 60 million yen has been saved up by the 10th year, the remaining amount is 40 million yen. Therefore, the monthly reserve from the 10th year onwards will be approximately 330,000 yen. Note that, although the above example shows an example in which the reserve fund is recalculated in the 10th year for a useful life of 20 years, this is not limiting, and the reserve fund may be recalculated at regular intervals (e.g., every 3 years) or at irregular intervals.

By configuring in this manner, the management device 1 recalculates the reserve fund when the cost of replacing equipment changes, and notifies the client company of the recalculated reserve fund, thereby reducing the reserve fund burden of the client company. Note that the management device 1 may be configured to recalculate the reserve fund without changing it within the useful life, and to refund the difference to the client company when the reserve fund reaches its maximum amount.

(Regarding the manufacturing date of the equipment)
1, the management device 1 may be configured to include a second determination unit 28 that determines the timing for purchasing materials (raw materials) for manufacturing the equipment. According to this configuration, the first ordering unit 15 instructs the purchase of materials for manufacturing the equipment at the timing determined by the second determination unit 28.

As mentioned above, in the case of electric wires made from copper, the base price of copper varies depending on when the copper is purchased. Therefore, if copper is purchased when the base price of copper is low and electric wires are manufactured using that copper, the manufacturing cost of the electric wires can be kept low.

The second determination unit 28 determines the timing of purchasing materials (raw materials) for manufacturing the equipment, for example, based on the average copper price over the past N months (N is an integer equal to or greater than 1). The second determination unit 28 may also be configured to determine the timing of purchasing materials (raw materials) for manufacturing the equipment, based on information from a website that predicts price movements of copper prices.

(First Configuration of Two-Sided Platform)
1, the management device 1 includes a reception unit 18, a subtraction unit 19, and a second ordering unit 20. The reception unit 18 receives an equipment replacement request from a customer registered in the first registration unit 11. Specifically, when the reception unit 18 receives an equipment replacement request from the customer terminal device 3, the reception unit 18 accesses the server 2a to read out the customer information I1 and confirms that the customer who received the request is registered. Furthermore, when the reception unit 18 receives a replacement request before the useful life of the equipment, the calculation unit 16 calculates the payment amount based on the remaining balance.

The subtraction unit 19 subtracts the number of pieces of equipment to be replaced that have been accepted by the acceptance unit 18 from the actual number of pieces of equipment in stock. Specifically, the subtraction unit 19 accesses the server 2b and updates a table showing the number of pieces of equipment in stock so that the number of pieces of equipment to be replaced is subtracted from the actual number of pieces of equipment in stock.

When the second ordering unit 20 receives an equipment replacement request from the reception unit 18, it places an order for the equipment replacement with the construction company. Specifically, the second ordering unit 20 places an order with the construction company terminal device 4 managed by the construction company via the network NW2. The construction company receives the equipment, transports it to the site in accordance with the contents of the order, and installs the equipment.

In this way, when the management device 1 receives a replacement request from a customer company, it deducts the number of items in stock and also places an order for installation with the contractor, so that it can carry out the intermediation procedure while managing the inventory.

(Second configuration of the two-sided platform)
1, the management device 1 includes a second registration unit 21 and a first determination unit 22. A case where there are multiple contractors and one exchange facility and a case where there are multiple exchange facilities will be described.

The second registration unit 21 registers at least information I6 about the construction company, which includes information about past construction work. Specifically, the second registration unit 21 generates information I6 about the construction company, which includes information about which construction company constructed which equipment, and stores this information I6 about the construction company in the server 2c.

Figure 11 is a diagram showing a schematic example of information I6 about a construction contractor. Information I6 about a construction contractor includes items such as a construction contractor ID that is uniquely assigned to the construction contractor, a facility ID, a construction date indicating the date of construction, and a customer evaluation (information about past construction). A customer evaluation is an evaluation by a client company after construction has been completed. Note that the items included in information I6 about a construction contractor are merely examples and are not limited to these items.

When multiple construction companies are registered and the reception unit 18 receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, the first determination unit 22 determines the priority of the construction companies based on information about past construction included in the information I6 about the construction companies. Specifically, the first determination unit 22 accesses the server 2c, reads the information I6 about the construction companies, and determines the priority of the construction companies for each piece of equipment based on past construction performance, etc.

In addition, when multiple construction companies are registered and the reception unit 18 receives requests to replace multiple pieces of equipment, the first determination unit 22 determines the priority of the construction companies based on information about past construction included in the information I6 about the construction companies, and determines the priority of the equipment to be constructed based on information indicating the priority of the equipment.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of information I7 indicating the priority of facilities. Information I7 indicating the priority of facilities shows the construction location and the priority.

When multiple construction companies are registered and the reception unit 18 receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, the second ordering unit 20 selects a construction company based on the priority order of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit 22, and places an order for the replacement of the equipment with the selected construction company.

In addition, when multiple construction companies are registered and the reception unit 18 receives requests to replace multiple pieces of equipment, the second ordering unit 20 selects a construction company based on the priority of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit 22, and places an order for the replacement of the equipment determined based on the priority of the equipment determined by the first determination unit 22 to the selected construction company.

In this way, when there are multiple construction companies, the management device 1 determines the construction company based on the priority order, taking into account the past construction performance of the construction company, etc. Therefore, since the construction company is determined based on the past construction performance and evaluation, by applying the management device 1, a construction company that performs solid construction will be highly evaluated and will be able to receive orders continuously.

In addition, when there are multiple pieces of equipment to be replaced, the management device 1 will select the equipment with the highest priority first. Therefore, the management device 1 can give top priority to the installation of equipment in a location with a high priority.

Next, we will explain the cases where there is only one construction company and one replacement facility, and the cases where there are multiple replacement facilities. The second registration unit 21 registers information I6 about the construction company, including at least information about past construction. When only one construction company is registered and the reception unit 18 receives a request to replace one facility, the first determination unit 22 determines that construction company.

In addition, when only one construction company is registered and the reception unit 18 receives requests to replace multiple pieces of equipment, the first determination unit 22 determines the construction company and determines the priority of the equipment to be repaired based on the information indicating the priority of the equipment.

When only one construction company is registered and the reception unit 18 receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, the second ordering unit 20 places an order for the equipment replacement with the construction company determined by the first determination unit 22.

In addition, when only one construction company is registered and the reception unit 18 receives requests to replace multiple pieces of equipment, the second ordering unit 20 orders the replacement of the equipment determined based on the priority order of the equipment determined by the first determination unit 22 to the construction company determined by the first determination unit 22.

In this way, when there is one construction company and multiple pieces of equipment to be replaced, the management device 1 selects the equipment with the highest priority and places an order with this construction company. Therefore, the management device 1 can give top priority to construction of equipment in high priority locations.

(Regarding the third configuration of the two-sided platform)
As shown in FIG. 1 , the management device 1 includes a notification unit 23 , a first receiving unit 24 , a first transmitting unit 25 , a second receiving unit 26 , and a second transmitting unit 27 .

When the reception unit 18 receives a request to replace equipment, the notification unit 23 selects multiple construction companies based on the priority order of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit 22, and notifies the selected construction companies of the construction specifications. Specifically, the notification unit 23 notifies (sends) the construction specifications to the construction company terminal devices 4 managed by the selected construction companies via the network NW2.

The first receiving unit 24 receives quotations from multiple construction companies. The construction companies check the contents of the construction specifications, create quotations for carrying out the construction work, and transmit the created quotations to the management device 1 using the construction company terminal device 4.

The first transmission unit 25 transmits the quotation to the customer whose equipment replacement request has been accepted by the acceptance unit 18. The customer reviews the contents of the received quotation and selects a construction company.

The second receiving unit 26 receives the selection result by the customer who sent the quotation by the first transmitting unit 25. The second transmitting unit 27 transmits the selection result to the multiple construction companies whose quotations were received by the first receiving unit 24. The second transmitting unit 27 also transmits the selection result to the construction companies that were not selected. The second ordering unit 20 places an order for the equipment replacement to the construction company selected by the customer based on the selection result.

In this way, when the management device 1 receives an order from a customer to install equipment, it sends installation specifications to multiple contractors based on priority, sends the quotations received from each contractor to the customer, and places an order for equipment replacement with the contractor selected by the customer. Thus, the customer can choose a contractor of their choice from among multiple contractors selected based on priority.

(Configuration with upwardly compatible power transmission lines in stock)
Here, if different power transmission lines are stocked for each specification, the amount of stock will increase. The concept of power transmission lines includes bare wires and insulated wires that are not covered, CV (cross-linked polyethylene insulated vinyl sheath cable) cables, and OF (oil-filled cable) cables. A CV cable is a power cable that uses cross-linked polyethylene as an insulating material. An OF cable is a cable that has an insulating oil passage in the cable and applies appropriate oil pressure in a gravity tank or pressure tank at the end to prevent the generation of air bubbles due to temperature changes. In addition, when comparing CV cables and OF cables, which are types of power transmission lines, CV cables are superior cables.

The specifications of the power transmission line include size (thickness), type, allowable current, allowable voltage, etc. The size differs between a solid wire and a twisted wire. The size of the twisted wire is, for example, 400 sq (cross-sectional area of 400 mm ² ), 250 sq (cross-sectional area of 250 mm ² ), 200 sq (cross-sectional area of 200 mm ² ), etc. The larger the size of the power transmission line, the higher the specification. In the above example, the specifications from the highest to the lowest are 400 sq (cross-sectional area of 400 mm ² ), 250 sq (cross-sectional area of 250 mm ² ), and 200 sq (cross-sectional area of 200 mm ² ). The allowable current is, for example, 7 A, 12 A, 17 A, etc. depending on the size of the power transmission line. The larger the size of the power transmission line, the higher the allowable power. The allowable voltage is about 600 V to 500 kV. The higher the voltage that can be transmitted through the power transmission line, the higher the specification of the allowable voltage. Furthermore, power transmission lines are upwardly compatible. In other words, a 400 sq. power transmission line can be used as a substitute for a 250 sq. power transmission line.

For example, if a large-sized power transmission line (hereafter referred to as an upper-level power transmission line) is prepared, it can be used not only for the same large-sized power transmission line, but also for a smaller-sized power transmission line (hereafter referred to as a lower-level power transmission line). Therefore, by having an upper-level power transmission line, the amount of inventory can be reduced. In addition, when connecting power transmission lines with different specifications, a connector called a heterogeneous connection part is used.

On the other hand, upper transmission lines are more expensive than lower transmission lines. Therefore, as mentioned above, when replacing a power transmission line, changing from a lower transmission line to an upper transmission line will lead to a price increase (upgrade) and an increase in the cost of replacement.

Therefore, while maintaining inventory in the upper transmission line, power transmission lines with specifications suitable for replacement are manufactured at an appropriate time (for example, before the replacement date based on the useful life). For example, in the case of operation based on the useful life (i.e., when replacement does not occur before the useful life), a power transmission line with the same specifications as the power transmission line in use is ready, so replacement can be performed without upgrading. Also, if a power transmission line in use is damaged before the useful life and needs to be replaced, by utilizing the upper transmission line in stock, an upgrade will occur, but the impact on the customer company's operations can be reduced.

The specific configuration and operation are described below. The equipment is a power transmission line that transmits power. There are multiple specifications for the power transmission line. The second calculation unit 12 calculates the useful life for each specification of the power transmission line based on the information about the equipment included in the customer information, using a prediction model generated based on the information about the equipment included in the customer information, or based on the information about the equipment provided from an external device.

For example, the second calculation unit 12 calculates the service life of each of the 400 sq. power transmission lines, the 250 sq. power transmission lines, and the 200 sq. power transmission lines for all customers.

The first calculation unit 13 determines the total number of each power transmission line specification based on the information about the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates the first inventory quantity for each power transmission line specification based on the total number and the useful life of each power transmission line specification calculated by the second calculation unit 12.

For example, the first calculation unit 13 calculates that the number of 400 sq. power transmission lines in stock is "20 units," the number of 250 sq. power transmission lines in stock is "50 units," and the number of 200 sq. power transmission lines in stock is "200 units."

The determination unit 14 compares the first inventory quantity calculated by the first calculation unit 13 with the actual inventory quantity of the power transmission lines, and determines whether or not the actual inventory quantity of the power transmission lines is insufficient.

When the determination unit 14 determines that the actual inventory of power transmission lines is insufficient, the first ordering unit 15 calculates the replacement date from the useful life of the power transmission lines for each specification calculated by the second calculation unit 12, calculates a manufacturing start date taking into account the time required to manufacture the power transmission lines from the replacement date, and places an order for the manufacture of the power transmission lines based on the manufacturing start date.

For example, if the service life of the 250 sq. power transmission line calculated by the second calculation unit 12 is 25 years, the first ordering unit 15 calculates the replacement date as "December 10, 2020" based on the construction date (December 10, 1995). If the time required to manufacture the power transmission line is six months, the first ordering unit 15 places an order for the manufacture of the 250 sq. power transmission line on "June 10, 2020."

As described above, a power transmission line configured with higher specifications (upper transmission line) is compatible with a power transmission line configured with lower specifications (lower transmission line). The first inventory number includes at least one power transmission line configured with higher specifications. A higher specification refers to a higher allowable voltage that can be transmitted through the power transmission line, a larger size of the power transmission line, or a higher type of power transmission line. Types of power transmission lines include OF cable, CV cable with a water-impermeable layer, CV cable without a water-impermeable layer, etc. When connecting cables of different types, they are connected using a heterogeneous connection part. The first inventory number also includes heterogeneous connection parts (at least two) for connecting a power transmission line configured with higher specifications to a lower power transmission line.

By being configured in this manner, the management device 1 manufactures power transmission lines with specifications suitable for replacement at an appropriate time (for example, before the replacement date based on the useful life) while maintaining inventory on the upper transmission lines. Therefore, in the case of operation based on the useful life, a power transmission line with the same specifications as the power transmission line in use is ready, so replacement can be performed without upgrading. Also, if the power transmission line in use is damaged before the useful life expires and replacement becomes necessary, by utilizing the upper transmission line in stock, an upgrade will occur, but the impact on the customer company's operations can be reduced.

In addition, if the production start date for other power transmission lines has not yet arrived, there may be cases where there is only one upper transmission line in stock. This allows the manufacturing company to further reduce the costs of storing equipment.

(Regarding management methods)
Next, a management method for minimizing the impact on the operations of the client company and the costs of manufacturing and storing the equipment by the manufacturing company will be described. Fig. 13 is a flow chart showing the steps of the management method.

In step ST1, the first registration unit 11 registers customer information I1 that includes at least information about the equipment used by the customer (first registration process).

In step ST2, the first calculation unit 13 determines the total number of each type of equipment based on the information about the equipment contained in the customer information I1, and calculates the first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number (first calculation process).

In step ST3, the determination unit 14 compares the first inventory quantity calculated in the first calculation process with the actual equipment inventory quantity, and determines whether the actual equipment inventory quantity is insufficient (determination process).

In step ST4, if the determination process determines that the actual inventory of equipment is insufficient, the first ordering unit 15 places an order for the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient (first ordering process).

In step ST5, the calculation unit 16 calculates the payment amount for each customer registered in the first registration process based on the cost of replacing the equipment (calculation process).

In step ST6, the presentation unit 17 presents the payment amount calculated in the calculation process to the customer (presentation process).

In this way, the management method receives payment for the equipment from the customer in advance and uses this payment as a source of funds to manufacture the equipment, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and storing the equipment by the manufacturing company.

In addition, in the management method, if the determination step determines that the actual equipment inventory is insufficient, an order is placed for the manufacture of the equipment in the first ordering step, so that a certain amount of inventory can be secured and the impact of inventory shortages on the operations of the client company can be reduced.

(Regarding the management program)
The management program, which reduces the impact on the operations of the client company and reduces the costs for the manufacturing company to manufacture and store equipment, is mainly composed of the following steps and is executed by computer 500 (hardware).

Step 1: A step of registering customer information I1 including at least information regarding equipment used by a customer. Step 2: A step of calculating the total number of each type of equipment based on information regarding the equipment included in the customer information I1, and calculating a first inventory number for each type of equipment based on the total number. Step 3: A step of comparing the first inventory number calculated in the first calculation step with the actual equipment inventory number, and determining whether or not the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient. Step 4: A step of placing an order for the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient if it is determined in step 3 that the actual equipment inventory number is insufficient. Step 5: A step of calculating a payment amount based on the cost of a replacement for equipment for each customer registered in step 1. Step 6: A step of presenting the reserve fund calculated in step 5 to the customer.

Here, the configuration and operation of computer 500 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of computer 500. As shown in FIG. 14, computer 500 is configured with a processor 501, memory 502, storage 503, input/output I/F 504, and communication I/F 505 connected on bus A, and the functions and/or methods described in this disclosure are realized by the cooperation of each of these components.

The input/output I/F 504 is connected to a display and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse and a keyboard). The communication I/F is an interface that complies with a predetermined communication standard, and communicates with devices (e.g., the customer terminal device 3 and the contractor terminal device 4) via the networks NW1 and NW2, either wired or wirelessly. The communication I/F corresponds to the presenter 17, the receiver 18, the notifier 23, the first receiver 24, the first transmitter 25, the second receiver 26, and the second transmitter 27.

Memory 502 is composed of RAM (Random Access Memory). The RAM is composed of volatile memory or non-volatile memory.

Storage 503 is composed of ROM (Read Only Memory). ROM is composed of non-volatile memory, and is realized, for example, by a HDD (Hard Disc Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive). Storage 503 corresponds to the above-mentioned server 2. Various programs such as the management program realized in the above-mentioned steps 1 to 6 are stored in storage 503.

For example, the processor 501 controls the overall operation of the computer 500. The processor 501 is an arithmetic device that loads an operating system and various programs that realize various functions from the storage 503 into the memory 502 and executes the instructions contained in the loaded programs.

Specifically, when processor 501 receives a user operation, it reads a program (e.g., a management program according to the present invention) stored in storage 503, expands the read program in memory 502, and executes the program. In addition, by processor 501 executing the management program, the functions of first registration unit 11, second calculation unit 12, first calculation unit 13, judgment unit 14, first ordering unit 15, calculation unit 16, subtraction unit 19, second ordering unit 20, second registration unit 21, first determination unit 22, and second determination unit 28 are realized.

Here, the configuration of the processor 501 will be described. The processor 501 is realized, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), various other arithmetic devices, or a combination of these.

Furthermore, in order to realize the functions and/or methods described in this disclosure, some or all of the functions of the processor 501, memory 502, storage 503, etc. may be configured in a processing circuit 601, which is dedicated hardware. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the configuration of the processing circuit 601 of the computer 600. The processing circuit 601 is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination of these.

Although the processor 501 has been described as a single component, the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured as a collection of multiple physically separate processors. In this specification, a program or instructions included in the program described as being executed by the processor 501 may be executed by a single processor 501, or may be distributed and executed by multiple processors. Furthermore, a program or instructions included in the program executed by the processor 501 may be executed by multiple virtual processors.

In this way, by executing the management program on computers 500 and 600, payment for the equipment can be received in advance from the customer and this payment can be used as a source of funds to manufacture the equipment, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and storing the equipment by the manufacturing company.

In addition, by executing the management program on the computers 500 and 600, if it is determined in step 3 (determination step) that the actual equipment inventory is insufficient, an order is placed for the manufacture of the equipment in step 4 (first ordering step), so that a certain amount of inventory can be secured and the impact of inventory shortages on the operations of the client company can be reduced.

Although several embodiments of the present application have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in other forms that incorporate various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the forms described in the disclosure of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Management device 2 Server 3 Customer terminal device 4 Contractor terminal device 11 First registration unit 12 Second calculation unit 13 First calculation unit 14 Determination unit 15 First ordering unit 16 Calculation unit 17 Presentation unit 18 Reception unit 19 Subtraction unit 20 Second ordering unit 21 Second registration unit 22 First determination unit 23 Notification unit 24 First reception unit 25 First transmission unit 26 Second reception unit 27 Second transmission unit 28 Second determination unit 51 Learning unit 52 Data processing unit 53 Analysis and prediction unit 100 Management system

Claims (13)

In a management device for managing equipment inventory,
a first registration unit that registers customer information including at least information regarding the equipment used by the customer;
a first calculation unit that calculates a total number of each type of equipment based on information about the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number;
a determination unit that compares the first inventory quantity calculated by the first calculation unit with an actual inventory quantity of the equipment and determines whether or not the actual inventory quantity of the equipment is insufficient;
a first ordering unit that places an order for manufacturing the equipment that is insufficient when the determining unit determines that the actual inventory of the equipment is insufficient;
a calculation unit that calculates a payment based on a cost related to a replacement of equipment for each customer registered by the first registration unit;
a presentation unit that presents the payment amount calculated by the calculation unit to a customer;
a second calculation unit that calculates information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment based on information regarding the equipment included in the customer information,
the first calculation unit determines a total number of each type of equipment based on information about the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number and information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit;
The calculation unit is
determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of a replacement for the equipment;
Alternatively, determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of advance measures before replacing the equipment with a substitute;
Alternatively, the management device performs one of the following processes: determining a savings period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculating the payment based on the savings period and the costs associated with diagnosing initial defects when replacing equipment. a reception unit that receives a request for replacement of equipment from a customer registered in the first registration unit;
a subtraction unit that subtracts the number of pieces of equipment to be replaced received by the reception unit from the actual number of pieces of equipment in stock;
The management device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second ordering unit that, when a request for replacing the equipment is received by the receiving unit, orders a contractor to replace the equipment. A second registration unit that registers information about the construction company including at least information about past construction work;
a first determination unit which, when a plurality of construction contractors are registered and a request for replacing one piece of equipment is received by the reception unit, determines the priority of the construction contractors based on information on the past construction work included in the information on the construction contractors, or, when a plurality of construction contractors are registered and a request for replacing a plurality of pieces of equipment is received by the reception unit, determines the priority of the construction contractors based on information on the past construction work included in the information on the construction contractors, and determines the priority of the equipment to be replaced based on information indicating the priority of the equipment;
3. The management device of claim 2, wherein the second ordering unit, when a plurality of construction contractors are registered and a request for replacement of one piece of equipment is received by the reception unit, selects a construction contractor based on the priority of the construction contractors determined by the first determination unit and places an order for replacement of the equipment to the selected construction contractor; or, when a plurality of construction contractors are registered and a request for replacement of multiple pieces of equipment is received by the reception unit, selects a construction contractor based on the priority of the construction contractors determined by the first determination unit and places an order for replacement of the equipment determined based on the priority of the equipment determined by the first determination unit to the selected construction contractor. A second registration unit that registers information about the construction company including at least information about past construction work;
a first determination unit that, when only one construction contractor is registered and the reception unit receives a request for replacing one piece of equipment, determines the construction contractor; or, when only one construction contractor is registered and the reception unit receives a request for replacing a plurality of pieces of equipment, determines the construction contractor, and determines a priority order for the pieces of equipment to be constructed based on information indicating the priority order of the pieces of equipment;
3. The management device of claim 2, wherein the second ordering unit, when only one construction company is registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace one piece of equipment, orders the replacement of the equipment to the construction company determined by the first determination unit, or, when only one construction company is registered and the reception unit receives a request to replace multiple pieces of equipment, orders the replacement of the equipment determined based on the priority of the equipment determined by the first determination unit to the construction company determined by the first determination unit. A notification unit that, when the reception unit receives a request to replace equipment, selects a plurality of construction companies based on the priority order of the construction companies determined by the first determination unit, and notifies the selected plurality of construction companies of a construction specification;
A first receiving unit that receives quotations from the plurality of construction companies;
a first transmission unit that transmits the estimate to a customer whose equipment replacement request has been accepted by the acceptance unit;
a second receiving unit that receives a selection result by the customer to which the quotation was sent by the first transmitting unit;
a second transmission unit that transmits the selection result to the plurality of construction companies that have received the estimate by the first reception unit;
The management device according to claim 3 , wherein the second ordering unit places an order for replacement of the equipment with the construction company selected by the customer based on the selection result. A second determination unit that determines a timing for purchasing materials when manufacturing the equipment,
The management device according to claim 1 , wherein the first ordering unit instructs the purchase of materials for manufacturing equipment at the time determined by the second determination unit. The management device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second calculation unit calculates information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment based on the information about the equipment included in the customer information, using a prediction model generated based on the information about the equipment provided from an external device. The facility is a power transmission line that transmits power,
The power transmission line has a plurality of specifications,
Power transmission lines that are configured with higher specifications are compatible with power transmission lines that are configured with lower specifications.
The management device according to claim 1 , wherein the first inventory quantity includes at least one power transmission line configured with higher specifications. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the higher specification is a higher allowable voltage that can be transmitted through the power transmission line, a larger size of the power transmission line, or a higher type of power transmission line. The second calculation unit calculates a useful life for each specification of the power transmission line based on information about the equipment included in the customer information by utilizing a prediction model generated based on information about the equipment included in the customer information or information about the equipment provided by an external device, and
the first calculation unit determines a total number of power transmission lines for each specification based on information about equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each specification of the power transmission line based on the total number and the useful life of the power transmission line for each specification calculated by the second calculation unit;
the determination unit compares the first inventory quantity calculated by the first calculation unit with an actual inventory quantity of the power transmission lines to determine whether or not the actual inventory quantity of the power transmission lines is insufficient; and
2. The management device according to claim 1, wherein when the determination unit determines that an actual inventory of power transmission lines is insufficient, the first ordering unit calculates a replacement date from the useful life of the power transmission line for each specification calculated by the second calculation unit, calculates a manufacturing start date taking into account the time required to manufacture the power transmission line from the replacement date, and places an order for the manufacture of the power transmission line based on the manufacturing start date. In a management method for managing equipment inventory,
a first registration step of registering customer information including at least information regarding the equipment used by the customer by a first registration unit ;
a first calculation step of calculating a total number of each type of equipment based on information on the equipment included in the customer information by a first calculation unit, and calculating a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number;
a determination step of comparing the first inventory quantity calculated in the first calculation step with an actual inventory quantity of the equipment by a determination unit to determine whether or not the actual inventory quantity of the equipment is insufficient;
a first ordering step of ordering the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient when the first ordering unit determines in the determination step that the actual inventory of the equipment is insufficient;
a calculation step of calculating a payment amount based on a cost related to a replacement of equipment for each customer registered in the first registration step by a calculation unit ;
a presentation step of presenting the payment amount calculated by the calculation step to a customer by a presentation unit ;
a second calculation step of calculating information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment based on information on the equipment included in the customer information by a second calculation unit ,
In the first calculation step, the first calculation unit calculates a total number of each type of equipment based on information on the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number and information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation step;
In the calculation step, the calculation unit
determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation step, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of replacing the equipment;
Alternatively, determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation step, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of advance measures before replacing the equipment with a substitute;
Alternatively, a management method that executes one of the following processes: determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation process, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the costs associated with diagnosing initial defects when replacing equipment. In a management program that manages equipment inventory,
On the computer,
a first registration step of registering customer information including at least information regarding the equipment used by the customer;
a first calculation step of calculating a total number of each type of equipment based on information on the equipment included in the customer information, and calculating a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number;
a determination step of comparing the first inventory quantity calculated in the first calculation step with an actual inventory quantity of the equipment to determine whether or not the actual inventory quantity of the equipment is insufficient;
a first ordering step of ordering the manufacture of the equipment that is insufficient when it is determined that the actual inventory of the equipment is insufficient by the determining step;
a calculation step of calculating a payment amount based on a cost related to a replacement of equipment for each customer registered by the first registration step;
a presentation step of presenting the payment amount calculated by the calculation step to a customer;
a second calculation step of calculating information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment based on information regarding the equipment included in the customer information,
In the first calculation step, a total number of each type of equipment is calculated based on information on the equipment included in the customer information, and a first inventory quantity is calculated for each type of equipment based on the total number and information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation step;
In the calculation step,
determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation step, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of replacing the equipment;
Alternatively, determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation step, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of advance measures before replacing the equipment with a substitute;
Or, a management program that executes one of the following processes: determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated in the second calculation process, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the costs associated with diagnosing initial defects when replacing equipment. A management system including a server and a management device for managing an inventory of equipment,
The management device includes:
a first registration unit that registers customer information including at least information regarding equipment used by the customer and stores the customer information in the server;
a first calculation unit that calculates a total number of each type of equipment based on information about the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number;
a determination unit that compares the first inventory quantity calculated by the first calculation unit with an actual inventory quantity of the equipment and determines whether or not the actual inventory quantity of the equipment is insufficient;
a first ordering unit that places an order for manufacturing the equipment that is insufficient when the determining unit determines that the actual inventory of the equipment is insufficient;
a calculation unit that calculates a payment based on a cost related to a replacement of equipment for each customer registered by the first registration unit;
a presentation unit that presents the payment amount calculated by the calculation unit to a customer;
a second calculation unit that calculates information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment based on information regarding the equipment included in the customer information,
the first calculation unit determines a total number of each type of equipment based on information about the equipment included in the customer information, and calculates a first inventory quantity for each type of equipment based on the total number and information indicating a useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit;
The calculation unit is
determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of a replacement for the equipment;
Alternatively, determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the cost of advance measures before replacing the equipment with a substitute;
Alternatively, a management system that performs one of the following processes: determining a reserve period based on information indicating the useful life of each type of equipment calculated by the second calculation unit, and calculating the payment based on the reserve period and the costs associated with diagnosing initial defects when replacing equipment.

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