JP7650791B2 - Contact management system and method for managing contacts - Google Patents

Description

The present invention generally relates to a system for managing contact details for device-related contact points.

Conventionally, when an alarm or malfunction occurs in equipment installed at production sites, such as compressors, inkjet printers (IJPs), or facsimile machines, the user of the equipment refers to a sticker affixed to the equipment that lists the contact information for the service center, and makes an inquiry to that contact point. However, if the contact information has been changed, the user is no longer able to make an inquiry.

In this regard, a technology has been disclosed that allows contact information to be managed on a web server, and when one user terminal updates the contact information registered on the web server, the web server can reflect this update on other related user terminals (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-223398 A

The technology described in Patent Document 1 can provide the latest contact information, but inquiries may be made to a desk that is not in a position to receive inquiries.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a contact management system that can properly manage the contact information of the device-related point of contact.

In order to solve such problems, the present invention provides a contact management system that manages status information related to the status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating multiple contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating the contact points for each of the multiple contact points, and includes an input unit that inputs device information capable of identifying the device to be used for making an inquiry to the device, an identification unit that identifies multiple contact points related to the device to be queried based on the contact information of the device to be managed and identifies, from the multiple identified contact points, a contact point that can receive inquiries based on the status information of the device to be queried, and an output unit that outputs the contact information of the contact point identified by the identification unit.

In the above configuration, contact information for a contact point that can be contacted is output based on status information related to the device status from among multiple contact points, so it is possible to avoid, for example, a situation in which an inquiry is made to a contact point that cannot accept inquiries.

The present invention makes it possible to realize a highly convenient contact management system. Problems, configurations, and advantages other than those described above will become clear from the description of the embodiment below.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a contact management system according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a server device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of contact management information according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of device management information according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of maintenance staff management information according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of information related to an inquiry process according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen according to the first embodiment;

(I) First Embodiment Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

In recent years, devices compatible with IoT (Internet of Things) have been introduced, making it possible to monitor the status of the devices. In this embodiment, the contact management system collects device status information from the managed devices and manages the contact information for the device-related department. The contact management system outputs the most suitable contact information based on the status of the contract for the device, the operating status of the device, business hours of the department for the device, the location of the device, etc.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description and drawings are examples for explaining the present invention, and appropriate omissions and simplifications have been made to clarify the explanation. The present invention can also be implemented in various other forms. Unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural. In the following explanation, the same elements in the drawings will be given the same numbers, and explanations will be omitted as appropriate.

The designations "first," "second," "third," and the like in this specification are used to identify components and do not necessarily limit the number or order. Furthermore, numbers for identifying components are used in different contexts, and a number used in one context does not necessarily indicate the same configuration in another context. Furthermore, this does not prevent a component identified by a certain number from also serving the function of a component identified by another number.

Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of the contact management system 100.

In the contact management system 100, one or more server devices 111 and one or more storage devices 112 are provided in the cloud 110. In addition, in the contact management system 100, one or more devices 120 are provided at a production site such as a factory.

In the cloud 110, the server device 111 stores information related to the device 120 in the storage device 112 and reads out information from the storage device 112 as necessary. Here, the information related to the device 120 is operation information indicating the operating state of the device 120, detection information detected in the device 120 based on the operation information, etc. The operation information includes information such as operation time, load count, remaining time until maintenance, pressure, temperature, and current value. The detection information includes maintenance inspection information, alarm information, abnormality stop information, etc. The maintenance inspection information is information for encouraging filter cleaning, filter replacement, annual inspection, etc. The alarm information is information for alerting to an increase in the ejection temperature, clogging of the filter, an increase in the ambient temperature, etc. The abnormality stop information is information for notifying that the device 120 has stopped due to an abnormality in the ejection temperature, an overload of the main circuit, an abnormality in the retry of the controller, etc. In addition, the detection information may be generated by the server device 111, may be generated by the device 120, or may be generated by the server device 111 and the device 120.

For example, the server device 111 provides a cloud monitoring service that performs predictive diagnosis before a malfunction occurs based on the operation information of the equipment 120. According to the cloud monitoring service, the operation status of the equipment 120 can be grasped in real time 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through remote monitoring using the cloud 110. In addition, by monitoring the operation status of the equipment 120, the cloud monitoring service can extract problems in the facility environment and automatically send warnings by e-mail or the like, thereby reducing the downtime of the equipment 120.

In addition, the server device 111 periodically or in response to an inquiry request from the user terminal 150 or the device 120 identifies a contact point based on information related to the device 120, and outputs contact information for the identified contact point to the device 120, the user terminal 150, etc. The inquiry request is a request to obtain the contact information for the contact point that receives inquiries about the device 120.

The counters include a sales counter, a maintenance counter, a service station counter, a customer success center (CSC) counter, and a night reception counter. The sales counter is a counter for organizations (companies, business establishments, enterprises, etc.) such as dealers and authorized dealers that sell the devices 120. The maintenance counter is a counter for organizations such as authorized dealers and maintenance companies that are responsible for maintenance management such as maintenance, repair, maintenance, and inspection of the devices 120. The service station counter is a counter for organizations such as the company that produced the devices 120 and the affiliated companies of the company, and is set up in each region and is responsible for maintenance management of the devices 120 introduced at production sites in the surrounding areas. The CSC counter is a counter for an organization that provides the contact management system 100 (cloud monitoring service). For example, the organization supports maintenance management at the optimal time, and performs optimal operation of the devices 120 when multiple devices are used, such as equipment improvement and energy saving. The night reception counter is a counter for organizations such as the CSC or affiliated companies of the CSC, and is a counter that can receive inquiries about the devices 120 at night.

The devices 120 are industrial devices that require contact management, such as an IJP 121, a compressor 122, a crane system, a pump, and a clean air device. The devices 120 transmit information related to the devices 120 to the cloud 110 via a highly secure mobile network 130 and a dedicated line 140.

In the contact management system 100, the user terminal 150 obtains and outputs information related to the device 120 from the cloud 110 via the Internet 160 and the firewall 170 in response to user operations (see, for example, FIG. 8). At this time, the user checks the status of the device 120, and if the user wishes to make an inquiry about the device 120, issues an inquiry instruction via the user terminal 150. The user terminal 150 transmits an inquiry request about the device 120 to the server device 111, and receives and displays contact information for a point of contact that can handle inquiries about the device 120 from the server device 111. The user terminal 150 may be a mobile terminal, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or the like.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a server device 111. The server device 111 includes a processor 210, a main memory device 220, an auxiliary memory device 230, an input device 240, an output device 250, and a communication device 260.

The processor 210 is a device that performs arithmetic processing. The processor 210 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an AI (Artificial Intelligence) chip, etc.

The main memory device 220 is a device that stores programs, data, etc. The main memory device 220 is, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The ROM is, for example, a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), a NVRAM (Non Volatile RAM), a Mask ROM (Mask Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable ROM), etc. The RAM is, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

The auxiliary storage device 230 is a hard disk drive, a flash memory, a solid state drive (SSD), an optical storage device, etc. The optical storage device is a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), etc. The programs, data, etc. stored in the auxiliary storage device 230 are loaded into the main storage device 220 as needed. Note that the storage device 112 may be provided as the auxiliary storage device 230.

The input device 240 is a user interface that accepts information from a user. The input device 240 is, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a card reader, a touch panel, etc.

The output device 250 is a user interface that outputs various types of information (display output, audio output, print output, etc.). The output device 250 is, for example, a display device that visualizes various types of information, an audio output device (speaker), a printer, etc. The display device is an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a graphics card, etc.

The communication device 260 is a communication interface that communicates with other devices via a communication medium. The communication device 260 is, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card), a wireless communication module, a USB (Universal Serial Interface) module, a serial communication module, etc. The communication device 260 can also function as an input device that receives information from other devices that are communicatively connected. The communication device 260 can also function as an output device that transmits information to other devices that are communicatively connected.

The functions of the server device 111 (storage unit 221, input unit 222, identification unit 223, output unit 224, change unit 225, etc.) may be realized, for example, by the processor 210 reading a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 230 into the main storage device 220 and executing it (software), or may be realized by hardware such as a dedicated circuit, or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. Note that one function of the server device 111 may be divided into multiple functions, or multiple functions may be combined into one function. Also, some of the functions of the server device 111 may be provided as a separate function, or may be included in another function. Also, some of the functions of the server device 111 may be realized by another server device 111 that can communicate with the server device 111.

The storage unit 221 stores various information such as contact management information (FIG. 4), device management information (FIG. 5), and maintenance staff management information (FIG. 6). The input unit 222 inputs device information (such as the ID of the device 120, information on the device 120 specified by a selection operation of the device 120 via a screen) that can identify the device 120 to be inquired about. The identification unit 223 identifies multiple contact points related to the device 120 to be inquired, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit 222, based on the contact management information, and identifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the multiple identified contact points, based on the device management information of the device 120 to be inquired about. The output unit 224 outputs contact information for the contact point identified by the identification unit 223. The change unit 225 changes the contact management information and/or device management information managed by the contact management system 100.

The server device 111 may be a virtual machine, a container, etc.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the device 120. The device 120 includes a control device 310, a drive unit 320, an input/output device 330, and a reading device 340.

The control device 310 controls the drive unit 320. The control device 310 is a computer equipped with a processor, a main memory device, a communication device, etc. The drive unit 320 is a printing device, an air compressor, etc., and is responsible for a specific production on a factory production line. The input/output device 330 is, for example, a touch panel display. The input/output device 330 receives information related to the settings of the device 120 and information related to inquiries about the device 120. The input/output device 330 displays information related to the device 120, contact information for a window that can receive inquiries about the device 120, etc. The reader 340 reads information from an RF tag attached to a consumable item. Note that the device 120 does not need to be provided with both or either of the input/output device 330 and the reader 340.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of contact management information (contact management table 400). The contact management information is information for managing contact information. The contact management information is stored, for example, in the storage device 112.

The contact management table 400 stores records including values for multiple items related to contact information. More specifically, the contact management table 400 stores records in which the following information is associated: counter ID 401, counter name 402, contact information 403, location 404, business days 405, business hours 406, and authority 407.

The information on the counter ID 401 is identification information for identifying the counter that accepts inquiries about the device 120. The information on the counter name 402 is information indicating the name of the counter identified by the information on the counter ID 401. The information on the contact point 403 is information indicating the contact point of the counter, for example, the telephone number of the counter and/or the email address of the counter. The information on the location 404 is information indicating the location of the counter, for example, latitude and longitude information. Note that the information on the location 404 may be information indicating the address of the counter. The information on the business days 405 is information indicating the business days of the counter. The information on the business hours 406 is information indicating the business hours of the counter. The information on the business days 405 and the information on the business hours 406 are registered by the person related to the counter using a calendar or the like. The information on the authority 407 is information indicating the authority granted to the organization of the counter (for example, the authority to change the information on the sales counter ID 502 and the information on the maintenance counter ID 503 described below).

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of device management information (device management table 500). The device management information is information for managing information on the device 120. The device management information is stored, for example, in the storage device 112.

The device management table 500 stores records including values of multiple items related to information on the device 120. More specifically, the device management table 500 stores records in which the following information is associated: device ID 501, sales contact ID 502, maintenance contact ID 503, contract status 504, device status 505, difficulty level 506, urgency level 507, and location 508.

The information of the device ID 501 is identification information for identifying the device 120. The information of the sales contact ID 502 is identification information for identifying the sales contact set for the device 120 identified by the information of the device ID 501. The information of the maintenance contact ID 503 is identification information for identifying the maintenance contact set for the device 120. Here, multiple organizations (service routes) that are responsible for various services from the introduction of the device 120 to after-sales service are arranged for the device 120. The service route is a route such as a first dealer, a second dealer, a special agent, and a maintenance company. For example, the system staff of the contact management system 100 specifies the sales contact and the maintenance contact of the device 120 from the service route of the device 120 based on the contents of the first contract (a contract to display the contact of the device 120, a contract to display the contact of the device 120 preferentially, etc.) related to the device 120. The ID of the specified sales contact is stored in the sales contact ID 502, and the ID of the specified maintenance contact is stored in the maintenance contact ID 503. The first contract may be made for each device 120, for each production site, for each contact point, or on some other basis.

Here, the contact information of the device 120 (information on the sales contact ID 502 and/or information on the maintenance contact ID 503) can be changed. For example, based on a request from a specific contact organization to change the contact information of a specific device 120 to other contact information, the server device 111 determines whether the organization has been granted the authority to change the contact information of the specific device 120 based on information on the authority 407 granted to the organization. If the server device 111 determines that the organization has been granted the authority, it changes the contact information of the specific device 120 to the other contact information.

The information in the contract status 504 is information indicating the contents of a second contract (such as a contract to use a cloud monitoring service or a contract to display the contact information of the device 120) related to the device 120 identified by the information in the device ID 501. The second contract may be made for each device 120, for each production site, for each user, or on some other basis.

The information of the equipment status 505 is information indicating the state of the equipment 120. Information indicating normal, maintenance inspection, alarm, or abnormal stop is set as the state of the equipment 120. The information of the difficulty 506 is information indicating the difficulty of the work for the equipment 120. The difficulty level is set in the difficulty level 506 based on information in which the work and the difficulty level are associated with each other, which is previously specified. For example, the difficulty level "low" is set for work such as changing a filter or cleaning an oil strainer, and the difficulty level "high" is set for work such as repairing parts or responding to electrical system failures. The information of the urgency 507 is information indicating the urgency of the work for the equipment 120. The urgency level is set in the urgency level 507 based on information in which the work and the urgency level are associated with each other, which is previously specified. For example, the urgency level "low" is set for work such as responding to a maintenance inspection or alarm, and the urgency level "high" is set for work such as responding to an abnormal stop. The information of the position 508 is information indicating the position of the equipment 120, for example, latitude and longitude information.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of maintenance staff management information (maintenance staff management table 600). Maintenance staff management information is information for managing information about maintenance staff. Maintenance staff management information is stored, for example, in the storage device 112.

The maintenance staff management table 600 stores records including values for multiple items related to information about maintenance staff. More specifically, the maintenance staff management table 600 stores records in which information about a maintenance staff ID 601, a maintenance contact ID 602, contact information 603, location 604, and whether or not the work can be performed 605 is associated with each other.

The information in the maintenance staff ID 601 is identification information for identifying a maintenance staff. The information in the maintenance desk ID 602 is identification information for identifying the maintenance desk of the organization to which the maintenance staff identified by the information in the maintenance staff ID 601 belongs. The information in the contact 603 is information indicating the contact information for the maintenance staff. The information in the location 604 is information indicating the location of the maintenance staff, for example, latitude and longitude information. The information in the work availability 605 is information indicating whether the maintenance staff is available to work (work availability).

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of information related to the inquiry process. The inquiry process starts when the server device 111 receives an inquiry request sent from the user terminal 150 or the device 120, which includes device information (e.g., device ID) of the device 120 to be queried (inquiry device). Note that variables such as a contact list for sequentially storing output candidate contacts are initialized when the inquiry process starts.

In S701, the server device 111 refers to the device management table 500 to obtain the record of the inquired device (inquired device record), and determines whether a specific contract (e.g., a contract to use a cloud monitoring service) has been concluded based on the information in the contract status 504 of the inquired device record. If the server device 111 determines that the specific contract has been concluded, it proceeds to S703, and if it determines that the specific contract has not been concluded, it proceeds to S702.

In S702, the server device 111 outputs information that there is no contact information for the inquiring device. For example, the server device 111 transmits information that there is no contact information for the inquiring device to the user terminal 150 or device 120 that sent the inquiry request. The user terminal 150 or device 120 that sent the inquiry request displays information that there is no contact information for the inquiring device.

In S703, the server device 111 determines whether the state of the queried device is an alarm or an abnormal stop based on the information in the device status 505 of the queried device record. If the server device 111 determines that the state of the queried device is an alarm or an abnormal stop, it proceeds to S704, and if it determines that the state of the queried device is neither an alarm nor an abnormal stop, it proceeds to S708.

Here, priorities may be set according to the state of the device 120. For example, the lowest priority "4" corresponds to normal, the second lowest priority "3" corresponds to maintenance inspection, the second highest priority "2" corresponds to an alarm and is higher than maintenance inspection, and the highest priority "1" corresponds to an abnormal stop. In this case, when a single device 120 includes multiple states in the determination of S703, the determination is made for the state with the highest priority. For example, when the state of the device 120 includes maintenance inspection and abnormal stop, the determination of S703 determines that it is an abnormal stop.

In S704, the server device 111 determines whether the difficulty of the task for the queried device is relatively high based on the information in the difficulty level 506 of the queried device record. For example, if the difficulty level is set to "high" or "low", it determines whether the difficulty level is "high", and if a numerical value is set for the difficulty level, it determines whether the difficulty level exceeds a threshold. If the server device 111 determines that the difficulty level of the task for the queried device is relatively high, it proceeds to S705, and if it determines that the difficulty level of the task for the queried device is not relatively high (if it determines that the difficulty level is relatively low), it proceeds to S708.

In S705, the server device 111 determines whether the urgency of the work on the queried device is relatively high based on the information in the urgency 507 of the queried device record. For example, if the urgency is set to "high" or "low", it determines whether the urgency is "high", and if a numerical value is set for the urgency, it determines whether the urgency exceeds a threshold. If the server device 111 determines that the urgency of the work on the queried device is relatively high, it proceeds to S706, and if it determines that the urgency of the work on the queried device is not relatively high (if it determines that the urgency is relatively low), it proceeds to S708.

In S706, the server device 111 adds the contact information of the maintenance desk to the contact list. For example, based on the information of the maintenance desk ID 503 of the inquiry device record, the server device 111 identifies a record in the contact management table 400 that has matching information for the desk ID 401, and adds the information of the desk ID 401 and contact 403 of the identified record to the contact list.

In S707, the server device 111 acquires the contact information of the maintenance staff based on the location information. For example, the server device 111 calculates the distance between the information on location 508 of the inquiry device record and the information on location 604 of each record in the maintenance staff management table 600, and identifies records in the maintenance staff management table 600 that are within a specified distance. The server device 111 then identifies, from among the identified records, a record in which the information on maintenance desk ID 503 and the information on maintenance desk ID 602 in the inquiry device record match, and the information on work feasibility 605 is "work possible," and acquires the information on the maintenance staff ID 601 and contact information 603 of that record.

In S708, the server device 111 adds the contact information of the sales office to the contact list. For example, based on the information of the sales office ID 502 in the inquiry device record, the server device 111 identifies a record in the contact management table 400 that has matching information in the office ID 401, and adds the information of the office ID 401 and contact 403 of the identified record to the contact list.

In S709, the server device 111 adds the contact information of the service station counter to the contact list based on the location information. For example, the server device 111 calculates the distance between the information of location 508 of the inquiry device record and the information of location 404 of each record of the service station counter in the contact management table 400, and identifies records in the contact management table 400 that are within a predetermined distance (e.g., the closest distance). The server device 111 adds the information of the counter ID 401 and contact 403 of the identified record to the contact list.

In S710, the server device 111 adds the contact information of the CSC counter to the contact list. For example, the server device 111 identifies a record of the CSC counter from the contact management table 400, and adds the information of the counter ID 401 and the contact information 403 of the identified record to the contact list.

If the contact information for the sales office is not included in the contact list, the server device 111 may add the contact information for the sales office to the contact list, and if the contact information for the maintenance office is not included in the contact list, the server device 111 may add the contact information for the maintenance office to the contact list. This process can reduce the number of cases where a contact that the user is familiar with is not output.

In S711, the server device 111 removes contacts outside business hours from the contact list. For example, for each record in the contact management table 400 corresponding to a counter ID stored in the contact list, the server device 111 removes from the contact list information of the counter ID whose current date and time is not included in the information on business days 405 and business hours 406.

In S712, the server device 111 selects the top three contacts with the highest priority. For example, the server device 111 selects the top three contacts from among the contacts included in the contact list.

In S713, the server device 111 determines whether or not a contact was selected in S712. If the server device 111 determines that a contact was selected, the process proceeds to S715, and if the server device 111 determines that a contact was not selected, the process proceeds to S714.

In S714, the server device 111 selects the contact information for the night reception desk. For example, the server device 111 identifies a record for the night reception desk from the contact management table 400, and selects the information of the desk ID 401 and the contact information 403 of the identified record.

In S715, the server device 111 outputs the contact information. For example, the server device 111 transmits the contact information of the inquiring device (the contact information selected in S712 or S714) to the user terminal 150 or device 120 that transmitted the inquiry request. The user terminal 150 or device 120 that transmitted the inquiry request displays a screen including the contact information of the inquiring device.

Figure 8 shows an example of a screen (device monitoring screen 810 and contact display screen 820) displayed on the user terminal 150. Note that the screens displayed on the device 120 may be similar, so illustrations and explanations are omitted.

The equipment monitoring screen 810 displays information related to the equipment 120. The equipment monitoring screen 810 allows the user to grasp the operating status of the equipment 120 in real time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When making an inquiry about the equipment 120, the user presses the contact link 811 to display contact information. When the contact link 811 is pressed, the user terminal 150 sends an inquiry request including the equipment information of the equipment 120 displayed on the equipment monitoring screen 810 to the server device 111.

The contact display screen 820 is an example of a screen that includes contact information for the device 120, and displays contact information for a department that can handle inquiries about the device 120. The contact display screen 820 allows the user to make an inquiry to a department that can handle inquiries.

Note that this embodiment is not limited to the above. For example, the server device 111 may send to the terminal 150 an instruction to update the contact information of the service desk on the help screen of an application for using the cloud monitoring service installed on the terminal 150 to the output contact information. For example, if the device 120 is not identified, the contact information of the CSC service desk and the contact information of the night reception desk on the help screen are switched depending on the time.

(II) Supplementary Notes The above-described embodiment includes, for example, the following contents.

In the above embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a contact management system, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be widely applied to various other systems, devices, methods, and programs.

In addition, in the inquiry process of the above embodiment, at least one of the processes S701, S702, S704, S705, S707, and S709 to S714 may be omitted. In addition, the order of the processes in the inquiry process may be changed as appropriate.

In the above embodiment, when the contact link 811 is pressed, the user terminal 150 sends an inquiry request including device information of the device 120 displayed on the device monitoring screen 810 to the server device 111. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the server device 111 may periodically read device information of the managed devices 120 (sequentially inputting information of the device ID 501 in the device management table 500), identify the latest contact information for each device 120, and output the latest contact information to the device 120 and the user terminal 150.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, some or all of the programs may be installed in the server device 111 from a program source. The program source may be, for example, a program distribution server connected via a network or a computer-readable recording medium (e.g., a non-transitory recording medium). In the above description, two or more programs may be realized as one program, and one program may be realized as two or more programs.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of each table is an example, and one table may be divided into two or more tables, or all or part of two or more tables may be one table.

In addition, in the above embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the information related to the contact management system is described using a table, but the data structure is not limited to a table. The information related to the contact management system may be expressed using a data structure other than a table, such as XML (Extensible Markup Language), YAML (YAML Ain't a Markup Language), a hash table, a tree structure, etc.

In addition, the screens shown and described in the above embodiment are merely examples, and any design may be used as long as the information received is the same.

In addition, the screens shown and described in the above embodiment are merely examples, and any design may be used as long as the information presented is the same.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the output of information is not limited to display on a display. The output of information may be audio output from a speaker, output to a file, printing on paper media using a printing device, projection on a screen using a projector, or other forms.

In addition, in the above description, information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in a storage device such as a memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD.

The above-described embodiment has the following characteristic configurations:

(1)
A contact management system (e.g., the contact management system 100) that manages status information (information such as a contract status 504, an equipment status 505, a difficulty level 506, and an urgency level 507) relating to the status of a device to be managed (e.g., a device 120), contact information (information such as a sales contact ID 502, a maintenance contact ID 503, and the like) indicating a plurality of contacts relating to the device to be managed, and contact information (e.g., information on contact 403) indicating the contact information of each of the plurality of contacts, and the contact management system (e.g., the contact management system 100) that manages status information (information such as a contract status 504, an equipment status 505, a difficulty level 506, and an urgency level 507) relating to the status of a device to be managed, contact information (information such as a sales contact ID 502, a maintenance contact ID 503, and the like) indicating the contact information of each of the plurality of contacts, and the contact management system (e.g., the contact management system 100) that manages status information (information such as a contract status 504, an equipment status 505, a difficulty level 506, and an urgency level 507) relating to the device to be managed, and the device being queried based on the device information of the managed device, and identifies from the identified multiple contact points an contact point that can receive inquiries based on status information of the device being queried; and an output unit (output unit 224, circuit, server device 111, computer capable of communicating with server device 111) that outputs contact information for the contact point identified by the identification unit.

In the above configuration, contact information for a contact point that can be contacted is output based on status information related to the device status from among multiple contact points, so it is possible to avoid, for example, a situation in which an inquiry is made to a contact point that cannot accept inquiries.

(2)
The contact management system manages date and time information (information such as business days 405 and business hours 406) indicating the dates and times when inquiries can be made to the counters, and the identification unit identifies a counter on a date and time when inquiries can be received from among the counters identified based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, based on the date and time information and the date and time information of the date and time when the inquiry about the device information was made input by the input unit (e.g., see S711).

The above configuration makes it possible to avoid situations where inquiries are made outside business hours, for example.

(3)
The contact management system manages contact information indicating the contact information of a support desk (e.g., a night-time reception desk) that can accept inquiries regarding the managed equipment, and if the identification unit determines that there is no desk available on a date and time when inquiries can be received, it identifies the support desk (e.g., see S713 and S714).

According to the above configuration, for example, even if an inquiry is made outside the office hours, the inquiry can be received at the support desk.

(4)
The contact management system includes a change unit (change unit 225, circuit, server device 111, computer capable of communicating with server device 111) capable of changing date and time information managed by the contact management system.

According to the above configuration, for example, if the date and time when inquiries can be made to the counter changes, the person in charge at the counter can change the date and time information for the counter, so that the user can contact the appropriate counter.

(5)
The status information managed by the contact management system includes contract information (e.g., information on contract status 504) indicating whether a specific contract (e.g., a contract to use a cloud monitoring service) has been concluded for the managed device, and the identification unit determines whether the specific contract has been concluded for the device that is the subject of the inquiry identified by the device information input by the input unit based on the contract information (e.g., see S701), and if the identification unit determines that the specific contract has not been concluded for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the output unit outputs a message to the effect that there is no office that can receive inquiries (e.g., see S702).

According to the above configuration, for example, the output of contact information is controlled based on whether or not a specific contract has been concluded, so that the user can make inquiries to the appropriate contact information if a specific contract has been concluded.

(6)
The contact management system manages authority information (e.g., information on authority 407) indicating the authority granted to a counter organization, and is equipped with a change unit (change unit 225, circuit, server device 111, computer capable of communicating with server device 111) that can change the counter information managed by the contact management system, and based on a request from a specific counter organization to change the counter information of a specific device to other counter information, the change unit determines whether the organization has been granted the authority to change the counter information of the specific device based on the authority information granted to the organization, and if it determines that the organization has been granted the authority, changes the contact information of the specific device to the other counter information.

In the above configuration, the authority to change the contact information is granted to the organization. For example, the organization can obtain the authority to change the contact information for a specific device through a contract or the like, thereby securing the contact for that device.

(7)
The status information managed by the contact management system includes status information (e.g., information on device status 505) indicating the status of work performed on the managed device, and the multiple contact points related to the managed device include a sales contact point for selling the device and a maintenance contact point for maintaining the device. When the identification unit determines based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry that specified work is not required for the device (e.g., when the determination result of S703 is NO), it identifies a sales contact point from among the multiple contact points related to the device (e.g., see S708).

According to the above configuration, contact information is output according to the necessity of a specific task, so that, for example, a user can reduce the situation where he or she mistakenly contacts the maintenance office when a device requires maintenance that does not require a specific task, such as repairing the device.

(8)
The status information managed by the contact management system includes difficulty information (e.g., difficulty level 506) indicating the difficulty of the work in the status of the managed device, and when the identification unit determines that the specified work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, and determines that the difficulty of the work for the device is relatively low based on the difficulty information (e.g., when the determination result of S704 is NO), it identifies a sales outlet from among multiple outlets related to the device (e.g., see S708).

According to the above configuration, for example, contact information is output according to the difficulty level of the task, so that if the difficulty level of the task is low, the user can avoid having to contact the maintenance office.

(9)
The status information managed by the contact management system includes urgency information (e.g., information of urgency 507) indicating the urgency of the work in the status of the managed device, and when the identification unit determines that the specified work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, and determines that the urgency of the work for the device is relatively low based on the urgency information (e.g., when the determination result of S705 is NO), it identifies a sales outlet from among multiple outlets related to the device (e.g., see S708).

According to the above configuration, for example, contact information is output according to the urgency of the work, so that if the urgency of the work is low, the user can avoid contacting the maintenance office.

(10)
The contact management system manages location information of the managed equipment (e.g., information on location 508), contact information indicating the contact information of a maintenance staff member belonging to the maintenance desk organization (e.g., information on contact 603), and location information of the maintenance staff (e.g., information on location 604). When the identification unit determines that the specified work is necessary for the equipment that is the subject of the inquiry, it identifies a maintenance desk from among multiple desks related to the equipment (e.g., see S706), and identifies a maintenance staff member based on the location information of the equipment and the location information of the maintenance staff member (e.g., see S707). The output unit outputs the contact information of the maintenance desk and the contact information of the maintenance staff member.

According to the above configuration, for example, when a specific task needs to be performed on a device, contact information for the maintenance office and the maintenance staff are output, so that the user can contact the maintenance office and/or the maintenance staff depending on the situation.

(11)
The contact management system manages contact information indicating contact information for a customer service desk (e.g., a CSC service desk) of an organization that provides the contact management system, and the output unit outputs the contact information for the customer service desk.

According to the above configuration, for example, contact information for the customer service center is output, so that even if a user does not know which center to contact, the user can make an inquiry to the customer service center of the contact management system.

(12)
The contact management system manages location information of the managed device (e.g., information on location 508), contact information indicating the contact information of service stations located in each region, and location information of the service stations (e.g., information on location 404), the identification unit identifies a service station based on the location information of the device being queried and the location information of each service station (e.g., see S709), and the output unit outputs the contact information of the service station.

According to the above configuration, for example, contact information for service stations located within a specified distance from the device is output, so that even if a user does not know which service station to contact, the user can make an inquiry to the nearest service station.

(13)
The input unit inputs device information capable of identifying the device that is the subject of the inquiry, which is sent from a user terminal (e.g., user terminal 150), and the output unit sends contact information for the office identified by the identification unit to the user terminal.

According to the above configuration, for example, contact information is output to the user terminal, so that the user can grasp the operating status of the equipment in real time 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through remote monitoring using the cloud, and can make inquiries according to the status of the equipment.

When there are multiple contact points identified by the identification unit, the output unit may determine the order in which the contact information for each of the multiple contact points is displayed on the screen based on the status information of the device that is the target of the inquiry. According to the above configuration, for example, the order in which the contact information is displayed is changed depending on the status of the device, so that the user can make an inquiry depending on the status of the device.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned configurations may be modified, rearranged, combined, or omitted as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It should be understood that an item in a list in the format "at least one of A, B, and C" can mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C). Similarly, an item in a list in the format "at least one of A, B, or C" can mean (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C).

100...contact management system, 111...server device, 120...equipment.

Claims (15)

A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
The status information managed by the server device includes contract information indicating whether or not a specific contract has been concluded for the device to be managed,
The identification unit determines whether or not the specified contract has been concluded for the inquired device identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contract information;
the output unit outputs a message indicating that there is no contact point for receiving inquiries when the identification unit determines that the specific contract has not been concluded for the device that is the subject of the inquiry.
Server device. A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
The server device manages authority information indicating an authority given to an organization of a contact point;
A change unit capable of changing the contact information managed by the server device,
The change unit, based on a request from a specific contact organization to change the contact information of the specific device to other contact information, determines whether the organization is authorized to change the contact information of the specific device based on authority information granted to the organization, and when it is determined that the organization is authorized, changes the contact information of the specific device to the other contact information.
Server device. A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
the status information managed by the server device includes status information indicating a status of an operation on the managed device,
The plurality of contact points related to the devices to be managed include a sales contact point related to the sale of the devices and a maintenance contact point related to the maintenance of the devices,
When it is determined that a predetermined operation is not required for the device based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of sales outlets related to the device;
the status information managed by the server device includes difficulty level information indicating the difficulty level of the task in the status of the device to be managed,
when it is determined that the predetermined work is necessary for the inquired device, and when it is determined that the difficulty level of the work for the device is relatively low based on the difficulty level information, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of outlets related to the device.
Server device. A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
the status information managed by the server device includes status information indicating a status of an operation on the managed device,
The plurality of contact points related to the devices to be managed include a sales contact point related to the sale of the devices and a maintenance contact point related to the maintenance of the devices,
When it is determined that a predetermined operation is not required for the device based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of sales outlets related to the device;
the status information managed by the server device includes urgency information indicating the urgency of an operation in the status of the managed device,
when it is determined that the predetermined work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, and when it is determined that the urgency of the work for the device is relatively low based on the urgency information, the specifying unit specifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of outlets related to the device.
Server device. A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
the status information managed by the server device includes status information indicating a status of an operation on the managed device,
The plurality of contact points related to the devices to be managed include a sales contact point related to the sale of the devices and a maintenance contact point related to the maintenance of the devices,
When it is determined that a predetermined operation is not required for the device based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of sales outlets related to the device;
the server device manages location information of the managed devices, contact information indicating contact information of a maintenance staff member belonging to a maintenance contact organization, and location information of the maintenance staff member;
When the identification unit determines that the predetermined work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a maintenance contact point from among a plurality of contact points related to the device, and identifies a maintenance worker based on location information of the device and location information of the maintenance worker;
The output unit outputs contact information of the maintenance office and contact information of the maintenance staff.
Server device. A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
the server device manages location information of the devices to be managed, contact information indicating contact information of service stations provided in each area, and location information of the service stations;
The identification unit identifies a service station based on information on a location of the device to be queried and information on a location of each service station,
The output unit outputs contact information of the service station.
Server device. A server device that manages status information related to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points related to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit for inputting device information capable of identifying a device in order to make an inquiry about the device;
a specification unit that specifies a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifies a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit that outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Equipped with
The input unit inputs device information capable of identifying the device to be queried, the device information being transmitted from a user terminal;
The output unit transmits contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit to the user terminal.
Server device. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The status information managed by the contact management method includes contract information indicating whether or not a specific contract has been concluded for the device to be managed,
The identification unit determines whether or not the specified contract has been concluded for the inquired device identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contract information;
the output unit outputs a message indicating that there is no contact point for receiving inquiries when the identification unit determines that the specific contract has not been concluded for the device that is the subject of the inquiry.
How to manage contacts. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contacts relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contacts,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The contact management method includes managing authority information indicating an authority granted to an organization of a contact point;
A change unit capable of changing the contact information managed by the contact management method,
determining whether or not the organization is authorized to change the contact information, and if it is determined that the organization is authorized, changing the contact information of the predetermined device to other contact information;
How to manage contacts. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contacts relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contacts,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The situation information managed by the contact management method includes status information indicating a status of an operation on the device to be managed,
The plurality of contact points related to the devices to be managed include a sales contact point related to the sale of the devices and a maintenance contact point related to the maintenance of the devices,
When it is determined that a predetermined operation is not required for the device based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of sales outlets related to the device;
The situation information managed by the contact management method includes difficulty level information indicating the difficulty level of the task in the status of the device to be managed,
when it is determined that the predetermined work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, and when it is determined that the degree of difficulty of the work for the device is relatively low based on the degree of difficulty information, the specification unit specifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of outlets related to the device.
How to manage contacts. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contacts relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contacts,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The situation information managed by the contact management method includes status information indicating a status of an operation on the device to be managed,
The plurality of contact points related to the devices to be managed include a sales contact point related to the sale of the devices and a maintenance contact point related to the maintenance of the devices,
When it is determined that a predetermined operation is not required for the device based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of sales outlets related to the device;
The situation information managed by the contact management method includes urgency information indicating the urgency of the work in the status of the device to be managed,
when it is determined that the predetermined work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, and when it is determined that the urgency of the work for the device is relatively low based on the urgency information, the specifying unit specifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of outlets related to the device.
How to manage contacts. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The situation information managed by the contact management method includes status information indicating a status of an operation on the device to be managed,
The plurality of contact points related to the devices to be managed include a sales contact point related to the sale of the devices and a maintenance contact point related to the maintenance of the devices,
When it is determined that a predetermined operation is not required for the device based on the status information of the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a sales outlet from among a plurality of sales outlets related to the device;
The contact management method includes managing location information of the managed device, contact information indicating contact information of a maintenance staff member belonging to a maintenance contact organization, and location information of the maintenance staff member;
When the identification unit determines that the predetermined work is necessary for the device that is the subject of the inquiry, the identification unit identifies a maintenance contact point from among a plurality of contact points related to the device, and identifies a maintenance worker based on location information of the device and location information of the maintenance worker;
The output unit outputs contact information of the maintenance office and contact information of the maintenance staff.
How to manage contacts. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The contact management method includes managing location information of the managed device, contact information indicating contact information of a service station provided for each region, and information on the location of the service station;
The identification unit identifies a service station based on information on a location of the device to be queried and information on a location of each service station,
The output unit outputs contact information of the service station.
How to manage contacts. 1. A contact management method for managing status information relating to a status of a device to be managed, contact information indicating a plurality of contact points relating to the device to be managed, and contact information indicating contact information for each of the plurality of contact points,
an input unit inputs device information capable of identifying a device for making an inquiry to the device;
a specifying unit specifying a plurality of contact points related to the device to be queried, which is identified by the device information input by the input unit, based on the contact information of the device to be managed, and specifying a contact point that can receive inquiries from among the plurality of identified contact points, based on status information of the device to be queried;
an output unit outputs contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit;
Including,
The input unit inputs device information capable of identifying the device to be queried, the device information being transmitted from a user terminal;
The output unit transmits contact information of the counter identified by the identification unit to the user terminal.
How to manage contacts. A system comprising: a server device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a computer that communicates with the server device,
the computer includes at least one of the input unit and the output unit instead of the server device;
the server device includes elements among the input unit, the identification unit, and the output unit other than elements included in the computer;
Contact management system.

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