# US 11,308,108 B2 · Maintenance information sharing device, maintenance information sharing method, and non-transitory computer readable storage medium

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,308,108 B2
- Document ID: US11308108B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/464,433
- Filed: 2017-03-21
- Published: 2017-09-28
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-23
- Assignees: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Yosuke Ishii; Yasuki Sakurai; Kenji Oishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308108B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/248: Presentation of query results
- G06F 16/176: Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
- G06Q 10/103: {Workflow collaboration or project management}
- G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance
- G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing
- H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- Y02P 90/30: Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A maintenance information sharing device includes a maintenance record obtainer configured to obtain a maintenance record of a maintenance target, a maintenance record storage configured to associate the maintenance record obtained by the maintenance record obtainer with identification information for identifying the maintenance target, the maintenance record storage storing the maintenance record associated with the identification information, a maintenance information generator configured to generate maintenance information based on the maintenance record associated with the identification information and stored by the maintenance record storage, a maintenance information storage which stores the maintenance information generated by the maintenance information generator, a searcher configured to search the maintenance information stored by the maintenance information storage based on the identification information, and a maintenance information provider configured to provide the maintenance information searched by the searcher.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A maintenance information sharing device comprising:
a maintenance record obtainer configured to obtain a maintenance record of a maintenance target and process data of a field device installed in a plant, the maintenance record being at least one of a moving image, a still image, and voice data of the maintenance target to which a maintenance work has been performed;
a maintenance record storage configured to associate the maintenance record and the process data obtained by the maintenance record obtainer with identification information for identifying the maintenance target, the identification information including at least one of date and time, a worker's name, and identification information of the maintenance work defined at a time of maintenance planning, the maintenance record storage storing the maintenance record associated with the identification information;
a maintenance information generator configured to generate maintenance information based on the maintenance record and the process data associated with the identification information and stored by the maintenance record storage;
a maintenance information storage which stores the maintenance information generated by the maintenance information generator;
a searcher configured to search the maintenance information stored by the maintenance information storage based on the identification information; and
a maintenance information provider configured to provide the maintenance information searched by the searcher,
wherein the maintenance information generator is configured to generate the maintenance information for displaying collectively the process data of the field device and the maintenance record which is at least one of the moving image, the still image, and text data converted from the voice data of the maintenance target,
wherein the maintenance information sharing device further comprises an identification processor configured to:
obtain the identification information based on an actual image of the maintenance target photographed by a camera, a position of the camera, and a direction of the camera; and
superimpose a virtual image according to the identification information on the actual image of the maintenance target, the virtual image including an image for supporting the maintenance work,
wherein the image for supporting the maintenance work is an image showing a work procedure, a circuit diagram, a connecting diagram, or a parameter of the maintenance target, and
wherein the maintenance record storage is configured to store the virtual image superimposed by the identification processor as the maintenance record with the actual image of the maintenance target photographed by the camera.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The maintenance information sharing device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a communicator which is communicably connectable to another device through a communication line; and
an identification information obtainer configured to obtain the identification information from the other device which has been connected to the communicator,
wherein the searcher is configured to search the maintenance information stored by the maintenance information storage based on the identification information obtained by the identification information obtainer, and
wherein the maintenance information provider is configured to provide the maintenance information searched by the searcher to the other device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The maintenance information sharing device according to claim 2,
wherein the maintenance record obtainer is configured to obtain the maintenance record from the other device which has been connected to the communicator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The maintenance information sharing device according to claim 2,
wherein the maintenance information generator is configured to generate the maintenance information as contents in a form which the other device can display or play.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The maintenance information sharing device according to claim 2,
wherein the maintenance information generator is configured to generate the maintenance information based on at least one of a resolution and a codec of the other device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The maintenance information sharing device according to claim 1,
wherein the maintenance information generator is a web server which generates a web screen for displaying the maintenance information, and
wherein data of the maintenance record stored by the maintenance record storage is linked to the maintenance information and displayed in the web screen.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The maintenance information sharing device according to claim 1,
wherein the maintenance information generator is configured to generate the maintenance information which includes one or more maintenance records out of a maintenance record of a moving image, a maintenance record of a still image, a maintenance record which has been converted from voice into text, and a maintenance record of logs of a text communication.

### Claim 8

A maintenance information sharing method comprising:
obtaining a maintenance record of a maintenance target and process data of a field device installed in a plant, the maintenance record being at least one of a moving image, a still image, and voice data of the maintenance target to which a maintenance work has been performed;
associating the maintenance record and the process data obtained by the maintenance record obtainer with identification information for identifying the maintenance target, the identification information including at least one of date and time, a worker's name, and identification information of the maintenance work defined at a time of maintenance planning;
storing the maintenance record associated with the identification information;
generating maintenance information based on the maintenance record and the process data associated with the identification information and stored;
storing the maintenance information which has been generated;
searching the maintenance information which has been stored based on the identification information;
providing the maintenance information which has been searched;
generating the maintenance information for displaying collectively the process data of the field device and the maintenance record which is at least one of the moving image, the still image, and text data converted from the voice data of the maintenance target;
obtaining the identification information based on an actual image of the maintenance target photographed by a camera, a position of the camera, and a direction of the camera; and
superimposing a virtual image according to the identification information on the actual image of the maintenance target, the virtual image including an image for supporting the maintenance work,
wherein the image for supporting the maintenance work is an image showing a work procedure, a circuit diagram, a connecting diagram, or a parameter of the maintenance target, and
wherein the virtual image superimposed with the actual image of the maintenance target photographed by the camera is stored as the maintenance record.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The maintenance information sharing method according to claim 8, further comprising:
obtaining the identification information from another device through a communication line;
searching the maintenance information which has been stored based on the identification information which has been obtained; and
providing the maintenance information which has been searched to the other device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The maintenance information sharing method according to claim 9, further comprising:
obtaining the maintenance record from the other device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The maintenance information sharing method according to claim 9, further comprising:
generating the maintenance information as contents in a form which the other device can display or play.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The maintenance information sharing method according to claim 9, further comprising:
generating the maintenance information based on at least one of a resolution and a codec of the other device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The maintenance information sharing method according to claim 8, further comprising:
generating a web screen for displaying the maintenance information; and
linking data of the maintenance record to the maintenance information, and displaying the data of the maintenance record in the web screen.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The maintenance information sharing method according to claim 8, further comprising:
generating the maintenance information which includes one or more maintenance records out of a maintenance record of a moving image, a maintenance record of a still image, a maintenance record which has been converted from voice into text, and a maintenance record of logs of a text communication.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
obtaining a maintenance record of a maintenance target and process data of a field device installed in a plant, the maintenance record being at least one of a moving image, a still image, and voice data of the maintenance target to which a maintenance work has been performed;
associating the maintenance record and the process data obtained by the maintenance record obtainer with identification information for identifying the maintenance target, the identification information including at least one of date and time, a worker's name, and identification information of the maintenance work defined at a time of maintenance planning;
storing the maintenance record associated with the identification information;
generating maintenance information based on the maintenance record and the process data associated with the identification information and stored;
storing the maintenance information which has been generated;
searching the maintenance information which has been stored based on the identification information;
providing the maintenance information which has been searched;
generating the maintenance information for displaying collectively the process data of the field device and the maintenance record which is at least one of the moving image, the still image, and text data converted from the voice data of the maintenance target;
obtaining the identification information based on an actual image of the maintenance target photographed by a camera, a position of the camera, and a direction of the camera; and
superimposing a virtual image according to the identification information on the actual image of the maintenance target, the virtual image including an image for supporting the maintenance work,
wherein the image for supporting the maintenance work is an image showing a work procedure, a circuit diagram, a connecting diagram, or a parameter of the maintenance target, and
wherein the virtual image superimposed with the actual image of the maintenance target photographed by the camera is stored as the maintenance record.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
obtaining the identification information from another device through a communication line;
searching the maintenance information which has been stored based on the identification information which has been obtained; and
providing the maintenance information which has been searched to the other device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
obtaining the maintenance record from the other device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
generating the maintenance information as contents in a form which the other device can display or play.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
generating the maintenance information based on at least one of a resolution and a codec of the other device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
generating a web screen for displaying the maintenance information; and
linking data of the maintenance record to the maintenance information, and displaying the data of the maintenance record in the web screen.