Fusion splicing system, operation control method for fusion splicer, and server

An operation control method for controlling an operation of a fusion splicer including a fusion mechanism configured to fusion-splice optical fibers, and a controller configured to control an operation of the fusion mechanism wherein the fusion splicer is configured to communicate with an external device, by a first information terminal configured to communicate with the fusion splicer, the operation control method comprising:

• acquiring, with the first information terminal, locking release information to release a locking setting on the fusion splicer, the locking setting on an operation of the fusion mechanism being set in the fusion splicer, from a server;
• transmitting, with the first information terminal, a locking release command signal including the locking release information acquired from the server, to the fusion splicer;
• and
• determining, with the controller, whether or not the locking release information included in the received locking release command signal is appropriate,
• wherein the locking setting by the controller is released and the fusion mechanism is temporarily enabled when the locking release information is determined to be appropriate in the determining,
• wherein the locking release information transmitted from the server to the first information terminal includes use period information in which the operation of the fusion mechanism can be temporarily performed, and
• wherein a period in which the locking setting is released is the period in which a worker can use the fusion splicer, and after the period elapses, a locking release of the fusion splicer is invalidated, and the operation of the fusion mechanism is locked again.

A server comprising:

• a storage configured to store identification information of a plurality of fusion splicers, locking release information to release locking setting on an operation of each of the plurality of fusion splicers, and information on a worker who is able to request release of the locking setting on each of the plurality of fusion splicers in association with one another;
• a communication unit configured to receive, from an external information terminal, a request for acquisition of locking release information of at least one of the plurality of fusion splicers;
• and
• a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the worker information included in the received acquisition request matches the worker information associated with the fusion splicer for which the locking release information stored in the storage is requested,
• wherein, when the determination unit determines that the worker information included in the received acquisition request matches the stored worker information, the communication unit transmits locking release information associated with the fusion splicer to the external information terminal,
• wherein the locking release information transmitted from the server to the first information terminal includes use period information in which the operation of each of the plurality of fusion splicers can be temporarily performed, and
• wherein a period in which the locking setting is released is the period in which a worker can use the fusion splicer, and after the period elapses, a locking release of the fusion splicer is invalidated, and the operation of each of the plurality of fusion splicers is locked again.