Method and system for carrying out maintenance or service operations on machines

• US 20070266424A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag
• Original Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag
• Inventors: Oelsner, Tom, Haaf, Franz
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration

Abstract

A method for carrying out maintenance or service operations on machines, includes transmitting data for a maintenance or service requirement by the computer of the machine over a publicly accessible communications network to a management computer. The management computer checks the status of the machine through the computer of the machine for permissible authorizations. The corresponding service or maintenance operations are carried out on the basis of the authorization of the machine detected by the management computer. The service or maintenance requirement can also be reported by the computer of the machine over the publicly accessible communications network to the management computer, and the management computer can create a checklist for processing the required service and maintenance measures, on the basis of at least one error message received, and can transmit it to the computer of the machine. A system is also provided for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out maintenance or service operations on a machine, the method comprising the following steps:

transmitting data for a maintenance or service requirement from a computer of the machine, over a publicly accessible communications network, to a management computer;

checking a status of the machine for permissible authorization through the computer of the machine, with the management computer; and

carrying out corresponding service or maintenance operations on a basis of the authorization of the machine detected by the management computer.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transmitting data for clear identification of the machine from the computer of the machine to the management computer.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises activating or blocking control elements on the computer of the machine, with the management computer, on the basis of the detected authorization on a display device.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises initiating a maintenance or service operation when an error message is transmitted to the management computer, assigning a clear identification to the maintenance or service operation with the management computer, and indicating the identification on a display device of the computer of the machine.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises indicating acceptance or rejection of a service or maintenance operation with the management computer on a display device of the computer of the machine.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the machine is a printing machine.

6. A method for carrying out maintenance or service operations on a machine, the method comprising the following steps:

reporting a service or maintenance requirement from a computer of the machine, over a publicly accessible communications network, to a management computer;

creating, in the management computer, a checklist for processing required service and maintenance measures, on a basis of at least one error message received; and

transmitting the checklist from the management computer to the computer of the machine.

7. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises including measures for self-help in the checklist, and indicating the self-help measures on a display device of the computer of the machine.

8. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises automatically processing the checklist transmitted to the computer of the machine in the computer of the machine.

9. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises controlling, with the management computer, an execution of the checklist on the computer of the machine.

10. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises recording an execution of the checklist, on the management computer or the computer of the machine.

11. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises storing a fault table on the computer of the machine.

12. The method according to claim 11, which further comprises updating the fault table stored on the computer of the machine by data transmission from the management computer.

13. The method according to claim 11, which further comprises storing, in the management computer, error messages, service or maintenance inquiries from a machine, evaluating the stored messages, and revising the fault table stored on the computer of the machine with the management computer on a basis of results of the evaluating step.

14. The method according to claim 11, which further comprises supplying an up-to-date fault table for each machine type with the management computer.

15. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises storing the checklist on the computer of the machine and using the checklist by the computer of the machine for further maintenance and service operations.

16. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises deciding, with the computer of the machine, on a basis of the fault table, whether to transmit a fault to the management computer and/or to a display device of the computer of the machine.

17. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises, if a service or maintenance operation is required, providing a possibility of requesting a service or maintenance operation from the management computer with a control element of the computer of the machine.

18. The method according to claim 6, which further comprises making an execution of maintenance or service operations on the computer of the machine dependent on an acknowledgement input by operating personnel.

19. The method according to claim 11, which further comprises fully automatically deriving a request for a service or maintenance operation from the management computer from the fault table, if the computer of the machine is suitably configured.

21. The method according to claim 6, wherein the machine is a printing machine.

22. A system for carrying out maintenance or service operations on a machine, the system comprising:

a management computer remote from the machine;

a computer of the machine for transmitting data for a maintenance or service requirement over a publicly accessible communications network to said management computer; and

said management computer checking a status of the machine for permissible authorization through said computer of the machine, for carrying out corresponding service or maintenance operations on a basis of the authorization of the machine detected by said management computer.

23. A system for carrying out maintenance or service operations on a machine, the system comprising:

a management computer remote from the machine; and

a computer of the machine for reporting a service or maintenance requirement over a publicly accessible communications network to said management computer;

said management computer creating a checklist for processing required service and maintenance measures on a basis of at least one error message received, and said management computer transmitting the checklist to said computer of the machine.