Maintenance/inspection support apparatus and entry/exit management apparatus

• US 6,417,760 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Masayuki, Takemoto, Yasuhiro, Hirayama, Hirokazu, Noto, Naoko, Yoshitake, Ryo, Tsuchida, Yoshiyuki, Mabuchi, Toshiaki, Takagi, Kyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/192,322
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/5.23, 340/5.66, 340/5.3, 340/5.54, 340/5.26, 340/5.31, 340/5.61, 340/10.51, 340/10.41, 340/680, 340/5.5, 340/5.6, 235/435, 235/382, 235/382.5, 709/217, 700/108, 700/109, 700/111, 700/80, 702/182
• US Class Current: 340/5.3
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time

Abstract

This invention is a maintenance/inspection support apparatus including an inspection information storage section storing inspection information of a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets, an inspection information write section for writing, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information stored in the inspection information storage section on a plurality of information recording media corresponding to the plurality of equipments, an inspection information read section for reading, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information written on the information recording media by the inspection information write section, and a display section for displaying the inspection information read by the inspection information read section.

Claims

1. A maintenance/inspection support apparatus comprising:

worker information storage means storing information of a plurality of workers;

write means for writing, in a noncontact manner, worker information of each worker on a worker information recording medium from the worker information stored in said worker information storage means;

equipment information recording media respectively arranged for a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets to store inspection information of each equipment having an equipment code for identifying each equipment;

information read means for reading worker information written on the worker information recording medium and inspection information stored on said equipment information recording medium;

determination means for determining on the basis of the worker information and inspection information read by said information read means whether a worker is an authorized worker for a target equipment; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said determination means determines that the worker is not an authorized worker.

2. A maintenance/inspection support apparatus comprising:

at least one first radio frequency identification medium storing information about a worker;

a second radio frequency identification medium arranged at an entrance of an area serving as a maintenance/inspection target to store area information about the area;

information read means for reading worker information stored on said at least one first radio frequency identification medium and the area information stored on said second radio frequency identification medium by using a radio communication;

determination means for determining on the basis of the worker information and area information read by said information read means whether a worker is an authorized worker to enter into the area; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said determination means determines that the worker is not an authorized person to enter into the area.

3. A maintenance/inspection support apparatus comprising:

at least one radio frequency identification medium storing worker information;

write means arranged at an entrance/exit of an area to be maintained/inspected to write time information representing entry/exit time on said at least one radio frequency identification medium by using a radio communication;

read means for reading, by using a radio communication, the time information written on said at least one radio frequency identification medium by said entry/exit time write means; and

display means for displaying the time information read by said read means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

determination means for determining on the basis of the time information read by said read means, the worker information, and a work permission time for the area whether a work time of the worker in the area exceeds a predetermined work time; and

means for outputting an alarm when said determination means determines that the work time of the worker exceeds the predetermined work time.

5. A maintenance/inspection support time comprising:

worker information recording medium storing map information of an area to be inspected and inspection route information for an inspection work;

equipment information recording media respectively arranged for a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets to store an equipment code for identifying each equipment and inspection information containing an installation location information of each equipment;

information read means for reading the map information and inspection route information recorded on said worker information recording medium and the inspection information stored on said equipment information recording medium;

current position display means for displaying a current position from the map information and equipment installation location information read by said information read means; and

navigation means for displaying a next inspection position destination on the basis of the map information, inspection route information, and equipment installation location information read by said information read means.

6. A maintenance/inspection support apparatus comprising:

equipment information recording media respectively arranged for a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets to store inspection cycle information of each equipment and inspection information containing inspection record information for each equipment;

information read means for reading inspection cycle information and inspection record information from one of said equipment information recording media, which corresponds to an equipment to be inspected;

determination means for determining on the basis of the inspection cycle information and inspection record information read by said information reading means, and current time information whether a difference between the current time and latest inspection time of the inspection record information exceeds the inspection cycle; and

notification means for notifying an inspection of the equipment to be inspected when said determination means determines that the difference exceeds the inspection cycle.

7. An entry/exit management apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency identification medium storing in/out person information having first information representing an in/out person and second information representing entry/exit time of the in/out person;

first read means for reading, by using a radio communication, the in/out person information stored on said radio frequency identification medium;

first determination means for determining exit when latest second information of the in/out person information read by said first read means represents entry time, and entry when the latest second information represents exit time; and

first recording means for recording the entry time on said radio frequency identification medium by using a radio communication when said first determination means determines the entry.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

first adding means for, when said first determination means determines exit, adding exit time information to the first information read by said first read means, and when said first determination means determines entry, adding entry time information to the first information read by said first read means; and

first storage means for storing the first information to which the exit time information is added by said first adding means and the first information to which the entry time information is added by said first adding means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means for storing attribute information of a permitted in or out person;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and the information stored in said second storage means whether an in/out person is permitted to enter/leave;

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the in/out person is not permitted to enter/leave.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means storing information representing an area where in/out person can enter/leave;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and the area information stored in said second storage means whether an area is the area where the in/out person can enter/leave; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the area is not the area where the in/out person can enter/leave.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means storing information representing a work, which can be performed by an in/out person;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and information stored in said second storage means and representing the work which can be performed by the in/out person whether a work is the work which can be performed by the in/out person; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the work is not the work, which can be performed by the in/out person.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means storing information representing a period permitted to an in/out person;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and the information stored in said second storage means and representing the period permitted to the in/out person whether a period is the period permitted to the in/out person; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the period is not the period permitted to the in/out person.

13. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means storing information representing a qualification of an in/out person;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and the information stored in said second storage means whether the in/out person has the qualification; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the in/out person does not have the qualification.

14. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means storing information representing time permitted to an in/out person;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and the information stored in said second storage means whether time is the time permitted to the in/out person; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the time is not the time permitted to the in/out person.

15. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

second storage means storing information representing a route permitted to an in/out person;

second determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means and the information stored in said second storage means whether a route is the route permitted to the in/out person; and

alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said second determination means determines that the route is not the route permitted to the in/out person.

16. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a vehicle information recording medium storing third information representing an attribute of a vehicle and fourth information representing entry/exit time of the vehicle;

second read means for reading, in a noncontact manner, in/out vehicle information stored on said vehicle information recording medium;

second determination means for, when latest fourth information of the in/out vehicle information read by said second read means represents entry time, determining exit, and when the latest fourth information represents exit time, determining entry;

second recording means for recording the entry time on said vehicle information recording medium when said second determination means determines the entry; and

second adding means for, when said second determination means determines exit, adding the exit time information to the third information read by said read means, and when said second determination means determines entry, adding the entry time information to the third information read by said read means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a vehicle information recording medium storing third information representing an article loaded on a vehicle and fourth information representing entry/exit time of the vehicle;

second read means for reading, in a noncontact manner, the in/out vehicle information stored on said vehicle information recording medium;

second determination means for, when latest fourth information of the in/out vehicle information read by said second read means represents exit, determining exit, and when the latest fourth information represents exit, determining entry;

second recording means for recording the entry time on said vehicle information recording medium when said second determination means determines the exit;

second adding means for, when said second determination means determines exit, adding exit time information to the third information read by said read means, and when said second determination means determines entry, adding entry time information to the third information read by said read means;

second storage means for storing attribute information of the article permitted to be loaded on the vehicle;

third determination means for determining on the basis of the third information read by said second read means and the attribute information stored in said second storage means and representing the article to be loaded on the vehicle whether an article is the article permitted to be loaded on the vehicle; and

first alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said third determination means determines that the article is not the article permitted to be loaded on the vehicle.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

third storage means storing fifth information representing a relationship between the article permitted to be loaded on the vehicle and the in/out person permitted to enter/leave;

fourth determination means for determining on the basis of the first information read by said first read means, the third information read by said second read means, and the fifth information stored in said third storage means whether the in/out person corresponds to the article loaded on the vehicle; and

second alarm output means for outputting an alarm when said fourth determination means determines that the in/out person does not correspond to the article loaded on the vehicle.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising information write means for writing a determination result of said fourth determination means as violation information on said information recording medium and vehicle information recording medium when said fourth determination means determines that the in/out person does not correspond to the article loaded on the vehicle.