Point-based customer tracking and maintenance incentive system

• US 7,698,149 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Hiroshi, Araki, Youichi, Hama, Kiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell; Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICKERSON, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US10/929,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 705/1, 705/400, 705/412, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives

Abstract

A computer terminal 110 connected to a manufacturing apparatus 120 as an object of the maintenance management is connected to a server machine 210 providing a maintenance management service by a network 500, enabling bi-directional communication. The computer terminal transmits status information on an apparatus as an object of the maintenance management to the server machine in response to a status information transmission request received from a server at every predetermined interval. The server machine includes a status point information management database for storing status points generated according to status information and determines whether status information has been received at every predetermined interval. Each time it is determined that status information is received, a predetermined point is added so as to update the status points of the status point information management database. This can encourage a customer to perform maintenance by him/herself and reduce workload of a serviceman.

Claims

1. A maintenance management point service system for encouraging customers of an apparatus maintenance management service to perform apparatus maintenance without using a service person from the apparatus maintenance management service, comprising:

a computer terminal of a customer side, connected to an object apparatus serving as an object of maintenance management; and

a server machine for providing maintenance management service for the object apparatus and connected with the computer terminal through a network for a bi-directional communication;

wherein the computer terminal collects status information from the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management, the status information at least including information regarding whether or not the object apparatus is powered on, and transmits the collected status information via the network in response to a request of the server machine;

wherein the server machine includes a status point storage unit for storing points generated based on the status information, the stored points having a point value;

wherein the server machine receives the status information from the computer terminal at specific intervals;

wherein the server machine determines whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is continuously powered on for a predetermined time based on the status information;

wherein the server machine renews points of the status point storage unit by adding a specific number of points to the point value of the stored points upon determining that the object apparatus is continuously powered on for the predetermined time;

wherein the server machine constantly keeps the same point value of the stored points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus is not continuously powered on for the predetermined time;

wherein the server machine further includes a maintenance request storage unit for storing information regarding whether or not customer requests for maintenance;

wherein the server machine constantly keeps the same point value of the stored points of the status point storage unit upon determining that there was a request for maintenance based on the information stored in the maintenance request storage unit, and

whereby the customer is encouraged to perform apparatus maintenance on the object apparatus such that the object apparatus can be continuously powered on and maintenance requests are not made in order to obtain renewal of status points.

2. The maintenance management point service system of claim 1, wherein the status information further includes information regarding whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is in a state of malfunction, and

wherein the server machine does not renew the points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus serving as the object of the maintenance management is in the state of malfunction based on the status information received from the computer terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

4. A server machine, for providing maintenance management service for encouraging customers of an apparatus maintenance management service to perform apparatus maintenance without using a service person from the apparatus maintenance management service, the server machine being connected with a computer terminal of a customer side through a network for bi-directional communication, the computer terminal being connected to an object apparatus serving as an object of maintenance management, the server machine comprising:

a status point storage unit for storing points generated based on status information, the status information at least including information collected by the computer terminal from the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management and indicates whether or not the object apparatus is powered on, the stored points having a point value; and

a maintenance request storage unit for storing information regarding whether or not a customer requests for maintenance;

wherein the server machine receives the status information through the network from the computer terminal at specified intervals;

wherein the server machine determines whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is continuously powered on for a predetermined time based on the status information;

wherein the server machine renews points of the status point storage unit by adding a specific number of points to the point value of the stored points upon determining that the object apparatus is continuously powered on for the predetermined time;

wherein the server machine constantly keeps the same point value of the stored points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus is not continuously powered on for the predetermined time;

wherein the server machine constantly keeps the same point value of the stored points of the status point storage unit upon determining that there was a request for maintenance based on the information stored in the maintenance request storage unit, and

whereby the customer is encouraged to perform apparatus maintenance on the object apparatus such that the object apparatus can be continuously powered on and maintenance requests are not made in order to obtain renewal of status points.

5. The server machine of claim 4, wherein the status information further includes information regarding whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is in a state of malfunction, and

wherein the server machine does not renew the points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus serving as the object of the maintenance management is in the state of malfunction based on the status information received from the computer terminal.

6. The server machine of claim 4, wherein the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

7. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for providing maintenance management point service to a customer and for encouraging customers of an apparatus maintenance management service to perform apparatus maintenance without using a service person from the apparatus maintenance management service, the instructions causing one or more processors of a server machine to perform the following:

connect with a computer terminal of a customer side through a network for bi-directional communication, the computer terminal being connected to an object apparatus serving as an object of maintenance management;

store points in a status point storage unit, the points generated based on status information, the status information at least including information collected by the computer terminal from the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management and indicates whether or not the object apparatus is powered on, the stored points having a point value;

store information in a maintenance request storage unit, the information regarding whether or not a customer requests for maintenance;

receive the status information from the computer terminal through the network at specific intervals;

determine whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is continuously powered on for a predetermined time based on the status information;

renew points of the status point storage unit by adding specific number of points to the point value of the stored points upon determining that the object apparatus is continuously powered on for the predetermined time;

constantly keep the same point value of the stored points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus is not continuously powered on for the predetermined time; and

constantly keep the same point value of the stored points upon determining that there was a request for maintenance based on the information stored in the maintenance request storage unit, and

whereby the customer is encouraged to perform apparatus maintenance on the object apparatus such that the object apparatus can be continuously powered on and maintenance requests are not made in order to obtain renewal of status points.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the status information further includes information regarding whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is in a state of malfunction, and

wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors of the server machine to not renew the points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus serving as the object of the maintenance management is in the state of malfunction based on the status information received from the computer terminal.

10. A processing method of a maintenance management point service system for encouraging customers of an apparatus maintenance management service to perform apparatus maintenance without using a service person from the apparatus maintenance management service, the system comprising a computer terminal of a customer side, connected to an object apparatus serving as an object of maintenance management;

and a server machine for providing maintenance management service for the object apparatus and connected with the computer terminal through a network for bi-directional communication, the processing method comprising;

the computer terminal collecting status information from the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management, the status information at least including information regarding whether or not the object apparatus is powered on;

the computer terminal transmitting the collected status information via the network in response to a request of the server machine;

the server machine storing points in a status point storage unit, the points generated based on the status information, the stored points having a point value;

the server machine storing information regarding whether or not a customer requests for maintenance;

the server machine receiving the status information from the computer terminal at specific intervals;

the server machine determining whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is continuously powered on for a predetermined time based on the status information;

the server machine renewing points of the status point storage unit by adding specific number of points to the point value of the stored points upon determining that the object apparatus is continuously powered on for a predetermined time;

the server machine constantly keeping the same point value of the stored points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus is not powered on; and

the server machine constantly keeping the same point value of the stored points upon determining that there was a request for maintenance based on the information stored in the maintenance request storage; and

whereby the customer is encouraged to performed apparatus maintenance on the object apparatus such that the object apparatus can be continuously powered on and maintenance requests are not made in order to obtain renewal of status points.

11. The processing method of claim 10, wherein the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

12. The processing method of claim 10, wherein the status information further includes information regarding whether or not the object apparatus serving as the object of maintenance management is in a state of malfunction, and

wherein the method further comprises the server machine not renewing the points of the status point storage unit upon determining that the object apparatus serving as the object of the maintenance management is in the state of malfunction based on the status information received from the computer terminal.