Work support apparatus and work support method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022051163-A1
Application number	US-202117389588-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 30, 2021
Priority date	Aug 13, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A work support apparatus holds a value indicating information on at least one of an apparatus used for a work and a worker, a work change recognition determination algorithm, and a work support content corresponding to a determination result, applies a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker to the work change recognition determination algorithm, determines whether or not the worker recognizes a work change indicating at least one of a change in a work process and a transition between a normal state and an abnormal state of a work, and outputs, to the output device, a work support content corresponding to the determination result.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A work support apparatus comprising:
a processor and a memory, and an output device to which the work support apparatus is connected, wherein the memory holds a value indicating information on at least one of an apparatus used for a work and a worker, work change recognition determination information indicating a work change recognition determination algorithm, and work support information indicating a work support content corresponding to a determination result, and the processor applies a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker to the work change recognition determination algorithm and execute a work change recognition determination for determining whether or not the worker recognizes a work change indicating at least one of a change in a work process and a transition between a normal state and an abnormal state of a work, and outputs, to the output device, a work support content corresponding to a determination result of the work change recognition determination, with reference to the work support information.

2 . The work support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the memory holds work change detection determination information indicating a work change detection determination algorithm, the processor applies a value indicating information of at least one of the apparatus and the worker to the work change detection determination algorithm, and executes work change detection determination for determining whether or not the work change has occurred, and the condition for executing the work change recognition determination includes determining that the work change has occurred at least in the work change detection determination.

3 . The work support apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
when the processor determines that the work change has not occurred in the work change detection determination, the processor does not execute the work change recognition determination and does not change a work support content having been output to the output device.

4 . The work support apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the processor stores, in the memory, a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker when determining that the work change has occurred, and determines whether or not the work change has occurred based on a comparison result between a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker to be subjected to the work change detection determination and a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker when determining that the work change has occurred in a past stored in the memory.

5 . The work support apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the processor determines whether or not the worker recognizes the work change based on a comparison result of values indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker before and after determining that the work change has occurred.

6 . The work support apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the memory holds work change coping determination information indicating a work change coping determination algorithm, and the processor applies a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker to the work change coping determination algorithm, and executes work change recognition determination for determining whether or not the worker has been capable of coping with the work change, and executes the work change recognition determination when determining that the work change has occurred in the work change detection determination and when determining that the worker has not been capable of coping with the work change in the work change recognition determination.

7 . The work support apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
when the processor determines that the work change has occurred in the work change detection determination and determines that the worker has been capable of coping with the work change in the work change recognition determination, the processor does not execute the work change recognition determination and does not change a work support content having been output to the output device.

8 . The work support apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the work support content in the work support information includes information indicating a coping method for the work change and information indicating a situation of the work change, and the processor outputs, to the output device, information indicating a coping method for the work change when the processor determines that the worker recognizes the work change in the work change recognition determination, and outputs, to the output device, information indicating a situation of the work change when the processor determines that the worker does not recognize the work change in the work change recognition determination.

9 . The work support apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the processor stores, in the memory, a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker when the processor determines that the worker has been capable of coping with the work change and when the processor determines that the worker has not been capable of coping with the work change, and determines whether or not the worker has been capable of coping with the work change based on a comparison result between a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker to be subjected to the work change recognition determination and a value, stored in the memory, indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker when determining that the worker has been capable of coping with the work change and when determining that the worker has not been capable of coping with the work change.

10 . The work support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the memory holds skill level information indicating a skill level of the worker, a work support content in the work support information is associated with a combination of a determination result and a skill level, and the processor acquires a skill level of the worker from the skill level information, and outputs, to the output device, a work support content corresponding to a combination of the acquired skill level and a determination result of the work change recognition determination, with reference to the work support information.

11 . The work support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a value indicating information on at least one of the apparatus and the worker includes at least one of a value indicating biometric information on the worker, a value indicating environmental information where the worker and the apparatus are arranged, a value indicating manipulation information on the apparatus, and a value indicating operation information on the apparatus.

12 . The work support apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
biometric information of the worker includes at least one of the worker's line of sight, pupil, heartbeat, and brain waves, the environmental information includes at least one of a position of the worker, a process being performed by the worker, environmental sound at a position where the worker or the apparatus is arranged, and temperature and humidity at a position where the worker or the apparatus is arranged, the manipulation information includes at least one of button manipulation information and dial manipulation information, and the operation information includes at least one of a load to the apparatus, electric power of the apparatus, vibration of the apparatus, and an alert output by the appar

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Kumon Taku
• Hirai Riu

Classifications

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G06Q10/06398 Primary

  Performance of employee with respect to a job function · CPC title

• G06Q10/06316

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• G05B19/409

  characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters (G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05B2219/32007

  Operator is assisted by expert system for advice and delegation of tasks · CPC title