Abstract:
A printer monitoring interface is disclosed that uses a combination of dynamic three dimensional representations of a printing system and actual photographic images (still or video) of problem areas to give an operator monitoring the printing system realtime feedback, in both graphical and actual-image form, of areas of the printing system experiencing problems. The graphical images (which may also be actual photographic images) provide the operator with a representation of the overall system, and the actual images of problem areas provide the operator with the ability to actually see the problem that is occurring. The graphical and actual-image views are combined so that the operator can quickly and easily identify where in the system the problem is occurring, and quickly diagnose problems and determine solutions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the monitoring of printing systems and, more particularly, to a system for providing realtime status information for a printing system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The ability to instantly communicate the status of a printer to a user is limited by the text-based and two-dimensional graphical user interfaces used for communicating the printer status in the prior art. Problems are depicted in text format or diagram drawings; such depictions provide a generic representation of a problem and do not fully communicate the actual state of the printer. For example, if a paper jam occurs in the printing system, the printer operator must often reference a diagram displayed on a small screen that displays an iconic representation of the problem area without giving anything other than a general indication where in the printing system the particular area is located. This makes it very difficult to determine precisely where the printer jam has occurred or to diagnose the exact nature of the problem, and is particularly problematic in large, high-production printing systems that may occupy one or more entire room(s). Because these high-production printers are very expensive to run, quickly identifying and diagnosing printing problems and identifying the system state saves time and money by increasing printer up-time. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a printer monitoring system that provides a user with a more realistic depiction of the printing system being monitored and that can display actual views of problem areas correlated to the particular location in the overall printing system in which the problems are occurring. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a machine monitoring interface (e.g., a printer monitoring interface) that uses a combination of dynamic three dimensional representations of a machine and actual photographic images (still or video) to give an operator monitoring the machine realtime feedback, in both graphical and actual-image form, of areas of the machine experiencing problems. The graphical images provide the operator with a representation of the overall system, and the actual images provide the operator with the ability to actually see the problem that is occurring. The graphical and actual-image views are combined so that the operator can quickly and easily identify where in the system the problem is occurring, and quickly diagnose problems and determine solutions. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a three-dimensional graphics engine and dedicated graphics acceleration hardware are used to deliver an accurate representation of the state of a printer. The ability to pan cameras around any printer and view it from any angle, both externally and internally, can be provided. Cameras mounted at selected maintenance points can provide a real view of problems that are occurring. In addition, complex maintenance procedures can be depicted graphically and concisely using the system of the present invention. An interface which uses three-dimensional representations of abstract functions and data for controlling hardware, software, and printing devices on the printing production floor. The console will feature the ability to “fly-through” a representation of the printing production floor and view selected maintenance points from a digital camera view. This interface allows for more realistic depiction and representation of printer state and work-flow interventions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a typical multi-station printing system; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an image displayed to an operator showing an image of a specific portion of the production floor depicted in the block diagram of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a specific aspect of the present invention, whereby an actual image of a real problem area, along with a text message indicating a problem to be resolved; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a basic set of steps that can be performed in accordance with a method of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a typical multi-station printing system. Multiple printing stations  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  are coupled via a network connection to a control console  114 . The network connection can be hardwired, over an internal network, or the internet, for example. 
     The printing stations illustrated in  FIG. 1  can be any type of printing station, for example, a 3900 Duplex Advanced Function printing system manufactured by IBM. The IBM 3900 is a complex system and is thus perfectly suited for use with the present invention. Other examples of printing systems that would benefit from the use of the present invention include small and medium-scale printers that may require operator intervention when some mechanism in the printing process fails, as well as personal-use printers. Because users must often refer to the technical manual or documentation to locate a problem and identify a process to correct the problem, the present invention, which minimizes or negates the need to consult such a manual provides an efficient method of diagnosing and fixing printer errors. Further, the present invention need not be limited to printing systems but instead can be used with any machine/system where monitoring and diagnosing of the operation of machinery is desired, e.g., assembly lines, robotic assembly systems, and the like. 
     In prior art printing systems, printing jobs are fed to the various printing stations and the printing operations are performed thereon. The printing stations may be operated manually by a person who walks up to each printing station, or they can be controlled by control console  114 . Even in situations where the printing is done manually, control console  114  may be used to monitor the operations of the printing stations and alert someone located by the control console of a problem with one or more of the printing stations. 
     As described above, in prior art systems, the only indication of a problem will be an identification of which printing station is having the problem, and a text or iconic representation of the problem area and the problem itself is displayed on a screen at control console  114 . While this can be helpful, it provides only minimal information to assist the user in identifying the location of the problem and diagnosing it. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a display system is provided which can comprise conventional cameras (e.g., digital cameras or video cameras) that are positioned within the printing systems at locations where problems or other maintenance activities typically occur (e.g., around paper feeders, near paper paths, etc.). In addition, another display system is provided comprising still or video cameras situated at various locations on the production floor to provide overview images of the various printing stations. In a preferred embodiment, the cameras can be panned by a user so that they may be positioned to view specific locations when desired. 
     A processor is also provided configured (e.g., via software) to enable selected images (still or video) to be juxtaposed upon an overall image of the production floor on the display device, with a visual link made on the display device between the specific image and the overall image to identify which printing station the specific image is associated with. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an image displayed to an operator, e.g., on a display device located at control console  114 , shows an image of a specific portion of the production floor depicted in the block diagram of  FIG. 1 . More specifically, the image shows printing station  102  on the left and printing station  108  on the right. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided. For example, a display area  220  shows a block diagram similar to that of  FIG. 1 , identifying the various printing stations on the production floor. A designator  222  illustrates the particular portion of the production floor being displayed on the display device  214 . In this example, the pointer  222  is pointing towards the printing station  108  in the upper right of the production floor depiction, and as can be seen in the display of display device  214 , printing station  108  is in direct view, while printing station  102  is also in view on the left side. In other words, the user can look at display  220  and the designator  222  and know approximately which portion of the production floor the camera is currently displaying on display device  214 . 
     Although no text is shown, message areas  224  and  226  are provided to provide various messages which may also be provided, in text format, to the user. In addition, controls  228  are provided which, in connection with a mouse or through the use of a touch screen, allow various control functions to be accessed. For example, the panning of the camera can be controlled by controls  228  and video replays of what is being shown on screen  214  can also be controlled in a well known manner. The controls could also be used to play back videos or animations giving instructions regarding how to fix a particular problem. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a specific aspect of the present invention, whereby an actual image of a real problem area, along with a text message indicating a problem to be resolved, are displayed. Referring to  FIG. 3 , monitor  214  displays an overall view of the production floor illustrated in  FIG. 1  and juxtaposed thereon is a viewer  330 . Viewer  330  displays an image  332  of a specific problem occurring in printing station  110 . As can be seen, a “trail”  334  visually links the image viewer  330  with the image of printing console  110 , thereby indicating to a viewer of display  214  that the problem shown in viewer  330  is occurring in printing station  110 . A text display area  336  is also shown that provides text information regarding the particular problem being shown in image  332 . In  FIG. 3 , a printer roller area is illustrated with a paper jam occurring. In accordance with the present invention, the image  332  is either a video image showing a live picture of the problem area, or a still photo taken at the time the problem occurred. This provides a user of the present invention with an exact photograph or video image of the problem, and also directs the user to where the problem is occurring. 
     Any information desired to assist the operator can be provided in text area  336 . For example, the text information can identify the nature of the problem, and can also provide instructions as to how to fix the problem. The text can also include a specific printer console number so that the user, in addition to having the visual cues displayed in the images, can also have a text direction as to where the problem is occurring. In addition, as described above, the user may be given the ability to play a video, animation, or even a sound file that will given the user instructions on how to fix the problem. 
     Camera technology and display technology is well known and need not be described further herein. Any known camera and/or display technology may be used to enable the present invention. Likewise, the means of displaying the photographic or video images and the creation of appropriate GUIs to display the images and provide control mechanisms therefor are also well known. Further, control of the cameras and the switching between views, etc. can be performed using known mechanical and/or software methods. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a basic set of steps that can be performed in accordance with the method of the present invention. At step  402 , the operation of the system, e.g., a printing system, is monitored in a known manner. At step  404 , a determination is made as to whether or not a problem has been detected. If no problem has been detected, the process proceeds back to step  402  and the monitoring operation is continued. 
     If, at step  404 , a problem has been detected, then at step  406 , the problem type and location is identified. At step  408 , a camera located in the problem area is activated and photos and/or video images of the problem area are obtained. At step  410 , any available instructions for solving the problem are retrieved, e.g., from a database or other storage location. 
     At step  412 , a GUI is displayed on a display device (e.g., at control console  114  of  FIG. 1 ) and an overview image of the production floor is displayed, along with the photo/video images of the problem area juxtaposed thereon. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the overview can be a broad-angle view of the entire production floor, and the photo/video images can be displayed in a display area of the GUI. At step  414 , a visual link is provided in the images displayed on the display device, which visual link correlates the photo/video images with their location in the overview image, to thereby correlate the photo/video images with the particular location in the overview image. This provides a link to the viewer between the problem area and the problem that is occurring in that problem area. At the same time, if desired, instructions and/or instructional video/animation can be provided to the user in the GUI display to provide instructions on correcting any problems that are occurring. At step  416  the process ends. 
     The above-described steps can be implemented using standard well-known programming techniques. The novelty of the above-described embodiment lies not in the specific programming techniques but in the use of the steps described to achieve the described results. Software programming code which embodies the present invention is typically stored in permanent storage. In a client/server environment, such software programming code may be stored with storage associated with a server. The software programming code may be embodied on any of a variety of known media for use with a data processing system, such as a diskette, or hard drive, or CD ROM. The code may be distributed on such media, or may be distributed to users from the memory or storage of one computer system over a network of some type to other computer systems for use by users of such other systems. The techniques and methods for embodying software program code on physical media and/or distributing software code via networks are well known and will not be further discussed herein. 
     It will be understood that each element of the illustrations, and combinations of elements in the illustrations, can be implemented by general and/or special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or steps, or by combinations of general and/or special-purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     These program instructions may be provided to a processor to produce a machine, such that the instructions that execute on the processor create means for implementing the functions specified in the illustrations. The computer program instructions may be executed by a processor to cause a series of operational steps to be performed by the processor to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the processor provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the illustrations. Accordingly, the figures support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. 
     Although the present invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment thereof, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art and it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.