Abstract:
Access managing apparatus, maintenance operation-assisting access managing apparatus, access management object apparatus, maintenance operation access management object apparatus, and methods therefor. The apparatus and methods reduce the burden on managers, administrators, operators, or monitoring center personnel regarding management of access to facilities, installations, or equipment. Access management operations include the entry into a facility, installation or equipment for operations, the acquisition of control right, and the issuance of a password for an operation database. When requesting an operation, logic keys are extracted in advance that provide the right of access to the facility, installation or equipment requiring a series of operation to be implemented by the operator. The logic keys or their temporary versions are transmitted to the operator.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to the management of access to a facility, an installation, or equipment for entry and operation by establishing an access right. Specifically, the invention relates to an access management apparatus, a maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus, an access management object apparatus, a maintenance access management object apparatus, methods of such management, a maintenance operation bidding method, and programs therefor.  
           [0003]    2. Background Art  
           [0004]    In the management of large-sized systems such as buildings, elevators, manufacturing equipment in factories, plant equipment, power or railroad facilities, the task of monitoring such facilities, installations or equipment and that of actually entering the premise and operating the relevant machinery are assigned to different persons. Typically, a monitor worker at a monitoring center continuously monitors information gathered by various on-site devices or sensors and transmitted via a communication network to the center. If a trouble occurs, he or she dispatches an appropriate worker (“operator”) to the site for taking care of the trouble.  
           [0005]    When the dispatched operator is to initiate a task, the question of access management arises as a practical matter. For example, suppose the electric power supply facility in a condominium has failed. The operator enters the building and goes inside the compartment where the power supply facility is installed. He or she might also need to open the control panel of the facility. All these steps usually require a number of keys, which the worker typically borrows from the manager or administrator of the building.  
           [0006]    In recent years, so-called gate control technologies have been developed and it is now possible to open doors not with physical keys but with the entry of a password or the presentation of an ID card on which key information is recorded. The use of such keys, known as “logic keys,” is expected to be the dominant access management tool in the future.  
           [0007]    Further, when the operator wants to obtain information regarding parts or specifications, such as a manual, for the maintenance of a facility or equipment in the condominium, for example, he or she usually contacts the building&#39;s manager or administrator, monitoring-center personnel, or the manufacturer of the equipment. However, people such as the manager of the condominium or the monitoring-center personnel are not usually knowledgeable about the relevant technical matter and are often incapable of offering appropriate responses to the operator&#39;s inquiry. This problem is being partly addressed by the use of portable terminals, which allow the operator to access a database of parts or specification information. In this case, however, the operator still has to enter a password for access to the database, and he or she has to first contact the monitoring center (typically the monitor worker) and ask for an appropriate password.  
           [0008]    JP Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 2001-222621 A (“Maintenance-assisting terminal apparatus, maintenance management apparatus, and maintenance-assisting method”) and 2001-111704 A (“Building management system”) disclose methods and apparatus for improving the efficiency of access management in maintenance operation. The former relates to a method and system in which a necessary access right is granted to maintenance personnel based on a maintenance schedule (indicating the identity of maintenance personnel and the date and nature of maintenance). The latter relates to a system whereby terminal devices are prevented from accessing, via communication lines, building management systems other than designated ones.  
           [0009]    JP Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 2001-76270 A (“Security system”) and 2000-137884 A (“Building management apparatus”) disclose methods and systems for granting log-on rights to terminal devices based on personal authentication before entry into a facility or room.  
           [0010]    JP Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 2000-330623 A (“Wide-area operation system”) and 2000-30171 (“Access-right level setting method”) disclose methods and systems for hierarchically managing the right of access to building management systems based on organization or the importance of data.  
           [0011]    JP Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 10-27199 A (1998) and 6-321451 A (1994) disclose access management techniques for maintenance operation using maintenance terminal devices. The former (“Routine maintenance operation chart creating apparatus”) relates to an exclusive control for preventing the overwriting of common information by multiple users when creating a routine maintenance operation chart using a client-server system. The latter (“Method of supplying, storing, and displaying elevator control data”) relates to the centralized management of common parameters for elevator control and the supply of unique parameters via a memory card.  
           [0012]    In the above-mentioned example of the failed electric power supply facility in a condominium, if the failure occurred late at night or on a holiday, the manager or administrator of the building would be more likely to be absent, which would make it difficult to obtain the necessary keys to the building, a room, or control panel of the relevant facility.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    It is therefore an object of the invention to reduce the burden on managers, administrators, operators, or monitoring-center personnel regarding so-called access management operations including the visit to and operation of a facility, installation, or equipment, in order to improve the efficiency of such operations (such as reduction of time and costs) and increase customer satisfaction.  
           [0014]    In order to achieve the object of the invention, the invention provides access managing apparatus, maintenance operation-assisting access managing apparatus, access management object apparatus, maintenance operation access management object apparatus, and methods therefor. According to these apparatuses and methods, when requesting an operation, logic keys are extracted in advance that provide the right of access that would be required in a series of operations to be implemented by the operator. These logic keys or their temporary versions are then used for the management of access.  
           [0015]    In one aspect, the invention provides an access management apparatus for managing operations involving an access management object apparatus, the access management apparatus capable of communicating via a network with an electronic device possessed by, an operator, the access management apparatus comprising:  
           [0016]    an access right establishing unit for establishing the right of access to the access management object apparatus that is necessary for implementing a given operation procedure; and  
           [0017]    an access-right managing unit for transmitting the access right established by the access right establishing unit to the electronic device.  
           [0018]    The access management apparatus preferably comprises an operation procedure creating unit for setting an access management object apparatus necessary for dealing with a given operation event and creating an operation procedure comprised of a sequence of access management object apparatuses in the order of operation.  
           [0019]    When the operation is a maintenance operation on a facility, installation or equipment, the invention provides a maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus for managing maintenance operation involving a maintenance operation access management object apparatus, the maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic device possessed by a maintenance operator via a network, the maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus comprising:  
           [0020]    an access right establishing unit for establishing the right of access to the maintenance operation access management object apparatus necessary for implementing a given maintenance procedure; and  
           [0021]    an access-right managing unit for transmitting the access right established by the access right establishing unit to the electronic device.  
           [0022]    The maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus preferably comprises an access right storage unit for storing knowledge associating maintenance procedures and access rights, wherein  
           [0023]    the access right establishing unit establishes the access right based on the maintenance procedure-access right associating knowledge stored in the access right storage unit.  
           [0024]    For security considerations, the access-right managing unit may erase the access right transmitted to the electronic device after the completion of maintenance operation.  
           [0025]    The maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus preferably comprises a maintenance procedure creating unit for setting a maintenance operation access management object apparatus necessary for dealing with a given maintenance operation event and creating a maintenance procedure comprised of a sequence of maintenance operation access management object apparatus in the order of maintenance operation.  
           [0026]    The maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus preferably comprises a maintenance procedure storage unit for storing knowledge associating maintenance operation events and maintenance procedures, wherein  
           [0027]    the maintenance procedure creating unit creates a maintenance procedure based on the maintenance operation event-maintenance procedure associating knowledge stored in the maintenance procedure storage unit.  
           [0028]    Preferably, in the maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus, which is capable of communicating with a maintenance operation access management object apparatus via a network,  
           [0029]    the access right establishing unit establishes a temporary access right for accessing the maintenance operation access management object apparatus temporarily, wherein the temporary access right is transmitted by the access-right managing unit to the access management object apparatus and the electronic device and is erased after operation. Thus, more consideration can be given to security by establishing temporary access rights.  
           [0030]    Preferably, in the maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus, the maintenance procedure includes a conduct procedure in order for the maintenance operator to arrive at the maintenance operation access management object apparatus. The maintenance procedure may further include an operation procedure to which the operator is obligated based on a contract.  
           [0031]    In another aspect, the invention provides an access management object apparatus that requires an access right for operation, wherein the apparatus can be accessed using the access right transmitted from the access management apparatus.  
           [0032]    In still another aspect, the invention provides a maintenance operation access management object apparatus that requires an access right for operation, wherein the apparatus can be accessed using the access right transmitted from the maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus.  
           [0033]    The invention also provides an access managing method and a maintenance operation-assisting access managing method that have similar features. Thus, the invention can reduce the burden on the people involved in access managing operations, enhance the efficiency of the operation (including reduced time and cost), and increase customer satisfaction. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0034]    [0034]FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an access management apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a maintenance operation-assisting system according to a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 3 shows an example of the data structure of a maintenance request.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 4 shows a maintenance procedure creating step.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 5 shows an example of the maintenance procedure creating knowledge.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 6 shows an example of maintenance procedure information.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 7 shows an access right establishing step.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 8 shows an example of an access right item.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 9 shows an example (1) of the access right knowledge.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 10 shows an example (2) of the access right knowledge.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 11 shows an example (3) of the access right knowledge.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 12 shows an example (1) of the access right information.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 13 shows an access-right managing step.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 14 illustrates the coordination with a gate controller.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 15 illustrates the coordination between a maintenance terminal and a maintenance database managing apparatus.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 16 shows a diagram of the maintenance operation-assisting system according to a second embodiment.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 17 shows an example (2) of the access right information.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 18 shows a maintenance operation bidding method. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0052]    The invention will be hereafter described by way of embodiments with reference made to the drawings.  
         [0053]    A first embodiment concerns an access management apparatus as used in a maintenance operation-assisting system. A second embodiment concerns a maintenance operation-assisting system in which an access management apparatus is connected to an access management object apparatus via a network.  
         [0054]    (First Embodiment)  
         [0055]    The first embodiment, in which an access management apparatus is used in a maintenance operation-assisting system, will be described by referring to the drawings.  
         [0056]    (Access Management Apparatus and Maintenance Operation-Assisting Access Management Apparatus)  
         [0057]    An access management apparatus is capable of communicating with an electronic device possessed by a operator via a network. It manages operations involving an apparatus as the object of access management (“access management object apparatus”), as will be described later. The access management apparatus includes an access right establishing unit for establishing the right of access to the access management object apparatus necessary for implementing a given operation procedure. It also includes an access-right managing unit for transmitting the access right established by the access right establishing unit to the electronic device.  
         [0058]    The access management apparatus also includes an operation procedure creating unit for setting an access management object apparatus necessary for the dealing with a given operation event, and for creating an operation procedure made up of a sequence of access management object apparatus in the order of operation.  
         [0059]    When the operation is a maintenance operation, a maintenance operation-assisting access management apparatus is capable of communicating with an electronic device possessed by a maintenance operator via a network. It manages maintenance operation involving a maintenance operation access management object apparatus. The maintenance operation access management apparatus includes an access right establishing unit for establishing the right of access to the maintenance operation access management object apparatus necessary for implementing a given maintenance procedure. It also includes an access-right managing unit for transmitting the access right set by the access right establishing unit to the electronic device.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an access management apparatus  101 .  
         [0061]    In the case of maintenance operation, the access management apparatus  101  includes a maintenance procedure creating unit  104 , an access right establishing unit  105 , and an access-right managing unit  106 . The maintenance procedure creating unit  104  generates a maintenance procedure to be implemented in response to a maintenance request  103  received from a facility/equipment  102  at the maintenance site, such as, for example, a building, elevator, manufacturing equipment at a factory, plant equipment, or a power or railroad facility. The access right establishing unit  105  extracts access right information necessary for the maintenance operator to implement the maintenance procedure on the site. The access-right managing unit  106  creates, based on the access right information, a logic key  107  to which an access right is given that is necessary for implementing the maintenance procedure, and manages the life cycle of the logic key.  
         [0062]    The maintenance request  103  includes the type of event that occurred (such as an error code or a routine maintenance request message), information concerning the facility/equipment that needs maintenance, information concerning the location of the maintenance site, and information concerning the date of issuance of the request.  
         [0063]    The access management apparatus  101  includes a control device, a storage device unit, and an input/output device. The storage unit stores programs (not shown) for realizing the function of each of these devices, and the programs are activated as necessary. Thus, the programs cause these devices to function as the maintenance procedure creating ( 104 ), access right establishing ( 105 ), and access-right managing ( 106 ), for example.  
         [0064]    (1) Maintenance Procedure Creating Unit  
         [0065]    The maintenance procedure creating unit  104  characteristically sets the maintenance operation access management object apparatus necessary for dealing with a given maintenance operation event, and generates a maintenance procedure comprised of a sequence of maintenance operation access management object apparatuses in the sequence of maintenance operation.  
         [0066]    The maintenance procedure creating unit  104  also characteristically generates a maintenance procedure based on the knowledge about the association of maintenance operation events with maintenance procedures stored in a maintenance procedure storage unit  109 , as will be described later.  
         [0067]    The maintenance procedure characteristically includes a conduct procedure to be followed before the maintenance operator arrives at the maintenance operation access management object apparatus, and an operation procedure to which the worker is obligated by contract.  
         [0068]    As shown in FIG. 1, the maintenance procedure creating unit  104  creates an appropriate maintenance procedure, namely a sequence of maintenance operation, in response to the maintenance request  103  from the facility/equipment  102 , using the maintenance procedure storage unit  109 , in which associations of at least events that occurred and maintenance procedures are recorded.  
         [0069]    The maintenance procedure creating unit  104  also creates a maintenance procedure including a procedure for arriving at the maintenance object apparatus (such as procedures for entering a building or a room), and operations that must be carried out due to contractual obligations between the monitoring/maintenance center and the maintenance operator.  
         [0070]    (2) Access Right Establishing Unit  
         [0071]    The access right establishing unit  105  characteristically establishes an access right based on the knowledge about the association of maintenance procedures with access rights, as will be described later, that are stored in an access right storage unit  110 .  
         [0072]    Specifically, the access right establishing unit  105  extracts access right information (namely a logic key  107 ) using the access right storage unit  110 . The access right information is needed for the maintenance operator to carry out the maintenance procedure created by the maintenance procedure creating unit  104 . The access right information includes electronic key information for entry into a facility or a room, a password for logging in to a terminal of the control apparatus, and a password for accessing databases of parts or specification information. In the access right storage unit  110 , at least individual maintenance operations and access right information necessary for implementing the maintenance operations are stored as associated with one another.  
         [0073]    (3) Access Right Managing Unit  
         [0074]    The access-right managing unit  106  characteristically transmits the access right established by the access right establishing unit  105  to the electronic device, and erase the access right transmitted to the electronic device after the maintenance operation.  
         [0075]    Specifically, the access-right managing unit  106  notifies a maintenance operator  108  of the access right information extracted by the access right establishing unit  105  or a new logic key  107  in which access right information has been compiled. The logic key  107  is preferably stored in a portable electronic medium possessed by the maintenance operator  108  and read out when entering a facility or room, or when logging in to a control terminal, for example. The logic key  107  can be erased after the maintenance operation.  
         [0076]    (Access Management Object Apparatus and Maintenance Operation Access Management Object Apparatus)  
         [0077]    An access management object apparatus requires an access right for operation and is characteristically accessible with an access right transmitted from the access management apparatus.  
         [0078]    A maintenance operation access management object apparatus requires an access right for operation and is characteristically accessible with an access right transmitted from the maintenance operation assist access management apparatus.  
         [0079]    The access management object apparatus and the maintenance operation access management object apparatus include, for example, a building, an elevator, production equipment at a factory, plant equipment, power or railroad facilities or equipment, or, as will be described later, a control apparatus or a gate controller. They require the logic key, which is the access right, for operation when the operator operates on them. As will be described in detail later, the gate controller, for example, receives the logic key from the operator&#39;s maintenance terminal, and instructs a lock opening/closing device to open or close the door if the logic key is valid.  
         [0080]    Thus, when implementing a maintenance operation on a facility or equipment, the access management apparatus  101  automatically extracts necessary access right information depending on the content of the maintenance operation and then generates a logic key connoting relevant access rights. The maintenance operator can thus enter the facility or room using the logic key, log in to the control terminal, and implement the maintenance operation smoothly while referring to the desired database.  
         [0081]    (Maintenance Operation-Assisting System)  
         [0082]    [0082]FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a maintenance operation-assisting system employing the access management apparatus  101 .  
         [0083]    It is assumed that a maintenance object apparatus (CR-01)  203  installed in an equipment room  202  of a Hitachi Dai-ichi Building  201  has failed and is in need of maintenance.  
         [0084]    A control apparatus  204  is connected to the maintenance object apparatus (CR-01)  203 . The control apparatus  204  locally controls the maintenance object apparatus (CR-01)  203  and monitors the operation thereof, for example. The control apparatus  204  is also connected via a network  205 , such as a private or public line, to an access management apparatus  101  at a monitoring/maintenance center  206 , so that it can deliver various types of information concerning the operation of the maintenance object apparatus  203  to the access management apparatus  101 .  
         [0085]    A maintenance database  211  stores information concerning buildings or customers, specification information about various devices and equipment, maintenance manuals, and various report forms, for example. The maintenance database  211  is connected via a maintenance database management apparatus  210  to the network  205 . Thus, one can refer to the contents of the database or register report information using an external network terminal as long as one has a predetermined access right.  
         [0086]    The access management apparatus  101  is also capable of being connected via the network  205 , such as a private or public line, to a portable maintenance terminal  209  in the hands of the maintenance operator  208 . Thus, a maintenance request message or the logic key for access management during maintenance can be transmitted.  
         [0087]    The entrance door to the Hitachi Dai-ichi Building  201  and that to the equipment room  202  are equipped with a gate controller  212  and a door controller  213 , respectively, so that the doors cannot be opened without the logic key. The manner in which the logic key is entered into the gate controller  212  or the door controller  213  is not particularly limited in the present invention. Examples include the use of a numeric keypad, an ID card, and short-distance wireless techniques such as Bluetooth.  
         [0088]    Now a case is considered where a failure occurred in the maintenance operation apparatus (CR-01)  203 . The failure is detected by the control apparatus  204 , which then compiles a maintenance request  103  as shown in FIG. 1 and transmits it to the access managing apparatus  101  via the network  205 . The specific manner of failure detection and the method of communicating maintenance request are not particularly limited in the present invention, and existing monitoring/control systems or communication systems may be employed.  
         [0089]    [0089]FIG. 3 shows an example of the data structure of the maintenance request  103 . In this example, the maintenance request  103  has six data items. A maintenance request ID  301  is a management number the control apparatus  204  gives to the maintenance request  103 . It is HI-020304-002 in this example. An event type  302  indicates the type of the maintenance request  103 , such as an error code for a particular type of trouble that has occurred, or a routine maintenance request message. In the example of FIG. 3, the event type  302  indicates the occurrence of an inverter failure. A request date  303  indicates the date and time of the issuance of the maintenance request by way of a code that, in this example, is “2002. 03. 04-03:56,” meaning 3:56 in the morning of Mar. 4, 2002. An equipment ID  304  is the management code of the equipment in which the inverter failure took place. The code in this example is CR-01. A building ID  305  is the management code of the building in which the equipment is installed. The code in this example is HITACH-01. A room ID  306  is the management code of the room in which the equipment is installed, which is  101  in this example, indicating the equipment room.  
         [0090]    While in the example of FIG. 3 the building ID  305  and the room ID  306  are indicated, these items may be omitted when the building ID  305  and room ID  306  can be obtained from the equipment ID  304  based on an equipment location table (not shown) on the part of the access management apparatus  101 .  
         [0091]    (Access Management Method)  
         [0092]    An access management method is used in managing operations involving an access management object apparatus by communicating with the operator&#39;s electronic device via a network. The access management method characteristically includes the step of establishing the right of access to the access management object apparatus that is necessary for the implementation of a given operation procedure, and the step of transmitting the thus established access right to the electronic device.  
         [0093]    The access management method characteristically includes the step of setting the access management object apparatus necessary for dealing with a given operation event and generating an operation procedure comprised of a sequence of access management object apparatuses in the order of operation.  
         [0094]    When the operation is a maintenance operation, a maintenance operation-assisting access management method is used in managing maintenance operation involving a maintenance operation access management object apparatus by communicating with the maintenance operator&#39;s electronic device via a network. The method includes the step of establishing the right of access to the maintenance operation access management object apparatus necessary for the implementation of a given maintenance procedure, and the step of transmitting the thus established access right to the electronic device.  
         [0095]    Specifically, in the case of a maintenance operation, the access management method activates the step of creating a maintenance procedure in response to the maintenance request  103  in order to create a maintenance procedure, that is, a sequence of maintenance operation, using the maintenance request  103  and the maintenance procedure storage unit  109 .  
         [0096]    Then, the step of establishing an access right is activated, followed by the activation of the access-right managing step, whereby the access right is transmitted to the maintenance terminal, such as the electronic device.  
         [0097]    (1) Maintenance Procedure Creating Step  
         [0098]    The maintenance procedure creating step includes the step of setting an access management object apparatus necessary for dealing with a given maintenance operation event and creating a maintenance procedure comprised of an arrangement of access management object apparatuses in the order of maintenance operation.  
         [0099]    The maintenance procedure creating step includes the step of creating a maintenance procedure based on the knowledge about the association of maintenance operation events and maintenance procedures.  
         [0100]    The maintenance procedure further includes the step of creating a maintenance procedure including a conduct procedure to be followed by the maintenance operator before arriving at the access management object apparatus and an operation procedure to be followed by the maintenance operator due to contractual obligations.  
         [0101]    [0101]FIG. 4 shows a maintenance procedure creating step  400 . In the preset embodiment, the maintenance procedure creating step is comprised of seven steps from step  401  to step  407 . These steps could be considered as consisting of three processing groups, namely a processing step group of steps  401  to  403  for creating a maintenance procedure concerning equipment, a processing step group of steps  404  to  406  for creating a procedure for the maintenance operator  208  before arriving at the location of the equipment, and a processing step group of step  407  for creating other necessary maintenance procedures.  
         [0102]    In the maintenance procedure creating step  400 , equipment ID is obtained in step  401  upon reception of the maintenance request  103 . The equipment ID in the present embodiment is “CR-01” as shown in FIG. 3. In step  402 , the event type is obtained, which in this case is “inverter failure,” as shown in FIG. 3. In step  403 , the maintenance procedures for various devices or types of equipment are extracted from the maintenance procedure storage unit  109 , using the equipment ID and the event type as a key. In the maintenance procedure storage unit  109 , the knowledge is stored in advance about which maintenance procedure should be implemented with regard to a certain type of failure in a certain apparatus. The maintenance procedure storage unit  109  thus stores in advance the maintenance procedures in association with the equipment IDs and event types.  
         [0103]    [0103]FIG. 5 shows an example of the knowledge for creating a maintenance procedure.  
         [0104]    Maintenance procedure creating knowledge  500  is extracted in step  403 . The maintenance procedure creating knowledge  500  relates to a case where the equipment ID  502  is CR-01 and the event type  503  is an inverter failure. The knowledge includes a maintenance procedure knowledge ID  501  of “MENTE-0012” and a maintenance procedure  504  consisting of steps  505  to  509 .  
         [0105]    In step  404 , the building ID is obtained, which is “HITACHI-01” in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3. In step  405 , the room ID is obtained, which is, in the present embodiment, “101,” as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0106]    In step  406 , a maintenance procedure is created by adding a procedure for reaching the apparatus (i.e., the entry into the building or the room) to the maintenance procedures  505  to  509  shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0107]    In step  407 , other maintenance operations, such as those that must be implemented for reasons of contract between the monitoring/maintenance center and the maintenance operator, for example, are incorporated into the thus created new maintenance procedure, thus creating final maintenance procedure information  408 . These other maintenance operations are also stored in the maintenance procedure storage unit  109  in advance. In the present example, it is assumed that the maintenance operator must report the completion of work to the monitoring/maintenance center after exiting the building.  
         [0108]    [0108]FIG. 6 shows the maintenance procedure information  408  generated as a result of the above described processes. The maintenance procedure shown in FIG. 6 consists of  10  maintenance steps, namely steps  601  to  610 . These steps characteristically include operations to be carried out before arriving at the location of the maintenance object apparatus or operations that must be carried out for contractual reasons, as well as the operations for maintenance. These maintenance procedures can be divided into an operation group  611  relating to the gate controller  212 , an operation group  612  relating to the door controller  213 , an operation group  613  relating to the control apparatus  204  and the maintenance object apparatus (CR-01)  203 , and an operation group  614  relating to the maintenance database management apparatus  210 , as shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0109]    (2) Access Right Establishing Step  
         [0110]    In the access right establishing step, an access right is established based on the association knowledge between maintenance procedures and access rights.  
         [0111]    Specifically, in the access right establishing step, access right information that is needed for implementing the maintenance procedure information  408  generated by the maintenance procedure creating step  400  is extracted based on the maintenance operation-access right information associating knowledge stored in the access right storage unit  110 .  
         [0112]    [0112]FIG. 7 shows an access right establishing step  700 . Step  701  is carried out upon reception of the maintenance procedure information  408 . In step  701 , individual items of the maintenance operation information in the maintenance procedure information  408  are examined and necessary access right items are extracted. The access right items refer to the names (items, indexes) of the access rights necessary for implementing a given operation. In the present embodiment, the “maintenance operation-access right item associating knowledge” is stored in the access right storage unit  110  in advance.  
         [0113]    In the maintenance procedure shown in FIG. 6, the “maintenance operation-access right item associating knowledge” as will be described below is extracted.  
         [0114]    In order to implement “Enter Hitachi Dai-ichi Building” in the maintenance step  601 , a “logic key to the gate controller at the Hitachi Dai-ichi Building” is needed.  
         [0115]    In order to implement “Enter equipment room” in the maintenance step  602 , a “logic key to the equipment room electronic door” is needed.  
         [0116]    In order to implement “Log in to control device” in the maintenance step  603 , a “control device ( 204  in FIG. 2) log-in password” is needed.  
         [0117]    In order to implement “Stop apparatus CR-01” in the maintenance step  604 , “a CR-01 ( 203  in FIG. 2) shutdown password” is needed.  
         [0118]    In order to implement “Exchange defective parts according to Chap. 1.2 of manual” in the maintenance step  605 , a “guest-user log-in password” for access to the maintenance database management apparatus ( 210  in FIG. 2) is needed, so that an electronic maintenance manual stored in the maintenance database ( 211  in FIG. 2) can be referred to.  
         [0119]    In order to implement “Report completion” in the maintenance step  610 , a “log-in password for access to the operation report management function” in the maintenance database management apparatus ( 210  in FIG. 2) is needed.  
         [0120]    As a result of the access right item extraction process in step  701 , an access right item  801  is extracted in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8.  
         [0121]    In step  702 , logic keys are extracted that corresponds to the individual items of the access right item  801  based on the access right knowledge stored in the access right storage unit  110  in advance.  
         [0122]    [0122]FIGS. 9, 10 and  11  show examples of the access right knowledge. Numeral  901  in FIG. 9 designates the access right knowledge concerning the Hitachi Dai-ichi Building. This knowledge shows that the value of the logic key corresponding to the access right item “Gate controller logic key” is “ABC999” ( 903 ), and that the value of the logic key corresponding to the access right item “Equipment room electronic door logic key” is “ABC101” ( 904 ).  
         [0123]    Numeral  1001  in FIG. 10 designates the access right knowledge concerning CR-01. The knowledge indicates that the value of the logic key corresponding to the access right item “Control-device log-in password” is “SY8999” ( 1003 ), and that the value of the logic key corresponding to the access right item “CR-01 shutdown password” is “SYS256” ( 1004 ).  
         [0124]    Numeral  1101  in FIG. 11 designates the access right knowledge concerning the maintenance database management apparatus  210  in FIG. 2. The knowledge indicates, for example, that the value of the logic key corresponding to the access right item “Guest-user log-in password” is “GST001” ( 1103 ), and that the value of the logic key corresponding to the access right item “Operation report management function log-in password” is “REP999” ( 1105 ).  
         [0125]    In step  703 , the access right item  801  extracted in step  701  and the logic keys extracted in step  702  corresponding to the individual access right items are compiled, thus creating access right information  704 .  
         [0126]    [0126]FIG. 12 shows the thus created access right information  704 . In FIG. 12, a main item  1207  concerns the object of access management, such as a facility or equipment, and a sub-item  1208  concerns an access right item. In a value  1209 , the logic key is recorded.  
         [0127]    (3) Access Right Management Step  
         [0128]    In the access-right managing step, the access right established in the access right establishing step  700  is transmitted to the electronic device. The thus transmitted access right is erased after the completion of the maintenance operation.  
         [0129]    [0129]FIG. 13 shows an access-right managing step  1300 . Specifically, upon reception of the access right information  704  extracted in the access-right establishing step  700 , a logic-key creating step  1301  is activated to create a logic key. The logic key is then transmitted in a logic-key transmitting step  1302  to the predetermined maintenance operator  208 . The logic key  107  is preferably stored in a portable electronic medium possessed by the maintenance operator  208 , which is, in the present embodiment, the portable maintenance terminal  209 .  
         [0130]    As shown in FIG. 13, the maintenance terminal  209  in the present embodiment includes a communication processing unit  1305 , a logic-key processing unit  1306 , and a logic-key storage unit  1307 . The logic key  107  is sent via the communication processing unit  1305  to the logic-key processing unit  1306  where it is processed, and then stored in the logic-key storage unit  1307 .  
         [0131]    The logic key  107  is read out of the maintenance terminal  209  when entering the facility or room, or when logging in to the control terminal.  
         [0132]    [0132]FIG. 14 illustrates the coordination with the gate controller.  
         [0133]    For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the portable maintenance terminal  209  in the hands of the maintenance operator  208  and a transceiver  1401  for the gate controller  1402  can exchange access right information using a short-distance wireless technology such as a Bluetooth or wireless LAN (IEEE 802. 11b protocol).  
         [0134]    In this case, the transceiver  1401  transmits a message  1405  to the communication processing unit  1305  of the maintenance terminal  209 , requesting a logic key from the terminal. In response, the logic-key processing unit  1306  of the maintenance terminal  209  extracts a logic key  1406  (GST001 in the present embodiment) based on the information in the record  1201  of the access right information  704 , as shown in FIG. 12, that is stored in the logic-key storage unit  1307 . The logic-key processing unit  1306  then transmits the logic key to the transceiver  1401  via the communication processing unit  1305 . The logic key is examined by a gate controller  1402 . If the logic key is valid, the gate controller  1402  instructs a lock opening/closing apparatus  1403  to open the door.  
         [0135]    The manner of communication with the gate controller  1402  or the manner of internal processing is not particularly limited in the present invention and may be based on conventional techniques.  
         [0136]    [0136]FIG. 15 illustrates the coordination between the maintenance terminal  209  and the maintenance database management apparatus  210 . As the maintenance terminal  209  attempts to access the maintenance database management apparatus  210 , the maintenance database management apparatus  210  transmits a message  1501  to the communication processing unit  1305  of the maintenance terminal  209 , requesting a log-in password. The logic-key processing unit  1306  of the maintenance terminal  209  extracts a logic key  1502  (SY8256 in the present embodiment) based on the information about the record  1205  in the access right information  704 , as shown in FIG. 12, which is stored in the logic-key storage unit  1307 . The logic-key processing unit  1306  then transmits the logic key back via the communication processing unit  1305 . The logic key is then examined by the maintenance database management apparatus  210 . If the key is valid, the maintenance database management apparatus  210  grants access to the maintenance database  211  of the maintenance terminal  209 . From this time on, the user can obtain information (i.e., the data in Chapter 1.2 of the manual, in the present embodiment) necessary for maintenance operation from the maintenance database  211 .  
         [0137]    In the present invention, the gate controller  1402 , the maintenance database management apparatus  210  or other control devices are authenticated based on the logic key  107  that is obtained using the maintenance terminal  209  in the hands of the maintenance operator  208 . The details of the manner of individual authentication processes are not particularly limited.  
         [0138]    In a logic-key invalidation process  1303  in the access-right managing step  1300 , an invalidation message  1304  for invalidating the logic key  107  is transmitted to the portable maintenance terminal  209  after a certain length of time has passed since the issuance of the logic key  107  to the maintenance terminal  209 , or after the end of the maintenance procedure shown in FIG. 6. Upon reception of the invalidation message  1304  via the communication processing unit  1305 , the logic-key processing unit  1306  of the maintenance terminal  209  automatically invalidates (erases) the logic key  107  recorded in the logic-key storage unit  1307 .  
         [0139]    Thus, the maintenance operator  208  cannot enter the Hitachi Dai-ichi Building  201  or access the maintenance database management apparatus  210  after completion of the maintenance operation, thereby increasing the level of security.  
         [0140]    While in the present embodiment the logic key for access to the maintenance database  211  is given on the basis of the type of user, it may be given on the basis of the type of event or the type of maintenance operation (such as routine maintenance or emergency operation). In these cases, the range of data that is disclosed to the maintenance operator  208  may be varied depending on the type of the event or maintenance operation, so that access is allowed to only data necessary for the particular type of maintenance operation. This way, the security of the database can be enhanced.  
         [0141]    (Second Embodiment)  
         [0142]    Referring to FIG. 16, a second embodiment concerning a temporary access right will be described. This embodiment is a maintenance operation-assisting system in which the access management apparatus  101  is connected via the network  205  to access management object apparatus such as, for example, the control apparatus  204 , the gate controller  212 , and the door controller  213 .  
         [0143]    The access right establishing unit  105  establishes a temporary access right for temporary access to the access management object apparatus. The temporary access right is transmitted by the access-right managing unit  106  to the access management object apparatus and the electronic device and is erased after the operation is over.  
         [0144]    In the system shown in FIG. 16, all of the devices involving access right authentication (access management apparatus  101 , control apparatus  204 , gate controller  212 , door controller  213 , maintenance database management apparatus  210 , and maintenance terminal  209 ) are connected to the network  205 .  
         [0145]    In the first embodiment, the logic key  107  provides the access right information  704 . Transmitting the access right information  704  itself on the network  205 , such as a public line, can be problematic from a security point of view. To avoid this, a temporary logic key is created in a logic-key creating step  1301  in the access-right managing step  1300  shown in FIG. 13 and used for authentication.  
         [0146]    Specifically, instead of the access right information  704  shown in FIG. 12, access right information  1700  is created, as shown in FIG. 17. The access right information  1700  is identical to the access right information  704  in data structure, but the value of every logic key is “TEMP001,” indicating that they are temporary logic keys created in the logic-key creating step  1301 .  
         [0147]    In a logic-key transmission step  1302  in FIG. 13, each record of the access right information  1700  shown in FIG. 17 is transmitted to a corresponding device.  
         [0148]    For example, a record  1701 , which is a temporary logic key corresponding to “Logic key to gate controller” for “Hitachi Dai-ichi Building,” is transmitted to the gate controller  212  shown in FIG. 16. The following is a breakdown of this process:  
         [0149]    Record  1701 →Gate controller  212   
         [0150]    Record  1702 →Door controller  213   
         [0151]    Record  1703 →Control apparatus  204   
         [0152]    Record  1704 →Control apparatus  204   
         [0153]    Record  1705 →Maintenance database management apparatus  210   
         [0154]    Record  1706 →Maintenance database management apparatus  210   
         [0155]    At the same time as this transmission process, the access right information  1700  is transmitted to the maintenance operator&#39;s maintenance terminal  209  and recorded therein.  
         [0156]    Each device that receives the temporary logic key (TEMP001) is equipped with a function to regard the temporary logic key as a temporarily valid logic key. For example, the gate controller  212  regards “TEMP001,” as well as “GST001,” which is the original logic key, as valid logic keys.  
         [0157]    Thereafter, an authentication process is performed between the maintenance terminal  209  of the maintenance operator  208  and the device requiring authentication, using the logic key “TEMP001.” 
         [0158]    In this system, the invalidation message  1304  “Invalidate TEMP001,” which is issued in the logic-key invalidation process  1303 , is also transmitted to each device requiring authentication, so that “TEMP001” cannot be used as the logic key anymore thereafter.  
         [0159]    The present embodiment is superior from the viewpoint of security because a temporary logic key is used and the authentic logic key for each device requiring authentication is not transmitted over the network. For the same reason, the authentic logic key for each device requiring authentication is not stored in the maintenance operator&#39;s maintenance terminal  209 . Thus, the maintenance operator  208  is prevented from copying and possessing the authentic logic key and using it for other purposes after the maintenance operation is finished, for example, thus increasing the level of security.  
         [0160]    When the individual devices requiring authentication are connected to the network, there is no need for storage of the logic key. Specifically, as long as the access management apparatus  101  stores information concerning to which maintenance terminal  209  in the hands of the maintenance operator  208  the access right item  801  shown in FIG. 8 is given, the authenticating device, upon reception of an access request from the maintenance terminal  209 , can refer the access right item  801  via the network  205  and examine whether or not an access right is given to the maintenance terminal from which the access request has been issued.  
         [0161]    Thus, the burden on communication and internal processes concerning the transmission and reception of the logic key can be advantageously reduced.  
         [0162]    (Business Model)  
         [0163]    Hereafter, a maintenance operation bidding method utilizing the access management apparatus will be described.  
         [0164]    The maintenance operation bidding method is characterized in that, when a maintenance operation is performed using the access management apparatus, a plurality of maintenance operators enter bids for a given maintenance operation and a winner is selected. The winner is then granted the access right.  
         [0165]    The maintenance operation bidding method is characterized in that the maintenance procedure is disclosed to a plurality of maintenance operators.  
         [0166]    The maintenance operation bidding method is further characterized in that the maintenance operators participating in a bidding are charged with participation fees.  
         [0167]    [0167]FIG. 18 diagrammatically shows the maintenance operation bidding method according to the invention.  
         [0168]    A maintenance request  1802  arrives at a monitoring/maintenance center  1803  from a facility/equipment  1801  such as, for example, a building or a factory. An access management apparatus  1804  according to the invention then discloses maintenance procedure information  1807  (corresponding to  408  in FIG. 4) to maintenance terminals  1808  to  1810  possessed by maintenance operators  1811  to  1813  that are potential bidders.  
         [0169]    The maintenance operators  1811  to  1813  then refer to the maintenance procedure information  1807  and transmit bidding information  1814  to a bidding management  1805  at the monitoring/maintenance center  1803 . The bidding information  1814  includes information concerning the bidding price and delivery date.  
         [0170]    At the monitoring/maintenance center  1803 , the bids are evaluated and a maintenance operator ( 1813  in the illustrated example) who has offered the best bid is selected. Then, an order-instructing message  1815  including the logic key (corresponding to  107  in FIG. 1) is transmitted from the order management unit  1806  to the maintenance terminal  1810  in the hands of the selected operator.  
         [0171]    The maintenance operator who has received the order-instructing message  1815  obtains the logic key included in the order-instructing message  1815 . Thus, the maintenance operator can gain access authentication as he or she enters the building or room where the door controller is installed, logs in to the control apparatus, or accesses the maintenance database, and then implement maintenance operation according to the maintenance operation information  1807 .  
         [0172]    The above-described maintenance operation bidding method has the following advantages.  
         [0173]    Advantages for the Monitoring/Maintenance Center:  
         [0174]    Efficiency of maintenance and order managing operations can be enhanced.  
         [0175]    Maintenance operators can be charged with membership fees or rental fees for the maintenance terminals.  
         [0176]    Bids from multiple maintenance operators can be compared, so that the order price can be reduced while maintaining the quality.  
         [0177]    Advantages for the Maintenance Operators:  
         [0178]    Opportunities to participate in a bidding are equally given.  
         [0179]    The maintenance procedure is disclosed in advance, so that proper estimates can be made.  
         [0180]    Maintenance operation can be implemented efficiently using the logic key.  
         [0181]    Advantages for the Client (End-User):  
         [0182]    Maintenance operations can be performed quickly.  
         [0183]    Facility/equipment management fees can be reduced indirectly as a result of reduction of the order price paid to the maintenance operator.  
         [0184]    The manner in which the above maintenance operation bidding method is realized as a system is not particularly limited in the present invention. Thus, the system can be realized using existing client/server implementation technologies, Web server implementation technologies, or other programming technologies.  
         [0185]    While preferred embodiments have been described, many other modifications or variations of the invention are possible. For example, the invention can be applied to the case of entry into and operation of a facility, installation or equipment for a home-delivery business.  
         [0186]    Thus, in accordance with the invention, when a facility, installation or equipment is visited and operated, a variety of kinds of access right information that are needed depending on the content of operations are automatically extracted along with the operation procedure. Then, a logic key is created that includes the access rights. Thus, the operator can implement the relevant operations smoothly using the logic key.  
         [0187]    Further, the invention can speed up operations, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction.  
         [0188]    Further, the maintenance operation bidding method according to the invention can reduce the order price paid to the maintenance operator and speed up the maintenance operation.