IP Library Granted Patent US 12676915
Granted Patent B2
US 12676915 · App. 18/709,884 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Service providing device, service providing system, and computer-readable recording medium

Inventor: Hideo Ogino (Minamitsuru-gun, JP)
Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
H04L67/51H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12676915
App. No.
18/709,884
Filed
May 14, 2024
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2459
USPC
709/203
Abstract

A service providing device includes: a request reception unit that receives request information including machine-specific information that uniquely identifies an industrial machine, requested service information that specifies a desired service to use with the industrial machine, and request condition information that includes conditions for using the service; a determination unit that determines whether the service requested by the request information can be provided and the conditions under which the service can be provided, the determination being based on the request information and service information that associates information related to the provision of a service of the industrial machine with the machine-specific information; and a service information providing unit that provides a result of the determination by the determination unit to the industrial machine.

Claims (28)

1 . A service providing device for an industrial machine, the service providing device being for providing service available at the industrial machine under predetermined conditions, the service providing device comprising a processor configured to:

accept request information including at least machine-specific information for uniquely identifying the industrial machine, request service information for specifying service to be used at the industrial machine, and request condition information including use conditions of the service;

determine availability of service requested by the request information and provision conditions, based on the request information and service information that at least information on provision of service of the industrial machine is associated with the machine-specific information;

accept, from the industrial machine, service use start information including at least machine-specific information for uniquely identifying the industrial machine and use condition information including use conditions of service at the industrial machine, and determine availability of the service at the industrial machine based on the service information and the service use start information; and

provide a result of the determination of the availability of service and the provision conditions to the industrial machine, wherein

the availability of service and the provision conditions are determined by specifying the requested service from a retrieval of the service information from a service number included in the request information and then comparing at least one of a form of provision, a state of provision or a current use condition of the specified service included in the service information relating to the specified service with an additional request corresponding to the request condition information included in the request information, and

the use condition information includes at least one of a number of uses of the specified service, a geographical position of the industrial machine, use time of the service, or a function to be used.

2 . The service providing device according to claim 1 , wherein the service information includes a unit price for each period or each use of the service,

the request condition information includes a use period or the number of uses of the service, and

the processor is further configured to perform accounting for the service based on the service information and the request condition information.

3 . The service providing device according to claim 1 , wherein the service information includes at least one of a form of provision of the service, a current state of provision of the service, a period that the service can be provided, and a remaining period of provision of the service.

4 . The service providing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide a notification about a warning when a remaining period of provision of the service is equal to or less than a predetermined period or a remaining number of times of provision of the service is equal to or less than a predetermined number of times.

5 . The service providing device according to claim 1 , wherein the service available at the industrial machine is at least a function actualized by performing drive control on a machine tool by a numerical control device or a function actualized by performing drive control on a robot by a robot controller.

6 . A service providing system for an industrial machine, the service providing system being for providing service available at the industrial machine under predetermined conditions based on a request, wherein

the service providing device according to claim 1 manages at least one industrial machine for performing the service, and

the industrial machine is configured to:

output the request information to the service providing device, and

provide the service based on a result of determination by the determinator of the service providing device in response to the request information.

7 . The service providing system according to claim 6 , wherein the service providing device and the industrial machine are connected to each other via a network, and

the industrial machine communicates with the service providing device via the network.

8 . The service providing system according to claim 7 , wherein the service providing device is configured on a controller for controlling the industrial machine.

9 . A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium wherein a program for operating a computer as a service providing device for an industrial machine is recorded, the service providing device being for providing service available at the industrial machine under predetermined conditions, the program causing the computer to operate as:

a request acceptor for accepting request information including at least machine-specific information for uniquely identifying the industrial machine, request service information for specifying service to be used at the industrial machine, and request condition information including use conditions of the service;

a determinator for determining availability of service requested by the request information and provision conditions based on the request information and service information that at least information on provision of service of the industrial machine is associated with the machine-specific information;

a use determinator for accepting, from the industrial machine, service use start information including at least machine-specific information for uniquely identifying the industrial machine and use condition information including use conditions of service at the industrial machine, and determine availability of the service at the industrial machine based on the service information and the service use start information; and

a service information provider for providing a result of determination by the determinator and the use determinator to the industrial machine, wherein

the availability of service and the provision conditions are determined by specifying the requested service from a retrieval of the service information from a service number included in the request information and then comparing at least one of a form of provision, a state of provision or a current use condition of the specified service included in the service information relating to the specified service with an additional request corresponding to the request condition information included in the request information, and

the use condition information includes at least one of a number of uses of the specified service, a geographical position of the industrial machine, use time of the service, or a function to be used.