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EP-4246239-B1 - SOUND DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

EP4246239B1EP 4246239 B1EP4246239 B1EP 4246239B1EP-4246239-B1

Inventors

  • SUZUKI, YOHEI
  • HARA, SEIJI
  • HAGIWARA, HIROSHI

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230303

Claims (20)

  1. An information processing apparatus comprising: acquisition means configured to acquire sound data indicating a sound wave level in each of a plurality of time sections and an operation status of one or more actuators in each of the plurality of time sections, the plurality of time sections being divisions of a predetermined period, the sound wave level and the operation status being generated based on a signal indicating a sound wave received in the predetermined period by reception means in an apparatus including the one or more actuators; classification means (3010) configured to classify and group the sound data based on a difference of operation status of the one or more actuators in each of the plurality of time sections; setting means (3012) configured to set a threshold for each of the plurality of time sections, based on a sound wave level in each of the plurality of time sections of a plurality of first sound data classified in a first group; and determination means (3013) configured to determine whether or not an abnormal sound is generated by calculating a comparison value for each of the plurality of time sections based on a sound wave level in each of the plurality of time sections of one or more second sound data classified in the first group, and comparing the comparison value for each of the plurality of time sections with the threshold value of the corresponding time section of the first group, the threshold value being set by the setting means.
  2. A sound diagnosis system comprising the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the acquisition means comprising: the reception means (71) configured to receive the sound wave in the apparatus including the one or more actuators; and generation means (87) configured to process the signal indicating the sound wave in the predetermined period received by the reception means, and generate the sound data indicating the sound wave level in each of the plurality of time sections and an operation status of the one or more actuators in each of the plurality of time sections.
  3. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 2, wherein the classification means classifies the sound data in a plurality of groups including the first group, the setting means sets a threshold value for each of the plurality of time sections for each of the plurality of groups, and the determination means determines whether or not an abnormal sound is generated by calculating the comparison value for each of the plurality of time sections for each of the plurality of groups, and comparing the comparison value for each of the plurality of time sections with the threshold value of the corresponding time section of the same group.
  4. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the determination means determines that an abnormal sound is generated in a time section where the comparison value is larger than the threshold value.
  5. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 4, wherein the determination means determines, among the one or more actuators, based on operation status of the one or more actuators associated with the sound data classified in the first group, a first actuator that has operated in a time section in which the abnormal sound is determined to be generated and has not operated in a time section in which the abnormal sound is not determined to be generated, and determines a unit of the apparatus generating the abnormal sound based on the first actuator.
  6. An information processing apparatus comprising: acquisition means configured to acquire sound data indicating a sound wave level in each of a plurality of time sections and an operation status of one or more actuators in each of the plurality of time sections, the plurality of time sections being divisions of a predetermined period, the sound wave level and the operation status being generated based on a signal indicating a sound wave received in the predetermined period by reception means in an apparatus including the one or more actuators; classification means (3010) configured to classify and group the sound data based on a difference of operation status of the one or more actuators in each of the plurality of time sections; a setting means (3012) configured to set a first threshold value for each of the one or more actuators, based on a difference, for each actuator of the one or more actuators, between a sound wave level in one or more first time sections in which the actuator associated with a plurality of first sound data classified in a first group is operating, and a sound wave level in one or more second time sections in which the actuator is not operating; and determination means (3013) configured to determine, for each actuator of the one or more actuators, whether or not an abnormal sound is generated by calculating a comparison value for each of the one or more actuators, based on a difference between a sound wave level in the one or more first time sections of the actuator associated with one or more second sound data classified in the first group and a sound wave level of the actuator in the one or more second time sections, and comparing the comparison value for each of the one or more actuators with the first threshold value of the corresponding actuator of the first group, the first threshold value being set by the setting means.
  7. A sound diagnosis system comprising the information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the acquisition means comprises: the reception means (71) configured to receive the sound wave in the apparatus including the one or more actuators; and generation means (87) configured to process the signal indicating the sound wave in the predetermined period received by the reception means, and generate the sound data indicating the sound wave level in each of the plurality of time sections and the operation status of the one or more actuators in each of the plurality of time sections.
  8. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 7, wherein the classification means classifies the sound data in a plurality of groups including the first group, the setting means sets a first threshold value of each of the one or more actuators for each of the plurality of groups, and the determination means determines whether or not an abnormal sound is generated by calculating the comparison value for each of the one or more actuators for each of the plurality of groups, and comparing the comparison value for the one or more actuators with the first threshold value of the corresponding actuator in a same group.
  9. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the determination means determines that the abnormal sound is generated when there exists a first actuator for which the comparison value is larger than the first threshold value.
  10. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the setting means sets a second threshold value for each of the one or more first time sections based on a sound wave level in each of the one or more first time sections of the plurality of first sound data, and when there exists a first actuator for which the comparison value is larger than the first threshold value, the determination means calculates a first comparison value for each of the one or more first time sections of the first actuator, based on a sound wave level in each of the one or more first time sections of the first actuator associated with the one or more second sound data, compares the first comparison value for each of the one or more first time sections of the first actuator with the second threshold value of the corresponding first time section, the second threshold value being set by the setting means, and determines that the abnormal sound is generated when the first comparison value for each of the one or more first time sections of the first actuator is larger than the second threshold value of the corresponding first time section.
  11. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 10, wherein the setting means sets a third threshold for each of the one or more second time sections, based on a sound wave level in each of the one or more second time sections of the plurality of first sound data, and when the first comparison value for each of the one or more first time sections of the first actuator is larger than the second threshold value of the corresponding first time section, the determination means calculates a second comparison value for each of the one or more second time sections of the first actuator, based on a sound wave level in each of the one or more second time sections of the first actuator associated with the one or more second sound data, compares the second comparison value for each of the one or more second time sections of the first actuator with the third threshold value of the corresponding second time section, the third threshold value being set by the setting means, and determines a unit of the apparatus generating the abnormal sound based on the first actuator when the second comparison value for each of the one or more second time sections of the first actuator is smaller than the third threshold value of the corresponding second time section.
  12. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein, for each actuator of the one or more actuators, the one or more first time sections and the one or more second time sections of the actuator are successive time sections.
  13. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 5 and 12, further comprising management means configured to manage a remaining lifetime of each unit of the apparatus, wherein when a plurality of units are determined based on the first actuator, the determination means determines a unit of the apparatus generating the abnormal sound, based on a remaining lifetime of each of the plurality of units.
  14. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 7 to 13, wherein the one or more second sound data are sound data generated by the generation means after the plurality of first sound data.
  15. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 7 to 14, wherein the one or more second sound data are a plurality of second sound data, and the comparison value, the first comparison value, or the second comparison value are percentile values of a sound wave level in each time section of the plurality of second sound data.
  16. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 7 to 15, wherein the generation means applies a filter to a signal indicating a sound wave received by the reception means in the predetermined period to generate the sound data, and the classification means classifies the sound data further based on the type of the filter applied for generating the sound data.
  17. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 2 to 5 and 7 to 16, wherein the apparatus is an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet being conveyed, the predetermined period includes a period in which the image forming apparatus is operating to form an image on a sheet, and the classification means classifies the sound data further based on the type of the sheet.
  18. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined period includes, within a period in which the image forming apparatus is operating to form an image on one or more sheets, a period from a timing when a last sheet of the one or more sheets reaches a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus to a timing when the one or more actuators stop operation.
  19. The sound diagnosis system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the reception means and the generation means are provided in the image forming apparatus, and the classification means, the setting means, and the determination means are provided in an information processing apparatus configured to communicate with the image forming apparatus.
  20. The sound diagnosis system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the reception means is provided in the image forming apparatus, and the generation means, the classification means, the setting means, and the determination means are provided in an information processing apparatus configured to communicate with the image forming apparatus.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for determining whether or not an abnormal sound is generated during operation of an apparatus. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser printer includes replacement parts (replacement units) to be replaced depending on their lifetime. Using a replacement unit beyond its lifetime may lead to generation of a sound (referred to as abnormal sound in the following) which is different from the sound in normal operation. For example, a feeding unit configured to convey sheets may generate an abnormal sound due to wear of the shaft and bearing of a conveying roller of the feeding unit. Generation of an abnormal sound may be an indicator of an exceeded lifetime of a replacement unit or a sign of occurrence of failure in the replacement unit, or may provide discomfort to the user. It is therefore desirable to determine generation of an abnormal sound and identify a replacement unit generating the abnormal sound. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-14818 discloses a configuration in which a sound collector is provided inside an image forming apparatus and whether or not an abnormal sound is generated is detected by comparing a collected sound with known abnormal sounds and also a part generating the abnormal sound is detected. The configuration of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-14818 is however applicable only to known abnormal sounds. A further prior art document is US 2021/311425 A1 showing an image forming apparatus, abnormality diagnosis method, and image forming system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a sound diagnosis system, an information processing apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium as specified in the respective claims. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment;FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a MEMS microphone of a reception unit according to an embodiment;FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a sound diagnosis system according to an embodiment;FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a sound diagnosis system according to an embodiment;FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a threshold value setting process according to an embodiment;FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a classification result based on an actuator status according to an embodiment;FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relation between statistic values and threshold values according to an embodiment;FIGS. 8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating a relation between statistic values and threshold values according to an embodiment;FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a process of determining whether or not an abnormal sound is generated and determining a replacement unit generating the abnormal sound, according to an embodiment;FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a process of determining a replacement unit generating an abnormal sound, according to an embodiment;FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a threshold value setting process according to an embodiment;FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a threshold value setting process according to an embodiment; andFIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process of determining whether or not an abnormal sound is generated and determining a replacement unit generating the abnormal sound, according to an embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note, the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. Multiple features are described in the embodiments, but limitation is not made to an invention that requires all such features, and multiple such features may be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same or similar configurations, and redundant description thereof is omitted. First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus PR according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus PR includes cartridges 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K configured to form yellow, magenta, cyan and black toner images on an intermediate transfer member 11. Although the cartridges 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K are containing toner of different colors, the configuration thereof are similar and therefore the cartridges 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K will be collectively referred to as a cartridge 5 in the following description. The cartridge 5, including a photoconductor 1, a charging roller 2, and a developing roller 3, is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus PR. In other words, the cartridge 5 is a replacement unit for the image forming apparatu