JP2003256500A - Shared server for construction work information and method for sharing construction work information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a shared server for construction work information and a method for sharing construction work information, which can introduce a system corresponding to a construction CALS quickly and at a lower cost, which allows information to be shared among construction work related people. <P>SOLUTION: A server 10 is connected to terminals 12a to 14a of the construction work related people 12 to 14. This server 10 comprises a mail storage means 17 for storing electronic mails sent from the terminals 12a to 14a, a shared folder 18 for storing various construction work related documents sent from the terminals 12a to 14a (means for storing engineering work related documents), and a transmission means for transmitting the information stored in the mail storage means 17 and the shared folder 18 upon request of each of the terminals 12a to 14a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a construction information sharing server and construction information sharing method suitable for construction CALS.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In large-scale construction work or civil engineering work, it is necessary to exchange clerical and technical information about the work between a construction orderer, a construction builder, a design consultant, and the like.

Conventionally, for simple information, electronic mail,
When a large amount of information is transmitted and received by telephone or a facsimile machine, it is common to record it on a recording medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, or make a printed matter and bring or mail it to the other party. It was

[0004]

However, in the conventional information exchange method, the construction CALS (ContinuousAc
quisition and Lifecycle Support) has progressed, and there was a problem that it could not be dealt with when it was necessary to smoothly carry out collaborative work such as exchanging e-mail between construction personnel and sharing digital documents.

For construction CALS, it is possible to use various commercially available groupware software, but since these software are expensive and have too many functions, when introducing an actual system, There was a problem that various customizations were required and it took time to learn the operation.

[0006] It is a technical object of the present invention to provide a construction information sharing server and a construction information sharing method, which are compatible with construction CALS, easy to operate and low cost, and which can be introduced in a short time. To do.

[0007]

The present invention is a construction information sharing server and a construction information sharing method, and is configured as follows in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0008] That is, the present invention is a server connected to a terminal of a person involved in construction, a mail storage means for storing an electronic mail sent from each of the terminals, and various mails sent from each of the terminals. File storage means for storing digital data of construction-related documents to be shared, and transmission means for transmitting information stored in the mail storage means and the file storage means in response to a request from the terminal Is characterized by.

Further, the present invention is a construction information sharing method executed by the construction information sharing server, wherein the electronic mail stored in the mail storage means is sent to each terminal by a received mail of the terminal, Outgoing mail of the terminal,
It is characterized in that the mail is classified into received mails of all terminals in the group to which the terminal belongs and outgoing mails of all terminals in the group to which the terminal belongs.

According to the present invention, the function of storing the e-mail and the construction information transmitted and received between the terminals in the server and the function of transmitting the information stored in the server to each terminal to browse the information are limited. Since the operation is simple and the cost is low, it is possible to immediately introduce the information sharing system between the construction persons, which corresponds to the construction CALS.

Further, by providing the construction information sharing server with an optical character reading means, a function of converting the analog data of the printed matter into digital data and storing it, and browsing or reusing it on each terminal is provided. Can be added.

Further, the mail storage means stores an electronic mail,
It can be sorted into received mail of each terminal, outgoing mail of each terminal, received mail of all terminals in the group to which each terminal belongs, and outgoing mail of all terminals in the group to which each terminal belongs. You can view emails sent and received by other people in the group.

Further, the document files stored in the construction information sharing server can be displayed in a list on each terminal by a simple operation, which facilitates the delivery, browsing and reuse of the shared document.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a construction information sharing server and a construction information sharing method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a construction information sharing system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an open mail screen on a home page of the construction information sharing system according to the present invention,
3 and 4 are views showing a thumbnail filer screen on the homepage of the construction information sharing system according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a system introduction phase according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a system use phase according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method of using open mail, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method of using a thumbnail filer in the system utilization phase according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a method of utilizing the FAX / OCR service center according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a construction information sharing system 1 to which the present invention is applied includes a construction information sharing server 10 and a terminal of a construction orderer 12 connected to the construction information sharing server 10 via the Internet 11. 12a, the terminal 13a of the construction operator 13, and other persons involved in the construction, such as the terminal 14a of the design consultant 14, are connected. In addition to this, it is possible to connect the terminals of various construction personnel.

Further, the construction information sharing server 10 has an OCR of the FAX / OCR service center 15 for digitally converting the analog data written in the printed matter and storing the digital data.
An (optical character reading device) 15a is connected.

Further, the construction information sharing server 10 stores a mail storage unit 17 for storing e-mails sent and received between the terminals 12a to 14a, and construction information for storing construction information sent and received between the terminals 12a to 14a. The shared folder 18 as a storage unit and a transmission unit for transmitting the stored information in response to a request from each of the terminals 12a to 14a are provided.

Construction information sharing server 10 and each terminal 12a
14a and the like are each configured by a general-purpose computer system, and a program installed in a storage device such as a hard disk device is read by a central processing unit via a bus and executed to execute the present embodiment described below. Various functions of are realized.

Further, an input device / input auxiliary device such as a keyboard and a mouse is connected to the bus so that an operator can input data and give an instruction to start a program.

Further, an output device such as a display device or a printing device is also connected so that the operator can visually confirm the e-mail and the construction information stored in the shared server 10.

The storage device is configured to store various data described below with reference to FIG. 2 together with the program.

A server program is also installed in the storage device of the construction information sharing server 10.
I (Commonn Gateway Interface) and FTP (File T
The ransfer protocol) function enables uploading and downloading of various data from the terminals 12a to 14a via the network.

Each of the terminals 12a to 14a may be any computer terminal which can be connected to a network, and a mobile personal computer or PDA as long as a program capable of browsing a web page is installed.
(Personal Data Asistant) or the like.

Next, the function of the construction information sharing system 1 will be described. Here, the contents of reports / contacts between the terminals 12a to 14a are opened so that all persons involved in the construction can share the construction information, grasp the situation, and perform general management.

All the electronic mails sent and received between the terminals 12a to 14a are stored in the mail storage means 17 of the construction information sharing server 10. At this time, each electronic mail is classified and stored into a received mail and an outgoing mail of each terminal 12a to 14a, and an incoming mail and an outgoing mail of all terminals in the group to which each terminal 12a to 14a belongs.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic mail stored in the mail storage means 17 is displayed as a screen of the open mail 20 on the home page by the browser installed in each of the terminals 12a to 14a.

The open mail 20 is provided with a view switching field 21, a mail list 22 and a mail content field 23. In the view switching column 21, the principal reception list 24a, the principal transmission list 24b, the own group all received mail 24c, the own group all transmitted mail 24.
d is provided.

Then, when the display of each switching 24a to 24d is clicked, the electronic mail contained therein is displayed in the mail list 22. Here, a list of the date and month the email was sent, the sender and the recipient, and the title is displayed.

It is to be noted that, as is well known, "click" is an input instruction using an input key of a mouse which is an auxiliary input device for an input attribute associated with a predetermined area on the screen designated by a mouse cursor. It is an action.

All of the terminals 1 in the group to which the terminals 12a to 14a belong are included in the self-group all received mail 24c.
2a to 14a include all the electronic mails received, and the own group outgoing mail 24d includes all the terminals 1 in the group.
All emails sent by 2a-14a are included.

Next, when the user clicks the display of the electronic mail displayed in the mail list 22, the contents thereof are displayed in the mail content column 23. Further, an attachment file entry column 23a is provided in the mail content column 23, and a link of the attachment file is provided therein (another address is associated with predetermined visible character string information as attribute information). Is stretched.

On the other hand, all construction-related document files transmitted and received between the terminals 12a to 14a are stored in the shared folder 18 of the construction information sharing server 10 (FIG. 1). At this time, the document files are classified and stored according to their uses.

The construction information stored in the shared folder 18 is displayed by the thumbnail filer 30 on the home page of the construction information sharing system 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The thumbnail filer 30 can be browsed by a browser installed in each of the terminals 12a to 14a, and various operations such as browsing / copying / copying files can be performed.
File operations such as moving (uploading / downloading) can be performed.

A thumbnail is an image sample displayed in a reduced size so that the picture of the image data can be seen at a glance. For example, in the document data created by word processing software, the image of the first page is reduced and displayed.

FIG. 3 shows an operation for uploading a document file from the terminals 12a to 14a to the construction information sharing server 10, and FIG. 4 downloads a document file stored in the construction information sharing server 10 from the terminals 12a to 14a. The operation when doing is shown.

As shown in FIG. 3, the thumbnail filer 30 has a file tree display section 31, a file information list display section 32, and a thumbnail display section 33. The file tree display unit 31 includes, for example, the C drive 34 and the D drive 3 in the local disks (hard disks directly connected to the terminal devices) of the terminals 12a to 14a.
5 and a drive indicating the shared folder 18 in the construction information sharing server 10, for example, folders 36a, 36b ... In the N drive 36 are displayed.

As folders included in the N drive 36, folders provided corresponding to the classification of construction information,
For example, instruction / contact item folder 36a, construction plan / approval request folder 36b, report / construction monthly report folder 36c,
The ORC completed document folder 36d and the like are displayed.

Of these, the OCR completed document folder 36d
As will be described later, in the FAX / OCR service center 15, a document file converted from analog data to digital data is temporarily stored.

When each folder 36a to 36d in the N drive 36 in the file tree display area 31 is clicked, each folder 36a to 36d is displayed in the file information list 32.
.. are displayed in a list. In addition, these files 32a, 32b
The first page of ... is reduced and displayed on the thumbnail display portion 33.

Now, when uploading the files of the construction-related documents stored in the D drive (local disk) 35 of each of the terminals 12a to 14a to the shared folder 18 of the construction information sharing server 10, first, the file tree Click a predetermined folder 35a in the D drive 35 of the display unit 31. As a result, the folder 35a
All files included in are displayed in a list on the thumbnail display unit 33.

Next, the predetermined thumbnail 33a in the thumbnail display portion 33 is displayed on the N drive (shared folder 18) 3
Drag to (6) (drag, move the mouse pointer to the object, move the mouse pointer to the target location while pressing the mouse button). As a result, the file body of the construction-related document linked to the thumbnail 33a is uploaded to the shared folder 18.

The files in the shared folder 18 are
When downloading to the D drive of the terminals 12a to 14a, as shown in FIG.
A predetermined folder 36c in the N drive (shared folder 18) 36 therein is clicked.

Next, the predetermined thumbnail 33b displayed in the thumbnail display section 33 is displayed in the file tree display section 31.
Drag to a predetermined folder 35b in the D drive 35.

On the other hand, in the FAX / OCR service center 15 shown in FIG. 1, a document output as a printed matter is converted into digital data by the OCR 15a and stored in the construction information sharing server 10 so that it is filled in on paper. OCR 15a converts the analog data that is generated into digital data, and this digital data is converted to the construction information sharing server 10
It is made to be readable by each of the terminals 12a to 14a.

For example, since the construction orderer 12 usually has a large amount of paper information (analog data) that has not been digitized, the necessary paper information is read out by a high-accuracy facsimile device and then faxed. It is sent to a predetermined telephone number of the OCR service center 15, converted into digital data by the OCR 15a, and stored in the construction information sharing server 10. As a result, the analog document possessed by the construction orderer 12 can be reused as digital data at the construction operator terminal 13a or the design consultant terminal 14a.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart for introducing the construction information management system 1 into a company or the like. Here, first, necessary program software is installed in each of the terminals 12a to 14a, and the network environment is set (step 41). Next, the functions and operating methods of the system are explained and the education is given to the users who use the terminals 12a to 14a (step 42).

Next, the attributes of each of the terminals 12a to 14a are registered in the construction information sharing server 10, the ID is issued, and various settings are made (step 43). In various settings, the construction orderer 12, the construction operator 13, and the design consultant 14 are also divided into groups. This completes the installation of the system.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for using the open mail 20 (FIG. 2) of the construction information management system 1. Here, the view switching column 21 of the open mail 20 is switched to browse the title list of the emails sent and received between the terminals 12a to 14a, and the communication status and the summary of the contact / report content (summar).
y) is grasped (step 51).

Next, the details of each electronic mail are read (step 52), and if necessary, a reply electronic mail is written and sent to the recipient's terminals 12a to 14a (step 53).

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart for using the thumbnail filer 30 of the construction information management system 1. In this case, first, the file in the N drive 36 (FIG. 3) that is a shared folder is browsed (step 6).
1).

Then, of the files displayed on the thumbnail display section 33, necessary files are dragged and copied to a predetermined folder 35a in the D drive 35 which is a predetermined local disk of the file tree display section 31 (step 62).

At this time, if necessary, the terminals 12a-1
The construction information file stored in the local disk 4a is uploaded to the construction information sharing server 10 (step 63). In this way, the work of downloading and uploading the document file is repeated.

FIG. 8 shows a flow chart when using the FAX / OCR service center 15. here,
First, an analog document to be converted into a digital document is transmitted from the facsimile apparatus of the construction-related persons 12 to 14 who are requesters to a predetermined telephone number of the FAX / OCR service center 15 (step 71).

Then, F of the construction information sharing server 10
The AX reception program is always running, and the received FA
The X document is fetched as image data (step 72).
Next, nighttime batch processing or real-time processing, OCR
The application software is activated to convert the image data into text data or table data (step 73).

The converted text data or table data is the OCR-completed document folder 36d in the shared folder 18.
It is stored in (FIG. 3) (step 74). Next, the shared folders 18 are accessed from the terminals 12a-14a of the construction personnel 12-14, the converted data stored therein is browsed, and the necessary files are stored in the own terminals 12a-14a.
, And correct / process as required (step 75). This ends the use of the FAX / OCR service center 15.

As described above, according to the construction information management system 1 to which the present invention is applied, the main function of the entire system is to the construction information sharing server 10 for the electronic mails and construction related documents sent and received between the terminals 12a to 14a. Since it is limited to the function of storing the information and transmitting the stored information in response to a request from each of the terminals 12a to 14a so that the information can be browsed, it can be realized easily and at low cost in a system for sharing digital information. It can also support construction CALS.

Further, the terminal 12a of the construction personnel 12-14.
Since the e-mails and document files sent and received between the terminals 14a to 14a can be freely browsed on the terminals 12a to 14a, everyone involved in the construction can synchronize and grasp the progress of the construction. It becomes possible to efficiently carry out effective management.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the main functions are limited to the function to store e-mails and construction related documents sent and received between each terminal and the function to send this information at the request from each terminal and make it viewable, construction related It is possible to realize a system compatible with construction CALS for exchanging and sharing messages and documents between persons quickly and at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a construction information sharing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen of an open mail on the home page of the construction information sharing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an upload screen in a thumbnail filer on the home page of the construction information sharing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a download screen of a thumbnail filer on the home page of the construction information sharing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a system introduction phase according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a method of using open mail in the system use phase according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a method of using the thumbnail filer in the system use phase according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a method of using the FAX / OCR service center according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 Construction information sharing system 10 Construction information sharing server 12 Construction orderer 12a, 13a, 14a terminals 13 Construction builder 15a OCR (optical character reader) 17 Mail storage means 18 Shared folder (construction-related document storage means)

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A server connected to a terminal of a person involved in construction, a mail storage unit for storing an electronic mail transmitted from each terminal, and various construction relations to be shared transmitted from each terminal. A construction comprising: a file storage unit that stores digital data of a document; and a transmission unit that transmits information stored in the mail storage unit and the file storage unit in response to a request from the terminal. Information sharing server. 2. The construction information sharing server according to claim 1, further comprising an optical character reading unit. 3. The mail storage means converts the electronic mail into a received mail of the terminal, an outgoing mail of the terminal, a received mail of all terminals in a group to which the terminal belongs,
The construction information sharing server according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the construction information sharing server stores the classified mails as outgoing mails of all terminals in a group to which the terminal belongs. 4. The construction information sharing server according to claim 1, wherein the file storage unit stores the construction information classified by use. 5. The construction information sharing server according to claim 1, wherein the terminals of the construction-related persons include a construction orderer terminal and a construction contractor terminal. 6. The construction information sharing method executed by the construction information sharing server according to claim 3, wherein the electronic mail stored in the mail storage means is received in each terminal by a received mail of the terminal. A method for sharing construction information, characterized in that it is classified into an outgoing mail of the terminal, a received mail of all terminals in a group to which the terminal belongs, and an outgoing mail of all terminals in a group to which the terminal belongs. 7. The construction information sharing method executed by the construction information sharing server according to claim 4, wherein a list of construction information stored in the file storage means of the construction information sharing server is displayed. A characteristic construction information sharing method.