Management methods and management devices

Abstract

The management method of the present invention is a management method for managing information of a plurality of mounds composed of granular or powdery materials. It includes: a graphic generation step (S1, S2), which generates a three-dimensional graphic representing the position and shape of the plurality of mounds; a connection establishment step (S3~S7), which establishes connections between the position of the plurality of mounds in the three-dimensional graphic and the information of the plurality of mounds; and an output step (S8, S9), which outputs the information of the target mound in order to be displayed on the display terminal along with the image of the target mound when the display terminal is pointed to the target mound among the plurality of mounds.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management method and a management device. In particular, the present invention relates to a management method and a management device for managing information of a plurality of piles composed of granular or powdery materials. Prior Art

[0002] For example, when an ironworks manufactures steel products, it uses granular or powdered materials such as iron ore and coal (hereinafter referred to as "granular materials") to manufacture iron products by reacting these raw materials. Among them, granular materials also contain slag, which is one of the by-products generated in the process of manufacturing iron products.

[0003] For example, because iron ore and coal are used in multiple varieties at the same time, it is necessary to master the usage of these and then optimize the reaction efficiency by matching these proportions. Therefore, the inventory status must be mastered on site. Also, for example, in order to suppress quality abnormalities and failures, the quality of slag must be mastered on site. For example, on site, it is necessary to appropriately select the slag pile that meets the standard after sampling and testing before shipping.

[0004] Here, in order to grasp the measurement method of the raw material pile in stock, the technology described in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 is proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses a raw material pile measurement method, which is to shoot multiple images of the raw material pile in a manner of partially repeating one image, and measure the moving distance of the shooting position, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinates using the triangulation principle to obtain the three-dimensional shape of the raw material pile. Patent Document 2 discloses a raw material pile shape measurement method, which is to move an unmanned vehicle toward the length direction of the raw material storage area while continuously shooting the raw material storage area, and measure the shape of the raw material pile based on an object of known length captured in the shot image. [Prior Technical Literature] [Patent Document]

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-020131 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-061674 Summary of the invention

[0006] (Problems that the invention aims to solve) However, although the technology in these patent documents can measure the shape or inventory (volume, weight) of the pile of granular materials, it cannot systematically manage such data and cannot grasp and trace the inventory status. In addition, even if the operator actually visits the pile on site, he still cannot confirm whether the pile is the actual pile of excavation objects.

[0007] In view of these facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a management method and a management device that can appropriately and efficiently perform inventory management. (Technical means to solve the problem)

[0008] (1) A management method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a management method for managing information of a plurality of piles of granular or powdery materials, and includes: A graphics generation step, which generates a three-dimensional graphics representing the position and shape of the plurality of hills; A linking step is to link the positions of the plurality of hills in the three-dimensional graph with the information of the plurality of hills; and The output step is to output the information of the target pile in the plurality of piles so that it can be displayed on the display terminal together with the image of the target pile when the display terminal points to the target pile.

[0009] (2) One embodiment of the present invention is as in (1), The figure generating step generates the three-dimensional figure based on the measurement data of the plurality of hills measured by the shape measuring device. The above-mentioned connection establishing step is to calculate at least one of the volume and weight of each of the above-mentioned plurality of piles based on the above-mentioned measurement data.

[0010] (3) One embodiment of the present invention is as in (2), The above-mentioned graph generation step is to update the above-mentioned three-dimensional graph according to the above-mentioned measurement data measured at any time point. The above-mentioned connection establishing step is to update at least one of the volume and weight of each of the above-mentioned plurality of piles according to the above-mentioned measurement data.

[0011] (4) An embodiment of the present invention is as set forth in (3), further comprising: The determination step is to compare the change in at least one of the volume and weight of the object pile of the excavation operation with the shipment amount of the object pile of the excavation operation to determine the accuracy of the shipment.

[0012] (5) An embodiment of the present invention is any one of (1) to (4), The linking step is to link at least one of volume, weight, variety, batch number, sampling test result, shipping information and manufacturing history as the information of the plurality of piles.

[0013] (6) A management device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a management device for managing information of a plurality of piles of granular or powdery materials, and comprises: A graphics generating unit, which generates a three-dimensional graphics representing the position and shape of the plurality of hills; A connection establishing unit, which establishes connections between the positions of the plurality of mountain piles in the three-dimensional graph and the information of the plurality of mountain piles; and The output unit outputs the information of the target pile in order to display it on the display terminal together with the image of the target pile when the display terminal points to the target pile among the plurality of piles. (Compared with the efficacy of previous technologies)

[0014] According to the present invention, a management method and a management device that can appropriately and efficiently perform inventory management can be provided. Simple diagram description

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management system including a management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating the error between the calculated weight and the actual weight of a pile. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of information display on a display terminal. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the processing of the management method according to one embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0016] Hereinafter, a management method and a management device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a management system having a management device according to the present embodiment. The management device is shown as a block diagram illustrating an example of the internal configuration.

[0017] (Overall structure of the management device) The management device of this embodiment manages the information of multiple piles composed of granular materials, etc. The so-called "granular materials, etc." refers to granular or powdery materials, and specific examples thereof include raw materials such as iron ore and coal, or by-products such as slag. For example, granular materials, etc. are transported from ships or factories, blended as needed, and then stored in a pile at a storage site such as a storage yard. In this specification, the so-called "pile" refers to a pile of aggregates composed of stacked granular materials, etc. Different piles will be formed according to the type, composition or transportation period of the granular materials, etc. As shown in Figure 1, there are multiple piles at the storage site. In this embodiment, the management device is configured at a place far away from the storage site, and the operator performs operations such as digging at the storage site. In the following, the storage site where digging operations are performed is sometimes referred to as the "site" for explanation.

[0018] The management device includes: a communication unit 11, a memory unit 12, and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 includes: a graphic generation unit 131, a connection establishment unit 132, a determination unit 133, and an output unit 134. The hardware structure of the management device can be, for example, a computer. The computer can be a server computer or a portable computer such as a laptop or a tablet computer. The details of the components of the management device will be described later. Here, the management device can be composed of not only one device, but a plurality of devices that are arranged in a plurality of places and can send and receive data to each other using the network. That is, the plurality of devices connected by the network can function as the management device shown in Figure 1 as a whole. Therefore, for example, the hardware structure of the management device can be composed of one computer or a plurality of computers connected by the network. When composed of a plurality of computers, the memory unit 12 can be a shared memory that can be accessed by each computer.

[0019] The management device may be a device connected by a network and constitute a management system. The network is, for example, the Internet. In addition, the network may be configured, for example, to include a LAN (Local Area Network) in part. In this embodiment, the management system is configured to include a display terminal used by an operator who performs work on site. The display terminal is a device that has at least a display function, and may be, for example, a general-purpose mobile terminal such as a smart phone or a tablet computer, but is not limited to such. The display terminal displays information and judgment results output by the management device. The display terminal may also have a camera function (i.e., a camera) as in this embodiment. In addition, the display terminal may transmit position information (e.g., coordinates indicating the position of the display terminal) and posture information (e.g., the direction and inclination of the display terminal) to the management device via the network. The position information and posture information may be used as "input information for specifying the selected mountain pile" described later. In addition, the display terminal may transmit information input by the operator using a touch panel, etc. to the management device via the network. The information input by the operator may include the lot number described below. In addition, the lot number and location information may be used as "input information for specifying the pile of test objects" described below.

[0020] Furthermore, the management system may be configured to include a shape measuring device that measures the shape of the pile and outputs the measurement data. The shape measuring device may transmit the measurement data of a plurality of piles to the management device via a network. The shape measuring device may use a known device such as a camera or a three-dimensional scanner (3D scanner), but is not limited to such devices, as long as it can measure the three-dimensional shape of the pile. Furthermore, the shape measuring device may be arranged at a place where the pile can be measured, for example, it may be mounted on a mobile body such as a drone or a vehicle, or may be fixedly installed at a fixed point such as an outer wall of a building, or may be mounted on a tripod that is manually positioned.

[0021] Furthermore, the management system may be configured to include a test machine for performing the sampling test described below. The test machine may transmit the test result to the management device via the network.

[0022] The following describes the details of the components of the management device. The communication unit 11 is configured to include one or more communication modules connected to the network. The communication unit 11 may include, for example, a communication module corresponding to mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) and 5G (5th Generation). The communication unit 11 may include, for example, a communication module corresponding to wired or wireless LAN standards.

[0023] The memory unit 12 is one or more memories. The memory is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory, but it is not limited thereto and may be any memory. The memory unit 12 is, for example, built into the management device, or may be configured to be accessed from the outside via any interface using the management device.

[0024] The memory unit 12 stores various data used in various operations performed by the control unit 13. In addition, the memory unit 12 can also store the results and intermediate data of various operations performed by the control unit 13.

[0025] The memory unit 12 can also temporarily store various information from devices connected to the network. In addition, the memory unit 12 can store the pile information and the like connected to the pile position by the connection establishment unit 132. In addition, the memory unit 12 can store the judgment result of the shipping accuracy judged by the judgment unit 133 and the like.

[0026] The control unit 13 is one or more processors. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for performing specific processing, but is not limited to these and may be any processor. The control unit 13 controls the overall operation of the management device.

[0027] Here, the management device may have the following software configuration. One or more programs for controlling the operation of the management device are stored in the memory unit 12. When the program stored in the memory unit 12 is read by the processor of the control unit 13, the control unit 13 functions as the pattern generation unit 131, the connection establishment unit 132, the determination unit 133, and the output unit 134.

[0028] The pattern generation unit 131 generates a three-dimensional pattern showing the positions and shapes of a plurality of hills. In this embodiment, the pattern generation unit 131 generates a three-dimensional pattern based on a plurality of hill measurement data measured by a shape measurement device.

[0029] Here, the shape measuring device may be, for example, a camera mounted on a commercially available surveying drone, which takes a picture of the mountain using the camera while the surveying drone is flying. The graphic generating unit 131 may generate a three-dimensional graphic using a photogrammetric method by combining the position information of the surveying drone with the image taken as the measurement data.

[0030] In order to improve the accuracy of the captured image (measurement data), the shape measurement device preferably captures more concave and convex surfaces such as the top of a mountain and the foot of a mountain. By using such measurement data, the graphic generation unit 131 can generate a three-dimensional graphic with higher accuracy.

[0031] Furthermore, the shape measuring device can be configured to carry a three-dimensional scanner in a vehicle, and perform three-dimensional scanning from any position while traveling around a pile of granular materials, etc. The three-dimensional scanning is performed multiple times while changing the position. By combining the position information of the measurement position and the three-dimensional data used as measurement data, the graphic generating unit 131 can generate a three-dimensional graphic.

[0032] The measurement performed by the shape measuring device can be performed at any time point. Specifically, for example, it can be performed at a predetermined time interval (for example, once a week), or at a time point indicated by an operator, or at a time point before or after shipment. The graph generating unit 131 can update the three-dimensional graph based on the measurement data measured at any time point. By updating the three-dimensional graph at any time point, the determination unit 133 described later can accurately perform the determination of the accuracy of shipment.

[0033] The linking unit 132 links the plurality of pile positions in the three-dimensional graph generated by the graph generating unit 131 with the plurality of pile information. Here, the pile information may include at least one of, for example, the batch number (identification code), type, manufacturing date, shipping (excavation) information, manufacturing history, retention period, rainfall during the retention period, watering amount during the retention period, amount of chemical spraying, and pile temperature of the granular material. The retention period, rainfall during the retention period, watering amount during the retention period, amount of chemical spraying, and pile temperature are information particularly related to the particle size of the granular material. The pile information may be information pre-stored in the memory unit 12, or may be information input by the operator via the display device. Furthermore, the pile information may be information estimated or calculated from the measurement data, including the volume, weight, etc. described below. Furthermore, the pile information may include the sampling test results obtained from the test machine. In this embodiment, the plurality of pile information of the link establishment unit 132 is linked to at least one of volume, weight, variety, batch number, sampling test result, shipping information and manufacturing history. The sampling test result may include particle size and quality.

[0034] The connection establishing unit 132 can also calculate at least one of the volume and weight of each of the plurality of piles based on the measurement data. Here, the calculation of the pile volume can also be performed by the graphic generating unit 131, and the calculated pile volume can be obtained by the connection establishing unit 132. That is, the volume or weight of each of the plurality of piles can be calculated by the graphic generating unit 131 or the connection establishing unit 132. In this embodiment, the connection establishing unit 132 calculates at least one of the volume and weight of each of the plurality of piles. The connection establishing unit 132 calculates the volume of the pile by regarding the volume of the three-dimensional object from the ground to the top as the pile volume based on the three-dimensional data (measurement data) of the pile. In addition, the connection establishing unit 132 can calculate the pile weight from the pile volume and the density (specific gravity) of each type of the pile. The connection establishing unit 132 can calculate at least one of the volume and weight of the pile using the method of Patent Document 1, for example. FIG2 illustrates the error between the calculated weight and the actual weight of a pile. In the example shown in FIG2, the camera of the surveying drone is used as a shape measuring device. Each pile is assigned a unique number, i.e., a batch number. In addition, the actual weight (A) is calculated based on the weight measured when the granular material is transported. The error between the weight (B) calculated (estimated) by the connection establishment unit 132 and the actual weight (A) is calculated based on the absolute value of (1-B / A). In the example shown in FIG2, the measurement error is less than 1.4%, and the pile weight can be calculated with good accuracy.

[0035] Furthermore, when the measurement performed by the shape measuring device as described above is performed at any time point, the connection establishing unit 132 updates at least one of the volumes and weights of the plurality of piles according to the measurement data.

[0036] The determination unit 133 compares the change in at least one of the volume and weight of the pile of the excavation operation object with the shipment amount of the pile of the excavation operation object, and then determines the accuracy of the shipment. The change in at least one of the volume and weight of the pile is calculated from the values ​​before and after the update performed by the connection establishment unit 132. The shipment amount is obtained from the shipment (excavation) information included in the pile information.

[0037] The output unit 134 outputs information of a target pile, for example, designated by an operator. The designation of the target pile can be manually input by the operator, and in this embodiment, it is performed by pointing to the target pile using a display terminal. In order to display the image of the target pile in the display terminal when the display terminal points to the target pile among the plurality of piles, the output unit 134 outputs information of the target pile. Here, the designation of the target pile can be performed based on a three-dimensional graphic, the position information and the posture information of the display terminal. When the display terminal uses the camera function to display the image of the target pile, the information from the output unit 134 and the image of the target pile can be displayed together using a known augmented reality (AR) technique. FIG. 3 shows an example of displaying information of the display terminal. Here, the plurality of piles on the scene generally have the same shape, and the operator is likely to confuse the piles. By being able to check the information of the target pile while viewing it as shown in FIG. 3, the operator can perform operations such as digging without error on the scene.

[0038] Furthermore, the output unit 134 can output the judgment result related to the delivery accuracy performed by the judgment unit 133. When the display terminal points to the target pile among the plurality of piles, the output unit 134 can output the judgment result so that the display terminal can display the image of the target pile and the judgment result at the same time. The operator can perform the digging operation correctly on the spot by referring to the judgment result, and can immediately notice the error when there is an error.

[0039] (Management Methods) FIG4 is a flowchart of the management method executed by the management device of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the judgment related to the accuracy of shipment is performed by the judgment unit 133, and a sampling test for testing quality is also performed. The results of the sampling test are used to determine whether the granular materials constituting the pile can meet the shipping standard.

[0040] The graphic generation unit 131 obtains the measurement data of a plurality of hills measured by the shape measurement device (step S1). The graphic generation unit 131 generates a three-dimensional graphic representing the positions and shapes of the plurality of hills (step S2). In the example shown in FIG4 , the generation of the three-dimensional graphic is not only a new generation, but also includes an update at any time point. Steps S1 and S2 correspond to the graphic generation step.

[0041] The connection establishment unit 132 obtains input information for a specific test object pile (step S3). The input information of step S3 includes the batch number of the pile and the position information of the display terminal. The batch number is input by the operator using the display terminal on site. The input information of step S3 may further include the posture information of the display terminal. The connection establishment unit 132 uses a three-dimensional graphic to establish a connection between the batch number and the pile corresponding to the position information of the display terminal (step S4). Here, the batch number can also be directly input by the operator on the three-dimensional graphic to establish a connection. The connection establishment unit 132 outputs a barcode, which is read by the test machine and is used to automatically transmit the test results to the management device by the test machine (step S5). In this embodiment, the connection establishment unit 132 issues a barcode, but it is not limited to a barcode as long as it can be read by the test machine and can individually identify the pile. The operator assigns a batch number to each of the plurality of piles and performs a sampling test. The batch number in this embodiment is a number, and any identification code that is assigned to the smallest unit of a predetermined number of products (granular materials, etc.) can be used not only for sampling and testing, but also for operations such as digging.

[0042] The operator causes the reader of the test machine to read the barcode displayed on the display terminal. The operator uses the test machine to perform a sampling test to test the quality of the granular material obtained from the pile. The test machine can perform quality tests such as particle size test and chemical composition test of the sample. The connection establishment unit 132 obtains the sampling test result that is connected to the barcode and automatically transmitted from the test machine (step S6). In addition, the connection establishment unit 132 also connects the sampling test result with the batch number assigned to the pile and the pile information that has been associated (step S7). Here, the operator can input at least part of the information such as the variety, manufacturing date, manufacturing history, retention period, rainfall during the retention period, watering amount during the retention period, chemical spraying amount and pile temperature in the test machine. In this case, such information can also be automatically transmitted to the management device as the sampling test result. Steps S3 to S7 correspond to the connection establishment step. Here, in the linking step, the shipment (excavation) information is also linked based on the commonality of the lot number or variety.

[0043] Furthermore, the operator selects the pile of information to be obtained by photographing it using the display terminal, for example, during on-site operation. The output unit 134 obtains input information for specifying the selected pile (step S8). The input information of step S8 includes the position information and posture information of the display terminal. The output unit 134 specifies the object pile (the selected pile) pointed to by the display terminal based on the three-dimensional graphics, the position information and the posture information of the display terminal, and outputs the information of the selected pile (step S9). Steps S8 and S9 correspond to the output step. The operator can use the display terminal to confirm the batch number of the pile connected with the image of the selected pile, the sampling test results and other information.

[0044] During the excavation operation, the operator selects the pile of the operation object by photographing it using the display terminal. Furthermore, the operator uses the display terminal to execute the execution instruction of the judgment. The judgment unit 133 obtains the execution instruction of the judgment (step S10). Furthermore, the judgment unit 133 obtains the input information for specifying the pile of the excavation operation object in the same way as step S8. The judgment unit 133 obtains the change in at least one of the volume and weight of the pile of the excavation operation object and the shipment amount of the pile of the excavation operation object (step S11). Then, the judgment unit 133 compares the change in at least one of the volume and weight and the shipment amount, and then determines the accuracy of the shipment (step S12). The output unit 134 outputs the judgment result for the pile of the excavation operation object (step S13). Steps S10 to S13 correspond to the judgment step.

[0045] Here, in the determination step, it is possible to determine whether the target pile can be shipped and whether the shipment amount is correct. For example, based on the shipment information, the benchmark values ​​and benchmark items such as the shipment (excavation) object and the granular material used to excavate the shipment object can be set in advance. The benchmark value can be set for, for example, particle size, quality, retention period, etc. In addition, the benchmark items can be, for example, whether the sampling test has been completed and whether the manufacturing history is recorded. When the benchmark value and benchmark item for excavating the shipment object are met, the determination result can be judged as "qualified". When the benchmark value and benchmark item for excavating the shipment object are not met, the determination result is judged as "unqualified". In addition, when "qualified", the quantity (weight) after the excavation operation can be automatically calculated. Here, for example, when an abnormal situation such as a difference from the assumed quantity (weight) occurs in the calculation, a determination result (alarm) of a shipment error can be prompted.

[0046] As described above, the management method and management device of this embodiment use the above-mentioned structure and steps to generate a three-dimensional graph of a pile of granular materials, etc., and by establishing a connection between the information of the pile and the three-dimensional graph, inventory management can be performed appropriately and efficiently. In addition, by displaying information on a display terminal at the site (the storage site where the pile is placed), the operator can immediately confirm the information useful for the operation. For example, in addition to confirming the pile of the excavation object on the site, the operator can also manage the inventory of granular materials, etc. In addition, the management method and management device of this embodiment can perform traceability (traceability, grasping and tracing the inventory status) of granular materials, etc. For example, by implementing the above-mentioned judgment when shipping granular materials, etc., it is possible to pay attention to the mistake of the pile to be shipped and unexpected inventory changes (shipping errors).

[0047] The embodiments of the present invention have been described based on the drawings and embodiments, but those who are familiar with the relevant skills of the present invention can easily make various changes or modifications based on the present invention. Therefore, it should be noted that such changes or modifications are all included in the scope of the present invention. For example, the functions contained in each component or each step can be reconfigured if they are not logically contradictory, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or divided. The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by using a processor of the device to execute the program or as a memory medium for recording the program. It should be understood that these are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0048] 11: Communications Department 12: Memory Department 13: Control Department 131:Graphic generation unit 132: Connection Establishment Department 133: Judgment Department 134: Output unit

Claims

1. A management method for managing information on a plurality of mounds composed of granular or powdery materials; comprising: a graphics generation step, which generates a three-dimensional graphics representing the position and shape of the plurality of mounds; a link establishment step, which establishes links between the position of the plurality of mounds in the three-dimensional graphics and the information of the plurality of mounds; and an output step, which outputs information of the target mound when a display terminal is pointed at a target mound among the plurality of mounds, so that it can be displayed on the display terminal along with an image of the target mound; wherein the information of the target mound includes at least one of the following: batch number, variety, manufacturing date, shipping information, manufacturing history, storage period, rainfall during the storage period, water spraying volume during the storage period, pesticide spraying volume, and mound temperature.

2. As in the management method of request item 1, wherein, The above-mentioned graphic generation step generates the above-mentioned three-dimensional graphic based on the measurement data of the plurality of hills measured by the shape measuring device. The above-mentioned connection establishment step calculates at least one of the volume and weight of the plurality of hills based on the measurement data.

3. As in the management method of request item 2, wherein, The above-mentioned graphic generation step updates the above-mentioned three-dimensional graphic based on the above-mentioned measurement data measured at any time point. The above-mentioned connection establishment step updates at least one of the volumes and weights of the above-mentioned plurality of hills based on the above-mentioned measurement data.

4. As in request item 3, the management method, wherein, Further, it includes a determination step, which compares the change in at least one of the volume and weight of the target pile of the excavation operation with the shipment quantity of the target pile of the excavation operation to determine the accuracy of the shipment.

5. A management device for managing information of a plurality of mounds composed of granular or powdery materials; comprising: a graphics generation unit for generating a three-dimensional graphics representing the position and shape of the plurality of mounds; a connection establishment unit for establishing connections between the position of the plurality of mounds in the three-dimensional graphics and the information of the plurality of mounds; and an output unit for outputting information of the target mound when a display terminal is pointed at the target mound among the plurality of mounds, so that it can be displayed on the display terminal along with an image of the target mound; wherein the information of the target mound includes at least one of the following: batch number, type, manufacturing date, shipping information, manufacturing history, storage period, rainfall during the storage period, water spraying amount during the storage period, pesticide spraying amount, and mound temperature.

Images