Information processing device for construction machinery, information management system, and information processing program for construction machinery

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing device for construction machinery, an information management system, and an information processing program for construction machinery. In an excavator (100), if an obstacle intrusion into a predetermined area around the excavator (100) or an unstable state of the excavator (100) is detected, the detected danger is notified to the operator of the excavator (100), the operator's actions after the notification are detected, and a safety action evaluation value is calculated based on the content of the detected danger and the detected operator's actions, which quantitatively evaluates the operator's actions in terms of their contribution to safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device for construction machinery, an information management system, and an information processing program for construction machinery. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, in construction machines such as excavators, there is known a technology for detecting a danger such as a person intruding into the surrounding area and notifying the operator of the occurrence of the danger (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-85091 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues to be solved by the invention

[0007] However, there is no technology that can improve workplace safety by evaluating and identifying dangerous operator actions.

[0008] The purpose of the present invention is to improve the safety of the work site.

[0009] Organizations for solving technical problems

[0010] The information processing device for construction machinery according to the present invention comprises:

[0011] a hazard detection mechanism that detects hazards related to the state of the construction machinery or the surrounding environment;

[0012] a notification mechanism for notifying an operator of the construction machine of the danger detected by the danger detection mechanism;

[0013] an action detection unit that detects the actions of the operator after the notification by the notification unit; and

[0014] The calculation means calculates a safety action evaluation value that quantitatively evaluates the operator's action in terms of contribution to safety, based on the content of the danger detected by the danger detection means and the operator's action detected by the action detection means.

[0015] The information management system according to the present invention is configured to include a plurality of construction machines each equipped with an information processing device for construction machines according to any one of schemes 1 to 6, and an information management device capable of transmitting and receiving information between the plurality of construction machines.

[0016] The information management device includes a storage unit that stores the safety action evaluation values ​​received from the plurality of construction machines.

[0017] The information processing program for construction machinery according to the present invention causes an information processing device for construction machinery including a danger detection mechanism for detecting danger related to the state of the construction machinery or the surrounding environment to function as the following mechanism:

[0018] a notification mechanism for notifying an operator of the construction machine of the danger detected by the danger detection mechanism;

[0019] an action detection unit that detects the actions of the operator after the notification by the notification unit; and

[0020] The calculation means calculates a safety action evaluation value that quantitatively evaluates the operator's action in terms of contribution to safety, based on the content of the danger detected by the danger detection means and the operator's action detected by the action detection means.

[0021] Effects of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, the safety of a work site can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a side view of the shovel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 Yes Figure 1 Block diagram of the system structure of an excavator.

[0025] Figure 3 It is a diagram showing the detection range detected by the object detection unit.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing a display example of safety action evaluation information.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing the flow of action evaluation processing.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an information management system in a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing another display example of safety action evaluation information. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] [Structure of an excavator]

[0032] First, the structure of the shovel 100 according to this embodiment will be described. The shovel 100 is an example of a construction machine according to the present invention, and is configured to be able to evaluate an operator's behavior when a danger occurs by including the information processing device for construction machine according to the present invention.

[0033] Figure 1 It is a side view of the shovel 100 according to this embodiment.

[0034] As shown in the figure, an excavator 100 includes a lower traveling structure 1; an upper revolving structure 3 rotatably mounted on the lower traveling structure 1 via a revolving mechanism 2; a boom 4, an arm 5, and a bucket 6 as attachments; and a cab 10 in which an operator sits. The attachments are not limited to these, as long as they are equipped with working elements (e.g., a bucket, a crusher, a crane, etc.).

[0035] The lower traveling body 1 includes, for example, a pair of left and right crawler tracks, and the crawler tracks are hydraulically driven by a traveling hydraulic motor (not shown), thereby causing the shovel 100 to travel.

[0036] The upper slewing body 3 is driven by a slewing hydraulic motor or an electric motor (neither of which is shown in the figure) or the like, thereby slewing relative to the lower traveling body 1 .

[0037] A boom 4 is pivotally mounted at the front center of the upper slewing body 3 so as to be able to pitch. An arm 5 is pivotally mounted at the front end of the boom 4 so as to be able to rotate vertically. A bucket 6 is pivotally mounted at the front end of the arm 5 so as to be able to rotate vertically. The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9, respectively.

[0038] The operator's cabin 10 is a cabin in which an operator rides, and is mounted on the front left side of the upper revolving body 3 , for example.

[0039] Figure 2 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the shovel 100 .

[0040] As shown in the figure, in addition to the above-described components, the shovel 100 further includes a controller 30, an imaging device 40, a motion / posture state sensor 42, an in-vehicle camera 43, an operating device 45, a display device 50, an audio output device 60, an external notification device 70, and a communication device 80. The information processing device for a construction machine according to the present invention includes the controller 30, the imaging device 40, the motion / posture state sensor 42, the in-vehicle camera 43, the operating device 45, the display device 50, and the audio output device 60.

[0041] The camera device 40 is mounted on the upper portion of the upper swing body 3, and captures images of the surroundings of the shovel 100 and outputs the captured images to the controller 30. The camera device 40 includes a rear camera 40B, a left side camera 40L, and a right side camera 40R.

[0042] The rear camera 40B is attached to the upper portion of the rear end of the upper revolving body 3 and captures images of the rear of the upper revolving body 3 .

[0043] The left side camera 40L is attached to the upper left end portion of the upper revolving body 3 and captures the left side of the upper revolving body 3 .

[0044] The right side camera 40R is attached to the upper right end of the upper swing body 3 and captures the right side of the upper swing body 3 .

[0045] The rear camera 40B, the left side camera 40L, and the right side camera 40R are respectively installed on the upper part of the upper revolving body 3 with their optical axes facing obliquely downward, and have a vertical imaging range (angle of view) from the ground near the shovel 100 to far away from the shovel 100.

[0046] The rear camera 40B, the left side camera 40L, and the right side camera 40R may be mounted on the upper surface of the upper revolving body 3. These cameras 40B, 40L, and 40R may be mounted so that their optical axes face obliquely downward, without protruding from the side ends of the upper revolving body 3 and so as to reflect a portion of the upper revolving body 3.

[0047] Since the object to be photographed and a portion of the upper swing body 3 are simultaneously captured as an image, it is possible to intuitively recognize that the captured image is an image captured by the camera installed in the shovel 100. Furthermore, the distance between the object to be photographed and the shovel 100 can be intuitively understood.

[0048] The motion and posture state sensor 42 detects the motion and posture state of the shovel 100 and outputs the detection results to the controller 30. The motion and posture state sensor 42 includes a boom angle sensor, an arm angle sensor, a bucket angle sensor, a three-axis inertial sensor (IMU: Inertial Measurement Unit), a rotation angle sensor, and an acceleration sensor.

[0049] These sensors can be composed of stroke sensors of the cylinder of a boom, etc., sensors that obtain rotation information such as rotary encoders, or can be replaced by acceleration (which can include speed and position) obtained by an IMU.

[0050] The arm angle sensor detects a rotation angle of the arm 5 with respect to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as “arm angle”).

[0051] The bucket angle sensor detects a rotation angle of the bucket 6 with respect to the arm 5 (hereinafter referred to as “bucket angle”).

[0052] The IMUs are attached to the boom 4 and the arm 5 , respectively, and detect accelerations of the boom 4 and the arm 5 along predetermined three axes and angular accelerations of the boom 4 and the arm 5 around the predetermined three axes.

[0053] The rotation angle sensor detects the rotation angle based on a predetermined angular direction of the upper rotating body 3. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the rotation angle may be detected by a GPS or IMU sensor provided on the upper rotating body 3.

[0054] The acceleration sensor is mounted at a position spaced apart from the rotation axis of the upper rotating body 3 and detects the acceleration of the upper rotating body 3 at that position. Based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor, it is possible to determine whether the upper rotating body 3 is rotating or the lower traveling body 1 is traveling.

[0055] The in-vehicle camera 43 is installed near the operator's seat in the control room 10 and captures the operator's movements in the control room 10. The in-vehicle camera 43 is installed to capture the operator's face from the front so that the operator's line of sight (eye movement) can be detected from the captured image.

[0056] The operating device 45 is located near the operator's seat in the control cab 10 and serves as an operating mechanism for the operator to operate the various operating elements (such as the lower traveling structure 1, upper swing structure 3, boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6). In other words, the operating device 45 operates the hydraulic actuators that drive the various operating elements. The operating device 45 includes, for example, a joystick, pedals, and various buttons, and outputs operation signals corresponding to the details of these operations to the controller 30.

[0057] In addition, the operating device 45 is also an operating device for operating the camera device 40, the motion / posture state sensor 42, the in-vehicle camera 43, the display device 50, the sound output device 60, the external notification device 70 and the communication equipment 80, and includes various setting mechanisms, and outputs operating instructions for these parts to the controller 30.

[0058] The display device 50 is installed around the operator's seat in the control room 10 and displays various visual information for notification to the operator under the control of the controller 30. The display device 50 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display, and may also be a touch panel that also serves as at least a portion of the operating device 45.

[0059] The sound output device 60 is installed around the operator's seat in the operator's cabin 10, and outputs various sound information to notify (inform) the operator under the control of the controller 30. The sound output device 60 is, for example, a speaker or a buzzer.

[0060] The external notification device 70 notifies personnel around the shovel 100, supervisors at the work site, and the like. For example, the external notification device 70 may include a light source (lighting device) that illuminates or flashes toward personnel around the shovel 100. Furthermore, the external notification device 70 may include an externally facing display device that displays visual information (such as text or graphics) to personnel around the shovel 100. Furthermore, the external notification device 70 may include an externally facing sound output device such as a speaker or buzzer that outputs sound information to personnel around the shovel 100.

[0061] The communication device 80 is a communication device that transmits and receives various information to and from remote external devices, other shovels 100, etc. via a predetermined communication network (for example, a mobile phone network with a base station as a terminal or the Internet) according to a predetermined wireless communication standard.

[0062] The controller 30 is a control device that controls the operation of various components of the shovel 100 and performs drive control of the shovel 100. The controller 30 is installed in the operator's cabin 10. The controller 30 can implement its functions using any hardware, software, or a combination thereof, and is, for example, primarily comprised of a microcomputer including a CPU, RAM, ROM, I / O, and the like.

[0063] Controller 30 includes an object detection unit 301, an instability detection unit 302, a motion detection unit 303, a motion evaluation unit 304, and an information output unit 305 as functional units that perform various functions. Controller 30 also includes a storage unit 310, which is a predetermined storage area within an internal memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).

[0064] The object detection unit 301 detects a specified detection object within a specified area around the excavator 100 (for example, a range at a specified distance from the excavator 100) based on the camera image captured by the camera device 40, and detects the intrusion of the detection object into the specified area. Specifically, the object detection unit 301 identifies the detection object in the camera image by applying various known image processing methods, machine learning-based identifiers, etc., and determines the actual location and size of the identified detection object. The detection object is an obstacle that may exist around the excavator 100 or intrude into the excavator 100. The detection object includes workers and others around the excavator 100, other construction machinery and vehicles working around the excavator 100, and workpieces temporarily placed around the excavator 100.

[0065] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of the detection range of the object detection unit 301.

[0066] As shown in the figure, the object detection unit 301 has detection ranges MAB, MAL, and MAR corresponding to the rear camera 40B, the left side camera 40L, and the right side camera 40R, respectively.

[0067] Here, the object detection unit 301 can change its detection performance based on settings performed by the operator, by increasing a certain performance factor related to the detection performance of one detection unit, or decreasing the detection performance of another detection unit, etc., within the resource limits of the controller 30. Detection performance includes performance factors such as the range within which the monitored object can be detected (detection range), detection accuracy, and detection frequency per detection cycle (i.e., the number of times the monitored object is detected within a detection cycle).

[0068] Furthermore, when a detection object is detected within a predetermined area around the shovel 100, the object detection unit 301 outputs an image or sound to the display device 50 and / or the sound output device 60 to notify the operator of this fact. The output method can be changed based on the type of the detected detection object, the distance between the detection object and the shovel 100, and other factors. Furthermore, after starting to output this notification, the object detection unit 301 may stop (or cancel) the output based on predetermined conditions (e.g., when the detection object is no longer detected within the predetermined area).

[0069] like Figure 2As shown, the instability detection unit 302 detects a state in which the stability associated with the operation of the shovel 100 falls below a predetermined reference (hereinafter referred to as an "unstable state"). Specifically, the instability detection unit 302 acquires information related to the state of the shovel 100 (operational state, control state, etc.) from various sensors mounted on the shovel 100 (e.g., the imaging device 40, the operation and posture state sensor 42, the in-vehicle camera 43, the operating device 45, etc.), various actuators (e.g., solenoid valves for hydraulic control, etc.), and various control devices (e.g., other functional units of the controller 30, etc.). Based on the acquired information, the instability detection unit 302 determines whether the stability associated with the operation of the shovel 100 falls below a predetermined reference, thereby detecting the occurrence of an unstable state in the shovel 100.

[0070] The unstable state of the shovel 100 includes a state (sliding unstable state) in which the shovel 100 (lower traveling body 1) is more likely to slide forward or backward due to reaction force applied from the ground to the attachment during excavation or leveling work.

[0071] Furthermore, the unstable state of the shovel 100 includes, for example, a state in which the front or rear portion of the shovel 100 (lower traveling body 1) is more likely to float due to excavation reaction force or the like (floating unstable state).

[0072] Furthermore, the unstable state of the excavator 100 includes, for example, a state (vibration unstable state) in which the possibility of vibration of the vehicle body (lower traveling body 1, slewing mechanism 2 and upper slewing body 3) increases due to changes in the inertia moment of the attachment during the aerial movement of the attachment of the excavator 100 (movement when the bucket 6 is not grounded).

[0073] Furthermore, when an unstable state of the shovel 100 is detected, the instability detection unit 302 outputs an image or sound to the display device 50 and / or the sound output device 60 to notify the operator of the situation. The output method can be changed depending on the type of unstable state detected, its severity, etc. Furthermore, after starting to output this notification, the instability detection unit 302 stops (or cancels) the output in response to a predetermined condition (e.g., when the unstable state is resolved).

[0074] The behavior detection unit 303 detects the behavior of the operator in the control room 10 based on the outputs of the in-vehicle camera 43 and the operating device 45 .

[0075] The detected operator's actions include the operator's gaze. The action detection unit 303 captures the operator's eye movements using the in-vehicle camera 43 and detects the operator's gaze based on the image information, for example, by using the positional relationship between the corneal reflection as the reference point and the pupil as the movement point, or the canthus major as the reference point and the iris as the movement point.

[0076] Furthermore, the detected operator's behavior includes the details of the operator's operation on the operating device 45 . The behavior detection unit 303 detects the details of the operator's operation on the shovel 100 based on the output of the operating device 45 .

[0077] The action evaluation unit 304 evaluates the operator's actions detected by the action detection unit 303 based on whether they contribute to safety around the shovel 100. Specifically, the action evaluation unit 304 calculates a safety action evaluation value that quantitatively evaluates the operator's actions based on their contribution to safety, and stores this value in the storage unit 310 as safety action evaluation information 3101. Details of the method for calculating the safety action evaluation value will be described later.

[0078] The information output unit 305 appropriately outputs the safety action evaluation information 3101 calculated as the safety action evaluation value by the action evaluation unit 304 and stored in the storage unit 310. For example, the information output unit 305 displays the safety action evaluation information 3101 on the display device 50.

[0079] The output method at this time is not particularly limited, and for example, only the safety action evaluation value may be displayed on the display device 50 .

[0080] Or, for example, Figure 4 As shown, the plurality of safety action evaluation information 3101 (safety action evaluation values) related to the same operator stored in the storage unit 310 may be aggregated into a plurality of safety action evaluation information 3101 (safety action evaluation values) for each predetermined time unit (in Figure 4 In the example of , it is day. It can also be output as a graph comparing changes in weeks, months, etc. In this case, it is preferable to distinguish the graphs according to the types of dangers when the operator takes action.

[0081] The information output unit 305 may output the safety action evaluation information 3101 in a visually recognizable format. For example, the information may be output to a paper medium via a printer (not shown). In this case, the information may be output from a printer located in the operator's cab 10 of the shovel 100, or the information may be sent via the communication device 80 to a printer located at a management center or the like for management of the work, and output from the printer.

[0082] Furthermore, when outputting the safety action evaluation information 3101, the information output unit 305 may also output the work-related information associated with the work at the time when the safety action evaluation information 3101 was acquired (see Figure 4 The work-related information includes work information, date and time information, weather information, location information, aircraft information, operator information, etc. The information output unit 305 appropriately obtains the work-related information and stores it in the storage unit 310.

[0083] The work information may include the work (construction) name, work site, work content, excavator owner, work contractor, intermediary, and end users associated with the work. The information output unit 305 obtains the work information based on input operations of the operator through the operating device 45, for example.

[0084] The date and time information includes the date, day of the week, and time. The information output unit 305 obtains the date and time information through a timekeeping mechanism (eg, RTC (Real Time Clock)) within the controller 30 .

[0085] Weather information refers to the weather at the location, date, and time of operation of the shovel 100, including information related to weather categories such as sunny, cloudy, rainy, and snowy. The information output unit 305 obtains desired weather information from a weather-related server or website via the communication device 80. Alternatively, the information output unit 305 may include an illuminance sensor, a raindrop sensor, or the like, and obtain weather information based on information such as illuminance and the presence or absence of rain output by these sensors.

[0086] The location information is the location of the shovel 100 and includes information related to its longitude and latitude. Furthermore, the location information may include altitude information or geographic code information such as GeoHash. The information output unit 305 may, for example, include a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device and obtain the location information of the shovel 100 based on signals from satellites above the shovel 100.

[0087] The machine body information is identification information of the shovel 100 for specifying the shovel 100, and is, for example, a predetermined machine number, a shovel ID, etc. The information output unit 305 acquires the machine body information by, for example, reading the machine number recorded in advance in the storage unit 310 or the like.

[0088] The operator information is identification information of the operator for specifying the operator operating the shovel 100 , and is a predetermined operator ID, etc. The information output unit 305 acquires the operator information based on, for example, an input operation by the operator through the operating device 45 .

[0089] Work-related information (work information, date and time information, weather information, location information, body information, operator information, etc.) can be automatically acquired using input operations through the operating device 45 (information can be directly input or selected from pre-set information), communication technology, and information processing technology.

[0090] The work-related information may also be stored in association with each other.

[0091] [Excavator's movement]

[0092] Next, the operation of the shovel 100 when executing the action evaluation process for evaluating the operator's action when a danger occurs will be described.

[0093] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing the flow of the action evaluation process.

[0094] The action evaluation process evaluates the operator's actions when a dangerous situation occurs from a safety perspective and outputs the results in a format accessible to all personnel involved in the work, including the operator, thereby assessing and improving worksite safety. This action evaluation process is performed by the controller 30's CPU executing a program stored in its internal storage device.

[0095] If action evaluation processing is performed, then Figure 5 As shown, first, the controller 30 drives the shovel 100 to start operation (step S1 ). At this time, an image of the shovel 100 and its surroundings captured by the camera 40 is displayed on the display device 50 in the operator's cabin 10 .

[0096] Next, the controller 30 determines whether a danger related to the state of the shovel 100 or its surrounding environment has been detected (step S2). In this embodiment, such dangers include the detection of obstacles (such as people, other construction machinery, and workpieces) entering a predetermined area around the shovel 100 and the detection of an unstable state (such as a sliding unstable state, a floating unstable state, and a vibrating unstable state) of the shovel 100.

[0097] Specifically, the object detection unit 301 of the controller 30 detects the intrusion of an obstacle into a predetermined area around the shovel 100 based on the captured image captured by the imaging device 40. The object detection unit 301 specifies the position and size of the obstacle from the captured image.

[0098] The instability detection unit 302 of the controller 30 detects an unstable state of the shovel 100 based on the detection results of the motion / posture state sensor 42. Alternatively, the instability detection unit 302 may determine that an unstable state has occurred when a predetermined unstable motion that may cause the shovel 100 to become unstable is detected.

[0099] Then, when it is determined that no danger is detected (step S2; No), the controller 30 shifts the processing to the above-mentioned step S1 and continues the operation.

[0100] In step S2 , when a danger related to the state of the shovel 100 or its surrounding environment is detected (step S2 ; “Yes”), the controller 30 notifies the operator of the detected danger (step S3 ).

[0101] Specifically, the controller 30 notifies the operator of the detected danger by outputting an audible alarm from the sound output device 60 within the operator's cab 10 and displaying the alarm information on the display device 50. The notification method can be varied based on the type and severity of the detected danger (for example, the volume of the alarm sound can be varied based on the distance between the detected obstacle and the shovel 100).

[0102] Next, the controller 30 detects the operator's action (step S4 ).

[0103] Specifically, the action detection unit 303 of the controller 30 detects the operator's line of sight and identifies the operator's visual recognition object based on the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 43. Furthermore, the action detection unit 303 detects the operator's operation of the shovel 100 based on the output of the operating device 45.

[0104] Next, the controller 30 calculates the operator's safety action evaluation value based on the operator's actions detected in step S4 (step S5). As described above, the safety action evaluation value is a numerical value that quantitatively evaluates the operator's actions taken when a danger occurs, based on their contribution to safety around the shovel 100. In this embodiment, a higher safety action evaluation value indicates a higher contribution to safety.

[0105] In step S5, the action evaluation unit 304 of the controller 30 calculates a safety action evaluation value based on the nature of the danger detected in step S2 and the operator's action detected in step S4. The nature of the danger refers to the type of danger (in this embodiment, the presence of an obstacle and the unstable state of the shovel 100), the degree of danger (for example, the type of obstacle (person or object), the distance between the obstacle and the shovel 100, etc.).

[0106] Specifically, the action evaluation unit 304 uses a rule base to calculate a safety action evaluation value. Specifically, the action evaluation unit 304 determines whether the operator's action matches a pre-defined evaluation action. If so, it adds or subtracts points from the score assigned to that evaluation action. This process is repeated for all operator actions, and the safety action evaluation value is calculated as the total score.

[0107] Examples of evaluation actions for which the safety action evaluation value is increased include the following.

[0108] The user visually recognizes the display device 50 and checks the image of the imaging device 40 .

[0109] Make the movement of the shovel 100 more cautious (slow).

[0110] Stop the operation of the shovel 100.

[0111] Check the outside of the control room 10 visually.

[0112] The external notification device 70 is activated to notify the surrounding area of ​​the shovel 100 of danger.

[0113] When an obstacle is detected in the surrounding area, the vehicle body (lower traveling body 1, upper swing body 3, attachments, etc.) is moved in a direction away from the obstacle. Alternatively, the vehicle body continues to operate without approaching the obstacle.

[0114] When an unstable state of the shovel 100 is detected, the shovel 100 is operated to eliminate the unstable state. For example, the excavation site and the shovel body are moved closer together to prevent the center of gravity from separating. In addition, the travel speed and operating speed are slowed down.

[0115] Examples of evaluation actions for which the safety action evaluation value is deducted include the following.

[0116] The excavation operation of the shovel 100 is continued as it is (no change in the operation content is visible).

[0117] The content of the evaluation action may differ depending on the content of the detected risk (category, degree, etc.) Furthermore, even for the same evaluation action, different scores may be set depending on the content of the risk.

[0118] Each evaluation action is assigned a score corresponding to its contribution to safety. For example, a larger bonus score may be assigned to the evaluation action of "stopping the shovel 100" compared to the evaluation action of "slowing down the shovel 100" because it more reliably avoids contact between the shovel 100 and an obstacle.

[0119] Furthermore, the setting of the evaluation action can be performed using machine learning such as Naive Bayes and neural networks, for example.

[0120] The calculated safety action evaluation value is stored in storage unit 310 as safety action evaluation information 3101. The stored safety action evaluation value is associated with the work-related information associated with the work at the time of the evaluation, and is stored in storage unit 310. The work-related information is acquired in advance or as needed by information output unit 305 and stored in storage unit 310.

[0121] Then, if at least the danger detected in step S2 is eliminated and the shovel 100 is restored to a healthy state, the controller 30 outputs the safety action evaluation value calculated in step S5 (step S6 ).

[0122] In this step, the information output unit 305 of the controller 30 aggregates the safety action evaluation value calculated in step S5 together with the past safety action evaluation values ​​related to the same operator into a graph or the like (see FIG. Figure 4 ) and is displayed on the display device 50 or output from a printer not shown.

[0123] In addition, the result output in step S6 may be performed after the work is completed, for example.

[0124] Next, the controller 30 determines whether the work being performed by the shovel 100 has concluded (step S7). If it determines that the work has not concluded (step S7: "No"), the process returns to step S1 and the work continues. Thus, the detection and notification of dangers, as well as the detection and evaluation of the operator's actions, are sequentially and repeatedly executed until the work is concluded.

[0125] Furthermore, if the operator stops the shovel 100's engine or other power source, for example, and at least the actuators of the attachments are inoperable even when operated, and the operation is determined to be complete (step S7; "Yes"), the controller 30 terminates the behavior evaluation process. Furthermore, if a power storage mechanism is provided, the camera device 40 and the controller 30 can be activated and the above steps executed even when the actuators are inoperable even when operated.

[0126] [Technical Effects of This Embodiment]

[0127] As described above, according to this embodiment, when a danger related to the state of the shovel 100 or the surrounding environment is detected, the danger is notified to the operator, and the operator's actions after the notification are detected. Furthermore, based on the content of the detected danger and the operator's actions, a safety action evaluation value is calculated, which quantitatively evaluates the operator's actions in terms of their contribution to safety.

[0128] This makes it possible to quantitatively evaluate the behavior of the operator of the shovel 100 when a danger occurs from a safety perspective, thereby improving the safety of the work site.

[0129] Furthermore, since the calculated safety action evaluation value is output in a visually recognizable format, the operator himself or other persons involved in the work can see the safety action evaluation value and reflect it on the improvement of safety at the work site.

[0130] Furthermore, since the safety action evaluation value related to the same operator is output as a graph comparing changes every predetermined time unit (for example, day), changes in the safety action of the operator can be easily recognized.

[0131] [Modification]

[0132] Next, modifications of the above-described embodiment will be described.

[0133] This modification differs from the above embodiment in that the safety action evaluation information acquired by the plurality of shovels 100 is managed by a management server and can be viewed on a data terminal. Components identical to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0134] Figure 6 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the information management system 200 in this modification.

[0135] As shown in the figure, the information management system 200 is configured to include a plurality of shovels 100 (in this modified example, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, ...) having the same configuration, a management server 400, and an information terminal 500. Figure 6 In FIG, the configurations of the shovels 100 ( 100B, 100C, 100D) other than the shovel 100A are omitted from illustration.

[0136] The plurality of shovels 100 can transmit and receive various information to each other via the communication network 150 using the communication devices 80 provided therein, and can also transmit and receive various information to and from the management server 400 and the information terminal 500 via the communication network 150 .

[0137] The management server 400 is an example of an information management device according to the present invention, and may be, for example, a server device installed in a management center or the like located outside a work site where multiple shovels 100 operate. The management server 400 may be a server operated by the business operator or its affiliated business operator that operates the information management system 200, or a so-called cloud server.

[0138] Specifically, the management server 400 includes a communication device 410 and a control apparatus 420 .

[0139] The communication device 410 can transmit and receive various information to and from the plurality of shovels 100 via the communication network 150 .

[0140] The control device 420 controls various operations in the management server 400. The control device 420 includes a storage unit 421, which is a storage area specified in an internal memory such as an EEPROM. Various information is stored and managed in the storage unit 421. For example, the safety action evaluation value (safety action evaluation information 3101) calculated by each shovel 100 is stored (accumulated) in the storage unit 421 as safety action evaluation information 4210.

[0141] The information terminal 500 is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a tablet or a smart phone carried by the user. The user can access and browse various work records in the information management system 200 through the information terminal 500. In addition, the information terminal 500 can also be a fixed or portable computer terminal.

[0142] Specifically, the information terminal 500 includes a communication device 510 , a display device 520 , and a control device 530 .

[0143] The communication device 510 can transmit and receive various information with each of the multiple shovels 100 and the management server 400 via the communication network 150. The display device 520 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display, or may be a touch panel that also serves as an operating mechanism. The control device 530 controls various operations within the information terminal 500.

[0144] In the information management system 200, each of the multiple excavators 100 operates in a manner substantially the same as the above-mentioned embodiment, and sends the safety action evaluation value (safety action evaluation information 3101) obtained by each excavator 100 to the management server 400, whereby all safety action evaluation values ​​are stored in the management server 400 as safety action evaluation information 4210.

[0145] A user carrying the information terminal 500 can view the safety action evaluation information 4210 stored in the management server 400 via the communication network 150. In this case, the control device 530 of the information terminal 500 receives the desired safety action evaluation information 4210 from the management server 400 via the communication network 150, stores (or temporarily stores) the information in a storage unit (not shown), for example, and displays the information on the display device 520.

[0146] The display method at this time is not particularly limited. For example, the safety action evaluation can be summarized into a curve graph for each operator in the same manner as in the above embodiment. Or, for example, Figure 7 As shown, the safety action evaluation values ​​associated with multiple operators belonging to each operator participating in the construction can also be aggregated into a single graph in a manner that allows comparison between each operator and displayed (output). This allows multiple operators to be relatively evaluated from a safety perspective.

[0147] The timing for transmitting information from each shovel 100 to the management server 400 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, after a series of operations are completed.

[0148] Furthermore, the association between the safety action evaluation value and the work-related information may be performed by each shovel 100 that calculates the safety action evaluation value, or by the management server 400. When performed by the management server 400, the work-related information may be transmitted from the shovel 100 to the management server 400, or a structure capable of acquiring the work-related information (a function that is part of the information output unit 305 in the shovel 100) may be provided in the management server 400.

[0149] Furthermore, the management server 400 may also display (output) the same information as that displayed on the information terminal 500. In this case, the control device 420 of the management server 400 only needs to be able to output the same information as that displayed on the information terminal 500 from a display device or printer (not shown) provided on the management server 400.

[0150] Alternatively, the safety action evaluation value may be calculated by the management server 400. In this case, the management server 400 may pre-store the information required for the calculation (such as the aforementioned evaluation actions), obtain information on the nature of the danger and the operator's actions from each shovel 100, and calculate the safety action evaluation value.

[0151] [other]

[0152] As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment.

[0153] For example, in the above embodiment, the dangers associated with the state of the shovel 100 or the surrounding environment include the intrusion of obstacles into the vicinity of the shovel 100 and the detection of an unstable state of the shovel 100. However, other dangers may also be included, such as operator distraction. In this case, if a mechanism capable of detecting such a danger is required, such a mechanism may be provided on the shovel 100.

[0154] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, obstacles around the shovel 100 are detected based on images captured by the imaging device 40. However, instead of or in addition to images captured by the imaging device 40, obstacles around the shovel 100 may be detected based on detection results (such as range images) from other sensors, such as millimeter-wave radar, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), or stereo cameras. In this case, these other sensors are installed on the shovel 100.

[0155] Furthermore, the construction machine involved in the present invention may be a construction machine other than an excavator, such as a wheel loader, an asphalt roller, a forklift, a crane, and the like.

[0156] Furthermore, the information management system according to the present invention may include construction machines different from these.

[0157] Furthermore, the details shown in the embodiments can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0158] Industrial applicability

[0159] As described above, the information processing device for construction machinery, the information management system, and the information processing program for construction machinery according to the present invention are useful for improving safety at work sites.

[0160] Explanation of symbols

[0161] 30-controller, 40-camera, 42-motion / posture state sensor, 43-in-vehicle camera, 45-operating device, 50-display device, 60-sound output device, 80-communication equipment, 100-excavator, 200-information management system, 301-object detection unit, 302-instability detection unit, 303-action detection unit, 304-action evaluation unit, 305-information output unit, 310-storage unit, 400-management server, 420-control device, 421-storage unit, 500-information terminal, 3101-safety action evaluation information, 4210-safety action evaluation information.

Claims

1. An information processing device for a construction machine, comprising: a hazard detection mechanism that detects hazards related to the state of the construction machinery or the surrounding environment; a notification mechanism for notifying an operator of the construction machine of the danger detected by the danger detection mechanism; an action detection unit for detecting the action of the operator after the notification by the notification unit; and The calculation means calculates a safety action evaluation value that quantitatively evaluates the operator's action in terms of contribution to safety, based on the content of the danger detected by the danger detection means and the operator's action detected by the action detection means.

2. The information processing device for construction machinery according to claim 1, wherein: An output unit is provided for outputting the safety action evaluation value calculated by the calculation unit in a visually recognizable form.

3. The information processing device for construction machinery according to claim 2, wherein: The output means outputs the safety action evaluation value related to the same operator as a graph comparing changes in each predetermined time unit.

4. The information processing device for construction machinery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The calculation unit determines whether the operator's action detected by the action detection unit matches a predetermined evaluation action. If so, the calculation unit adds or subtracts points from the score assigned to the matching evaluation action, thereby calculating the safety action evaluation value.

5. The information processing device for construction machinery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The danger detection mechanism includes: an object detection mechanism for detecting an intrusion of an obstacle into a specified area around the construction machine; and The instability detection mechanism detects the unstable state of the construction machinery.

6. The information processing device for construction machinery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The information processing device for a construction machine is mounted on the construction machine.

7. An information management system comprising a plurality of construction machines each equipped with an information processing device for construction machines according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and an information management device capable of transmitting and receiving information with the plurality of construction machines, wherein: The information management device includes a storage unit that stores the safety action evaluation values ​​received from the plurality of construction machines.

8. The information management system according to claim 7, wherein: The information management device includes an output unit that outputs the safety action evaluation values ​​associated with the plurality of operators corresponding to the plurality of construction machines as a graph for comparison for each operator.

9. An information processing program product for a construction machine, which causes an information processing device for a construction machine having a danger detection mechanism for detecting danger related to the state of the construction machine or the surrounding environment to function as the following mechanism: a notification mechanism for notifying an operator of the construction machine of the danger detected by the danger detection mechanism; an action detection unit that detects the actions of the operator after the notification by the notification unit; and The calculation means calculates a safety action evaluation value that quantitatively evaluates the operator's action in terms of contribution to safety, based on the content of the danger detected by the danger detection means and the operator's action detected by the action detection means.

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