Gas detection system and gas detection method

Abstract

Provided is a technique capable of efficiently detecting a chemical substance while suppressing power consumption. A gas detection system is provided with: a ground moving body capable of moving on the ground; one or more flying bodies mounted on the ground moving body and capable of floating in the air; and a sensor which is provided at least on the one or more flying bodies and detects a chemical substance in the gas. The gas detection system performs detection by the sensor in a first configuration in which the one or more flying bodies are mounted on the ground moving body, and thereafter performs detection by the sensor in a second configuration in which the one or more flying bodies are caused to float from the ground moving body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a gas detection system and a gas detection method. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, in cases of gas (chemical) leaks (or suspected leaks) in generator units, multiple workers equipped with gas sensors would search for the leak and repair it. This search was time-consuming and burdensome for the workers. Furthermore, leaks often occurred at heights that were difficult for workers to reach.

[0003] Therefore, the development of systems for detecting the state of gases in space is underway. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system for generating three-dimensional gas maps using a flying body (remote vehicle) capable of moving in the air.

[0004] <Prior art documents> <Patent Documents> Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-523835 Summary of the Invention <Problem to be solved by this invention> As with the system described above, when the structure is designed for the aircraft to move seamlessly within a defined three-dimensional space to detect gases (chemical substances), the aircraft's power consumption will increase. Depending on the situation, the aircraft's power may even run out during gas detection, leading to an interruption of the search.

[0005] This invention provides a technology that can efficiently detect chemical substances while suppressing power consumption.

[0006] <Methods for solving problems> According to one aspect of the present invention, a gas detection system is provided, comprising: a ground mobile body capable of moving on the ground; one or more flying bodies mounted on the ground mobile body and capable of levitating in the air; and a sensor disposed on at least one or more flying bodies for detecting chemical substances in a gas, wherein the sensor performs detection in a first configuration where the one or more flying bodies are mounted on the ground mobile body, and then transitions to a second configuration where the one or more flying bodies are levitated from the ground mobile body to perform detection by the sensor.

[0007] Based on the above, the gas detection system can efficiently detect chemical substances while minimizing power consumption.

[0008] Furthermore, the ground-based mobile body sets the ground position where the one or more flying bodies float based on the concentration of the chemical substance detected by the sensor in the first configuration, and moves to that ground position, where the one or more flying bodies transform into the second configuration. By setting the ground position for transforming into the second configuration based on the concentration of the chemical substance detected in the first configuration, the gas detection system can more effectively search for locations with high concentrations of chemical substances.

[0009] Furthermore, the ground-moving body performs the following steps in the first configuration: a first search step involving movement within a first region to perform sensor detection; and a second search step involving setting the ground position by moving within the second region to perform sensor detection based on the detection results of the first search step, defining a second region narrower than the first region. By performing the first and second search steps, the gas detection system can efficiently detect chemical substances, even over a large search area.

[0010] Furthermore, the second region is the location in the first region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest, and its surrounding area. By setting the location in the first region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest as the second region, the gas detection system can effectively narrow down the second region and search for locations with high concentrations of chemical substances with greater precision.

[0011] Furthermore, the ground location is the location in the second region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest. By setting the location in the second region where the highest concentration of the chemical substance is detected as the ground location, the gas detection system can efficiently search for areas with high concentrations of chemical substances during the ascent of the aircraft.

[0012] Furthermore, the sensors are respectively installed on the one or more flying bodies and the ground mobile bodies. By having sensors on both the flying bodies and the ground mobile bodies, the gas detection system can appropriately detect gases on the ground and in the air using their respective sensors.

[0013] Furthermore, in the first configuration, the ground-based mobile device moves while simultaneously detecting the concentration of the chemical substance using the sensor, thus identifying the concentration distribution of the chemical substance on the ground. By detecting the chemical substance while moving on the ground, the gas detection system significantly reduces the detection time compared to methods that repeatedly move and stop for detection.

[0014] Furthermore, in the second configuration, one or more flying objects move while simultaneously detecting the concentration of the chemical substance using the sensors, thus identifying the concentration distribution of the chemical substance in the air. By detecting chemical substances while moving through the air, the gas detection system can significantly reduce the time spent on aerial detection.

[0015] Furthermore, it includes a processing unit that, based on detection information from the sensors, identifies the specific gravity and concentration of the chemical substance relative to the atmosphere, and sets control parameters for the ground-based mobile body and / or one or more flying bodies. The gas detection system, by setting control parameters based on the specific gravity of the chemical substance, can perform appropriate detection according to the flow of chemical substances in the air.

[0016] Furthermore, if the processing unit detects a chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere in the first mode and the concentration of the chemical substance is above a threshold used for ground applications, it switches to the second mode to perform sensor detection. If the chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere is not detected in the first mode, or if the chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere is detected and the concentration of the chemical substance is less than the threshold used for ground applications, the processing unit moves the ground moving body to a set position and then switches to the second mode to perform sensor detection. Thus, the gas detection system can appropriately detect chemical substances with a density greater than that of the atmosphere both on the ground and in the air.

[0017] Furthermore, at least one of the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body is equipped with an external sensor that acquires information about the terrain and / or objects existing in the direction of movement. During movement in the first mode and / or the second mode, if an object to be avoided is detected in the direction of movement based on the external sensor, the system avoids the object and continues moving. Thus, the gas detection system can stably detect chemical substances while preventing the ground-based mobile body and the flying body from contacting objects.

[0018] Furthermore, the ground-based mobile body has a power supply unit that supplies power to the one or more flying bodies in at least one of the first and second configurations. This allows the flying body to prevent detection from being interrupted mid-flight due to insufficient power.

[0019] Furthermore, one of the more than one flying objects is mounted on the ground-based mobile body. Therefore, the gas detection system can suppress airborne gas disturbances caused by the flight of multiple flying objects and focus on locating the source of gas leaks.

[0020] Furthermore, the sensor can detect multiple chemical substances separately. By detecting multiple chemical substances separately, the gas detection system can detect a wide variety of chemical substances, further improving its versatility.

[0021] Furthermore, at least one of the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body transmits the information detected by the sensor to the other of the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body, or to an information processing device different from the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body. By aggregating the detection information from the sensors of the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body, the gas detection system can more easily grasp the state of chemical substances.

[0022] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, a gas detection method for detecting chemical substances in a gas comprises: a ground search step, wherein the gas moves in a first configuration on a ground-mobile body capable of moving on the ground and carrying one or more flying bodies capable of levitation in the air, and the chemical substances are detected by sensors provided on at least one or more flying bodies; and an air search step, wherein after the ground search step, the gas shifts to a second configuration in which the ground-mobile body causes the one or more flying bodies to levitate, and the chemical substances are detected by the sensors. In this configuration, the gas detection method can also efficiently detect the state of chemical substances while minimizing power consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the overall structure of the gas detection system according to the first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the hardware structure of ground robots and drones.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a gas detection method according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing the functional units formed in the ground-side control unit and the UAV-side control unit in the gas detection method.

[0027] Figure 5 (A) is a top view illustrating the movement of a component robot in a coarse search process. Figure 5 (B) is a top view showing the range of motion of the component robot in the fine search process.

[0028] Figure 6 (A) is a flowchart illustrating the processing and judgment of the fine search control unit in the fine search process. Figure 6(B) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the motion of a component robot in the fine search process.

[0029] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the ascending search process in a gas detection method and the detection of gas.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a side view showing the overall structure of the gas detection system according to the second embodiment.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a block diagram showing the functional units formed within the ground-side control unit and the UAV-side control unit of the gas detection system.

[0032] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the gas detection method according to the second embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Hereinafter, the embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components, and sometimes repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the overall structure of the gas detection system 1 according to the first embodiment. The gas detection system 1 according to the embodiment is used in units or facilities where there is a possibility of gas (chemical substance) leakage, and has a component robot 10 that automatically searches for (or estimates) the location GL of the gas leak. The component robot 10 is constructed by combining a ground-based mobile body and a flying body.

[0035] Specifically, the component robot 10 includes a ground-based mobile body capable of moving on the ground unmanned (hereinafter referred to as ground robot 20), and one or more flying bodies capable of moving in the air unmanned (hereinafter referred to as drones 40). The component robot 10 is in a first form where the ground robot 20 carries the drones 40. In this first form, the component robot 10 moves while carrying the drones 40 to detect gases on the ground. Then, based on information about the gases detected on the ground, the component robot 10 transitions to a second form where the ground robot 20 causes the drones 40 to float upwards. In this second form, the drones 40 move in the air while detecting gases in the air.

[0036] The ground robot 20 is configured to move automatically in any area on the ground. The ground robot 20 described in this embodiment is a small vehicle having multiple (e.g., four) wheels 211 as a driving unit 21 for moving on the ground. Furthermore, the structure of the driving unit 21 is not particularly limited, and various structures capable of driving on the ground can be adopted. Other examples of the driving unit 21 include a driving unit with a pair of caterpillars, a driving unit with multiple legs, etc.

[0037] Furthermore, the ground robot 20 includes a frame 22 mounted on the driving unit 21. The frame 22 has a flat upper surface, and by mounting and holding the drone 40 on this upper surface, it becomes a first configuration in which the drone 40 is mounted. The upper surface of the frame 22 has an engagement structure 221 for tethering the drone 40. The engagement structure 221 can employ a suitable structure that allows the drone 40 to float from the frame 22 and to land after floating. For example, the engagement structure 221 can utilize multiple locking bodies that hold the drone 40 by attaching multiple legs 411 under the load of the drone 40, and release the attachment of each leg 411 by receiving a floatation trigger from the drone 40. Alternatively, the engagement structure 221 can also be provided on the side of the drone 40, or it can have a suitable structure on both the ground robot 20 and the drone 40. Alternatively, the frame 22 and the drone 40 may not have the engagement structure 221, and the drone 40 may simply be mounted on the upper surface of the frame 22.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the hardware structure of the ground robot 20 and the drone 40. (See diagram for example.) Figure 2 As shown, the ground robot 20 has a ground-side control unit 23 inside the frame 22, which enables the driving unit 21 to move automatically and controls the detection of gases on the ground. In addition, the ground robot 20 has a gas sensor 24 for detecting gases on the ground, an external sensor 25 for obtaining external environmental information, an internal sensor 26 for obtaining the status information of the ground robot 20, a position sensor 27 for obtaining the current position, a power supply unit 28, and a power supply unit 29.

[0039] The ground-side control unit 23 is a computer having one or more processors 231, a memory 232, an input / output interface 233, and a communication interface 234. The one or more processors 231 are composed of one or more of the following: CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or circuits composed of multiple discrete semiconductors. The memory 232 includes a main storage device composed of semiconductor memory and the like, and an auxiliary storage device composed of disk or semiconductor memory (flash memory).

[0040] The ground-side control unit 23 controls the actions of the ground robot 20, i.e., the actions of the component robot 10 equipped with the drone 40, by executing a program stored in the memory 232 through the processor 231. For example, the ground-side control unit 23 has a function to control the actions of the component robot 10 within a search area SA (see reference 231) set by the operator. Figure 5 In (A), an autonomous movement control function enables the ground robot 20 to move automatically. Furthermore, while the ground robot 20 moves, the ground-side control unit 23 continuously detects gas based on the gas sensor 24 and identifies the current position of the ground robot 20, thereby establishing a correlation between the gas detection information and the current position. Furthermore, the ground-side control unit 23 sets a ground position for the drone 40 to float, and when it moves to that ground position, it releases the engagement with the engagement mechanism 221 to allow the drone 40 to float.

[0041] Gas sensor 24 detects gaseous chemical substances contained in the atmosphere (or a given gas composition) above the ground, i.e., the state of the gas. Gas sensor 24 is preferably disposed on the side or top surface of the frame 22; in this embodiment, it is disposed in front of the frame 22 in the direction of movement. In other words, "gas above the ground" refers to chemical substances present at a given height relative to the ground (e.g., approximately 0m to 2m). Furthermore, in this description, "detection" of gas refers to the measurement of gas by a sensor element disposed in gas sensor 24. On the other hand, "detection" of gas in this specification refers to processing the information of the gas detected by gas sensor 24 to obtain information about the target (gas concentration distribution map, location of gas leak GL).

[0042] Regarding the state of the detected chemical substance, examples include the type of chemical substance, its concentration, the amount contained in the air, and the component ratio. Furthermore, examples of chemical substances include C2F4, CH2Cl2, CH3OH, and C6F4. 14 CH2F2, CO, C4H 10 O, CHClF2, HF, HCl, C2ClF3, C3F6, C4F8, C2HF5, CHF3, C5F 10 O, C3F6O, SO2, Cl2, N2, NH3, C2H4, H2, He, etc., can be one or more of these. Alternatively, the chemical substance can be 13A (CH4, CH3, C3H8, C4H... 10 (mixed gases), LP gases (C3H8, C4H) 10 (mixtures of gases), etc. Furthermore, the chemical substances detected are not limited to gases; they can also be airborne particles (dust, etc.).

[0043] Gas sensor 24 preferably employs a composite gas detector composed of multiple sensor elements arranged together to distinguish and detect various chemical substances. Each of the multiple sensor elements is configured in a suitable manner to detect the concentration of the target gas (contact combustion, constant potential electrolysis, galvanic cell, infrared absorption, Raman scattering, electrochemical, field-effect transistor, etc.). Furthermore, gas sensor 24 can be a SAW sensor (surface acoustic wave sensor). Additionally, if the type of chemical substance to be detected is known in advance, gas sensor 24 with a single sensor element corresponding to that chemical substance can also be used in gas detection system 1.

[0044] External sensor 25 is connected to ground-side control unit 23 to detect information about the terrain (ditches or holes, bumps, slopes, wet areas, sand and gravel) and objects around the ground robot 20, and transmits this information to ground-side control unit 23. Examples of external sensors 25 include cameras (including monoculars and compound eyes), LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, millimeter-wave radar, distance image sensors, and infrared sensors.

[0045] The internal sensor 26 is connected to the ground-side control unit 23 to detect information such as the current moving speed, direction, and tilt (posture) of the ground robot 20, and to send this information to the ground-side control unit 23. Examples of internal sensors 26 include speed sensors, rudder angle sensors, acceleration sensors, and gyroscope sensors.

[0046] The position sensor 27 is connected to the ground-side control unit 23 to detect the current position of the ground robot 20 and send this information to the ground-side control unit 23. Examples of the position sensor 27 include a GPS satellite positioning system (GNSS), a motion sensor, and a beacon. Additionally, the ground-side control unit 23 can compare pre-stored map data with information obtained from external sensors 25 such as LiDAR or cameras to determine the robot's position on the map data.

[0047] The power supply unit 28 can utilize known rechargeable batteries (such as lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and fuel cells). Alternatively, the ground robot 20 can also use a generator that generates electricity via an internal combustion engine or a solar cell that generates electricity via sunlight. Alternatively, the power supply unit 28 of the ground robot 20 can be a structure that is wiredly connected to an external power source to obtain power from it.

[0048] The power supply unit 29 supplies power to the drone 40 when the drone 40 is mounted on the frame 22. For example, the power supply unit 29 can be structured with multiple electrodes (not shown) on the upper surface of the frame 22, and power is supplied to the drone 40 based on the contact between the legs of the drone 40 and a pair of electrodes in the first configuration. Alternatively, the power supply unit 29 can be configured to provide wireless power to the drone 40 mounted on the upper surface of the frame 22. Alternatively, the power supply unit 29 can be wired to the drone 40 via a power line (not shown). In this case, the power supply unit 29 can provide power not only in the first configuration where the drone 40 is mounted on the upper surface of the frame 22, but also in the second configuration where the drone 40 is floating.

[0049] Return to Figure 1 The gas detection system 1's drone 40 rises above the ground robot 20 to detect gas at a position higher than the ground robot 20. The drone 40 has a shell 41 and a flight structure 42 disposed on the upper part of the shell 41.

[0050] The flight structure 42 includes a connecting portion 421 connected to the housing 41, a plurality of arms 422 (four in this embodiment) extending outward from the connecting portion 421, and four propeller mechanisms 423 disposed at the extended ends of each arm 422. Furthermore, the number of propeller mechanisms 423 in the flight structure 42 is not particularly limited.

[0051] Inside the connecting part 421, an electrical unit is provided that supplies appropriate power to the motors (not shown) of each propeller mechanism 423, enabling each propeller mechanism 423 to rotate independently. The electrical unit can be, for example, a DC-DC converter, a distributor, or an ESC (Electric Speed ​​Controller).

[0052] The four arms 422 are connected to the side of the connecting part 421 and extend out from each other at equal intervals (90° intervals) with the connecting part 421 as the base point. Inside each arm 422, there are electrical wiring (not shown) that connects the electrical assembly to each propeller mechanism 423.

[0053] The four propeller mechanisms 423 have propellers 423p connected to the rotating shaft of the electric motor. The UAV 40 performs ascent, descent, hovering, horizontal movement, attitude adjustment, etc., by generating pressure differences in each propeller 423p according to the rotation direction and speed of each propeller 423p.

[0054] The shell 41 of the drone 40 is box-shaped and houses various structures of the drone 40. On the lower surface of the shell 41, multiple legs 411 are provided to support the drone 40 in a landing state.

[0055] Then, as Figure 2 As shown, the UAV 40 has a UAV-side control unit 43 inside the shell 41 that operates the flight structure 42 and controls the detection of airborne gases. In addition, the UAV 40 includes a gas sensor 44 for detecting airborne gases, an external sensor 45 for acquiring external environmental information, an internal sensor 46 for acquiring the status information of the UAV 40, a position sensor 47 for acquiring the current position of the UAV 40, a power supply unit 48, and a charging unit 49.

[0056] The UAV side control unit 43 is a computer having one or more processors 431, a memory 432, an input / output interface 433, and a communication interface 434. The one or more processors 431 are composed of one or more of the following: CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or circuits composed of multiple discrete semiconductors. The memory 432 includes a main storage device composed of semiconductor memory and an auxiliary storage device composed of disk or semiconductor memory (flash memory).

[0057] The UAV-side control unit 43 controls the actions of the UAV 40 by executing a program stored in the memory 432 via the processor 431. For example, the UAV-side control unit 43 communicates with the ground-side control unit 23, and when it receives an ascent trigger information from the ground-side control unit 23, it initiates the ascent of the UAV 40 (transition from the first mode to the second mode) from the ground robot 20. Furthermore, the UAV-side control unit 43 has an autonomous movement control function that enables the UAV 40 to move automatically in the air. Moreover, while the UAV 40 is moving, the UAV-side control unit 43 continuously detects gas based on the gas sensor 44 and identifies the current position (including altitude) of the UAV 40, thereby establishing a correlation between the gas detection information and the current position.

[0058] Gas sensor 44 is configured similarly to gas sensor 24 of ground robot 20, and is used to detect the state of gaseous chemical substances contained in the atmospheric environment (or a given gas composition). Gas sensor 44 may employ, for example, a composite gas detector composed of multiple sensor elements arranged together to distinguish and detect various chemical substances. Gas sensor 44 is preferably disposed on the upper surface of flight structure 42 or the lower surface of housing 41, etc.

[0059] Furthermore, the gas detection system 1 is not limited to having gas sensors 24 and 44 on both the ground robot 20 and the drone 40. The gas detection system 1 only needs to have a gas sensor 44 on at least the drone 40. This is because, in the first configuration, the gas sensor 44 of the drone 40 can be used to detect gases on the ground via the component robot 10. In short, in the first configuration, it is sufficient to use either the gas sensor 24 of the ground robot 20 or the gas sensor 44 of the drone 40 for gas detection.

[0060] An external sensor 45 is connected to the UAV side control unit 43 and is used to detect external environmental information (object information) during the flight of the UAV 40 and send this information to the UAV side control unit 43. This external sensor 45 can be composed of one or more of the sensors listed in the external sensors 25 of the ground robot 20. Additionally, the external sensor 45 may also include a sensor (wind direction, wind speed) for detecting the wind conditions (wind direction, wind speed) experienced by the UAV 40 in the air.

[0061] Internal sensor 46 is connected to the UAV side control unit 43 and is used to detect information such as the current orientation and tilt of the UAV 40 during flight, and send this information to the UAV side control unit 43. The UAV side control unit 43 can appropriately adjust the attitude of the UAV 40 during flight based on the information received from the internal sensor 46. The internal sensor 46 can be an accelerometer, gyroscope, or similar sensor.

[0062] Position sensor 47 is configured similarly to position sensor 27, and is used to detect the current position of drone 40 and send this information to drone-side control unit 43. Additionally, position sensor 47 may also include a barometric pressure sensor or similar device to detect the altitude of drone 40.

[0063] Like the ground robot 20, the power supply unit 48 can use a rechargeable battery. As described above, in the first configuration where the ground robot 20 is equipped with the drone 40, the charging unit 49 charges the power supply unit 48 from the power supply unit 29. Alternatively, the charging unit 49 can be connected to an external power source different from the power supply unit 29 of the ground robot 20 to charge the power supply unit 48.

[0064] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a gas detection method according to an embodiment. The gas detection system 1 uses a component robot 10 having the aforementioned ground robot 20 and drone 40 to perform... Figure 3 The gas detection method is shown. In the gas detection method, under the control of the ground-side control unit 23 and the UAV-side control unit 43, the following steps are executed in sequence: setting the search area SA (step S101), coarse search (step S102), fine search (step S103), and aerial search (step S104).

[0065] In the process of setting the search area SA (step S101), the user sets the search area SA based on the gas of the component robot 10 via a user interface (not shown) of the gas detection system 1. Alternatively, the gas detection system 1 can also move the component robot 10 even when the search area SA is unknown, and generate map information of the search area SA as the component robot 10 moves.

[0066] The coarse search process (step S102: first search step) and the fine search process (step S103: second search step) are ground search processes performed in the first configuration where the ground robot 20 carries the drone 40 to detect gases on the ground. In the coarse search process, the component robot 10 (ground robot 20) is roughly moved within a search area SA (first area) set by the user to detect gases. On the other hand, in the fine search process, a detailed search area DA (second area) narrower than the search area SA is set based on the gas concentration detected in the coarse search process, and the component robot 10 is finely moved to detect gases. Then, the aerial search process is performed in the second configuration where the drone 40 is raised from the ground robot 20 to detect gases in the air. Thus, by performing gas detection in both the first and second configurations within any search area SA, the gas detection system 1 can efficiently and accurately search for (estimate) the three-dimensional coordinates of the location GL where a gas leak occurs.

[0067] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing the functional units formed within the ground-side control unit 23 and the UAV-side control unit 43 in a gas detection method. The ground-side control unit 23 has the following functions: it executes a program stored in the memory 232 by the processor 231. Figure 4 The various functional blocks shown are as follows. Specifically, within the ground-side control unit 23, a ground movement control unit 31, a gas sensor information acquisition unit 32, a gas concentration distribution generation unit 33, and an ascent trigger generation unit 34 are formed. On the other hand, the UAV-side control unit 43 executes the program stored in the memory 432 through the processor 431, and thus has... Figure 4 The various functional blocks shown. Specifically, within the UAV side control unit 43, an airborne movement control unit 51, a gas sensor information acquisition unit 52, a gas concentration distribution generation unit 53, and a gas leakage estimation unit 54 are formed.

[0068] The ground movement control unit 31 is a functional unit that autonomously controls the movement of the ground robot 20 on the ground. For example, the ground movement control unit 31 presets a target position or target direction within the search area SA, and moves the ground robot 20 towards the preset target position or target direction. Furthermore, when the target position is reached or a certain distance is traveled, the ground movement control unit 31 sets a new target position or target direction, and changes the posture of the ground robot 20 in that direction to move forward again. Alternatively, the ground movement control unit 31 may also calculate a target movement path based on the stored map information of the search area SA, and move the ground robot 20 along the target movement path.

[0069] Furthermore, during movement, the ground movement control unit 31 uses external environmental information detected by the external sensor 25, state information of the ground robot 20 detected by the internal sensor 26, and position information detected by the position sensor 27 to adjust the movement control of the ground robot 20 in real time. For example, if the external sensor 25 detects an object (avoidance object) in front of the ground robot 20's direction of movement, the ground movement control unit 31 preferably performs an avoidance maneuver to avoid (detour) the detected object and continues the movement of the ground robot 20. Furthermore, if the external sensor 25 detects uneven or rough roads such as ditches, holes, or bumps (avoidance objects), the ground movement control unit 31 preferably performs an avoidance maneuver to avoid these and continues the movement of the ground robot 20.

[0070] As mentioned above, in gas detection methods, a coarse search process and a fine search process are performed on the ground (see also...). Figure 3 Therefore, the ground movement control unit 31 has a coarse search control unit 311 that controls the movement of the ground robot 20 in the coarse search process, and a fine search control unit 312 that controls the movement of the ground robot 20 in the fine search process.

[0071] Figure 5 (A) is a top view illustrating the movement of component robot 10 in the coarse search process. Figure 5 (B) is a top view showing the movement range of the component robot 10 in the fine search process. The coarse search control unit 311 is as follows... Figure 5 As shown in (A), the component robot 10 (ground robot 20) moves coarsely (sparsely) within the search area SA, and the gas concentration is detected by the gas sensor 24 during this movement. That is, the so-called "coarse search" refers to the movement of the component robot 10 and the detection of gas by passing through multiple open sections within the search area SA, omitting the passage (gas detection) of the open sections. Thus, even in a large search area SA, the ground-side control unit 23 can identify the approximate gas concentration distribution in a short time.

[0072] For example, the movement mode of the component robot 10 as a coarse search process can be described as first circling the outer periphery of the search area SA and then moving inside the search area SA. The coarse search control unit 311 can map the outer periphery of the search area SA and identify its range by continuously acquiring position information from the position sensor 27 during movement. Furthermore, if map information of the search area SA is available in advance, the coarse search control unit 311 can also use this map information to calculate the target position and target direction. In addition, during the coarse search process, when changing the position of the component robot 10 from the outer periphery of the search area SA to the inside of the search area SA, the component robot 10 can move with a certain interval (e.g., about 2m to 5m). Alternatively, the movement mode of the component robot 10 as a coarse search process can also employ a mode in which multiple roughly linear movement columns with intervals are set in the search area SA, and the robot moves forward or back and forth sequentially along each movement column, or moves randomly within the search area SA.

[0073] Then, while the component robot 10 is moving, the gas sensor information acquisition unit 32 detects the gas concentration through the gas sensor 24, acquires the gas detection information from the gas sensor 24, and stores it in the memory 232.

[0074] The gas concentration distribution generation unit 33 generates a gas concentration distribution based on the gas concentration information acquired by the gas sensor information acquisition unit 32. Figure 5 The gas concentration distribution map is as shown in (A). The gas concentration distribution map is generated by associating the position obtained by the position sensor 27 with the gas concentration obtained by the gas sensor 24 during the movement of the component robot 10. Thus, the ground-side control unit 23 can identify the gas concentration distribution on the ground. Furthermore, the "identification of concentration distribution" in this invention refers to performing a calculation that establishes a correspondence between concentration and position information. Therefore, the gas concentration distribution map may not need to be generated in the ground-side control unit 23. For example, in order to generate a gas concentration distribution map in an external information processing device (including the drone 40), the ground-side control unit 23 can also be said to have identified the concentration distribution by sending the calculation results that establish a correlation between each gas concentration and each position information.

[0075] In a gas concentration distribution map, areas with high gas concentrations can be considered as proximity to the location GL where a gas leak is likely to occur. Therefore, the ground-side control unit 23 sets a detailed search area DA for the next fine search process, including the location with the highest gas concentration detected during the coarse search. The detailed search area DA is, for example, as shown in the image. Figure 5As shown in (B), a virtual circle can be defined with the location of the highest gas concentration as the center and the distance between the parts traversed by the component robot 10 in the coarse search process as the radius. Since the detailed search area DA is set in this way is much smaller than the search area SA in the coarse search process, the reduction in work efficiency can be suppressed even if the component robot 10 moves in detail within the detailed search area DA in the fine search process.

[0076] The fine search control unit 312 enables the component robot 10 to move precisely (intensively) within the detailed search area DA, during which the concentration of chemical substances is detected by the gas sensor 24. That is, "fine search" refers to moving the component robot 10 and detecting gases within the detailed search area DA, which is narrower than the search area SA, to extract the location with the highest gas concentration. As a result, the ground-side control unit 23 can identify ground locations with high gas concentrations as a whole within the search area SA.

[0077] Figure 6 (A) is a block diagram illustrating the processing and judgment of the fine search control unit 312 in the fine search process. Figure 6 (B) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of the component robot 10 in the fine search process. For example... Figure 6 As shown in (A), the fine search control unit 312 can set the movement direction, forward and backward actions of the ground robot 20 based on the gas concentration detected by the gas sensor 24.

[0078] For example, the fine search control unit 312 can use a gradient method based on gas concentration to switch the movement and direction of the component robot 10. As an example, the fine search control unit 312 determines whether the gas concentration detected at the current position is increasing or decreasing compared to the gas concentration detected at the previous position. Then, if the gas concentration at the current position is increasing compared to the gas concentration at the previous position, it advances a predetermined distance and detects the gas concentration at the new current position. This "preset distance" is a value shorter than the interval between parts of the coarse search process; for example, it can be set to an appropriate value in the range of approximately 300mm to 1000mm.

[0079] On the other hand, if the gas concentration at the current position is lower than the gas concentration at the immediately preceding position, after temporarily retreating, the component robot 10 changes its angle and advances a set distance, and detects the gas concentration at the position after advancing (the new current position). Thus, it is possible to suppress the component robot 10 from moving towards the direction of low gas concentration, and instead move the component robot 10 towards the direction of high gas concentration.

[0080] Using the above rules, component robot 10, for example, performs... Figure 6 As shown in (B), the robot searches for the location with the highest gas concentration in the detailed search area DA. For example, in its first move after moving to the detailed search area DA, the component robot 10 moves towards... Figure 6 The component robot 10 moves to the left of (B). Then, it compares the gas concentration at its current position after moving forward with the gas concentration at the starting position (the immediately preceding position) and detects a decrease in gas concentration. Thus, after retracing to the starting position, the component robot 10, in its second movement, moves towards... Figure 6 The robot moves downwards in the direction of (B). Even after a decrease in gas concentration was detected during this second movement, the component robot 10 still retreated to the starting position and then made a third movement. During the third movement... Figure 6 The component robot 10 moves upwards. Then, it detects that the gas concentration at the current position after moving upwards is higher than the gas concentration at the starting position of the movement.

[0081] Based on the increase in gas concentration, component robot 10 further moves towards [the target area] during its fourth movement. Figure 6 The component robot 10 moves upwards in the direction of (B). Upon detecting a decrease in gas concentration at its current position after moving forward, it retreats to the position it reached on its third move and then makes its fifth move. During the fifth move, it moves in a direction it has not previously moved in. Figure 6 The robot moves to the right of (B). This is because the probability of an increase in gas concentration is higher in directions that have not been previously moved. Then, the component robot 10 detects that the gas concentration at the current position after moving to the right is higher than the gas concentration at the immediate preceding position after the third move.

[0082] Based on the increase in gas concentration, component robot 10 further moves towards [the target area] during its sixth movement. Figure 6 The robot moves to the right of (B). If it detects a decrease in gas concentration at its current position after moving forward, the component robot 10 retreats to its position after the 5th move and then makes a 7th move. In the 7th move, for example, towards... Figure 6 The component robot 10 moves downwards in the direction of (B). If the component robot 10 also detects a decrease in gas concentration during its 7th move, it retreats to the position after its 5th move and then makes its 8th move. During the 8th move, for example, towards... Figure 6The component robot 10 moves upwards in the direction of (B). Then, if the component robot 10 also detects a decrease in gas concentration during its 8th move, it retreats to the position after the 5th move and identifies this position as the position with the highest gas concentration. In addition, the gradient method of gas concentration is one example of a fine search process, but it is not limited to it. For example, the ground-side control unit 23 can also make the component robot 10 move without omission in the detailed search area DA to detect the gas concentration.

[0083] Then, in the fine search process, the ground control unit 23 detects the gas concentration in the detailed search area DA and sets the location with the highest gas concentration as the ground position where the UAV 40 floats. After setting, the component robot 10 moves to the ground position and performs the flight search process by changing from the first mode to the second mode. Figure 3 Step S103).

[0084] At this time, the ascent trigger generation unit 34 of the ground-side control unit 23 communicates with the drone 40, sending ascent trigger information for the drone 40 to ascend from the ground robot 20. When the drone 40 receives the ascent trigger information, it starts driving each propeller mechanism 423 and ascends from the ground robot 20 towards the vertical direction. In addition, along with the generation of the ascent trigger, the ground-side control unit 23 releases the locking mechanism 221 from the drone 40.

[0085] Return to Figure 4 The UAV side control unit 43 controls the flight of the UAV 40 via the airborne movement control unit 51. For example, the airborne movement control unit 51 causes the UAV 40 to ascend vertically from the ground position set by the ground robot 20. Furthermore, during ascent, the airborne movement control unit 51 uses external environmental information detected by the external sensor 45, the UAV 40's status information detected by the internal sensor 46, and the position information detected by the position sensor 47 to adjust the movement control of the ground robot 20 in real time. For example, if the external sensor 45 detects an object vertically above (in front of) the UAV 40 in the direction of movement, the airborne movement control unit 51 can perform an avoidance maneuver to avoid the detected object and continue the movement of the UAV 40.

[0086] Then, in the air search process of the gas detection method, gas detection is performed while the UAV 40 is ascending (floating) (hereinafter also referred to as the ascent search process). Therefore, the air movement control unit 51 has an ascent control unit 511 inside that controls the actions of the UAV 40 during ascent.

[0087] The ascent control unit 511 synchronizes the operation of each propeller mechanism 423, for example, by causing the drone 40 to ascend at a certain speed. Furthermore, even in windy conditions, the ascent control unit 511 independently controls the rotational speed of each propeller mechanism 423, ensuring that the drone 40 does not deviate significantly from its set ground position and continues its ascent. Thus, the drone 40 can ascend while maintaining a roughly vertically upward position relative to the ground.

[0088] Then, during the ascent search process, the gas sensor information acquisition unit 52 of the UAV side control unit 43 detects the gas concentration through the gas sensor 44 while the UAV 40 is ascending, acquires the gas detection information from the gas sensor 44 and stores it in the memory 432.

[0089] Figure 7 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the ascent search process of a gas detection method and the gas detection. In the ascent search process, the UAV 40... Figure 7 The left figure shows the drone ascending vertically upwards, detecting the gas concentration during this ascent. Furthermore, the position sensor 47 of the drone 40 continuously detects its altitude during ascent and sends this position information to the drone-side control unit 43. The gas concentration distribution generation unit 53 generates a gas concentration distribution by associating the gas concentration obtained by the gas sensor information acquisition unit 52 with the altitude (position information) of the drone 40. Figure 7 The right-hand figure shows a gas concentration distribution map. Thus, the UAV side control unit 43 can identify the concentration distribution of gases in the air. Alternatively, the UAV side control unit 43 may not generate the gas concentration distribution map internally. For example, in order to generate the gas concentration distribution map in an external information processing device (including the ground robot 20), and to send the calculation results that establish the correlation between each gas concentration and each location information, it can also be said that the UAV side control unit 43 identifies the concentration distribution.

[0090] The gas concentration distribution map drawn during the ascent search process presents a mountain-shaped pattern where the gas concentration is highest near the gas leak location GL. The gas leak estimation unit 54 of the UAV side control unit 43 can consider the top of the mountain-shaped pattern in the gas concentration distribution map obtained during the UAV 40's ascent search process as the closest point to the gas leak location GL. For example, if the gas leak location GL is estimated, the gas leak estimation unit 54 generates a report information indicating the gas leak location GL to the user and outputs the report information to the user interface (monitor, printer) of the gas detection system 1.

[0091] In controlling the ascent of the UAV 40, the ascent control unit 511 can, for example, refer to gas detection information and continue to ascend until the gas concentration exceeds the height of the mountain's top. As a result, the gas leak estimation unit 54 can more reliably detect the location GL of the gas leak.

[0092] Furthermore, the location GL of the gas leak may shift horizontally from the position where the drone 40 has ascended due to wind influence. Therefore, the airborne movement control unit 51 may also include a horizontal search control unit 512 in addition to the ascent control unit 511, which moves the drone 40 horizontally to detect the gas concentration. For example, during the ascent search process, the drone-side control unit 43 moves the drone 40 horizontally at the position with the highest gas concentration to detect the surrounding gas (hereinafter also referred to as the horizontal search process). Thus, the drone 40 can detect a position with a higher gas concentration in the air and can estimate that position as the location GL of the gas leak. Alternatively, the gas leak estimation unit 54 can also estimate the location of the gas leak location GL by using information on wind direction and speed detected by external sensors 45.

[0093] Alternatively, the gas detection system 1 may also be external to the component robot 10, equipped with an information processing device 90 for communication with the component robot 10. The information processing device 90 can be a computer equipped with a processor (not shown), memory, input / output interface, communication interface, etc. The information processing device 90 may also be a portable telephone terminal, tablet, laptop computer, wearable computer, etc., including smartphones. The information processing device 90 may, for example, function as a user interface for outputting the aforementioned report information. Alternatively, the user interface may be located in the frame 22 of the ground robot 20, etc.

[0094] Furthermore, the information processing device 90 may also possess a portion of the functions of the ground-side control unit 23 of the ground robot 20 or the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-side control unit 43 of the UAV 40. For example, the information processing device 90 may also include gas sensor information acquisition units 32 and 52, gas concentration distribution generation units 33 and 53, and a gas leak estimation unit 54, which receive gas information detected by gas sensors 24 and 44 to generate a gas concentration distribution map and estimate the location GL of a gas leak.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the structure is designed to enable the ground robot 20 and the drone 40 to perform actions autonomously. However, the gas detection system 1 is not limited to this; for example, the information processing device 90 may include a ground movement control unit 31 and an air movement control unit 51. Thus, the gas detection system 1 can be configured to send action commands from the information processing device 90 to the ground robot 20 and the drone 40, enabling remote operation of each device.

[0096] Furthermore, the gas detection system 1 of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted. For example, the component robot 10 may perform only one of the gas detection processes in the first embodiment, without performing both the coarse search process and the fine search process. As an example, when the search area SA is narrow, even if the fine search process is performed from the beginning, time loss can be suppressed.

[0097] External sensors 25 and 45 are not limited to being installed on the ground robot 20 and the drone 40 respectively; they can also be installed only on the drone 40. During the ground search process of the ground robot 20 (component robot 10), information from the external sensors 45 of the drone 40 can be used to perform object avoidance actions, etc.

[0098] In the gas detection system 1 described above, a structure in which one drone 40 is mounted on one ground robot 20 is explained. This allows the ground robot 20 to easily transport the drone 40 and smoothly perform gas detection while suppressing energy consumption on the ground. However, the component robot 10 can also mount multiple drones 40 on one ground robot 20. For example, if the gas concentration is high at multiple locations on the ground, it is possible to respond by causing the drone 40 to float at each location.

[0099] In addition, the gas detection system 1 can not only use the component robot 10 to search for the location GL of the gas leak, but also use the information of the detected gas to analyze the types and quantities of gases in the atmosphere.

[0100] Next, refer to Figures 8-10 The gas detection system 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 8 This is a side view showing the overall structure of the gas detection system 1A according to the second embodiment. Figure 9 This is a block diagram showing the functional units formed within the ground-side control unit 23 and the UAV-side control unit 43 of the gas detection system 1A. Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the gas detection method according to the second embodiment.

[0101] like Figure 8 As shown, the gases (chemical substances) detected by gas detection system 1A include gases with a density greater than that of the atmosphere and gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere. The heavier gases flow in a direction lower than the location GL of the gas leak, while the lighter gases flow in a direction higher than the location GL of the gas leak. In cases of multiple gas leaks or when the type of leaked gas is unknown, the likelihood of a deviation in the estimated location GL of the gas leak increases based on the density of the leaking gases.

[0102] Therefore, the gas detection system 1A acquires the specific gravity and concentration of the gas detected by gas sensors 24 and 44, and uses this information to set the actions of the component robot 10 (ground robot 20, drone 40). Specifically, as... Figure 9 As shown, the ground-side control unit 23 of the ground robot 20 has a specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 35, which determines the specific gravity of the gas and the concentration of the gas based on the detection information obtained by the gas sensor information acquisition unit 32. Furthermore, the drone-side control unit 43 of the drone 40 also has a specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 55 with the same function.

[0103] The specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 35 of the ground robot 20, for example, stores in advance a table containing information on the specific gravity of each of various gases. When the type of gas in the acquired detection information is identified, the specific gravity of the gas corresponding to that type is extracted. Thus, when the specific gravity of the detected gas is above atmospheric pressure (a specific gravity of 1.0 or higher), the specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 35 can identify that a gas with a high specific gravity is leaking.

[0104] Then, the density concentration determination and processing unit 35 compares the detected concentration of the heavy gas with a pre-stored ground-use threshold to determine whether the gas concentration is above or below the ground-use threshold. The ground-use threshold is a value that is naturally mixed with the atmosphere and can be set to an appropriate value according to the type of gas. When the concentration of the heavy gas is above or below the ground-use threshold, the ground-side control unit 23 can identify that the heavy gas is flowing towards the ground.

[0105] On the other hand, the specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 55 of the drone 40 also stores in advance table information recording the specific gravity of each of the various gases. When the type of gas in the acquired detection information is identified, the specific gravity of the gas corresponding to that type is retrieved. Thus, when the specific gravity of the detected gas is less than that of the atmosphere (specific gravity less than 1.0), the specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 55 can identify that a gas with a low specific gravity is leaking.

[0106] Then, the specific gravity concentration determination and processing unit 55 compares the detected concentration of the less dense gas with a pre-stored threshold for use in the air to determine whether the gas concentration is above or below the threshold for use in the air. The threshold for use in the air is also above the value of natural mixing with the atmosphere, and can be set to an appropriate value according to the type of gas. That is, the threshold for use in the air can be different from the threshold for use on the ground. When the concentration of the less dense gas is above or below the threshold for use in the air, the UAV side control unit 43 can identify that the less dense gas is flowing into the air.

[0107] The gas detection system 1A is basically configured as described above. The gas detection method according to the second embodiment will now be described. The gas detection method according to the second embodiment is executed sequentially under the control of the ground-side control unit 23 and the UAV-side control unit 43. Figure 10 The steps S201 to S214 are shown.

[0108] The gas detection method according to the second embodiment performs steps S201 to S203 in essentially the same process as steps S101 to S103 in the gas detection method according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the description of steps S201 to S203 is omitted.

[0109] After the fine search process, the specific gravity concentration determination processing unit 35 of the component robot 10 determines whether the specific gravity of the gas detected in the fine search is above atmospheric gravity, and whether the concentration of the gas is above the ground threshold (step S204). That is, since gases above atmospheric gravity flow to the ground, by monitoring gases with specific gravity above atmospheric gravity in the detection of gases on the ground, the state of gas leakage can be accurately detected. If the specific gravity of the gas is above atmospheric gravity and the concentration of the gas is above the ground threshold (step S204: "Yes"), the ground-side control unit 23 decides to transfer to the second mode and proceeds to step S205.

[0110] In step S205, component robot 10 moves to the ground position with the highest gas concentration, and ground robot 20 causes drone 40 to rise to perform an ascent search process (aerial search process). This ascent search process is essentially the same as step S104 in the first embodiment, and its detailed description is omitted. Alternatively, drone 40 may also perform a horizontal search process at an appropriate altitude, moving drone 40 horizontally, in conjunction with this ascent search process.

[0111] In step S205, the UAV 40 ascends while primarily detecting gases with a density greater than that of the atmosphere, but it may also detect gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere. That is, in the search for gas leaks when the type of gas is unknown, not only gases with a density greater than that of the atmosphere may leak, but gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere may also leak. Therefore, the density concentration determination processing unit 55 of the UAV 40 determines whether the density of the gas detected in the aerial search process is less than that of the atmosphere, and determines whether the concentration of the gas is above or above the threshold used in the air (step S206).

[0112] Since gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere rise or float in the air, their presence can be identified by monitoring these gases during airborne gas detection. If no gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere are detected, or if they are detected but their concentration is below a threshold for use in the air (step S206: "No"), it can be determined that no gas with a density less than that of the atmosphere has leaked. Therefore, in step S207, the UAV-side control unit 43 terminates the gas detection based on the UAV 40, causing the UAV 40 to land on the ground robot 20.

[0113] Then, the gas leak estimation unit 54 of the UAV side control unit 43 estimates the location GL of the gas leak based on the gas concentration distribution map of the specific gravity above the atmosphere detected in the air search process, and notifies the user interface of its report information (step S208).

[0114] On the other hand, in step S204, if the specific gravity concentration determination processing unit 35 does not detect a gas with a specific gravity greater than that of the atmosphere, or if it detects a gas with a specific gravity greater than that of the atmosphere but the gas concentration is less than the threshold used for ground (step S204: "No"), it switches to a mode that searches for gases with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere. That is, the current gas search can be used to presume that there is no leakage of gas with a specific gravity greater than that of the atmosphere, so the gas detection method is switched to a search that matches gases with low specific gravity.

[0115] Here, when searching for gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere, the possibility of not being able to utilize the detection results of gases on the ground increases. This is because gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere tend to rise into the air, so even if a location with a high gas concentration is identified on the ground, there may not necessarily be a gas leak site GL directly above that location. Therefore, in the mode of searching for gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere, multiple designated locations 1 to N are set above the UAV 40, and a flight search operation based on the UAV 40 (second form) is performed at each designated location. Designated locations 1 to N can, for example, be set as a matrix with appropriate intervals based on map information of the search area SA. The interval between designated locations 1 to N can be set to a range of about 2m to 5m.

[0116] In detail, in step S209, the component robot 10 (ground robot 20) moves to any one of the multiple designated locations 1 to N. Then, at the designated location, the component robot 10 transforms into a second form, causing the drone 40 to float up and perform an ascent search operation (step S210).

[0117] In this ascent search process, the specific gravity concentration determination processing unit 55 of the UAV 40, similar to step S206, determines whether the specific gravity of the gas is less than that of the atmosphere, and determines whether the concentration of the gas is above or above the threshold for use in the air (step S211). Thus, the UAV side control unit 43 can determine whether there is a gas with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere in the vertical direction above the designated location.

[0118] Then, if the specific gravity concentration determination processing unit 55 detects a gas with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere and the concentration of that gas is above the threshold for use in the air (step S211: "Yes"), it identifies that a gas with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere exists around the UAV 40. In this case, the UAV-side control unit 43 performs a horizontal search process to detect the gas by moving horizontally around that location (step S212). At this time, the gas concentration distribution generation unit 53 can identify the location with the highest gas concentration by generating a gas concentration distribution map accompanying the horizontal search process. That is, by performing the horizontal search process, it is possible to more accurately search for locations with high concentrations of gases with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere. The range of this horizontal search process can be set based on the interval of adjacent designated locations 1 to N, for example, a range set to 2m to 5m.

[0119] Furthermore, after performing an upward search operation based on gases with a density greater than that of the atmosphere, the UAV side control unit 43 also performs a horizontal search operation (step S212) if it detects gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere and the concentration of such gases is above the threshold for use in the air (step S206: "Yes"). Thus, the gas detection system 1 can estimate the location GL of the gas leak based on both gases with a density greater than that of the atmosphere and gases with a density less than that of the atmosphere.

[0120] When the location GL of the gas leak is estimated by performing step S212, the process proceeds to step S207, whereby the drone 40 lands on the ground robot 20. Then, in step S208, the gas leak estimation unit 54 estimates the location GL of the gas leak based on the gas concentration distribution map and notifies the user interface of its report information.

[0121] On the other hand, in step S211, if the specific gravity concentration determination processing unit 55 does not detect a gas with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere, or even if it detects a gas with a specific gravity less than that of the atmosphere but the concentration of that gas is less than the threshold used in the air (step S211: "No"), it ends the detection of the designated location. As a result, the UAV side control unit 43 causes the UAV 40 to land on the ground robot 20 (step S213).

[0122] After step S213, the UAV side control unit 43 determines whether all designated locations 1 to N have been searched (step S214). In this determination, if there are any designated locations that have not been searched (step S214: "No"), the process returns to step S209, and the same processing flow is performed thereafter.

[0123] Furthermore, if no specified location was not found (step S214: "Yes"), then no gas leak occurred for gases with a density less than that of atmosphere. Therefore, proceeding to step S208, the gas leak estimation unit 54 notifies the user interface that a gas leak location GL could not be found. Thus, the user can easily identify that there is no gas leak in the search area SA.

[0124] The above-disclosed embodiments have the following effects and benefits, for example.

[0125] [Postscript 1] A gas detection system comprising: Ground-based mobile objects, capable of moving on the ground; One or more flying bodies, mounted on the ground-based mobile body, and capable of levitating into the air; and Sensors, at least one of the flight vehicles, are used to detect chemical substances in the gas. After the sensor detects the one or more flying bodies mounted on the ground mobile body in the first configuration, the detection is performed in the second configuration where the one or more flying bodies are lifted from the ground mobile body.

[0126] [The effect of Appendix 1] According to the aforementioned gas detection system, power consumption can be suppressed, and the state of chemical substances can be detected efficiently. Specifically, by detecting chemical substances in a first configuration where a flying object is mounted on a ground-based mobile body, the chance of the flying object surfacing can be suppressed, thus reducing power consumption associated with surfacing. Furthermore, since the chance of the flying object surfacing is reduced, disturbance of chemical substances in the air can be suppressed, allowing the gas detection system to detect chemical substances in a second configuration within a short time. As a result, the gas detection system can rapidly identify the state of chemical substances in three-dimensional space.

[0127] [Postscript 2] According to the gas detection system described in Appendix 1, wherein, The ground-based mobile body determines the ground position at which the one or more flying bodies float based on the concentration of the chemical substance detected by the sensor in the first configuration, and moves to that ground position. The one or more flying bodies transform into the second form at the ground location.

[0128] [The effect of Appendix 2] The gas detection system sets the ground location for transitioning to the second phase based on the concentration of chemical substances detected in the first phase, enabling it to search for locations with high concentrations of chemical substances more efficiently.

[0129] [Postscript 3] In the first configuration, the ground mobile body performs the following steps: a first search step of moving within a first region to perform sensor detection; and a second search step of setting the ground position by moving within the second region to perform sensor detection based on the detection results of the first search step, which is a second region narrower than the first region.

[0130] [The effect of Appendix 3] Gas detection systems can efficiently detect chemical substances by performing a first search step and a second search step, for example, even over a large search area.

[0131] [Postscript 4] According to the gas detection system described in Appendix 3, wherein... The second region is the location in the first region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest and its surrounding area.

[0132] [The effect of Appendix 4] The gas detection system can effectively narrow down the second region by setting the location with the highest concentration of chemical substances detected in the first region as the second region, thereby searching for locations with high concentrations of chemical substances with greater precision.

[0133] [Postscript 5] According to the gas detection system described in Appendix 4, wherein... The ground location is the location in the second region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest.

[0134] [The effect of Appendix 5] The gas detection system can efficiently search for areas with high concentrations of chemical substances during the ascent of the aircraft by setting the location with the highest concentration of chemical substances detected in the second region as the ground location.

[0135] [Postscript 6] The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The sensor is located on each of the more than one flying body and the ground mobile body.

[0136] [The effect of Appendix 6] The gas detection system, by having sensors on both the aircraft and the ground-based mobile vehicle, can appropriately detect gases on the ground and in the air using their respective sensors.

[0137] [Postscript 7] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 6, in the gas detection system, wherein, In the first configuration, the ground-based mobile body moves while using the sensor to detect the concentration of the chemical substance and identify the concentration distribution of the chemical substance on the ground.

[0138] [The effect of Appendix 7] Gas detection systems can significantly reduce detection time by moving across the ground while detecting chemical substances, compared to methods that repeatedly move and stop.

[0139] [Postscript 8] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 7, in the gas detection system, wherein, In the second configuration, one or more flying objects move while using the sensors to detect the concentration of the chemical substance and identify the concentration distribution of the chemical substance in the air.

[0140] [The effect of Appendix 8] Gas detection systems can significantly reduce the time spent on aerial detection by moving through the air while detecting chemical substances.

[0141] [Postscript 9] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 8, in the gas detection system, wherein, It has a processing unit that, based on the detection information detected by the sensor, identifies the specific gravity and concentration of the chemical substance relative to the atmosphere, and sets the control content of the ground moving body and / or the one or more flying bodies.

[0142] [The effect of note 9] Gas detection systems set control parameters based on the specific gravity of chemical substances, enabling appropriate detection based on the flow (change of position) of chemical substances in the air.

[0143] [Postscript 10] According to the gas detection system described in Appendix 9, wherein, The processing unit, If the chemical substance is detected in the first mode at a concentration greater than that of the atmosphere and the concentration of the chemical substance is above a threshold used on the ground, the sensor is switched to the second mode for detection. If the chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere is not detected in the first mode, or if the chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere is detected but the concentration of the chemical substance is less than a threshold for the ground, the sensor switches to the second mode to perform detection after the ground moving body is moved to the set position.

[0144] [The effect of postscript 10] Therefore, the gas detection system is able to appropriately detect chemical substances with a specific gravity above the atmosphere, both on the ground and in the air.

[0145] [Postscript 11] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 10, in the gas detection system, wherein, At least one of the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body has an external sensor capable of acquiring information about terrain and / or objects existing in the direction of movement. During movement in the first form and / or during movement in the second form, if an object to be avoided is detected in the direction of movement based on the external sensor, the movement continues while avoiding the object to be avoided.

[0146] [The effect of postscript 11] Therefore, the gas detection system can suppress contact between ground-based moving objects and flying objects, and stably detect chemical substances.

[0147] [Postscript 12] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 11, in the gas detection system, wherein, The ground mobile body has a power supply unit that supplies power to the one or more flying bodies in at least one of the first and second configurations.

[0148] [The effect of Appendix 12] Therefore, the flying vehicle can prevent the detection from being interrupted midway due to insufficient power during flight.

[0149] [Postscript 13] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 12, in the gas detection system, wherein, The more than one flying body is mounted on the ground mobile body.

[0150] [The effect of Appendix 13] Therefore, the gas detection system can suppress air turbulence caused by the flight of multiple aircraft and focus on searching for the location of gas leaks.

[0151] [Postscript 14] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 13, in the gas detection system, wherein, The sensor can distinguish and detect a variety of the chemical substances.

[0152] [The effect of Appendix 14] Gas detection systems can distinguish and detect a variety of chemical substances, thus improving their versatility.

[0153] [Postscript 15] According to any one of Appendices 1 to 14, in the gas detection system, wherein, At least one of the ground mobile body and the more than one flying body sends the information detected by the sensor to the other of the ground mobile body and the more than one flying body, or to an information processing device different from the ground mobile body and the more than one flying body.

[0154] [The effect of Appendix 15] Gas detection systems can more easily monitor the state of chemical substances by aggregating detection information from sensors on ground-based moving bodies and one or more flying bodies.

[0155] [Postscript 16] A gas detection method is a gas detection method for detecting chemical substances in a gas, which has the following characteristics: The ground search process involves moving in a first form on a ground-mobile body capable of moving on the ground and carrying one or more flying bodies capable of floating in the air, and detecting the chemical substance using sensors installed on at least one or more flying bodies. The aerial search procedure, following the ground search procedure, transitions into a second phase where the one or more flying bodies are brought to the surface from the ground-based mobile body, and the chemical substances are detected using the sensors.

[0156] [The effect of Appendix 16] The gas detection methods described above can also efficiently detect the state of chemical substances while minimizing power consumption.

[0157] The gas detection systems 1 and 1A and the gas detection method disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can also be employed in other structures and combined without contradiction.

[0158] This application claims priority to basic application No. 2023-105370 filed with the Japan Patent Office on June 27, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0159] Label Explanation 1. 1A: Gas detection system 10: Component Robot 20: Ground robots (ground mobile bodies) 23: Ground-side control unit 24, 44: Gas sensors 25, 45: External sensors 29: Power Supply Department 40: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) 43: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Side Control Unit 90: Information processing device.

Claims

1. A gas detection system, comprising: Ground-based mobile objects, capable of moving on the ground; One or more flying bodies, mounted on the ground-based mobile body, and capable of levitating in the air; and Sensors, at least one of the flight vehicles, are used to detect chemical substances in the gas. After the sensor detects the one or more flying bodies mounted on the ground mobile body in the first configuration, the detection is performed in the second configuration where the one or more flying bodies are lifted from the ground mobile body.

2. The gas detection system according to claim 1, wherein, The ground-based mobile body determines the ground position at which the one or more flying bodies float based on the concentration of the chemical substance detected by the sensor in the first configuration, and moves to that ground position. The one or more flying bodies transform into the second form at the ground location.

3. The gas detection system according to claim 2, wherein, The ground-based mobile body performs the following steps in the first configuration: The first search step involves moving within a first area to perform the sensor's detection. as well as The second search step involves setting a second region, which is narrower than the first region, based on the detection results of the first search step, and moving within this second region to perform sensor detection and set the ground position.

4. The gas detection system according to claim 3, wherein, The second region is the location in the first region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest and its surrounding area.

5. The gas detection system according to claim 4, wherein, The ground location is the location in the second region where the concentration of the chemical substance is highest.

6. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The sensors are respectively installed on one or more flying bodies and on the ground moving bodies.

7. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, In the first configuration, the ground-based mobile body moves while using the sensor to detect the concentration of the chemical substance and identify the concentration distribution of the chemical substance on the ground.

8. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein In the second configuration, one or more flying objects move while using the sensors to detect the concentration of the chemical substance and identify the concentration distribution of the chemical substance in the air.

9. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: The processing unit identifies the specific gravity and concentration of the chemical substance relative to the atmosphere based on the detection information detected by the sensor, and sets the control content for the ground-based mobile body and / or the one or more flying bodies.

10. The gas detection system according to claim 9, wherein, The processing unit, If the sensor detects a chemical substance with a specific gravity above that of the atmosphere in the first mode and the concentration of the chemical substance is above a threshold used on the ground, the sensor switches to the second mode for detection. If the chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere is not detected in the first mode, or if the chemical substance with a density greater than that of the atmosphere is detected but the concentration of the chemical substance is less than the threshold for the ground, the sensor will switch to the second mode to perform detection after the ground moving body is moved to the set position.

11. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, At least one of the ground-based mobile body and the more than one flying body is equipped with an external sensor for acquiring information about terrain and / or objects existing in the direction of movement. During movement in the first form and / or during movement in the second form, if an object to be avoided is detected in the direction of movement based on the external sensor, the movement continues by avoiding the object to be avoided.

12. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The ground mobile body has a power supply unit that supplies power to the one or more flying bodies in at least one of the first and second configurations.

13. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, The more than one flying body is mounted on the ground mobile body.

14. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The sensor detects a variety of the chemical substances by distinguishing them.

15. The gas detection system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, At least one of the ground mobile body and the more than one flying body sends the information detected by the sensor to the other of the ground mobile body and the more than one flying body, or to an information processing device different from the ground mobile body and the more than one flying body.

16. A gas detection method for detecting chemical substances in a gas, comprising the following steps: The ground search process involves moving in a first configuration where a ground-based mobile body capable of moving on the ground carries one or more flying bodies capable of levitating in the air, and detecting the chemical substance using sensors installed on at least one or more of the flying bodies; and The aerial search procedure, following the ground search procedure, transitions into a second phase where the one or more flying bodies are brought to the surface from the ground-based mobile body, and the chemical substances are detected using the sensors.

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