Program, method, and system

Abstract

To provide a system with which it is possible to limit data capacity of a virtual model of a plant.SOLUTION: A program is caused to be executed by a system including a processor. The program causes the processor to execute the steps of: storing, for each of a plurality of facilities constituting a plant, information on a facility model that is a 3D model and that includes settings of a detail level which may be set in a step-wise manner so as to be different for each of the facilities, and the 3D model corresponding to the detail level in a storage unit; accepting an input operation from a user for displaying the plurality of facilities on a screen; rendering the facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in a virtual space, in response to the input operation, on the basis of the settings of the detail level that is set for each of the facilities and may be different for each facility; and displaying the rendering result to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a program, a method, and a system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, systems have been introduced that use 3D models (BIM / CIM) to manage buildings, improving the efficiency of construction and maintenance. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a method for managing a structure using such model data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-128846 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the data volume of 3D model data varies significantly depending on the level of detail. When these systems are applied to large-scale structures consisting of many devices such as plants, for example when the level of detail of the model data is set uniformly high, the data volume of the virtual model of the entire plant becomes extremely large, raising concerns that the processing load will become too high.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system that can reduce the data volume of a virtual model of a plant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a program to be executed by a system having a processor, the program causing the processor to execute the following steps: storing in a memory unit information about equipment models, which are 3D models, for each of multiple pieces of equipment that make up a plant, the level of detail settings of which can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and information about the equipment models including the 3D models corresponding to the level of detail; accepting a user input operation for displaying the multiple pieces of equipment on a screen; in response to the input operation, rendering an equipment model for each of the multiple pieces of equipment placed in a virtual space based on the level of detail settings set for each piece of equipment, which can be different for each piece of equipment; and displaying the rendering results to the user. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the data volume of a virtual model of a plant. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a plant management system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the administrator terminal illustrated in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a cloud server illustrated in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the cloud server illustrated in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the customer database shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the user database shown in FIG. 4; [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the plant database shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 8] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the equipment database shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10]FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining division of the level of detail in the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display form of model data with a detail level of 0. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display form of model data at detail level 1. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display form of model data with detail levels 1 to 3. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a model data creation schedule. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the model data creation schedule. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a calculation process of a model creation period by the plant management system. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a model creation process by the plant management system. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a rendering process of a virtual model by a plant management system. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a model creation process according to a first modified example.

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. The names and functions of the components are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0010] <1. Summary of the Invention> As shown in Fig. 1, a plant management system 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as system 1) according to the present invention is a system used to manage various plants. A plant is, for example, a production system that is composed of a group of facilities for manufacturing chemical products through various production processes using chemical reactions and controls the operating conditions of piping lines that process various fluids. Examples of plants include LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plants and petrochemical plants.

[0011] Taking an LNG plant as an example, the equipment that makes up the plant includes the following: - Acid gas removal equipment that removes acid gases contained in the raw gas that is the subject of liquefaction processing Sulfur recovery equipment to recover elemental sulfur from the removed acid gas - Moisture removal equipment to remove moisture contained in the raw gas - Refrigerant compression equipment used for cooling and liquefying raw gas In this manner, the plant is made up of a plurality of pieces of equipment.

[0012] Next, the equipment in a plant is a structural unit that constitutes various facilities, and refers to various mechanical devices installed according to the purpose of the plant. Specific examples of equipment include pipes, tanks, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, etc. In managing the plant, the system 1 performs operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plant by using a virtual model that imitates the plant.

[0013] <2. System 1 Configuration> Next, the configuration of the system 1 will be described.

[0014] <2-1. Overall composition> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a system 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the system 1 is composed of a customer terminal 10, an administrator terminal 20, and a server 30. The customer terminal 10, the administrator terminal 20, and the server 30 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network NW. The network NW is composed of a wired or wireless network.

[0015] The customer terminal 10 is a computer used by a person in charge of a customer (e.g., a gas manufacturing manufacturer) who is the owner of the plant. The customer terminal 10 is realized by a stationary PC (Personal Computer), a laptop PC, or the like. In addition, the terminal device may be, for example, a tablet compatible with a mobile communication system, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, or the like.

[0016] The customer terminal 10 is connected to the network NW by communicating with communication devices such as a wireless base station 81 that complies with communication standards such as 5G and LTE (Long Term Evolution), and a wireless LAN router that complies with wireless LAN (Local Area Network) standards such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11.

[0017] <2-2. Customer terminal 10> Next, the configuration of the customer terminal 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the customer terminal 10 includes a communication IF (Interface) 12, an input device 13, an output device 14, a memory 15, a storage unit 16, and a processor 19.

[0018] The communication IF 12 is an interface for inputting and outputting signals so that the customer terminal 10 can communicate with an external device. The input device 13 is an input device (for example, a keyboard, a touch panel, a touch pad, a pointing device such as a mouse, etc.) for receiving an input operation from a user.

[0019] The output device 14 is an output device (such as a display and a speaker) for presenting information to a user. The memory 15 is for temporarily storing programs and data to be processed by the programs, and is a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0020] The storage unit 16 is a storage device for saving data, such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive (HDD). The processor 19 is hardware for executing an instruction set written in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, a register, peripheral circuits, and the like.

[0021] <2-3. Administrator terminal 20> Next, the configuration of the administrator terminal 20 will be described. The administrator terminal 20 is a computer used by a person in charge of a vendor of the system 1 (for example, a system development company). The vendor of the system 1 creates a three-dimensional model (equipment model) of the equipment that constitutes the plant in order to build a virtual model of the plant operated by the customer. The vendor uses the created equipment model to render a part or all of the plant and provides it to the customer's person in charge, allowing the customer to use the virtual model for necessary maintenance.

[0022] The administrator terminal 20 is realized by a desktop PC (Personal Computer), a laptop PC, etc. Alternatively, the terminal device may be, for example, a tablet compatible with a mobile communication system, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, etc. The administrator terminal 20 is connected to the network NW by communicating with communication devices such as a wireless base station 81 that complies with communication standards such as 5G and LTE (Long Term Evolution), and a wireless LAN router that complies with wireless LAN (Local Area Network) standards such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the administrator terminal 20. As shown in Fig. 2, the administrator terminal 20 includes a communication IF (Interface) 22, an input device 23, an output device 24, a memory 25, a storage unit 26, and a processor 29.

[0024] The communication IF 22 is an interface for inputting and outputting signals so that the manager terminal 20 can communicate with external devices. The input device 23 is an input device (for example, a keyboard, a touch panel, a touch pad, a pointing device such as a mouse, etc.) for receiving an input operation from a user.

[0025] The output device 24 is an output device (such as a display and a speaker) for presenting information to a user. The memory 25 is for temporarily storing programs and data to be processed by the programs, and is a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0026] The storage unit 26 is a storage device for saving data, such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive (HDD). The processor 29 is hardware for executing an instruction set written in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, a register, peripheral circuits, and the like.

[0027] <2-4.Server 30> Next, the configuration of the server 30 will be described. The server 30 is a server device communicatively connected to the customer terminal 10 and the manager terminal 20 via a network. The server 30 manages information related to virtual models of various plants. The server 30 may be, for example, a cloud server constructed in a cloud environment on a network.

[0028] The server 30 mainly receives an instruction to display a plurality of equipment models constituting a plant from a user who operates the customer terminal 10, and then renders a virtual model of the specified plant and outputs the model to the customer terminal 10. The rendering of such a virtual model will be described in detail later.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the server 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the server 30 is a computer connected to the network NW. The server 30 includes a communication IF 32, a memory 35, a storage 36, and a processor 39.

[0030] The communication IF 32 is an interface for inputting and outputting signals so that the server 30 can communicate with external devices.

[0031] The memory 35 is for temporarily storing programs and data to be processed by the programs, and is a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). The storage 36 is a storage device for saving data, such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive (HDD). The processor 39 is hardware for executing an instruction set written in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, a register, peripheral circuits, and the like.

[0032] Next, the functional configuration of the server 30 will be described. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the server 30 fulfills the functions of a communication unit 301, a storage unit 302, and a control unit 303.

[0033] The communication unit 301 performs processing for the server 30 to communicate with external devices.

[0034] The storage unit 302 stores data and programs used by the server 30. The storage unit 302 stores the following data. · Customer database 3021 (Customer DB3021) User database 3022 (User DB3022) ·Plant Database 3023 (Plant DB3023) ·Facility Database 3024 (Facility DB3024) Equipment model data

[0035] The customer DB3021 is a database that stores information about customers who are plant owners. A new record is recorded in the customer DB3021 when a contract for using the system 1 is concluded between a business entity that is a vendor of the system 1 and various manufacturers that operate the plants. A specific structure of the customer DB3021 will be described later.

[0036] The user DB 3022 is a database that stores information about users who use the system 1. In the user DB 3022, a new record is recorded when a user account for the system 1 is issued to a person in charge of a customer who uses the system 1. The specific structure of the user DB 3022 will be described later.

[0037] The plant DB 3023 is a database that stores information about a plant managed by the system 1. A new record is recorded in the plant DB 3023 when information about a plant managed by the system 1 is input. A specific structure of the plant DB 3023 will be described later.

[0038] The equipment DB 3024 is a database that stores information about plants managed by the system 1. When information about each piece of equipment constituting a plant managed by the system 1 is input, a new record is recorded in the equipment DB 3024. A specific structure of the equipment DB 3024 will be described later.

[0039] The equipment model data is two-dimensional or three-dimensional model data for equipment that constitutes a plant. In the system 1, a virtual model of the entire plant is placed and rendered in a virtual space by combining the equipment model data. The equipment model data is managed based on attributes recorded in the equipment DB3024.

[0040] The control unit 303 performs the following functions as various modules by the processor 39 of the server 30 performing processes according to the programs. ·Transmission and Reception Control Module 3031 Acquisition Module 3032 · Specification setting module 3033 · Duration Calculation Module 3034 ·Model Registration Module 3035 Rendering Module 3036 Output module 3037

[0041] The transmission / reception control module 3031 controls the process in which the server 30 transmits and receives signals to and from external devices in accordance with a communication protocol.

[0042] The acquisition module 3032 acquires various information received by the transmission / reception control module 3031 and stores it in the storage unit 302 .

[0043] The specification setting module 3033 sets specification values ​​related to the equipment model through processing described later. The specification values ​​related to the equipment model managed by the system 1 include the following values. - Level of detail required for facility model Priority for creating facility models

[0044] The level of detail (LOD: Level Of Detail) of an equipment model is an index showing the degree of construction of a virtual model. The higher the level of detail, the higher the resolution of the model data is expressed, and the larger the data volume of the model data. In the system 1, multiple levels of detail are allowed to be set for any equipment model.

[0045] The specification setting module 3033 sets a required level of detail for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant, based on the specifications required for the operation or maintenance of the equipment. Specifically, the specification setting module 3033 sets a required level of detail for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant, based on at least one of the operating conditions, operation period, and inspection importance of the equipment. The required level of detail refers to the highest level of detail required for a 3D model when the model is used to manage a certain facility, which is set in consideration of the characteristics (attributes) of the facility. That is, in the system 1, for a facility whose required level of detail is set to level 3, each facility model is created with levels of detail 1 to 3. Note that, in consideration of the characteristics of the facility, the creation of model data with a level of detail lower than the required level of detail may be omitted. In addition, the specification setting module 3033 may set the level of detail of the facility according to the required level of detail directly input by the user in the acquisition module 3032. The required level of detail is set according to at least one of the use of the equipment model and the management purpose of the corresponding equipment.

[0046] Furthermore, the specification setting module 3033 sets a priority order for creating equipment models for each of the multiple pieces of equipment that make up the plant, based on at least one of the operating conditions, operation period, and inspection importance of the equipment. Setting the priority order for equipment models may be omitted. In other words, if a customer requires parallel model creation for multiple pieces of equipment that make up the plant, it is not necessary to set a priority order for the equipment for which equipment models are to be created.

[0047] The period calculation module 3034 calculates the period required to create equipment models for all the equipment constituting the plant (model creation period). The period calculation module 3034 calculates the model creation period by allocating the man-hours per unit period that are assumed in advance to the creation work of the equipment model for each set level of detail.

[0048] At this time, if a model creation priority is set for the equipment, the period calculation module 3034 calculates the model creation period by allocating the model creation work to the equipment model for each set level of detail according to the priority. On the other hand, if a model creation priority is set for the equipment, the model creation period is calculated without considering the priority. Details of such a model creation period calculation process will be described later.

[0049] The model registration module 3035 registers the created equipment model in response to an operation related to model creation by the customer terminal 10 or the manager terminal 20. The manager terminal 20 uses point cloud data obtained by sensing the equipment to create an object (model data) equivalent to the point cloud data. The model registration module 3035 accepts upload of the created equipment model data and stores it in the storage unit 302. In the system 1, for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting a plant, a corresponding equipment model is created for at least one set level of detail. Then, the model registration module 3035 stores in the storage unit 302 model data for the equipment model for each level of detail created for each piece of equipment.

[0050] The rendering module 3036 renders equipment models of each of the multiple pieces of equipment arranged in the virtual space based on a level of detail that is set for each piece of equipment and that may differ for each piece of equipment in response to an instruction to display multiple equipment models from the customer terminal 10 or the manager terminal 20. The rendering module 3036 can render multiple equipment models constituting the plant using equipment models in which each piece of equipment constituting the plant has an individual level of detail that may differ from one another. Details of such rendering processing will be described later.

[0051] The output module 3037 outputs the processing results of other functional modules (for example, the result of rendering by the rendering module 3036) to the customer terminal 10 and the administrator terminal 20. In response to a user's operation, the output module 3037 performs a process of outputting designated information to a logical line (TCP connection) established between the server 30 and the customer terminal 10, and between the server 30 and the administrator terminal 20.

[0052] <3. Data Structure> Next, an example of the structure of a database stored in the storage unit 302 of the server 30 will be described.

[0053] <3-1.Customer DB3021> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the customer DB 3021. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the customer DB 3021 includes the items "customer ID", "customer name", "organization type", "contract details", "contact person", and "contact details".

[0054] The item "customer ID" stores identification information of a customer who uses the system 1 for plant maintenance. The customer ID is a unique value for each customer.

[0055] The item "customer name" stores the name of the customer corresponding to the customer ID.

[0056] The item "organization type" stores the type of organization of the customer corresponding to the customer ID. Organization types include oil refinery manufacturers, gas production manufacturers, etc.

[0057] The item "contract details" stores information about the contract that the customer corresponding to the customer ID has concluded with the vendor in using the system 1. The contract details include the following information. - Period of use of System 1 - Plant name for System 1 System 1 contract plan Number of accounts using System 1 A number of contract plans are set for the use of the system 1. For each contract plan, a standard labor-hour per unit period is set at the time of creating a model, which will be described later. In the multiple contract plans, the more standard labor-hours are set, the higher the usage fee. The usage fee is, for example, a flat rate system.

[0058] The item "contact person" stores information about the person who will be the liaison between the customer corresponding to the customer ID and the vendor of system 1.

[0059] The item "contact information" stores information about the contact information of the person in charge of the customer corresponding to the customer ID. The contact information includes a means of contact via the network NW, such as an email address. It should be noted that the structure of the customer DB 3021 shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example, and the customer DB 3021 may include other information.

[0060] <3-2.User DB3022> FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the user DB 3022. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the user DB 3022 includes an item "user ID", an item "user name", an item "login pass", an item "customer ID", and an item "person in charge attribute".

[0061] The item "user ID" stores identification information of a user who uses the system 1 in plant maintenance. The user ID has a unique value for each user.

[0062] The item "user name" stores the name of the user corresponding to the user ID.

[0063] The item “Login Pass” stores a password that is required to be input when a user corresponding to the user ID logs in to the system 1.

[0064] The item "customer ID" stores the customer ID of the company (customer) to which the user corresponding to the user ID belongs.

[0065] The item "person in charge attribute" stores the attribute information of the person in charge for the user corresponding to the user ID. The attribute information of the person in charge includes, for example, the following information: The department to which the user belongs (may include the division of responsibilities of the department) The user's job title, role, and authority The user's duties The person in charge attribute may store other attribute information about the person in charge within the company. It should be noted that the structure of the user DB 3022 shown in FIG. 6 is merely an example, and the user DB 3022 may include other information.

[0066] <3-3. Plant DB3023> FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the plant DB 3023. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the plant DB 3023 includes an item "plant ID", an item "plant name", an item "plant type", an item "installation location", and an item "customer ID".

[0067] The item "Plant ID" stores identification information of a plant to be managed by the system 1. The plant ID is a unique value for each plant.

[0068] The item "Plant name" stores the name of the plant corresponding to the plant ID.

[0069] The item "Plant type" stores the type of plant corresponding to the plant ID. The plant type includes an oil refinery plant, an LNG gas refinery plant, and the like.

[0070] The item "Installation location" stores information about the location where the plant corresponding to the plant ID is installed.

[0071] The item "customer ID" stores identification information of the customer who is the owner of the plant corresponding to the plant ID. It should be noted that the structure of the plant DB 3023 shown in FIG. 7 is merely an example, and the plant DB 3023 may include other information.

[0072] For example, information on the contract plan among the information on the contract contents described in the customer DB 3021 in Fig. 5 may be stored in the plant DB 3023. That is, for example, when one customer uses the system 1 to manage multiple plants, a contract plan can be set individually for each plant. In this case, information on the individual contract plan set for each plant may be managed in the plant DB 3023 in association with the plant ID.

[0073] <3-4.Equipment DB3024> FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the equipment DB 3024. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the equipment DB3024 includes an item "equipment ID", an item "plant ID", an item "equipment name", an item "equipment type", an item "operating conditions", an item "operating period", an item "inspection importance", an item "requirement detail level", and an item "priority level".

[0074] The item "equipment ID" stores identification information of equipment constituting a plant managed by the system 1. The equipment ID is a unique value for each piece of equipment. The equipment ID may be composed of a character string including the plant ID.

[0075] The item "Plant ID" stores identification information of the plant in which the facility corresponding to the facility ID is installed.

[0076] The item "facility name" stores the name of the facility corresponding to the facility ID.

[0077] The item "Facility type" stores information about the type of facility corresponding to the facility ID. The information about the facility type may be information about the function, such as a process pipe or a reactor, or may be information about the maintenance of each facility, such as the frequency and method of maintenance.

[0078] The item "operating conditions" stores information about the operating conditions for operating the equipment corresponding to the equipment ID. The operating conditions include conditions defined by values ​​indicated by various measuring instruments (auxiliary equipment) installed on the devices constituting the equipment.

[0079] The item "operation period" stores the period during which the equipment corresponding to the equipment ID is in operation. Instead of the operation period, information such as the start time of operation or the number of times of operation may be stored.

[0080] The item "inspection importance" stores an index indicating the inspection importance set for the equipment corresponding to the equipment ID. The inspection importance is set according to the characteristics of the equipment. For example, the inspection importance is set high for equipment having the following characteristics: - Equipment whose malfunction will have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of the plant's final product - Equipment whose malfunction may cause significant harm to the operation of the plant (such as danger to the surrounding area) - Facilities that require strict maintenance by law

[0081] The item "requested level of detail" stores information regarding the highest level of detail required by a customer for model data related to the facility corresponding to the facility ID.

[0082] The item "priority" stores information regarding the priority of model creation among a plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute the entire plant, for model data related to the equipment corresponding to the equipment ID.

[0083] 8 is merely an example, and other information may be included in the facility DB 3024. For example, the facility DB 3024 may include the following information. ·Service life Next replacement / repair time Past test results Information about past bugs Information about past repairs

[0084] <3-5. Equipment model data> The equipment model data shown in Fig. 5 is model data for each piece of equipment constituting a plant. An equipment model is created for each piece of equipment and for each level of detail. For example, for equipment whose required level of detail is set to level 3, equipment models with levels of detail 1 to 3 are created. In the system 1, equipment model data according to the levels of detail, which can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, is stored in the storage unit 302.

[0085] <4. Overview of this embodiment> The following provides an overview of the system 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an outline of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the server 30 stores model data for each piece of equipment constituting a plant and for each level of detail in the storage unit 302. That is, in the system 1, at least one level of detail is set for each piece of equipment. In the system 1, the levels of detail are set in stages so that they may differ from one another for each piece of equipment constituting a single plant. That is, the same level of detail may be set for multiple pieces of equipment.

[0086] In the illustrated example, plant X is made up of equipment A, equipment B, and equipment C. The server 30 stores model data of a level of detail 1 and model data of a level of detail 2 for facility A. Furthermore, for facility B, the server 30 stores model data at a detail level 1, a detail level 2, and a detail level 3. Furthermore, for facility C, the server 30 stores model data at a level of detail 1, a level of detail 2, a level of detail 3, and a level of detail 4.

[0087] Then, in response to receiving a display operation of multiple equipment models constituting a plant from a user terminal, the server 30 of the system 1 renders an equipment model of each of the multiple pieces of equipment arranged in the virtual space based on a setting of a level of detail that is set for each piece of equipment and that may differ for each piece of equipment. That is, the server 30 can use an equipment model with an individual level of detail that may differ for each piece of equipment constituting a plant.

[0088] In the illustrated example, the server 30 uses model data with the following levels of detail for each piece of equipment as a first example of rendering of a plurality of equipment models that configure the plant X. Facility A: Level 1 detail model data Facility B: Level 1 detail model data Facility C: Level 1 detail model data

[0089] Furthermore, as a second example of rendering of a plurality of equipment models constituting the plant X, the server 30 uses model data with the following level of detail for each piece of equipment. Facility A: Level 2 detail model data Facility B: Level 3 detail model data Facility C: Level 4 detail model data

[0090] That is, in the system 1, in rendering a plurality of equipment models that configure a plant, the level of detail of the equipment models to be used in the rendering can be determined using any of the following information. - Attributes of the user who instructed the display Applications of virtual plant models -Plant management purposes

[0091] The use of the virtual model may be, for example, replacement of equipment for a specific facility that constitutes a plant. In other words, the use of the virtual model may include information about the facility (and equipment) that constitutes the plant and the work purpose for the facility (equipment).

[0092] Management purposes include, for example, regular inspections, renovation plans, submissions to government agencies, maintenance and repairs.

[0093] Specifically, in the rendering of the first example shown in Fig. 9, the user is a general affairs officer of a client company, and is displaying a virtual model of plant X to be used for submitting disaster prevention materials to an administrative agency. In this case, it is sufficient to know the external dimensions of the equipment that constitutes the plant, so a high level of detail is not required. Therefore, the server 30 renders a plurality of equipment models that constitute the plant using model data of detail level 1 for equipment A to equipment C.

[0094] On the other hand, in the rendering of the second example shown in Fig. 9, the user is a maintenance person of a client company, and is displaying a plurality of equipment models constituting plant X for use in considering equipment repair. In this case, it is necessary to confirm detailed information regarding the group of equipment constituting the plant, and as high a level of detail as possible is required. Therefore, the server 30 renders a plurality of equipment models constituting the plant using the model data with the highest level of detail for each of equipment A to equipment C.

[0095] Here, the rules for rendering a plurality of equipment models that configure a plant will be described. 9, rules (rendering rules) regarding the level of detail of the facility model used in rendering are set in advance in the system 1. Examples of the rendering rules include the following. 1) Rendering rules based on user attributes - In response to display instructions from maintenance personnel, the detail level for all equipment is set to the maximum value. - In response to display instructions from the general affairs staff, set the level of detail to level 1 for all equipment, etc. 2) Rendering rules according to the purpose of the virtual model - When used for the maintenance of specific equipment, the level of detail for the equipment being maintained is set to the maximum, and the level of detail for other equipment is set to one level lower than the maximum, etc. 3) Rendering rules for plant management purposes When using a virtual model to study plant repairs, the level of detail should be set to the maximum for all equipment, etc. In addition, when multiple conditions are met, the highest level of detail of the rendering applied to each condition may be adopted, or a priority order may be set for each condition. Also, the rendering rule may be set arbitrarily.

[0096] That is, in plant management using 3D models, the level of detail of the model data required differs depending on the purpose of management. For example, the level of detail required for model data provided to the government for disaster prevention planning differs from that required for model data used for the maintenance and operation of the plant. In addition, from the viewpoint of protecting the confidentiality of know-how regarding the plant structure, it is desirable to provide model data with a minimum level of detail according to the purpose of management. For this reason, there has been a demand for providing model data with a level of detail according to the purpose of management.

[0097] <5. Level of detail and display format for each level of detail> Next, the classification of the level of detail of the model data will be specifically described. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the division of the level of detail. As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the following five detail levels are set. Detail level 0: 2D plot plan (floor plan) Level 1: Rectangular blocks showing the occupied volume of each facility Level 2: Schematic representation of major components Level 3: Detailed shapes of the main components and schematic shapes of the surrounding ancillary facilities Level 4: Detail level goes beyond level 3 and shows the most precise shape possible for all components. Each of these levels of detail will now be described in more detail.

[0098] Model data with a level of detail 0 is model data in which the devices constituting the facility are expressed in a two-dimensional plan view. Model data with a level of detail 0 is used, for example, to grasp the overall view of the plant, and is created for the entire area occupied by the plant. Model data with a level of detail 0 is often prepared in advance by the client, and creation of the model data on the server 30 may be omitted.

[0099] As shown in Fig. 10, model data with level of detail 1 is model data in which each piece of equipment is represented by a rectangular block indicating the volume occupied by each piece of equipment. Model data with level of detail 1 is used, for example, for purposes such as submitting to public institutions or for obtaining an overview required for disaster prevention in the neighborhood or BCP response in the event of a disaster, and is created for all the equipment and devices that make up the plant.

[0100] Next, model data at level of detail 2 is model data that shows the main components in outline form. Model data at level of detail 2 is used, for example, for annual maintenance purposes, and is created for equipment that requires annual maintenance, such as various tanks or large-diameter raw material supply pipes.

[0101] Next, model data at level of detail 3 is model data that shows the detailed shapes of the main components and the schematic shapes of the surrounding incidental equipment. Model data at level of detail 3 is used for space design purposes using accurate dimensions, such as daily maintenance or space reservation information considerations, and is created for equipment that requires daily maintenance and equipment that is subject to control during operation. Specifically, the model data includes process piping, reactors, valves, compressors, pumps, flanges, and various instruments.

[0102] Next, model data with level of detail 4 is model data that shows the exact shapes of all components. Model data with level of detail 0 is used for the purpose of considering facility renovation work and space design, and is created, for example, for facilities and equipment that are scheduled to be renovated in the near future. A specific example of such equipment is a heat exchanger.

[0103] For example, level 4 model data includes all or part of the detailed configuration of all measuring instruments, electrical cables, and pipe racks in addition to the equipment included in level 3 model data. Level 4 model data also includes information that is not necessarily required for plant O&M but is necessary depending on the application, such as the number of steps in the plant, windows on the plant's exterior walls, painted logos, and faithfully reproduced colors of equipment. It also includes construction vehicles for construction planning, barricades and temporarily stored materials for construction, construction scaffolding, etc.

[0104] Note that the content of the classification shown in Fig. 10 is merely an example and can be set arbitrarily. In other words, the number of detail levels can be set arbitrarily as long as it is two or more, and the definition, use, and target equipment can also be set arbitrarily.

[0105] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a display form of model data with a detail level of 0. In FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, in model data with detail level 0, the equipment is represented in plan views.

[0106] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a display form of model data with a detail level of 1. As shown in FIG. 12, in the model data at detail level 1, each piece of equipment is represented as a rectangular block indicating its exclusive area.

[0107] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of model data with detail levels 1 to 3. In FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, in the model data at detail level 1, each piece of equipment is represented as a rectangular block indicating its respective exclusive area. In addition, in model data with detail level 2, the main equipment that makes up the facility is represented in schematic form.

[0108] In addition, model data with level of detail 3 represents the detailed shapes of the main equipment that makes up the facility, as well as the general shapes of the surrounding ancillary equipment. In this way, system 1 is capable of rendering multiple pieces of equipment at different levels of detail. Moreover, the display modes of model data with detail levels 0 to 5 shown in Figs. 11 to 13 are merely examples, and can be changed arbitrarily according to the classification and definition of the detail level.

[0109] <6. Model data creation schedule> Next, the model data creation schedule will be described. Here, the case where a priority order is set for each facility and the case where a priority order is not set for each facility will be described as examples. Note that in this explanation, it is assumed that model data with a level of detail 0 has already been created, and therefore the explanation of the model data with a level of detail 0 will be omitted.

[0110] <6-1. Schedule creation when setting priorities for each facility> FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example of a model data creation schedule in the system 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 14, the system 1 calculates the model work period by allocating the work man-hours (available work man-hours) per unit period that are assumed in advance for the equipment constituting the plant to the creation work of the equipment model for each set level of detail. The available work man-hours are set by the contract plan. In the illustrated example, the man-hours for the model work by the vendor company are set to 90 hours per month. Then, the required level of detail and priority are set for each of the equipment A to C constituting the plant X.

[0111] In this case, the period calculation module 3034 of the server 30 allocates the work man-hours according to the priority order. Specifically, for the equipment C, which has the highest priority order, the required level of detail is set to level 4, so that four model data with detail levels 1 to 4 must be created for the equipment C. Therefore, the period calculation module 3034 allocates the time required for creating the equipment model with each level of detail for the equipment C to the available work man-hours. In this way, the period calculation module 3034 calculates the period required for creating the four model data with detail levels 1 to 4 for the equipment C. In the illustrated example, the creation period for the four model data with detail levels 1 to 4 for the equipment C is calculated to be two and a half months from the start of model creation.

[0112] Next, for facility B, which has the second highest priority, the required level of detail is set to level 3, so it is necessary to create three model data for facility B with detail levels 1 to 3. For this reason, the period calculation module 3034 allocates the time required to create the equipment models for each level of detail for facility B to the man-hours required for work after all models for facility C are created. In this way, the period calculation module 3034 calculates the period required to create the three model data for facility B with detail levels 1 to 3. In the illustrated example, the creation period for the three model data for facility B with detail levels 1 to 3 is calculated to be just under four and a half months from the start of model creation.

[0113] Next, for facility C, which has the third priority, the required level of detail is set to level 2, so two pieces of model data with levels of detail 1 and 2 need to be created for facility A. For this reason, the period calculation module 3034 allocates the time required to create the equipment models with each level of detail for facility A to the work man-hours after all models for facility B have been created. In this way, the period required to create two pieces of model data with levels of detail 1 and 2 for facility A is calculated. In the illustrated example, the period required to create two pieces of model data with levels of detail 1 and 2 for facility A is calculated to be five months from the start of model creation.

[0114] In this way, since the period calculation module 3034 calculates the model creation period, it is possible to predict the degree of completion of the virtual model of the entire plant at any time. For example, in the illustrated schedule, the following equipment models are expected to be completed for each piece of equipment constituting plant X at the first planned use time T, which is four months after the start of model creation. Equipment A: None Facility B: Level 1, Level 2, and half of Level 3 model data Facility C: Model data with detail levels 1 to 4

[0115] The customer can select the available man-hours based on, for example, whether the required model data will be completed at the time of first use. That is, by changing the contract plan, the available man-hours linked to each contract plan are increased or decreased, thereby changing the calculation result of the model creation period by the period calculation module 3034. This allows the customer to select a contract plan (available man-hours) that is suitable for their own use.

[0116] In another example, the planned first use time T is set to the start time of model construction. In this case, the customer starts use from the start of model construction (i.e., the time when all equipment models are at detail level 0), and uses equipment models that are constructed sequentially according to the contract plan. In this case, the customer can determine the required level of detail of the model while using models that are created according to the set priority order, and can terminate the contract when the customer feels that a sufficient level of detail has been obtained for the business. In other words, it is not the case that the equipment models cannot be used unless all equipment models are completed, and it is possible to flexibly respond to customer needs.

[0117] <6-2. Schedule creation when priority is not set for each facility> FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining another example of the model data creation schedule in the system 1. In FIG. In this example, calculation of a creation schedule will be described in the case where each equipment model is created in parallel without setting a priority order for each equipment.

[0118] 15, when the priority order of each facility is not taken into consideration, the period calculation module 3034 of the server 30 allocates the work man-hours without following the priority order. Specifically, assuming that facility models are being created in parallel for facilities A to C, the time required to create each piece of model data is allocated to the available work man-hours in order from the lowest level of detail.

[0119] In this case, the creation period for each model data of detail level 1 for facilities A to C is calculated to be one month from the start of model creation. The creation period for the model data of the level of detail 2 for facility A is calculated to be two months from the start of model creation.

[0120] The creation period for each of the model data for level of detail 2 of facilities B and C is calculated to be three months from the start of model creation. The creation period for each of the model data for level of detail 2 of facilities B and C is calculated to be three months from the start of model creation. The creation period for model data at level of detail 3 for facility B is calculated to be three and a half months from the start of model creation.

[0121] The creation period for the level 3 detail model data for facility C is calculated to be just under four and a half months from the start of model creation. The creation period for the model data of facility C at level of detail 4 is calculated to be five months from the start of model creation.

[0122] In this case, in the schedule shown in the figure, the following equipment models are expected to be completed for each piece of equipment that makes up plant X at the planned first use time T, which is four months after the start of model creation. Facility A: Model data with detail levels 1 and 2 Facility B: Model data with detail levels 1 to 3 Facility C: Level 1, Level 2, and half of Level 3 model data

[0123] In this way, the user who is the customer's representative can determine whether to apply the priority order depending on whether the equipment model that the customer wants to use has been created at the scheduled first-time use time T. In other words, the user who is the customer's representative can select whether to set a priority order for the creation of model data for each piece of equipment depending on which equipment the virtual model will be mainly used for and for what purpose at the time of first-time use.

[0124] <7. System 1 Processing> The processing of the system 1 will now be described.

[0125] <7-1. Calculation process for model creation period> First, a calculation process for the creation period of an equipment model for equipment constituting a plant will be described. 16 is a flow diagram of a calculation process of a model creation period by the system 1. This process is performed when an equipment model that has not yet been created is to be created from scratch when a customer's plant is newly made a target for management by the system 1. More specifically, when a vendor of the system 1 and a customer reach an agreement on a contract plan, the model creation period is calculated as a criterion for comparing and considering the usage fee for the system 1 and the available man-hours for the work.

[0126] As shown in FIG. 16, in the process of creating an equipment model, the manager terminal 20 accepts an operation for inputting attribute information of each piece of equipment that constitutes a plant to be managed (step S201). Specifically, a person in charge of the vendor of the system 1 inputs, into the manager terminal 20, information on the equipment included in the plant to be newly managed.

[0127] Here, the information about the facility input by the administrator includes information about the attributes of the facility, such as the following information: ·Equipment name Equipment type Operating conditions Years of operation ·Inspection Importance The processor 29 of the administrator terminal 20 transmits the information input by the administrator to the server 30 via the communication IF.

[0128] After step S201, the server 30 receives information about the facility (step S301). Specifically, the transmission / reception control module 3031 of the server 30 receives the facility-related information transmitted from the manager terminal 20 in step S201. The facility-related information received by the transmission / reception control module 3031 is recorded in the facility DB 3024 by the acquisition module 3032.

[0129] After step S301, the server 30 sets the required level of detail for each piece of equipment (step S302). Specifically, the specification setting module 3033 of the server 30 sets the required level of detail for each piece of equipment for which a model is to be created. The specification setting module 3033 sets the required level of detail in accordance with preset setting criteria using any one of the operating conditions, years of operation, and inspection importance, which are attributes of the equipment recorded in the equipment DB 3024. In the setting criteria for the required level of detail, a required level of detail appropriate to the attributes of the equipment is predefined. The specification setting module 3033 records the set information on the level of detail of the requirements in the equipment DB 3024 .

[0130] After step S301, the server 30 sets the priority order of the equipment for which model data is to be created (step S303). Specifically, the specification setting module 3033 of the server 30 sets the priority of model creation for equipment that is the target of model creation. The specification setting module 3033 sets the priority according to preset setting criteria using any one of the operating conditions, years of operation, and inspection importance, which are attributes of the equipment recorded in the equipment DB 3024. The priority setting criteria predefine priorities recommended for the attributes of the equipment. The specification setting module 3033 records the set priority information in the equipment DB 3024 . The process of setting the priority order may be omitted.

[0131] After step S303, the manager terminal 20 accepts an input of an instruction to calculate a model creation period (step S202). Specifically, the processor 29 of the manager terminal 20 accepts input of an instruction to calculate a model creation period together with the following information: - Candidates for contract plans desired by customers ·Whether or not priority is given to the creation of facility models The processor 29 transmits the information input by the administrator to the server 30 via the communication IF.

[0132] After step S202, the server 30 calculates the model creation period (step S304). Specifically, the period calculation module 3034 of the server 30 calculates a model creation period for all the equipment constituting the plant. The period calculation module 3034 calculates the model creation period using the information transmitted from the manager terminal 20 in step S202. The period calculation module 3034 calculates the model creation period by allocating the available man-hours linked to the specified contract plan to the creation work of the equipment model for each set level of detail. At this time, the period calculation module 3034 may create a model creation plan in which the work man-hours are allocated for each equipment and each level of detail, as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15.

[0133] After step S304, the server 30 outputs the model creation period (step S305). Specifically, the output module 3037 of the server 30 creates information (web page) indicating the model creation plan, and outputs it to the logical line between the server 30 and the manager terminal 20. In addition, the output module 3037 transmits address information for accessing the information indicating the model creation plan to the manager terminal 20.

[0134] After step S305, the manager terminal 20 presents the model creation period (step S203). Specifically, the processor 29 of the administrator terminal 20 accesses the logical line between the server 30 from the address information received from the server 30, and presents information indicating the model creation plan to the administrator by displaying the information on the output device 34 (e.g., a display) of the administrator terminal 20.

[0135] This completes the calculation process of the model creation period by the system 1. The vendor's staff operating the administrator terminal 20 can present the calculated model creation period to the customer's staff and reach a consensus on the contract plan that the customer should select. Once the contract plan is decided and a contract for using the system 1 is concluded, the creation of model data for the plant to be managed begins.

[0136] <7-2. Model creation process> Next, a process for creating an equipment model for equipment that configures a plant will be described. FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of a model creation process performed by the system 1.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 17, in the process of creating an equipment model, the manager terminal 20 accepts an input of an operation for creating an equipment model from the manager (step S211). Specifically, the administrator inputs point cloud data sensed for the equipment for which an equipment model is to be created to the administrator terminal 20, and creates the equipment model using the administrator terminal 20. The processor 29 of the administrator terminal 20 uses the point cloud data related to the equipment to create corresponding equipment models for each set level of detail for multiple pieces of equipment that make up the plant. The equipment models are created in order for each of multiple levels of detail that can be set in stages. Note that equipment models with different levels of detail for the same equipment may be created in parallel at the same time. The processor 29 uploads the created equipment model data to the server 30 as web data.

[0138] After step S211, the server 30 registers the equipment model in accordance with the accepted operation so that the equipment model is accessible from an external terminal (step S311). Specifically, the model registration module 3035 of the server 30 accepts the upload performed in step S211 and stores it in the memory unit 302, thereby making the equipment model accessible from other terminals via the server 30.

[0139] After step S311, the server 30 stores the facility model in the storage unit 302 (step S312). Specifically, the acquisition module 3032 of the server 30 stores model data relating to the created equipment model in the storage unit 302 . The server 30 repeatedly executes steps S311 and S312, and stores in the storage unit 302 the model data of the equipment models created for each set level of detail for a plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute the plant.

[0140] Then, when all model data that satisfies the set required level of detail for the equipment that constitutes the managed plant is completed, the creation of the equipment model is completed. Note that, without waiting for the completion of all equipment models, the rendering process of multiple equipment models that constitute the plant can be executed at a timing when the customer wants to use the virtual model related to the plant.

[0141] <7-3. Rendering of multiple equipment models that compose a plant> Next, a process in which the system 1 renders a plurality of equipment models that configure a plant using the equipment models stored in the server 30 will be described. FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of the rendering process by the system 1.

[0142] As shown in FIG. 18, in the rendering process, first, the customer terminal 10 accepts a user's input operation for displaying a plurality of pieces of equipment on the screen (step S131). Specifically, a user of the customer terminal 10 inputs any of the following information, and also receives an input for a display operation of a plurality of facility models. · Uses of virtual models -Plant management purposes It should be noted that input of the use of the virtual model and the management purpose of the plant may be omitted. The processor 19 of the customer terminal 10 transmits the input display instruction to the server 30 via the communication IF 12.

[0143] After step S131, the server 30 receives an instruction to display a plurality of facility models (step S331). Specifically, the acquisition module 3032 of the server 30 acquires the display instruction transmitted from the customer terminal 10 in step S131. At this time, if information on the use of the virtual model or the management purpose of the plant is included, the acquisition module 3032 also acquires the information.

[0144] After step S331, the server 30 determines the level of detail of the facility model to be used for rendering (step S332). Specifically, the rendering module 3036 of the server 30 determines the level of detail of the facility model to be used for rendering, using the following information acquired in step S331: - Attributes of the user who instructed the display · Uses of virtual models -Plant management purposes

[0145] That is, the rendering module 3036 refers to the user DB 3022 using the user ID of the user who issued the display instruction, and identifies the user's staff attributes. Then, in accordance with a preset rendering rule, the rendering module 3036 determines the level of detail of the facility model that is suitable for the user's attributes.

[0146] The rendering module 3036 may also use the purpose of the virtual model and the plant management objectives included in the display instructions to determine the level of detail of the equipment model appropriate for the user's attributes in accordance with pre-set rendering rules. The rendering module 3036 sets the level of detail of the equipment model used for rendering for all equipment included in the plant.

[0147] After step S332, the server 30 renders a plurality of facility models (step S333). Specifically, the rendering module 3036 of the server 30 places in the virtual space an equipment model at the level of detail determined for each piece of equipment constituting the plant determined in step S332. The rendering module 3036 renders the states of the multiple equipment models placed in the virtual space as images captured by a virtual camera placed at a predetermined coordinate position. Then, the output module 3037 of the server 30 outputs the web page of the virtual space on which the rendering module 3036 has rendered the multiple facility models to the logical line between the server 30 and the customer terminal 10.

[0148] After step S333, the customer terminal 10 outputs the rendering result (step S332). Specifically, the processor 19 of the customer terminal 10 displays a virtual space in which a plurality of equipment models constituting the plant are rendered on the output device 14 (e.g., a display) of the customer terminal 10. As a result, the customer terminal 10 displays the rendering results of the plurality of equipment models constituting the plant to the user. With the above, the rendering process by the system 1 is completed.

[0149] <8.Summary> As described above, in the system 1 according to the present embodiment, in response to receiving a display operation of a plurality of equipment models constituting a plant from a user terminal, the system renders a plurality of equipment models constituting the plant using equipment models with individual levels of detail that may differ from one another for each of the plurality of pieces of equipment. Therefore, it is possible to obtain virtual models expressed with different levels of detail for the plurality of pieces of equipment constituting one plant, and it is possible to reduce the data volume of the virtual model of the plant.

[0150] Furthermore, in the system 1, when rendering a plurality of equipment models that constitute a plant, the system determines the level of detail in the equipment models for the equipment that constitutes the plant according to the attributes of the user who issued the display instruction. Therefore, rendering can be performed using equipment models with a level of detail appropriate for the user.

[0151] Furthermore, in the system 1, when rendering a plurality of equipment models constituting a plant, the level of detail of the equipment model to be used for each of the plurality of pieces of equipment is determined according to at least one of the values ​​of the use and management purpose of the virtual model input by the user in the display instruction. Therefore, it is possible to render the plurality of equipment models constituting the plant using an equipment model with an appropriate level of detail in accordance with the user's usage mode of the virtual model of the plant. In other words, it is possible to provide a virtual model with the minimum level of detail required for the intended use and management purpose, which is also desirable from the standpoint of keeping know-how about the plant structure confidential.

[0152] In addition, the system 1 executes a step of creating a corresponding equipment model for at least one set level of detail for a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant, and a step of accepting an operation for creating the equipment model for each level of detail created for each piece of equipment. Therefore, model data for a plurality of levels of detail for one piece of equipment can be stored, and the degree of freedom in the display mode of rendering can be ensured.

[0153] Furthermore, in the system 1, prior to the step of creating an equipment model, a level of detail required for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant is set based on at least one of the operating conditions, operation period, and inspection importance of the equipment. Therefore, an appropriate level of detail can be set according to the characteristics of the equipment.

[0154] Furthermore, in system 1, the time required to create equipment models for all of the equipment constituting the plant is calculated by allocating a previously estimated man-hour per unit period to the creation work of the equipment model for each set level of detail. Therefore, when modeling a plant from scratch, the cost required to create model data can be estimated in advance by calculating the model creation period.

[0155] Furthermore, in the system 1, prior to the step of creating an equipment model, a priority order for creating an equipment model is set for each of the multiple pieces of equipment constituting the plant based on at least one of the operating conditions, operation period, and inspection importance of the equipment. Therefore, in cases where there is a specific piece of equipment that requires particularly careful maintenance among the multiple pieces of equipment constituting the plant, it is possible to create an equipment model for that piece of equipment with priority. Therefore, the system 1 can flexibly create models in accordance with the usage patterns of the customers.

[0156] Furthermore, in the system 1, the man-hours per unit period that are estimated in advance are allocated to the creation work of the equipment model for each set level of detail according to the set priority. Therefore, it is also possible to execute a step of calculating the period required to create the equipment model for all the equipment that constitutes the plant. Therefore, when the priority of model creation is set for each piece of equipment, it is possible to estimate the model creation period taking the priority into consideration.

[0157] In other words, in plants that have already been in operation for a long time, virtual models are generally not built at the design stage. Customers who operate such plants are motivated to introduce efficient maintenance and operation using virtual models, but there was a risk that building a virtual model that uniformly represents the entire plant with a high level of detail would not be profitable. For this reason, with conventional systems, there was an issue that the construction of virtual models was hesitated, preventing the introduction of efficient maintenance and operation. In contrast, with the system 1, the costs required to create model data can be estimated in advance, and the model data can be created starting from the most important equipment. Therefore, a contract plan for using the system 1 that meets the customer's needs can be proposed, which contributes to consensus building between the vendor and the customer.

[0158] <9. Variations> Next, a modification of the system 1 will be described.

[0159] <9-1. First modified example> First, a first modified example will be described. In the first modified example, a process of creating an equipment model for each level of detail by reusing design model data created at the plant design stage will be described. That is, in this process, an equipment model for the equipment constituting the plant is not created from scratch, but a design model of the plant expressed at a high level of detail is modified to prepare model data at a low level of detail.

[0160] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the flow of a model creation process of the system 1 according to the first modified example. As shown in FIG. 19, in the model creation process according to the first modified example, first, the customer terminal 10 accepts an input of an instruction to store a design model (step S141). Specifically, the processor 19 of the customer terminal 10 accepts input of a storage instruction for the model data of a design model created in a design stage, which is stored in an external storage area, for example. The processor 19 transmits the input storage instruction for the design model to the server 30 together with the model data. In addition, when the administrator who manages the design model and the equipment model is the same, the instruction to store the design model may be input from the administrator's terminal.

[0161] After step S, the server 30 accepts a storage instruction (step S341). Specifically, the transmission / reception control module 3031 of the server 30 receives the instruction to store the design model transmitted in step S141 and the input of the model data of the design model.

[0162] After step S341, the server 30 stores the design model (step S342). Specifically, the acquisition module 3032 of the server 30 acquires the model data of the design model received by the transmission / reception control module 3031 in step S341, and stores the model data in the storage unit 302. As a result, with the exception of some exceptions, the model for all the equipment constituting a certain plant is stored at the highest level of detail, since design models are generally expressed at a high level of detail.

[0163] After step S342, the manager terminal 20 accepts an input for an operation to create an equipment model from the manager (step S241). Specifically, the processor 29 of the administrator terminal 20 accepts input of various operations for creating an equipment model from the administrator. The administrator who creates the equipment model inputs operations that use design models already constructed with a high level of detail to simplify the configuration of the equipment models at the time of design that compose them. This creates an equipment model with a low level of detail for the design models. The processor 29 uploads the created equipment model to the server 30. The manager terminal 20 repeatedly executes step S241 to sequentially create all equipment models with a lower level of detail than the set model for all equipment. Note that the creation of model data may be shared among multiple people.

[0164] After step S241, the server 30 registers the equipment model in accordance with the accepted operation (step S343). Specifically, the model registration module 3035 of the server 30 accepts the upload of the equipment model created in step S241 and stores it in the memory unit 302, thereby making the equipment model accessible from other terminals via the server 30.

[0165] After step S343, the server 30 stores the facility model in the storage unit 302 (step S344). Specifically, the acquisition module 3032 of the server 30 stores model data relating to the created equipment model in the storage unit 302 . The server 30 repeatedly executes steps S343 and S344, and stores in the storage unit 302 the model data of the equipment models created for each set level of detail for a plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute the plant. Then, when all model data that satisfies the required level of detail set for the equipment constituting the plant to be managed is completed, the creation of the equipment model is completed.

[0166] In this way, in the system 1 according to the modified example, an equipment model is created for each of at least one set level of detail for a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting a plant, using a design model. Therefore, by reusing model data with a high level of detail created in the design stage of the plant, equipment models with a plurality of levels of detail can be created efficiently. In addition, the model created by the first modification may be different from a model of the same level of detail created by the model creation process described above. For example, the level 1 equipment model created by the model creation process described above is represented in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, whereas the level 1 model created based on the design model in the first modification may be a model that faithfully represents the actual shape of the equipment but with the components removed to a minimum. In another example, when creating a level 1 level based on a level 4 model, the volume occupied by the equipment included in the equipment may be identified from the level 4 model for each equipment (for example, for each building, for each floor in the building), and a level 1 model may be created that is represented by a single solid (for example, a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, etc.) based on the identified volume occupied.

[0167] The method for storing the equipment model may be as follows. A method of keeping only the highest level of detail and creating lower-level models from the top-level model for rendering Keep the most detailed model and the least detailed (level 1) model, but not the intermediate models.

[0168] In the latter case, for example, if a model with level 4 detail is created first, it is not necessary to retain models equivalent to levels 2 or 3. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of data storage required. On the other hand, equipment models with level 1 detail may be required from the perspective of information disclosure to the government, so they may be stored separately.

[0169] <9-2. Other variations> Other modified examples will now be described. In the above embodiment, the server 30 is configured to include one storage unit 302, but this is not limiting. For example, a vendor tenant and a customer tenant may be provided in the cloud environment. In this case, various configurations related to the server 30 may be implemented in the vendor tenant, and a design model related to the plant may be stored in the customer tenant.

[0170] In the above embodiment, chemical and energy plants have been described as examples, but the present invention is not limited to this. The plant to which the system 1 is applied may be an industrial plant, an environmental plant, or the like.

[0171] In the above embodiment, the configuration for creating an equipment model from sensed point cloud data has been described, but this is not a limitation. The server 30 may create an equipment model by a model creation process similar to that for the design model. Specifically, the processor 29 of the administrator terminal 20 accepts input of operations for creating an equipment model from the administrator. The administrator creating the equipment model inputs various model parameters that define the equipment constituting the equipment model to be created, such as position reference coordinates, size, shape, quantity, and equipment type, in accordance with a coordinate system defined in the virtual space. The model parameters refer to various design values ​​that define the equipment model or equipment model in the virtual space. The processor 29 transmits the input information to the server 30. The server 30 may create the equipment model using the transmitted model parameters.

[0172] In addition, in the system 1, multiple model data are provided for each facility according to the level of detail, and rendering may be performed based on the model data with the highest level of detail. In other words, if there is a facility model with a high level of detail, it is not necessary to render a facility model with a low level of detail.

[0173] In addition to the level of detail (LOD) of the equipment model, the level of detail (LOI: Level Of Information) of attribute information related to the equipment model may be used as an index for classifying the equipment models. Here, the LOI refers to the level of detail of information related to the attribute of the equipment model linked to the object of the equipment model. LOI classification can be defined by level, for example, as follows: Facility model for LOI Level 0: Facility model data linked with information on road names, building names, areas, plot uses, directions, landmarks, evacuation routes, evacuation shelters, hazardous areas, and noise areas. LOI Level 1 Facility Model: Facility model data linked to process block names, directions such as NWSE, pipe rack and structure numbers, concrete foundation numbers, and information on the materials handled in each block (toxicity, explosiveness, etc.)

[0174] LOI Level 2 Equipment Model: Equipment model data linked to main pipe numbers, main valves, and main instrument numbers LOI Level 3 Equipment Model: Equipment model data with detailed instrument numbers, detailed equipment information, detailed piping information, maintenance-related information, and change history Equipment model with LOI Level 4: Equipment model data that is linked to actual sunlight conditions, weather conditions, actual positions of vehicles entering the plant, the exact positions of workers within the plant, the operating status of processes within the plant, and various future forecast values ​​derived using these (to be used for predictive maintenance), work area markings according to the construction permit for that day, and barricade area markings.

[0175] The level of detail (LOD) of the equipment model and the level of detail (LOI) of the attribute information of the equipment model do not necessarily need to be linked, and can be set individually for each equipment model. That is, in the system 1, instead of or in addition to the LOD, the equipment models may be classified by the LOI, and rendering may be performed using an equipment model that corresponds to the level of the corresponding LOD and LOI depending on at least one of the user attributes, the use of the equipment model, and the management purpose of the corresponding equipment.

[0176] Although the disclosed embodiments have been described above, they can be embodied in various other forms and can be implemented with various modifications such as various omissions, substitutions, combinations, etc. These embodiments and modifications, as well as configurations with various modifications such as omissions, substitutions, combinations, etc., are included in the technical scope of the claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, the order of each process can be changed as long as no contradictions are caused.

[0177] <10. Notes> The matters described in the above embodiments will be supplemented below.

[0178] (Appendix 1) A program to be executed by a system having a processor, The program causes the processor to A step of storing, in a storage unit (steps S312 and S342), information on equipment models that are 3D models for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant, the level of detail that can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and information on the equipment models including the 3D models according to the level of detail; A step of accepting an input operation by a user for displaying a plurality of facilities on a screen (step S331); A step of rendering a facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in the virtual space based on a detail level setting that is set for each facility and that may differ for each facility in response to an input operation (step S333); and displaying the rendering result to the user (step S132).

[0179] (Appendix 2) The program according to appended claim 1, wherein in the rendering step (step S333), a level of detail of the equipment model is determined according to attributes of a user who performed an input operation.

[0180] (Appendix 3) The level of detail is set according to at least one of the use of the equipment model and the management purpose of the corresponding equipment; In the step of accepting an input operation (step S331), at least one of an input of a use and an administrative purpose is accepted, The program according to appendix 1, wherein in the rendering step (step S333), a level of detail in the equipment model used for each of the multiple pieces of equipment is determined according to at least one of the input values ​​of the use and the management purpose.

[0181] (Appendix 4) In the step of storing in the storage unit (step S342), A program described in Appendix 1, which executes a step (step S343) of storing equipment models created for at least one set level of detail for multiple pieces of equipment that constitute the plant using a design model created during the design phase of the plant.

[0182] (Appendix 5) In the step of storing in the storage unit (step S312), The program according to claim 1, which executes a step (step S211) of creating an equipment model for at least one set level of detail for a plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute a plant.

[0183] (Appendix 6) Prior to the step of creating an equipment model (step S211), 6. The program according to claim 5, which sets a level of detail required for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute a plant based on at least one of the operating conditions, operation period, and inspection importance of the equipment.

[0184] (Appendix 7) The processor further comprises: The program described in Appendix 6, which executes a step (step S304) of calculating the period required to create equipment models for all equipment that constitutes a plant by allocating a predetermined estimated man-hour per unit period to the creation work of the equipment model for each set level of detail.

[0185] (Appendix 8) Prior to the step of creating an equipment model (step S211), 6. The program according to claim 5, which sets a priority for creating an equipment model for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment that make up a plant, based on at least one of an operating condition, an operation period, and an inspection importance of the equipment.

[0186] (Appendix 9) The processor further comprises: The program described in Appendix 8 executes a step (step S304) of calculating the period required to create equipment models for all equipment that constitutes a plant by allocating the man-hours per unit period estimated in advance to the creation work of equipment models for each set level of detail in accordance with a set priority order.

[0187] (Appendix 10) A method for causing a system having a processor to execute the method, comprising: The method includes a processor: A step of storing, in a storage unit (steps S312 and S342), information on equipment models that are 3D models for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant, the level of detail that can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and information on the equipment models including the 3D models according to the level of detail; A step of accepting an input operation by a user for displaying a plurality of facilities on a screen (step S331); A step of rendering a facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in the virtual space based on a detail level setting that is set for each facility and that may differ for each facility in response to an input operation (step S332); and displaying the rendered result to a user (step S132).

[0188] (Appendix 11) 1. A system including a processor, The system includes a processor: A means for storing, in a storage unit, information on an equipment model that is a 3D model for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant, the level of detail that can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and information on the equipment model including the 3D model according to the level of detail; A means for receiving an input operation from a user for displaying a plurality of facilities on a screen; a means for rendering a facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in the virtual space in response to an input operation based on a level of detail setting that is set for each facility and that may differ for each facility; and means for displaying the rendered result to a user. [Explanation of symbols]

[0189] 1 System 10 Customer terminal 20 Administrator terminal 30 Servers 301 Communications Department 302 Storage section 3021 Customer Database 3022 User Database 3023 Plant Database 3024 Facility Database 303 Control Unit 3031 Transmitting and Receiving Control Module 3032 Acquisition Module 3033 Specification Setting Module 3034 Period Calculation Module 3035 Model Registration Module 3036 Output Module

Claims

1. A program to be executed by a system having a processor, The program causes the processor to: a step of storing, in a storage unit, information about an equipment model, which is a 3D model, for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting a plant, the information about the equipment model including a setting of a level of detail that can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and the 3D model according to the level of detail; receiving an input operation from a user for displaying the plurality of facilities on a screen; Rendering a facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in a virtual space in response to the input operation based on the setting of the level of detail set for each of the facilities, which may differ for each of the facilities; displaying the rendered result to the user; In the rendering step, the level of detail of the equipment model is determined according to at least one of an attribute predetermined for a user who issued the display instruction, a use of the equipment model of the plant, and a management purpose of the plant. program.

2. The level of detail is set according to at least one of the use of the equipment model and the management purpose of the corresponding equipment; In the step of receiving the input operation, an input of at least one of the use and the management purpose is received; The program according to claim 1 , wherein the rendering step determines the level of detail in the equipment model used for each of the plurality of pieces of equipment according to the input values of at least one of the use and the management purpose.

3. In the step of storing in the storage unit, 2. The program according to claim 1, further comprising: a step of using a design model created during the design stage of the plant to store the equipment models created for at least one set level of detail for the plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute the plant.

4. In the step of storing in the storage unit, The program according to claim 1 , further comprising: a step of creating the equipment model for each of at least one set level of detail for the plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute the plant.

5. Prior to the step of creating the equipment model, 5. The program according to claim 4, wherein a level of detail required for each of the plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant is set based on at least one of an operating condition, an operation period, and an inspection importance of the piece of equipment.

6. The processor further comprises:

6. The program according to claim 5, further comprising a step of calculating a period required to create the equipment models for all equipment constituting the plant by allocating a predetermined estimated man-hour per unit period to the creation work of the equipment models for each of the set levels of detail.

7. Prior to the step of creating the equipment model, 5. The program according to claim 4, further comprising: setting a priority for creating the equipment model for each of the plurality of pieces of equipment constituting the plant based on at least one of an operating condition, an operation period, and an inspection importance of the piece of equipment.

8. The processor further comprises:

8. The program according to claim 7, further comprising: a step of calculating a period required to create the equipment models for all equipment constituting the plant by allocating a predetermined estimated man-hour per unit period to the creation work of the equipment model for each of the set levels of detail in accordance with the set priorities.

9. A method for executing on a system having a processor, comprising: The method further comprises the processor: a step of storing, in a storage unit, information about an equipment model, which is a 3D model, for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment constituting a plant, the information about the equipment model including a setting of a level of detail that can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and the 3D model according to the level of detail; receiving an input operation from a user for displaying the plurality of facilities on a screen; Rendering a facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in a virtual space in response to the input operation based on the setting of the level of detail set for each of the facilities, which may differ for each of the facilities; displaying the rendered result to the user; In the rendering step, the level of detail of the equipment model is determined according to at least one of an attribute predetermined for a user who issued the display instruction, a use of the equipment model of the plant, and a management purpose of the plant. method.

10. 1. A system comprising a processor, The system further comprises: a means for storing, in a storage unit, information on equipment models that are 3D models for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment that constitute a plant, the information on the equipment models including a setting of a level of detail that can be set in stages so as to be different for each piece of equipment, and the 3D models corresponding to the level of detail; means for receiving a user's input operation for displaying the plurality of facilities on a screen; a means for rendering, in response to the input operation, a facility model of each of the plurality of facilities arranged in a virtual space based on the setting of the level of detail set for each of the facilities, which may differ for each of the facilities; means for displaying the rendered result to the user; the rendering means determines the level of detail of the equipment model in accordance with at least one of an attribute predetermined for a user who issued the display instruction, a use of the equipment model of the plant, and a management purpose of the plant. system.

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