Inspection method, inspection system, inspection device, radar device, and inspection program

Abstract

To provide an inspection method, an inspection system, an inspection device, a radar device, and an inspection program capable of improving usability when an internal state of a wall body is inspected.SOLUTION: An inspection system includes: a radar device 1 that radiates electromagnetic waves toward a wall body of a building and receives reception waves attributed to the radiated electromagnetic waves; and an inspection device that inspects a state inside the wall body based on reception wave information obtained by receiving reflected waves. The reception wave information obtained for a target wall body to be inspected is indicated as a measurement value based on the magnitude of amplitude of the received reflected waves mapped on a coordinate including a depth direction of the radiation. The inspection system includes: acquisition means that acquires a mapped comparison value to be compared with the measurement value related to the target wall body; comparison means that compares the measurement value related to the reception wave information with the acquired comparison value for each coordinate; and determination means that determines a state inside the target wall body based on comparison results.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application discloses an inspection method and inspection system for inspecting the condition inside a building using a radar device, an inspection device and radar device used in such an inspection method, and an inspection program for realizing such an inspection device. [Background technology]

[0002] The technology of non-destructively diagnosing the internal condition of a structure using electromagnetic radar is becoming widespread. In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, non-destructive testing using electromagnetic radar is used to check the position of rebar inside a concrete structure, as well as to check for abnormalities such as cavities and cracks. Non-destructive testing using electromagnetic radar mainly uses electromagnetic waves in frequency bands such as microwaves, millimeter waves, centimeter waves, and terahertz waves (submillimeter waves).

[0003] Also, for example, in Patent Document 1, the applicant of the present application has proposed a deterioration diagnosis method that uses a radar device to rationally discover areas in the walls of wooden buildings where wood decay may be occurring. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-183919 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The degradation diagnosis method proposed in Patent Document 1 is highly practical, and various improvements are required so that engineers with various levels of skill can easily make judgments.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its main object to provide an inspection method and an inspection system that improve usability.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection device and a radar device that can be used in the inspection method according to the present invention.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is to provide an inspection program for implementing the inspection device according to the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the inspection method disclosed in the present application is an inspection method that uses a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves toward a wall of a building and receives received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects the condition inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, and is characterized in that the received wave information obtained by radiating electromagnetic waves toward a target wall to be inspected is a measurement value based on the amplitude of the received reflected wave mapped on a coordinate system including the depth direction of the radiation, and the method includes the steps of: acquiring a mapped comparison value that includes predicted fluctuations over time in the target wall; comparing the measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; and determining the condition inside the target wall based on the comparison result.

[0010] Furthermore, the inspection system disclosed in the present application is an inspection system that includes a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves toward a wall of a building and receives received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects the condition inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, and is characterized in that the received wave information obtained by radiating waves into the target wall to be inspected is a measurement value based on the amplitude of the received reflected wave mapped on a coordinate system including the depth direction of the radiation, and the inspection system is equipped with an acquisition means for acquiring the mapped comparison value including predicted fluctuations over time in the target wall, a comparison means for comparing the measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value, and a judgment means for judging the condition inside the target wall based on the comparison result.

[0011] In addition, the inspection system disclosed in the present application is characterized in that it comprises a structure extraction means for extracting property information of a building including a target wall from a property information database which stores property information indicating the structure of the building, and a comparison value setting means for setting a comparison value based on the property information including the extracted structure, and the acquisition means acquires the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means.

[0012] In addition, the inspection system disclosed in the present application is characterized in that it comprises a performance extraction means for extracting performance information indicating past inspection results of the target wall from a history database which stores past inspection results of the building, and a comparison value setting means for setting a comparison value based on the extracted performance information, and the acquisition means acquires the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means.

[0013] In the inspection system disclosed in the present application, the comparison value setting means sets the comparison value based on a result of combining and mapping the extracted pieces of information.

[0014] In addition, the inspection system disclosed in the present application is characterized in that it comprises an environmental acquisition means for acquiring environmental factor information indicating the inspection time or the external environment at the inspection time, and a correction means for correcting the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means based on the acquired environmental factor information, and the acquisition means sets the comparison value corrected by the correction means.

[0015] Furthermore, the inspection device disclosed in the present application is an inspection device that inspects the condition inside a wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving received waves resulting from electromagnetic waves radiated toward a wall of a building, and is characterized in that the received wave information obtained by radiating toward the target wall to be inspected is a measurement value based on the amplitude of the received reflected wave mapped on coordinates including the depth direction of radiation, and the inspection device is equipped with a means for acquiring a mapped comparison value including predicted fluctuations over time in the target wall, a means for comparing the measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value, and a means for determining the condition inside the target wall based on the comparison result.

[0016] Furthermore, the radar device disclosed in the present application is a radar device that has a function of radiating electromagnetic waves toward a wall of a building and receiving received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects the condition inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, and is characterized in that the radar device is equipped with a means for acquiring a mapped comparison value including predicted aging-related fluctuations in the target wall, a means for comparing the measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value, and a means for determining the condition inside the target wall based on the comparison result.

[0017] Furthermore, the inspection program disclosed in the present application is an inspection program that causes a computer to execute a process of inspecting the condition inside a wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving received waves resulting from electromagnetic waves radiated toward a wall of a building, and is characterized in that the received wave information obtained by radiating toward the target wall to be inspected is a measurement value based on the amplitude of the received reflected wave mapped on coordinates including the depth direction of radiation, and the inspection program executes the steps of acquiring a mapped comparison value including predicted fluctuations over time in the target wall, comparing the measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value, and determining the condition inside the target wall based on the comparison result. Effect of the Invention

[0018] The inspection method disclosed in the present application judges the state of the interior of a building by comparing a measurement value mapped to the received wave information with a comparison value based on the received wave information obtained by emitting electromagnetic waves from a radar device to the building. This provides excellent effects such as improved usability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an embodiment of an inspection system disclosed in the present application. [Diagram 2]FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an embodiment of an inspection system disclosed in the present application. [Diagram 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an example of received wave information related to a radar device used in the inspection system disclosed herein; [Figure 4] 1 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the moisture content and brightness in received wave information according to the inspection method disclosed herein. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an outline of internal circuits of a radar device and an inspection device used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an example of the contents of a comparison value database used in the inspection system described in the present application. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an inspection preparation process of an inspection device used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an example of an inspection preparation process of an inspection device used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. [Figure 9] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a measurement process executed by a radar device used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a determination process executed by an inspection device used in the inspection system disclosed herein. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a determination process of an inspection device used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0021] <Application Examples> The inspection method disclosed in the present application is used to inspect the interior condition of a building wall, particularly a wall that includes wooden parts such as wooden columns. The inspection of the interior condition is performed by emitting electromagnetic waves from the outside of the target wall to the inside, and judging the deterioration state mainly caused by moisture content based on the received wave information obtained as a result. Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, an example of an implementation as an inspection system for inspecting a target wall 3 of a building will be described using a radar device 1 that emits electromagnetic waves and an inspection device 2 that judges the deterioration state based on received wave information, as shown in the drawings.

[0022] <Summary> 1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams conceptually illustrating an embodiment of the inspection system disclosed in the present application. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate an embodiment in which the inspection method disclosed in the present application is used to inspect a building including wooden columns. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a wall to be inspected is described as a target wall 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the building from the outside, and FIG. 2 is a top view showing conceptually the arrangement of the target wall 3 and the radar device 1 from the above. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the X-axis indicates a horizontal direction parallel to the outer surface of the target wall 3, and the Y-axis indicates a depth direction from the outside to the inside in which the electromagnetic wave is emitted. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the radar device 1 emits electromagnetic waves from the outside to the inside of the target wall 3. The electromagnetic waves emitted from the radar device 1 are reflected by a reflecting object such as moisture inside the target wall 3, and the radar device 1 receives the reflected waves. The radar device 1 is communicatively connected to the inspection device 2, and the radar device 1 transmits received wave information obtained from the received reflected waves to the inspection device 2. The inspection device 2 inspects the internal condition of the target wall 3 based on the received wave information and determines whether or not there is an abnormality.

[0023] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an example of received wave information related to the radar device 1 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. In FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the target wall 3 is shown in the upper part, and examples of received wave information obtained by radiating electromagnetic waves to the target wall 3 are shown in the middle and lower parts. The received wave information in the middle part is an example of received wave information when the target wall 3 is normal. The received wave information in the lower part is an example of received wave information when the insulation materials on the left and right sides of the rightmost pillar are wet. The received wave information can be shown as information in which a numerical value (measured value) based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped on a coordinate system including the depth direction of the radiation. The received wave information exemplified in FIG. 3 is a two-dimensional image in which the horizontal direction in the figure is the scanning direction (X-axis direction) parallel to the target wall 3 of the building, and the vertical direction is the depth direction (Y-axis direction) from the outside to the inside, and the numerical value based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the reflected wave is mapped in association with the position of reflection. The received wave information shown in FIG. 3 is obtained by converting a numerical value based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the reflected wave into a luminance value, and is shown as an image composed of a set of monotone points whose luminance is in accordance with the magnitude of the amplitude. The received wave information shown in FIG. 3 indicates that the higher the luminance, the larger the amplitude of the reflected wave, and is expressed so that the amplitude of the reflected wave is easily recognized. That is, the received wave information can be processed as a numerical value group, which is a set of numerical values ​​associated with a position, and image data can be created from the numerical value group based on the received wave information, in which points showing the magnitude of the amplitude as luminance are associated with a position and mapped. The magnitude of the amplitude is due to the relative dielectric constant of the reflecting object, and the amplitude becomes large when water with a high relative dielectric constant is present. That is, in a water-logged area containing a lot of moisture in a building, the radiated electromagnetic wave is reflected by the water to become a reflected wave with a large amplitude, and the luminance of the area mapped as the received wave information becomes high.

[0024] As is clear from the two-dimensional image based on the received wave information exemplified in FIG. 3, the moisture content indicated by the dielectric constant within the target wall 3 is not uniform. The moisture content of the target wall 3 has a tendency based on the structure, such as a certain area being more likely to have a high moisture content and to decay more easily. Compared to the middle section showing the normal state, the received wave information in the lower section shows a difference in brightness in the area shown by the dashed line in the figure where the insulation is wet, as compared to the middle section. As shown in the middle and lower sections, the inspection system disclosed herein is capable of determining the difference in state compared to the reference state shown in the middle section, even from outside the target wall 3.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the moisture content and the brightness in the received wave information according to the inspection method disclosed in the present application. FIG. 4 shows the relationship by taking the moisture content (%) on the horizontal axis and the maximum brightness based on the amplitude of the reflected wave on the vertical axis. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the moisture content and the maximum brightness for each tree species. The graph shown in FIG. 4 shows that the moisture content and the maximum brightness for cedar are related by a linear regression equation with a coefficient of determination (R^2) of 0.7. Also, the moisture content and the maximum brightness for spruce are related by a linear regression equation with a coefficient of determination of 0.8. As shown in FIG. 4, the moisture content and the maximum brightness are highly correlated for each tree species.

[0026] <Configuration example> Next, a configuration example of the radar device 1 and the inspection device 2 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application will be described. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of an outline of the internal configuration of the radar device 1 and the inspection device 2 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. The radar device 1 includes various components such as a control unit 10, an emission unit 11, a reception unit 12, a conversion unit 13, an input unit 14, a display unit 15, and a communication unit 16.

[0027] The control unit 10 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes processes for controlling the entire device, and includes various circuits such as an information processing circuit, a timer circuit, and a register circuit.

[0028] The radiation unit 11 is a device that includes circuits such as an oscillator, an amplifier, and an antenna, and that radiates electromagnetic waves. For example, microwaves with a frequency of 2.7 GHz are used as the electromagnetic waves radiated from the radiation unit 11. Note that the radiated electromagnetic waves are not limited to microwaves, and electromagnetic waves of various frequency bands such as centimeter waves, millimeter waves, submillimeter waves, and terahertz waves can be used.

[0029] The receiver 12 is a device that includes circuits such as an antenna and an amplifier, and receives the reflected wave. The converter 13 is a module that includes circuits such as an A / D converter and a mapping unit, and converts the reflected wave, which is an analog signal received by the receiver 12, into digital data and performs various processes such as mapping.

[0030] The mapping process by the conversion unit 13 is a process in which the reflection time from when an electromagnetic wave is emitted until the reflected wave is received is converted into the depth to the reflecting object to identify the position of the reflecting object, and received wave information is generated in which a numerical value indicating the magnitude of the amplitude of the reflected wave is associated with the identified position.

[0031] The input unit 14 is a device such as a push button or a touch panel that accepts input operations from a user. The display unit 15 is a device such as a liquid crystal panel that displays various information such as a two-dimensional image based on the received wave information. The communication unit 16 is a device that transmits the received wave information to the inspection device 2 by wired communication or wireless communication.

[0032] The inspection device 2 is configured using a computer such as a notebook computer, and includes a control unit 20, a storage unit 21, an input unit 22, a display unit 23, a communication unit 24, and the like.

[0033] The control unit 20 is a processor such as a CPU that executes processes for controlling the entire device, and includes various circuits such as an information processing circuit, a clock circuit, and a register circuit.

[0034] The storage unit 21 is a storage unit configured using non-volatile memories such as a hard disk, an SSD (Solid State Drive), a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks), and a flash memory, and volatile memories such as various RAMs (Random Access Memories). Programs such as a basic program (OS: Operating System) and application programs that run on the basic program are recorded in the storage unit 21. As one of the application programs, an inspection program 210 for causing the computer to function as the inspection device 2 is stored in the storage unit 21.

[0035] The input unit 22 is a device such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel that accepts user operations. The display unit 23 is a device such as a liquid crystal panel that displays various information such as two-dimensional images based on received wave information. The communication unit 24 is a communication unit such as a LAN port or antenna, and is capable of communicating with the radar device 1 via wired or wireless communication.

[0036] Furthermore, a part of the storage area of ​​the storage unit 21 is used as various databases such as a property information database 211 that stores information about buildings, a history database 212, a comparison value database 213, a reference value database 214, and the like.

[0037] The property information database 211 is a database that stores various property information such as the address, internal structure and layout, and past inspection results of a building, in association with a building ID that identifies the building. The internal structure and layout of a building stored in the property information database 211 are stored as drawings such as floor plans and layout plans for each floor. Furthermore, for the structure described in the drawings such as floor plans and layout plans, information is stored for each item such as the structural type (wooden, steel frame, etc.), the type of columns, the species of wood related to the wooden structure, and the exterior wall specifications.

[0038] The history database 212 is a database that stores performance information indicating the history of past inspection results and the like, in association with a building ID and a wall ID that identifies a wall. The performance information is stored as measurement results associated with items such as the measurement date and time, the external environment, and the measurement status. The external environment is information such as weather, temperature, and humidity. The measurement status is information indicating the status in the case of measurement during construction, or the status of regular measurement, abnormality check, renovation, etc. in the case of measurement after completion.

[0039] The comparison value database 213 is a database that stores basic comparison values ​​that are the basis of the comparison values ​​(numerical values) to be compared with the measurement values ​​(numerical values) obtained as the received wave information. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an example of the stored contents of the comparison value database 213 used in the inspection system described in the present application. The comparison value database 213 stores the basic comparison values ​​in a table format, for example, in association with the identification information and various characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the wall. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of characteristic information for the wooden part of the wall, and the characteristic information is shown for each item such as the pillar type, the tree species, the moisture content, the pillar position, and the exterior wall specifications. The basic comparison values ​​associated with each piece of characteristic information are stored by mapping the numerical values ​​in association with the coordinates. FIG. 6 shows the mapped basic comparison values ​​as an image, and the numerical values ​​are shown as brightness. The relationship between the various characteristic information and the basic comparison values ​​is found by a method such as multivariate analysis or reinforcement learning based on various information such as actual measurement data, experimental data, and theoretical values, and is updated as appropriate.

[0040] The type of pillar in the characteristic information, for example, affects the distribution of the maximum values ​​of the numerical values ​​of the foundation comparison value. When the numerical values ​​are converted into brightness and an image is created, the distribution of the maximum values ​​of the numerical values ​​of the foundation comparison value is expressed as the curved shape of a bright line. In Figure 6, the general shape of the bright line is shown as an example of the distribution of the foundation comparison value. The tree species and moisture content in the characteristic information affect the magnitude of the numerical values ​​of the foundation comparison value. When the numerical values ​​are converted into brightness and an image is created, the magnitude of the foundation comparison value is expressed as the shade of the bright line. The pillar position in the characteristic information is converted into the X coordinate. The exterior wall specifications in the characteristic information are converted into the Y coordinate, taking into account the material of the exterior wall used, its thickness, etc.

[0041] The reference value database 214 is a database that stores various information such as reference values ​​for each tree species used to determine the condition inside a building.

[0042] Various databases such as property information database 211, history database 212, comparison value database 213, and reference value database 214 may be stored in the memory unit 21 of the inspection device 2, or may be stored in an in-house server computer that can communicate via the communication unit 24. When various databases are stored in an in-house server computer, the inspection device 2 may access the various databases as necessary, or may download necessary information to the memory unit 21 in advance.

[0043] <Processing example> An example of the process of an inspection method using the radar device 1 and the inspection device 2 configured as above will be described. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an inspection preparation process of the inspection device 2 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. As the inspection preparation process, a user operating the inspection device 2 inputs information specifying the building to be inspected and the target wall 3 to be inspected. The inspection device 2 executes the inspection preparation process exemplified below under the control of the control unit 20 which executes the inspection program 210 stored in the memory unit 21.

[0044] The control unit 20 of the inspection device 2 acquires property information on the specified building and the target wall 3 from the property information database 211 of the storage unit 21 (S101), and further refers to the history database 212 to determine whether or not the target wall 3 has been inspected in the past (S102). In step S102, the control unit 20 determines that there is an inspection record if past inspection results are stored in the history database 212, and determines that there is no inspection record if no past inspection results are stored.

[0045] In step S102, when it is determined that there is a past inspection record (S102: YES), the control unit 20 acquires record information indicating past inspection results from the history database 212 (S103), and further acquires environmental factor information (S104). The environmental factor information acquired in step S104 is information indicating the inspection time related to the current inspection, the external environment at the time of the inspection, and / or the external environment. The environmental factor information is acquired by various means such as reading information processed by the radar device 1 or the inspection device 2, acquisition by a sensor equipped in the radar device 1 or the inspection device 2, input by the user, acquisition from a communication network via the communication unit 24, etc.

[0046] The control unit 20 corrects the performance information acquired in step S103 with the environmental factor information acquired in step S104 (S105), acquires the result of the correction as a comparison value (S106), and sets the acquired comparison value in association with the coordinates (S107). By the correction in step S105, the control unit 20 corrects the past performance with environmental factors such as age, season, temperature, humidity, progress of the construction, and even the species of wood in the wooden part, so that the prediction accuracy of the current condition of the target wall body 3 can be improved. The setting in step S107 is stored in the storage unit 21. By the processing of steps S103 to S107, the control unit 20 sets a mapped comparison value including the predicted change with age in the target wall body 3. Note that the change with age in the target wall body 3 does not occur uniformly, but differs depending on the surrounding environment. Specifically, the target wall 3 may have different aging variations depending on the part due to differences in environmental factors such as the direction of the wall surface, and the conditions of sunlight and raindrops caused by shields on adjacent land. Therefore, the control unit 20 executes the processes of steps S103 to S105 for each divided part of the target wall 3, and obtains the combined and mapped results as a comparison value in step S106. This allows the inspection system disclosed in the present application to improve prediction accuracy.

[0047] In step S102, when it is determined that there is no past inspection record (S102: NO), the control unit 20 acquires a foundation comparison value corresponding to the property information from the comparison value database 213 (S108), and further acquires environmental factor information (S109). In step S108, the control unit 20 acquires one or more foundation comparison values ​​associated with characteristic information corresponding to the characteristics of the target wall 3 indicated in the property information.

[0048] The control unit 20 synthesizes the acquired base comparison values ​​to acquire a mapped original comparison value (S110), corrects the acquired original comparison value with the environmental factor information acquired in step S109 (S111), and proceeds to step S106. The control unit 20 acquires the original comparison value corrected with the environmental factor information in step S111 as a comparison value (S106), and executes the subsequent processes. Through the processes of steps S108 to S111 and S106 to S107, the control unit 20 sets a mapped comparison value that includes the predicted aging-related fluctuation in the target wall 3.

[0049] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating an example of an inspection preparation process of the inspection device 2 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. For example, if the target wall 3 is a wall having a continuous structure indicated by the identification information a, b, and c illustrated in FIG. 6, in step S108, the control unit 20 acquires the base comparison values ​​shown as images in FIG. 8(a), (b), and (c). Then, the control unit 20 acquires the original comparison value shown as FIG. 8(d) by a synthesis process in step S110. Note that, if the base comparison values ​​acquired in step S108 are the same, the synthesis in step S110 is not performed, and the base comparison value becomes the original comparison value. The control unit 20 can improve prediction accuracy by correcting the original comparison value with an environmental factor.

[0050] In the above manner, the test preparation process for setting the comparison value is performed. Note that correction based on environmental factors is not necessarily required, and the performance information or the original comparison value may be set as the comparison value as is.

[0051] The user performs an operation of scanning and measuring the outer wall surface of the target wall 3 specified in the inspection preparation process using the radar device 1. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a measurement process executed by the radar device 1 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. Under the control of the control unit 10, the radar device 1 emits electromagnetic waves from the emission unit 11 (S201), receives reflected waves at the reception unit 12 (S202), and generates received wave information based on the received reflected waves (S203). Furthermore, under the control of the control unit 10, the radar device 1 displays an image based on the generated received wave information on the display unit 15 (S204), and transmits the received wave information from the communication unit 16 to the inspection device 2 (S205). In step S204, the radar device 1 displays image information on the display unit 15, which shows a numerical value related to the measurement value of the received wave information as brightness.

[0052] In this manner, the measurement process is carried out.

[0053] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a determination process executed by the inspection device 2 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. The inspection device 2 executes the determination process exemplified below under the control of the control unit 20 which executes a control program stored in the storage unit 21.

[0054] The control unit 20 of the inspection device 2 receives the received wave information transmitted from the radar device 1 via the communication unit 24 (S301), and acquires measurement values ​​mapped according to the position inside the target wall 3 indicated in the received received wave information (S302).

[0055] The control unit 20 acquires a mapped comparison value to be compared with the measurement value related to the target wall body 3 (S303). The process of acquiring the comparison value in step S303 is a process of reading the comparison value set in the inspection preparation process from the storage unit 21. In step S303, if the target wall body 3 has a past inspection record, the control unit 20 acquires a mapped comparison value by correcting the record information with the environmental factor information as shown in steps S104 to S107. In addition, if the target wall body 3 has no past inspection record, the control unit 20 acquires a mapped comparison value by correcting the base comparison value with the environmental factor information as shown in steps S108 to S111 and S106 to S107.

[0056] The control unit 20 compares the measurement value related to the received wave information acquired in step S302 with the comparison value acquired in step S303 for each coordinate (S304). The comparison in step S304 is performed by calculating the difference between the numerical value related to the measurement value and the comparison value for each coordinate. Note that the difference can be calculated using various methods such as subtraction processing that compares the difference between the numerical values, subtraction processing after calculating the logarithm of both numerical values, and division processing. The comparison in step S304 may be performed by comparing the coordinates of each point, or by taking a representative value such as the average value or maximum value for each area of ​​a certain size such as 8×8 or 16×16 and comparing them.

[0057] The control unit 20 judges whether or not there is a difference between the measured value and the comparison value as a result of the comparison in step S304 (S305). The judgment process in step S305 is a process for judging whether or not the difference between the measured value and the comparison value is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value. The magnitude of the threshold value may be constant for the entire region, or may be set for each structure and type within the target wall 3.

[0058] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing an example of a determination process of the inspection device 2 used in the inspection system disclosed in the present application. FIG. 11(a) shows the outline of the mapped measurement value, and FIG. 11(b) shows the outline of the mapped comparison value. And FIG. 11(c) shows the difference between the measurement value and the comparison value. When there is a difference between the measurement value and the comparison value as shown in FIG. 11(a) to (c), the difference shown in FIG. 11(c) occurs. Note that when the measurement value (a numerical value indicating the amplitude of the reflected wave) is larger than the comparison value, it is determined that there is a difference, but when the measurement value is equal to or smaller than the comparison value, it is determined that there is no difference. The example shown in FIG. 11(c) shows a situation in which there is a bias in the appearance of the difference, and a large difference occurs in a specific area on the right side of the figure.

[0059] 10, when it is determined in step S305 that there is a difference between the measured value and the comparison value (S305: YES), the control unit 20 determines whether or not there is a bias in the magnitude of the difference (S306). In step S306, the control unit 20 maps the numerical value indicating the magnitude of the difference, and determines whether or not the difference is concentrated in a specific region.

[0060] If it is determined in step S306 that there is a bias in the difference (S306: YES), the control unit 20 determines whether or not the area determined to have a large difference is an area in which a wooden pillar is placed (S307). In step S307, the control unit 20 accesses the property information database 211 in the storage unit 21 and determines whether or not the relevant area is an area in which a wooden pillar is placed. Note that it is preferable that the comparison value has been corrected by taking into account the tree species in the inspection preparation process, but if the tree species has not been taken into account, in step S307, the control unit 20 determines whether or not the difference in the area in which a wooden pillar is placed is large, taking into account the tree species.

[0061] In step S307, if it is determined that the area is one in which a wooden pillar is located (S307: YES), the control unit 20 determines that there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred (S308). When making the determination in step S307, the control unit 20 verifies whether the pillar position is shifted from the comparison value. This is because abnormal values ​​of the difference due to positional deviation are likely to occur near the pillar. The possible abnormality in step S308 is an increase in the moisture content of the wooden pillar due to water leakage, etc.

[0062] In step S307, when it is determined that the area is not one in which a wooden pillar is arranged (S307: NO), the control unit 20 proceeds to the next process without executing the process of step S307.

[0063] If it is determined in step S307 that the area is not one in which a wooden pillar is placed, or after the process of step S308, the control unit 20 determines whether the areas in which the difference is determined to be large are continuous or not (S309).

[0064] In step S309, when it is determined that the areas with large differences are continuous (S309: YES), the control unit 20 determines that an abnormality may have occurred (S310). Possible abnormalities in step S309 include an increase in the moisture content of the insulation between the pillars due to water leakage, the presence of liquid water, and the like.

[0065] If it is determined in step S309 that the regions are not continuous, or after the process of step S310, the control unit 20 determines whether or not the region determined to have a large difference is a region in which a metal member is arranged (S311). In step S311, the control unit 20 accesses the property information database 211 of the storage unit 21, and determines whether or not the relevant region is a region in which a metal member such as equipment piping or metal fittings is arranged. Metal members have a high reflectivity for electromagnetic waves, so there is a possibility that a large peak will occur in the received wave, and on the other hand, metal members have the characteristic of being less likely to absorb moisture.

[0066] In step S311, if it is determined that the area is not an area where a metal member is placed (S311: NO), the control unit 20 determines that there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred (S312). In step S312, although the content of the abnormality cannot be identified, it is determined that there is an area where the amplitude of the received wave is large, and therefore there is a possibility that some kind of abnormality has occurred.

[0067] If it is determined in step S305 that there is no difference between the measured value and the comparison value (S305: NO), or if it is determined in step S306 that there is no bias in the difference (S306: NO), the control unit 20 determines that no abnormality has been found. Also, if it is not determined in any of steps S308, S310, and S312 that there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred, the control unit 20 determines that there is no abnormality. Note that, if it is determined in step S308 or step S310 that there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred, the control unit 20 may proceed to step S313 and display the determination result without determining whether or not there is another abnormality.

[0068] Then, the control unit 20 displays the judgment result as to whether or not there is an abnormality on the display unit 23 (S313). If it is judged that there is an abnormality, the control unit 20 also displays the details of the abnormality in step S313. Furthermore, the inspection device 2 stores various information up to the judgment in the history database 212.

[0069] As described above, the inspection system disclosed in the present application compares the measurement value based on the received wave information obtained by emitting electromagnetic waves from the radar device 1 with a comparison value predicted in advance based on conditions such as the structure of the target wall 3, and judges the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the comparison result. Therefore, the inspection system disclosed in the present application has excellent effects such as improving usability because even an inexperienced user can make an accurate diagnosis without relying on the skills of an individual, when it comes to diagnosing electromagnetic images that require specialized skills.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms. Therefore, the embodiment is merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as being limited. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, and is not restricted in any way by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications and changes within the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, an inspection system in which the radar device 1 and the inspection device 2 are communicatively connected has been shown, but the inspection system disclosed in the present application can be designed as appropriate. For example, the inspection system disclosed in the present application can be integrated by incorporating the functions of the inspection device 2 into the radar device 1. Furthermore, the inspection system disclosed in the present application can be deployed in various forms, such as by having the inspection device 2 acquire received wave information obtained by the radar device 1 via a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory.

[0072] The following supplementary notes are provided in addition to the technical contents described in the above embodiment.

[0073] (Appendix 1) An inspection method for inspecting an internal condition of a wall of a building based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received wave, using a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves toward the wall of a building and receives received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, comprising: The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in a target wall; comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the obtained comparison value; determining a state inside the target wall based on the comparison result; An inspection method comprising the steps of:

[0074] (Appendix 2) An inspection system comprising a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves toward a wall of a building and receives received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects a state inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; An acquisition means for acquiring a mapped comparison value including predicted aging-related variations in a target wall; A comparison means for comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; A determination means for determining the state inside the target wall based on the comparison result. An inspection system comprising:

[0075] (Appendix 3) 3. The inspection system of claim 2, A structure extraction means for extracting property information of a building including a target wall from a property information database storing property information indicating a structure of the building; A comparison value setting means for setting a comparison value based on property information including the extracted structure; Equipped with The acquiring means acquires the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means. 1. An inspection system comprising:

[0076] (Appendix 4) 10. The inspection system of claim 2, further comprising: A result extraction means for extracting result information indicating past inspection results of the target wall body from a history database storing past inspection results of the building; A comparison value setting means for setting a comparison value based on the extracted performance information; Equipped with The acquiring means acquires the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means. 1. An inspection system comprising:

[0077] (Appendix 5) 5. The inspection system according to claim 3 or 4, The comparison value setting means sets a comparison value based on a result of combining and mapping the plurality of extracted information. 1. An inspection system comprising:

[0078] (Appendix 6) 6. The inspection system according to claim 3, further comprising: An environment acquisition means for acquiring environmental factor information indicating the time of the inspection or the external environment at the time of the inspection; a correction means for correcting the comparative value set by the comparative value setting means based on the acquired environmental factor information; Equipped with The acquisition means sets the comparison value corrected by the correction means. 1. An inspection system comprising:

[0079] (Appendix 7) An inspection device that inspects the state inside a wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving a received wave caused by an electromagnetic wave radiated to a wall of a building, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; A means for obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in the target wall; A means for comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; A means for determining the state of the interior of the target wall based on the comparison result. An inspection device comprising:

[0080] (Appendix 8) A radar device that has a function of emitting electromagnetic waves to a wall of a building and receiving received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects a state inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; A means for obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in the target wall; A means for comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; A means for determining the state of the interior of the target wall based on the comparison result. A radar device comprising:

[0081] (Appendix 9) An inspection program for causing a computer to execute a process for inspecting an internal state of a wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving a received wave caused by an electromagnetic wave radiated to a wall of a building, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in a target wall; comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the obtained comparison value; determining a state inside the target wall based on the comparison result; An inspection program characterized by executing the above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Radar equipment 10 Control section 11 Radiation section 12 Receiving section 13 Conversion section 14 Input section 15 Display section 16 Communications Department 2. Inspection equipment 20 Control section 21 Memory section 210 Inspection Program 211 Property Information Database 212 History Database 213 Comparison Value Database 214 Reference Value Database 22 Input section 23 Display section 24 Communications Department 3. Target wall

Claims

1. An inspection method for inspecting an internal condition of a wall of a building based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received wave, using a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves toward the wall of a building and receives received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, comprising: The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in a target wall; comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the obtained comparison value; determining a state inside the target wall based on the comparison result; An inspection method comprising the steps of:

2. An inspection system comprising a radar device that radiates electromagnetic waves toward a wall of a building and receives received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects a state inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; An acquisition means for acquiring a mapped comparison value including predicted aging-related variations in a target wall; A comparison means for comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; A determination means for determining the state inside the target wall based on the comparison result. An inspection system comprising:

3. 3. The inspection system of claim 2, A structure extraction means for extracting property information of a building including a target wall from a property information database storing property information indicating a structure of the building; A comparison value setting means for setting a comparison value based on property information including the extracted structure; Equipped with The acquiring means acquires the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means.

1. An inspection system comprising:

4. 3. The inspection system of claim 2, A result extraction means for extracting result information indicating past inspection results of the target wall body from a history database storing past inspection results of the building; A comparison value setting means for setting a comparison value based on the extracted performance information; Equipped with The acquiring means acquires the comparison value set by the comparison value setting means.

1. An inspection system comprising:

5. The inspection system according to claim 3 or claim 4, The comparison value setting means sets a comparison value based on a result of combining and mapping the plurality of extracted information.

1. An inspection system comprising:

6. The inspection system according to claim 3 or claim 4, An environment acquisition means for acquiring environmental factor information indicating the time of the inspection or the external environment at the time of the inspection; a correction means for correcting the comparative value set by the comparative value setting means based on the acquired environmental factor information; Equipped with The acquisition means sets the comparison value corrected by the correction means.

1. An inspection system comprising:

7. An inspection device that inspects the state inside a wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving a received wave caused by an electromagnetic wave radiated to a wall of a building, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; A means for obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in the target wall; A means for comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; A means for determining the state of the interior of the target wall based on the comparison result. An inspection device comprising:

8. A radar device that has a function of emitting electromagnetic waves to a wall of a building and receiving received waves resulting from the radiated electromagnetic waves, and inspects a state inside the wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving the received waves, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; A means for obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in the target wall; A means for comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the acquired comparison value; A means for determining the state of the interior of the target wall based on the comparison result. A radar device comprising:

9. An inspection program for causing a computer to execute a process for inspecting an internal state of a wall based on received wave information obtained by receiving a received wave caused by an electromagnetic wave radiated to a wall of a building, The received wave information obtained by radiating the wave to the target wall to be inspected is A measurement based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the received reflected wave is mapped onto a coordinate system including a depth direction of the emission; obtaining a mapped comparison value that includes predicted aging variations in a target wall; comparing a measurement value related to the received wave information with the obtained comparison value; determining a state inside the target wall based on the comparison result; An inspection program characterized by executing the above.

Images