Object movement estimation device, system, method, and program

Abstract

To provide an object movement estimation device, etc. capable of contributing to automatically acquiring movement route data while reducing observation devices.SOLUTION: An object movement estimation device includes: a data acquisition part for acquiring observation data of a plurality of observation devices installed so as not to observe all of positioning object areas; an in-zone movement measuring part for measuring a movement route of an object in the in-zone using the observation data, and generating in-zone measured movement route data; an out-of-zone movement estimation part for estimating a movement route of the object out of the zone using the in-zone measured movement route data and generating out-of-zone estimated movement route data; and a movement route data generation part for generating entire movement route data on the basis of the in-zone measured movement route data and the out-of-zone estimated movement route data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 22

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an object movement estimation device, a system, a method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In the management of goods in warehouses, work sites, etc. in the distribution industry, the management of livestock in ranches and barns in the livestock industry, and the management of people and goods in offices, factories, construction sites, commercial facilities, public spaces, etc., it is necessary to obtain movement route data regarding the location history of objects, the movement line of the object determined from that location, the amount of movement of the object, etc., for the purpose of improving operations by recording and analyzing information related to objects such as goods, livestock, people and objects.

[0003] For example, in the livestock industry, it is necessary to grasp the amount of exercise (movement) of individual livestock animals in order to improve the quality of processed livestock products and to understand their health conditions as part of "animal welfare" (hereinafter referred to as "AW") efforts, which aim to build happy relationships between humans and animals by treating animals as sensitive creatures and reducing stress in a comfortable environment.Currently, in order to grasp the amount of exercise of individual livestock animals, the muscle condition of each animal is checked by hand, which requires time and effort.In addition, because livestock animals are raised for several years, there is a demand for automating the process of grasping the amount of exercise of individual livestock animals.

[0004] In light of this, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for automatically acquiring data on the movement path of an object, in which a sensor that detects the direction is used to determine the movement direction of the object, and estimates the movement path of the object on a road. According to the method of Patent Document 1, it is said that it is possible to avoid installing sensors at all intersections. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-151669 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The following analysis is provided by the present inventors.

[0007] The method of Patent Document 1 estimates the movement path of an object on a road with a predetermined route, so if sensors are thinned out and installed in a location where an object can move in any direction, it will often be impossible to obtain data on the object's movement path.

[0008] A main object of the present invention is to provide an object movement estimation device, system, method, and program that can contribute to automatically acquiring object movement path data while reducing the number of observation devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An object movement estimation device according to a first aspect includes a data acquisition unit configured to acquire observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area to be positioned for the object; an within-range movement measurement unit configured to use the observation data to measure the movement path of the object within an within-range area, which is a range in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generate within-range measured movement path data related to the movement path of the object measured within the range; an out-of-range movement estimation unit configured to use the within-range measured movement path data to estimate the movement path of the object outside of an within-range area, which is a range in which the object cannot be observed by the observation device, and generate out-of-range estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside the range; and a movement path data generation unit configured to generate overall movement path data related to the movement path of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the within-range measured movement path data and the out-of-range estimated movement path data.

[0010] An object movement estimation system relating to a second viewpoint includes an object movement estimation device relating to the first viewpoint, and a plurality of observation devices communicatively connected to the object movement estimation device and installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of object positioning.

[0011] An object movement estimation method according to a third aspect includes a step in which hardware resources acquire observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area to be targeted for positioning of the object; a step in which the hardware resources use the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generate within-area measured movement path data relating to the movement path of the object measured within the area; a step in which the hardware resources use the within-area measured movement path data to estimate a movement path of the object outside of an area in which the object cannot be observed by the observation device, and generate outside-area estimated movement path data relating to the movement path of the object estimated outside the area; and a step in which the hardware resources generate overall movement path data relating to the movement path of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the within-area measured movement path data and the outside-area estimated movement path data.

[0012] A program relating to the fourth aspect causes hardware resources to execute the following processes: acquiring observation data from any of a plurality of observation devices installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of positioning of the object; using the observation data to measure the movement path of the object within an area where the object can be observed by the observation device, and generating within-area measured movement path data related to the movement path of the object measured within the area; using the within-area measured movement path data to estimate the movement path of the object outside of an area where the object cannot be observed by the observation device, and generating outside-area estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside the area; and generating overall movement path data related to the movement path of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the within-area measured movement path data and the outside-area estimated movement path data.

[0013] The program can be recorded in a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium can be a non-transient medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. In addition, the present disclosure can be embodied as a computer program product. The program is input to the computer device from an input device or an external device via a communication interface, stored in a storage device, drives the processor according to a predetermined step or process, and can display the processing result, including an intermediate state as necessary, at each stage via a display device, or can communicate with the outside via the communication interface. For example, a computer device for this purpose typically includes a processor, a storage device, an input device, a communication interface, and a display device as necessary, which are connectable to each other via a bus. Effect of the Invention

[0014] The first to fourth aspects can contribute to automatically acquiring object movement path data while reducing the number of observation devices. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a first example of the configuration of an object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a table that illustrates an example of area data used in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1 is a table that illustrates an example of individual feature data used in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of an object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of details of step A3 in the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of details of step A4 in the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 is an image diagram showing a schematic example 1-1 of an object movement from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 8] 1A is an image diagram showing a schematic example 1-2 of an object movement from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are image diagrams illustrating an example 1-3 of an object moving from a block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1A to 1C are schematic illustrations showing example 1-4 of an object's movement from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are image diagrams showing a schematic example 1-5 of an object's movement from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 1A to 1C are image diagrams showing a schematic example 1-6 of an object moving from a block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 11 is an image diagram showing a schematic example 2-1 of an object's movement from block area B to C in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 14] 13 is an image diagram showing a schematic example 2-2 of an object's movement from block area B to C in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 15] 11 is an image diagram showing a schematic representation of a third example of an object's movement from block area A to C in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 16] 11 is a block diagram illustrating a second example of the configuration of the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 17] 1 is an image diagram of a measurement position, an estimated position, a measurement flow line, and an estimated flow line, which is a schematic diagram showing an example of visualization in an object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing schematic examples of (A) straight line traffic lines, (B) curved line traffic lines, and (C) broken line traffic lines when the traffic lines are visualized in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 19] 1 is an image diagram showing a schematic example of a visualization of measured positions and estimated positions in an object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a third example of the configuration of the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is an image diagram showing a schematic example of a visualized state of a block area in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 22] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an object movement estimation device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 23] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of hardware resources. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, when drawing reference symbols are used in this application, they are intended to aid understanding only and are not intended to limit the present invention to the illustrated embodiment. In addition, the following embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. In addition, the connection lines between blocks in the drawings and the like referred to in the following description include both bidirectional and unidirectional. A unidirectional arrow is a schematic representation of the flow of a main signal (data) and does not exclude bidirectionality. Furthermore, although not explicitly shown in the circuit diagrams, block diagrams, internal configuration diagrams, connection diagrams, and the like shown in the present disclosure, an input port and an output port exist at the input end and output end of each connection line. The same is true for input / output interfaces. A program is executed via a computer device, which includes, for example, a processor, a storage device, an input device, a communication interface, and a display device as necessary, and which is configured to be able to communicate with an internal or external device (including a computer) via the communication interface, regardless of whether it is wired or wireless.

[0017] [Form 1] The object movement estimation system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first example of the configuration of the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a table showing an example of area data used in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a table showing an example of individual feature data used in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure.

[0018] The object movement estimation system 1 is a system that estimates the movement path of the object 2 using observation devices 20A to 20E (see FIG. 1). The object 2 can be, for example, a livestock animal, a person, a commodity, an object, etc. In the first embodiment, the object 2 is described as an example of a livestock animal. The object movement estimation system 1 is configured to estimate movement information of the object 2 with a small hardware resource. In the object movement estimation system 1, the observation devices 20A to 20E are installed at predetermined positions in the positioning target area 10 by thinning out (sparsely) the positioning target area 10 so as not to observe the entire positioning target area 10. Here, within the positioning target area 10, a range in which the object 2 can be observed by the observation devices 20A to 20E is defined as an in-range area, and a range in which the object 2 cannot be observed by the observation devices 20A to 20E is defined as an out-of-range area. The positioning target area 10 is an area in which the position of the object 2 is measured and estimated. In FIG. 1, the positioning target area 10 is a plurality of block areas 11 arranged in a matrix. The positioning target area 10 may be, for example, a ranch, a livestock barn, a warehouse, a work place, an office, a factory, a construction site, a commercial facility, a public space, a road, or the like. In the first embodiment, a ranch will be described as an example of the positioning target area 10. The object movement estimation system 1 has a function of estimating a position (estimated position) of an object 2 that has moved outside the range based on a position (measured position) of the object 2 observed (measured) within the range, and complementing the movement path of the object 2 outside the range in the positioning target area 10. The object movement estimation system 1 includes observation devices 20A to 20E, an object movement estimation device 30, a user terminal 50, and a network 60.

[0019] The observation devices 20A-20E are devices that observe an object 2 at a predetermined position in the positioning target area 10 (see FIG. 1). The observation devices 20A-20E are installed sparsely so as not to observe the entire positioning target area 10. The amount of thinning may be determined according to the performance and use of the observation devices 20A-20E, and is not limited. The thinning intervals may be either equal or unequal. This thinning separates the area into areas within the range that can be observed by the observation devices 20A-20E and areas outside the range that cannot be observed. Within the positioning target area 10 in Fig. 1, the observation device 20A is arranged to observe the in-range block area 11A in the 1st row and the 3rd column, the observation device 20B is arranged to observe the in-range block area 11B in the 3rd row and the 3rd column, the observation device 20C is arranged to observe the in-range block area 11C in the 5th row and the 3rd column, the observation device 20D is arranged to observe the in-range block area 11D in the 3rd row and the 5th column, and the observation device 20E is arranged to observe the in-range block area 11E in the 3rd row and the 1st column. The outside of the positioning target area 10 in Fig. 1 is the area other than the in-range block areas 11A to 11E, of which the four block areas on the lower left are the out-of-range inaccessible area 12 that is inaccessible due to buildings, obstacles, etc., and the two block areas on the lower right are the out-of-range drop-in area 13 that is easy to drop in due to grass, food, etc. The observation devices 20A to 20E may be devices capable of observing the distance from the observation devices 20A to 20E themselves to the object 2, the movement of the object 2, and the characteristics of the object 2, such as cameras and sensors. When the object 2 is equipped with a wireless tag (not shown; for example, an RFID tag) or a marker (for example, a two-dimensional code), the observation devices 20A to 20E may have a function of reading the wireless tag or the marker to obtain the identification information of the object 2. The observation devices 20A to 20E are communicatively connected to the object movement estimation device 30 via a network 60. The observation devices 20A to 20E transmit observation data (which may include identification information) obtained by observing the object 2 to the object movement estimation device 30. The observation data may be, for example, image data, detection data, or the like, and may include position information for identifying an observation point and time information for identifying an observation time.

[0020] The object movement estimation device 30 is a device that estimates the movement path of the object 2 using observation data from the observation devices 20A to 20E (see FIG. 1). The object movement estimation device 30 has a function of measuring the movement path of the object 2 in the in-service block areas 11A to 11E using the observation data, and estimating the movement path of the object 2 outside the service area (area other than the in-service block areas 11A to 11E in the positioning target area 10) based on the measured movement path of the object 2. For example, a physical server equipped with a computer function or a virtual server virtually realized on the cloud can be used as the object movement estimation device 30. The object movement estimation device 30 is connected to the observation devices 20A to 20E and a user terminal 50 via a network 60 so as to be able to communicate with them. By executing a predetermined stored program, the object movement estimation device 30 can be virtually configured to include an area data accumulation unit 31, an individual characteristic data accumulation unit 32, a data acquisition unit 33, an observation data accumulation unit 34, an in-service movement measurement unit 35, an out-of-service movement estimation unit 36, a movement route data generation unit 37, a movement route data accumulation unit 38, and a data provision unit 39.

[0021] The area data accumulation unit 31 is a functional unit that accumulates area data (see FIG. 2) (see FIG. 1). The area data is data that defines characteristics for each block area 11 when the positioning target area 10 is divided into a plurality of block areas 11, and for example, as shown in FIG. 2, characteristics such as in-service area, out-of-service area, inaccessible area, drop-in area, etc. may be defined for each block area. The area data may be configured so that the user can set or change it from the user terminal 50. The area data can be used by the out-of-service area movement estimation unit 36.

[0022] The individual characteristic data storage unit 32 is a functional unit that stores individual characteristic data (see FIG. 1). The individual characteristic data is data that defines the individual characteristics of each object 2, and may be data that defines characteristics such as identification information, leader, state, nature, and behavior pattern, as shown in FIG. 3. The individual characteristic data may be configured so that the user can set or change the individual characteristic data from the user terminal 50. The individual characteristic data can be used by the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36.

[0023] The data acquisition unit 33 is a functional unit that acquires data from outside the object movement estimation device 30 (see FIG. 1). The data acquisition unit 33 acquires observation data from the observation devices 20A to 20E, and stores the acquired observation data in the observation data storage unit .

[0024] The observation data accumulation unit 34 is a functional unit that accumulates observation data (see FIG. 1). The observation data accumulation unit 34 may accumulate the observation data by arranging it in the order of observation time, or by observation point, or, if the observation data includes identification information, may accumulate the observation data by arranging it by the identification information. The observation data can be used by the in-service movement measurement unit 35 and the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36.

[0025] The in-range movement measurement unit 35 is a functional unit that uses the observation data to measure the movement path of the object 2 within the range (see FIG. 1). The in-range movement measurement unit 35 uses the observation data to identify the individual object 2 within the range. The individual object 2 may be identified using identification information included in the observation data, or if the observation data is image data, the identification may be performed by image recognition of the external features of the individual object 2 (e.g., cow pattern). The in-range movement measurement unit 35 uses the observation data to measure the position (measurement position) of the identified individual object 2 within the range. Based on the measured multiple measurement positions, the in-range movement measurement unit 35 measures the movement line (measurement movement line), which is a line segment connecting the measurement positions within the range of the identified individual object 2, in chronological order. Based on the multiple measurement positions and one or more measurement movement lines, the in-range movement measurement unit 35 measures the movement path of the identified individual object 2 within the range. The within-range movement measurement unit 35 generates movement route data (measured within-range movement route data) that digitizes the movement route within the range of the identified individual object 2 based on the measured movement route, and accumulates the data in the movement route data accumulation unit 38. The measured within-range movement route data includes corresponding identification information, measured positions, and measured flow lines.

[0026] The out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​is a functional unit that estimates the movement path of the object 2 outside the service area using the in-service measured movement path data (see FIG. 1). The out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​estimates the position (estimated position) of the individual object 2 outside the service area using the in-service measured movement path data. The estimated position can be an estimate of the position of the individual object 2 at each predetermined time interval when the individual object 2 is outside the service area. The estimation method of the estimated position will be described later. The out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​estimates a movement line (estimated movement line) that is a line segment connecting a measured position and an estimated position or between estimated positions outside the service area of ​​the individual object 2 in chronological order based on a plurality of in-service measured movement path data (including measured positions) and one or more estimated positions. The out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​estimates the movement path of the individual object 2 outside the service area based on one or more measured positions, one or more estimated positions, and one or more estimated movement lines. The out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​generates movement path data (out-of-service estimated movement path data) that digitizes the movement path of the individual object 2 outside the service area based on the estimated movement path, and accumulates the movement path data accumulation unit 38. The out-of-service estimated movement path data includes corresponding identification information, estimated position, and estimated flow line, and may also include the out-of-service stay time, movement direction, and movement speed calculated in the estimation method of the estimated position described below.

[0027] Here, examples of the method for estimating the estimated position include the following estimation methods (a) to (g). Any one of the estimation methods (a) to (g) may be used, or a combination of two or more of them may be used. The estimation methods (a) to (g) may be selected by the user using the user terminal 50.

[0028] (a) Estimation using out-of-service time (non-detection time). The out-of-service time can be calculated based on the time at the last in-service measurement position when the object goes from in-service to out-of-service, and the time at the first in-service measurement position when the object goes from out-of-service to in-service. The out-of-service time can also be calculated based on the time at the last in-service measurement position when the object goes from in-service to out-of-service, and the latest time (current time) at the out-of-service position after that. Using the out-of-service time helps estimate the approximate range of the out-of-service area where the object 2 has moved. The out-of-service time can also be used as the travel time of the object 2 outside of service.

[0029] (b) Estimation using the positional relationship between the last first measurement position within the range when the object 2 goes from being within the range to being outside the range, and the first second measurement position within the range when the object 2 goes from being outside the range to being within the range. Using such a positional relationship helps to estimate the approximate location transition of the object 2 to which the object 2 has moved.

[0030] (c) Estimation based on a first movement direction of the object 2 at a last first measurement position in the range from within the range to outside the range, and a second movement direction at a first second measurement position in the range from outside the range to another range. The movement direction at a measurement position can be calculated based on a measurement position and a measurement position immediately before or after it. Incorporating the movement direction at the measurement position helps to eliminate multipath in the estimated position.

[0031] (d) Estimation based on a first moving speed of the object 2 at the last first measurement position within the range from within the range to outside the range, and a second moving speed of the object 2 at a second measurement position within the range from outside the range to another range. The moving speed at the measurement position can be calculated based on a certain measurement position and time and a measurement position and time immediately before or after it. Incorporating the moving speed at the measurement position helps to improve the accuracy of estimating the position of the outside range where the object 2 has moved. In addition, by using the moving speed at the measurement position and the time spent outside the range, the moving distance or moving amount (momentum) of the object 2 outside the range can be estimated. Furthermore, the limit of the moving speed of the object 2 and the time spent outside the range help to eliminate impossible positions and moving distances.

[0032] (e) Estimation using the results of logical inference from various conditions and physical laws (for example, the inaccessible areas in the area data of FIG. 2). The results of logical inference can be set in advance in the area data storage unit 31 and the individual characteristic data storage unit 32. Incorporating such inference results helps to eliminate multipaths in the estimated position and to eliminate impossible estimated positions due to animal habits, the structure of the place, false detections, errors, etc.

[0033] (f) Estimation using the properties and behavioral patterns of the object 2 (for example, the stopover areas in the area data of FIG. 2). Incorporating such properties and behavioral patterns helps to eliminate multipathing of the estimated position.

[0034] (g) Estimation using the relationship between an individual and other individuals (e.g., the leader of a group, etc.) (for example, see feature (1) of the individual characteristic data in FIG. 3). The relationship between an individual and other individuals is defined in advance, and the movement path of an individual outside of range is estimated using the estimated movement path data of other individuals outside of range. This makes it possible to reduce the estimation load by applying the movement path data of other individuals to an individual.

[0035] The movement route data generating unit 37 is a functional unit that generates whole movement route data (whole movement route data) of an individual object 2 in the positioning target area 10 using the in-service measured movement route data and the out-of-service estimated movement route data (see FIG. 1). The movement route data generating unit 37 stores the generated whole movement route data in the movement route data storage unit 38.

[0036] The moving route data accumulation unit 38 is a functional unit that accumulates moving route data (see FIG. 1). The moving route data accumulation unit 38 may accumulate the in-service measured moving route data from the in-service movement measurement unit 35, the out-of-service estimated moving route data from the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36, and the entire moving route data from the moving route data generation unit 37 by identification information, by area, or in chronological order.

[0037] The data providing unit 39 is a functional unit that provides data to the user terminal 50 (see FIG. 1). The data providing unit 39 transmits the travel route data stored in the travel route data storage unit 38 to the user terminal 50.

[0038] The user terminal 50 is an information terminal used by a user (see FIG. 1). There may be a plurality of user terminals 50 in the object movement estimation system 1. The user terminal 50 is communicably connected to the object movement estimation device 30 via a network 60. The user terminal 50 can transmit data input by a user's operation to the object movement estimation device 30. The user terminal 50 can output (display, output as sound, etc.) data from the object movement estimation device 30.

[0039] The network 60 is an information and communication network that communicatively connects the observation devices 20A to 20E, the object movement estimation device 30, and the user terminal 50. As the network 60, for example, a communication network such as a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a global area network (GAN) can be used.

[0040] Next, the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing a schematic example of the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. Please refer to Fig. 1 for the configurations of the object movement estimation system and the object movement estimation device.

[0041] First, the data acquisition unit 33 of the object movement estimation device 30 acquires observation data from the observation devices 20A to 20E, and stores the acquired observation data in the observation data storage unit 34 (step A1). The observation data may be acquired periodically, or when any of the observation devices 20A to 20E observes an object 2 within the corresponding range.

[0042] Next, the within-range movement measuring unit 35 of the object movement estimation device 30 uses the acquired observation data to identify individual objects 2 within the range (step A2).

[0043] Next, the within-range movement measurement unit 35 of the object movement estimation device 30 measures the movement route within the range of the individual identified object 2 using the acquired observation data, and generates within-range movement route data of the individual identified object 2 (within-range measured movement route data) based on the measured movement route, and accumulates it in the movement route data accumulation unit 38 (step A3). Details of step A3 will be described later.

[0044] Next, the out-of-range movement estimation unit 36 ​​of the object movement estimation device 30 estimates the out-of-range position (estimated position) of the individual object 2 using the in-range measured movement path data, estimates a movement path (estimated movement path) connecting the measured position and the estimated position or between the estimated positions in order of time outside the range of the individual object 2 based on the multiple in-range measured movement path data (including the measured positions) and the estimated one or multiple estimated positions, estimates the movement path of the individual object 2 outside the range based on the measured positions, the estimated positions, and the estimated movement path, generates movement path data of the individual object 2 outside the range (out-of-range estimated movement path data) based on the estimated movement path, and accumulates it in the movement path data accumulation unit 38 (step A4). Details of step A4 will be described later.

[0045] Next, the movement path data generation unit 37 of the object movement estimation device 30 uses the in-range measured movement path data and the out-of-range estimated movement path data to generate overall movement path data for the object 2 in the positioning target area 10, and accumulates the generated movement path data in the movement path data accumulation unit 38 (step A5).

[0046] Finally, the data providing unit 39 of the object movement estimating device 30 provides (transmits) the movement route data stored in the movement route data storage unit 38 to the user terminal 50 (step A6), and then the process ends.

[0047] Next, details of step A3 in the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a schematic example of details of step A3 in the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure.

[0048] After step A2 in FIG. 4, the within-range movement measuring unit 35 of the object movement estimation device 30 uses the acquired observation data to measure the within-range position (measurement position) of each individual identified object 2 (step B1).

[0049] Next, the within-area movement measurement unit 35 measures a movement line (measurement movement line) that connects the measurement positions in chronological order within the area of ​​the individual identified object 2, based on the multiple measured measurement positions (step B2).

[0050] Next, the in-area movement measurement unit 35 measures the movement route within the area of ​​the identified individual object 2 based on the measurement position and the measured flow line (step B3).

[0051] Next, the within-range movement measuring unit 35 generates within-range movement path data (within-range measured movement path data) of the individual identified object 2 based on the measured movement path (step B4).

[0052] Next, the within-range movement measurement unit 35 accumulates the within-range measured movement route data in the movement route data accumulation unit 38 (step B5), and then proceeds to step A4 in FIG. 4 (step C1 in FIG. 6).

[0053] Next, details of step A4 in the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a schematic example of details of step A4 in the operation of the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure.

[0054] After step A3 in Fig. 4 (step B5 in Fig. 5), the out-of-range movement estimation unit 36 ​​of the object movement estimation device 30 detects the out-of-range stay of the object 2 using the in-range measured movement path data (step C1). The out-of-range stay of the object 2 can be detected, for example, by searching whether there is a measured position in the in-range measured movement path data where the measured flow line is connected only to one side, either before or after. When the out-of-range stay of the object 2 cannot be detected, it is determined that the object 2 is staying only within the range, and the process ends.

[0055] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​uses the in-service measured movement path data to identify one or both of the in-service block areas immediately before and after the object 2 stays out of service (step C2). The in-service block areas immediately before and after the object 2 stays out of service can be identified using position information for identifying an observation point included in the in-service measured movement path data.

[0056] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​calculates the out-of-service staying time of the object 2 using the in-service measured movement path data (step C3).

[0057] Next, the out-of-service movement estimating unit 36 ​​calculates the movement direction of the object in one or both of the in-service block areas immediately before and after the out-of-service stay, using the in-service measured movement path data (step C4).

[0058] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​calculates the movement speed of the object in one or both of the in-service block areas immediately before and after the out-of-service time using the in-service measured movement path data (step C5).

[0059] Next, the out-of-service area movement estimation unit 36 ​​acquires area data of the corresponding in-service area block area from the area data accumulation unit 31 (step C6).

[0060] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​acquires the individual characteristic data of the corresponding object 2 from the individual characteristic data accumulation unit 32 (step C7).

[0061] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​estimates the out-of-service position (estimated position) of the individual object 2 using the calculated out-of-service stay time, movement direction and movement speed, as well as the acquired area data and individual characteristic data (step C8).

[0062] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​estimates a movement line (estimated movement line) that connects the measured positions and the estimated positions or between the estimated positions in chronological order outside the service area of ​​the individual object 2 based on the multiple in-service measured movement route data (including the measured positions) and the one or multiple estimated positions (step C9).

[0063] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​estimates the movement path of the individual object 2 outside the service area based on the measured position, the estimated position, and the estimated movement line (step C10).

[0064] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​generates out-of-service movement path data of the individual object 2 (out-of-service estimated movement path data) based on the estimated movement path (step C11).

[0065] Next, the out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​accumulates the out-of-service estimated movement route data in the movement route data accumulation unit 38 (step C12), and then proceeds to step A5 in FIG.

[0066] Next, the estimation of the movement path of the object 2 outside the range of an individual of the object by the object movement estimation device in the object movement estimation system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is an image diagram that shows an example 1-1 of the movement of the object from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an image diagram that shows an example 1-2 of the movement of the object from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is an image diagram that shows an example 1-3 of the movement of the object from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is an image diagram that shows an example 1-4 of the movement of the object from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is an image diagram that shows an example 1-5 of the movement of the object from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is an image diagram that shows an example 1-6 of the movement of the object from block area A to B in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. Fig. 13 is an image diagram that shows a schematic example 2-1 of an object's movement from block area B to C in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. Fig. 14 is an image diagram that shows a schematic example 2-2 of an object's movement from block area B to C in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. Fig. 15 is an image diagram that shows a schematic example 3 of an object's movement from block area A to C in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure.

[0067] (Movement example 1-1) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area B as shown in Figure 7, if only the positional relationship between block areas A and B is known, the movement path of object 2 can be estimated to be a straight path from block area A to block area B, a detour path that detours outside the straight path, repeated movement between block area A and block area B, etc.

[0068] (Movement example 1-2) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area B as shown in Figure 8, if the positional relationship between block areas A and B and the time spent out of range are known and the time spent out of range is short, it can be estimated that the path of movement of object 2 was a straight line from block area A to block area B.

[0069] (Movement example 1-3) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area B as shown in Figure 9, the relative positions of block areas A and B and the time spent out of range are known, and if the time spent out of range is long, it is possible to estimate that the path of object 2 traveled was a detour that detoured outside a straight line, or that it was repeated movement between block area A and block area B, although it is not possible to know whether object 2 made a detour from the left or right or how far it detoured.

[0070] (Movement example 1-4) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area B as shown in FIG. 10, the positional relationship between block areas A and B, the time spent outside of service area, and the direction of movement are known. If the time spent outside of service area is long, the path of object 2's movement can be estimated to be an S-shaped movement, although there will be variation in the distance traveled because the speed of movement is unknown.

[0071] (Movement example 1-5) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area B as shown in FIG. 11, the positional relationship between block areas A and B, the time spent out of range, the moving direction, and the moving speed are known. If the time spent out of range is long and the moving speed is fast, the moving path of object 2 can be estimated to be an S-shaped movement. Knowing the moving speed makes it possible to estimate the moving distance and narrow down the moving path.

[0072] (Movement example 1-6) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area B as shown in FIG. 12, the positional relationship between block areas A and B, the time spent out of range, the moving direction, and the moving speed are known. If the time spent out of range is long and the moving speed is slow, it can be estimated that the moving path of object 2 moves in an S-shape. Since the moving speed is slow, it can be seen that the length of the moving path is short, and the moving path can be further narrowed down.

[0073] (Movement example 2-1) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area B to block area C as shown in Figure 13, the relative positions of block areas B and C, the time spent out of service area, moving direction, moving speed, and the existence of out-of-service area, inaccessible area 12 can be determined. If the time spent out of service area is long and the moving speed is slow, it can be estimated that object 2 moves from block area B to block area C, detouring between block areas A and B to avoid passing through out-of-service area, inaccessible area 12.

[0074] (Movement example 2-2) 14, when object 2 is measured in the order from block area B to block area C, the positional relationship between block areas B and C, the out-of-service stay time, moving direction, moving speed, and the existence of out-of-service inaccessible area 12 and out-of-service drop-off area 13 are known, and if the out-of-service stay time is long and the moving speed is fast, it can be estimated that the moving route of object 2 moves from block area B, passing between block areas A and B without passing through out-of-service inaccessible area 12, stopping at out-of-service drop-off area 13, and then moving to block area C. Also, assuming that object 2 stops at out-of-service drop-off area 13, it is possible to estimate the moving distance to be shorter than if object 2 does not enter out-of-service drop-off area 13.

[0075] (Movement example 3) When object 2 is measured in the order of block area A to block area C as shown in Figure 15, if the individual characteristic data (see Figure 3) shows that object 2 is subordinate to the group leader, it can be estimated that the movement path of object 2 is equivalent to the movement path of the leader of the group of objects 2.

[0076] According to the first embodiment, by estimating the movement path of the object 2 outside the range where the observation devices 20A-20E cannot observe it, using the movement path data of the object 2 measured within the range where the observation devices 20A-20E can observe it, it is possible to contribute to automatically acquiring the movement path data of the object 2 while reducing the number of observation devices 20A-20E even in places where the object 2 can move in any direction. This saves power and makes it possible to acquire the movement path data of the object 2 at low cost even in any environment such as indoor observation.

[0077] As a method for automatically acquiring data on the movement path of an object, for example, there is a method of observing the position of the object from outside the object using observation equipment such as a receiver, a reader, a camera, a three-dimensional sensor, etc. In this method, a wireless communication device (e.g., a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy; registered trademark) beacon, a UWB (Ultra Wide Band) module built-in device, etc.), a wireless tag (e.g., an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag), a marker (e.g., a two-dimensional code) is attached to the object, or if the object has a characteristic appearance (e.g., a cow pattern), nothing is attached to the object, and observation equipment such as a receiver, a reader, a camera, a three-dimensional sensor, etc. are installed in an area in which the movement path of the object is to be managed so as to cover the entire area, and information on the object (e.g., identification information and information that serves as a clue to identifying the position (e.g., received signal strength data, image data, point cloud data, detection data, etc.)) is acquired to observe the position of the object. However, in the above-mentioned method of observing the position of an object from outside the object using observation equipment, in order to measure the entire area to be observed, it is necessary to install many observation equipment, which not only increases costs and deteriorates the scenery, but also requires the construction and maintenance of many observation equipment and wiring. In addition, with this method, if it is not possible to install observation equipment to observe the entire area to be positioned due to reasons of the installation location (e.g., terrain, compatibility with work, being pranked by animals, etc.), it is not possible to obtain the object's movement path data. Furthermore, with this method, if the entire area to be positioned is not observed, there will be areas that cannot be observed (out of range), and in the out of range areas, it may be impossible to obtain the position history and the object's movement path data obtained from it.

[0078] In addition, as a method for automatically acquiring data on the movement path of an object, there is a method of attaching a positioning device such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) logger to the object and periodically acquiring information from the positioning device. In this method, the power consumption of the positioning device is relatively high, and there is a possibility that the frequency of battery replacement increases, which is troublesome. In addition, positioning devices such as GPS loggers are relatively expensive and cannot be disposable, so that recovery is troublesome. If they are expensive, they need to be removed at the time of shipment, and recovery of the positioning device and management after recovery are troublesome. In addition, since a positioning device such as a GPS logger cannot obtain the position, path, and amount of movement in real time by itself, if information is to be collected in real time so that monitoring can be performed, a communication device for collecting and transmitting GPS information must be added and attached to the object, which further increases the frequency of battery replacement and increases the trouble.

[0079] [Form 2] The object movement estimation system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a second example of the configuration of the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is an image diagram showing a measured position, an estimated position, a measured movement line, and an estimated movement line, which is a schematic diagram showing an example of visualization in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 18 is an image diagram showing an example of (A) a linear movement line, (B) a curved movement line, and (C) a broken line movement line when the movement line is visualized in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 19 is an image diagram showing an example of visualization of the measured position and the estimated position in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure.

[0080] Form 2 is a modified example of Form 1, in which a function of visualizing the movement path data of the object 2 is added to the object movement estimation device 30. The object movement estimation device 30 has a function of visualizing the movement path data in addition to the configuration according to Form 1. By executing a predetermined stored program, the object movement estimation device 30 can virtually be configured to include an area data accumulation unit 31, an individual characteristic data accumulation unit 32, a data acquisition unit 33, an observation data accumulation unit 34, an in-service movement measurement unit 35, an out-of-service movement estimation unit 36, a movement path data generation unit 37, a movement path data accumulation unit 38, and a data provision unit 39, as well as a confidence factor estimation unit 40 and a visualization unit 41.

[0081] The certainty estimation unit 40 is a functional unit that estimates the certainty of each of the measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, and estimated flow line in the moving path data generated by the moving path data generation unit 37 (see FIG. 16). The certainty is a measure of how certain the measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, or estimated flow line is as a position or flow line where the object 2 was present. If the possibility that the object 2 was present in the measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, or estimated flow line increases, the certainty increases, and if the possibility that the object 2 was present in the measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, or estimated flow line decreases, the certainty decreases. The certainty can be estimated, for example, by measuring (or estimating) the position (or flow line) multiple times using the observation data (or the measured moving path data within the range), and dividing the number of times the same position (or flow line) was reached by the number of times it was measured. The certainty of each of the measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, and estimated flow line can be selected and used with the highest certainty. The certainty estimation unit 40 outputs the estimated certainty to the visualization unit 41. The estimated confidence level may be stored in the travel route data storage unit 38.

[0082] The visualization unit 41 is a functional unit that visualizes the entire movement route data (see FIG. 16). The visualization unit 41 may visualize the entire movement route data when a request for visualization of the entire movement route data is received from the user terminal 50. The visualization unit 41 visualizes the entire movement route data based on configuration data (measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, estimated flow line) in the entire movement route data stored in the movement route data storage unit 38 and the certainty of each of the measured position, measured flow line, estimated position, and estimated flow line estimated by the certainty estimation unit 40. The visualization unit 41 outputs the visualized entire movement route data to the data provision unit 39. The visualized entire movement route data may be stored in the movement route data storage unit 38.

[0083] As an example of a method for visualizing the entire movement path data, as shown in FIG. 17, the visualization method may be changed according to the classification of the measured positions 71, 72, 76, 77, the measured flow lines 81, 85, the estimated positions 73, 75, and the estimated flow lines 82, 83, 84. Examples of the visualization method of the positions or flow lines include distinction by the type or shape of the icon, distinction by color (hue, saturation, brightness, transparency), and the like. The visualization method may also be changed according to the numerical value of the confidence. As a visualization method of the confidence level, for example, the higher the confidence level, the smaller (thinner) the circle or line, and the lower the confidence level, the larger (thicker) the circle or line, or the color density may be changed according to the numerical value of the confidence level. In addition, when the positions of the first to third candidates are obtained, only the first candidate may be plotted, or the first to third candidates may be plotted with colors changed according to the confidence level. Furthermore, when multiple types of objects 2 exist, the visualization method may be changed or added according to the type.

[0084] As a method of visualizing the flow line, the flow line between positions 91 and 92 (measured position, estimated position) may be connected by a straight line as shown in FIG. 18(A), by a curve (e.g., a Bezier curve, a spline curve, etc.) as shown in FIG. 18(B), or by a broken line as shown in FIG. 18(C). The flow line may be distinguished and visualized depending on whether the end point of the flow line is a measured position or an estimated position. The flow line may be distinguished by the type of line (solid line, dotted line, double line, etc.), the thickness of the line, the color of the line (hue, saturation, brightness, transparency), gradation, etc. If the end point of the flow line is a measured position, the visualization of the flow line may be changed depending on the non-detection time (time spent outside the range). For example, the line may be a thick line when the non-detection time is short, and a thin line when the non-detection time is long, so that the certainty of the flow line can be intuitively conveyed. The visualization of the flow line may be changed depending on the certainty of the flow line.

[0085] In addition, when the moving direction and moving speed are obtained at the measured position or estimated position, the visualization method may be changed or added according to the moving direction and moving speed. For example, an arrow icon whose length and size are adjusted according to the values ​​of the moving speed and moving direction may be additionally displayed to make it easier to understand intuitively. Also, the position of the control point of the flow line may be changed according to the moving direction, and the interval between the control points of the flow line may be shortened if the moving speed is slow, and the interval between the control points of the flow line may be lengthened if the moving speed is fast, thereby adjusting the curvature of the flow line.

[0086] Furthermore, the visualization method of the estimated positions may be changed according to the distance from the measurement positions to the estimated positions. For example, as shown in Fig. 19, for estimated positions 73, 74, and 75 between measurement positions 72 and 76, the icon of estimated positions 73 and 75, which are close to measurement positions 72 and 76 and have high positional accuracy, may be visualized as being small, and the icon of estimated position 74, which is far from measurement positions 72 and 76 and has low positional accuracy, may be visualized as being large.

[0087] The other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0088] According to the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, even in locations where the object 2 can move in any direction, it is possible to contribute to automatically acquiring movement path data of the object 2 while reducing the number of observation devices 20A-20E, and by visualizing the movement path data, it is possible to increase the convenience of the movement path data.

[0089] [Form 3] An object movement estimation system according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 20 is a block diagram showing a schematic diagram of a third example of the configuration of the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure. Fig. 21 is an image diagram showing a schematic diagram of an example of a visualized state of a block area in the object movement estimation system according to the present disclosure.

[0090] Form 3 is a modified example of Form 2, in which the state of the object 2 and the block area are estimated based on the movement path data and information is provided. The object movement estimation device 30 has a function of estimating the state of the object 2 and the block area based on the movement path data, in addition to the configuration according to Form 1. By executing a predetermined program stored therein, the object movement estimation device 30 can virtually be configured to include an area data accumulation unit 31, an individual characteristic data accumulation unit 32, a data acquisition unit 33, an observation data accumulation unit 34, an in-service movement measurement unit 35, an out-of-service movement estimation unit 36, a movement path data generation unit 37, a movement path data accumulation unit 38, and a data provision unit 39, as well as a state estimation unit 42 and a state data accumulation unit 43.

[0091] The state estimation unit 42 is a functional unit that estimates the state of the object 2 and the positioning target area 10 based on the entire movement route data (see FIG. 20). The state estimation unit 42 acquires the entire movement route data from the movement route data accumulation unit 38. The state estimation unit 42 estimates the state of the object 2 based on the entire movement route data. Examples of the estimated state of the object 2 include walking, eating, resting, movement time, movement speed, amount of exercise, meal time, and amount of food. The state estimation unit 42 also estimates the state of the positioning target area 10 (or each block area) based on the entire movement route data. Examples of the state of the positioning target area 10 include the number of objects 2 in each block area in the positioning target area 10. Each state of the object 2 and the positioning target area 10 to be estimated can be set arbitrarily, and may be set by the user from the user terminal 50. The state estimation unit 42 may estimate the state of the object 2 and the block area based on observation data within the range. The state estimation unit 42 outputs data on the estimated state of the object 2 and the block area (state data) to the data providing unit 39. The state data is stored in a state data storage unit 43.

[0092] Examples of methods for estimating the state of object 2 include the following.

[0093] To estimate whether object 2 (livestock animal) is in a resting state, a threshold value for the resting time is defined, and if the time during which object 2 is not moving in the entire movement path data exceeds the threshold value for the resting time, object 2 can be estimated to be in a resting state.

[0094] Regarding the estimation of walking as the state of the object 2 (livestock animal), a numerical range related to the walking speed is defined, and if the moving speed (walking speed) of the object 2 estimated based on the entire movement route data falls within the numerical range related to the walking speed, the object 2 can be estimated to be in a walking state. In addition, if the moving speed is outside the numerical range related to the walking speed and is slow, it can be estimated that the object 2 may be tired from moving. In addition, whether or not the object 2 is eating can be estimated based on whether or not the latest position in the entire movement route data is in the out-of-service stopover area 13. The amount of exercise can be estimated by calculating the moving distance based on the entire movement route data. The amount of food eaten can be estimated by calculating the stay time in the out-of-service stopover area 13 based on the entire movement route data.

[0095] Regarding the estimation of the eating state of the object 2 (livestock animal), the out-of-service stopover area 13 is defined as a feeding area, and if the position of the object 2 in the entire movement route data is within the out-of-service stopover area 13, the object 2 can be estimated to be in the eating state. In order to prevent false detection at this time, multiple conditions, such as a stay of a certain period of time or more, or measurement of the head movement of the object 2, and detection data of other sensors may be combined. The combination of conditions and other sensors may be used for estimations other than eating.

[0096] The amount of food eaten as a state of the object 2 (livestock animal) can be estimated based on the time during the meal and an arbitrarily set reference eating speed parameter. If the amount of food eaten can be directly measured by some kind of sensor, it may be estimated based on the measurement data.

[0097] The state data storage unit 43 is a functional unit that stores state data (see FIG. 20). The state data storage unit 43 may organize and store the state data from the state estimation unit 42 for each identification information item and for each block area.

[0098] The visualization unit 41 may visualize not only the overall movement path data but also the status data. For example, the transition of the number of objects 2 for each time and block area may be made into a table as shown in FIG. 21(A) or a graph as shown in FIG. 21(B). The visualized status data may be displayed in a balloon at the corresponding position on the map. The status data may be separately tabulated for measured values ​​and estimated values, or may be separately tabulated according to the degree of certainty. For example, even in the visualization of the number of objects 2 staying in each block area, the number of staying objects may be logically inferred from various conditions and physical laws. For example, if an area is enclosed and the number of staying objects measured in the area has decreased despite this, it is possible to visualize by estimating that there are more objects 2 staying in the area than the measured value. The visualization unit 41 may add a reference location (e.g., a hyperlink) to the information source used for visualization to the visualized position or movement line, or may directly display the data of the information source. In addition, if a movement model (e.g., a Markov state transition model representing probabilistic movement between areas, a Monte Carlo position estimation model using a particle filter, etc.) is defined according to the type of object 2 (animal), the parameters of the model may also be visualized together.

[0099] The other configurations and operations are the same as those of the second embodiment.

[0100] According to the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, even in locations where the object 2 can move in any direction, it is possible to reduce the number of observation devices 20A-20E while contributing to automatically acquiring movement path data of the object 2, and it is also possible to increase the convenience of the movement path data by estimating and visualizing the state of the object 2 and the block area.

[0101] [Form 4] The object movement estimation device according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 22 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the object movement estimation device according to the present disclosure.

[0102] The object movement estimation device 30 is a device that estimates movement paths 18a, 18b of an object 2. The object movement estimation device 30 includes a data acquisition unit 33, an in-service movement measurement unit 35, an out-of-service movement estimation unit 36, and a movement path data generation unit 37.

[0103] The data acquisition unit 33 is configured to acquire observation data from any of a plurality of observation devices 20A to 20E that are installed so as not to observe (thin out) the entire positioning target area 10 that is the target of positioning of the object 2. The in-service movement measurement unit 35 is configured to use the observation data to measure the movement paths 17a, 17b of the object 2 within the service area 15, which is a range in which the object 2 can be observed by the observation devices 20A to 20E, and generate in-service measured movement path data related to the movement paths 17a, 17b of the object 2 measured within the service area 15. The out-of-service movement estimation unit 36 ​​is configured to use the in-service measured movement path data to estimate the movement paths 18a, 18b of the object 2 within the service area 16, which is a range in which the object 2 cannot be observed by the observation devices 20A to 20E, and generate out-of-service estimated movement path data related to the movement paths 18a, 18b of the object 2 estimated within the service area 16. The movement route data generation unit 37 is configured to generate overall movement route data relating to the movement routes 17a, 18a, 18b, 17b of the object throughout the entire positioning target area 10 based on the in-service measured movement route data and the out-of-service estimated movement route data.

[0104] According to the fourth embodiment, by estimating the movement paths 18a, 18b of the object 2 outside the range 16 using the movement paths 17a, 17b of the object 2 measured inside the range 15, it is possible to contribute to automatically acquiring the movement path data of the object 2 while reducing the number of observation devices 20A-20E, even in places where the object 2 can move in any direction.

[0105] The object movement estimation devices according to the first to fourth aspects can be configured by so-called hardware resources (information processing device, computer), and can use those having the configuration exemplified in Fig. 23. For example, the hardware resources 100 include a processor 101, a memory 102, a network interface 103, etc., which are connected to each other by an internal bus 104.

[0106] 23 is not intended to limit the hardware configuration of the hardware resource 100. The hardware resource 100 may include hardware (e.g., an input / output interface) that is not shown. Furthermore, the number of units such as the processor 101 included in the device is not intended to be limited to the example shown in FIG. 23, and for example, multiple processors 101 may be included in the hardware resource 100. For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. can be used as the processor 101.

[0107] The memory 102 may be, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or the like.

[0108] The network interface 103 may be, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) card, a network adapter, a network interface card, or the like.

[0109] The functions of the hardware resource 100 are realized by the above-mentioned processing module. The processing module is realized, for example, by the processor 101 executing a program stored in the memory 102. The program can be updated by downloading it via a network or by using a storage medium storing the program. Furthermore, the processing module may be realized by a semiconductor chip. That is, it is sufficient that the functions performed by the processing module are realized by executing software on some kind of hardware.

[0110] Some or all of the above aspects may be described as follows, but are not limited to the following:

[0111] [Appendix 1] a data acquisition unit configured to acquire observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area in which the position of the object is to be measured; an in-range movement measurement unit configured to use the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generate in-range measured movement path data related to the movement path of the object measured within the area; an out-of-service movement estimation unit configured to estimate a movement path of the object outside of service, which is a range where the object cannot be observed by the observation device, using the in-service measured movement path data, and generate out-of-service estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside of service; a movement route data generating unit configured to generate overall movement route data related to a movement route of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the in-service measured movement route data and the out-of-service estimated movement route data; An object movement estimation device comprising: [Appendix 2] The object movement estimation device according to claim 1, wherein the within-area movement measurement unit is configured to use the observation data to identify the individual of the object within the area and measure the measurement position of the individual within the area, measure a measurement movement line connecting the measurement positions within the area of ​​the individual based on a plurality of the measurement positions, and measure the movement path of the individual within the area based on the measurement position and the measurement movement line. [Appendix 3] the observation data is image data, The in-range movement measurement unit is configured to perform image recognition of an external characteristic of the object based on the image data to identify the individual of the object. 3. An object movement estimation apparatus as described in claim 2. [Appendix 4] the observation data includes identification information that identifies the individual object, The in-range movement measurement unit is configured to identify the individual of the object based on the identification information included in the observation data. 3. An object movement estimation apparatus as described in claim 2. [Appendix 5] The object movement estimation device according to any one of Appendix 2 to 4, wherein the out-of-range movement estimation unit is configured to estimate an estimated position of the individual outside range using the in-range measured movement path data, estimate an estimated movement path connecting the measured position and the estimated position or between estimated positions outside range of the individual based on the in-range measured movement path data and one or more of the estimated positions, and estimate the movement path of the individual outside range based on the measured positions, the estimated positions, and the estimated movement path. [Appendix 6] The object movement estimation device according to claim 5, wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to use the in-service measured movement path data to calculate an out-of-service stay time, which is the time that the object stayed outside the service area, and to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area using the out-of-service stay time. [Appendix 7] The object movement estimation device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to use the in-service measured movement path data to identify a last first measurement position within the service area where the object moves from within the service area to outside the service area, and a first second measurement position within the service area where the object moves from outside the service area to another service area, and to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area using a positional relationship between the first measurement position and the second measurement position. [Appendix 8] The object movement estimation device according to any one of Appendix 5 to 7, wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to use the in-service measured movement path data to calculate a first movement direction of the object at a last first measurement position within the service area where the object moves from within the service area to outside the service area, and a second movement direction of the object at a first second measurement position within the service area where the object moves from outside the service area to another service area, and to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area using the first movement direction and the second movement direction. [Appendix 9] The object movement estimation device according to any one of Appendix 5 to 8, wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to use the in-service measured movement path data to calculate a first movement speed of the object at a last first measurement position within the service area where the object moves from within the service area to outside the service area, and a second movement speed of the object at a first second measurement position within the service area where the object moves from outside the service area to another service area, and to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area using the first movement speed and the second movement speed. [Appendix 10] The object movement estimation device according to any one of appendixes 5 to 9, wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area using area data that defines characteristics of each block area that divides the positioning target area. [Appendix 11] The object movement estimation device according to any one of appendixes 5 to 10, wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area by using individual feature data that defines features of each of the objects. [Appendix 12] 12. The object movement estimation device according to claim 11, wherein the out-of-range movement estimation unit is configured to estimate the movement path of the object outside the range using the out-of-range estimated movement path data of other individuals. [Appendix 13] a visualization unit configured to visualize the entire movement path data; 13. An object movement estimation device according to any one of claims 5 to 12. [Appendix 14] a certainty factor estimation unit configured to estimate a certainty factor of each of the measured position, the measured flow line, the estimated position, and the estimated flow line in the entire movement route data, The visualization unit is configured to visualize the entire movement path data based on the confidence level. 14. The object movement estimation device according to claim 13. [Appendix 15] the visualization unit is configured to visualize the entire movement path data according to divisions of the measurement position, the measured flow line, the estimated position, and the estimated flow line. 15. The object movement estimation device according to claim 13 or 14. [Appendix 16] The visualization unit is configured to visualize the entire movement route data according to any one of an out-of-service time, a movement direction, and a movement speed. 16. An object movement estimation device according to any one of appendixes 13 to 15. [Appendix 17] a state estimation unit configured to estimate a state of the object or the positioning target area based on the entire movement path data; 17. An object movement estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 16. [Appendix 18] An object movement estimation device according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to 17; a plurality of observation devices that are communicably connected to the object movement estimation device and are installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of object positioning; An object movement estimation system comprising: [Appendix 19] A step in which the hardware resource acquires observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices that are installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of object positioning; a step in which the hardware resource uses the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generates within-area measured movement path data relating to the movement path of the object measured within the area; a step in which the hardware resource uses the in-range measured movement path data to estimate a movement path of the object outside of range, which is a range in which the object cannot be observed by the observation device, and generates out-of-range estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside of range; generating overall movement path data related to a movement path of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the in-service measured movement path data and the out-of-service estimated movement path data; The object movement estimation method includes: [Appendix 20] A process of acquiring observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices that are installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of object positioning; using the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generating within-area measured movement path data relating to the movement path of the object measured within the area; a process of estimating a movement path of the object outside of a range where the object cannot be observed by the observation device using the in-range measured movement path data, and generating out-of-range estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside of the range; generating overall movement route data relating to a movement route of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the in-service measured movement route data and the out-of-service estimated movement route data; A program that causes hardware resources to execute the above.

[0112] The disclosures of the above patent documents are incorporated herein by reference and may be used as the basis or part of the present invention as necessary. Within the framework of the entire disclosure of the present invention (including the claims and drawings), modifications and adjustments of the embodiments and examples are possible based on the basic technical ideas. Furthermore, within the framework of the entire disclosure of the present invention, various combinations or selections (or non-selection as necessary) of various disclosed elements (including each element of each claim, each element of each embodiment or example, each element of each drawing, etc.) are possible. In other words, the present invention naturally includes various modifications and corrections that a person skilled in the art would be able to make in accordance with the entire disclosure, including the claims and drawings, and the technical ideas. Furthermore, with regard to the numerical values ​​and numerical ranges described in this application, any intermediate value, lower numerical value, and small range are considered to be described even if not specified. Furthermore, the disclosures of the above cited documents may be used in part or in whole in combination with the descriptions in this document as part of the disclosure of the present invention in accordance with the spirit of the present invention as necessary, and are considered to be included (belong) to the disclosures of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 1. Object movement estimation system 2 objects 2A Leader 2B Non-Leader 10 Positioning area 11 Block Area 11A~11E Area Block A~E 12. Out-of-service area 13. Out-of-service areas 14 Out-of-service block area Within 15 16 Out of Range 17a, 17b, 18a, 18b Travel routes 20A~20E Observation equipment 30 Object movement estimation device 31 Area data storage unit 32 Individual characteristic data storage unit 33 Data Acquisition Section 34 Observation Data Storage Unit 35 In-area mobility measurement unit 36 Out-of-service area movement estimation unit 37 Travel route data generation unit 38 Travel Route Data Storage Unit 39 Data Provision Department 40 Confidence estimation part 41 Visualization section 42 State Estimation Unit 43 Status data storage unit 50 User terminals 60 Network 71, 72, 76, 77 measurement position 73, 74, 75 Estimated position 81, 85 Measurement flow line 82, 83, 84 Estimated movement 91, 92 position 100 Hardware Resources 101 Processor 102 Memory 103 Network Interface 104 Internal Bus

Claims

1. a data acquisition unit configured to acquire observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area in which the position of the object is to be measured; an in-range movement measurement unit configured to use the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generate in-range measured movement path data related to the movement path of the object measured within the area; an out-of-service movement estimation unit configured to estimate a movement path of the object outside of service, which is a range where the object cannot be observed by the observation device, using the in-service measured movement path data, and generate out-of-service estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside of service; a movement route data generating unit configured to generate overall movement route data related to a movement route of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the in-service measured movement route data and the out-of-service estimated movement route data; An object movement path estimation device comprising:

2. The object movement path estimation device of claim 1, wherein the within-area movement measurement unit is configured to use the observation data to identify individual objects within the area and measure the measurement positions of the individuals within the area, measure a measurement movement line connecting the measurement positions within the area of ​​the individual based on a plurality of the measurement positions, and measure the movement path of the individual within the area based on the measurement positions and the measurement movement line.

3. The object movement path estimation device of claim 2, wherein the out-of-range movement estimation unit is configured to estimate an estimated position of the individual outside range using the in-range measured movement path data, estimate an estimated movement path connecting the measured position and the estimated position or between estimated positions outside range of the individual based on the in-range measured movement path data and one or more of the estimated positions, and estimate the movement path of the individual outside range based on the measured position, the estimated position, and the estimated movement path.

4. The object movement path estimation device according to claim 3 , wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area by using individual feature data that defines features of each of the objects.

5. The object movement path estimation device according to claim 4 , wherein the out-of-service movement estimation unit is configured to estimate the movement path of the object outside the service area by using the out-of-service estimated movement path data of other individuals.

6. a visualization unit configured to visualize the entire movement path data; The object movement path estimating device according to claim 3.

7. a state estimation unit configured to estimate a state of the object or the positioning target area based on the entire movement path data; The object movement path estimation device according to claim 1.

8. An object movement path estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A plurality of observation devices that are communicably connected to the object movement path estimation device and are installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is a target of object positioning; An object movement path estimation system comprising:

9. A step in which the hardware resource acquires observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices that are installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of positioning of the object; a step in which the hardware resource uses the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generates within-area measured movement path data relating to the movement path of the object measured within the area; a step in which the hardware resource uses the in-range measured movement path data to estimate a movement path of the object outside of range, which is a range in which the object cannot be observed by the observation device, and generates out-of-range estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside of range; generating overall movement path data related to a movement path of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the in-service measured movement path data and the out-of-service estimated movement path data; The object movement path estimation method includes:

10. A process of acquiring observation data from any one of a plurality of observation devices that are installed so as not to observe the entire positioning target area that is the target of object positioning; using the observation data to measure a movement path of the object within an area in which the object can be observed by the observation device, and generating within-area measured movement path data relating to the movement path of the object measured within the area; using the in-range measured movement path data to estimate a movement path of the object outside the range where the object cannot be observed by the observation device, and generating out-of-range estimated movement path data related to the movement path of the object estimated outside the range; generating overall movement route data relating to a movement route of the object throughout the entire positioning target area based on the in-service measured movement route data and the out-of-service estimated movement route data; A program that causes hardware resources to execute the above.

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