Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of increasing a production quantity of buildings by a 3D printer.SOLUTION: An order information acquisition part 51 acquires order information for allowing a user to order production of a building from a user terminal 4 of a corresponding user. A determination element determination part 52 determines a determination element for determining an output 3D printer for producing at least a portion of the building on the basis of a user condition included in the order information. A candidate extraction part 53 extracts one or more candidates among a plurality of registration 3D printers registered in advance as candidates. A 3D printer determination part 54 determines a prescribed one of the one or more registration 3D printers extracted as candidates as an output 3D printer. A digital data transmission control part 55 executes control for transmitting digital data to a control device for controlling the output 3D printer on the basis of the digital data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, buildings, particularly houses, have been manufactured by construction companies using their own 3D printers (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-128073 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when it comes to producing buildings using a company's own 3D printer, the annual production volume is determined by the number of 3D printers the company owns, so there is a limit to how much a company can increase production volume on a scale that would make 3D printed buildings more widespread.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide technology that makes it possible to increase the number of buildings manufactured using 3D printers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: An information processing device that manages digital data when manufacturing at least a part of a building using materials output from a header of a 3D printer based on the digital data of the building, An order information acquisition means for acquiring information including at least user conditions desired by the user from the user terminal of the user as order information for the user to order the construction of the building; A judgment factor determination means for determining a judgment factor for determining the 3D printer for manufacturing at least a part of the building based on the user conditions included in the order information; A candidate extraction means for extracting one or more candidates from a plurality of registered 3D printers that are registered in advance based on the judgment factors; A 3D printer determination means for determining a predetermined one of the one or more registered 3D printers extracted as candidates as an output 3D printer; A digital data transmission control means for executing control to transmit the digital data to a control device that controls the output 3D printer based on the digital data; Equipped with.

[0007] An information processing method and a program according to one aspect of the present invention are a method and a program corresponding to the information processing device according to the aspect of the present invention described above. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the number of buildings manufactured using 3D printers. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house by an information processing system including a center server of one embodiment of the information processing device of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing system including a center server according to an embodiment of an information processing device of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a center server in the information processing system shown in FIG. 2, that is, a center server according to an embodiment of an information processing device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4]4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the center server of FIG. 3 in the information processing system of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house executed by the center server of FIG. 3 in the information processing system of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 3 is a diagram showing an example of order information being input via a display screen displayed on a user terminal in the information processing system of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of determining a judgment element based on a user condition. [Figure 8] 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow for manufacturing a 3D printer house as a first example based on order information input via the display screen of FIG. 6. [Figure 9] 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow for manufacturing a 3D printer house as a second example based on order information input via the display screen of FIG. 6. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of a flow for manufacturing a 3D printer house by an information processing system including a center server. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house by an information processing system including a center server of an embodiment of an information processing device of the present invention.

[0011] Here, buildings (especially residential buildings) manufactured using the 3D printing additive manufacturing method are referred to as "3D printer houses" and are given the reference number 5. 3D printing additive manufacturing is a manufacturing method in which at least a part of a building is produced by layering concrete, mortar or ceramic material output from the header of a 3D printer in a specified direction based on the digital data of the building.

[0012] A "3D printer" is a device that forms one layer by outputting material on a specific surface parallel to the XY plane based on a 3D model (the above-mentioned digital data, referred to here as 3D house data) prepared in advance for the manufacture of a 3D printer house 5, and then moves the header in approximately the Z direction (approximately the vertical direction) to print the next layer by stacking it on the layer (3D printing additive manufacturing method). The 3D printer is denoted by the reference symbol 3. By using the 3D printer 3, it becomes possible to print a 3D printer house 5 having walls, for example, in the shape of a sphere, as shown in FIG.

[0013] It should be noted that the data format of the 3D printer 3 differs depending on, for example, the printer manufacturer or the printer type. In other words, the form of the digital data differs. For this reason, the center server 1 described below is provided with a function that enables conversion of the format of the digital data to suit the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) being used.

[0014] The flow of manufacturing the 3D printer house 5 by the information processing system is as follows: first, a user operates the user terminal 4 to input order information, and the input order information is transmitted from the user terminal 4 to the center server 1. This order information includes conditions desired by the user, that is, user conditions (specific examples of user conditions will be described later).

[0015] Next, the center server 1 receives the order information transmitted from the user terminal 4. In the center server 1, judgment factors for determining the 3D printer 3 that will manufacture at least a part of the building are determined based on the user conditions included in the order information. After the decision factors have been determined, the center server 1 extracts one or more candidates suitable for use from among a plurality of pre-registered 3D printers 3 (registered 3D printers) based on the decided decision factors.

[0016] In addition, if the center server 1 is unable to extract a candidate 3D printer 3 (if it is unable to extract a candidate), a change request to change the user conditions is generated and this generated change request is sent to the user terminal 4.

[0017] After one or more suitable candidates for use are extracted from among multiple 3D printers 3, the center server 1 determines the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) to be used to manufacture the 3D printed house 5 from among the extracted one or more candidates. Once the 3D printer 3 has been determined, the center server 1 converts the 3D house data (digital data) to match the format of the 3D printer 3 that has been determined to be used. Specifically, the format of the 3D house data is converted by a slicer for the 3D printer 3 into a digital data format that can be handled by the 3D printer 3.

[0018] After the data is converted into a format that can be handled by the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) used to manufacture the 3D printed house 5, the center server 1 transmits the 3D house data to the print server 2 that manages the 3D printer 3. The print server 2, which manages the 3D printer 3, receives the 3D house data sent from the center server 1.

[0019] After receiving the 3D house data, the print server 2 that manages the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) transmits the 3D house data to the 3D printer 3 that is used to manufacture the 3D printed house 5. After receiving the 3D house data, the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) starts manufacturing the 3D printed house 5.

[0020] The 3D printer house 5 is manufactured by the information processing system according to the above-described flow. Therefore, for example, if multiple 3D printers 3 both domestically and internationally, including those owned by other companies, are registered in advance, and the 3D printer 3 to be used to manufacture the 3D printed house 5 is selected from among them and the 3D house data is sent and received, then an information processing system administrator, for example, or even if the company does not increase the number of 3D printers it owns (or, for example, even if the company does not own 3D printers 3), can manufacture many 3D printed houses 5 in various locations in response to user orders. In other words, by adopting an information processing system such as that described above (through a service provided by adopting an information processing system such as that described above), it is possible to increase the production volume and popularize 3D printer houses 5 by using a method similar to remote control, even if a company does not increase the number of 3D printers it owns.

[0021] Next, the configuration of the above-mentioned information processing system capable of increasing the manufacturing quantity of the 3D printer houses 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information processing system including a center server according to an embodiment of the information processing device of the present invention.

[0022] The information processing system shown in FIG. 2 is configured to include a center server 1, a print server 2, a 3D printer 3, and a user terminal 4. The center server 1, the print server 2, and the user terminal 4 are connected to each other via a predetermined network N such as the Internet. The 3D printer 3 is directly connected to the corresponding print server 2 (this is just an example, and may be connected via the above-mentioned predetermined network N or another network).

[0023] The center server 1 is, for example, an information processing device managed by an administrator of an information processing system. The center server 1 executes various processes for increasing the production quantity of 3D printer houses 5 while appropriately communicating with the print server 2 and the user terminal 4.

[0024] The print server 2 is managed by, for example, a printer manager who manages the 3D printers 3 at various locations, or by, for example, an administrator of an information processing system. The print server 2 is an information processing device for controlling the 3D printers 3. The print server 2 communicates with the center server 1 and the 3D printer 3 as necessary and executes various processes to realize this service. It is assumed here that there are a plurality of print servers 2, which are designated by reference characters 2-1 through 2-n (n is an integer value of 1 or more). When there is no need to distinguish between them, they will be referred to as print servers 2.

[0025] As described in Figure 1, the 3D printer 3 is a device that forms one layer by outputting material on a specific surface parallel to the XY plane based on a 3D model prepared in advance for the production of the 3D printer house 5, and then moves the header approximately in the Z direction (approximately vertical direction) to print the next layer by stacking it on top of the previous layer. It is assumed that there is one or more 3D printers 3 for each of the print servers 2-1 to 2-n, and for example, the print server 2-1 is assigned the reference numbers 3-1-1 to 3-1-m (m is an integer value greater than or equal to 1), and the print server 2-n is assigned the reference numbers 3-n-1 to 3-1-p (p is an integer value greater than or equal to 1). In addition, when there is no need to distinguish between them, they will be referred to as 3D printers 3.

[0026] The user terminal 4 is an information processing device that is managed and operated by a user (not shown). The user terminal 4 is configured by a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or the like. Since there are a plurality of users, there are a plurality of user terminals 4 correspondingly, and the terminals are designated by the reference numerals 4-1 through 4-k (k is an integer value of 1 or more). When there is no need to distinguish between them, they will be referred to as user terminals 4.

[0027] Next, an example of a hardware configuration of the center server 1 in the information processing system shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a center server in the information processing system shown in FIG. 2, that is, a center server according to an embodiment of the information processing device of the present invention.

[0028] The center server 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an input unit 16, an output unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0029] The CPU 11 executes various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 12 or a program loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13 . The RAM 13 also stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 11 to execute various processes.

[0030] The CPU 11, the ROM 12, and the RAM 13 are connected to one another via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to the bus 14. An input unit 16, an output unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input / output interface 15.

[0031] The input unit 16 is configured with, for example, a keyboard, a touch panel, etc., and accepts input of various information. The output unit 17 is configured with a display such as a liquid crystal display, a speaker, and the like, and outputs various information as images and sounds. The storage unit 18 is configured with a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or the like, and stores various data. The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices (such as the print server 2 and the user terminal 4 in FIG. 2) via a network N including the Internet.

[0032] Removable media 30, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, is appropriately loaded into the drive 20. A program read from the removable media 30 by the drive 20 is installed in the storage unit 18 as necessary. Furthermore, the removable medium 30 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18 in the same manner as the storage unit 18 .

[0033] Although not shown, the print server 2 and the user terminal 4 in Fig. 2 can have a configuration basically similar to the hardware configuration shown in Fig. 3. Therefore, a description of the hardware configuration of the print server 2 and the user terminal 4 of the information processing system will be omitted.

[0034] The center server 1 can execute various processes by cooperation of various hardware and various software constituting the information processing system of FIG. 2 including the center server 1 of FIG.

[0035] The following describes the functional configuration executed in the center server 1 that constitutes the information processing system. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the center server of FIG. 3 in the information processing system of FIG.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, the CPU 11 of the center server 1 functions as an order information acquisition unit 51, a decision factor determination unit 52, a candidate extraction unit 53, a 3D printer determination unit 54, a digital data transmission control unit 55, a digital data format conversion unit 56, and a user condition change request unit 57. In addition, the memory unit 18 of the center server 1 is provided with an order information DB71, a 3D printer information DB72, and a 3D house data DB73.

[0037] The order information acquisition unit 51 acquires order information (e.g., order information entered into the display screen shown in FIG. 6) for the user to order the manufacture of a building (e.g., the 3D printer house 5 in FIG. 1) from the user terminal 4 of the user. Here, the order information includes at least the user conditions desired by the user. The user conditions include the budget, the delivery date, the location where the above-mentioned building is to be placed (for example, the construction site shown in FIG. 8), and the design of the building. The order information acquired by the order information acquisition unit 51 is stored in the order information DB 71 .

[0038] Furthermore, the order information acquiring unit 51 acquires, from the user terminal 4, order information including new user conditions as new user conditions designated by the user who has received a change request, which will be described later. The order information including the above-mentioned new user conditions (described later) is stored in the order information DB 71, for example.

[0039] The decision factor determination unit 52 determines decision factors (described later) for determining the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) that will manufacture at least a part (parts, etc.) of the building based on the user conditions included in the order information. In addition, with regard to the above-mentioned phrase "manufacturing at least a portion (parts, etc.)," ​​the place where the manufacturing takes place refers to the place where the 3D printer 3 is installed.

[0040] Information about the 3D printer 3, i.e., various information such as the manufacturer, type, installation location, operating status, etc., is stored in advance, for example, in the 3D printer information DB72 (the 3D printer 3 as registered information stored in the 3D printer information DB72 corresponds to the “registered 3D printer” described below). The 3D printer information DB 72 also stores information (such as transportation cost and transportation method) necessary for transporting the above-mentioned part manufactured by the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer).

[0041] In addition to the above, the judgment factor determination unit 52 determines the above-mentioned judgment factors based on the budget, delivery date, the location where the building will be placed, and the design of the building, which are included in the user conditions, such as the budget, travel distance from the location, earthquake resistance, delivery date, and type of 3D printer 3 capable of constructing a building of the design.

[0042] The candidate extraction unit 53 extracts one or more candidates from among the multiple registered 3D printers previously registered in the 3D printer information DB 72, based on the above-mentioned determination factors. In addition, the candidate extraction unit 53 re-determines the above-mentioned judgment factors based on new user conditions (described later) included in the order information, and extracts one or more of the above-mentioned 3D printers 3 (registered 3D printers) based on the re-determined judgment factors.

[0043] The 3D printer determination unit 54 determines one of the one or more registered 3D printers extracted as candidates as the output 3D printer (although it is assumed here that one is determined, this is not a limitation).

[0044] The digital data transmission control unit 55 controls the transmission of digital data (e.g., 3D house data, etc.) to a control device (e.g., the print server 2 in FIG. 1 or the lab 6 described later in FIG. 10) that controls the above-mentioned output 3D printer (3D printer 3) based on the digital data. Moreover, the digital data transmission control section 55 executes control for transmitting digital data, the format of which has been converted by a digital data format conversion section 56 (to be described later), to the above-mentioned control device. The above-mentioned digital data (eg, 3D house data, etc.) is assumed to be stored in advance in the 3D house data DB 73, for example.

[0045] The digital data format conversion unit 56 converts the format of the digital data (for example, 3D house data, etc.) into a format that can be handled by the output 3D printer (3D printer 3) using a slicer for the output 3D printer.

[0046] If the candidate extraction unit 53 determines that there are no registered 3D printers (3D printers 3) to be extracted as candidates, the user condition change request unit 57 executes control to send a request to change the above-mentioned user conditions to the user terminal 4.

[0047] As described above, by having the order information acquisition unit 51, decision factor determination unit 52, candidate extraction unit 53, 3D printer determination unit 54, and digital data transmission control unit 55 each function, for example, multiple 3D printers 3 both domestically and internationally, including those owned by other companies, can be registered in advance, and the 3D printer 3 to be used to manufacture the 3D printed house 5 can be selected from among them, and the 3D house data can be sent and received.This allows, for example, an information processing system administrator, for example, to manufacture a large number of 3D printed houses 5 in various locations in response to user orders, without the need for the company to increase the number of 3D printers it owns (or even if the company does not own any 3D printers 3). In other words, by adopting an information processing system such as that described above (through a service provided by adopting an information processing system such as that described above), it is possible to increase the production volume and popularize 3D printer houses 5 by using a method similar to remote control, even if a company does not increase the number of 3D printers it owns.

[0048] In addition, by the digital data format conversion unit 56 functioning, the format of the digital data can be converted into a format that can be handled by the output 3D printer using a slicer for the output 3D printer. Therefore, for example, a 3D printer house 5 can be manufactured regardless of the manufacturer or type of 3D printer 3. Furthermore, when it is determined that there is no registered 3D printer to be extracted as a candidate, the user condition change request unit 57 functions to execute control to send a request to change the user conditions to the user terminal 4. This allows the 3D printer house 5 to be manufactured based on the changed order information that includes new user conditions (described later).

[0049] An example of a flow for manufacturing the 3D printer house 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house executed by the center server or the like in FIG. 3 in the information processing system in FIG.

[0050] In step S1, the user terminal 4 transmits to the center server 1 the order information input by the user. After step S1 is executed, the process proceeds to step S2.

[0051] In step S2, the center server 1 receives the order information transmitted from the user terminal 4. At this time, in the center server 1, the order information acquisition unit 51 starts to function. After step S2 is executed, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0052] In step S3, the center server 1 determines a judgment factor for determining the 3D printer 3 that will manufacture at least a part of the 3D printed house 5 (building), based on the user conditions included in the order information. At this time, in the center server 1, the decision factor determining unit 52 functions. After step S3 is executed, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0053] In step S4, the center server 1 extracts one or more candidates suitable for use from among a plurality of 3D printers 3 registered in advance (registered 3D printers) based on the determined judgment factors. At this time, in the center server 1, the candidate extraction unit 53 starts to function. After step S4 is executed, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0054] In step S5, the center server 1 determines whether or not one or more candidates suitable for use have been extracted from a plurality of 3D printers 3 (registered 3D printers) that have been registered in advance. This determination is made by the candidate extraction unit 53 continuing to function. If the center server 1 is unable to extract a candidate 3D printer 3 ("NO" in step S5), it proceeds to step S6, and if it is able to extract a candidate 3D printer 3 ("YES" in step S5), it proceeds to step S7.

[0055] In step S6, since the center server 1 cannot extract candidate 3D printers 3, it generates a change request for changing the user conditions and transmits this to the user terminal 4. At this time, in the center server 1, the user condition change request unit 57 functions. After step S6 is executed, the process proceeds to step S1.

[0056] In step S7, having been able to extract candidate 3D printers 3, the center server 1 determines from among the candidate 3D printers 3 the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) to be used in manufacturing the 3D printed house 5. At this time, in the center server 1, the 3D printer determination unit 54 functions. After step S7 is executed, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0057] In step S8, the center server 1 converts the format of the 3D house data (digital data) that matches the format of the 3D printer 3 that has been determined to be used by the determined 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) into a digital data format that can be handled by the 3D printer 3 using a slicer for the 3D printer 3. At this time, in the center server 1, the digital data format conversion unit 56 goes into operation. After step S8 is executed, the process proceeds to step S9.

[0058] In step S9, the center server 1 transmits the 3D house data converted into a digital data format that can be handled by the 3D printer 3 to the print server 2 that manages the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer). At this time, in the center server 1, the digital data transmission control section 55 functions. After step S9 is executed, the process proceeds to step S10.

[0059] In step S10, the print server 2 receives the 3D house data transmitted from the center server 1. After step S10 is executed, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0060] In step S11, the print server 2 transmits the 3D house data to the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) used to manufacture the 3D printed house 5. After step S11 is executed, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S10, the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer) manufactures the 3D printed house 5 based on the received 3D house data.

[0061] With reference to FIG. 6, an example of inputting order information via a display screen displayed on the user terminal 4 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of order information being input via a display screen displayed on a user terminal in the information processing system of FIG.

[0062] The display screen (user screen YG) of the user terminal 4 displays, for example, a budget input field, an input field for the location where the building will be placed (such as the construction site shown in Figure 8), a delivery date input field, a field for selecting the building design, and other input fields (these are just examples and are not limited to these). This display allows the user to input the user conditions desired by the user in the various input fields and selection fields described above. Then, the user terminal 4 can generate order information including at least the user conditions, and can transmit this to the center server 1. It should be noted that, if there is a request to change the above-mentioned user conditions, the user can re-enter the new user conditions and transmit to the center server 1 order information that includes at least the new user conditions.

[0063] An example of determining a judgment factor based on a user condition will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of determining a judgment element based on a user condition.

[0064] In the center server 1, the judgment factor is also determined to be "budget" based on the "budget" of the user conditions included in the acquired order information. Furthermore, based on the "location" of the user conditions, the judgment factors are determined to be "travel distance from the construction site" and "earthquake resistance strength (material strength, compressive strength)". Moreover, based on the "delivery date" in the user conditions, the judgment element is also determined to be "delivery date". In addition, based on the "design" factor of the user's conditions, the judgment factor is determined to be "3D printer that can be constructed." As for "others," the judgment factor is determined to be "others such as thermal insulation and fire resistance."

[0065] An example of a case based on order information will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house as a first example based on the order information input via the display screen of FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house as a second example based on the order information input via the display screen of FIG.

[0066] The first example shown in Figure 8 is an example in which order information CJ-1, which is a customer request (user request) that "I would like a 3D printer house 5 of design A constructed at a specified location in country X within one month with a budget of 3 million yen," is received by the center server 1. In the center server 1, one or more candidates for the 3D printer 3 are extracted based on the order information CJ-1 and the judgment factors (for example, step S4 in FIG. 5).

[0067] The factors to consider in this case are "transportation distance from the construction site; 3D printer 3 does not exist in X country, so the transportation cost is re-stated (+$10,000)," "delivery date (operation status of 3D printer)," "earthquake-resistant structure, compressive strength of materials, earthquake resistance standards by country," etc. The above-mentioned "re-presentation" refers to an example in which the determination in step S5 above is "NO" and the process proceeds to step S6. In this example, three candidates for the 3D printer 3 can be extracted. The first candidate, KP-1, is a 3D printer 3 located in country X, and its operational status is such that the delivery time is two months. The second candidate, KP-2, is also a 3D printer 3 located in country X, and its operational status is such that the delivery wait time is one month. The third candidate, KP-3, is a 3D printer 3 located in country Y rather than country X, and its operational status is such that the delivery time is one week.

[0068] In the center server 1, from among the three candidates KP-1 to KP-3, for example, priority is given to the delivery date, and the 3D printer 3 of the candidate KP-3 is determined as the output 3D printer (for example, step S7 in FIG. 5). In addition, in the center server 1, after the 3D printer 3 of candidate KP-3 is determined as the output 3D printer, the format of the 3D house data (digital data) of design A is converted by a slicer for the 3D printer 3 into a digital data format that can be handled by the 3D printer 3 (for example, step S8 in Figure 5). The converted 3D house data of design A is sent from the center server 1 to the print server 2 which manages the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer), and then received (for example, steps S9 and S10 in Figure 5).

[0069] The second example shown in Figure 9 is an example in which order information CJ-2, which indicates a customer request (user request) of "I would like a 3D printer house 5 of design B constructed at a specified location in country Y within three months with a budget of 8 million yen," is received by the center server 1. In the center server 1, one or more candidates for the 3D printer 3 are extracted based on the order information CJ-2 and the judgment factors (for example, step S4 in FIG. 5).

[0070] The decision factors in this case are "transportation distance from the construction site, there are three 3D printers 3 in Country Y, the nearest 3D printer 3 is the first candidate", "delivery date (3D printer operation status), all 3D printers 3 within the three month delivery period are candidates", "earthquake-resistant structure, compressive strength of materials, all 3D printers 3 are candidates", etc. In this case, three candidates for 3D printer 3 can be extracted. The first candidate, KP-4, is a 3D printer 3 made by Company A in Country Y, with a transportation distance of 400 km and an operational status of two months for delivery, etc. The second candidate, KP-5, is also a 3D printer 3 from Company B in Country Y, with a transportation distance of 100 km and a one-week waiting period for delivery. The third candidate, KP-6, is also a 3D printer 3 from Company C in Country Y, with a transportation distance of 1,200 km and a one-week waiting period for delivery.

[0071] In the center server 1, from among the three candidates KP-4 to KP-6, for example, emphasis is placed on transportation distance (proximity), and the 3D printer 3 of candidate KP-5 is determined as the output 3D printer (for example, step S7 in FIG. 5). In addition, in the center server 1, after the 3D printer 3 of candidate KP-5 is determined as the output 3D printer, the format of the 3D house data (digital data) of design B is converted by a slicer for the 3D printer 3 into a digital data format that can be handled by the 3D printer 3 (for example, step S8 in Figure 5). The converted 3D house data of design B is sent from the center server 1 to the print server 2 which manages the 3D printer 3 (output 3D printer), and then received (for example, steps S9 and S10 in Figure 5).

[0072] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention. In the above embodiment, the printing target of the 3D printer 3 is the 3D printer house 5, but this is not particularly limited, and any building may be used.

[0073] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, multiple 3D printers 3 are managed by the print server 2, but this is not limited to this and may be, for example, a lab 6 (lab: "laboratory"; indicated by the reference symbols 6-1 to 6-n) shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the flow of manufacturing a 3D printer house by an information processing system including a center server (FIG. 1 is a reference for the flow, so the explanation will be omitted).

[0074] Also, in the above embodiment, one 3D printer 3 is determined as the output 3D printer, but this is not particularly limited. For example, a 3D printer 3 in country X and a 3D printer 3 in country Y may be determined as the output 3D printers, and the 3D printed house 5 may be manufactured by division of labor. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the 3D printer house 5 is manufactured in country X, for example, but this is not limited to this, and multiple 3D printer houses 5 may be manufactured simultaneously in multiple countries or multiple regions within a country.

[0075] Furthermore, the system configuration shown in FIG. 3 and the hardware configuration of each device of the server shown in FIG. 4 are merely examples for achieving the object of the present invention, and are not particularly limited.

[0076] Moreover, the functional block diagram shown in Fig. 5 is merely an example and is not particularly limited. In other words, it is sufficient that the information processing system in Fig. 3 is provided with a function capable of executing the above-mentioned various processes (e.g., the process in Fig. 6) as a whole, and the functional blocks and databases used to realize these functions are not particularly limited to the example in Fig. 5.

[0077] Furthermore, the locations of the function blocks, models, and databases are not limited to those shown in FIG. 5 and may be arbitrary. For example, at least a part of the functional blocks, models, or databases arranged on the server 1 side may be provided in the print server 2, the user terminal 4, or another information processing device (not shown).

[0078] Furthermore, the above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. Furthermore, one functional block may be configured as a single piece of hardware, a single piece of software, or a combination of both.

[0079] When the series of processes is executed by software, the program constituting the software is installed into a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer implemented with dedicated hardware. Furthermore, the computer may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs thereon, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0080] A recording medium containing such a program may be composed not only of a removable medium (not shown) that is distributed separately from the device body in order to provide the program to the user, but also of a recording medium that is provided to the user in a pre-installed state in the device body.

[0081] In this specification, the steps of describing a program to be recorded on a recording medium include not only processes that are performed chronologically according to the order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically but are executed in parallel or individually.

[0082] In summary, it is sufficient for an information processing device to which the present invention is applied to have the following configuration, and various embodiments can be adopted.

[0083] That is, an information processing device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the center server 1 in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, etc.) In an information processing device that manages digital data when manufacturing at least a part of a building (e.g., the 3D printer house 5 in FIG. 1, etc.) using a material (e.g., the above-mentioned concrete, mortar, or ceramic material) output from a header of a 3D printer (e.g., the 3D printer 3 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, etc.) based on digital data (e.g., the above-mentioned 3D house data, etc.), an order information acquisition means (e.g., order information acquisition unit 51 in FIG. 4) for acquiring information including at least user conditions desired by the user (e.g., the budget, delivery date, location where the building will be placed, and design of the building, which are input via the user screen YG in FIG. 6) as order information for the user to order the construction of the building (e.g., order information generated by input via the user screen YG in FIG. 6) from the user terminal of the user (e.g., the user terminal 4 in FIGS. 1 and 2); A judgment factor determination means (e.g., the judgment factor determination unit 52 in FIG. 4 ) for determining judgment factors (e.g., the judgment factors shown in FIG. 7 ) for determining the 3D printer for manufacturing at least a part of the building based on the user conditions included in the order information; A candidate extraction means (e.g., the candidate extraction unit 53 in FIG. 4) that extracts one or more candidates (e.g., candidates KP-1 to KP-3 in FIG. 8) from among a plurality of registered 3D printers that have been registered in advance based on the judgment factors; A 3D printer determination unit (e.g., the 3D printer determination unit 54 in FIG. 4 ) that determines a predetermined one of the one or more registered 3D printers extracted as candidates as an output 3D printer; A digital data transmission control unit (e.g., the digital data transmission control unit 55 in FIG. 4) that executes control to transmit the digital data to a control device (e.g., the print server 2 in FIG. 1 or the lab 6 in FIG. 10) that controls the output 3D printer based on the digital data; It will be enough to have this.

[0084] This will enable an increase in the number of buildings manufactured using 3D printers. Specifically, for example, by registering multiple 3D printers both domestically and internationally, including printers owned by other companies, in advance and then selecting the 3D printer to be used to manufacture the building from among them and transmitting the digital data for the building, a large number of buildings can be manufactured in various locations in response to user orders, even if the administrator of the information processing device, for example, does not increase the number of 3D printers owned by the company (or even if the company does not own any 3D printers). In other words, by adopting information processing devices such as those described above, a company can increase the production volume and popularize buildings by using techniques similar to remote control, without having to increase the number of 3D printers it owns.

[0085] In addition, an information processing device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the center server 1 in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, etc.) The user conditions include a budget, a delivery date, a location where the building will be placed, and a design of the building; The judgment factor determination means determines, based on the budget, the delivery date, the location, and the design, the budget, the travel distance from the location, the earthquake resistance, the delivery date, and the type of 3D printer capable of constructing the building of the design as the judgment factors (see, for example, the circles in FIGS. 8 and 9 ); It is possible.

[0086] In addition, an information processing device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the center server 1 in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, etc.) A digital data format conversion means (e.g., the digital data format conversion unit 56 in FIG. 4, etc.) that converts the format of the digital data into a format that can be handled by the output 3D printer using a slicer for the output 3D printer (e.g., a "driver-like thing" shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, etc.) Further equipped with The digital data transmission control means executes control to transmit the digital data, the format of which has been converted by the digital data format conversion means, to the control device. It is possible.

[0087] In addition, an information processing device to which the present invention is applied (for example, the center server 1 in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, etc.) When the candidate extraction means determines that there is no registered 3D printer to be extracted as a candidate (for example, a determination of "NO" in step S5 of FIG. 5), a user condition change request means (for example, the user condition change request unit 57 in FIG. 4, etc.) that executes control to send a request to change the user conditions to the user terminal. Further equipped with The order information acquisition means acquires the order information including new user conditions (e.g., re-input of user conditions as described above) specified by the user who has received the change request, The candidate extraction means re-determines the judgment element (e.g., “+10,000 dollars” shown in FIG. 8 ) based on the new user condition included in the order information, The candidate extraction means extracts the one or more registered 3D printers based on the re-determined judgment factors. It is possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 center server, 2 print server, 3 3D printer, 4 user terminal, 5 3D printer house, 11 CPU, 12 ROM, 13 RAM, 14 bus, 15 input / output interface, 16 input section, 17 output section, 18 storage section, 19 communication section, 20 drive, 30 removable media, 51 order information acquisition section, 52 decision factor determination section, 53 candidate extraction section, 54 3D printer determination section, 55 digital data transmission control section, 56 digital data format conversion section, 57 user condition change request section, 71 order information DB, 72 3D printer information DB, 73 3D house data DB

Claims

1. An information processing device that manages digital data when manufacturing at least a part of a building using materials output from a header of a 3D printer based on the digital data of the building, An order information acquisition means for acquiring information including at least user conditions desired by the user from the user terminal of the user as order information for the user to order the construction of the building; A judgment factor determination means for determining judgment factors for determining the 3D printer for manufacturing at least a portion of the building based on the user conditions included in the order information; A candidate extraction means for extracting one or more candidates from a plurality of registered 3D printers that are registered in advance based on the judgment factors; A 3D printer determination means for determining a predetermined one of the one or more registered 3D printers extracted as candidates as an output 3D printer; A digital data transmission control means for executing control for transmitting the digital data to a control device that controls the output 3D printer based on the digital data; An information processing device comprising:

2. The user conditions include a budget, a delivery date, a location where the building will be placed, and a design of the building; The judgment factor determination means determines, based on the budget, the delivery date, the location, and the design, the budget, the travel distance from the location, the earthquake resistance, the delivery date, and the type of 3D printer capable of constructing the building of the design as the judgment factors. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. A digital data format conversion means for converting the format of the digital data into a format that can be handled by the output 3D printer using a slicer for the output 3D printer. Further equipped with The digital data transmission control means executes control to transmit the digital data, the format of which has been converted by the digital data format conversion means, to the control device. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. a user condition change requesting means for executing control to send a request to change the user conditions to the user terminal when it is determined by the candidate extraction means that there is no registered 3D printer to be extracted as a candidate; Further equipped with The order information acquisition means acquires the order information including new user conditions designated by the user who has received the change request, The candidate extraction means determines the judgment factor again based on the new user condition included in the order information, The candidate extraction means extracts the one or more registered 3D printers based on the re-determined judgment factors. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. An information processing method executed by an information processing device that manages digital data when manufacturing at least a part of a building using materials output from a header of a 3D printer based on the digital data of the building, comprising: An order information acquisition step of acquiring information including at least user conditions desired by the user from the user terminal of the user as order information for the user to order the construction of the building; A decision factor determination step of determining a decision factor for determining the 3D printer for manufacturing at least a portion of the building based on the user conditions included in the order information; A candidate extraction step of extracting one or more candidates from a plurality of registered 3D printers that are registered in advance based on the judgment factors; A 3D printer determination step of determining a predetermined one of the one or more registered 3D printers extracted as candidates as an output 3D printer; A digital data transmission control step of executing control to transmit the digital data to a control device that controls the output 3D printer based on the digital data; An information processing method comprising:

6. A computer that manages digital data when manufacturing at least a part of a building using materials output from a header of a 3D printer based on the digital data of the building, An order information acquisition step of acquiring information including at least user conditions desired by the user from the user terminal of the user as order information for the user to order the construction of the building; A decision factor determination step of determining a decision factor for determining the 3D printer for manufacturing at least a portion of the building based on the user conditions included in the order information; A candidate extraction step of extracting one or more candidates from a plurality of registered 3D printers that are registered in advance based on the judgment factors; A 3D printer determination step of determining a predetermined one of the one or more registered 3D printers extracted as candidates as an output 3D printer; A digital data transmission control step of executing control to transmit the digital data to a control device that controls the output 3D printer based on the digital data; A program that executes control processing including:

Images