Building information management apparatus and building information management method

Abstract

To provide a building information management apparatus and a building information management method with which information on a virtual building can be utilized while reflecting the current condition of a real building corresponding to the virtual building.SOLUTION: A building information management apparatus 10 includes: a reading unit 31 which reads, from a storage apparatus, first information related to attributes and arrangement positions of materials and equipment arranged in a virtual building constructed in a virtual space; an acquisition unit 32 which acquires second information related to attributes and arrangement positions of materials and equipment actually arranged in a real building built in a real space, the real building corresponding to the virtual building; and a restructuring unit 34 which restructures the arrangement of the materials and equipment in the virtual building on the basis of the first information and the second information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a building information management device and a building information management method, and more particularly to a building information management device and a building information management method used for managing design information and the like of a virtual building constructed in a virtual space.

Background Art

[0002] When newly constructing a building such as a house, in the design stage, technologies such as BIM (Building Information Modeling) may be used to construct the building in a virtual space. In this case, by viewing the building constructed in the virtual space (hereinafter, virtual building), it is possible to confirm the appearance of the building planned for construction and the floor plan inside the building. Therefore, the above virtual building can be used, for example, as a sales promotion tool when proposing a newly built property to potential building purchasers.

[0003] As a technology for constructing a virtual building, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can be exemplified. In the technology described in Patent Document 1, when basic plan information of a building to be constructed on a building planned site is provided to a server together with site information and construction information, the server generates a virtual building (described as a "building model" in Patent Document 1). By using this virtual building, information such as a building plan, cost, and construction period can be output.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The information of the virtual building was mainly used at stages such as the design and sale of the building, that is, before the building was occupied. On the other hand, after the building purchaser moves into the actual building (hereinafter referred to as the real building), furniture, home appliances, etc. may be installed in the real building, or the floor plan may change due to renovation, etc. Along with this, the internal situation of the building may change from the time of completion. On the other hand, the information of the virtual building (that is, the model of the built building) constructed at the time of building design is the information before the internal situation of the building changes. Therefore, using the information of the virtual building as it is after moving into the real building lacks validity because it does not take into account the current situation inside the building.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a building information management device and a building information management method capable of using the information of the virtual building in a form that reflects the current situation of the real building corresponding to the virtual building.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] According to the building information management device of the present invention, the above problems are solved by including a reading unit that reads, from a storage device, first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment and materials arranged inside a virtual building constructed in a virtual space, an acquisition unit that acquires second information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment and materials actually arranged inside a real building constructed in the real space corresponding to the virtual building, and a reconstruction unit that reconstructs the arrangement of equipment and materials inside the virtual building based on the first information and the second information. According to the building information management device configured as described above, the virtual building can be reconstructed by reflecting the arrangement of equipment and materials actually arranged inside the real building. Thereby, the information of the virtual building can be used in a form that reflects the current situation of the real building corresponding to the virtual building.

[0008] Further, the building information management device of the present invention may include a display control unit that causes a display to display the inside of the virtual building after being reconstructed by the reconstruction unit. According to the above configuration, the interior of the virtual building after reconstruction is displayed on the display and can be visually recognized.

[0009] Further, in the building information management device of the present invention, the acquisition unit analyzes a photographed image of a target equipment actually arranged inside the actual building, and determines the attributes of the target equipment and the coordinate position when the reference position set in the actual building is taken as the origin, thereby obtaining second information about the target equipment. According to the above configuration, it is possible to easily obtain second information about the target equipment by photographing the target equipment in the actual building and using the photographed image.

[0010] Further, the building information management device of the present invention may further include a change unit that changes the arrangement of equipment inside the virtual building reconstructed by the reconstruction unit based on a user's change operation. In this case, the display control unit may display the interior of the virtual building after the arrangement of the equipment is changed by the change unit on the display. According to the above configuration, the arrangement of equipment inside the reconstructed virtual building can be changed based on the user's operation, and the changed arrangement can be displayed on the display. Thereby, an image (projection view) when the arrangement of equipment in the building is changed due to pattern change, renovation, etc. can be provided to the user.

[0011] In the above configuration, it is more preferable that the change unit changes the arrangement of equipment inside the virtual building in accordance with constraint conditions preset regarding the arrangement of equipment inside the virtual building based on the user's change operation. According to the above configuration, when changing the arrangement of equipment inside the virtual building, it is possible to change it correctly (so as not to be disorderly) in accordance with the constraint conditions.

[0012] Further, in the building information management device of the present invention, the display control unit may display the interior of the virtual building after the arrangement of the equipment is changed by the change unit on the display used by the user of the actual building. According to the above configuration, when changing the arrangement of equipment and materials inside the virtual building, the changed arrangement can be shown or proposed to the users of the actual building.

[0013] Further, in the building information management device of the present invention, the reading unit may read first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment and materials arranged inside a virtual building constructed in a three-dimensional virtual space. According to the above configuration, information on a virtual building constructed or reconstructed in a three-dimensional virtual space can be used.

[0014] Further, the building information management device of the present invention may further include an association unit that associates and stores the second information acquired by the acquisition unit with a virtual building corresponding to the actual building that is the acquisition target of the second information. According to the above configuration, by associating the second information with a virtual building corresponding to the actual building that is the acquisition target of the second information, among the first information stored in the storage device, the first information used together with the second information when reconstructing the virtual building can be easily specified (extracted).

[0015] Further, according to the building information management method of the present invention, the above-described problem is solved by a processor reading first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment and materials arranged inside a virtual building constructed in a virtual space from a storage device, the processor acquiring second information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment and materials actually arranged inside an actual building constructed in the real space corresponding to the virtual building, and the processor reconstructing the arrangement of equipment and materials inside the virtual building based on the first information and the second information. According to the above method, it becomes possible to use the information of the virtual building in a form reflecting the current situation of the actual building corresponding to the virtual building.

Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, a building information management device and a building information management method capable of using the information of a virtual building in a form reflecting the current situation of the actual building corresponding to the virtual building are realized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This embodiment relates to a technology for managing building information, and more specifically, to a technology for using information of a virtual building constructed in a virtual space.

[0019] In this specification, the concept of "device" includes a single device that exhibits a specific function by itself, and also includes a combination of a plurality of devices that are distributed and exist independently while collaborating (cooperating) to exhibit a specific function.

[0020] In addition, since the basic data processing technologies (communication / transmission technologies, data acquisition technologies, data recording technologies, data processing / analysis technologies, image processing technologies, visualization technologies, etc.) for realizing the content of this embodiment are well-known technologies, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0021] In addition, for this embodiment, it will be described assuming that the "building" is a house. Here, the house may be a single-family house or one dwelling unit in an apartment building. Note that the present invention is also applicable to buildings other than houses, such as commercial facilities such as stores, offices, movie theaters, and department stores, public facilities such as hospitals and schools, factories, or buildings for various purposes such as sheds.

[0022] <<Overview of Building Information Management According to this Embodiment>> First, the building information management according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. In this embodiment, for the purpose of housing design and sales promotion, etc., a planned housing (hereinafter, virtual building T) is constructed in a virtual space. Here, the virtual space is a three-dimensional space, and the virtual building T is, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a 3D model constructed in a three-dimensional virtual space by using BIM technology and 3D-CAD by a house builder, an architect, etc.

[0023] In addition, in the construction work of the virtual building T, the equipment and materials planned for initial introduction are arranged inside the building. The equipment and materials planned for initial introduction are fixtures (building materials), interior items such as lighting and doors, indoor facilities such as toilets, bathtubs, hot water supply facilities, and kitchens installed inside the building at the time of occupancy of the building.

[0024] By constructing the virtual building T, information on the constructed virtual building T (hereinafter referred to as virtual building information) is created and stored in a storage device such as a database server. The virtual building information includes basic information such as the structure, specifications, and planned construction site of the virtual building T, and also includes first information regarding the equipment and materials initially scheduled to be introduced and placed inside the virtual building. The first information is information regarding the attributes of the equipment and materials initially scheduled to be introduced and their placement positions inside the virtual building. The attributes of the equipment and materials refer to the type, model, name, model number, manufacturer, specifications (specifically, shape, size, color, performance, etc.), the state such as the degree of deterioration, the operating status in the case of movable equipment, and installation constraints, etc. The placement position of the equipment and materials is the coordinate position when the reference position set inside the building (for example, the corner position of the wall inside the building, etc.) is taken as the origin.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the virtual building information can be shared, for example, by a house builder and providers of equipment and materials (specifically, the manufacturers or sales companies of the equipment and materials). Also, when an actual building H is constructed corresponding to the virtual building T and the purchaser of the actual building H (hereinafter referred to as the resident) moves into the actual building H, the resident can also use the virtual building information. Here, the actual building H corresponding to the virtual building T is a building actually constructed at the construction site in the real space based on the virtual building T. Specifically, it is a house constructed by creating a design drawing based on the virtual building T and constructing according to the design drawing. Note that although the users of the virtual building information are not particularly limited, since information related to the privacy of the residents may be included, certain restrictions may be imposed on the users of the virtual building information.

[0026] On the other hand, after moving into the actual building H, the resident may purchase furniture, home appliances, etc., install equipment and materials inside the actual building H, or change the floor plan by renovation, etc. In this case, the arrangement status of the equipment and materials inside the actual building H changes. That is, the number, type, and placement positions of the equipment and materials currently placed inside the actual building H may be different from the content of the virtual building information (hereinafter also referred to as the initial virtual building information) at the time when the virtual building T was constructed. In addition, the capital equipment arranged inside the actual building H includes fittings (building materials), interior items such as lighting and doors, indoor facilities such as toilets, bathtubs, hot water supply facilities, and kitchens. In addition to these, furniture, household electrical appliances, and ornaments such as interior decorations and foliage plants are further included.

[0027] When the occupant uses the virtual building information, it is preferable to reflect the arrangement status of the capital equipment inside the actual building H at that time. Therefore, in this embodiment, second information regarding the capital equipment actually arranged inside the actual building H at the current time is acquired. Then, using the acquired second information and the already acquired first information (that is, the first information included in the initial virtual building information), the virtual building T is reconstructed. Here, "reconstructing the virtual building T" means modifying (updating) the floor plan and the arrangement of the capital equipment in each room inside the initially constructed virtual building T to match the inside of the actual building H at the current time. That is, in this embodiment, the virtual building T can be reconstructed so as to reproduce the arrangement status of the capital equipment inside the actual building H. Note that the modification (update) of the arrangement of the capital equipment includes changing the position of the existing capital equipment, adding new capital equipment, and removing the existing capital equipment.

[0028] By reconstructing the virtual building T, the occupant, the house builder, the provider of the capital equipment, etc. can use the virtual building information (hereinafter, the virtual building information after reconstruction) regarding the virtual building T after reconstruction. Specifically, the virtual building T after reconstruction can be displayed on a display, and the arrangement of the capital equipment inside the building, specifically, the reconstructed floor plan and equipment layout can be confirmed.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for the reconstructed virtual building T, the arrangement of the capital equipment (floor plan and equipment layout) inside the building can be changed, and the inside of the virtual building T with the changed arrangement of the capital equipment can be displayed on a display. As a result, the changed floor plan and equipment layout inside the building can be confirmed. Furthermore, by utilizing this effect, for example, it is possible to propose repairs, renovations, or purchases of furniture and household appliances for the actual building H to the occupant.

[0030] <<Regarding the Configuration of the Building Information Management System>> Next, regarding the information communication system used for the above-described building information management (hereinafter referred to as the building information management system 100), an explanation will be given with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the building information management system 100 is composed of a building information management device 10, a database server 12, and a user terminal 14 used by a user. Here, a "user" is a person who uses the functions of the building information management device 10. Users include, for example, a person who directly operates the building information management device 10 and a person who indirectly operates the building information management device 10 by communicating with the building information management device 10. Note that in FIG. 2, the number of user terminals 14 is one, but in reality, there are user terminals 14 in a number corresponding to the number of users.

[0031] The building information management device 10 is composed of a computer and is, for example, composed of a server computer or the like. The building information management device 10 may be composed of one computer, or may be composed of a plurality of computers that are parallel-distributed. Also, the server computer constituting the building information management device 10 may be a server computer for ASP (Application Service Provider), SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). In this case, when necessary information is input at the client terminal, the above server computer performs various processes and calculations based on the input information, and the calculation result is output on the client terminal side. That is, the functions of the server computer, which is the building information management device 10, can be used on the client terminal side.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the computer constituting the building information management device 10 has a processor 21, a memory 22, a storage 23, and a communication interface 24.

[0033] The processor 21 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), MCU (Micro Controller Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc. The memory 22 is composed of, for example, semiconductor memories such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0034] The storage 23 is composed of, for example, flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital card), or USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. Note that the storage 23 may be built into the computer main body constituting the building information management device 10, or may be attached to the computer main body in an external form.

[0035] The communication interface 24 may be composed of, for example, a network interface card, or a communication interface board, etc. The computer constituting the building information management device 10 can perform data communication with other devices connected to the Internet or a mobile communication line, etc. via the communication interface 24.

[0036] In addition, in the computer that constitutes the building information management device 10, as software, a program for an operating system (OS) and an application program for building information management are installed. When these programs are read and executed by the processor 21, the server computer that constitutes the building information management device 10 exhibits the functions of the building information management device 10. Specifically, it executes a series of processes related to building information management. The application program for building information management includes a program for identifying characters, symbols, etc. in an image by image analysis, a program for reconstructing the virtual building T, and a program for changing the reconstructed virtual building T. Further, as a technique for reconstructing the virtual building T or changing the reconstructed virtual building T, the technique for constructing the virtual building T may be applied, and a known technique, for example, the BIM technique can be used.

[0037] The database server 12 corresponds to the storage device of the present invention and is, for example, a cloud-type server prepared by a provider (house builder) of the actual building H. As shown in FIG. 2, the building information management device 10 is communicably connected to the database server 12 through the network N and can freely read the information stored in the database server 12. Note that the database server 12 may be composed of only one device (server) or may be composed of a plurality of devices (servers).

[0038] The database server 12 stores virtual building information including the aforementioned first information and second information. Since the virtual building information and the second information are each generated for each building (house), they are stored in the database server 12 for each building. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the second information is stored in association with a virtual building T corresponding to the actual building H that is the acquisition target of the second information (that is, the virtual building T that is the basis of the design drawing of the actual building H). In other words, the virtual building information is associated with the actual building H constructed based on the virtual building T identified from that information. Thereby, from information regarding the actual building H (for example, address, name of the resident, etc.), the virtual building T corresponding to the actual building H can be specified, and the first information of the specified virtual building T can be extracted from the database server 12. Note that the database server where the virtual building information is stored and the database server where the second information is stored may be the same device (server) or separate devices (servers).

[0039] Also, the database server 12 stores information on equipment obtained by analyzing a photographed image, specifically, information for identifying the equipment from characters, symbols, etc. in the equipment shown in the image. Furthermore, the database server 12 stores attribute information of equipment that can be added inside the virtual building T as information used when changing the reconstructed virtual building T.

[0040] The user terminal 14 is an information processing terminal operated by a resident who uses the virtual building information, and is composed of a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a laptop personal computer, a wearable terminal, or the like. The user terminal 14 includes a display composed of a display and a photographing device composed of a camera. Also, the user terminal 14 can communicate with the building information management device 10 through the network N and transmit information to the building information management device 10, for example, an image (photographed image) photographed by the photographing device.

[0041] In addition, the display included in the user terminal 14 can display the information transmitted from the building information management device 10, for example, an image showing the inside of the virtual building T after reconstruction (specifically, a floor plan and an equipment layout diagram). The display may be a display provided in the user terminal 14 itself, or a display connected to the user terminal 14 in a wired or wireless manner. The display connected to the user terminal 14 may include, in addition to a general stationary display, an HMD (Head Mounted Display) such as a VR goggles, and a glasses-type display that can view an image through the glasses like smart glasses. In addition, a permission to view an image showing the inside of the virtual building T may be granted, and the above image may be displayed only to those who have the viewing permission. In that case, those who have the viewing permission may be requested to input the password assigned to them.

[0042] An application program for using virtual building information (hereinafter referred to as a terminal-side application) is installed in the user terminal 14. When the terminal-side application is launched on the user terminal 14, an operation screen (user interface) for using virtual building information is displayed, and the resident performs operations necessary for using virtual building information through the operation screen. Thereby, the resident can confirm the arrangement of the equipment in the virtual building T after reconstruction, and further confirm the arrangement of the equipment in the virtual building T changed after reconstruction (see FIG. 5). Note that the operations performed by the resident when using virtual building information will be described in a later section.

[0043] <<Regarding the functions of the building information management device according to the present embodiment>> Next, the configuration of the building information management device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described again from a functional aspect. As shown in FIG. 3, the building information management device 10 includes a reading unit 31, an acquisition unit 32, an association unit 33, a reconstruction unit 34, a display control unit 35, and a change unit 36. These functional units are realized by the cooperation of the hardware devices included in the computer that constitutes the building information management device 10 and the program (i.e., software) installed on the computer.

[0044] Hereinafter, each functional unit will be described. In the following, a case will be assumed in which the house where Mr. X lives is taken as an example, and the information of the virtual building (virtual building information) corresponding to Mr. X's house is used for explanation.

[0045] (Reading Unit) When an instruction to reconstruct the virtual building is sent from Mr. X, the reading unit 31 reads from the database server 12 the first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of the equipment and materials arranged inside the virtual building T corresponding to Mr. X's house. The first information read at this time is the information at the time when the above virtual building T was constructed, that is, the information included in the initial virtual building information. Further, in the present embodiment, the reading unit 31 reads the first information regarding the equipment and materials arranged inside the virtual building T constructed in the three-dimensional virtual space. Note that the instruction to reconstruct the virtual building is sent to the building information management device 10 when Mr. X starts the terminal-side application on the user terminal 14 and performs a predetermined instruction operation on the operation screen of the application.

[0046] (Acquisition Unit) The acquisition unit 32 acquires second information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of the equipment actually arranged inside Mr. X's house (actual building H). In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 32 analyzes a photographed image of the target equipment actually arranged inside Mr. X's house to identify the attributes and arrangement positions of the target equipment. Thereby, the second information about the target equipment is acquired. Here, the arrangement position of the target equipment is the coordinate position when the reference position set in Mr. X's house (actual building H) is taken as the origin. Also, the reference position set in Mr. X's house is associated with the reference position set in the virtual building corresponding to Mr. X's house. Note that the photographed image to be analyzed is acquired by Mr. X taking a picture using the camera of the user terminal 14 and is transmitted from the user terminal 14 to the building information management device 10. The target equipment is the equipment shown in the photographed image to be analyzed. Also, the procedure for acquiring the second information about the target equipment will be described in a later section.

[0047] (Association unit) The association unit 33 associates and stores the second information acquired by the acquisition unit 32 with the virtual building corresponding to Mr. X's house (that is, the actual building H that is the acquisition target of the second information). Thereby, when the acquired second information is repeatedly used multiple times, the trouble of acquiring the second information every time it is used can be saved, and the second information can be used efficiently. Note that in the present embodiment, the second information is stored in the database server 12 together with the virtual building information. However, the storage location of the second information is not particularly limited and may be stored in a device other than the database server 12. For example, it may be stored in the storage 23 of the server computer constituting the building information management device 10.

[0048] (Reconstruction unit) The reconstruction unit 34 reconstructs the virtual building T corresponding to Mr. X's house (hereinafter, also referred to as the "virtual building for Mr. X" for convenience) based on the first information read by the reading unit 31 and the second information acquired by the acquisition unit 32.

[0049] More specifically, based on the first information, the reconstruction unit 34 reproduces the interior of the virtual building for Mr. X at the time of construction, and in the reproduced interior of the virtual building, arranges the 3D model images of the equipment and materials having the attributes indicated by the second information at positions corresponding to the arrangement positions indicated by the second information. Here, the position corresponding to the arrangement position indicated by the second information is a position corresponding to the arrangement position (coordinate position) indicated by the second information when the reference position set in Mr. X's house is replaced with the reference position set in the virtual building for Mr. X and the replaced reference position is taken as the origin. Note that the 3D model images of the equipment and materials may be stored in advance in the storage 23 of the building information management device 10, or may be obtained (downloaded) from the site of the provider of the equipment and materials (furniture manufacturer or home appliance manufacturer) by requesting the provider.

[0050] Also, when the position of the equipment and materials already arranged in the virtual building for Mr. X at the time of construction has been changed due to renovation or the like in Mr. X's actual house, the reconstruction unit 34 updates the arrangement position of the equipment and materials (strictly speaking, the arrangement position of the 3D model image) to the position corresponding to the arrangement position indicated by the second information. As described above, the arrangement of the equipment and materials inside the virtual building for Mr. X is reconstructed in accordance with the arrangement of the equipment and materials in Mr. X's actual house.

[0051] (Display control unit) The display control unit 35 causes the display to display the interior of the virtual building T after being reconstructed by the reconstruction unit 34, that is, the interior of the virtual building for Mr. X after reconstruction. In the present embodiment, the display control unit 35 causes the display 16 (see FIG. 4) used by Mr. X who is the user of the actual building H to display the interior of the virtual building for Mr. X after reconstruction. Note that the interior of the virtual building displayed on the display 16 may be displayed as a three-dimensional image such as the perspective view shown on the left side of FIG. 5, or may be displayed as a two-dimensional image such as a plan view.

[0052] (Change unit) The modification unit 36 modifies the arrangement of the equipment and materials inside the virtual building for Mr. X reconstructed by the reconstruction unit 34 based on the modification operations of Mr. X or other users. The modification operations are performed, for example, through the user terminal 14, and when a modification operation is performed, the user terminal 14 transmits data indicating the operation content to the building information management device 10. Note that the "other users" may include house builders, renovation companies, and providers of equipment and materials (specifically, furniture manufacturers, home appliance manufacturers, etc.).

[0053] In the modification operation, for example, the equipment and materials arranged inside the virtual building for Mr. X reconstructed are modified (specifically, deleted and added), or the arrangement positions of the equipment and materials are modified. When the modification unit 36 receives the above modification operation, based on the modification operation, inside the virtual building for Mr. X reconstructed, it arranges the 3D model image of the equipment and materials to be modified, and also modifies the arrangement positions of the already arranged equipment and materials (strictly speaking, the arrangement positions of the 3D model images). Note that the 3D model image of the equipment and materials to be modified may be stored in advance in the storage 23 of the building information management device 10, or may be obtained (downloaded) from the site of the provider of the equipment and materials (furniture manufacturer, home appliance manufacturer, etc.) by requesting the provider.

[0054] Also, in this embodiment, when the modification unit 36 modifies the arrangement of the equipment and materials, it modifies according to predetermined constraint conditions. The constraint conditions are conditions preset regarding the arrangement of the equipment and materials inside the virtual building for Mr. X. Specifically, restrictions regarding the arrangement position, restrictions regarding the size of the equipment and materials that can be arranged, restrictions regarding the attachment means and methods to walls, etc., and restrictions regarding the positional relationship between the equipment and materials, etc. correspond to the constraint conditions. For example, when trying to add new furniture to a room in the virtual building, if the storage space for the furniture is not secured in the above room, the modification unit 36 does not implement the addition of the furniture as a modification of the arrangement of the equipment and materials. Note that the constraint conditions for each piece of equipment and material can be specified from the attribute information of the equipment and material included in the first information or the second information.

[0055] When the arrangement of the equipment in the virtual building for Mr. X is changed by the change part 36, the display control unit 35 causes the interior of the virtual building after the change to be displayed on the display, and more specifically, causes it to be displayed on the display 16 used by Mr. X who is the user of the actual building H. Note that the interior of the virtual building displayed on the display 16 may be displayed as a three-dimensional image such as the perspective view shown on the right side of FIG. 5, or may be displayed as a two-dimensional image such as a plan view.

[0056] <<Regarding the building information management flow according to the present embodiment>> Next, a building information management flow, which is a data processing flow using the above-described building information management apparatus 10, will be described. In the following description as well, the case of using information (virtual building information) regarding the virtual building for Mr. X will be described as an example.

[0057] The building information management flow employs the building information management method of the present invention and proceeds along the flow shown in FIG. 6. That is, each step in the flow illustrated in FIG. 6 corresponds to each element constituting the building information management method of the present invention. Note that the processing flow shown in FIG. 6 is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, or the execution order of the steps may be changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0058] The building information management flow starts when Mr. X starts the terminal-side application on the user terminal 14. More specifically, when Mr. X requests the reconstruction of the virtual building for Mr. X on the operation screen displayed after the start of the above application, the building information management flow is started using this as a trigger. In the building information management flow, first, the processor 21 of the server constituting the building information management apparatus 10 accesses the database server 12 and reads out the first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of the equipment arranged inside the virtual building for Mr. X from the database server 12 (S001).

[0059] Next, the processor 21 acquires second information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of the equipment actually arranged inside Mr. X's house (actual building H) (S002). In this step S002, first, the processor 21 receives a photographed image of the target equipment from the user terminal 14 operated by Mr. X.

[0060] On the other hand, when photographing the target equipment with the photographing device of the user terminal 14, Mr. X inputs information for specifying the arrangement position of the target equipment through the user terminal 14. To explain an example of the procedure, as shown in FIG. 7, an image showing the inside of a virtual building for Mr. X (specifically, an image of a 3D model) is displayed on the operation screen of the user terminal 14. Mr. X selects a wall (the wall hatched in FIG. 7) corresponding to the wall closest to the arrangement position of the target equipment in Mr. X's house among the displayed virtual buildings. Thereby, as information for specifying the arrangement position of the target equipment, the position information of the wall closest to the target equipment is input.

[0061] Thereafter, the operation screen on the user terminal 14 switches to a photographing screen, and Mr. X operates the user terminal 14 to photograph the target equipment. At this time, Mr. X simultaneously photographs both the target equipment and the wall closest to the target equipment. Also, when a label or tag with product information is attached to the target equipment, the label or tag may be photographed. The photographed image is transmitted from the user terminal 14 to the building information management device 10 as described above. At this time, the position information of the wall (hereinafter, the selected wall) selected by Mr. X when photographing the target equipment is transmitted together with the photographed image.

[0062] When the processor 21 receives the captured image of the target equipment, it analyzes the captured image to identify the attributes and the arrangement position of the target equipment. Specifically, when the overall image of the target equipment is included in the captured image, the processor 21 uses known subject recognition technologies, pattern matching, and other technologies to identify the target equipment, and determines the attributes (type, model number, size, color, shape, etc.) of the target equipment from the identification result. Further, when a label or tag of the target equipment is included in the captured image, the processor 21 uses known character recognition technologies, pattern matching, and other technologies to recognize the characters or symbols indicated on the above label or tag, and may identify the target equipment from the recognition result and determine the attributes of the target equipment.

[0063] In addition, the processor 21 determines the arrangement position of the target equipment in Mr. X's house (actual building H) from the position information of the selection wall received together with the captured image and the positional relationship between the wall shown in the captured image, the target equipment, and the wall. Through the above procedures, the second information regarding the attributes and the arrangement position of the target equipment is acquired.

[0064] Note that in step S002, the processor 21 may identify scratches, dirt, etc. on the wall (i.e., the wall closest to the target equipment) captured together with the target equipment by analyzing the captured image. In this case, the processor 21 may acquire information regarding the position, size, etc. of the identified scratches and dirt as the third information.

[0065] Next, the processor 21 stores the second information acquired in step S002 in association with the virtual building for Mr. X (S003). Thereafter, the processor 21 reconstructs the arrangement of the equipment inside the virtual building for Mr. X, specifically, the arrangement of the equipment inside the building, based on the first information read in step S001 and the second information acquired in step S002 (S004). Through this step S004, the arrangement of the equipment inside the virtual building for Mr. X is reconstructed so as to match the arrangement of the equipment in the actual house of Mr. X.

[0066] Also, in step S002, when acquiring the third information regarding scratches, dirt, etc. on the wall closest to the target equipment, the scratches and dirt may be reflected. Specifically, inside the virtual building for Mr. X that has been reconstructed, scratches, dirt, etc. based on the third information may be added to the above-mentioned selected wall.

[0067] Next, the processor 21 causes the display to display the inside of the virtual building for Mr. X that has been reconstructed (S005). At this time, the processor 21 may cause the display 16 used by Mr. X, who is the user of the actual building H, to display the inside of the virtual building for Mr. X after reconstruction. Thereby, Mr. X can confirm on the screen of the display the inside of the virtual building that reproduces the arrangement of the equipment in Mr. X's actual residence. As a result, Mr. X can grasp the situation of the actual residence corresponding to the virtual building, more specifically, the current situation of the arrangement of the equipment in the house.

[0068] Thereafter, when Mr. X performs a change operation on the arrangement of the equipment inside the virtual building for Mr. X that has been reconstructed (S006), the processor 21 receives Mr. X's change operation via the user terminal 14. Then, the processor 21 changes the arrangement of the equipment inside the virtual building for Mr. X that has been reconstructed based on the received change operation (S007). At this time, the processor 21 changes the arrangement of the equipment in accordance with the preset constraint conditions. Then, the processor 21 causes the display to display the arrangement of the equipment inside the virtual building for Mr. X that has been changed since the reconstruction, and more specifically, causes it to be displayed on the display 16 used by Mr. X (S008).

[0069] Regarding the change operation received from Mr. X, it is preferable to store information (operation information) regarding the content of the operation. In this case, by analyzing the stored operation information, the preferences of Mr. X regarding the arrangement of the equipment in the building can be grasped.

[0070] In addition, change operations from users other than Mr. X (other users) may be accepted. In this case, based on the change operation received from other users, the processor 21 may change the arrangement of the equipment inside the virtual building for Mr. X that has been reconstructed, and cause the display 16 of Mr. X to display the changed arrangement of the equipment. Thereby, it is possible to propose to Mr. X changes in the arrangement of the equipment, specifically, the purchase of furniture, home appliances, etc., and renovations, etc.

[0071] Also, when third information regarding scratches, dirt, etc. on the wall closest to the target equipment is acquired, as described above, inside the virtual building for Mr. X that has been reconstructed, scratches, dirt, etc. based on the third information can be applied to the wall corresponding to the above wall (i.e., the selected wall). In this case, the processor 21 may change the inside of the virtual building for Mr. X after reconstruction so that the cross of the selected wall is replaced, whether or not it accepts a change operation, and cause the display 16 of Mr. X to display the inside of the changed virtual building. Thereby, it is possible to propose repairs such as cross replacement to Mr. X.

[0072] When the series of steps described above is completed, the building information management flow ends. And by executing the building information management flow in the above procedure, Mr. X and other users can use the information of the initially constructed virtual building T in a form that reflects the current situation of the actual building H corresponding to that virtual building (specifically, floor plan and equipment layout, etc.).

[0073] <<Regarding Other Embodiments>> So far, one embodiment of the building information management apparatus and the building information management method of the present invention has been described. However, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention can be changed and improved without departing from its gist. Also, it goes without saying that equivalents of the present invention are included.

[0074] In the above-described embodiment, the virtual building T was constructed in a three-dimensional virtual space, that is, a 3D model. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The virtual building may be constructed in a two-dimensional virtual space, that is, a 2D model. In this case, when displaying the interior of the reconstructed virtual building T and the interior of the virtual building T that has been changed after reconstruction on the display, a two-dimensional image such as a floor plan may be displayed.

[0075] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in order to acquire the second information about the target equipment placed in the actual building H, the target equipment was actually photographed and the photographed image was analyzed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second information about the target equipment may be acquired by other means. For example, the identification information of the target equipment may be acquired by operating the user terminal 14 to input the model number or product name of the target equipment, or by reading a two-dimensional barcode or the like attached to the target equipment. Then, based on the acquired identification information, the target equipment may be identified, and the second information about the target equipment may be obtained (downloaded) by accessing the website of the provider (equipment manufacturer) of the target equipment.

[0076] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the building information management device 10 was configured by a server computer. However, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and the building information management device of the present invention may be constructed by a personal computer (PC) or a workstation for personal use.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0077] 10 Building information management device 12 Database server (storage device) 14 User terminal 16 Display 21 Processor 22 Memory 23 Storage 24 Communication interface 31 Reading unit 32 Acquisition unit 33 Association unit 34 Reconstruction unit 35 indicates the control unit 36 indicates the modification unit 100 indicates the building information management system H indicates the actual building N indicates the network T indicates the virtual building

Claims

1. A reading unit that reads, from a storage device, first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of resources and equipment arranged inside a virtual building constructed in a virtual space; An acquisition unit that acquires second information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of resources and equipment actually arranged inside an actual building constructed in the real space and corresponding to the virtual building; A reconstruction unit that reconstructs the arrangement of resources and equipment inside the virtual building based on the first information and the second information. A building information management device comprising:

2. The building information management device according to claim 1, further comprising a display control unit that causes a display to display the inside of the virtual building after being reconstructed by the reconstruction unit.

3. The acquisition unit acquires the second information about the target resources and equipment by analyzing a photographed image of the target resources and equipment actually arranged inside the actual building and specifying the attributes of the target resources and equipment and the coordinate positions when the reference position set in the actual building is taken as the origin. The building information management device according to claim 1.

4. The building information management device further comprises a change unit that changes the arrangement of resources and equipment inside the virtual building reconstructed by the reconstruction unit based on a change operation by a user. The display control unit causes the display to display the inside of the virtual building after the arrangement of resources and equipment has been changed by the change unit. The building information management device according to claim 2.

5. The change unit changes the arrangement of resources and equipment inside the virtual building according to a preset constraint condition regarding the arrangement of resources and equipment inside the virtual building based on the change operation by the user. The building information management device according to claim 4.

6. The display control unit causes the display used by the user of the actual building to display the inside of the virtual building after the arrangement of resources and equipment has been changed by the change unit. The building information management device according to claim 4.

7. The reading unit reads the first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of resources and equipment arranged inside the virtual building constructed in a three-dimensional virtual space. The building information management device according to claim 1.

8. The building information management device according to claim 1, further comprising an association unit that associates and stores the second information acquired by the acquisition unit with the virtual building corresponding to the actual building that is the acquisition target of the second information.

9. The processor reads, from the storage device, first information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment placed inside a virtual building constructed within a virtual space. The processor obtains second information regarding the attributes and arrangement positions of equipment that actually is placed inside an actual building constructed in the real space and corresponding to the virtual building. A building information management method in which the processor reconstructs the arrangement of equipment inside the virtual building based on the first information and the second information.

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