Data processing device of work machine

Abstract

To provide a data processing device of a work machine capable of efficiently processing data that relates to surrounding environment of a work site in accordance with a prescribed processing condition, while securing an effective amount of data.SOLUTION: A data processing device 50 comprises: a data acquisition unit that acquires unprocessed data which is three-dimensional data indicating a shape of a work site; and a control unit that can generate processed data to be used in work of the work machine by performing prescribed volume reduction processing or miniaturization processing on the unprocessed data acquired by the data acquisition unit and can determine, on the basis of at least one item of data processing information, whether it is necessary to perform the volume reduction processing or the miniaturization processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a data processing device for a work machine. [Background technology]

[0002] It has been known for some time that in order to efficiently carry out work by a construction machine, the situation at the work site is photographed and the acquired image data is used for various controls. Patent Document 1 discloses a terrain information transmission device that has an image data receiving unit that receives image data photographed by a small aircraft flying above the work site, a three-dimensional data creation unit that creates three-dimensional data of the construction site based on the image data, and a weight reduction processing unit that performs weight reduction processing to reduce the total data volume of the created three-dimensional data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 012988 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, a lightweighting process is performed uniformly on three-dimensional data in order to efficiently update the data. In this case, even when the lightweighting process is not actually required, the lightweighting process is performed, resulting in the loss of necessary data. Similarly, unnecessary processing may be performed when refining three-dimensional data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a data processing device for a work machine that can efficiently process data relating to the surrounding environment of a work site in accordance with predetermined processing conditions while ensuring an effective amount of data.

[0006] A data processing device for a work machine according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a data acquisition unit that acquires pre-processed data, which is three-dimensional data that indicates the shape of a work site, and a control unit that is capable of performing a predetermined lightening process or refinement process on the pre-processed data acquired by the data acquisition unit to generate processed data to be used in work by the work machine, and that is capable of determining whether or not to perform the lightening process or the refinement process based on at least one piece of data processing information.

[0007] According to this configuration, the control unit of the data processing device can determine whether or not to perform a lightening process or a refinement process on the pre-processed data based on at least one piece of data processing information. Therefore, even when a lightening process or a refinement process is not required, the lightening process or the refinement process is executed, which prevents the loss of necessary data or the unnecessary increase in the amount of data. As a result, it becomes possible to efficiently process data related to the surrounding environment of the work site in accordance with predetermined processing conditions while ensuring an effective amount of data.

[0008] A data processing device for a work machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is the data processing device according to the first aspect, wherein the control unit is further capable of determining a processing method for the weight reduction processing or the densification processing based on the data processing information.

[0009] According to this configuration, the control unit can further determine the processing method for the lightening processing or the refinement processing for the unprocessed data based on the data processing information, and can therefore select an appropriate lightening processing method or refinement processing method according to the data processing information.

[0010] A data processing device for a work machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is the data processing device according to the first or second aspect, further comprising a transmitting unit that is connected via a predetermined transmission path to a data receiving unit that receives the processed data and is capable of transmitting the processed data, and the data processing information includes at least one of information regarding the current communication status on the transmission path, information regarding at least one of the communication speed and transmission load when the unprocessed data or the processed data is transmitted via the transmission path, and information regarding the work of the work machine at the work site.

[0011] According to this configuration, the control unit can appropriately determine and set the need for or the processing method of lightening processing or fine-tuning processing based on at least one of information regarding the communication status on the current transmission path, information regarding at least one of the communication speed and transmission load when transmitting pre-processing data or post-processing data through the transmission path, and information regarding the work of the work machine at the work site.

[0012] A work machine data processing device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a work machine data processing device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the control unit determines the complexity of the shape of the three-dimensional data included in the pre-processing data, and determines whether or not to perform the weight reduction processing or the granularity processing depending on the result of the determination.

[0013] According to this configuration, the control unit can determine whether or not to perform lightweighting or refinement processing depending on the shape contained in the three-dimensional data before processing, thereby efficiently determining whether to lightweight the data while maintaining the reproducibility of the shape.

[0014] A data processing device for a work machine according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the data processing device for a work machine according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, further comprising a memory unit that stores, as the data processing information, a plurality of level information and information on whether the lightening process or the fine-tuning process corresponding to each level information, in association with each other.

[0015] According to this configuration, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not weight reduction or refinement corresponding to each level information needs to be performed by referring to the data processing information stored in the storage unit.

[0016] A data processing device for a work machine according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the data processing device for a work machine according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, further comprising an input unit that can forcibly input a command signal corresponding to whether or not the weight reduction process or the miniaturization process needs to be performed to the control unit.

[0017] According to this configuration, by inputting a command signal through the input unit, it is possible to forcibly execute processing in accordance with the intention of the worker or user.

[0018] A data processing device for a work machine according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a data processing device for a work machine according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the control unit determines whether or not to perform the weight reduction processing or the refinement processing based on the inclination angle of the design surface of the work site or the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site.

[0019] According to this configuration, by determining whether or not to perform each process depending on the inclination angle of the design surface or the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site, valid data for the inclined portion can be maintained. In particular, in the case of weight reduction processing, the processed data shape can be prevented from becoming too smooth due to averaging processing, i.e., the loss of inclined portions from the data can be prevented. Furthermore, by determining whether or not to perform a process depending on the inclination angle of the design surface, the degree of deviation between the design surface shape and the current shape of the work site can be accurately calculated. Furthermore, by determining whether or not to perform a process depending on the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site, the current shape of the work site can be accurately calculated even during work where prior design surface information is not available. This allows, for example, efficient automatic excavation work to be performed according to the topographical shape of the work site.

[0020] A data processing device for a work machine according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the data processing device for a work machine according to the seventh aspect, further comprising a reference data selection unit that can select which inclination angle to use from the inclination angle of the design surface and the inclination angle of the current shape when performing the weight reduction process or the refinement process.

[0021] This configuration allows the user to select which information to use depending on the purpose of using the data. Also, by adopting the information with the larger tilt angle of the two, it is possible to prevent the grid used for processing from being too coarse or too fine.

[0022] A data processing device for a work machine according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a data processing device for a work machine according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the control unit determines whether or not to perform the lightening process or the refinement process depending on the progress of work within the acquisition range of the three-dimensional data.

[0023] According to this configuration, for example, in a work area where there will be no further shape changes, such as when compaction is complete or concrete has been poured, the processing load and communication load can be reduced by using a coarse grid for processing. Alternatively, in a work area where finishing work has been completed, the grid can be made finer, making it possible to obtain a detailed view of the work area's shape for saving final work site data.

[0024] A work machine data processing device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is a work machine data processing device according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the control unit determines whether or not to perform the lightening process or the refinement process depending on the area in which the work machine has performed work.

[0025] According to this configuration, for example, in areas where the shape changes before and after construction, the grid used for each process can be made finer, while in other areas the grid can be made coarser, thereby reducing the processing load and communication load while ensuring the necessary amount of information.

[0026] A work machine data processing device according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is a work machine data processing device according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the control unit determines whether or not to perform the lightening process or the miniaturization process depending on at least one piece of information selected from the driving mode of the work machine and operator information relating to an operator who operates the work machine.

[0027] According to this configuration, for example, when the operation mode is automatic, the grid used for processing can be made finer to check accuracy, or when the operator is an experienced operator, the construction accuracy is high, so the grid used for processing can be made coarser, thereby reducing the processing load and communication load while ensuring the necessary amount of information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] According to the present invention, a data processing device for a work machine is provided that can efficiently process data relating to the surrounding environment of a work site in accordance with predetermined processing conditions while ensuring an effective amount of data. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a work machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a work site of a work machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram including a data processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 3 is a flowchart of a process executed by a data processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a virtual section of a work site in a data processing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10 is a graph showing the relationship between tilt angle and grid size in a data processing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between an actual inclined surface and post-processing data when the grid size is coarse. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between an actual inclined surface and post-processing data when the grid size is fine. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of grid sizes during data processing in a data processing device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of grid sizes during data processing in a data processing device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a data processing device for a work machine according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0031] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a side view of a hydraulic excavator 1 (work machine) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] The hydraulic excavator 1 includes a lower traveling body 10 (lower main body), an upper rotating body 12 (upper main body) rotatably supported on the lower traveling body 10, and a work attachment 20 mounted on the upper rotating body 12. The lower traveling body 10 and the upper rotating body 12 constitute the body of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0033] The lower traveling body 10 is capable of traveling on the ground surface G. The lower traveling body 10 includes, for example, a crawler-type traveling unit.

[0034] The upper rotating body 12 has a rotating frame 121 supported by the lower traveling body 10, and a cab 13 mounted on the rotating frame 121. The cab 13 is an operator's compartment that allows an operator to board, and various devices for operating the hydraulic excavator 1 are arranged in the cab 13.

[0035] The work attachment 20 is attached to the upper rotating body 12 so as to be movable relative to the upper rotating body 12, and performs a predetermined task on the ground G. The work attachment 20 includes a boom 21 connected to the front end of the revolving frame 121 so as to be rotatable in the hoisting direction about a horizontal central axis of rotation, an arm 22 connected to the tip of the boom 21 so as to be rotatable about the horizontal central axis of rotation, and a bucket 23 connected to the tip of the arm 22 so as to be rotatable about the horizontal central axis of rotation. In this embodiment, the central axes of rotation of the boom 21, arm 22, and bucket 23 are set parallel to one another. The boom 21 and arm 22 constitute the hoisting body of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the bucket 23 constitutes a working member of the hydraulic excavator 1. The work attachment 20 further has a boom cylinder 21S that extends and retracts to raise and lower the boom 21, an arm cylinder 22S that extends and retracts to rotate the arm 22, and a bucket cylinder 23S that extends and retracts to rotate the bucket 23. These cylinders are composed of hydraulic cylinders.

[0036] The cab 13 is mounted at the front of the revolving frame 121, adjacent to the boom 21 in the width direction of the revolving frame 121 (on the left side of the boom 21 in the example shown in FIG. 1 ), and constitutes a driver's cabin for operating the hydraulic excavator 1. That is, inside the cab 13, an operator performs operations for traveling the lower traveling structure 10, rotating the upper revolving structure 12, and operating the work attachment 20.

[0037] An shovel-mounted LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) 45 is disposed on the upper surface of the cab 13. The shovel-mounted LiDAR 45 acquires a three-dimensional distance distribution (three-dimensional data) to objects around the hydraulic excavator 1. Specifically, the shovel-mounted LiDAR 45 measures scattered light in response to pulsed laser irradiation and analyzes the distance to the object. In other words, the shovel-mounted LiDAR 45 has a predetermined reference point. In this embodiment, the reference point is disposed within the shovel-mounted LiDAR 45. The distance distribution measured by the shovel-mounted LiDAR 45 corresponds to the distribution of distances from a plurality of measurement points located within the field of view of the shovel-mounted LiDAR 45 to the reference point. Note that in other embodiments, a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor, a stereo camera, or the like may be used instead of the shovel-mounted LiDAR 45.

[0038] The hydraulic excavator 1 also includes a drive unit (not shown). The drive unit drives various structural components of the hydraulic excavator 1, and drives the undercarriage 10, the upper rotating body 12, the work attachment 20, and the like, in response to operations input to an operating unit located inside the cab 13. The drive unit includes hydraulic circuits such as a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor. Hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump is supplied to the boom cylinder 21S, arm cylinder 22S, and bucket cylinder 23S via a control valve (not shown). As a result, the boom 21, arm 22, and bucket 23 rotate. Furthermore, the supply of the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic motor causes the upper rotating body 12 to rotate relative to the undercarriage 10.

[0039] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a work site W for a hydraulic excavator 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The hydraulic excavator 1 is movable within the work site W illustrated in Fig. 2. Although not shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of hydraulic excavators 1 may be arranged at the work site W. At the work site W, a control room X and a work site LiDAR 46 are arranged.

[0040] The control room X is located adjacent to the work site W, and inside it are located control devices and the like for managing the work of the hydraulic excavator 1. Note that part of the data processing device 50 may also be located in the control room X.

[0041] The work site LiDAR 46 has a structure similar to that of the above-described excavator-mounted LiDAR 45, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The work site LiDAR 46 includes a LiDAR main body 46A and a data transmission unit 46B. Data acquired by the LiDAR main body 46A can be transmitted to a data processing device 50 or the like via the data transmission unit 46B. As shown in FIG. 2, as an example, the work site LiDAR 46 is fixed to a pillar erected at the work site W. The position of the reference point of the work site LiDAR 46 is known. In other embodiments, a TOF (Time Of Flight) sensor, a stereo camera, or the like may be used instead of the work site LiDAR 46.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a block diagram including a data processing device 50 according to this embodiment. The data processing device 50 is capable of efficiently processing data related to the surrounding environment of the work site in accordance with predetermined processing conditions while ensuring an effective data volume. An example of the data is three-dimensional data acquired by the above-mentioned excavator-mounted LiDAR 45 or work site LiDAR 46 and transmitted to the data processing device 50. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, a drone (not shown) may fly above the work site W, and a drone-mounted LiDAR 47 attached to the drone may similarly acquire three-dimensional data and transmit it to the data processing device 50.

[0043] Then, the data processing device 50 performs predetermined processing on the data as necessary, and transmits the processed data via a preset transmission path to the data receiving unit 100. As shown in FIG. 3 , examples of such a data receiving unit 100 include an excavator machine control unit 101, an edge computer 102, and a cloud 103.

[0044] The shovel machine body control unit 101 is a functional unit included in a computer mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1. The shovel machine body control unit 101 controls the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 by inputting various command signals to the drive unit of the hydraulic excavator 1 described above. As an example, the shovel machine body control unit 101 may be a unit that controls automatic control of the hydraulic excavator 1. The processed three-dimensional data input from the data processing device 50 can be used by the shovel machine body control unit 101 to determine whether or not an obstacle exists around the hydraulic excavator 1. Furthermore, the shovel machine body control unit 101 may display an image of the surroundings of the hydraulic excavator 1 based on the processed three-dimensional data on a display (display unit, not shown) disposed in the cab 13. In this way, the shovel machine body control unit 101 can effectively use the three-dimensional data received from the data processing device 50.

[0045] The edge computer 102 is placed, for example, in a control room X and operated by a manager of the work site W. The edge computer 102 is used by the manager to manage the work of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site W. For this reason, processed three-dimensional data input from the data processing device 50 may be used to display an image of the work site W and the surrounding area of ​​the hydraulic excavator 1 on a display (not shown) of the edge computer 102. In this way, the edge computer 102 can effectively use the three-dimensional data received from the data processing device 50. Note that instead of the edge computer 102, a tablet (also referred to as a terminal device or a mobile terminal) held by a worker located at the work site W may also serve as the data receiving unit 100.

[0046] The cloud 103 stores the three-dimensional data transmitted from the data processing device 50. The three-dimensional data stored in the cloud 103 can be used by the control room X, a remote control center, or the like. Furthermore, a hydraulic excavator 1 located at the work site W or another hydraulic excavator 1 located at a remote location may receive the three-dimensional data from the cloud 103 and use it for work support. In this way, the cloud 103 can effectively use the three-dimensional data received from the data processing device 50.

[0047] 3 , if the amount of 3D data received by the data processing device 50 from the excavator-mounted LiDAR 45, the work site LiDAR 46, the drone-mounted LiDAR, etc. is enormous, the data processing device 50 cannot transmit the data promptly and stably to each data receiving unit 100. On the other hand, depending on the use of the data in the data receiving unit 100, there are cases where the 3D data acquired by the excavator-mounted LiDAR 45, etc. should be received as is. In this embodiment, the data processing device 50 can efficiently process data related to the surrounding environment of the work site in accordance with predetermined processing conditions while ensuring an effective data amount, and can stably transmit the processed data to each data receiving unit 100.

[0048] 4 is a block diagram of the data processing device 50 according to this embodiment. In the following example, the data processing device 50 is described as being installed inside the hydraulic excavator 1, but the data processing device 50 may also be installed outside the hydraulic excavator 1, such as in a control room X or a remote control center.

[0049] The data processing device 50 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is used as a work area for the CPU, etc. As shown in Fig. 3, the data processing device 50 is connected to each LiDAR and each data receiving unit 100. These connections may be wireless or wired.

[0050] By the CPU executing the control program stored in the ROM, the data processing device 50 functions to include the following functional units: a communication condition acquisition unit 501, a three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 (data acquisition unit), a data processing condition acquisition unit 503, a work information acquisition unit 504, a detailed shape request unit 505, a shape complexity determination unit 506, a data transmission load determination unit 507, a processing method setting unit 508, a three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509, a transmission unit 510, and a storage unit 511. These functional units function as part of the control unit in this embodiment, but do not necessarily have physical entities and correspond to units of functions executed by the control program. Note that all or part of the data processing device 50 is not limited to being provided within the hydraulic excavator 1, and may be located in a location different from the hydraulic excavator 1 when the hydraulic excavator 1 is remotely controlled. In addition, the control program may be transmitted from a remote server (management device) or cloud to a data processing device 50 in the hydraulic excavator 1 and executed therein, or the control program may be executed on the server or cloud, and various command signals generated may be transmitted to the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0051] The communication condition acquisition unit 501 acquires information (also referred to as communication information) relating to the state of the transmission path between the transmitting unit 510 and the data receiving unit 100, i.e., communication conditions. As an example, the communication condition acquisition unit 501 acquires information relating to the current communication status of the transmission path, information relating to the communication speed when the unprocessed data or the processed data is transmitted through the transmission path, etc. Note that the information relating to the communication speed may be measured by a predetermined speed measurement device, or if the communication environment is known, the communication speed may be acquired as a fixed value. These pieces of information are used as data processing information in this embodiment.

[0052] The 3D data acquisition unit 502 acquires pre-processed data, which is 3D data that indicates the shape of the work site. This pre-processed data corresponds to the distance data acquired by the various LiDARs mentioned above. Note that "pre-processed" refers to the processing executed by the 3D data processing method determination unit 509, which will be described later. For this reason, pre-processing may be performed on the distance data acquired by the various LiDARs, such as clipping data from only the required area.

[0053] The data processing condition acquisition unit 503 acquires information regarding preset processing conditions for the three-dimensional data. Examples of the processing conditions include the grid size and number of divisions for the three-dimensional data. The grid size corresponds to the grid size when a predetermined grid is applied to the point cloud included in the range data acquired by each LiDAR and the data within each grid is averaged to reduce the weight of the three-dimensional data. The number of divisions corresponds to the number of divisions when a predetermined number of point clouds included in the range data acquired by each LiDAR are divided and each divided small group of data is averaged to reduce the weight of the three-dimensional data. These processing conditions are preset as default settings, and the information is transmitted to the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509.

[0054] The work information acquisition unit 504 acquires work information, which is information relating to work to be performed by the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site W. The work information may be stored in advance in the data processing device 50, or may be received from the hydraulic excavator 1 via a communication device (not shown). The work information will be described in detail below. The work information relates to work used in work by the construction machine, and includes not only the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 but also the monitoring and management thereof.

[0055] The detailed shape request unit 505 can forcibly input a command signal (detailed shape request signal) corresponding to whether or not weight reduction processing is required for the three-dimensional data to the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509. For example, the detailed shape request unit 505 generates the command signal when detailed information about the three-dimensional data is required on the data receiving unit 100 side, regardless of the communication speed, transmission load, and work information described above. In this case, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509, which will be described later, can process the three-dimensional data based on the default settings or predetermined refinement settings (settings that make the grid finer) acquired by the data processing condition acquisition unit 503. The detailed shape request unit 505 functions as an input unit in this embodiment.

[0056] The shape complexity determination unit 506 determines (judges) the complexity of the shape of the three-dimensional data (pre-processing data) acquired by each LiDAR. As an example, the shape complexity determination unit 506 determines whether the shape of the point cloud included in the three-dimensional data can be approximated to a plane based on a known method. In this case, the sum F of the squared error values ​​may be calculated using the well-known least squares method, and if F is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the object may be approximated to a plane. Alternatively, the equation of the plane may be calculated using the least squares method, and the deviation of each point group (shape data) from the plane may be evaluated to determine whether or not the object can be approximated to a plane. The shape complexity of the 3D data determined by the shape complexity determination unit 506 is used by the 3D data processing method determination unit 509 to determine whether or not weight reduction processing should be performed.

[0057] The data transmission load determination unit 507 calculates and determines the transmission load when the pre-processing data and the post-processing data are transmitted from the transmission unit 510, based on the information on the communication conditions acquired by the communication condition acquisition unit 501, the three-dimensional data (pre-processing data) acquired by the three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502, and the information on the data processing conditions acquired by the data processing condition acquisition unit 503. As an example, the data transmission load determination unit 507 can calculate the transmission load using the following equations 1 and 2. Transmission load of unprocessed data: N1 = 3D data size / communication speed (Equation 1) Post-processing data transmission load: N2 = 3D data size / (grid size × communication speed) (Equation 2) The 3D data size corresponds to the data volume of the data before processing. The 3D data processing method determination unit 509 (described later) can determine whether or not weight reduction processing is required for the 3D data based on the magnitude relationship between the transmission load calculated using Equation 1 and Equation 2 and a preset threshold. Note that the grid size in Equation 2 may be substituted with other parameters, such as the number of divisions mentioned above.

[0058] The processing method setting unit 508 is operated by, for example, an operator to receive input of processing methods for weight reduction processing and refinement processing to be executed by the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509. In this case, data processing information, which will be described later, may be input via the processing method setting unit 508. The processing method setting unit 508 inputs and sets the processing method for the three-dimensional data to the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 based on the received processing method and data processing information.

[0059] The three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 is capable of performing a predetermined weight reduction process on the pre-processed data acquired by the three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 to generate processed data to be used in the work of the hydraulic excavator 1. Furthermore, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 is capable of determining whether or not to perform the weight reduction process based on at least one piece of data processing information. Furthermore, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 is capable of further determining the processing method of the weight reduction process based on the data processing information.

[0060] As an example, when performing point cloud processing (point thinning, grid data conversion, voxel data conversion, etc.) on 3D data, the 3D data processing method determination unit 509 determines whether simplification should be performed based on the default processing conditions (thinning rate, grid size, voxel size, etc.) in accordance with the communication speed, transmission load, and work information described above, and executes the processing as necessary. When performing the weight reduction process, the simplification rate relative to the default settings can be adjusted in stages in accordance with, for example, the transmission load and work information. Furthermore, the voxel data conversion and voxel size described above refer to data averaging based on a three-dimensional grid (box) as opposed to data averaging based on a planar grid.

[0061] The transmitting unit 510 is connected to the data receiving unit 100 that receives the processed data via a predetermined transmission path (transmission route), and is capable of transmitting the processed data to the data receiving unit 100.

[0062] Various types of data processing information, which will be described in detail later, are stored in advance in the storage unit 511. The three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 refers to the information stored in the storage unit 511 to determine whether or not weight reduction is necessary and the processing method to be used.

[0063] Next, a more detailed description will be given of the determination of whether or not to perform the lightweighting process performed by the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509. Table 1 shows the simplification rate (degree of lightweighting process) for the lightweighting default setting determined by the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 according to the work information performed by the hydraulic excavator 1 and the communication load on the transmission path. [Table 1]

[0064] The three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 can reference information such as that shown in Table 1 from the storage unit 511 and set a simplification rate for the weight reduction process according to the work information and communication load of the hydraulic excavator 1. The simplification rate refers to the rate or degree of further simplification relative to the default weight reduction process settings (such as grid size). For example, when the hydraulic excavator 1 is traveling on flat ground and the communication load N1 calculated by the data transmission load determination unit 507 is less than a preset threshold C, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 determines that weight reduction is unnecessary. In this case, since the communication load is small, the three-dimensional data (pre-processed data) can be transmitted to the data receiving unit 100 without weight reduction. Furthermore, when the communication load N1 is equal to or greater than the threshold C and the communication load N2 is less than a preset threshold A, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 sets the simplification rate to 0% and performs weight reduction with the default settings. On the other hand, when traveling on flat ground, if the communication load N1 is equal to or greater than the threshold C and the communication load N2 is equal to or greater than the threshold A and equal to or less than the preset threshold B, or if the communication load N1 is equal to or greater than the threshold C and the communication load N2 exceeds the threshold B, the 3D data processing method determination unit 509 sets the simplification rate to 50%. In this case, since the communication load N is relatively large, the 3D data is further simplified (lightened) by 50% compared to the default lightweighting process, allowing for easy and prompt transmission to the data receiving unit 100. As an example, the grid size may be increased to half the default number of divisions. The same applies to the swinging and rough excavation periods in Table 1. Note that the swinging period refers to a period in which the upper swinging unit 12 is swinging relative to the lower running unit 10, and nearby obstacles are known in advance by the excavator-mounted LiDAR 45, for example.

[0065] Table 2 shows a table for the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 to determine whether or not to perform weight reduction processing depending on the type of work to be performed by the hydraulic excavator 1, etc. [Table 2]

[0066] The 3D data processing method determination unit 509 references information such as that shown in Table 2 from the storage unit 511 and determines that 3D data weighting processing should not be performed when a specific task is being performed, such as "traveling uphill" or "sensing soil and sand in the bucket or a held object." When the hydraulic excavator 1 is traveling uphill, it is desirable to use as much of the surrounding 3D data as possible to grasp the surrounding shape in order to ensure safety. Also, when sensing soil and sand in the bucket or a held object, it is desirable to use as much of the 3D data acquired by, for example, the excavator-mounted LiDAR 45 to grasp the condition inside the bucket with higher accuracy.

[0067] Furthermore, when performing tasks such as "current situation sensing (the operation of detecting the situation around the hydraulic excavator 1)" and "finished form evaluation (the operation of shaping the shape of earth and sand using the bucket of the hydraulic excavator 1 and evaluating that shape)," the 3D data processing method determination unit 509 can determine that more precise refinement processing than the default setting is required for the 3D data acquired by each LiDAR. For refinement processing, in addition to using known methods, it is possible to reduce the grid size or make the number of divisions finer.

[0068] The work content being performed by the hydraulic excavator 1 can be determined based on machine operation information, end attachment information, and preset work plan information (in the case of automatic operation). Examples of machine operation information include the posture of the attachment and the pressure of each cylinder. Examples of end attachment information include bucket position information and the type of attached attachment. For example, if a nibbler is attached, it can be determined that demolition work is being performed. The work plan information may be stored in advance in the memory unit 511 of the data processing device 50 or in a memory unit (not shown) provided in the hydraulic excavator 1. This information may be generated in advance by a worker operating the hydraulic excavator 1 and storing the movements in each memory unit, so-called teaching. Furthermore, if the hydraulic excavator 1 is remotely controlled, the work plan information may be provided from a remote operation device located at a location distant from the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0069] In other words, the information contained in Tables 1 and 2 above is stored in the storage unit 511 as the data processing information, in which a plurality of level information and information on whether the weight reduction process needs to be performed corresponding to each level information are associated with each other. In this case, each level information corresponds to the work information in Table 1, and in Table 2 corresponds to "driving on flat ground," "driving on a slope," etc.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Table 2, in this embodiment, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 can further perform a predetermined refinement process, instead of a weight reduction process, on the pre-processing data acquired by the three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 to generate processed data.The three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 can then determine whether or not to perform the refinement process based on the data processing information.Furthermore, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 can further determine a processing method for the refinement process based on the data processing information.

[0071] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of processing executed by the data processing device 50 according to this embodiment. For example, when a processing start switch (not shown) provided in the cab 13 of the hydraulic excavator 1 is turned on, the data processing device 50 starts the processing shown in Fig. 5. In the data processing device 50, as described above, the three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 acquires three-dimensional data from any of the LiDARs, the communication condition acquisition unit 501 acquires information related to the communication speed (communication information), the data processing condition acquisition unit 503 acquires information on the data processing conditions, and the work information acquisition unit 504 acquires work information of the hydraulic excavator 1 (step S1).

[0072] Next, as an example, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 confirms that a detailed shape request signal has been input to the detailed shape request unit 505 (step S2).

[0073] Next, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 determines whether or not a detailed shape request signal has been input to the three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 (step S3). If a detailed shape request signal has been input in step S3 (YES in step S3), the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 proceeds to step S11. Then, based on Table 2 and the like, it determines whether or not the work to be performed by the hydraulic excavator 1 requires refinement of the three-dimensional data (step S11). If refinement of the three-dimensional data is required (YES in step S11), the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 processes the three-dimensional data under refined conditions and transmits the data to the data receiving unit 100 via the transmission unit 510 (step S13). On the other hand, if refinement of the three-dimensional data is not required (NO in step S11), the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 processes the three-dimensional data under default conditions and transmits the data to the data receiving unit 100 via the transmission unit 510 (step S12).

[0074] On the other hand, if a detailed shape request signal has not been input in step S3 (NO in step S3), the shape complexity determination unit 506 determines the complexity of the shape included in the three-dimensional data as described above (step S4). If the shape is complex (YES in step S5), the process proceeds to step S7.

[0075] In step S7, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 determines whether or not the work currently being performed by the hydraulic excavator 1, or the purpose for which the processed data is used in the data receiving unit 100, is work for which a detailed shape is essential. If a detailed shape is essential (YES in step S7), the process proceeds to step S11 described above, and the same processing is executed.

[0076] On the other hand, if a detailed shape is not required in step S7 (NO in step S7), the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 determines whether the work currently being performed by the hydraulic excavator 1 or the purpose for which the processed data is used in the data receiving unit 100 is work that does not require a detailed shape (step S8). If the work requires a detailed shape (NO in step S8), the process proceeds to step S9.

[0077] In step S9, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 determines whether the communication speed on the current transmission path is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value by referring to the information acquired by the communication condition acquisition unit 501. If the communication speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value (YES in step S9), the process proceeds to step S10.

[0078] In step S10, the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 determines whether the communication load is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value based on the result of calculation and determination by the data transmission load determination unit 507. If the communication load is equal to or less than the threshold value (YES in step S10), the process proceeds to step S12 described above, and the same process is executed.

[0079] In addition, in the following cases: if the shape contained in the three-dimensional data is not complex in step S5 (NO in step S5); if the work does not require detailed shapes in step S8 (YES in step S8); if the communication speed on the current transmission path is less than the threshold in step S9 (NO in step S9); or if the communication load exceeds the threshold in step S10 (NO in step S10), the three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 executes a weighting process corresponding to the information in Table 1, etc., and transmits the data to the data receiving unit 100 via the transmitting unit 510 (step S6).

[0080] In the above flowchart, the order of the steps may be reversed, the order of the steps may be rearranged, or some steps may be skipped, depending on the purpose of the processed data and the constraints of the construction site. The data processing device 50 may also perform the refinement process exclusively without performing the weight reduction process. In this case, the data processing device 50 can also perform a predetermined refinement process on the acquired pre-processed data to generate processed data to be used in the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1. The data processing device 50 can then determine whether or not to perform the refinement process based on at least one piece of data processing information. Furthermore, the data processing device 50 can further determine the processing method for the refinement process based on the data processing information. Other aspects of the weight reduction process of the first embodiment may also be applied to the refinement process. Even in such cases, the loss of necessary data and unnecessary increases in the amount of data are prevented through data processing.

[0081] Second Embodiment FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a data processing device 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the previous embodiment, the data processing device 50 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 was used for explanation, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 6, the detailed shape request unit 505, the shape complexity determination unit 506, and the processing method setting unit 508 shown in FIG. 4 are not essential components. Even in such a case, the 3D data processing method determination unit 509 can perform a predetermined weight reduction process on the pre-processing data acquired by the 3D data acquisition unit 502 to generate processed data to be used in operation by the hydraulic excavator 1, and can determine whether or not to perform the weight reduction process based on at least one piece of data processing information. The 3D data processing method determination unit 509 can also further determine the processing method of the weight reduction process based on the data processing information. Other technical features of the data processing device 50 shown in FIG. 4 may also be implemented in the data processing device 50 shown in FIG. 6.

[0082] Third Embodiment Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a data processing device 50 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a virtual section of a work site in the data processing device 50 according to this embodiment. Fig. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the tilt angle and the grid size in the data processing device 50 according to this embodiment.

[0083] In this embodiment, the data processing device 50 (controller) determines whether or not to perform the lightweighting process or the detailed processing based on the inclination angle of the design surface of the work site or the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site. For example, the data processing device 50 calculates the inclination angle from the design surface information of the work site or the current shape of the work site (pre-processing data), and by making the grid size finer as the inclination angle increases, the topography can be accurately represented even after grid processing.

[0084] The data processing device 50 includes a design surface information acquisition unit 551 , a three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 , a three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 , and a transmission unit 510 .

[0085] The design surface information acquisition unit 551 acquires information about a design surface that is set in advance for the work site of the hydraulic excavator 1. As an example, the design surface is information about the slope (target surface) of the earth and sand after excavation and leveling by the hydraulic excavator 1. This information may be set based on a predetermined coordinate system at the work site. Note that the information about the design surface may be surface information or angle information.

[0086] As in the first embodiment, the three-dimensional data acquisition unit 502 can acquire three-dimensional data of the work site from LiDAR, TOF, stereo camera, etc. The transmission unit 510 is also similar to that in the first embodiment.

[0087] The three-dimensional data processing method determination unit 509 includes a tilt angle calculation unit 552 , a grid size determination unit 553 , and a grid processing unit 554 .

[0088] The tilt angle calculation unit 552 calculates the tilt angle from design surface information at the work site or the current state shape at the work site. The design surface information can refer to the results acquired by the design surface information acquisition unit 551. On the other hand, the current state shape can refer to the results acquired by the 3D data acquisition unit 502.

[0089] When using design surface information, the inclination angle calculation unit 552 may extract design surface information corresponding to the target area to be converted into grid data and calculate the average value of the inclination angle, or may use the largest inclination angle among multiple inclination angles in an area at each predetermined distance from the upper rotating body 12 in a plan view. Also, when detailed design surface information does not exist for a work site and only the slope angle is specified, the inclination angle calculation unit 552 may use the specified angle information.

[0090] On the other hand, when the current shape is used, the inclination angle may be calculated by obtaining an approximate plane from the point cloud acquired by the 3D data acquisition unit 502 and converted into grid data. As in the case of the design surface information, the inclination angle calculation unit 552 may use the largest inclination angle among multiple inclination angles in areas at predetermined distances from the upper rotating body 12.

[0091] As an example, in either the case of design surface information or current shape, in Fig. 8, the work area of ​​the work site is virtually divided into A1, A2, A3, and A4, starting from the area closest to the hydraulic excavator 1. Once the inclination angle of each section is calculated, the largest inclination angle among them is used to determine the grid size.

[0092] The grid size determination unit 553 determines the grid size according to the tilt angle calculated by the tilt angle calculation unit 552. For example, the grid size determination unit 553 may determine the grid size from the calculated tilt angle according to a preset graph (map) as shown in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the grid size determination unit 553 may determine the grid size discretely based on a preset threshold value related to the tilt angle. The map exemplified in FIG. 9 may be arbitrarily set by a user or operator. Note that in FIG. 9, the graph is set to be inclined so that the grid size is constant up to a predetermined tilt angle, and then the grid size becomes smaller as the tilt angle increases.

[0093] Regarding the grid size, the sizes of Gx and Gy in Fig. 8 may be the same or different. When the grid size is determined, either Gx or Gy in Fig. 8 may be a fixed value, or both may be variable.

[0094] The grid processing unit 554 performs a lightening process or a finer process on the 3D data based on the grid of the size determined by the grid size determination unit 553. The processed data is transmitted from the transmission unit 510.

[0095] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the actual inclined surface and the processed data when the grid size is coarse. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the actual inclined surface and the processed data when the grid size is fine. In each diagram, there is an inclined surface in front of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the actual inclined surface (current shape) is depicted with a dashed line. In particular, a portion of this surface is steeper than the surfaces in front and behind it. Here, when the grid size is coarse as in FIG. 10, the above-mentioned steep inclined surface cannot be recognized in the solid line connecting the data (circles) after the weight reduction process has been performed, and the deviation from the current shape becomes large.

[0096] On the other hand, when the grid size is fine, as shown in Figure 11, the solid line connecting the data (circles) after weight reduction processing can recognize the steeply inclined surfaces mentioned above, and the deviation from the current shape can be reduced compared to Figure 10. This processing is also the same when the inclination indicated by the dashed line in each figure is the design surface.

[0097] As described above, in this embodiment, by determining whether or not to perform each process depending on the inclination angle of the design surface or the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site, valid data for the inclined portion can be maintained. In particular, in the case of the weight reduction process, the processed data shape can be prevented from becoming too smooth due to the averaging process, i.e., the loss of inclined portions from the data can be prevented. Furthermore, by determining whether or not to perform a process depending on the inclination angle of the design surface, the degree of deviation between the shape of the design surface and the current shape of the work site can be accurately calculated. Furthermore, by determining whether or not to perform a process depending on the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site, the current shape of the work site can be accurately calculated even during work where prior design surface information is not available. Therefore, for example, automatic excavation work can be efficiently performed according to the topographical shape of the work site.

[0098] <Fourth embodiment> 12 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, as compared with the third embodiment, the data processing device 50 includes a reference data selection unit 550. The reference data selection unit 550 is capable of selecting which inclination angle to use from the inclination angle of the design surface and the inclination angle of the current shape when performing the weight reduction process or the refinement process.

[0099] As an example, the reference data selection unit 550 may be an input unit such as a touch panel arranged in the cab 13 of the hydraulic excavator 1 or on a remote control device. Through the reference data selection unit 550, the operator of the hydraulic excavator 1 can select which inclination angle to use from the inclination angle of the design surface and the inclination angle of the current shape when performing the weight reduction processing or the refinement processing, and input the value.

[0100] Fifth Embodiment 13 is a block diagram of a data processing device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, compared to the fourth embodiment, the 3D data processing method determination unit 509 has the function of a reference data selection unit 550. In this case, the reference data selection unit 550 may select reference data based on the calculation results of both the inclination angle of the design surface and the inclination angle of the current shape. For example, the reference data selection unit 550 may select the larger inclination angle data of the two calculated inclination angles.

[0101] According to the fourth and fifth embodiments, the user can select which information to use depending on the purpose of using the data. Furthermore, by adopting the information with the larger inclination angle, it is possible to prevent the grid used for processing from being too coarse or too fine. As a result, it is possible to reduce communication loads and the like while maintaining the required accuracy according to the inclination angle of the work site.

[0102] Sixth and Seventh Embodiments Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of grid sizes during data processing in a data processing device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of grid sizes during data processing in a data processing device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0103] In the sixth and seventh embodiments, the data processing device 50 determines whether or not to perform the weight reduction processing or the detailed processing depending on the progress of the work in the range where the three-dimensional data is acquired.

[0104] With this configuration, for example, in work areas where there will be no further shape changes, such as areas where compaction has been completed or concrete has been poured, the processing load and communication load can be reduced by using a coarse grid for processing. Alternatively, in work areas where finishing work has been completed, it is possible to obtain detailed information about the shape of the work area for saving final work site data.

[0105] <Other Modified Embodiments> Other variations of the embodiment are described below.

[0106] The data processing device 50 may determine whether or not the weight reduction process or the detailed process needs to be performed depending on the area where the hydraulic excavator 1 has performed work.

[0107] For example, the data processing device 50 can determine areas where the bucket 23 has moved in response to work by the hydraulic excavator 1 or areas where an external force has acted on the bucket 23 from sensor information such as a cylinder pressure sensor, and refine the point cloud grid for the relevant areas. Fig. 14 shows how the grid size is set uniformly fine around the bucket 23 (tip attachment) of the work attachment 20. On the other hand, Fig. 15 shows how the grid size is set gradually coarser around the bucket 23 of the work attachment 20 from areas closer to the bucket 23 to areas farther away. This coarsening setting may be a gradual change or a continuous change.

[0108] According to this configuration, for example, in areas where the shape changes before and after construction, the grid used for each process can be made finer, while in other areas the grid can be made coarser, thereby reducing the processing load and communication load while ensuring the necessary amount of information.

[0109] In addition, the data processing device 50 may determine whether or not to perform the weight reduction processing or the miniaturization processing based on at least one of the operating mode of the hydraulic excavator 1 and operator information regarding the operator operating the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0110] According to this configuration, for example, when the operation mode is automatic, the grid used for processing can be made finer to check accuracy, or when the operator is an experienced operator, the construction accuracy is high, so the grid used for processing can be made coarser, thereby reducing the processing load and communication load while ensuring the necessary amount of information.

[0111] In the above, the driving mode may be, for example, any one of "on-board driving," "remote driving," and "automatic (autonomous) driving." The setting of which driving mode to adopt may be input from the outside, for example, via an operation panel in the cab 13, or may be determined from the state of the machine (presence or absence of lever operation input, whether or not automatic driving is in progress, whether or not a command signal from remote driving is received, etc.).

[0112] For example, by setting the grid size for each operation mode in advance, it becomes possible to acquire data according to the construction accuracy required at the work site. As an example, it is possible to acquire the shape of the work site by setting the processing coarsely for work requiring relatively high construction accuracy and finely for work requiring relatively low construction accuracy.

[0113] Furthermore, the operator information (passenger information) may be such that grid processing settings are defined in advance according to the skill level of each operator, and the operator selects and inputs the information via an operation panel or the like.

[0114] If the shape (slope) and conditions of the work site cannot be acquired in detail, the following problems may occur: For example, the acquired data may lead to a false determination that work is complete, even though the work is in fact incomplete. Furthermore, when performing automatic excavation, it may not be possible to set an appropriate penetration depth, which may result in dry excavation and an increase in work man-hours. Conversely, the excavation may become deep, which may result in a decrease in construction accuracy due to the large reaction force acting on the bucket 23.

[0115] The range of the work site used to calculate the tilt angle may be set to, for example, about two or three times the size of a preset reference grid, and the distance to the range may be determined depending on the data density of the sensor (for example, a distance sensor) used. This is because if the tilt angle is calculated in a small area using data acquired by a sensor with a low density, the reliability of the calculation result will be low.

[0116] Examples of such external input units include user selection via a cluster or touch panel. In the case of automatic operation, switching is also possible according to the progress of construction. Furthermore, in the early stages of excavation or rough excavation, current status data may be used. In the case of finishing work, design surface data may be used.

[0117] The position of the hydraulic excavator 1 and the relative position of the bucket 23 with respect to the design surface or current shape surface of the work site can be managed and controlled by various methods. Such control can be applied to each of the above-mentioned embodiments. Examples of such methods are described below.

[0118] First, the data processing device 50 may detect and acquire information regarding the attitude of the work attachment 20 relative to the upper rotating body 12. As an example, the data processing device 50 includes three sensors attached to the boom cylinder 21S, arm cylinder 22S, and bucket cylinder 23S, respectively, and detects the stroke (extension amount, length) of each cylinder. The stroke of each cylinder detected by each sensor is used to calculate the position and attitude of the boom 21, arm 22, and bucket 23. Note that, in order to calculate the position and attitude of the boom 21, arm 22, and bucket 23, angle sensors that detect the rotation angles of the boom 21, arm 22, and bucket 23 may be used instead of cylinder stroke sensors.

[0119] Second, the data processing device 50 acquires position information of the hydraulic excavator 1. As an example, the data processing device 50 may be capable of acquiring main body coordinate information, which is information regarding the absolute coordinates at the work site of a main body reference point previously provided on the upper rotating body 12. In this case, the data processing device 50 has an antenna that constitutes the main body reference point. The antenna is disposed, for example, on the top surface of the cab 13 and functions as a GNSS mobile station. Meanwhile, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) reference station (not shown) may be provided to acquire the main body coordinate information. The GNSS reference station is a reference station that is disposed at the work site or in a location closest to the work site. Note that, in addition to the well-known GPS (Global Positioning System), satellite positioning systems such as GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), Galileo, and QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System) may also be adopted as the GNSS.

[0120] Third, the data processing device 50 may be capable of detecting the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 with respect to the ground. In this case, the data processing device 50 includes an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) attached to the upper rotating body 12. The IMU detects information related to the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 (upper rotating body 12) with respect to the ground G. In other words, the IMU detects the attitude and angle (inclination) of the hydraulic excavator 1 body.

[0121] As described above, according to each embodiment of the present invention, the control unit of the data processing device can determine whether or not to perform a lightening process or a refinement process on the pre-processed data based on at least one piece of data processing information. Therefore, even when a lightening process or a refinement process is not required, the lightening process or the refinement process is executed, which prevents the loss of necessary data or the unnecessary increase in the amount of data. As a result, it becomes possible to efficiently process data related to the surrounding environment of the work site in accordance with predetermined processing conditions while ensuring an effective amount of data.

[0122] In particular, it is possible to determine whether further lightweighting or refinement is required compared to the default settings based on communication speed and transmission load. It is also possible to determine whether lightweighting is acceptable based on work information, or whether more detailed processing than the default settings is required. This allows 3D data to be processed appropriately according to various situations.

[0123] Furthermore, the control unit of the data processing device 50 can further determine the processing method for lightening or refining the unprocessed data based on the data processing information, and can therefore select an appropriate lightening or refining processing method depending on the data processing information.

[0124] In addition, the control unit of the data processing device 50 can appropriately determine and set the need for or the processing method of lightening processing or fine-tuning processing based on at least one of information regarding the communication status on the current transmission path, information regarding at least one of the communication speed and transmission load when transmitting unprocessed data or processed data through the transmission path, and information regarding the work of the work machine at the work site.

[0125] Furthermore, the control unit of the data processing device 50 can determine whether or not to perform weight reduction processing based on the shape contained in the three-dimensional data before processing, and can therefore efficiently determine whether or not to reduce the data weight while maintaining the reproducibility of the shape.

[0126] For example, data processing is performed after determining whether the shape is simple and the data can be approximated to a plane, so if approximation is possible, the communication load can be reduced while ensuring shape accuracy.

[0127] Furthermore, the control unit of the data processing device 50 can refer to the data processing information stored in the memory unit 511 and accurately determine whether or not to perform lightening processing or refinement processing corresponding to each level information.

[0128] Furthermore, the control unit of the data processing device 50 can forcibly execute processing in accordance with the intention of the operator or user by inputting a command signal through the input unit.

[0129] Furthermore, the control unit of the data processing device 50 can refer to the data processing information and, if refinement processing is required instead of weight reduction processing, generate refined data and send it to the data receiving unit. Also, the control unit can refer to the data processing information and, if refinement processing is required instead of weight reduction processing, generate data using an appropriate refinement processing method and send it to the data receiving unit.

[0130] The data processing device 50 of the hydraulic excavator 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the present invention can take on the following modified embodiments.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the hydraulic excavator 1 has been used as the work machine, but the present invention is not limited to this. The work machine according to the present invention may have a structure other than that of a hydraulic excavator. Furthermore, the working member disposed at the tip of the work attachment 20 is not limited to the bucket 23. Furthermore, the upper body according to the present invention may be configured not to rotate relative to the lower traveling structure 10. In this case, the front-to-rear direction of the upper body and the front-to-rear direction of the lower traveling structure 10 coincide with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 1. Hydraulic excavator 10 Undercarriage 100 Data receiving unit 101 Excavator body control unit 102 Edge Computer 103 Cloud 12 Upper rotating body 20 Work attachment 45 Excavator-mounted LiDAR 46 Worksite LiDAR 47 Drone-mounted LiDAR 50 Data processing device 501 Communication condition acquisition unit 502 3D Data Acquisition Unit 503 Data processing condition acquisition unit 504 Work Information Acquisition Unit 505 Detailed shape request section 506 Shape complexity judgment unit 507 Data transmission load determination unit 508 Processing method setting section 509 3D Data Processing Method Judgment Department 510 Transmitter G ground

Claims

1. a data acquisition unit that acquires pre-processed data, which is three-dimensional data indicating the shape of a work site; a control unit capable of performing a predetermined lightening process or a refinement process on the pre-processing data acquired by the data acquisition unit to generate processed data to be used in work by a work machine, and a control unit capable of determining whether or not to perform the lightening process or the refinement process based on at least one piece of data processing information; A data processing device for a work machine comprising:

2. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1, A data processing device for a work machine, wherein the control unit is further capable of determining a processing method for the weight reduction processing or the fineness processing based on the data processing information.

3. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, a transmitting unit that is connected to a data receiving unit that receives the processed data through a predetermined transmission path and is capable of transmitting the processed data; The data processing information is Information about the current communication status of the transmission path; information regarding at least one of a communication speed and a transmission load when the unprocessed data or the processed data is transmitted through the transmission path; and and information relating to the work being performed by the work machine at the work site.

4. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit determines the complexity of the shape of the three-dimensional data included in the pre-processing data, and determines whether or not to perform the weight reduction processing or the refinement processing depending on the result of the determination.

5. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, A data processing device for a work machine further comprising a storage unit that stores, as the data processing information, a plurality of level information and information on whether the lightening process or the fineness process corresponding to each level information needs to be performed, in association with each other.

6. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, A data processing device for a work machine, further comprising an input unit that can forcibly input to the control unit a command signal corresponding to whether or not the weight reduction process or the fineness process needs to be performed.

7. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit is a data processing device for a work machine that determines whether or not to perform the weight reduction processing or the refinement processing based on the inclination angle of the design surface of the work site or the inclination angle of the current shape of the work site.

8. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 7, A data processing device for a work machine, further comprising a reference data selection unit that can select which inclination angle to use from the inclination angle of the design surface and the inclination angle of the current shape when performing the weight reduction processing or the refinement processing.

9. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit is a data processing device for a work machine that determines whether or not the weight reduction processing or the refinement processing needs to be performed depending on the progress of work within the range in which the three-dimensional data is obtained.

10. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit is a data processing device for a work machine that determines whether or not to execute the lightening process or the fine-tuning process depending on the area in which the work machine has performed work.

11. A data processing device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit is a data processing device for a work machine that determines whether or not to perform the lightening process or the miniaturization process based on at least one piece of information selected from the operating mode of the work machine and operator information related to an operator who operates the work machine.

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