Work support system, information transmission method, transport vehicle, information transmission device and computer program

Abstract

To provide a work support system, an information transmission method, a transport vehicle, an information transmission device, and a computer program.SOLUTION: A work support system includes a work support server and a transport vehicle, the transport vehicle detects the position and attitude of an own vehicle, and transmits vehicle information including the detected position and attitude to the work support server, and the work support server specifies a positional relation between a construction machine and the transport vehicle on the basis of the vehicle information received from the transport vehicle and three-dimensional measurement data of a construction site, and generates work support information including the specified positional relation to transmit the work support information to the construction machine.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work support system, an information transmission method, a transport vehicle, an information transmission device, and a computer program. [Background technology]

[0002] At civil engineering and construction work sites using construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators, work support utilizing ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is being promoted. For example, a work support system has been proposed that autonomously or remotely controls construction machinery to perform 3D measurements of the terrain and construction objects and proceed with construction based on the obtained 3D measurement data. Another work support system has been proposed that uses 3D measurement data of construction objects to manage the progress and accuracy of construction (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-157600 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The work support system uses 3D measurement data to calculate the relative position and posture of the construction machinery in relation to the object being worked on, and based on the calculation results, supports the work by autonomously or remotely controlling the operation of the arms mounted on the construction machinery and the buckets connected to the arms.

[0005] In the above-mentioned work support system, the construction objects to be measured are objects with known dimensions and fixed positions, such as gas pipes and water pipes. The transport vehicles used for loading and unloading work at work sites vary in shape, and their positions and postures change each time. For this reason, if a work support system is to be used, it is necessary to perform 3D measurements of each transport vehicle for each task and recalculate the position and posture of each transport vehicle each time, which is cumbersome and requires a great deal of computing power. Currently, operators operate construction machinery to perform tasks such as loading and unloading from transport vehicles, and work support systems such as those described above are not being utilized.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide a work assistance system, an information transmission method, a transport vehicle, an information transmission device, and a computer program that utilize information on the position and posture of a transport vehicle to assist construction machinery in work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The work support system disclosed herein is a work support system that includes a work support server that acquires three-dimensional measurement data of a construction site including construction machinery and generates work support information for the construction machinery by referring to the acquired three-dimensional measurement data, and further includes a transport vehicle, wherein the transport vehicle detects its own position and attitude and transmits vehicle information including the detected position and attitude to the work support server, and the work support server identifies the positional relationship between the construction machinery and the transport vehicle based on the vehicle information received from the transport vehicle and the three-dimensional measurement data, generates work support information including the identified positional relationship, and transmits it to the construction machinery. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, information on the position and attitude of a transport vehicle can be used to provide work support to construction machinery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a work support system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the construction machine. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a work support server. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of an information transmission device provided in a transport vehicle. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing executed by a transport vehicle, a work support server, and a construction machine. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of setting a restricted area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example configuration of a work support system. The work support system SYS of this embodiment includes a construction machine 1 that performs civil engineering work, construction work, etc., and a work support server 2 that provides work support to the construction machine 1. The construction machine 1 and the work support server 2 are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a communication network NW. The communication network NW may be a local wireless communication network such as WiFi (registered trademark), or a global wireless communication network such as 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0011] In this embodiment, the construction machine 1 is a hydraulic excavator. The construction machine 1 comprises a lower traveling body 11 having a traveling function using crawlers, and an upper rotating body 12 that can swing relative to the lower traveling body 11. The lower traveling body 11 is driven by a hydraulic traveling motor. The upper rotating body 12 is driven by a hydraulic swing motor. The upper rotating body 12 comprises a working device 13 consisting of a boom 13a, an arm 13b, and a bucket 13c. The working device 13 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder. An operator of the construction machine 1 sits in a driver's seat 14 and operates control levers and the like to control the traveling operation of the lower traveling body 11, the swing operation of the upper rotating body 12, and the operation of the working device 13, thereby performing work.

[0012] In this embodiment, the construction machine 1 will be described as a hydraulic excavator, but the construction machine 1 is not limited to a hydraulic excavator and may be any known construction machine such as a bulldozer, a wheel loader, or a crane truck.

[0013] As described above, the construction machine 1 is controlled by the operation of the operator. In this embodiment, in addition to manual control by the operator, autonomous control or remote control is possible with work support from the work support server 2.

[0014] The work support server 2 acquires 3D measurement data of the work site and provides work support to the construction machine 1 by referring to the acquired 3D measurement data. The work support server 2 performs 3D measurement of the topography of the work site and the work target and construction machine 1 included in the work site, and identifies the position and posture of the work target and construction machine 1 at the work site (3D space). A known method such as 3D-LiDAR (3D - Light Detection and Ranging) is used for the 3D measurement. For this reason, the work support system SYS may be equipped with measuring instruments such as a 3D-LiDAR sensor and a ranging sensor. The work support server 2 may also use a GPS (Global Positioning System) to identify the absolute position (global coordinates) of the work target and construction machine 1. In this embodiment, the work support server 2 is configured to perform 3D measurement, but the 3D measurement may also be performed by an external device. In this case, the work support server 2 simply acquires the results of the 3D measurement from the external device.

[0015] The work support server 2 calculates the relative position and orientation between the work target and the construction machine 1 based on the results of the 3D measurement, and generates work support information for the construction machine 1. The work support information generated by the work support server 2 is a control command including, for example, a control value for the traveling hydraulic motor equipped on the undercarriage 11 of the construction machine 1, a control value for the swing hydraulic motor equipped on the upper rotating body 12, and control values ​​for driving the boom 13a, arm 13b, and bucket 13c equipped on the work implement 13. The work support server 2 performs work support by transmitting the work support information (control command) to the construction machine 1 and causing the construction machine 1 to perform autonomous control. Alternatively, the work support server 2 may perform work support by remotely controlling the operation of the construction machine 1 based on the control command. Furthermore, the work support server 2 may perform work support by generating an image (2D image or 3D image) showing the positional relationship between the work target and the construction machine 1 based on the results of the 3D measurement, and presenting the generated image to the operator of the construction machine 1.

[0016] Various transport vehicles 3 enter and exit the work site to transport materials, construction soil, and the like. In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 3 is a dump truck equipped with a truck chassis 31, a dump device 32 mounted on the truck chassis 31, and a loading box 33 configured to tilt in the forward and backward directions by the dump device 32. Alternatively, the transport vehicle 3 may be a specially equipped vehicle other than a dump truck. The transport vehicle 3 enters and exits the work site for each loading and unloading operation, and its positional relationship with the construction machine 1 changes each time. Therefore, if the transport vehicle 3 were to be incorporated into the work support system SYS in the same way as the construction machine 1, 3D measurement would be required each time the transport vehicle 3 moved, which would excessively consume the computational resources of the work support server 2. For this reason, in the past, information about the transport vehicle 3 was not utilized, and the operator of the construction machine 1 visually confirmed the position of the transport vehicle 3 and operated the construction machine 1 himself to load and unload materials onto and from the transport vehicle 3.

[0017] In contrast, in this embodiment, an information transmission device 300 (see FIG. 4 ) is used to transmit vehicle information, including the position and attitude of the transport vehicle 3, from the transport vehicle 3 to the work support system SYS, thereby proposing a work support method that utilizes the existing work support system SYS. The information transmission device 300 may be mounted on the transport vehicle 3, or may be a terminal device such as a smartphone carried by an occupant of the transport vehicle 3. The transport vehicle 3 transmits vehicle information necessary for work support to the work support server 2 via the information transmission device 300. The work support server 2 receives the vehicle information transmitted from the information transmission device 300, generates work support information based on the received vehicle information, and provides the work support information to the construction machine 1.

[0018] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the construction machine 1. The construction machine 1 includes a control unit 101, a memory unit 102, an operation unit 103, an input unit 104, an output unit 105, a communication unit 106, and a display unit 107 as components of the control system.

[0019] The control unit 101 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM included in the control unit 101 stores control programs and the like that control the operation of each hardware unit included in the construction machine 1. The CPU in the control unit 101 executes the control programs stored in the ROM and controls the operation of each hardware unit, thereby causing the entire device to function as the construction machine 1 of the present disclosure. The RAM included in the control unit 101 temporarily stores data and the like that is used during the execution of calculations.

[0020] The storage unit 102 includes a storage device such as a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 102 stores various programs executed by the control unit 101, data required for various processes, and the like.

[0021] The operation unit 103 is made up of an operation lever, an operation switch, etc., and receives operations by an operator. The control unit 101 executes appropriate control based on the operations received through the operation unit 103.

[0022] The input unit 104 has an interface for connecting various sensors and devices. For example, a swing angle sensor S11 and a work implement attitude sensor S12 are connected to the input unit 104. The swing angle sensor S11 is a sensor that detects the swing angle of the upper swing structure 12 relative to the lower traveling structure 11 using a potentiometer or the like. The work implement attitude sensor S12 is a sensor that detects the angles of the boom 13a, the arm 13b, and the bucket 13c using a potentiometer or the like.

[0023] The output unit 105 has an interface for connecting the working device 13. The control unit 101 generates a control signal for controlling the operation of the working device 13 based on operation information input from the operation unit 103, measurement values ​​measured by the sensors S11 to S12, work support information received via the communication unit 106, etc., and outputs the control signal to the working device 13 via the output unit 105.

[0024] The communication unit 106 has a communication interface for transmitting and receiving various data to and from an external device. A communication interface conforming to an existing communication standard such as WiFi (registered trademark), 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE can be used as the communication interface of the communication unit 106. When data to be transmitted is input from the control unit 101, the communication unit 106 transmits the data to the destination external device, and when data transmitted from the external device is received, the communication unit 106 outputs the received data to the control unit 101. The external device is the work assistance server 2, the transport vehicle 3, or the like.

[0025] The display unit 107 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor, etc. The display unit 107 displays information generated by the control unit 101, work support information input from the work support server 2 via the communication unit 106, and the like.

[0026] 3 is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the work support server 2. The work support server 2 is a dedicated or general-purpose computer, and includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, a communication unit 203, and an input unit 204.

[0027] The control unit 201 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The ROM included in the control unit 201 stores a control program that controls the operation of each hardware unit included in the work support server 2. The CPU in the control unit 201 executes the control program stored in the ROM and the work support program stored in the storage unit 202, and controls the operation of each hardware unit, thereby causing the entire device to function as the work support server of the present disclosure. The RAM included in the control unit 201 temporarily stores data used during execution of calculations, etc.

[0028] The control unit 201 is not limited to the above configuration, and may be one or more control circuits or arithmetic circuits including a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a volatile or non-volatile memory, etc. The control unit 201 may also have functions such as a clock that outputs date and time information, a timer that measures the elapsed time from when an instruction to start measurement is given until when an instruction to end measurement is given, and a counter that counts numbers.

[0029] The storage unit 202 includes a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), etc. The storage unit 202 stores various computer programs executed by the control unit 201 and data required for various processes.

[0030] The computer programs stored in the memory unit 202 include a 3D measurement program that performs 3D measurements of the topography of the work site, construction objects included in the work site, and the construction machine 1, and a work support program that generates work support information for the construction machine 1 based on the results of the 3D measurement. These computer programs may be a single computer program or a program group consisting of multiple computer programs. Furthermore, the computer programs stored in the memory unit 202 may partially use an existing library. The computer programs may be executed by a single computer or may be executed by multiple computers working together.

[0031] The communication unit 203 has a communication interface for transmitting and receiving various data to and from an external device. A communication interface conforming to an existing communication standard such as WiFi (registered trademark), 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE can be used as the communication interface of the communication unit 203. When data to be transmitted is input from the control unit 201, the communication unit 203 transmits the data to the destination external device, and when data transmitted from the external device is received, the communication unit 203 outputs the received data to the control unit 201. The external device is a construction machine 1, a transport vehicle 3, or the like.

[0032] The input unit 204 includes an interface for connecting, for example, a 3D-LiDAR sensor S21. The 3D-LiDAR sensor S21 performs three-dimensional measurements of the topography of the work site, the construction object, and the construction machine 1, and outputs the measurement results. The measuring instrument for the three-dimensional measurements is not limited to the 3D-LiDAR sensor S21, and may be an existing measuring instrument such as a stereo camera or an ultrasonic distance sensor.

[0033] The control unit 201 of the work support server 2 acquires the sensor output of the 3D-LiDAR sensor S21 through the input unit 204, performs three-dimensional measurement based on the acquired sensor output, and identifies the position and posture of the work target and the construction machine 1 at the work site (three-dimensional space). The control unit 201 generates work support information for the construction machine 1 based on the identified positions and postures of the work target and the construction machine 1, and performs work support based on the generated work support information. For example, the control unit 201 determines control values ​​for the work implement 13 (boom 13a, arm 13b, bucket 13c, etc.), and sends control commands (work support information) including the determined control values ​​to the construction machine 1, thereby providing work support for the construction machine 1. Alternatively, the work support server 2 may generate an image (two-dimensional image or three-dimensional image) showing the positional relationship between the construction machine 1 and the transport vehicle 3 based on the results of the three-dimensional measurement, send the generated image to the construction machine 1, and display the image on the display unit 107 of the construction machine 1, thereby providing work support.

[0034] In this embodiment, the work support server 2 may be a single computer, or may be a computer system configured with multiple computers and peripheral devices, etc. Furthermore, the work support server 2 may be a virtual machine whose entity is virtualized, or may be a cloud.

[0035] 4 is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the information transmission device 300 provided in the transport vehicle 3. The information transmission device 300 includes a control unit 301, a memory unit 302, an operation unit 303, an input unit 304, an output unit 305, and a communication unit 306. The information transmission device 300 may be mounted on the transport vehicle 3, or may be a terminal device carried by a crew member of the transport vehicle 3.

[0036] The control unit 301 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The ROM included in the control unit 301 stores a control program that controls the operation of each hardware unit included in the information transmission device 300. The CPU in the control unit 301 executes the control program stored in the ROM and various computer programs stored in the storage unit 302 described below, and controls the operation of each hardware unit, thereby causing the information transmission device 300 of the present disclosure to function. The RAM included in the control unit 301 temporarily stores data used during execution of calculations, etc.

[0037] The control unit 301 is configured to include a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, but may alternatively be one or more arithmetic circuits or control circuits including a GPU, an FPGA, a DSP, a quantum processor, a volatile or non-volatile memory, etc. The control unit 301 may also include functions such as a clock that outputs date and time information, a timer that measures the elapsed time from when an instruction to start measurement is given until when an instruction to end measurement is given, and a counter that counts numbers.

[0038] The storage unit 302 includes a storage device using a hard disk, a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 302 stores computer programs executed by the control unit 301, various data acquired from the outside, various data generated inside the information transmission device 300, etc.

[0039] The computer programs stored in the storage unit 302 include an information transmission program PG that executes a process of acquiring information on the position and attitude of the transport vehicle 3 and transmitting vehicle information including the acquired position and attitude information to the work assistance system SYS. The computer program including the information transmission program PG is provided by a non-transitory recording medium RM on which the computer program is readably recorded. The recording medium RM is, for example, a portable memory such as a CD-ROM, a USB memory, or an SD (Secure Digital) card. The control unit 301 reads the various programs from the recording medium RM using a reading device (not shown) and stores the read programs in the storage unit 302. Alternatively, the computer program including the information transmission program PG may be provided via communication.

[0040] The data stored in the memory unit 302 includes dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3. The dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 includes the vehicle's longitudinal dimensions, width dimensions, and height dimensions. Furthermore, the dimensional information may include not only the overall vehicle dimensions, but also the dimensions of the cab, truck chassis 31, cargo box 33, etc., and information regarding their positional relationships.

[0041] The operation unit 303 is composed of switches, buttons, etc., and accepts various operations by the occupant. The control unit 301 executes appropriate processing based on the operations accepted through the operation unit 303. Note that, in this embodiment, the information transmission device 300 is configured to include the operation unit 303, but the operation unit 303 is not essential, and the operation may be accepted via an externally connected device or the communication unit 306.

[0042] The input unit 304 includes an interface for connecting various sensors and devices. In this embodiment, the input unit 304 is connected to a position meter S30, a compass S31, an inclinometer S32, a weight scale S33, an imaging device S34, and the like.

[0043] The positioning meter S30 is equipped with, for example, a GPS receiver, and receives radio waves transmitted from a GPS satellite to measure the current position of the delivery vehicle 3. The information transmission device 300 acquires, via the input unit 304, position information relating to the current position of the delivery vehicle 3 measured by the positioning meter S30.

[0044] The compass S31 is equipped with sensors such as a geomagnetic sensor and a gyro sensor, and measures the orientation (the direction of the delivery vehicle 3 in a horizontal plane) of the delivery vehicle 3. The information transmission device 300 acquires, via the input unit 304, information related to the orientation of the delivery vehicle 3 measured by the compass S31.

[0045] The inclinometer S32 measures the inclination of the transport vehicle 3. The inclinometer S32 is attached to the truck chassis 31 and the cargo box 33, and measures the respective inclination angles (tilt angle in the longitudinal direction (pitch) and tilt angle in the lateral direction (roll)). The inclinometer S32 attached to the truck chassis 31 measures the inclination angle of the entire vehicle (i.e., the transport vehicle 3), and the inclinometer S32 attached to the cargo box 33 measures the inclination angle of the cargo box 33. The information transmission device 300 acquires information related to the inclination angle of the transport vehicle 3 measured by the inclinometer S32 (tilt angle of the truck chassis 31 and the cargo box 33) via the input unit 304.

[0046] In the embodiment, the position of the transporter vehicle 3 is measured by a position meter S30, and the attitude of the transporter vehicle 3 is measured by a compass S31 and an inclinometer S32. The position meter S30 may be attached to the truck chassis 31 of the transporter vehicle 3, or may be attached to the mounted object (dump device 32 or cargo box 33). Furthermore, the position meter S30 may be attached to both the truck chassis 31 and the mounted object. Similarly, the compass S31 and the inclinometer S32 may be attached to the truck chassis 31 of the transporter vehicle 3, or may be attached to the mounted object (dump device 32 or cargo box 33). Furthermore, the compass S31 and the inclinometer S32 may be attached to both the truck chassis 31 and the mounted object.

[0047] That is, the position and posture of the transport vehicle 3 may be the position and posture of the mounted object, or may be the position and posture of the truck chassis 31. Also, the position and posture of the transport vehicle 3 may be the position of the mounted object and the posture of the truck chassis 31, or may be the position of the truck chassis 31 and the posture of the mounted object. Furthermore, the position and posture of the transport vehicle 3 may be the position and posture of the mounted object, and the position and posture of the truck chassis 31.

[0048] The weighing scale S33 measures the weight of the load placed on the packing box 33. To measure the weight of the load, the weighing scale S33 may be equipped with a displacement sensor (e.g., a strain gauge) that measures the amount of displacement at multiple locations on which the load of the load acts, and a load sensor that measures the load. Existing methods may be used for weight measurement, but the use of a configuration disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 7208888 makes it possible to measure the weight of the load with high accuracy under various conditions. The information transmission device 300 acquires information related to the weight of the load measured by the weighing scale S33 via the input unit 304.

[0049] The imaging device S34 is installed in a location where the inside of the packing box 33 can be seen (for example, above the front panel of the packing box 33), and generates an image by capturing images of the cargo loaded in the packing box 33. The imaging range of the imaging device S34 may include not only the inside of the packing box 33, but also the periphery of the packing box 33. The information transmission device 300 acquires the images captured by the imaging device S34 via the input unit 304.

[0050] The output unit 305 includes an output interface for connecting a display device 310 such as a liquid crystal monitor. The display device 310 is provided, for example, near the driver's seat of the transport vehicle 3. The output interface included in the output unit 305 may be an output interface that outputs an analog video signal, or an output interface that outputs a digital video signal. The output unit 105 causes the display device 310 to display, for example, the position of the transport vehicle 3 measured by the positioning meter S30, the direction of the transport vehicle 3 measured by the compass S31, the tilt angle of the transport vehicle 3 measured by the inclinometer S32, the loaded weight measured by the weighing scale S33, an image captured by the imaging device S34, and the like.

[0051] The communication unit 306 has a communication interface for transmitting and receiving various types of data to and from an external device. A communication interface conforming to existing communication standards such as WiFi (registered trademark), 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE can be used as the communication interface of the communication unit 306. When data to be transmitted is input from the control unit 301, the communication unit 306 transmits the data to the destination external device, and when data transmitted from the external device is received, the communication unit 306 outputs the received data to the control unit 301. The external device is the work assistance server 2, the construction machine 1, or the like.

[0052] The work support method of this embodiment will be described below. 5 is a flowchart explaining the procedure of processing executed by the transport vehicle 3, the work support server 2, and the construction machine 1. It is assumed that a communication connection is established between the construction machine 1 and the work support server 2 at the work site, and a work support system SYS is established between the construction machine 1 and the work support server 2.

[0053] When the transport vehicle 3 arrives at the work site, it approaches the construction machine 1 and moves to a position where it can load or unload cargo using the construction machine 1. The information transmission device 300 mounted on the transport vehicle 3 establishes communication with the work support server 2 (step S101).

[0054] When a communication connection with the work support server 2 is established, the control unit 301 detects the position of the transport vehicle 3 through the positioning meter S30 (step S102), and detects the attitude of the transport vehicle 3 through the compass S31 and the inclinometer S32 (step S103). In this flowchart, for convenience, the procedure is described as detecting the position and attitude (orientation and inclination) of the transport vehicle 3 in that order, but these procedures may be reversed or may be performed simultaneously in parallel. Furthermore, the control unit 301 may be configured to acquire, at an appropriate timing, information on the position and attitude of the transport vehicle 3 measured as needed by the positioning meter S30, the compass S31, and the inclinometer S32.

[0055] The control unit 301 reads out the dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 stored in the storage unit 302 (step S104). The dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 read out by the control unit 301 includes the vehicle's longitudinal dimensions, width dimensions, and height dimensions. The dimensional information may include not only the overall dimensions of the vehicle, but also the dimensions of the cab and cargo box 33, and information regarding their positional relationship.

[0056] The control unit 301 transmits vehicle information including the detected position and posture information of the transport vehicle 3 and the dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 read from the storage unit 302 to the work support system SYS (step S105). Specifically, the control unit 301 transmits the vehicle information including the position and posture information of the transport vehicle 3 and the dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 to the work support server 2 via the communication unit 306.

[0057] The control unit 201 of the work support server 2 receives the vehicle information transmitted from the information transmission device 300 via the communication unit 203 (step S106). The control unit 201 also acquires the sensor output of the 3D-LiDAR sensor S21 via the input unit 204, and performs three-dimensional measurement based on the acquired sensor output (step S107). The control unit 201 identifies the position and posture of the construction object and the construction machine 1 at the work site (three-dimensional space). For convenience, this flowchart shows a procedure in which three-dimensional measurement is performed after vehicle information is acquired, but three-dimensional measurement may also be performed in advance.

[0058] The control unit 201 refers to the vehicle information received in step S106 and the three-dimensional measurement data obtained in step S107 to identify the positional relationship between the construction machine 1 and the transport vehicle 3 (step S108). The control unit 201 may identify, for example, the distance between the construction machine 1 and the transport vehicle 3 and the orientation of the transport vehicle 3 (or the cargo box 33) relative to the construction machine 1.

[0059] The control unit 201 generates work support information for the construction machine 1 based on the identified positional relationship (step S109). The control unit 201 generates, as the work support information, control commands including, for example, control values ​​for driving the undercarriage 11, upper revolving body 12, and work implement 13 of the construction machine 1. The control unit 201 transmits the generated work support information to the construction machine 1 (step S110).

[0060] The control unit 101 of the construction machine 1 receives work support information transmitted from the work support server 2 via the communication unit 106 (step S111). The control unit 101 controls the operations of the lower traveling structure 11, the upper rotating structure 12, and the work implement 13 based on the received work support information (step S112). The control executed in step S112 is, for example, autonomous control performed autonomously by the construction machine 1. Alternatively, it may be remote control from the work support server 2.

[0061] In the above step S109, a control command to the construction machine 1 is generated as work support information, but the control unit 201 of the work support server 2 may generate an image (a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image) showing the positional relationship between the construction machine 1 and the transport vehicle 3, and transmit the generated image as work support information to the construction machine 1. In this case, the control unit 101 of the construction machine 1 displays the received work support information on the display unit 107, thereby providing work support to the operator.

[0062] 5 shows a procedure in which the information transmission device 300 transmits vehicle information including dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 and the cargo box 33 to the work support server 2. Alternatively, the dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 and the cargo box 33 may be registered in advance in the work support server 2 together with the identification information of the transport vehicle 3. In this case, reading of the dimensional information in step S104 is not necessary, and the information transmission device 300 transmits vehicle information including information on the position and posture of the transport vehicle 3 and the identification information of the transport vehicle 3 to the work support server 2. The control unit 201 of the work support server 2 searches the memory unit 202 using the identification information included in the vehicle information as a search key, and reads the dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 from the memory unit 202.

[0063] As described above, in embodiment 1, the transport vehicle 3 transmits vehicle information about its own vehicle to the work support server 2, and the work support server 2 can provide work support including information about the transport vehicle 3 based on the received vehicle information.

[0064] The information transmission device 300 may acquire information on the weight of the load measured by the weighing scale S33, and transmit vehicle information further including the acquired information on the weight of the load to the work support server 2. In this case, the work support server 2 provides work support information including the load weight to the construction machine 1, and causes the display unit 107 of the construction machine 1 to display the load weight information. The operator of the construction machine 1 can check the load weight of the transport vehicle 3 on the display unit 107. Furthermore, if the construction machine 1 is equipped with a measuring instrument that measures the loading amount, the consistency between the loading amount and the load amount can be confirmed.

[0065] The information transmission device 300 may estimate the loading state of the cargo loaded in the cargo box 33 and transmit vehicle information further including information on the estimated loading state to the work support server 2. The loading state indicates the degree of uneven distribution of the cargo within the cargo box 33 (imbalance in the front-to-rear and width directions). The method for estimating the loading state is not limited to a specific method, but the loading state can be accurately estimated by using, for example, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-042516. The work support server 2 provides work support information including the loading state to the construction machine 1 and causes the display unit 107 of the construction machine 1 to display the loading state of the cargo box 33. The operator of the construction machine 1 can check the loading state of the cargo box 33 on the display unit 107 and perform loading work into the cargo box 33 so as not to cause uneven loading.

[0066] The information transmission device 300 may acquire an image of the container 33 captured by the imaging device S34, and transmit vehicle information further including the acquired image to the work support server 2. In this case, the work support server 2 provides work support information including the image to the construction machine 1, and causes the display unit 107 of the construction machine 1 to display the image. The operator of the construction machine 1 can check the loading status of the container 33 of the transport vehicle 3 on the display unit 107.

[0067] The information transmission device 300 may transmit vehicle information to the work support server 2, further including information on restricted areas that restrict contact with the transport vehicle 3. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of setting restricted areas. The restricted areas represent areas where the cab, side mirrors, and front panel of the cargo box 33 of the transport vehicle 3 are present. If a scattering prevention member is attached to the side panel of the cargo box 33, the scattering prevention member may be set as the restricted area. The scattering prevention member is rotatably attached to both the inside and outside of the cargo box 33 and prevents the load from scattering to the outside. In the example of FIG. 6, an area A1 where the side mirrors are present, an area A2 where the front panel is present, and an area A3 where the scattering prevention member is present are set as restricted areas. If each of the areas A1 to A3 is a rectangle, the restricted area can be set by determining the coordinates of the vertices of each area A1 to A3 (spatial coordinates with the origin set to a reference point set on the transport vehicle 3). When transmitting vehicle information including the position, posture, and dimension information of the transport vehicle 3 to the work support server 2, the information transmission device 300 may also transmit information on the restricted area (information such as the vertex coordinates of each area A1 to A3) to the work support server 2.

[0068] The work support server 2 provides the work support information including the information on the restricted area received from the information transmission device 300 to the construction machine 1, and causes the display unit 107 of the construction machine 1 to display the information on the restricted area. The operator of the construction machine 1 can check the restricted area of ​​the transport vehicle 3, and can therefore perform loading and unloading work without the arm 13b or bucket 13c coming into contact with the cab or side mirrors.

[0069] In this embodiment, the construction machine 1 is configured to have a work support server 2 separate from the construction machine 1, but the construction machine 1 may also have the functions of the work support server 2. In this case, the information transmission device 300 may simply transmit vehicle information directly to the construction machine 1. The control unit 101 of the construction machine 1 may generate work support information for the machine itself based on the vehicle information received from the information transmission device 300, and may perform work support by performing autonomous control or presenting information to the operator.

[0070] In this embodiment, the vehicle information of the transport vehicle 3 is transmitted from the information transmission device 300 to the work support server 2, but some of the vehicle information may be provided from an information providing server (not shown). For example, time-independent information such as dimensional information of the transport vehicle 3 does not necessarily need to be transmitted from the information transmission device 300. Therefore, the information may be stored in the information providing server in advance, and the vehicle information may be transmitted from the information providing server to the work support server 2 when instructed by the information transmission device 300 or when requested by the work support server 2. On the other hand, since information such as the position and attitude of the transport vehicle 3 changes from moment to moment, it is preferable to measure the position and attitude of the transport vehicle 3 as needed and transmit the vehicle information including the obtained position and attitude information from the information transmission device 300 to the work support server 2.

[0071] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above meaning, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0072] In this embodiment, the transport vehicle 3 has been described as a dump truck. The transport vehicle 3 is not limited to a dump truck, and may be any work vehicle (specially equipped vehicle) that cooperates with the construction machine 1 to perform civil engineering or construction work, such as a garbage collection vehicle, a liquid transport vehicle, a powder transport vehicle, a water tanker truck, a sprinkler truck, a mixer truck, a tank truck, a suction vehicle, a high-pressure washer, a vehicle transport vehicle, or a road maintenance vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1. Construction machinery 2. Work support server 3 Transport vehicles 300 Information transmission device 301 Control Unit 302 Storage section 303 Operation section 304 Input section 305 Output section 306 Communications Department PG Information Dissemination Program RM recording medium NW communication network

Claims

1. A work support system including a work support server that acquires three-dimensional measurement data of a construction site including a construction machine, and generates work support information for the construction machine by referring to the acquired three-dimensional measurement data, Further comprising a transport vehicle; The transport vehicle is Detecting the position and attitude of the vehicle; Transmitting vehicle information including the detected position and attitude to the work support server; The work support server Identifying a positional relationship between the construction machine and the transport vehicle based on the vehicle information received from the transport vehicle and the three-dimensional measurement data; Generate work support information including the identified positional relationship and transmit it to the construction machine. Work support system.

2. Vehicle information, including the position and posture of the transport vehicle, is transmitted to a work support system that provides work support to construction machinery by referencing 3D measurement data of the construction site. How information is disseminated.

3. The transport vehicle is equipped with a cargo box, and transmits vehicle information further including dimensional information of the vehicle including the cargo box to the work support system. The information transmission method according to claim 2.

4. The transport vehicle is equipped with a measuring device that measures the weight of the load loaded in the packing box, and transmits vehicle information further including the weight of the load measured by the measuring device to the work support system. The information transmission method according to claim 3.

5. The transport vehicle includes an estimation device that estimates the loading state of the cargo loaded in the packing box, and transmits vehicle information that further includes information related to the loading state estimated by the estimation device to the work assistance system. The information transmission method according to claim 3.

6. The transport vehicle transmits a guide image for guiding the loading position in the packing box to the work support system. The information transmission method according to claim 3.

7. The transport vehicle is equipped with an imaging device that captures an image of the container, and transmits the captured image obtained by capturing an image of the container to the work support system. The information transmission method according to claim 3.

8. The transport vehicle transmits vehicle information to the work assistance system, the vehicle information further including information on a restricted area that restricts contact with the transport vehicle. The information transmission method according to claim 2.

9. The transport vehicle transmits vehicle information, which further includes identification information of the vehicle, to the work assistance system. The information transmission method according to claim 2.

10. A transmission unit that transmits vehicle information including the position and attitude of the vehicle to a work support system that provides work support to construction machinery by referring to three-dimensional measurement data of the construction site. A transport vehicle comprising:

11. an acquisition unit that acquires information about the position and attitude of the transport vehicle; a transmitting unit that transmits the acquired vehicle information, including the position and posture information, to a work support system that provides work support to construction machinery by referring to three-dimensional measurement data of the construction site; An information transmission device comprising:

12. Acquire information on the position and attitude of the transport vehicle; The acquired vehicle information, including the position and posture information, is transmitted to a work support system that provides work support to construction machinery by referencing 3D measurement data at the construction site. A computer program that causes a computer to execute a process.

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