Road marking installation support device and road marking installation support method

Abstract

To provide a road marking installation support device and road marking installation support method that can reduce the burden on workers when installing road markings.SOLUTION: A road marking installation support device 100 includes a control device 120 that controls installation support information displayed on a display unit 113. The control device 120 includes: a construction unit 122 configured to construct a virtual space corresponding to a real space based on point cloud data; a placement setting unit 124 configured to place objects corresponding to road markings in the virtual space; and a display control unit 125 configured to display the objects on the display unit as the installation support information. The display control unit 125 estimates the current position and orientation of the display unit 113 based on the point cloud data and changes the appearance of the objects on the display unit 113 to reflect the current position and orientation of the display unit 113.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a road marking construction support device and a road marking construction support method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method for applying road markings such as letters and symbols. The method includes a masking step of masking unpainted areas of the road markings using a masking sheet, and a coating step of applying paint to the masked road surface to form the road markings. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-169850 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-described road marking installation method still has room for improvement in terms of reducing the burden on workers when installing road markings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A road marking construction assistance device that solves the above-mentioned problems comprises: a distance sensor that detects point cloud data of an area including a road surface that is to be subjected to road marking construction; a display unit that is configured integrally with the distance sensor and that displays construction assistance information that assists in the construction of the road marking; and a control device that controls the construction assistance information that is displayed on the display unit, wherein the control device has: a construction unit that constructs a virtual space that corresponds to real space based on the point cloud data; a placement setting unit that places an object that corresponds to the road marking in the virtual space; and a display control unit that causes the display unit to display the object as the construction assistance information, wherein the display control unit estimates the current position and orientation of the display unit based on the point cloud data, and changes the appearance of the object on the display unit to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit.

[0006] A road marking construction support method that solves the above-mentioned problems comprises a construction process that constructs a virtual space corresponding to real space based on point cloud data of an area including a road surface where road markings are to be constructed, which is output from a distance sensor; a placement setting process that places objects corresponding to the road markings in the virtual space; and a display control process that displays the objects as construction support information on a display unit that is configured integrally with the distance sensor, wherein the display control process estimates the current position and orientation of the display unit based on the point cloud data, and changes the appearance of the objects on the display unit to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The road marking construction support device and road marking construction support method can reduce the burden on workers when constructing road markings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a road marking construction device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a road marking construction support device. [Figure 3]Figure 3 shows the road marking selection screen displayed on the display unit of the terminal. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing road markings and areas that require masking when installing the road markings. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing road markings and the construction sequence for constructing the road markings. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the display screen of the display unit when the terminal is directed toward the road surface from the first position. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the display screen of the display unit when the terminal is directed toward the road surface from the second position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process carried out by the control device of the terminal in the preparation step. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process carried out by the control device of the terminal after the preparation step. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display screen of the terminal in the coating process. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing road markings and the construction sequence for constructing the road markings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The road marking construction support device and road marking construction method will be described below. <Configuration of this embodiment> 1, the road marking construction system includes a construction device 10 and a construction support device 100. The construction device 10 includes a carriage 20, a storage unit 30, an application unit 40, and a guide pole 50.

[0010] <Cart 20> The carriage 20 has a base 21, two front wheels 22, a rear wheel 23, a handle 24, and a holder 25. The base 21 is a part that serves as the foundation of the carriage 20. A plurality of components of the construction device 10 are placed on the base 21. The two front wheels 22 are located on both sides of the base 21 in the width direction. The rear wheel 23 is located in the center of the base 21 in the width direction. As an example, the two front wheels 22 are drive wheels, and the rear wheel 23 is a driven wheel. Furthermore, it is preferable that the two front wheels 22 are non-steerable, and it is preferable that the rear wheel 23 is steerable. The drive source for the two front wheels 22 may be an engine or an electric motor. The handle 24 is rod-shaped with its axial direction aligned with the width direction. The handle 24 is located above the base 21. The holder 25 is fixed to the handle 24. The holder 25 is configured to hold the terminal 101, which will be described later.

[0011] <Storage section 30> The storage unit 30 includes a tank 31, a guide 32, a first shutter 33, a first link mechanism 34, and a first lever 35. The tank 31 contains paint for road markings. The paint may be any paint specified by JIS K5665. The tank 31 has a supply port 31a that opens to the side. The guide 32 extends from the lower end of the supply port 31a toward the application unit 40. The first shutter 33 is configured to be able to open and close the supply port 31a of the tank 31. The first link mechanism 34 is composed of multiple links. The first link mechanism 34 connects the tip of a first lever 35 to the first shutter 33. The base end of the first lever 35 extends to the vicinity of the handle 24 of the cart 20. The operator opens and closes the first shutter 33 by operating the first lever 35. In this way, the operator switches between a state in which paint is supplied from the tank 31 to the coating unit 40 and a state in which paint is not supplied.

[0012] <Applicator unit 40> The application unit 40 has a hopper 41, a second shutter 42, a second link mechanism 43, and a second adjustment lever 44. The application unit 40 is located on the right side of the dolly 20. In other words, the application unit 40 is located to the right of the right front wheel 22. The top of the hopper 41 opens toward the guide 32 of the storage unit 30. The hopper 41 has a discharge port 41a that opens toward the road surface. The discharge port 41a has a slit shape whose longitudinal direction is the width direction of the dolly 20. The second shutter 42 is configured to be able to open and close the discharge port 41a of the hopper 41. The second link mechanism 43 is composed of multiple links. The second link mechanism 43 connects the tip of the second adjustment lever 44 to the second shutter 42. The base end of the second adjustment lever 44 extends to near the handle 24 of the dolly 20. The worker opens and closes the second shutter 42 of the hopper 41 by operating the second adjustment lever 44. In this way, the worker switches between a state in which paint is applied to the road surface and a state in which paint is not applied.

[0013] Depending on the type of paint, it may be preferable for the tank 31 and hopper 41 to have a heat source to maintain the paint in a molten state. Such a heat source may be a combustion device that uses propane gas as fuel.

[0014] <Guide pole 50> The guide pole 50 is rod-shaped. The base end of the guide pole 50 is supported near the front end of the carriage 20. The guide pole 50 is preferably rotatable between a deployed position where it extends forward from the carriage 20 and a stored position where it is stored in the carriage 20. When the guide pole 50 is in the deployed position, the tip of the guide pole 50 is located forward from the left end of the discharge port 41a of the hopper 41.

[0015] <Road marking construction method> A brief description will now be given of a method for applying road markings using the application device 10. The method for applying road markings includes a pre-treatment step, a masking step, and an application step.

[0016] The pretreatment step is a step of applying a primer to the road surface on which the road markings will be applied. The pretreatment step is carried out to improve the adhesion of the paint to the road surface. If the adhesion between the road surface and the paint can be ensured, the application method does not need to include the pretreatment step.

[0017] The masking process is a process that follows the pre-treatment process. In the masking process, areas of the road surface that should not be painted are masked with masking sheets or masking tape. The areas to be masked vary depending on the type of road marking. In other words, the areas to be masked are automatically determined once the road marking is decided.

[0018] The coating process is a process that follows the masking process. In the coating process, paint is applied to the road surface while the application device 10 is traveling. That is, in the coating process, the paint is applied linearly to the road surface. For this reason, when applying road markings that include characters with many strokes, it is necessary to run the application device 10 in various directions multiple times.

[0019] In road marking installation methods, if the road marking has complex characters, it may not be possible to complete the installation with one masking step and one application step. In such cases, it becomes necessary to alternate between multiple masking steps and multiple application steps.

[0020] <Construction support equipment 100> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the construction support device 100 includes a plurality of terminals 101 that can be carried by a worker. The terminals 101 may be, for example, smartphones, tablet PCs, or laptop computers. The terminals 101 can be used by the worker while being held in their hands, or can be used while being mounted on a holder 25 of the construction device 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminals 101 include a distance sensor 111, a camera 112, a display unit 113, a communication interface 114, and a control device 120.

[0021] The distance sensor 111 detects the distance to an object present in the direction in which the sensor is facing. In this embodiment, the distance sensor 111 is a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The distance sensor 111 outputs point cloud data including distance information to the detection target. The point cloud data is a collection of data including coordinate values ​​of points on the detection target that reflect laser light. In other embodiments, the distance sensor 111 may be an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, or a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor as long as sufficient point cloud data can be acquired.

[0022] Camera 112 is provided on terminal 101 so as to face the same direction as distance sensor 111. The shooting range of camera 112 is preferably included in the detection range of distance sensor 111. The frame rate of camera 112 may be different from or the same as the detection interval of distance sensor 111.

[0023] The display unit 113 is a non-transparent monitor. The display unit 113 is capable of displaying images captured by the camera 112 and construction support information, which is information for supporting the construction of road markings. The display unit 113 is provided on the opposite side of the distance sensor 111 and the camera 112 in the thickness direction of the terminal 101. In other words, it can be said that the distance sensor 111 and the camera 112 are provided on the back side of the terminal 101. In this embodiment, the display unit 113 is a touch panel that can accept operations from the user. In this respect, the display unit 113 corresponds to the "operation unit." If the terminal 101 is equipped with input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, the input devices correspond to the "operation unit."

[0024] The communication interface 114 is a circuit including an antenna, etc. The communication interface 114 transmits and receives information to and from other terminals 101 via wireless communication. <Control device 120> The control device 120 is configured with, for example, a processing circuit including a CPU and a memory. The CPU executes a program stored in the memory, causing the processing circuit of the control device 120 to function as an acquisition unit 121, a construction unit 122, a selection unit 123, an arrangement setting unit 124, a display control unit 125, and a communication control unit 126.

[0025] <Acquisition part 121> The acquisition unit 121 acquires the point cloud data detected by the distance sensor 111 and the video captured by the camera 112. In the acquisition unit 121, it is preferable that the acquisition cycle of the point cloud data and the acquisition cycle of the video are the same.

[0026] <Construction Department 122> The construction unit 122 constructs a virtual space corresponding to the real space based on the point cloud data and video acquired by the acquisition unit 121. The size of the virtual space is equivalent to the size of the real space, which is the actual space. The virtual space includes at least the area where the road markings are to be installed and the surrounding area. Therefore, for the construction unit 122 to construct the virtual space, point cloud data and video that can be acquired with the terminal 101 facing a specific direction are insufficient. In other words, for the construction unit 122 to construct the virtual space, point cloud data and video that can be acquired with the terminal 101 facing various directions are required. Note that point cloud data acquired by the acquisition unit 121 at one timing and point cloud data acquired at the next timing are associated using feature points. Here, the feature points may be feature points in the point cloud data, feature points in the video, or feature points in both. The construction unit 122 also sets a road surface in the virtual space. The construction unit 122 may set, as the road surface, a surface that is at an angle close to 90° with respect to the vertical direction among the surfaces constituting the virtual space. Alternatively, the construction unit 122 may set a road surface from among the surfaces that make up the virtual space by receiving an operation from the operator.

[0027] <Selection section 123> The selection unit 123 displays multiple road markings on the display unit 113. FIG. 3 shows an example of a list of road markings displayed on the display unit 113. The list of road markings can be scrolled by the worker using a swipe operation or the like. The selection unit 123 may treat a road marking consisting of multiple character strings as a single road marking, or may treat it as multiple road markings. As an example, the selection unit 123 may treat a road marking that reads "Stop" as a single road marking, or may treat the road marking as three road markings, "Stop," "Ma," and "Re." Note that road markings are defined by the "Commands Related to Road Signs, Dividing Lines, and Road Markings." The selection unit 123 accepts a user's operation to allow the user to select a road marking to be installed. The selection unit 123 may also cause the display unit 113 to display, together with the road marking, the size of the road marking, the location where the road marking should be installed, and precautions for installing the road marking.

[0028] <Placement setting section 124> The placement setting unit 124 places the road marking selected by the worker on the road surface in the virtual space. In the following description, the road marking placed in the virtual space will be referred to as object X1 to distinguish it from the road marking in real space. The object X1 is a two-dimensional model of the same size as the road marking. The object X1 is configured using, for example, CAD data. Furthermore, the placement setting unit 124 changes the placement of the object X1 in the virtual space by accepting an operation by the worker. More specifically, the placement setting unit 124 adjusts the position and orientation of the object X1 in the virtual space. In this way, the position of the object X1 in the virtual space is determined. The object X1 corresponds to one piece of construction support information.

[0029] Because the application device 10 applies paint in a linear pattern during the application process, it may be necessary to mask portions of the road surface where paint should not be applied, depending on the type of road marking to be applied. FIG. 4 shows an area (hereinafter referred to as a "masking area X2") that needs to be masked when applying a road marking that reads "STOP" using the application device 10. Therefore, the placement setting unit 124 sets a masking area X2 corresponding to the road marking in the virtual space. The masking area X2 differs depending on the type of road marking. In other words, once the content and position of the road marking to be applied are determined, the masking area X2 is also determined. Therefore, it is sufficient for the masking area X2 to be a two-dimensional model associated with the object X1. The masking area X2 corresponds to one piece of application support information.

[0030] If the road marking construction method includes multiple masking processes and multiple application processes, it is preferable that the layout setting unit 124 change the masking area X2 set in the virtual space according to the progress of the processes. That is, it is preferable that the layout setting unit 124 sets a masking area X2 according to the first masking process when the first masking process is in progress, and sets a masking area X2 according to the second masking process when the second masking process is in progress. Here, the masking area X2 according to the first masking process is the masking area X2 required for the first application process that is performed after the first masking process.

[0031] As described above, road markings are applied using an application device 10 such as that shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, in order to efficiently apply road markings, the application order of the lines that make up the road marking (hereinafter referred to as the "application order X3") is important. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the line application order X3 when applying a road marking for "STOP." Specifically, the dashed-dotted arrows and circled numbers in the diagram indicate the application order X3 of the four lines that make up the "STOP" character. The starting point of the dashed-dotted arrow indicates the position where paint application starts, in other words, the position where operation of the second adjusting lever 44 begins. The ending point of the dashed-dotted arrow indicates the position where paint application ends, in other words, the position where operation of the second adjusting lever 44 ends. As shown in FIG. 5, when applying the character "STOP," the application order X3 and application direction of the lines that make up the "STOP" character are different from the stroke order of the character "STOP." This is to prevent the front wheels 22 and rear wheels 23 of the application device 10 from passing over a line that was applied before the line in question when applying a line. In this way, the layout setting unit 124 sets information indicating the construction order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking. The construction order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking corresponds to one piece of construction support information.

[0032] After the construction device 10 constructs the lines that make up the road markings, it may be necessary to make the construction device 10 travel in the same direction of travel as when constructing the lines, or it may be necessary to make the construction device 10 travel in the opposite direction to the direction of travel as when constructing the lines. For this reason, although not shown in Fig. 5, the layout setting unit 124 may set information that indicates the travel route of the construction device 10 after constructing the lines that make up the road markings.

[0033] <Display control unit 125> The display control unit 125 controls the content to be displayed on the display unit 113. When the camera 112 is capturing an image, that is, when the acquisition unit 121 is acquiring an image, the display control unit 125 causes the display unit 113 to display the image in real time. In the terminal 101, the display unit 113 is integrated with the camera 112, and therefore, when the position and orientation of the terminal 101 change, the image displayed on the display unit 113 changes in accordance with the change in the position and orientation of the camera 112. In other words, when the position and orientation of the terminal 101 change, the image displayed on the display unit 113 changes even if the display control unit 125 does not perform processing in accordance with the change in the position and orientation of the terminal 101.

[0034] When an object X1 is placed in the virtual space, the display control unit 125 causes the display unit 113 to display the object X1. When a masking area X2 is set in the virtual space, the display control unit 125 causes the display unit 113 to display the masking area X2. When a construction order X3 of lines constituting a road marking is set in the virtual space, the display control unit 125 causes the display unit 113 to display the construction order X3.

[0035] The display control unit 125 then changes the appearance of the object X1, the masking area X2, and the construction sequence X3 according to the position and orientation of the terminal 101. Specifically, the display control unit 125 acquires the position and orientation of the terminal 101 in real space based on the point cloud data and the video. Next, the display control unit 125 generates an image that can be captured by the camera 112 of the terminal 101 (hereinafter referred to as the "virtual terminal") when it is assumed that the terminal 101 exists in the virtual space at the same position and in the same orientation as in the real space.

[0036] For example, in the virtual space, when the camera 112 of the virtual terminal is facing the object X1, an image including the object X1 is generated. Furthermore, even when the camera 112 of the virtual terminal is facing the object X1, if the angle with respect to the object X1 is different, the aspect ratio of the object X1 in the image changes. In this way, when the position and orientation of the terminal 101 change, the display control unit 125 performs processing according to the change in the position and orientation of the terminal 101, thereby changing the appearance of the object X1, the masking area X2, and the construction sequence X3 displayed on the display unit 113.

[0037] 6 and 7 show the display contents of the display unit 113 when the camera 112 of the terminal 101 is pointed at the construction location of the road marking from different positions. FIGS. 6 and 7 show a state in which a "Stop" road marking has not yet been constructed at the construction location of the road marking. In other words, of the contents shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , all except for object X1 are images captured by the camera 112, and object X1 is not an image captured by the camera 112. When the camera 112 of the terminal 101 is pointed at the construction location of the road marking from a first position, object X1 is displayed as shown in FIG. 6. On the other hand, when the camera 112 of the terminal 101 is pointed at the construction location of the road marking from a second position different from the first position, object X1 is displayed as shown in FIG. 7. In this way, the appearance of object X1 changes depending on the position and orientation of the terminal 101. Although not shown, the same applies to masking area X2 and construction order X3.

[0038] Furthermore, when an object overlaps an area on the road surface where road markings are to be installed, the display control unit 125 does not display the parts of the installation support information, such as the object X1, the masking area X2, and the installation order X3, that overlap the object on the display unit 113. Here, the object refers to the installation device 10, the feet of a worker, or the like.

[0039] <Communication control unit 126> The communication control unit 126 transmits and receives information by communicating with the communication control unit 126 of another terminal 101. Information transmitted and received between the multiple terminals 101 includes information about the virtual space constructed by the construction unit 122 of a certain terminal 101, and construction support information such as an object X1, a masking area X2, and a construction order X3. The multiple terminals 101 may be connected via a single server, or may be connected by P2P (Peer to Peer).

[0040] <Processing by the control device 120> Referring to FIG. 8, the flow of processing that the control device 120 executes to display construction support information such as the object X1 on the display unit 113 will be described.

[0041] 8, the control device 120 starts acquiring point cloud data output from the distance sensor 111 and video output from the camera 112 (S11). Therefore, after step S11, the control device 120 continuously acquires point cloud data and video at a predetermined cycle. Next, the control device 120 starts displaying the video (S12). Therefore, after step S12, the video displayed on the display unit 113 changes in response to changes in the position and orientation of the terminal 101.

[0042] Thereafter, the control device 120 starts constructing a virtual space corresponding to the real space based on the acquired information (S13). Next, the control device 120 determines whether or not the construction of the virtual space is complete (S14). If the construction of the virtual space has not been completed to the extent that subsequent processing can be continued (S14: NO), the control device 120 proceeds to step S13. In this case, the control device 120 continues constructing the virtual space. At this point, the control device 120 may prompt the worker to perform detection using the distance sensor 111 by voice or display, or may display the progress of the construction of the virtual space on the display unit 113.

[0043] If the construction of the virtual space has been completed to the extent that subsequent processing can be continued (S14: YES), the control device 120 causes the display unit 113 to display road marking candidates as shown in FIG. 3 (S15). Thereafter, the control device 120 accepts a selection operation by the operator (S16). Next, the control device 120 temporarily places an object X1 corresponding to the selected road marking in the virtual space (S17). Next, the control device 120 starts displaying the object X1 according to the current position and orientation of the terminal 101 (S18). In other words, from step S18 onwards, the appearance of the object X1 displayed on the display unit 113 changes according to changes in the position and orientation of the terminal 101.

[0044] Thereafter, the control device 120 accepts an operation by the worker to adjust the position of the object X1 (S19). Subsequently, the control device 120 adjusts the placement of the object X1 according to the operation content (S20). As a result, the position of the object X1 in the virtual space is aligned with the desired position in the real space where the road marking is to be constructed. In this embodiment, once the position of the object X1 is determined, the positions of the masking area X2 and construction sequence X3 corresponding to the object X1 are also determined. Thereafter, the control device 120 ends this process.

[0045] In the flowchart shown in FIG. 8, steps S13 and S14 correspond to the "construction process", steps S15 to S20 correspond to the "layout setting process", and step S12 corresponds to the "display control process".

[0046] Referring to FIG. 9, the flow of processing that the control device 120 executes to display construction support information such as the masking area X2 and the construction order X3 on the display unit 113 will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the control device 120 determines whether or not a masking process is in progress (S31). The control device 120 may passively determine whether or not a masking process is in progress based on the user's operation, or may actively determine whether or not a masking process is in progress from an image or the like. If a masking process is in progress (S31: YES), the control device 120 causes the display unit 113 to display a masking area X2 associated with the object X1 (S32). On the other hand, if a masking process is not in progress (S31: NO), the control device 120 determines whether or not a coating process is in progress (S33). The control device 120 may passively determine whether or not a coating process is in progress based on the user's operation, or may actively determine whether or not a coating process is in progress from an image or the like. If a coating process is in progress (S33: YES), the control device 120 causes the display unit 113 to display a construction sequence X3 of the lines that make up the road marking. On the other hand, if the application process is not in progress (S33: NO), the control device 120 ends this process. Note that the masking process and the application process are not performed simultaneously. In this regard, the masking area X2 and the application order X3 are not displayed simultaneously on the display unit 113.

[0047] <Operation of this embodiment> The operation of this embodiment when constructing road markings will now be described. <Preparation process> The road marking application method of this embodiment includes a preparation step in addition to the pre-processing step, masking step, and application step described above. The preparation step is a step preceding the masking step. In the pre-processing step, the worker directs the distance sensor 111 and camera 112 of the terminal 101 toward the road surface on which the road marking is to be applied and the surrounding area of ​​the road surface, causing the terminal 101 to construct a virtual space. Next, the worker selects the road marking to be applied and adjusts the position of the road marking to be applied via the terminal 101. Thus, in the preparation step, the terminal 101 places an object X1 corresponding to the road marking to be applied in the virtual space associated with the real space. When the preparation step is completed, the object X1 is displayed on the display unit 113 of the terminal 101, superimposed on the image. Furthermore, when the worker changes the position and orientation of the terminal 101, the appearance of the object X1 on the display unit 113 changes accordingly.

[0048] <Masking process> In the masking process, the worker displays a masking area X2 on the display unit 113 of the terminal 101. Then, the worker performs masking on the displayed masking area X2. Specifically, the worker attaches masking tape or the like to the road surface so that it overlaps with the masking area X2. In this embodiment, the multiple terminals 101 can transmit and receive information to each other. Therefore, it is possible for a worker carrying one terminal 101 and a worker carrying another terminal 101 to share the masking work. In the masking process, the worker may hold the terminal 101 in one hand, or may fasten the terminal 101 to a neck holder or the like.

[0049] <Coating process> In the application process, the worker holds the terminal 101 in the holder 25 of the application device 10. Furthermore, the worker displays the application sequence X3 of the lines that make up the road marking on the display unit 113 of the terminal 101. The worker then applies the lines in accordance with the application sequence X3 displayed on the display unit 113. At this time, the worker runs the application device 10 while aligning the tip of the guide pole 50 of the application device 10 with the arrow indicating the application direction, as shown in FIG. 10 .

[0050] Fig. 10 shows the display content of the display unit 113 during the painting process. In Fig. 10, hatched parts of object X1 indicate that paint has been applied, and non-hatched parts of object X1 indicate that paint has not been applied. In other words, Fig. 10 illustrates that the worker is painting the third of the four lines that make up the road marking "STOP."

[0051] In this way, the worker can install the road markings without getting lost. Also, in Fig. 10, the installation device 10 as an object overlaps with the object X1 and the installation sequence X3. Therefore, the portions of the object X1 and the installation sequence X3 that overlap with the installation device 10 are not displayed on the display unit 113. Note that the area in which the installation device 10 is shown in Fig. 10 is hatched to indicate that the installation device 10 is shown in a simplified manner.

[0052] <Effects of this embodiment> (1) The construction support device 100 changes the appearance of the object X1 on the display unit 113 to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the terminal 101. Therefore, the worker can understand, via the construction support device 100, at which position on the road surface and in which direction to place the road marking. Therefore, the worker can place the road marking without having to perform marking work for placing the road marking. In this way, the construction support device 100 can reduce the burden on the worker when placing the road marking. Furthermore, the construction support device 100 digitizes the artisanal techniques, including the methods and ideas used by experienced workers when placing road markings. Therefore, the construction support device 100 allows an inexperienced worker to place road markings in the same way as an experienced worker.

[0053] (2) The worker can check the image captured by the camera 112 and the object X1 on one screen. In other words, the construction support device 100 does not need to have a transmissive display as the display unit 113. For example, the terminal 101 can be configured as a general-purpose smartphone equipped with a display, a distance sensor 111, and a camera 112.

[0054] (3) The construction support device 100 can place the object X1 in a position and orientation desired by the worker. In other words, the worker can adjust the position and orientation of the object X1. Therefore, the construction support device 100 can be made easier to use.

[0055] (4) In the masking process, the terminal 101 can display the masking area X2 as construction support information on the display unit 113. Therefore, the worker can mask the road surface based on the information displayed on the display unit 113. In other words, the construction support device 100 can clearly communicate to the worker the areas that need to be masked.

[0056] (5) In the application process, the terminal 101 can display the construction order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking as construction support information on the display unit 113. This allows the worker to efficiently construct the road marking according to the information indicating the construction order X3.

[0057] (6) In a situation where road markings are being installed using the installation device 10, the installation device 10 may be present between the display unit 113 and the area where the road markings are to be installed. In this case, if the entire object X1 is displayed on the display unit 113, there is a risk that the object X1 will be displayed overlapping the installation device 10. As a result, there is a risk of the worker becoming confused. In this regard, when an object exists overlapping the area where the road markings are to be installed on the road surface, the installation support device 100 does not display the portion of the object X1 that overlaps the object on the display unit 113. This reduces the risk of the worker becoming confused while installing the road markings with the installation device 10.

[0058] <Example of change> This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0059] To efficiently install a road marking consisting of multiple characters, it is necessary to determine the installation order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking, taking into account the drying speed of the paint and the travel route of the installation device 10. As an example, FIG. 11 shows the installation order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking when installing a road marking that reads "Stop." As shown in FIG. 11, the installation order X3 is a portion of the "ma" character, a portion of the "re" character, the entire "to" character, the remaining portion of the "ma" character, and the remaining portion of the "re" character. Thus, in order to efficiently install road markings, it is preferable not to install road markings consisting of multiple characters one character at a time. In other words, to efficiently install road markings, the installation order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking becomes complex. In this regard, the installation support device 100 displays the installation order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking on the display unit 113, allowing the worker to easily understand the installation order X3 of the lines that make up the road marking.

[0060] The display unit 113 may be an optically transmissive monitor. In this case, the display unit 113 is preferably a head-mounted display that can be worn by the worker. If the display unit 113 is an optically transmissive monitor, the terminal 101 does not need to include the camera 112. In other words, the control device 120 does not need to display the image captured by the camera 112 on the display unit 113.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the distance sensor 111 and the camera 112 may be separated from the terminal 101 having the display unit 113. In this case, it is preferable that the road marking installation support system includes a terminal for sensing that includes the distance sensor 111 and the camera 112.

[0062] The control device 120 of the terminal 101 may determine the position and orientation of the road marking in space based on its positional relationship with other road markings that have already been installed. This eliminates the need for an operator to adjust the position and orientation of the road marking in space.

[0063] The layout setting unit 124 may set areas that do not require masking when installing the selected road marking. In this case, the areas that do not require masking correspond to information indicating areas that require masking.

[0064] The construction support device 100 only needs to have at least one of a function for displaying the masking area X2 in the masking process and a function for displaying the construction order X3 of the road markings in the application process. In other words, the worker can use the construction support device 100 only for the masking process, or can use the construction support device 100 only for the application process.

[0065] The construction support device 100 may only have the function of displaying the object X1. When an object overlaps an area on the road surface where road markings are to be installed, the display control unit 125 may display the portion of the object X1 that overlaps the object on the display unit 113. In this case, the display of the object X1 may be non-transparent or may be appropriately transparent.

[0066] Pavement markings are not limited to combinations of letters and symbols. Pavement markings can also be simple lines such as side strips and stop lines. The shapes of road markings such as "Stop" and "Pedestrian or bicycle crossing ahead" may differ depending on the prefecture. Therefore, the selection unit 123 may acquire the current location of the terminal 101 based on the detection results of a GPS or the like. Then, the selection unit 123 may cause the display unit 113 to display road marking candidates that are suitable for the current location of the terminal 101. This allows the construction support device 100 to prevent road markings that should be constructed in one prefecture from being constructed on roads in other prefectures.

[0067] If there is variation in the travel speed of the construction device 10, the thickness of the paint applied to the road surface may become uneven. Furthermore, if the traveling direction of the construction device 10 deviates from the original traveling direction, the road markings may not be applied correctly. Therefore, the construction support device 100 may display information related to the traveling speed and traveling direction of the construction device 10 on the display unit 113 as construction support information. Specifically, the construction support device 100 may display on the display unit 113 that there is variation in the traveling speed of the construction device 10, or may display on the display unit 113 a message urging the user to change the traveling speed of the construction device 10 to eliminate the variation. The construction support device 100 according to this modified example allows the user to correctly apply road markings.

[0068] The construction device 10 may be operable by an operator from a remote location. In this case, it is preferable that a terminal equipped with a display unit 113 and an operation unit for operating the construction device 10 is provided at the remote location. This reduces the number of personnel required at the site where the road markings are to be constructed.

[0069] The application device 10 may be a vehicle equipped with a storage unit 30 and an application unit 40. In this case, the application support device 100 is preferably installed in the driver's seat of the vehicle or in a work space.

[0070] The control device 120 of the terminal 101 is not limited to a processing circuit that includes a CPU and ROM and executes software processing. For example, the control device 120 may include a dedicated hardware circuit that executes at least some of the various processes executed in the above-described embodiment. An example of a dedicated hardware circuit is an ASIC. ASIC is an abbreviation for "Application Specific Integrated Circuit." In other words, the control device 120 may have any of the following configurations (a) to (c):

[0071] (a) A processing circuit comprising a processing device that executes all of the above processes according to a program, and a program storage device such as a ROM that stores the program. (b) A processing circuit comprising a processing device and a program storage device that execute part of the above processing according to a program, and a dedicated hardware circuit that executes the remaining processing.

[0072] (c) A processing circuit having dedicated hardware circuitry for performing all of the above processes. Here, there may be a plurality of software execution devices each having a processing device and a program storage device, and a plurality of dedicated hardware circuits.

[0073] <Summary of this embodiment> [Aspect 1] A road marking construction support device comprising: a distance sensor that detects point cloud data of an area including a road surface that is to be subjected to road marking construction; a display unit that is configured integrally with the distance sensor and that displays construction support information that supports the construction of the road marking; and a control device that controls the construction support information displayed on the display unit, wherein the control device has: a construction unit that constructs a virtual space corresponding to real space based on the point cloud data; a placement setting unit that places objects corresponding to the road markings in the virtual space; and a display control unit that causes the display unit to display the objects as the construction support information, wherein the display control unit estimates the current position and orientation of the display unit based on the point cloud data, and changes the appearance of the objects on the display unit to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit.

[0074] The construction support device changes the appearance of the object on the display unit to a view that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit. Therefore, the worker can grasp, via the construction support device, the position and direction on the road surface where the road marking should be placed. Therefore, the worker can place the road marking without having to perform marking work for placing the road marking. In this way, the construction support device can reduce the burden on the worker when placing the road marking.

[0075] [Aspect 2] The road marking construction support device of Aspect 1 further includes a camera that is configured integrally with the display unit so as to face in the same direction as the distance sensor and that photographs an area including the road surface, the display unit displays the image photographed by the camera, and the display control unit causes the display unit to display the object superimposed on the image photographed by the camera.

[0076] The worker can check the image captured by the camera and the object on one screen, which means that the construction support device does not need to be equipped with a see-through display as a display unit. [Aspect 3] A road marking construction support device according to Aspect 1 or Aspect 2, further comprising an operation unit that can be operated by an operator, wherein the placement setting unit adjusts at least one of the position and orientation of the object placed in the virtual space based on the operator's operation of the operation unit.

[0077] The construction support device can place an object in a position and orientation desired by the worker, i.e., the worker can adjust the position and orientation of the object. [Aspect 4] A road marking construction support device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the road marking is constructed using a construction device that includes an applicator unit that applies paint to the road surface and a cart that supports the applicator unit, and the display control unit causes the display unit to display, as the construction support information, information indicating areas that require masking when constructing the road marking.

[0078] The construction device displays on the display unit the areas that need to be masked when constructing road markings. This allows the worker to mask the road surface based on the information displayed on the display unit. In other words, the construction support device can clearly communicate to the worker the areas that need to be masked.

[0079] [Aspect 5] A road marking construction support device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the road marking is constructed using a construction device that includes an applicator unit that applies paint to the road surface and a cart that supports the applicator unit, and the display control unit causes the display unit to display, as the construction support information, information indicating the construction order of the lines that make up the road marking.

[0080] In order to efficiently install road markings, the installation order of the lines that make up the road markings can be important. For example, when installing road markings that consist of characters, the installation order of the lines that make up the characters may differ from the stroke order of the characters. In this regard, in the installation support device, the installation support information includes information that indicates the installation order of the lines that make up the road markings. Therefore, workers can efficiently install road markings in accordance with the information that indicates the installation order.

[0081] [Aspect 6] A road marking installation support device as described in Aspect 4 or Aspect 5, wherein the display control unit, when an object overlaps an area of ​​the road surface where the road marking is to be installed, does not display on the display unit any part of the object that overlaps the object.

[0082] In a situation where road markings are being installed using an installation device, the installation device may be present between the display unit and the area where the road markings are to be installed. In this case, if the entire object is displayed on the display unit, there is a risk that the object will be displayed overlapping the installation device. As a result, there is a risk of the worker becoming confused. In this regard, when an object exists overlapping the area where the road markings are to be installed on the road surface, the installation support device does not display the part of the object that overlaps the object on the display unit. This reduces the risk of the worker becoming confused while installing the road markings with the installation device.

[0083] [Aspect 7] A road marking construction support method comprising: a construction process for constructing a virtual space corresponding to real space based on point cloud data of an area including a road surface to be constructed with road markings output from a distance sensor; a placement setting process for placing objects corresponding to the road markings in the virtual space; and a display control process for displaying the objects as construction support information on a display unit configured integrally with the distance sensor, wherein the display control process estimates the current position and orientation of the display unit based on the point cloud data, and changes the appearance of the objects on the display unit to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit.

[0084] The road marking construction support method can obtain the same effects as those of the road marking construction support device described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10…Construction equipment 20...Cart 30...Storage section 40...Applicator 50...Guide pole 100…Construction support equipment 101...Terminal 111...Distance sensor 112...Camera 113...Display section 120...Control device 121…Acquisition Department 122...Construction Department 123...Selection section 124...Placement setting section 125...Display control unit X1...Object X2: Masking area X3…Construction order

Claims

1. a distance sensor for detecting point cloud data of an area including a road surface on which road markings are to be installed; a display unit that is configured integrally with the distance sensor and that displays construction support information that supports the construction of the road markings; a control device that controls the construction support information to be displayed on the display unit, The control device a construction unit that constructs a virtual space corresponding to a real space based on the point cloud data; a placement setting unit that places an object corresponding to the road marking in the virtual space; a display control unit that displays the object on the display unit as the construction support information, The display control unit estimates a current position and orientation of the display unit based on the point cloud data, and changes how the object appears on the display unit to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit. Road marking construction support device.

2. a camera that is integral with the display unit and faces the same direction as the distance sensor, and that captures an area including the road surface; the display unit displays an image captured by the camera; The display control unit displays the object on the display unit so as to be superimposed on the image captured by the camera. The road marking construction support device according to claim 1.

3. Further provided with an operation unit that can be operated by an operator, The placement setting unit adjusts at least one of the position and the orientation of the object placed in the virtual space based on an operation by the operator on the operation unit. The road marking construction support device according to claim 1.

4. The road marking is applied using an application device that includes an application unit that applies paint to the road surface and a cart that supports the application unit, The display control unit causes the display unit to display, as the construction support information, information indicating an area that needs to be masked when constructing the road marking. The road marking construction support device according to claim 1.

5. The road marking is applied using an application device that includes an application unit that applies paint to the road surface and a cart that supports the application unit, The display control unit causes the display unit to display, as the construction support information, information indicating a construction order of lines constituting the road marking. The road marking construction support device according to claim 1.

6. When an object is present overlapping an area of ​​the road surface where the road marking is to be installed, the display control unit does not display a portion of the object that overlaps the object on the display unit. The road marking construction support device according to claim 4 or 5.

7. a construction process for constructing a virtual space corresponding to the real space based on point cloud data of an area including a road surface to be subjected to road marking construction output from a distance sensor; a placement setting process for placing an object corresponding to the road marking in the virtual space; a display control process for displaying the object as construction support information on a display unit configured integrally with the distance sensor, The display control process estimates a current position and orientation of the display unit based on the point cloud data, and changes how the object appears on the display unit to an appearance that corresponds to the current position and orientation of the display unit. A method for supporting the construction of road markings.

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