Transport vehicle management apparatus, transport vehicle management system, transport vehicle management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a transport vehicle management device, a transport vehicle management system, a transport vehicle management method, and a program capable of reducing labor of work.SOLUTION: The transport vehicle management apparatus includes a detector that detects a transport vehicle that has entered a target region, a determiner that determines a work operation in the target region regarding the detected transport vehicle, a time specifier that specifies a work start time and a work end time of the transport vehicle based on the determined work operation, and a recorder that records transport vehicle information regarding the detected transport vehicle, and the specified work start time and work end time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system, a vehicle management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] At a ready-mixed concrete delivery site, for example, when an agitator truck delivers ready-mixed concrete, unloading work is managed. Unloading work is managed, for example, by inputting the automobile registration number (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle number) printed on the license plate of the agitator truck, the start time of unloading the ready-mixed concrete, and the end time of unloading into a management table (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-147032 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional unloading work management, data entry into a management table is performed manually by workers or agitator truck drivers after the pouring of unloaded ready-mixed concrete is completed, which makes creating the management table time-consuming. Furthermore, the data entered into the management table could not be shared until the worker or other personnel entered the data into the management table after the pouring of ready-mixed concrete was completed.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system, a vehicle management method, and a program that can reduce the amount of work required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle management device, vehicle management system, vehicle management method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A vehicle management device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle management device that includes a detection unit that detects a vehicle that has entered a target area, a determination unit that determines work movements within the target area related to the detected vehicle, a time determination unit that determines the work start time and work end time of the vehicle based on the determined work movements, and a recording unit that records vehicle information related to the detected vehicle and the determined work start time and work end time.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the detection unit detects the transport vehicle by performing image recognition on an image of the transport vehicle taken at the entrance of the target area, and the determination unit determines the work operation by performing image recognition on an image of the transport vehicle surroundings taken within the target area of ​​the area surrounding the transport vehicle, including the transport vehicle.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (1), the transport vehicle is an agitator vehicle, and the work operation includes unloading ready-mixed concrete loaded on the agitator vehicle.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (3), the work start time includes at least one of the following times: the time when the ready-mixed concrete starts to flow from the chute of the agitator vehicle, the time when the mixer of the agitator vehicle starts to rotate in the discharge direction, the time when the driver of the agitator vehicle climbs up next to the hopper of the agitator vehicle, or the time when the license plate of the agitator vehicle is recognized; and the work end time includes at least one of the following times: the time when the driver gets down next to the hopper, the time when the mixer stops rotating in the discharge direction, the time when the worker starts cleaning the chute, the time when the chute is folded into the position it is in when the agitator vehicle is traveling, or the time when the license plate moves away from a predetermined position.

[0010] (5): A transport vehicle management system according to one aspect of the invention is a transport vehicle management system comprising the transport vehicle management device described in (2) above, a camera that captures a transport vehicle image of the transport vehicle and an image of the transport vehicle surroundings including the area around the transport vehicle, and a transmitting device that transmits the transport vehicle image and the image of the transport vehicle surroundings captured by the camera to the transport vehicle management device.

[0011] (6): A vehicle management method according to one aspect of the invention is a vehicle management method in which a computer detects a vehicle that has entered a target area, determines the work operation of the detected vehicle within the target area, identifies the work start time and work end time of the vehicle based on the determined work operation, and records vehicle information about the detected vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time.

[0012] (7): A program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to detect a transport vehicle that has entered a target area, determine the work movement of the detected transport vehicle within the target area, identify the work start time and work end time of the transport vehicle based on the determined work movement, and record transport vehicle information about the detected transport vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the above-mentioned aspects (1) to (7), the time and effort required for the cleaning work can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transporter management system 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of a management table 40. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing in the transporter management device 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system, a vehicle management method, and a program will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport vehicle management system 1 according to an embodiment. The transport vehicle management system 1 is used in a target area WS, for example. The target area WS is a construction site where concrete is being poured, for example. The transport vehicle management system 1 includes, for example, a webcam 10, a transmitting device 11, and a transport vehicle management server 20. The webcam 10 is placed, for example, in a position that overlooks the entire target area WS, and the transport vehicle management server 20 is installed, for example, in a management office for the target area WS. The transport vehicle management server 20 is accessible by multiple parties, including workers working in the target area WS.

[0017] The web camera 10 may be placed at one location in the target area WS, or multiple web cameras 10 may be placed at multiple locations in the target area WS. The web camera 10 captures images of, for example, the entrance GT of the target area WS and the work position where the agitator vehicle M performs work.

[0018] The entrance GT is an entrance into the target area WS for the agitator vehicle M. The images captured by the web camera 10 are, for example, a transport vehicle image of the agitator vehicle M captured at the entrance GT of the target area WS, and a transport vehicle surroundings image of the agitator vehicle M and its surroundings captured within the target area WS. The agitator vehicle M is an example of a transport vehicle.

[0019] The agitator vehicle M includes, for example, a vehicle body M1, a mixer M2, a hopper M3, and a chute M4. The vehicle body M1 is provided with a loading platform and a driver's seat, and a driver P can sit in the driver's seat, and the loading platform is provided with the mixer M2, hopper M3, chute M4, etc. When the driver P is to discharge the ready-mixed concrete FC from the chute M4, he gets out of the driver's seat and climbs onto the side of the hopper M3 to act as a worker. The mixer M2 then rotates in the discharge direction, causing the ready-mixed concrete FC to begin flowing. The worker may be someone other than the driver P.

[0020] After the work of discharging the ready-mixed concrete is completed, the driver P gets off from the side of the hopper M3, the mixer M2 stops rotating in the discharge direction, and a cleaning person such as the driver P cleans the chute M4. After cleaning, the chute M4 is folded back to its traveling position. The agitator vehicle M then starts traveling away from the work position. The webcam 10 captures an image of the license plate of the agitator vehicle M as it moves away.

[0021] The transmitting device 11 is realized by a network card, a network adapter, a NIC (Network Interface Controller), or the like. The transmitting device 11 transmits images captured by the webcam 10 to the transport vehicle management server 20 via the network NW. The network NW is a wireless network, such as an intranet, a local area network (LAN), UWB (Ultra Wide Band), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or Wi-Fi.

[0022] The vehicle management server 20 includes, for example, a communication device 21, an input device 22, a display 23, a memory 24, and a vehicle management device 100. The communication device 21 receives data such as images transmitted by the web camera 10 via the network NW. The communication device 21 is realized, for example, by a network card, a network adapter, or a NIC.

[0023] The input device 22 is an interface that can be operated by an operator of the transport vehicle management server 20. The input device 22 is realized by, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a trackball, a switch, a button, a joystick, a camera, an infrared sensor, a microphone, or the like.

[0024] The display 23 is realized by, for example, a liquid crystal display, a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display, etc. The display 23 is capable of displaying, for example, an image (video) including the agitator wheel M and information related to the agitator wheel M. The display 23 may be a touch panel integrated with the input device 22.

[0025] The memory 24 is, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), an optical disk, etc. The memory 24 may also be a drive device externally attached to the transporter management device 100. The memory 24 stores various information, for example, information in the management table 40.

[0026] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the contents of the management table 40. The management table 40 is information about the agitator vehicles M that have entered the target area WS. The management table includes information such as the vehicle management number, the vehicle registration number, the entry time, the start time of unloading, and the end time of unloading. The vehicle registration number, the entry time, the start time of unloading, and the end time of unloading are organized by vehicle management number.

[0027] The vehicle management number is a number assigned to each agitator vehicle M. The vehicle registration number is a number printed on the license plate of the transport vehicle. The entry time is the time the agitator vehicle M enters the target area WS. The unloading start time is the time when unloading of the ready-mixed concrete loaded on the agitator vehicle M begins in the target area WS. The unloading end time is the time when unloading of the ready-mixed concrete is completed. The vehicle registration number, entry time, unloading start time, and unloading end time are all identified based on the transport vehicle image captured by the web camera 10 and recorded in memory 24.

[0028] The transport vehicle management device 100 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 110, a detection unit 120, a determination unit 130, a time identification unit 140, and a recording unit 150. The transport vehicle management device 100 is realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software).

[0029] Some or all of the components of the transport vehicle management device 100 may be realized by hardware such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0030] The program may be stored in advance in memory 24 (non-transitory storage medium), or may be stored in a removable storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) such as a DVD or CD-ROM and installed by inserting the storage medium into a drive device. The program may be updated, for example, by a change (update) technology using communication technology (OTA: Over The Air).

[0031] The truck management device 100 executes processes using, for example, artificial intelligence (AI). The truck management device 100 executes various detection and determination processes using rule-based determinations by AI and trained models by machine learning. The rule-based models and trained models are stored in, for example, memory 24, and are read out and used by the truck management device 100 as appropriate.

[0032] The acquisition unit 110 acquires various information received by the communication device 21. For example, the acquisition unit 110 acquires images such as a transport vehicle image and an image of the transport vehicle's surroundings transmitted by the transmission device 11 and received by the communication device 21. The transport vehicle image is an image of the transport vehicle captured at the entrance of the target area. The transport vehicle surroundings image is an image of the surrounding area of ​​the transport vehicle, including the transport vehicle, within the target area.

[0033] The detection unit 120 detects the agitator vehicle M that has entered the target area WS. The detection unit 120, for example, performs image recognition on the transporter image acquired by the acquisition unit 110 to detect the agitator vehicle M. The detection unit 120 performs image recognition on the transporter image to detect the license plate of the agitator vehicle M and detect the vehicle registration number written on the license plate. When the detection unit 120 detects the vehicle registration number, it acquires the entry time of the agitator vehicle M into the target area WS. The detection unit 120 records the detected vehicle registration number and entry time in the memory 24.

[0034] The determination unit 130 determines the work action within the target area WS related to the detected agitator vehicle M. The determination unit 130 determines the work action, for example, by performing image recognition on a transport vehicle surrounding image captured within the target area WS of the area surrounding the agitator vehicle M, including the agitator vehicle M. The work action includes a work start action and a work end action. The work in this embodiment is unloading, in which ready-mixed concrete FC is discharged from the agitator vehicle M.

[0035] The work start operation includes the first work start operation to the fourth work start operation. The first work start operation is an operation in which ready-mixed concrete starts to flow from the chute M4. The second work start operation is an operation in which the mixer M2 rotates in the discharge direction. The third work start operation is an operation in which the driver climbs up next to the hopper M3. The fourth work start operation is an operation in which the agitator vehicle M enters the target area WS.

[0036] The work ending actions include the first work ending action to the fifth work ending action. The first work ending action is an action in which the driver P gets off from the side of the hopper M3. The second work ending action is an action in which the mixer M2 stops rotating in the discharge direction. The third work ending action is an action in which a cleaner cleans the chute. The fourth work ending action is an action in which the chute M4 is folded. The fifth work ending action is an action in which the agitator vehicle M moves away from a predetermined position such as the position where the work was being performed or the entrance.

[0037] The time identifying unit 140 identifies the work start time and work end time of the transporter based on the determined work motion. The time identifying unit 140 identifies, for example, the work start motion and the work end motion determined by the determining unit 130. The time identifying unit 140 acquires the time when the identified work start motion was performed to identify the work start time, and acquires the time when the identified work end motion was performed to identify the work end time.

[0038] The recording unit 150 records vehicle information about the detected vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time. The vehicle information includes, for example, the vehicle registration number. The recording unit 150 assigns a vehicle management number to the agitator vehicle M every time the agitator vehicle M enters the target area WS, and stores the agitator vehicle M's vehicle registration number, the time of entry into the target area WS, the work start time (unloading start time), and the work end time (unloading end time) in the memory 24, thereby updating the management table 40.

[0039] Next, the processing in the transport vehicle management device 100 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing in the transport vehicle management device 100. The flowchart in FIG. 3 starts after the agitator vehicle M enters the target area WS. During execution of the flow in FIG. 3, the web camera 10 captures images of the transport vehicle and images of the area surrounding the transport vehicle within the target area WS, for example, at regular time intervals. The transmission device 11 transmits the images of the transport vehicle and the area surrounding the transport vehicle captured by the web camera 10 to the transport vehicle management server 20, and the transport vehicle management server 20 receives the images of the transport vehicle and the area surrounding the transport vehicle transmitted by the transmission device 11 via the communication device 21.

[0040] The transport vehicle management device 100 acquires, in the acquisition unit 110, a transport vehicle image captured by the web camera 10 and received by the communication device 21 (step S101). The acquisition unit 110, for example, performs image recognition of characteristic shapes of the agitator vehicle M, such as the mixer M2 or hopper M3, to identify that the entering vehicle is an agitator vehicle M. Next, the detection unit 120 acquires the entry time when the agitator vehicle M entered the target area WS, for example, the time when the agitator vehicle M passed through the entrance GT.

[0041] Next, the detection unit 120 performs image recognition on the transporter image to detect the license plate attached to the agitator vehicle M and the vehicle registration number written on the license plate (step S103). The detection unit 120 detects the license plate and the vehicle registration number written on the license plate, for example, by pattern matching. The detection unit 120 records the acquired entry time and the detected vehicle registration number in the memory 24 (step S105).

[0042] Next, the acquisition unit 110 acquires an image of the area around the transporter captured by the web camera 10 and received by the communication device 21 (step S107). Next, the determination unit 130 determines the work motion of the agitator vehicle M and its surroundings (step S109). Next, the determination unit 130 determines whether or not work, in this case, pouring work of ready-mixed concrete FC, has started based on the determined work motion (step S111).

[0043] The determination unit 130 performs image recognition on the image of the transporter surroundings, and determines that concrete pouring work has started when any one of the first work start motion to the fourth work start motion has been executed. The determination unit 130 may specify one or more of the first work start motion to the fourth work start motion, and determine that concrete pouring work has started when the specified work start motion has been executed.

[0044] If it is determined that the concrete pouring work has not started, the determination unit 130 returns the process to step S107. If it is determined that the concrete pouring work has started, the determination unit 130 acquires the work start time. The determination unit 130 records the acquired work start time in the memory 24 (step S113).

[0045] Next, the acquisition unit 110 acquires an image of the vicinity of the transporter captured by the web camera 10 and received by the communication device 21 (step S115). Next, the determination unit 130 determines the work motion of the agitator vehicle M and its surroundings (step S117). Next, the determination unit 130 determines whether the work, in this case the pouring of ready-mixed concrete FC, has been completed based on the determined work motion (step S119).

[0046] The determination unit 130 performs image recognition on the image of the transporter surroundings, and determines that the concrete pouring work has ended when any one of the first work ending action to the fifth work ending action has been performed. The determination unit 130 may specify one or more of the first work ending action to the fifth work ending action, and determine that the concrete pouring work has ended when the specified work ending action has been performed.

[0047] If it is determined that the concrete pouring work has not been completed, the determination unit 130 returns the process to step S115. If it is determined that the concrete pouring work has been completed, the determination unit 130 acquires the work end time and records the acquired work end time in the memory 24 (step S121). In this way, the transporter management device 100 ends the process shown in FIG.

[0048] The transporter vehicle management device 100 of the embodiment detects an agitator vehicle M that has entered a target area WS, and identifies the start and end times of the agitator vehicle M's unloading of ready-mixed concrete based on the detected work movement of the agitator vehicle M. The transporter vehicle management device 100 records this in a management table 40 stored in memory 24. This reduces the workload of workers such as the driver of the agitator vehicle M.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the transport vehicle is an agitator vehicle M that transports ready-mixed concrete, but the transport vehicle may be another vehicle. The transport vehicle may also be, for example, a dump truck that transports gravel, materials, waste materials, etc. In this case, the work start operation may be the dump truck entering the target area WS, a dump-up operation, a predetermined signal from a signal person, etc., and the work end operation may be the dump truck moving away from a predetermined position such as the work location or the entrance, a dump-down operation, a predetermined signal from a signal person, or an operation that detects that the transported materials on the loading platform are almost empty, etc. In the above embodiment, the management table 40 is stored in the memory 24 of the transport vehicle management device 100. However, the transport vehicle management server 20 may be configured to operate on the cloud and stored in a state where multiple parties can access it. In this case, information such as the work start time and work end time can be simultaneously provided to multiple parties and shared among multiple parties.

[0050] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage device storing a program; a hardware processor; The hardware processor executes the program stored in the storage device, Detecting vehicles that enter the target area; determining a work movement within the region of interest for the detected vehicle; Identifying a work start time and a work end time of the transporter based on the determined work motion; recording vehicle information regarding the detected vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time; The transport vehicle management device is configured as follows.

[0051] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1. Transport vehicle management system 10. Webcam 11 Transmitting device 20 Transport vehicle management server 21 Communication equipment 22 Input Devices 23 Display 24 memory 40 Management table 100 Transport vehicle management device 110 Acquisition Department 120 Detector 130 Judgment section 140 Time identification part 150 Recording Unit FC Ready Mixed Concrete GT entrance M Agitator wheel M1 body M2 Mixer M3 Hopper M4 Shoot NW Network P Driver WS Target Area

Claims

1. a detection unit that detects a vehicle that has entered a target area; a determination unit that determines a work action within the target area related to the detected transporter; a time specifying unit that specifies a work start time and a work end time of the transporter based on the determined work motion; a recording unit that records vehicle information regarding the detected vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time. Transport vehicle management device.

2. the detection unit detects the transport vehicle by performing image recognition on an image of the transport vehicle captured at an entrance of the target area; the determination unit performs image recognition on a vehicle surroundings image obtained by capturing an image of the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle including the vehicle within the target area, and determines the work motion. The transporter management device according to claim 1 .

3. the transport vehicle is an agitator vehicle; The work operation includes unloading the ready-mixed concrete loaded on the agitator vehicle. The transporter management device according to claim 1 .

4. The work start time includes at least one of the time when the ready-mixed concrete starts to flow from the chute of the agitator vehicle, the time when the mixer of the agitator vehicle starts to rotate in the discharge direction, the time when the driver of the agitator vehicle climbs onto the side of the hopper of the agitator vehicle, or the time when the license plate of the agitator vehicle is recognized, The work completion time includes at least one of the following: a time when the driver gets off the side of the hopper; a time when the mixer stops rotating in the discharge direction; a time when the worker starts cleaning the chute; a time when the chute is folded into a position for the agitator vehicle to travel; and a time when the license plate moves away from a predetermined position. The transporter management device according to claim 3.

5. The transporter management device according to claim 2; a camera that captures a transport vehicle image obtained by capturing an image of the transport vehicle and an image of the transport vehicle's surroundings including the periphery of the transport vehicle; a transmitting device that transmits the transport vehicle image and the transport vehicle surrounding image captured by the camera to the transport vehicle management device, Transport vehicle management system.

6. The computer Detecting vehicles that enter the target area; determining a work movement within the region of interest for the detected vehicle; Identifying a work start time and a work end time of the transporter based on the determined work motion; recording vehicle information regarding the detected vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time; Transport vehicle management methods.

7. On the computer, Detecting vehicles that enter the target area; determining a work movement within the region of interest for the detected vehicle; Identifying a work start time and a work end time of the transporter based on the determined work motion; recording vehicle information regarding the detected vehicle and the identified work start time and work end time; program.

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