Management methods, programs, storage media, information processing devices, and information processing systems

Abstract

This technology provides a way to understand the growth status of plants growing in a work area. [Solution] A management method for managing a work site, comprising an acquisition step of acquiring the growth status of plants growing in the work site.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management method, a program, a storage medium, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses predicting the working time in the current work area based on area information regarding the current work area, historical information in which area information regarding past work areas and time information regarding the working time in the past work areas are associated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to grasp the growth state of plants growing in the work area.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technique that enables grasping the growth state of plants growing in the work area.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The management method according to the present invention that achieves the above object is a management method for managing a work area, characterized by including an acquisition step of acquiring the growth state of plants growing in the work area.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to understand the growth status of plants growing in a work area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a work machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a server device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a server device according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram showing an example of a processing sequence in an information processing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] A flowchart showing the procedure for processing performed by a server device according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] A flowchart showing the detailed procedure for obtaining the amount of plant growth according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 9] A flowchart showing the detailed procedure for obtaining the amount of plant growth according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 10] A flowchart showing the detailed procedure for obtaining the amount of plant growth according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of work information related to Embodiment 1. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of work information related to Embodiment 3. [Figure 13] A figure showing an example of displaying information regarding the growth status according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] A figure showing an example of displaying information regarding growth status and work plan according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] A figure showing an example of displaying information regarding growth status and work plan according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Also, the same or similar configurations are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) <System Configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a server device (information processing device). Reference numeral 20 denotes a work machine, which may be, for example, a lawn mower or a turf mower, but is not limited thereto. The work machine according to the present embodiment is a ride-on work machine, but may also operate as an autonomous work machine without an operator's operation. Further, the work machine may be an unmanned autonomous work machine.

[0011] Reference numerals 30a to 30c denote information processing devices, which are terminal devices possessed or owned by a user. 30a is a personal computer, 30b is a smartphone, and 30c is a tablet terminal. The user can use at least one of these. Any one of the information processing devices 30a to 30c is also referred to as an information processing device 30. The information processing device 30 operates as an information processing device that provides information to a worker who performs work at a work site, a supervisor who supervises the worker, a manager of the work site, or a user including an owner of the work site (i.e., the user). Further, the server device 10 may operate as an information processing device that provides information to the worker. Reference numeral 40 denotes a network. The server device 10, the work machine 20, and the information processing device 30 are communicably connected via the network 40.

[0012] <Hardware Configuration> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the working machine according to the present embodiment. The working machine 20 includes a right front wheel 201, a left front wheel 202, a right rear wheel 203, and a left rear wheel 204. In the present embodiment, the rear wheels are drive wheels. The working machine 20 further includes a front sensor, blade motors 212a to 212c, blades 213a to 213c, an ECU 214, a battery 215, a GNSS sensor 216, a communication device 217, and travel motors 218a to 218b. The blade motors 212a to 212c are also collectively referred to as the blade motor 212. The blades 213a to 213c are also collectively referred to as the blade 213. The travel motors 218a to 218b are also collectively referred to as the travel motor 218.

[0013] The front sensor 211 is a stereo camera that captures the front of the working machine 20. The blade motor 212 drives the blade 213. The height of the blade 213 can be manually adjusted to a plurality of blade heights. Further, a height adjustment unit (not shown) capable of automatically adjusting the height of the blade 213 to a desired height may be provided. The ECU 214 is an Electronic Control Unit that controls various operations of the working machine 20. The battery 215 is a drive source of the working machine 20.

[0014] The GNSS sensor 216 is a sensor that receives satellite signals of the Global Navigation Satellite System. The position of the working machine 20 can be measured using the received signals of the GNSS sensor 216. The communication device 217 communicates with other devices by wire and / or wirelessly. The travel motor 218a drives the right rear wheel 203. The travel motor 218b drives the left rear wheel 204. Each travel motor can operate independently and can perform a turning operation on the spot.

[0015] In the present embodiment, a configuration is provided with three sets of the blade 213 and the blade motor 212 that drives the blade, but the number thereof is not limited.

[0016] Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a server device according to this embodiment. The server device 10 includes a CPU 101, a storage device 102, and a communication unit 103. The control operation of the server device 10 is realized by the CPU 101 reading and executing a computer program stored in the storage device 102. The CPU 101 may be one or more CPUs. The storage device 102 is one or more memories that store various kinds of information. For example, it stores information received from other devices and computer programs that are read and executed by the CPU 101. The communication unit 103 has the function of communicating with other devices via wired or wireless connection through the network 40.

[0017] Figure 4 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device according to this embodiment. The information processing device 30 includes a CPU 301, a storage device 302, a communication unit 303, a display unit 304, and an operation input unit 305. The control operation of the information processing device 30 is realized by the CPU 301 reading and executing a computer program stored in the storage device 302. The CPU 301 may be one or more CPUs. The storage device 302 is one or more memories that store various kinds of information. For example, it stores information received from other devices and computer programs that are read and executed by the CPU 301.

[0018] The communication unit 303 has the function of communicating with other devices via wired or wireless connection through the network 40. The display unit 304 displays various information to the user. The operation input unit 305 receives operation input from the user. The operation input unit 305 can be configured with a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, etc.

[0019] <Functional Configuration> Next, with reference to Figure 5, an example of the functional configuration of the server device according to this embodiment will be described. The server device 10 includes a growth status acquisition unit 1001, a work planning unit 1002, a storage unit 1003, and a transmission unit 1004.

[0020] The growth status acquisition unit 1001 acquires the growth status of plants (e.g., turfgrass) growing in the work area. Here, the growth status of the plants may include the amount of growth of the plants, and this amount of growth may be the amount of growth since the plants were last cut. The work planning unit 1002 plans the work in the work area (e.g., cutting work to cut plants (grass cutting work, lawn mowing work)) based on the growth status of the plants acquired by the growth status acquisition unit 1001. The work plan may include details such as when to perform the next work and what height to set the blade to for the next work.

[0021] The memory unit 1003 stores various types of information. For example, it stores work information received from the work machine 20, and stores the height of plants in the work area, associating it with the geographical location of the plants in the work area. The transmission unit 1004 transmits information about the growth status of plants acquired by the growth status acquisition unit 1001 to the information processing device 30. The transmission unit 1004 also transmits information about the work plan planned by the work planning unit 1005 to the information processing device 30.

[0022] <Processing> Next, the processing of the information processing system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the processing sequence in Figure 6. In F601, the work machine 20 performs work (for example, lawn mowing or grass cutting) at the work site and acquires work information at the work site. The work machine 20 acquires work information by associating the date of the current work, the position information of the work machine 20 calculated from the received information acquired via the GNSS sensor 216, the height of the blade 213 during the previous work, the height of the plants before the current work, the height of the blade 213 during the current work, and information on the equipment used during the work.

[0023] Here, information about the equipment used may include, for example, the type of implement (specifically, the type of blade installed), or information indicating the condition of the blade's deterioration. Since the type of implement can result in differences in the cut surface during operation, the subsequent growth of the plants (growth) may vary depending on the type of implement. Some implements promote plant growth more easily after cutting than others, so this information may be retained as part of the equipment information. Furthermore, the subsequent growth of the plants (growth) may vary depending on the condition of the blade's deterioration. Therefore, information indicating the condition of the blade's deterioration (for example, the time elapsed since the last blade replacement, or the cumulative working time or number of operations since the last blade replacement) may be retained as part of the equipment information.

[0024] Here, Figure 11 shows an example of work information according to this embodiment. The work information includes the date of work, work content, work area, previous blade height, current grass height before mowing, amount of growth, current blade height, and information on equipment used during work. The current grass height before mowing can be estimated by analyzing images captured by the forward sensor 211 of the implement 20. The work information may include information on the current grass height before mowing estimated by the implement 20 based on the captured images, or the work information may be configured to include images captured by the forward sensor 211. In that case, the server device 10 may estimate the current grass height before mowing by analyzing the captured images.

[0025] For example, in a work performed on November 1, 2024, the work was lawn mowing. In work area A, the previous blade height was 8 cm, and the grass height before the current mowing was 12 cm. In this case, the growth is 12 cm - 8 cm = 4 cm. The current blade height is also 8 cm, and the equipment used is work machine A. Similarly, the growth in work area B is 7 cm, the growth in work area C is 4 cm, and the growth in work area D is 8 cm. Thus, it can be seen that the growth in work areas B and D is greater than the growth in work areas A and C.

[0026] Furthermore, in the work performed on November 15, 2024, the work involved mowing the lawn. In work area A, the previous blade height was 8 cm, and the grass height before the current mowing was 12 cm, resulting in a growth rate of 12 cm - 8 cm = 4 cm. The current blade height was also 8 cm, and the equipment used was implement A. Similarly, the growth rate in work area B was 8 cm, in work area C it was 3 cm, and in work area D it was 7 cm. Thus, it can be seen that the growth rates in work areas B and D are greater than those in work areas A and C. The difference in growth rates despite using the same implement A suggests that work areas B and D may have environments with good sunlight, which promotes faster plant growth.

[0027] In F602, the ECU 214 of the work machine 20 transmits work information to the server device 10 using the communication device 217. The work machine 20 may transmit the information after it has finished working on the entire work area, or it may transmit it sequentially while performing the work.

[0028] In F603, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 of the server device 10 acquires the growth status of plants (e.g., turfgrass) growing in the work area based on work information received from the work machine 20. For example, the growth status is acquired by acquiring the amount of plant growth in each work area that makes up the work area. Details of the method for acquiring the amount of growth will be described later with reference to Figure 7.

[0029] In F604, the transmission unit 1004 of the server device 10 transmits information regarding the growth status to the information processing device 30. In F605, the information processing device 30 displays the information regarding the growth status on the display unit 304.

[0030] In F606, the work planning unit 1002 of the server device 10 plans the work at the work site (for example, cutting work (grass cutting, lawn mowing)) based on the growth status of the plants. For example, it plans when the next work should be done based on the amount of plant growth. If the amount of growth differs from work area to work area, it may plan to work in one work area in one week and in another work area in two weeks.

[0031] Furthermore, it may be suggested that the height of the blade 213 for the next work in work areas with high plant growth be lower than the height of the blade 213 for the next work in work areas with low plant growth. It may also be suggested that the mowing be done more deeply in work areas with high growth, i.e., work areas with high plant growth rates. This makes it possible to equalize the future plant height (or reduce the variation in growth) across the entire work area.

[0032] In step F607, the transmission unit 1004 of the server device 10 transmits information regarding the future work plan at the work site to the information processing device 30. In step F608, the information processing device 30 displays the information regarding the work plan on the display unit 304.

[0033] Next, the flowchart in Figure 7 shows the procedure for processing performed by the server device according to this embodiment.

[0034] In S701, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 acquires the growth status of plants (e.g., turfgrass) growing in the work area based on work information received from the work machine 20. For example, the growth status includes acquiring the amount of plant growth in each work area that makes up the work area.

[0035] Here, Figure 8 is a flowchart detailing the procedure for obtaining the amount of plant growth in S701. In S801, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 obtains the first height, which is the height of the plant at the first time, from the work information. Here, the first time may be any time after the completion of the previous work.

[0036] For example, in Figure 11, the height of the plants at the completion of the work on November 1, 2024 (the first time period) is the same as the "blade height during this work" on November 1, 2024, which is 8 cm. The "previous blade height" (8 cm) during the next work on November 15, 2024, is the same as the "blade height during this work" (8 cm) on November 1, 2024. Therefore, for example, the "previous blade height" (8 cm) during the next work on November 15, 2024, can be obtained as the first height during the first time period for each work area A to D.

[0037] In S802, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 acquires the second height, which is the height of the plants at a second time after the first time, from the work information received from the implement 20. The second height can be estimated by analyzing the captured images acquired by the forward sensor 211 of the implement 20. Here, the second time may be any time before the start of work. For example, in Figure 11, the height of the plants at the time before the start of work (second time) in the work on November 15, 2024, that is, the height of the turf before mowing (second height), is acquired. Information of 12 cm in work area A, 15 cm in work area B, 11 cm in work area C, and 15 cm in work area D is acquired as the second height.

[0038] In S803, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 calculates the amount of plant growth based on the second height and the first height and acquires it as the growth status. For example, for work area A, the amount of growth acquired is second height (12cm) - first height (8cm) = 4cm. For work area B, the amount of growth acquired is second height (15cm) - first height (8cm) = 7cm. For work area C, the amount of growth acquired is second height (11cm) - first height (8cm) = 3cm. For work area D, the amount of growth acquired is second height (15cm) - first height (8cm) = 7cm. After the processing shown in Figure 8 is completed, the process proceeds to S702.

[0039] In S702, the transmission unit 1004 transmits the information regarding the growth status acquired in S701 to the information processing device 30. For example, information on the amount of plant growth in each work area is transmitted to the information processing device 30. Here, the display unit 304 of the information processing device 30 displays information such as that shown in Figure 13. In the upper part of the display area 1301 in Figure 13, work areas B and D, where the amount of plant growth since the completion of the previous work at the start of work on November 15, 2024, is greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., 6 cm), are displayed in a way that distinguishes them from work areas A and C. Specifically, work areas B and D are highlighted as shown in display modes 1311 and 1321. On the other hand, the lower part of the display area 1301 displays the text message, "The grass in work areas B and D is growing quickly." This makes it easy for the user of the information processing device 30 to grasp the status of plant growth in the work area.

[0040] In S703, the work planning unit 1002 plans the work at the work site (for example, cutting work (grass cutting, lawn mowing)) based on the growth state of the plants. For example, a threshold height for the plants to be worked on is set in advance, and based on how much the plants have grown between the previous work and the current work, it estimates how many days or weeks after the completion of the current work the growth will exceed the threshold. For example, if 10 days have passed between the previous work and the current work, the amount of growth per day may be calculated and it may be determined how many days from the current date the growth will exceed the threshold. Then, the work is planned to be performed on the day on which it is estimated that the threshold will be exceeded.

[0041] Furthermore, weather information may be used in the planning process. Weather information such as temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation may be used to estimate the future growth of plants from the time the current work is completed, and the work may be planned to be carried out on a day when it is estimated that the plants will exceed a predetermined threshold for height. Alternatively, if a week has already passed since the completion of the work, past weather information for that week may be used to estimate the current growth of plants from the time the work was completed, and future growth may be predicted using weather forecasts and other weather prediction information, and the work may be planned to be carried out on a day when it is estimated that the total growth will be equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold for height.

[0042] In S704, the transmission unit 1004 transmits information regarding the future work plan at the work site to the information processing device 30. Here, the display unit 304 of the information processing device 30 displays information such as that shown in Figure 14 as information regarding the work plan. The display area 1401 in Figure 14 displays the predicted results of the amount of plant growth at a certain point in time (November 20, 2024). Work site areas B and D are areas where the predicted amount of growth is 2 cm or more, and are highlighted so as to be distinguishable from work areas A and C, as shown in display modes 1411 and 1421.

[0043] Here, the user 1400 of the information processing device 30 switches to the display area 1402 by swiping in either direction of the bidirectional arrow 1410 (for example, to the left). The display area 1402 displays the predicted results of plant growth three days later (November 23, 2024). Work area B and work area D are areas where the predicted value is 4 cm or more, and are highlighted in a way that distinguishes them from work area A and work area C, as shown in display modes 1412 and 1422. Also, work area A and work area C are areas where the predicted value is 2 cm or more, and are highlighted (in a different display mode) in a way that distinguishes them from work area B and work area D, as shown in display modes 1423 and 1424.

[0044] Furthermore, in the message display area 1432 of the display area 1402, recommendation information recommending the execution of the task is displayed. In the illustrated example, a text message (notification) is displayed that reads, "The predicted growth amount for work area B and work area D has exceeded the threshold. It is recommended that you perform the task." Here, the threshold could be, for example, 3 cm. Furthermore, the system may be configured to display the prediction results for other days sequentially by performing a swipe operation. The display may be switched in 3-day increments by swiping. Alternatively, the system may be configured to change the display to other units, such as 1-day increments, based on input from the user. This allows the user to, for example, complete the task on November 15, 2024, and then check the predicted growth amount for any day, making it easy to recognize when the task needs to be performed by seeing the recommended date and the information recommending the task. Note that the user may be notified to perform the task when the recommended date approaches or on the recommended date. This completes the process shown in Figure 7.

[0045] As explained above, in this embodiment, the growth status of plants growing in the work area is acquired and information regarding the growth status is displayed. This makes it easy to understand the growth status of plants growing in the work area. In addition, work at the work area is planned based on the growth status and information regarding the work plan is displayed. This makes it easy to understand when the next task should be performed. Therefore, it becomes easy for work companies that have multiple clients and are undertaking work at multiple work sites to understand which work site (which work area) should be worked on and when. Consequently, limited resources (work equipment and personnel) can be utilized efficiently.

[0046] [Modified form of Embodiment 1] Embodiment 1 describes an example in which the difference between the plant height before the start of the current work (second height) and the plant height after the completion of the previous work (first height, i.e., the previous blade height) is obtained as the growth state (growth amount) of the plant at the start of the current work. Then, an example is described in which this information (growth amount) is transmitted to the information processing device 30 as information regarding the growth state and displayed. However, the invention is not limited to this example, and in the above embodiment, the predicted result of the plant growth amount estimated during the work planning stage may also be transmitted to the information processing device 30 as information regarding the growth state and displayed. That is, the predicted result of the future growth amount, as shown in Figure 14, may be transmitted to the information processing device 30 as information regarding the growth state and displayed.

[0047] Furthermore, while Embodiment 1 described an example of displaying information regarding work planning, such as which work area is recommended to be worked on at a given time, the system is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in Figure 15, a message may be displayed recommending that, based on the trend of plant growth in each work area, the blade height be lowered (i.e., cut more deeply) in the fast-growing work area during the next work session. In this case, the system may also display specifically how many centimeters the blade height should be lowered according to the growth rate in each work area. For example, in the example in Figure 11, it may be recommended that, before starting work on November 15, 2024, the blade height in work areas B and D be lower than the blade height in work areas A and C (8 cm), to 7 cm.

[0048] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the first height was set to the blade height during the previous operation, but the system is not limited to this example. For example, a rear sensor (not shown) may be provided at the rear of the work machine 20 to acquire information from the rear and below the work machine 20, and the first height may be calculated by analyzing the images captured by the rear sensor (e.g., a camera) after the previous operation.

[0049] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, we will describe an example in which the amount of plant growth is estimated and obtained as the growth state based on environmental information (e.g., weather information) related to the growing environment in which the plant grows. The device configuration is the same as in Embodiment 1, so we will omit the explanation. The processing sequence in Figure 6 and the flowchart in Figure 7 are also the same. In this embodiment, the details of the processing S701 in Figure 7 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 9.

[0050] Here, Figure 9 is a flowchart detailing the procedure for acquiring the amount of plant growth in S701 according to this embodiment. In S901, the growth state acquisition unit 1001 acquires environmental information (e.g., weather information) related to the growing environment in which the plant is growing. The environmental information may include weather information such as temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation, and the weather information may include past actual weather information and / or future weather forecast information. For example, environmental information (e.g., weather information) may be acquired from an external server device via the network 40.

[0051] In S902, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 estimates the amount of plant growth based on the acquired environmental information. For example, if 14 days have passed between the completion of the previous work (November 1, 2024) and the start of the current work (November 15, 2024), the amount of plant growth at the start of the current work (November 15, 2024) can be obtained as the plant's growth status by estimating the amount of plant growth from the environmental information during that period. For example, correlation information between environmental information (temperature, precipitation, solar radiation) and the amount of growth may be stored in advance, and estimation may be performed based on that correlation information. Alternatively, a prediction model that estimates the amount of growth based on environmental information may be prepared in advance, and the system may be configured to output an estimated value of the amount of growth by inputting environmental information into the learning model. Furthermore, the amount of growth after the completion of the current work (November 15, 2024) may be further estimated based on weather information (weather forecast information).

[0052] As explained above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain the growth status of plants without obtaining the height of the plants before the start of the current work and the height of the plants after the completion of the previous work (i.e., the blade height from the previous work).

[0053] (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, we describe an example in which the amount of plant growth is estimated and obtained as the growth state based on equipment information (e.g., type information such as model number) related to the cutting equipment used when the plant was cut in the past. The device configuration is the same as in Embodiment 1, so the explanation is omitted. The processing sequence in Figure 6 and the flowchart in Figure 7 are also the same. In this embodiment, the details of the processing S701 in Figure 7 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 10.

[0054] Here, Figure 10 is a flowchart detailing the procedure for acquiring the amount of plant growth in S701 according to this embodiment. In S1001, the growth state acquisition unit 1001 acquires equipment information regarding the cutting equipment (blade) used when the plant was previously cut. That is, it acquires equipment information of the work machine used in the previous operation. The equipment information may be included in the work information transmitted by the work machine 20 via F602.

[0055] Equipment information includes information indicating the type of implement, such as the model number, or information indicating the degree of deterioration of the cutting equipment (blade). Information indicating the degree of deterioration of the cutting equipment may include, for example, the number of days elapsed since the last blade replacement, the number of operations performed since the last blade replacement, or the cumulative working time. The type of blade (size, shape, and thickness, etc.) differs depending on the type of implement (for example, a small autonomous implement or a large rideable implement), and this can affect the amount of plant growth afterward. Also, the sharpness of the cutting equipment (blade) differs depending on the degree of deterioration of the cutting equipment (blade), which can also affect the amount of plant growth afterward. Therefore, information on the type of implement and / or information indicating the degree of deterioration of the cutting equipment (blade) is acquired as equipment information.

[0056] Here, Figure 12 shows an example of work information according to this embodiment. The work information includes information on the equipment used during the work, and shows an example where different types of work machines are used for work in each work area. Work machine A is used in work area A and work area C, and work machine B is used in work area B and work area D. It can be seen that the amount of elongation tends to be small in the work area where work machine A is used, and large in the work area where work machine B is used.

[0057] In S1002, the growth status acquisition unit 1001 estimates the amount of plant growth as the growth status based on the acquired equipment information. For example, information on the amount of growth corresponding to the number of days elapsed since the last cut may be stored for each type of work machine from the history information of multiple past operations, and the amount of plant growth may be estimated based on this stored information and the number of days elapsed since the last operation. Alternatively, information on the amount of growth corresponding to the number of days elapsed since the last cut may be stored for each degree of deterioration of the cutting equipment (blade), and the amount of plant growth may be estimated based on this stored information and the number of days elapsed since the last operation.

[0058] As explained above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain the growth status of plants without obtaining the height of the plants before the start of the current work and the height of the plants after the completion of the previous work (i.e., the blade height from the previous work).

[0059] [Modified examples of Embodiments 1-3] In the above-described embodiment, an example of the implement 20 performing work was explained, but there may be areas within the work area where the implement 20 has difficulty moving. If there is a handheld work area where a worker has temporarily or urgently held a brush cutter to perform work, the system may be controlled not to estimate the amount of plant growth in that work area.

[0060] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment illustrates an example in which the server device 10 performs the main processing, the embodiment is not limited to this example. The work machine 20 may perform some or all of the processing of the server device 10. In that case, the information processed by the work machine 20 may be transmitted to the information processing device 30 via the server device 10 or directly without going through the server device 10. Alternatively, the information processing device 30 may perform some or all of the processing of the server device 10. Each of the processes in the above-described embodiment can be performed by any of the work machine 20, the server device 10, or the information processing device 30, and no single device is required to perform all of the processing.

[0061] In the above embodiment, an example of proposing a work plan was described, but the proposal may also be displayed using AR (Augmented Reality) on a tablet terminal 30c, for example. For example, icons indicating the proposed content may be superimposed on an image of the work site, and the details of the proposed work plan may be displayed by tapping the icon.

[0062] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment describes an example in which a server device 10 connected to the work machine 20 via a network 40 mainly performs processing, the embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, the above embodiment may be applied to an example in which multiple work machines 20 are connected to each other in a communicative manner, with one work machine 20 operating as a master work machine and the other work machines 20 operating as slave work machines. In other words, the master work machine may perform the processing of the above embodiment (processing mainly performed by the server device 10).

[0063] Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment shows an example in which the server device 10, the work machine 20, and the information processing device 30 are connected to each other via a network 40, the embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, an edge server may be provided instead of the server device 10, and configured to collect only the data necessary for the cloud. This prevents all data from being concentrated in the cloud. Specifically, the edge server may acquire data from the work machine 20, execute the processing of the above-described embodiment, and save the acquired data and the processing results on the edge server to the cloud. This allows the information processing device 30 to acquire the necessary data from the cloud. In this way, by utilizing edge computing, data processing can be performed quickly and securely on the edge server side, and only the necessary data can be sent to the cloud, thereby reducing the amount of communication and easing the network load.

[0064] <Summary of Embodiments> 1. The management method according to the above embodiment is: A management method for managing work sites, This includes an acquisition step of obtaining the growth status of plants growing in the aforementioned work area.

[0065] This makes it possible to understand the growth status of plants growing in the work area.

[0066] 2. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The acquisition step includes a first acquisition step of acquiring the growth state by estimating the growth state of the plant.

[0067] This allows us to obtain, for example, the current growth status since the last operation.

[0068] 3. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The aforementioned first acquisition step is, A step of obtaining environmental information regarding the growing environment in which the aforementioned plants grow, A step of estimating the amount of elongation based on the aforementioned environmental information, Includes.

[0069] This allows for estimation that takes into account the environment of the work site, thereby improving the accuracy of elongation estimation.

[0070] 4. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant since the time the plant was previously cut. The aforementioned first acquisition step is, The steps include obtaining equipment information regarding the cutting equipment used when the aforementioned plant was cut in the past, A step of estimating the amount of elongation based on the aforementioned equipment information, Includes.

[0071] This can improve the accuracy of estimating the amount of elongation.

[0072] 5. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The acquisition step includes a second acquisition step for acquiring the amount of elongation.

[0073] This makes it possible to understand the growth rate of plants growing in the work area.

[0074] 6. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The second acquisition step described above is: A step of obtaining a first height, which is the height of the plant in the first time period, A step of obtaining a second height, which is the height of the plant at a second time that is after the first time, A step of calculating the amount of elongation based on the second height and the first height, Includes.

[0075] This allows for accurate determination of plant growth.

[0076] 7. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The step of obtaining the first height includes the step of obtaining the height of the cutting equipment provided by the work machine performing work at the work site as the first height.

[0077] This allows you to obtain, for example, the height of the plants after the previous work without having to calculate it.

[0078] 8. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The step of obtaining the first height includes the step of obtaining the first height based on an image taken during the previous operation using a rear camera provided by the work machine performing the work at the work site.

[0079] This allows us to accurately determine, for example, the height of plants after the previous work was done.

[0080] 9. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The second acquisition step described above is: The process further includes the step of storing the first height in correspondence with the geographical location of the plant in the work area.

[0081] This allows you to, for example, determine the height of plants in each location after the last maintenance.

[0082] 10. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The method further includes a planning step of planning the work at the work site based on the growth state of the plants.

[0083] This makes it possible, for example, to perform tasks at the appropriate time.

[0084] 11. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The work in the planning step includes cutting the plants.

[0085] This makes it possible, for example, to perform tasks such as cutting plants at the appropriate time.

[0086] 12. The management method according to the above embodiment is: The system further includes a display step that displays information regarding the plan for the aforementioned work.

[0087] This makes it easy to understand the next work plan.

[0088] 13. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The information regarding the plan for the aforementioned work includes recommendations, including the date on which the next work should be performed.

[0089] This allows you to know when the next task should be performed.

[0090] 14. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The information regarding the planning of the aforementioned work includes recommendations, including the recommended height of the cutting equipment for the work machine when the work is performed next.

[0091] This makes it possible to perform the next operation with the appropriate cutting equipment (blade) height.

[0092] 15. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The aforementioned management method is, The step further includes displaying the amount of elongation.

[0093] This makes it easy to understand the amount of plant growth.

[0094] 16. In the management method according to the above embodiment, The display step includes displaying the amount of elongation over time.

[0095] This makes it easy to recognize, for example, the extent of growth over time.

[0096] 17. The program according to the above embodiment is: This is a program for causing a computer to execute the management method of the above embodiment.

[0097] This makes it possible to implement the management method as a program.

[0098] 18. The storage medium according to the above embodiment is This is a storage medium containing a program that causes a computer to execute the management method of the above embodiment.

[0099] This makes it possible to implement the management method using a storage medium.

[0100] 19. The information processing system according to the above embodiment is An information processing system for managing work sites, The system includes means for acquiring the growth status of plants growing in the aforementioned work area.

[0101] This makes it possible to understand the growth status of plants growing in the work area.

[0102] 20. The information processing system according to the above embodiment is: An information processing device for managing work sites, The system includes means for acquiring the growth status of plants growing in the aforementioned work area.

[0103] This makes it possible to understand the growth status of plants growing in the work area.

[0104] <Other Embodiments> Furthermore, a program that implements one or more functions described in each embodiment is supplied to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device can read and execute this program. The present invention can also be realized in this manner.

[0105] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0106] 10: Server equipment, 20: Work machine, 30: Information processing equipment

Claims

1. A management method for managing work sites, A management method characterized by including an acquisition step of acquiring the growth status of plants growing in the aforementioned work area.

2. The management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the acquisition step includes a first acquisition step of acquiring the growth state by estimating the growth state of the plant.

3. The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The first acquisition step described above is: A step of obtaining environmental information regarding the growing environment in which the aforementioned plants grow, A step of estimating the amount of elongation based on the aforementioned environmental information, The management method according to claim 2, characterized by including the following:

4. The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant since the time the plant was previously cut. The first acquisition step described above is: The steps include obtaining equipment information regarding the cutting equipment used when the aforementioned plant was cut in the past, A step of estimating the amount of elongation based on the aforementioned equipment information, The management method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by including the following:

5. The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the acquisition step includes a second acquisition step of acquiring the amount of elongation.

6. The second acquisition step described above is: A step of obtaining a first height, which is the height of the plant at a first time; A step of obtaining a second height, which is the height of the plant at a second time that is after the first time, A step of calculating the amount of elongation based on the second height and the first height, The management method according to claim 5, characterized by including the following:

7. The management method according to claim 6, characterized in that the step of obtaining the first height includes the step of obtaining the height of the cutting equipment provided by the work machine performing work at the work site as the first height.

8. The management method according to claim 6, characterized in that the step of acquiring the first height includes the step of acquiring the first height based on an image taken during the previous work using a rear camera provided by a work machine performing work at the work site.

9. The aforementioned second acquisition step is, The management method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising the step of storing the first height in correspondence with the geographical location of the plant in the work area.

10. The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a planning step of planning work at the work site based on the growth state of the plants.

11. The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The management method according to claim 10, characterized in that the work in the planning step includes a cutting operation of cutting the plant.

12. The management method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising a display step of displaying information relating to the plan of the work.

13. The management method according to claim 12, characterized in that the information regarding the plan of the work includes recommendation information, including a date on which the next work is recommended to be performed.

14. The management method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the information regarding the work plan includes recommendation information, including the recommended height of the cutting equipment of the work machine when the next work is performed.

15. The aforementioned growth state includes the amount of growth of the plant. The aforementioned management method is, The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a display step of displaying the amount of elongation.

16. The management method according to claim 15, characterized in that the display step includes a step of displaying the amount of elongation over time.

17. A program for causing a computer to execute the management method described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the management method described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

19. An information processing system for managing work sites, An information processing system characterized by comprising means for acquiring the growth status of plants growing in the aforementioned work site.

20. An information processing device for managing work sites, An information processing device characterized by comprising acquisition means for acquiring the growth status of plants growing in the aforementioned work site.

Images