Support systems, support devices, support methods, and programs

Abstract

To simplify operations performed by humans. [Solution] The support system 1 comprises a first acquisition unit 231, a second acquisition unit 232, a generation unit 233, and an output unit 234. The first acquisition unit 231 acquires request information regarding the desired appearance of building material elements. The second acquisition unit 232 acquires building information regarding the shape of the target building under consideration. The generation unit 233 generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information and the building information. The output unit 234 displays the exterior image on the display unit 32.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a support system, a support device, a support method, and a program, and more particularly to a support system, a support device, a support method, and a program related to the appearance of a target building to be considered.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a building material allocation system. The building material allocation system provides a simulation function for allocating building materials having a predetermined dimension to each outer wall surface of a construction image generated by construction simulation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a system (support system) for supporting the consideration of the appearance of a building such as the building material allocation system described in Patent Document 1, it is desired to facilitate the operations performed by a person. ]

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a support system, a support device, a support method, and a program that can facilitate the operations performed by a person.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A support system according to one aspect of this disclosure comprises a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, a generation unit, and an output unit. The first acquisition unit acquires request information regarding the appearance of building material elements. The second acquisition unit acquires building information regarding the shape of a target building under consideration. The generation unit generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information and the building information. The output unit causes the exterior image to be displayed on a display unit.

[0007] A support device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises the first acquisition unit, the second acquisition unit, the generation unit, the output unit, and the display unit of the support system.

[0008] A support method according to one aspect of this disclosure is executed by one or more processors. The support method includes a first acquisition step, a second acquisition step, a generation step, and an output step. In the first acquisition step, request information relating to the requirements for the appearance of building material elements is acquired. In the second acquisition step, building information relating to the shape of the target building under consideration is acquired. In the generation step, an appearance image of the target building is generated based on the request information and the building information. In the output step, the appearance image is displayed on a display unit.

[0009] A program according to one aspect of this disclosure is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the support method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the support system, support device, support method, and program relating to the above-described aspects of this disclosure, it is possible to facilitate operations performed by humans. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the support system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an input screen output by the support system described above. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing another example of an input screen output by the same support system. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a requested image to be input into the support system mentioned above. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a suggestion screen output by the support system described above. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a suggestion screen output by the same support system. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing yet another example of a suggestion screen output by the same support system. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the support system described above. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the support system according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an input screen output by the support system described above. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing another example of an input screen output by the same support system. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an input screen output by the support system according to Embodiment 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Common elements in the embodiments described below are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions of common elements may be omitted. The embodiments and modifications described below are only a part of the various embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, the embodiments and modifications described below can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objectives of this disclosure are achieved. It is also possible to combine the configurations of the modifications as appropriate.

[0013] Each figure described in the present disclosure is a schematic diagram, and the respective ratios of the sizes and thicknesses of each component in each figure do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios.

[0014] (Embodiment 1) (1) Overview First, the overview of the support system 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the support system 1 of Embodiment 1 includes a first acquisition unit 231, a second acquisition unit 232, a generation unit 233, and an output unit 234.

[0016] The first acquisition unit 231 acquires requirement information regarding the requirements for the appearance of building materials. The "building materials" referred to in Embodiment 1 are building materials that form at least a part of a building, such as roofing materials, exterior wall materials, opening members (e.g., windows or doors, etc.), and rain gutters.

[0017] The second acquisition unit 232 acquires building information regarding the shape of the target building to be considered.

[0018] Here, the "target building" referred to in Embodiment 1 is a building that a person considering purchasing or remodeling a building has as the object of consideration for purchase or remodeling. In the following description, the "person considering purchasing or remodeling a building" may be referred to as the "benefactor" or "building owner". Also, the "requirement information" referred to in Embodiment 1 is information indicating the requirements of the benefactor for the appearance of the target building. Further, the "building information" referred to in Embodiment 1 includes at least one of architectural drawings such as design drawings of the target building and 3D data, and information on the house type of the target building. The "house type" referred to in Embodiment 1 is information on the shape of the house that classifies, for each pattern, the roof shape such as a hip roof, gable roof, square roof, or mono-pitched roof, and the shape of the part below the roof of the building.

[0019] The generation unit 233 generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information and the building information. In Embodiment 1, the "exterior image of the target building" is an image obtained by applying images of building material elements used in the target building to the image of the target building generated based on the building information. The exterior image in Embodiment 1 is an image of the 3D model of the target building. However, the exterior image may also be an image of the 2D model of the target building. Here, the image of the 3D model includes a 3D CG image created based on a 2D drawing of the target building. The image of the 2D model includes an elevation drawing showing the front (facade) of the target building and an elevation drawing that displays a total of four surfaces of the target building: the front, both sides, and the back.

[0020] The output unit 234 displays an image of the exterior of the target building on the display unit 32.

[0021] According to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, an exterior image (especially an exterior image using images of products handled by the system provider) can be generated without requiring a person to perform operations to assign building materials to the exterior wall surface of the construction image of the target building. Therefore, even those unfamiliar with exterior design can easily visualize the imagined building exterior, thereby simplifying operations performed by people.

[0022] (2) Details The detailed configuration of the support system 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 7.

[0023] Support System 1 is a system that provides support services to assist in the examination of the exterior appearance of the target property. In Embodiment 1, Support System 1 is used to display an image of the exterior of the target building to the client.

[0024] (2.1) Configuration of the support system As shown in Figure 1, the support system 1 comprises a support device 2 and a display device 3.

[0025] (2.2) Display device configuration Display device 3 is a device that displays the appearance image generated by the support system 1. In Embodiment 1, display device 3 is an information terminal such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer owned by the client. Embodiment 1 exemplifies a case where a smartphone owned by the client functions as display device 3.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the display device 3 comprises a communication unit 31, a display unit 32, an operation unit 33, an imaging unit 34, a storage unit 35, and a processing unit 36.

[0027] The communication unit 31 includes an interface configured to communicate with the support device 2. In this disclosure, "communication enabled" means that information can be exchanged directly or indirectly via a network or repeater, etc., by an appropriate communication method such as wired communication or wireless communication.

[0028] In Embodiment 1, the display unit 32 and the operation unit 33 are an integrally configured touch panel display. The display unit 32 displays proposed information, including an exterior image. The operation unit 33 accepts human operation. In the following description, the operation of the operation unit 33 is given as an example, but the operation of the operation unit 33 may also be performed by employees of a house builder, design office, construction company, or building materials manufacturer that manufactures or sells building materials.

[0029] The imaging unit 34 has an image sensor and optical components, and captures a subject to generate an image. The image sensor is a two-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor. It is Nsa.

[0030] The storage unit 35 is a semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). Note that the storage unit 35 is not limited to semiconductor memory; it may also be a hard disk drive or the like. For example, in Embodiment 1, the storage unit 35 stores a requested image generated by the imaging unit 34, using a building with an appearance that the client finds appealing as the subject. In other words, the requested image is an image generated by imaging the exterior of a building other than the target building. The requested image is an image that indicates the client's requests regarding the exterior of the target building.

[0031] The processing unit 36 ​​primarily consists of a computer system having, for example, one or more processors and one or more memories. In the display device 3, the functions of the processing unit 36 ​​are realized when one or more processors execute a program stored in memory. The program may be pre-stored in memory, provided via a telecommunication line such as the Internet, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

[0032] The processing unit 36 ​​controls the communication unit 31, display unit 32, operation unit 33, imaging unit 34, and storage unit 35. In addition, the processing unit 36 ​​of Embodiment 1 has a browser function. The processing unit 36 ​​accesses the support device 2 using the browser function and displays an external image, etc., on the display unit 32 of the display device 3.

[0033] (2.3) Configuration of support devices Support device 2 is a device that generates an exterior image. Support device 2 in Embodiment 1 is a server installed in a facility such as a house builder or building materials manufacturer.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the support device 2 comprises a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a processing unit 23.

[0035] The communication unit 21 includes an interface configured to communicate with the display device 3.

[0036] The storage unit 22 is a semiconductor memory such as ROM, RAM, or EEPROM. Note that the storage unit 22 is not limited to semiconductor memory; it may also be a hard disk drive or the like.

[0037] The storage unit 22 of Embodiment 1 stores information on multiple building material elements. The information on multiple building material elements includes identification information, usage information indicating the purpose, appearance information, price information, grade information, size information, and target area information for each building material element. In other words, the storage unit 22 stores a database of building material elements. In this disclosure, "use of building material elements" refers to the role of the building material elements in a building. Building material elements are classified according to their purpose, such as roofing materials, wall materials, or opening materials. Furthermore, the appearance information for each building material element includes an appearance image for each building material element, color information indicating the color, pattern information indicating the pattern, and impression information indicating the impression.

[0038] The processing unit 23 primarily consists of a computer system having, for example, one or more processors and one or more memories. In the support device 2, the functions of the processing unit 23 are realized when one or more processors execute a program stored in memory. The program may be pre-stored in memory, provided via a telecommunication line such as the Internet, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

[0039] The processing unit 23 of Embodiment 1 causes the support device 2 to function as a web server. The support device 2, functioning as a web server, provides support services to the client to assist in examining the exterior appearance of the target property via the display device 3, which accesses the support device 2 using a browser function.

[0040] The processing unit 23 includes a first acquisition unit 231, a second acquisition unit 232, a generation unit 233, an output unit 234, a reception unit 235, and a modification unit 236.

[0041] The first acquisition unit 231 acquires request information regarding the appearance of building material elements. The first acquisition unit 231 acquires request information in response to the client's operation on the input screen displayed on the display unit 32 of the display device 3. Furthermore, the first acquisition unit 231 of Embodiment 1 acquires condition information in response to the client's operation on the input screen displayed on the display unit 32 of the display device 3. The condition information includes information on at least one of the following conditions: the price condition of the building material element, the grade condition of the building material element, the size condition of the building material element, and the desired or planned construction area of ​​the target building. In the following description, the price condition of the building material element, the grade condition of the building material element, the size condition of the building material element, and the desired or planned construction area of ​​the target building may be referred to as "building material conditions."

[0042] Screen D1 in Figure 2 is an example of an input screen displayed by the display unit 32. Screen D1 includes display area R1 and display area R2.

[0043] Display area R1 contains button B1 for the client to set the building material conditions. In the example in Figure 2, display area R1 contains button B1 for the client to set the conditions for the desired or planned building area of ​​the target building.

[0044] The display area R2 contains buttons B2 and B3 for the client to input request information. When the client operates either button B2 or B3, the display device 3 transmits the request information to the support device 2.

[0045] Button B2 is used to upload (or send) request information, including the requested image, to the support device 2. When the operation to upload the requested image to the support device 2 is performed on button B2, the display device 3 uploads the requested image, for example, stored in the storage unit 35 of the display device 3, to the support device 2.

[0046] Image G1 in Figure 4 is an example of a requested image. Image G1 is, for example, a frontal view of a building with an exterior that the client found appealing. Note that the requested image is not limited to a frontal view of the building; it may also be an oblique view. In Figure 4, three different types of building material elements, each with a different appearance, are used in the building. In Figure 4, the appearances of the three types of building material elements are distinguished by a herringbone pattern and two patterns of dot hatching.

[0047] The requested image may be subjected to image processing such as cropping or masking. In this disclosure, "cropping" means designating a portion of the requested image as a cropping area. Of the requested image, the area set as the cropping area is treated as requested information, and the area not set as the cropping area is not treated as requested information. In this disclosure, "masking" means designating a portion of the requested image as a masking area. Of the requested image, the area set as the masking area is not treated as requested information, and the area not set as the masking area is treated as requested information. Image processing such as cropping or masking may be performed based on operations by a person such as the client, or may be performed as appropriate by the first acquisition unit 231 or the generation unit 233. In the example in Figure 4, the area R4 that encloses the entire building and avoids the gateposts provided in front of the building is set as the cropping area.

[0048] Button B3, shown in Figure 2, is a button that allows the client to input their preferred exterior style and sends the request information, including the exterior style, to the support device 2. In Embodiment 1, "exterior style" refers to information including the degree to which the exterior is simple or complex, and the degree to which the exterior is natural or modern, or Western or Japanese. The client inputs their preferred exterior style by, for example, dragging points P1, which are superimposed on map M1. In map M1 shown in Figure 2, the higher point P1 is located on the map, the simpler the client's desired exterior. The lower point P1 is located on the map, the more complex the client's desired exterior. The further left point P1 is located on the map, the more natural the client's desired exterior. The further right point P1 is located on the map, the more modern the client's desired exterior.

[0049] Furthermore, when selecting an "exterior style," multiple images may be displayed and the user may make a selection. More specifically, when selecting an "exterior style," lifestyle imagery or catalog images may be displayed and the user may make a selection. These lifestyle imagery and catalog images are images prepared in advance by the house builder that constructs or renovates the building, or by the building materials manufacturer that manufactures or sells building material elements. For example, lifestyle imagery is an image of an interior space coordinated for each style such as "stylish modern," "natural modern," "classic," "Japanese modern," or "country." The imagery is an image in which furniture, electrical appliances, plumbing fixtures, or plants and other furnishings are coordinated with each room such as the living room, dining room, or private room for each style. Catalog images are exterior images of buildings previously constructed by the house builder, exterior images of buildings using building materials provided by the building materials manufacturer, or exterior images of buildings with an exterior image recommended by the building materials manufacturer.

[0050] The second acquisition unit 232 acquires building information relating to the shape of the target building. The second acquisition unit 232 acquires building information in response to the owner's operation on the input screen displayed on the display unit 32 of the display device 3.

[0051] The screen D2 shown in Figure 3 is an example of an input screen displayed by the display unit 32. Screen D2 may be a screen transitioned from screen D1, a screen transitioning to screen D1, or a screen displayed on the display unit 32 by scrolling screen D1. Screen D2 includes a display area R3.

[0052] The display area R3 contains buttons B4 and B5 for the client to input building information. When the client operates either button B4 or B5, the display device 3 transmits the building information to the support device 2.

[0053] Button B4 is used to upload (or send) building information, including the architectural drawings of the target building, to the support device 2. When the operation to upload architectural drawings to the support device 2 is performed on button B2, the display device 3 uploads the architectural drawings stored in the storage unit 35 of the display device 3 to the support device 2.

[0054] Button B5 is used to prompt the client to input the house type of the target building and to send the request information, including the house type, to the support device 2. In Embodiment 1, when button B5 is operated (for example, pressed), a pull-down list containing multiple house type candidates is displayed. When one of the multiple house type candidates in the pull-down list is selected, the request information, including the house type, is sent to the support device 2. In Embodiment 1, the "house type candidates" are characters or diagrams (images or computer graphics) that represent the names of each house type.

[0055] The generation unit 233 generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 and the building information acquired by the second acquisition unit 232.

[0056] If the request information acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 includes a request image, the generation unit 233 determines building material elements having an appearance corresponding to the appearance of the building image in the request image as building material elements to be used for the target building. Here, "building material elements having an appearance corresponding to the appearance of the building image" refers to building material elements having an appearance that matches or is similar to the appearance of the building image.

[0057] More specifically, if the request information acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 includes a request image, the generation unit 233 inputs the request image into the first trained model (trained model) and determines the building material elements to be used for the target building based on the results output from the first trained model. The first trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between an image of the building's exterior and information on multiple building material elements.

[0058] The generation unit 233 generates a three-dimensional model of the target building based on the building information acquired by the second acquisition unit 232.

[0059] The generation unit 233 then generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information, building information, and information on the determined building material elements. More specifically, the generation unit 233 of Embodiment 1 generates an exterior image of the target building by assigning the determined building material elements to a 3D model of the target building based on the request information. However, the exterior image may also be an image of the 2D model of the target building. Here, the image of the 3D model includes a 3D CG image created based on a 2D drawing of the target building. The image of the 2D model includes an elevation drawing showing the front (facade) of the target building, and an elevation drawing that displays a total of four surfaces of the target building: the front, both sides, and the back.

[0060] For example, the generation unit 233 inputs the request information, the 3D model of the target building, and the information of the determined building material elements into the second trained model (trained model), and generates an exterior image based on the results output from the second trained model. The second trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between the request information, the 3D model of the building, the information of the building material elements, and the exterior image.

[0061] According to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, since an exterior image is generated using a request image as request information, the effort required for a person to input requests regarding the exterior of the target building can be reduced, and the operation performed by the person can be made easier. Furthermore, since the request image in Embodiment 1 is an image generated by capturing the exterior of a building other than the target building, the effort required for a person to, for example, draw the request image can be reduced, and the operation performed by the person can be made easier. In addition, requests that are difficult to explain to house builders, etc. can be easily conveyed by using an image.

[0062] Furthermore, the generation unit 233 of Embodiment 1 determines the building material elements to be used for the target building based on the request information and the condition information. If the request information includes a request image, the generation unit 233 inputs the request image to the first trained model. Based on the results output from the first trained model and the condition information, the generation unit 233 determines the building material elements to be used for the target building from among the building material elements that satisfy the building material conditions. Then, the generation unit 233 generates an exterior image of the target building based on the building information and the information of the determined building material elements. In other words, the generation unit 233 of Embodiment 1 generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information, building information and condition information.

[0063] According to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, for example, an exterior image is generated when building material elements that meet the building material conditions set by the client are used in the target building, thus enabling the generation of exterior images that are more in line with the intentions of the client or other individuals.

[0064] Furthermore, if the request information acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 includes information on the exterior style, the generation unit 233 of Embodiment 1 determines the building material elements to be used for the target building based on the exterior style information. In Embodiment 1, the position of point P1 on map M1 is associated with the building material elements to be used for the target building. In other words, the generation unit 233 of Embodiment 1 determines the building material elements to be used for the target building based on the position of point P1 on map M1. Note that multiple building material elements may be associated with each position of point P1 on map M1.

[0065] According to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, a person such as a client can input request information with a simple operation, such as dragging a point P1 displayed on the display screen. Therefore, according to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, the effort required for a person to input requests regarding the exterior appearance of the target building can be reduced, and the operation performed by the person can be made easier.

[0066] The reception unit 235 receives user input. In Embodiment 1, the reception unit 235 receives user input for the operation unit 33 of the display device 3. More specifically, in Embodiment 1, the reception unit 235 receives user input for the display screen displayed on the display unit 32 of the display device 3.

[0067] When the reception unit 235 receives a predetermined operation input, the modification unit 236 performs at least one of the following: changing the building material elements used in the target building, and changing the arrangement of the building material elements used in the target building, thereby generating an exterior image with at least a part of the exterior of the target building changed. In Embodiment 1, when the modification unit 236 changes the building material elements used in the target building, it determines the changed building material elements based on the request information and building material conditions. For example, when a change button or update button included in the display screen is operated by a person, the reception unit 235 receives a predetermined operation input.

[0068] For example, if the target building uses multiple building material elements, and these elements include a first building material element and a second building material element that have different appearances from each other, the modification unit 236 will change at least a part of the exterior appearance of the target building by swapping the arrangement of the first building material element and the second building material element. The modification unit 236 can change the exterior appearance of the target building with a relatively simple process such as swapping the arrangement of the first building material element and the second building material element, thereby suppressing an increase in the processing burden on the processing unit 23.

[0069] Furthermore, for example, the modification unit 236 swaps a first building material element, which is a building material element used in the target building, with a third building material element, which is a building material element not used in the target building. Here, the appearance of the first building material element and the appearance of the third building material element swapped by the modification unit 236 are of the same color family but different colors.

[0070] Furthermore, for example, the modification unit 236 swaps a first building material element, which is a building material element used in the target building, with a fourth building material element, which is a building material element not used in the target building. Here, the appearance of the first building material element and the appearance of the fourth building material element swapped by the modification unit 236 are of the same color but have different patterns.

[0071] Furthermore, for example, the modification unit 236 swaps a first building material element, which is a building material element used in the target building, with a fifth building material element, which is a building material element not used in the target building. Here, the appearance of the first building material element and the appearance of the fifth building material element swapped by the modification unit 236 are the same pattern but different colors.

[0072] As described above, with the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, if a person such as a building owner wants to change the appearance of the target building after checking the exterior image generated by the generation unit 233, they can change the appearance of the target building with a simple operation, such as operating a button displayed on the display screen. In other words, the support system 1 of Embodiment 1 makes it possible to further simplify operations performed by people.

[0073] The output unit 234 displays various information on the display unit 32 in response to the operation received by the reception unit 235. The output unit 234 displays an input screen or a suggestion screen including suggestion information such as an appearance image on the display unit 32 in response to the operation received by the reception unit 235. In addition, the output unit 234 of Embodiment 1 displays an appearance image generated by the modification unit 236 on the display unit 32.

[0074] Screen D3 in Figure 5 is an example of a suggested screen that the output unit 234 displays on the display unit 32. For example, screen D3 is a screen that transitions from the input screen, screen D2 (see Figure 3). Screen D3 includes display area R5 and display area R6.

[0075] The display area R5 of screen D3 contains the exterior image generated by the generation unit 233. Image G2 in Figure 5 is an example of an exterior image generated by the generation unit 233. The exterior of the target building (i.e., the image of the target building) in image G2 is based on the request information, and the shape of the target building in image G2 is based on the building information. In image G2, three different types of building material elements, each with a different appearance, are used on the target building. The three types of building material elements used on the target building in image G2 correspond to the three types of building material elements used on the building in the request image, image G1 (see Figure 4).

[0076] The display area R6 on screen D3 displays information about the three types of building material elements used in the target building, that is, the three types of building material elements determined by the generation unit 233. In the example in Figure 5, the display area R6 displays information indicating which part of the target building each building material element is used in, information indicating the pattern of each building material element, and information indicating the color of each building material element.

[0077] Screen D4 in Figure 6 is an example of a suggested screen that the output unit 234 displays on the display unit 32. For example, screen D4 is a screen that transitions from the suggested screen D3 (see Figure 5). Similar to screen D3, screen D4 includes display area R5 and display area R6.

[0078] The display area R5 of screen D4 contains the exterior image generated by the modification unit 236. Image G2 in Figure 6 is an example of an exterior image generated by the modification unit 236. In image G2 generated by the modification unit 236, the arrangement of building material elements is different compared to image G2 generated by the generation unit 233 (see Figure 5). Specifically, in image G2 generated by the modification unit 236 and image G2 generated by the generation unit 233, the building material elements used in the "base" part of the target building and the building material elements used in the "accent 1" part are swapped.

[0079] The display area R6 on screen D4 shows information on the three types of building material elements used in the target building, that is, the three types of building material elements determined by the generation unit 233. Depending on the requested information, information on two or one type of building material element may be displayed.

[0080] Furthermore, the output unit 234 displays information regarding past construction examples using the building material elements determined by the generation unit 233 or the modification unit 236 on the display unit 32 as related information related to the proposed information. In Embodiment 1, 234 displays on the display unit 32 construction example images generated by imaging buildings constructed using the building material elements determined by the generation unit 233 or the modification unit 236.

[0081] Screen D5 in Figure 7 is an example of a suggested screen that the output unit 234 displays on the display unit 32. For example, screen D5 is a screen that is displayed by scrolling through the suggested screens D3 (see Figure 5) or D4 (see Figure 6). Screen D5 may also be a screen that is transitioned to from screen D3 or D4. Screen D5 includes the display area R7.

[0082] The display area R7 contains multiple images (two in the example in Figure 7) of construction example images G3. In the example in Figure 7, the two images G3 are construction example images of different buildings. Note that the output unit 234 may display only one construction example image on the display unit 32.

[0083] According to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, clients and other individuals can check information on actual construction examples in which the building materials used in the target building have been used, making it easier for them to visualize the finished building.

[0084] Furthermore, the output unit 234 of Embodiment 1 displays the estimation information based on the building material elements determined by the generation unit 233 or the modification unit 236 on the display unit 32 as related information related to the proposed information. The display screen on which the estimation information is displayed may be a screen that is displayed by scrolling the proposed screen D3 (see Figure 5) or screen D4 (see Figure 6), or it may be a screen that is accessed from screen D3 or screen D4.

[0085] According to the support system 1 of Embodiment 1, the client or other person can check the estimated price and quantity information of building material elements used in the target building.

[0086] (3) Operation of the support system Next, the operation of the support device 2 of the support system 1 of Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figure 8.

[0087] First, the support device 2 acquires request information (step S1). For example, the support device 2 acquires the request image uploaded from the display device 3 as request information. Next, the support device 2 acquires building information (step S2). For example, the support device 2 acquires the architectural drawing uploaded from the display device 3 as building information.

[0088] The support device 2 generates proposed information including an exterior image based on the request information and building information (step S3), and displays the proposed information including the exterior image on the display unit 32 (step S4).

[0089] Next, the support device 2 determines whether the current exterior design is finalized (step S5). The support device 2 determines whether the current exterior design is finalized based, for example, on whether the finalization button or change button displayed on the display screen has been operated by a person such as the client.

[0090] When the confirmation button is operated by a person, the support device 2 determines that the current exterior design is the final decision (Step S5: Yes), displays relevant information such as construction example images on the display unit 32 (Step S6), and terminates the series of processes shown in Figure 8. On the other hand, when the change button is operated by a person, the support device 2 determines that the current exterior design is not the final decision (Step S5: No), and performs the process in Step S3 again to change the exterior design.

[0091] Note that the flowchart shown in Figure 8 is merely an example, and the order of processes may be changed as appropriate, or processes may be added or deleted as appropriate.

[0092] (4) Variations The following are examples of modifications of Embodiment 1.

[0093] (4.1) Variation 1 Embodiment 1 illustrates a case where the generation unit 233 determines the building material elements to be used in the target building using a first trained model. However, the generation unit 233 may also perform rule-based image recognition processing on the requested image and determine the building material elements to be used in the target building based on the results of the image recognition processing and information on multiple building material elements that is pre-stored in the storage unit 22.

[0094] In rule-based image recognition processing, the generation unit 233 recognizes buildings (i.e., images of buildings) in the requested image. Furthermore, the generation unit 233 recognizes the purpose of each building material element in the recognized building, such as roofs, walls, windows, and doors. The generation unit 233 also recognizes the pattern and color of each building material element. Finally, the generation unit 233 determines the building material element corresponding to each building material element used in the building in the requested image from the database stored in the storage unit 22.

[0095] The generation unit 233 then generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information, building information, and information on the determined building material elements.

[0096] (4.2) Other variations Functions equivalent to the support system 1 (or support device 2) according to Embodiment 1 may be embodied in a support method, a (computer) program, or a non-temporary recording medium on which the program is recorded. The support method according to one embodiment is executed by one or more processors. The support method includes a first acquisition step, a second acquisition step, a generation step, and an output step. In the first acquisition step, request information regarding the appearance of building material elements is acquired. In the second acquisition step, building information regarding the shape of the target building under consideration is acquired. In the generation step, an appearance image of the target building is generated based on the request information and the building information. In the output step, the appearance image is displayed on the display unit 32. The program according to one embodiment is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the above support method.

[0097] The implementing entity of the support system 1 (or support device 2) or support method in this disclosure includes a computer system. The computer system mainly consists of a processor and memory as hardware. The processor executes a program recorded in the memory of the computer system, thereby realizing the function of the implementing entity of the support system 1 or support method in this disclosure. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, provided via a telecommunications line, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card, optical disk, or hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system consists of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). The integrated circuits such as ICs or LSIs referred to here are named differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSIs, VLSIs (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSIs (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) that are programmed after the manufacture of LSIs, or logic devices that allow for the reconfiguration of junction relationships or circuit compartments within LSIs, can also be used as processors. Multiple electronic circuits may be integrated onto a single chip or distributed across multiple chips. Multiple chips may be integrated onto a single device or distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller also consists of one or more electronic circuits, including semiconductor integrated circuits or large-scale integrated circuits.

[0098] Furthermore, it is not essential for the support system 1 to have multiple functions integrated into a single enclosure; the components of the support system 1 may be distributed across multiple enclosures. In addition, at least some of the functions of the support system 1, for example, some of the functions of the support device 2, may be implemented by the cloud (cloud computing), etc.

[0099] In Embodiment 1, at least some of the functions of the support system 1, which are distributed across multiple devices, may be consolidated into a single housing. For example, some of the functions of the support system 1, which are distributed across the support device 2 and the display device 3, may be consolidated into a single housing. For example, the support device 2 may include a display unit that displays an external image. The support device 2, which includes a display unit, may be installed, for example, in a showroom or reception room of a house builder or building materials manufacturer.

[0100] Embodiment 1 exemplifies a case where the "target building" is a building that the client is considering. However, the "target building" may also be a building that an employee of a house builder who constructs or renovates a building is considering for construction or renovation. Furthermore, the "target building" may also be a building that an employee of a building materials manufacturer who manufactures or sells building material elements uses to confirm examples of how those building material elements are used. In other words, the support system 1 may be used to display an exterior image of the target building to an employee of a house builder or building materials manufacturer.

[0101] Embodiment 1 illustrates a case where the support system 1 comprises a support device 2 and a display device 3. However, the support system 1 only needs to include a first acquisition unit 231, a second acquisition unit 232, a generation unit 233, and an output unit 234.

[0102] In Embodiment 1, an example was given where the requested image is an image generated by capturing the exterior of a building other than the target building using the imaging unit 34. However, the requested image may also be an illustration depicting the exterior of a building.

[0103] As described above, in Embodiment 1, the computational model (trained model) used in the processing unit is generated by machine learning. The processing unit may be implemented as any type of artificial intelligence or system. Here, the machine learning algorithm is, as an example, a neural network. However, the machine learning algorithm is not limited to a neural network, and may be, for example, XGB (eXtreme Gradient Boosting) regression, random forest, decision tree, logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), naive Bayes classifier, or k-nearest neighbors. Furthermore, the machine learning algorithm may be, for example, a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) or k-means clustering.

[0104] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the learning method is supervised learning as an example. However, the learning method is not limited to supervised learning; it may also be unsupervised learning or reinforcement learning.

[0105] Furthermore, a trained model may be updated by performing additional training.

[0106] The first trained model and the second trained model may be a single trained model. The generation unit 233 may input the requested image (request information) and the 3D model (building information) into the single trained model and generate an exterior image based on the results output from the single trained model. The single trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between the request information, the building information, and the exterior image.

[0107] (Embodiment 2) As shown in Figure 9, the support device 2 according to Embodiment 2 further comprises a registration unit 237.

[0108] In Embodiment 2, the first acquisition unit 231 acquires additional supplementary information related to the requested image when it has acquired the requested image. For example, when the first acquisition unit 231 acquires the requested image through an operation by the client on button B2 (see Figure 2) on screen D1 (see Figure 2), it displays screen D6 on the display unit 32 as shown in Figure 10. In other words, screen D6 is a screen that is transitioned from screen D1 and is an input screen for the client to input supplementary information related to the requested image.

[0109] The capture information in Embodiment 2 includes information about the type of image (type information) and condition information about the image shooting conditions. The supplemental information in Embodiment 2 also includes information about the use, location, color, pattern, and impression of representative building material elements (parts) of the building (house) included in the image. In this disclosure, "type of image" refers to catalog images, which are images from electronic catalogs or images generated by imaging a catalog, and real-world images, which are images generated by imaging a real building. In other words, the information about the type of image indicates whether the image acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 is a catalog image or a real-world image. The condition information about the image shooting conditions is information about the shooting conditions when the image acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 is a real-world image. The condition information includes information about the date and time of shooting, information about the shooting location such as address or latitude and longitude, and direction information indicating from which direction the building was photographed.

[0110] Screen D6 includes display areas R8 and R9. Display area R8 contains a button B6 for the client to input the type of image they uploaded. In other words, display area R8 is an area for the client to input information about the type of image. The first acquisition unit 231 acquires information about the type of image by receiving the client's operation on button B6, which displays a pull-down menu (or pull-down list). For example, the pull-down menu includes options such as "catalog image" and "actual image".

[0111] Furthermore, the display area R8 may have a text input field in place of or in addition to button B6, allowing the client to freely input text, and may also be equipped with a voice input device. If a text input field is provided in the display area R8, the first acquisition unit 231 acquires the string of characters (text data) entered in the text input field as information regarding the type of image.

[0112] The display area R9 contains buttons B7, B8, and B9 for the client to input condition information regarding the image shooting conditions. Button B7 is for the client to input the shooting date and time information. Button B8 is for the client to input the shooting location information. Button B9 is for the client to input the direction information. As shown in Figure 10, buttons B7 to B9 in Embodiment 2 are buttons that display pull-down menus for selective input of each piece of information.

[0113] Furthermore, in the display area R9, a text input field may be provided in place of or in addition to each of the buttons B7 to B9, allowing the client to freely enter text. If a text input field is provided in the display area R9, the first acquisition unit 231 acquires the string entered in the text input field as conditional information.

[0114] Buttons B7 to B9 may be operable when, for example, a real image is selected using button B6. Also, display area R9 may be displayed when, for example, a real image is selected using button B6.

[0115] Furthermore, for example, if the first acquisition unit 231 acquires a requested image when the client operates button B2 on screen D1, it displays screen D7 on the display unit 32 as shown in Figure 11. Screen D7 is a screen transitioned from screen D1 or screen D6, and is an input screen for the client to input supplementary information regarding the requested image.

[0116] Screen D7 includes display areas R10 and R11. Display area R10 displays text prompting the user to input information about the use, location, color, pattern, and impression of representative building material elements (parts) of the building (house) included in the image, such as "Please tell us about the representative parts of the house in the image."

[0117] In the display area R11, there is a button B10 that allows the homeowner to input information about the uses of typical building material elements included in the image of the house.

[0118] Furthermore, the display area R11 contains a button B11 for the homeowner to input location information for representative building material elements of the house included in the image. "Location information for building material elements" refers to information about the location where building material elements are placed, such as "first floor," "second floor," or "entrance area" for wall materials.

[0119] Furthermore, the display area R11 is equipped with buttons B12, B13, and B14 for the homeowner to input color information, pattern information, and impression information of representative building material elements of the house included in the image. Button B12 is for the homeowner to input color information indicating the color of the building material element. Button B13 is for the homeowner to input pattern information indicating the pattern of the building material element. In this disclosure, "pattern of building material element" includes patterns expressed by the shape of the surface of the building material element. Button B14 is for the homeowner to input impression information indicating the impression of the building material element. "Impression of building material element" is the impression the homeowner felt when they saw the building material element, and includes impressions such as "warm" or "cold".

[0120] In the example shown in Figure 11, screen D7 contains one display area R11, but screen D7 may contain multiple display areas R11. Furthermore, the system may be configured such that a new display area R11 is displayed on screen D7 after receiving input from buttons B12 to B14 located in one display area R11.

[0121] Furthermore, the display area R11 may include, in place of or in addition to each of the buttons B12 to B14, a text input field where the client can freely enter text. If a text input field is included in the display area R11, the first acquisition unit 231 acquires the string entered in the text input field as information on the use of the building material element, location information, color information, pattern information, and impression information.

[0122] The first acquisition unit 231 of Embodiment 2 generates text data by transcribing the characteristics of each building material element (part) of the building (house) included in the requested image, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, based on the acquired requested image and supplementary information.

[0123] More specifically, the first acquisition unit 231 inputs the requested image and supplementary information into the third trained model (trained model) and acquires the text data output from the third trained model. The text data output by the third trained model is data that describes the features of each building material element of the building included in the requested image, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, in text form. The text data output by the third trained model is data that describes the features of each building material element of the building included in the requested image, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, for example, in Japanese. The third trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between the requested image and supplementary information and the text data. The first acquisition unit 231 outputs the generated text data to the generation unit 233.

[0124] The registration unit 237 registers information for each building material element in the database. In Embodiment 2, the registration unit 237 generates text data by describing the characteristics of the building material element, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, based on the appearance image (registered image) of the building material element, and registers the generated text data in the database. The text data generated by the registration unit 237 and registered in the database is used as a master file for the matching process performed by the generation unit 233. The appearance image of the building material element may be an image newly acquired by the administrator of the support device 2 or the like by performing a predetermined operation on the support device 2, or it may be an image already registered in the database of the storage unit 22.

[0125] Here, the registration unit 237 inputs an image of the building material element's appearance into the fourth trained model (trained model) and obtains text data output from the fourth trained model. The text data output by the fourth trained model is data that describes the features of the building material element corresponding to the appearance image, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, in written form. The text data output by the fourth trained model is data that describes the features of the building material element corresponding to the appearance image, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, for example, in Japanese. The fourth trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between the appearance image of the building material element and the text data. The registration unit 237 associates the appearance image and the generated text data for each building material element and stores them in the storage unit 22.

[0126] In Embodiment 2, the generation unit 233 determines, based on the requested image and supplementary information acquired by the first acquisition unit 231, building material elements having an appearance corresponding to the appearance of the building image in the requested image as building material elements to be used in the target building.

[0127] More specifically, the generation unit 233 of Embodiment 2 performs a matching process that compares the text data corresponding to the requested image and supplementary information acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 (i.e., the text data input from the first acquisition unit 231) with a plurality of text data (master file) stored in the storage unit 22. As a result of the matching process, the generation unit 233 determines the building material element corresponding to the text data that is most similar to the text data input from the first acquisition unit 231 among the plurality of text data stored in the storage unit 22 as the building material element to be used in the target building.

[0128] According to the support device 2 of Embodiment 2, building material elements having an appearance corresponding to the appearance of the building image in the requested image can be determined as building material elements to be used in the target building through a relatively simple matching process. This makes it possible to generate an exterior image of the target building that is more in line with the intentions of, for example, the client.

[0129] (Embodiment 3) The support device 2 of Embodiment 3 includes a registration unit 237, similar to the support device 2 of Embodiment 2.

[0130] In Embodiment 3, the first acquisition unit 231 corrects the requested image and generates a corrected image based on the acquired requested image and supplementary information. More specifically, if the requested image is a real image, the first acquisition unit 231 corrects the color of the requested image and generates a corrected image based on the condition information regarding the shooting conditions of the image included in the supplementary information, and outputs the generated corrected image to the generation unit 233. More specifically, if the requested image is a real image, the first acquisition unit 231 corrects the color of the requested image and generates a corrected image based on one or more pieces of information from the shooting date and time information, shooting location information, and direction information, and outputs the generated corrected image to the generation unit 233. On the other hand, if the requested image is a catalog image, the first acquisition unit 231 outputs the acquired catalog image to the generation unit 233 without generating a corrected image.

[0131] The registration unit 237 of Embodiment 3 registers color information, pattern information, and impression information for each building material element in a database based on the appearance image (registered image) of each building material element.

[0132] Here, the registration unit 237 inputs the appearance image of the building material element into the fifth trained model (trained model) and registers the color information, pattern information, and impression information of the building material element corresponding to the appearance image into the database based on the results output from the fifth trained model. The fifth trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between the appearance image of the building material element and the color information, pattern information, and impression information.

[0133] In Embodiment 3, the generation unit 233 inputs the requested image (i.e., a corrected image of the actual object or a catalog image) output from the first acquisition unit 231 to the sixth trained model (trained model), and acquires image information output from the sixth trained model. The image information includes usage information, color information, pattern information, and impression information for each building material element used in the building in the requested image output from the first acquisition unit 231.

[0134] The generation unit 233 performs a matching process that compares the image information output from the sixth trained model with the information of multiple building material elements stored in the storage unit 22. Based on the results of the matching process, the generation unit 233 determines the building material element that corresponds to the information most similar to the image information among the information of multiple building material elements stored in the storage unit 22 as the building material element to be used for the target building.

[0135] According to the support device 2 of Embodiment 3, for example, when the requested image is an actual image, the corrected image is used to determine the building material elements to be used in the target building. This makes it possible to generate an exterior image of the target building that is more in line with the intentions of, for example, the client.

[0136] (Embodiment 4) The support device 2 of Embodiment 4 includes a registration unit 237, similar to the support device 2 of Embodiment 2.

[0137] In Embodiment 4, the first acquisition unit 231 inputs the requested image to the seventh trained model (trained model) and acquires numerical data output from the seventh trained model. The numerical data is numerical data representing the characteristics of building material elements, including usage information, color information, pattern information, and impression information for each building material element used in the building in the requested image. In Embodiment 4, the numerical data is usually binary data, but is not limited to this. The first acquisition unit 231 outputs the acquired numerical data to the generation unit 233. If the requested image is a real image, the first acquisition unit 231 in Embodiment 4 corrects the color of the requested image based on one or more pieces of information from the date and time of shooting, location of shooting, and direction information to generate a corrected image, and inputs the generated corrected image to the seventh trained model.

[0138] The registration unit 237 of Embodiment 4 generates numerical data by quantifying the characteristics of the building material element, including color information, pattern information, and impression information, based on the appearance image (registered image) of the building material element, and registers the generated numerical data in the database. The numerical data generated by the registration unit 237 and registered in the database is used as a master file for the matching process performed by the generation unit 233.

[0139] Here, the registration unit 237 inputs the appearance image of the building material element into the eighth trained model (trained model) and obtains numerical data output from the eighth trained model. In Embodiment 4, the numerical data output from the eighth trained model is binary data. The eighth trained model is a trained model that has been trained by machine learning using the relationship between the appearance image of the building material element and the numerical data. The registration unit 237 associates the appearance image and the acquired numerical data for each building material element and stores them in the storage unit 22.

[0140] In Embodiment 4, the generation unit 233 performs a matching process that compares the numerical data corresponding to the requested image acquired by the first acquisition unit 231 (i.e., the numerical data input from the first acquisition unit 231) with a plurality of numerical data (master file) stored in the storage unit 22. As a result of the matching process, the generation unit 233 identifies numerical data from among the plurality of numerical data stored in the storage unit 22 that matches the numerical data input from the first acquisition unit 231, and if there is no matching numerical data, it identifies the numerical data that is the closest match. Then, the generation unit 233 determines the building material element corresponding to the identified numerical data as the building material element to be used in the target building.

[0141] According to the support device 2 of Embodiment 4, building material elements having an appearance corresponding to the appearance of the building image in the requested image can be determined as building material elements to be used in the target building through a relatively simple matching process. This makes it possible to generate an exterior image of the target building that is more in line with the intentions of, for example, the client.

[0142] (modified version) The following lists modifications of Embodiments 2 to 4.

[0143] Functions equivalent to those of the support system 1 (or support device 2) according to Embodiments 2 to 4 may be embodied in a support method, a (computer) program, or a non-temporary recording medium on which a program is recorded.

[0144] In the following description, the matching process using text data in Embodiment 2 may be referred to as the "first matching process," the matching process using image information in Embodiment 3 may be referred to as the "second matching process," and the matching process using numerical data in Embodiment 4 may be referred to as the "third matching process." In each of the first to third matching processes, the generation unit 233 may not determine a single building material element as the building material element to be used in the target building, but may select a group of building material elements containing multiple building material elements as candidates for building material elements to be used in the target building. The group of building material elements that become candidates for building material elements to be used in the target building are building material elements whose similarity in the matching process is equal to or greater than a threshold. For example, the generation unit 233 performs two or more matching processes from the first to third matching processes, and in each of the two or more matching processes, it selects a group of building material elements as candidates for building material elements to be used in the target building. Then, the generation unit 233 determines the building material elements to be used in the target building based on the two or more group of building material elements selected in the two or more matching processes. For example, the generation unit 233 performs two or more matching processes and determines the building material element that most frequently appears as a candidate for use in the target building as the building material element to be used in the target building. Because multiple matching processes are performed to determine the building material elements to be used in the target building, it is possible to generate an exterior image of the target building that better aligns with the wishes of, for example, the client.

[0145] (Embodiment 5) In Embodiment 1, an example was given in which a pull-down list containing multiple house type candidates is displayed when button B5 located on screen D2 (see Figure 3) is operated. In Embodiment 5, an example is given in which screen D8, as shown in Figure 12, is displayed on the display unit 32 when button B5 located on screen D2 is operated. In Embodiment 5, screen D8 is a screen that is displayed after transitioning from another screen, screen D2. However, screen D8 may be a screen that is accessed from a screen other than screen D2, or a screen that is displayed by scrolling screen D2 or other screens.

[0146] Screen D8 includes a display area R12. Display area R12 contains multiple images G5 (two in the example in Figure 12) corresponding to multiple house type candidates. For example, each image G5 is a diagram showing the facade for each corresponding house type. In Embodiment 5, when a scroll operation is performed on a region within the display area R12, multiple images G5 are scrolled and displayed. When one of the multiple house type candidates is selected through a predetermined operation, such as tapping one of the multiple images G5, request information including the house type is transmitted to the support device 2.

[0147] According to the support device 2 of Embodiment 5, multiple images G5 corresponding to multiple house type candidates are displayed on the display unit 32, allowing the user to select a house type. This allows the user to select a house type that is more suitable to their needs, and allows the acquisition of request information that is more suitable to the user's needs.

[0148] (summary) As is clear from the embodiments and modifications described above, the support system (1) according to the first embodiment comprises a first acquisition unit (231), a second acquisition unit (232), a generation unit (233), and an output unit (234). The first acquisition unit (231) acquires request information regarding the appearance of building material elements. The second acquisition unit (232) acquires building information regarding the shape of the target building under consideration. The generation unit (233) generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information and the building information. The output unit (234) displays the exterior image on the display unit (32).

[0149] This embodiment makes it possible to simplify operations performed by humans.

[0150] In the support system (1) relating to the second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the request information includes a request image indicating the request for the exterior appearance of the target building.

[0151] This embodiment makes it possible to further simplify operations performed by humans.

[0152] In the support system (1) according to the third embodiment, in the second embodiment, the generation unit (233) inputs a requested image to a trained model and determines the building material elements to be used for the target building based on the results output from the trained model. The trained model is a trained model that has been trained using the relationship between an image generated by capturing the exterior of a building and information on multiple building material elements. The generation unit (233) generates an exterior image of the target building based on the requested information, building information, and the information on the determined building material elements.

[0153] In the support system (1) according to the fourth embodiment, in the second embodiment, the generation unit (233) performs rule-based image recognition processing on the requested image. Based on the results of the image recognition processing and information on multiple building material elements that is stored in the memory unit in advance, the generation unit (233) determines the building material elements to be used for the target building. Based on the requested information, building information and the information on the determined building material elements, the generation unit (233) generates an exterior image of the exterior of the target building.

[0154] In the support system (1) relating to the fifth embodiment, in any one of the second to fourth embodiments, the requested image is an image generated by capturing the exterior of a building other than the target building.

[0155] This embodiment makes it possible to further simplify operations performed by humans.

[0156] The support system (1) according to the sixth embodiment further comprises a reception unit (235) and a modification unit (236) in any one of the first to fifth embodiments. The reception unit (235) receives user input. When the reception unit (235) receives a predetermined input, the modification unit (236) performs at least one of the following: a change in the building material elements used in the target building and a change in the arrangement of the building material elements used in the target building, thereby generating an exterior image with at least a part of the exterior of the target building changed. The output unit (234) displays the exterior image generated by the modification unit (236) on the display unit (32).

[0157] This embodiment makes it possible to further simplify operations performed by humans.

[0158] In the support system (1) according to the seventh embodiment, in the sixth embodiment, the modification unit (236) modifies at least a part of the appearance of the target building by swapping the arrangement of the first and second building material elements when the target building uses multiple building material elements and the multiple building material elements include first and second building material elements that have different appearances from each other.

[0159] According to this embodiment, the exterior appearance of the target building can be changed with relatively simple processing.

[0160] In the support system (1) according to the eighth embodiment, in any one of the first to seventh embodiments, the first acquisition unit (231) further acquires condition information. The condition information includes information on at least one of the following conditions: conditions for the price of building material elements, conditions for the grade of building material elements, conditions for the size of building material elements, and conditions for the desired or planned construction area of ​​the target building. The generation unit (233) generates an exterior image of the target building based on the request information, building information, and condition information.

[0161] According to this embodiment, for example, it is possible to generate an exterior image that is more in line with the wishes of the client or other relevant parties.

[0162] In the support system (1) according to the ninth embodiment, in the third or fourth embodiment, the output unit (234) causes the display unit (32) to display information on past construction examples using building material elements determined by the generation unit (233).

[0163] This configuration makes it easier for clients and other individuals to visualize the finished building.

[0164] In the support system (1) according to the tenth embodiment, in the third or fourth embodiment, the output unit (234) causes the display unit (32) to display estimation information based on the building material elements determined by the generation unit (233).

[0165] According to this embodiment, the client or other relevant parties can check the estimated price and quantity of building materials used in the target building.

[0166] Configurations other than those in the first embodiment are not essential to the support system (1) and can be omitted as appropriate.

[0167] The support device (2) according to the 11th embodiment comprises a first acquisition unit (231), a second acquisition unit (232), a generation unit (233), and an output unit (234) of the support system (1) according to any one of the first to tenth embodiments, and a display unit (32).

[0168] This embodiment makes it possible to simplify operations performed by humans.

[0169] The support method according to the twelfth embodiment is executed by one or more processors. The support method includes a first acquisition step, a second acquisition step, a generation step, and an output step. In the first acquisition step, request information regarding the requirements for the appearance of building material elements is acquired. In the second acquisition step, building information regarding the shape of the target building under consideration is acquired. In the generation step, an appearance image of the target building is generated based on the request information and the building information. In the output step, the appearance image is displayed on the display unit (32).

[0170] This embodiment makes it possible to simplify operations performed by humans.

[0171] The program relating to the 13th aspect is a program that causes one or more processors to execute the support method relating to the 12th aspect.

[0172] This embodiment makes it possible to simplify operations performed by humans. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0173] 1. Support System 2 Support equipment 231 First acquisition part 232 Second Acquisition Department 233 Generation part 234 Output section 235 Reception Department 236 Changes 32 Display section

Claims

1. A first acquisition unit that acquires request information regarding the appearance of building material elements, A second acquisition unit acquires building information regarding the shape of the target building under consideration, A generation unit generates an exterior image of the exterior of the target building based on the aforementioned request information and the aforementioned building information. An output unit that displays the aforementioned external image on the display unit, Equipped with, Support system.

2. The aforementioned request information includes a request image showing the request for the exterior appearance of the target building. The support system according to claim 1.

3. The generating unit is The desired image is input into a trained model that has been trained using the relationship between the captured image generated by capturing the exterior of the building and the information of multiple building material elements, and the building material elements to be used in the target building are determined based on the results output from the trained model. Based on the aforementioned request information, the aforementioned building information, and the information of the determined building material elements, the exterior image of the target building is generated. The support system according to claim 2.

4. The generating unit is A rule-based image recognition process is performed on the requested image, and based on the results of the image recognition process and information on multiple building material elements that is pre-stored in the memory unit, the building material elements to be used in the target building are determined. Based on the aforementioned request information, the aforementioned building information, and the information of the determined building material elements, the exterior image of the target building is generated. The support system according to claim 2.

5. The requested image is an image generated by capturing the exterior of a building other than the target building. The support system according to claim 2.

6. A reception area that accepts user input, When the reception unit receives a predetermined operation input, the modification unit performs at least one of the following: changing the building material elements used in the target building, and changing the arrangement of the building material elements used in the target building, thereby generating an exterior image with at least a part of the exterior of the target building altered. Furthermore, The output unit causes the appearance image generated by the modification unit to be displayed on the display unit. The support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The modification part modifies at least a part of the appearance of the target building by swapping the arrangement of the first and second building materials when the target building uses a plurality of building material elements and the plurality of building material elements include a first building material element and a second building material element that have different appearances from each other. The support system according to claim 6.

8. The first acquisition unit further acquires condition information including information relating to at least one of the following conditions: the price conditions of the building material elements, the grade conditions of the building material elements, the size conditions of the building material elements, and the conditions of the desired or planned construction area of ​​the target building. The generation unit generates the exterior image of the target building based on the request information, the building information, and the condition information. The support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. The output unit causes the display unit to display information regarding past construction examples using the building material elements determined by the generation unit. The support system according to claim 3 or 4.

10. The output unit causes the display unit to display the estimation information based on the building material elements determined by the generation unit. The support system according to claim 3 or 4.

11. The support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 includes the first acquisition unit, the second acquisition unit, the generation unit, and the output unit, The display unit and, Equipped with, Support equipment.

12. A support method executed by one or more processors, The first acquisition step involves obtaining request information regarding the appearance of building material elements, The second acquisition step involves obtaining building information regarding the shape of the target building under consideration, A generation step of generating an exterior image of the exterior of the target building based on the aforementioned request information and the aforementioned building information, An output step in which the aforementioned external image is displayed on the display unit, Having, How to help.

13. To cause one or more processors to execute the support method described in claim 12, program.

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