Management device, management method, program, waste treatment facility, and method for operating a waste treatment facility

Abstract

To move a waste so as to reduce a dead angle by determining the presence or absence of the dead angle when imaging information about the waste in a storage pit is acquired.SOLUTION: A management device for managing a waste in a storage pit for storing the waste comprises: a level derivation unit that acquires distance information between a sensor and the waste at a prescribed position, the distance information being measured by the sensor that measures a distance to the waste at the prescribed position, and derives the height of the waste at the prescribed position; and a grip control unit that controls a grip for gripping and down-releasing the waste stored in the storage pit to move it. The level derivation unit determines whether the imaging information on the waste obtained by an imaging unit that can image the waste includes a part which becomes a dead angle on the basis of the information acquired through the measurement of the sensor. When the level derivation unit determines that the imaging information includes a region becoming a dead angle, the grip control unit controls the grip so as to move the waste in the part becoming the dead angle to another position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a management device, a management method, a program, a waste treatment facility, and a method for operating a waste treatment facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Waste collected from homes and businesses contains a mixture of waste with various characteristics. Therefore, the collected waste is usually temporarily stored in a storage pit, and the stored waste in the storage pit is stirred to homogenize the waste quality. In addition, during times when a relatively large amount of waste is brought in, it is necessary to efficiently receive the waste in the storage pit. For this reason, a so-called transfer operation is performed. Transfer operation is the operation of moving the waste near the entrance to secure space for receiving the waste near the entrance of the storage pit. In order to perform these operations, various technologies have been proposed for grasping the characteristics of the waste, such as the waste quality, stored in the storage pit.

[0003] In order to improve this situation, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to a control device for an automatic crane for a waste treatment plant. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a technology that measures the height of waste in a storage pit by stereoscopic vision of a pair of camera images from two cameras, identifies heterogeneous waste based on a waste color map, and controls a crane so that the heterogeneous waste whose quality is identified by its color is stirred by scattering it with the crane. Patent Document 2 also discloses a technology related to a device that creates an inference map from captured images of the waste and estimates the quality of waste in a storage pit using a learning model. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a technology that learns images of the waste in a storage pit, creates an inference map by calculating a value representing the waste quality, and controls a crane based on the inference map. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-126246 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-027696 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when one or more cameras are used to capture images of the inside of a storage pit for waste such as garbage, as in the technology disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, and the images are used to determine the characteristics of the waste, such as the type of garbage, there is a problem that there is a high possibility that areas that cannot be captured by the camera, so-called blind spots, will occur due to physical constraints such as the installation position and the pile-up conditions such as the height of the garbage. Here, there is also the problem that it is difficult to determine the presence or absence of blind spots using the images captured by the camera.

[0006] Therefore, when obtaining information about the waste from images taken by an imaging unit such as a camera inside a storage pit where garbage and other waste is stored, there was a need to develop technology that can determine whether there are any blind spots in the image and can move the waste in a way that reduces the blind spots.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a management device, management method, program, waste treatment facility, and operating method for a waste treatment facility that can determine the presence or absence of blind spots when obtaining information about waste stored in a storage pit by imaging with an imaging unit, and can move the waste so as to reduce blind spots. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a management device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a management device that manages waste in a storage pit configured to store the waste, and is equipped with a level derivation unit that acquires distance information between a sensor unit and the waste at a predetermined position measured by a sensor unit capable of measuring the distance to the waste at the predetermined position, and derives the height of the waste at the predetermined position, and a gripping unit control unit that controls a gripping unit that moves the waste stored in the storage pit by gripping and releasing it, and based on the information obtained by measurement by the sensor unit, the level derivation unit determines whether or not the imaging information of the waste taken by an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste includes a blind spot, and when the level derivation unit determines that the imaging information includes an area that is the blind spot, the gripping unit control unit controls the gripping unit to move the waste in the blind spot to another position.

[0009] A management device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in the above invention, further includes a type determination unit that determines the type of waste at the specified position based on imaging information captured by the imaging unit, and a deposition information generation unit that associates the waste stored in the storage pit with three-dimensional coordinates and generates deposition information based on the height of the waste at the specified position derived by the level derivation unit and the type of waste at the specified position determined by the type determination unit.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the management device of the above invention, the sensor unit includes a ranging sensor that emits electromagnetic waves toward the waste and measures the time from the time the electromagnetic waves are emitted to the time the electromagnetic waves reflected by the waste are received, and the level derivation unit determines whether or not the blind spot is included based on the measurement value measured by the ranging sensor.

[0011] In this configuration of a management device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit has a plurality of distance measuring sensors, and each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors is installed in a position where at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic waves emitted from the plurality of distance measuring sensors can reach the waste stored in the storage pit.

[0012] In the management device of one embodiment of the present invention, in the above invention, the level derivation unit determines whether or not the blind spot occurs based on at least one of a masking processing mode, a threshold determination mode, an average value determination mode, and a drawing mode.

[0013] In a management device according to one aspect of the present invention, in the above invention, the gripper control unit generates a movement path for the gripper based on the deposition information, and outputs an instruction signal to move the gripper according to the movement path.

[0014] A management method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a management method for managing waste in a storage pit configured to store the waste, which determines whether or not imaging information obtained by an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste contains a blind spot based on information obtained by a sensor unit capable of measuring the distance to the waste at a predetermined position, and if it is determined that the imaging information contains an area that is a blind spot, controls the movement of the waste in the blind spot to another position by a gripping unit that moves the waste stored in the storage pit by gripping and releasing it.

[0015] A program according to one embodiment of the present invention causes a control unit of a management device having a control unit that manages waste in a storage pit configured to store waste to determine whether or not imaging information obtained by an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste contains a blind spot based on information obtained by a sensor unit capable of measuring the distance to the waste at a predetermined position, and if it is determined that the imaging information contains an area that is a blind spot, to perform control to move the waste in the blind spot to another position by a gripping unit that moves the waste stored in the storage pit by gripping and releasing it.

[0016] A waste treatment facility according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a management device as in the above invention, a storage pit for storing waste, and a gripping unit capable of moving the waste by gripping and releasing it under the control of the management device.

[0017] A method for operating a waste treatment facility according to one embodiment of the present invention is a method for operating a waste treatment facility comprising: a storage pit configured to store waste and equipped with a sensor unit capable of measuring the distance to the waste at a predetermined position and an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste; a management device equipped with a control unit for managing the storage pit; and a gripping unit capable of moving the waste by grasping and releasing it under the control of the management device, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the imaging information obtained by the imaging unit includes a blind spot based on information obtained by measurement by the sensor unit, and if it is determined that the imaging information includes an area that is the blind spot, controls the gripping unit to move the waste in the blind spot to another position. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the management device, management method, program, waste treatment facility, and operation method of a waste treatment facility of the present invention, when information on waste stored in a storage pit is obtained by imaging with an imaging unit, it is possible to determine whether there are any blind spots in the imaging, and it is possible to move the waste in a way that reduces blind spots. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a pit management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a pit management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a storage pit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the storage pit taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a blind spot occurring in the storage pit taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a storage pit taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3, in which four sensor units are provided. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the method for operating a waste treatment facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings of the embodiment, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below.

[0021] (Pit management system) FIG. 1 shows a pit management system to which a management device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the pit management system 1 includes a pit management device 10, a waste storage facility 20, and a waste incineration facility 30, which are capable of communicating with each other via a network 2. A waste treatment facility 3 includes at least the waste storage facility 20 and the waste incineration facility 30. The pit management device 10 may be provided outside the waste treatment facility 3 and capable of communicating with the waste treatment facility 3 via the network 2, or may be a part of the waste treatment facility 3. The pit management device 10 may also be provided inside the waste storage facility 20, and the installation location is not limited.

[0022] The network 2 is configured by appropriately combining wired communication and wireless communication, and is composed of communication networks such as the Internet network and mobile phone network. The network 2 is composed of one or more combinations of, for example, dedicated lines, public communication networks such as the Internet, for example, LANs (Local Area Networks), WANs (Wide Area Networks), telephone communication networks such as mobile phones, public lines, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), etc. The pit management device 10, waste storage facility 20, and waste incineration facility 30 are connected via the network 2.

[0023] (Waste storage facility) The waste storage facility 20 includes a control unit 21, a communication unit 22, an imaging unit 23, a sensor unit 24, a gripping unit 25, and a storage pit 26. The gripping unit 25 is movably provided in the storage pit 26, and the imaging unit 23 and the sensor unit 24 are also provided therein. The gripping unit 25 is controlled by the control unit 21 based on a control signal transmitted from the control unit 11 of the pit management device 10. The control unit 21 may control the imaging unit 23 and the sensor unit 24 based on a control signal transmitted from the control unit 11. Note that the control unit 11 of the pit management device 10 may directly control the imaging unit 23, the sensor unit 24, and the gripping unit 25.

[0024] Specifically, the control unit 21 includes a processor having hardware such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and a main storage unit such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory) (none of which are shown). The control unit 21 controls the imaging unit 23, the sensor unit 24, and the grip unit 25 based on control signals input from the pit management device 10 via the communication units 13 and 22 in accordance with various programs stored in the main storage unit such as the RAM and ROM.

[0025] The communication unit 22 is, for example, a LAN interface board, a wired communication circuit for wired communication, or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board, the wired communication circuit, or the wireless communication circuit is connected to the network 2. The communication unit 22, which functions as a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, is connected to the network 2 and communicates with the pit management device 10.

[0026] The imaging unit 23 is composed of, for example, an infrared camera or an imaging camera. The imaging unit 23 is configured to be able to image the waste 26a in the storage pit 26. The imaging unit 23 images the state of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26, and transmits the captured image data as imaging information to the pit management device 10 via the communication unit 22. The imaging unit 23 may image the waste 26a held by the bucket 253, or may transmit the captured image data of the waste 26a in the bucket 253 as imaging information to the pit management device 10 via the communication unit 22.

[0027] The sensor unit 24 includes a plurality of, for example, two, distance measuring sensors 241, 242 such as LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). The sensor unit 24 may be, for example, a laser sensor, an infrared sensor, a distance measuring sensor, or a sensor that combines these sensors. The sensor unit 24 is configured to be able to measure the distance to the surface of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26. The sensor unit 24 detects the distance from the sensor unit 24 to the waste 26a in association with two-dimensional position information (x, y) in the horizontal plane of the storage pit 26. The sensor unit 24 transmits the detected distance to the pit management device 10 via the communication unit 22.

[0028] The gripping unit 25 grips and moves the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26. A bucket 253 serving as an opening / closing unit grips the waste 26a. A crane 252 serving as a moving unit is configured to be movable by connecting the bucket 253. A load meter 251 is provided on the crane 252. The load meter 251 is configured to be able to measure the weight of the waste 26a gripped by the bucket 253. Data on the weight of the waste 26a measured by the load meter 251 (load data) is transmitted to the pit management device 10 via the communication unit 22.

[0029] Parameters relating to the so-called work operation of the crane 252, such as the two-dimensional current position of the crane 252 above the storage pit 26, the movement path, the movement range, and the movement speed, are sequentially transmitted from the gripper 25 to the pit management device 10 via the control unit 21 and the communication unit 22. Similarly, parameters relating to the work operation of the bucket 253, such as the three-dimensional current position of the bucket 253, the open time, the closed time, the number of times it is opened and closed, and the amount of opening, are sequentially transmitted from the gripper 25 to the pit management device 10 via the control unit 21 and the communication unit 22.

[0030] The storage pit 26 is a pit for temporarily storing the waste 26a. The waste 26a in the storage pit 26 is gripped by the gripping part 25 and supplied to the incinerator 33 of the waste incineration facility 30, where it is incinerated.

[0031] (Waste incineration facility) The waste incineration facility 30 as the waste incineration unit includes a combustion control device (ACC) 31, a sensor unit 32, and an incinerator 33. The combustion control device 31 controls the amount of combustion air, the amount of cooling air, the waste feeder feed speed, and the grate feed speed as the operation amounts of the respective operation terminals based on the setting of a predetermined reference value of the operation amount. The incinerator 33 as the waste incinerator includes a furnace in which the waste 26a is burned, a waste inlet into which the waste 26a is input, and a boiler (none of which are shown). The sensor unit 32 is composed of, for example, a thermometer and a pressure gauge provided at various locations. The internal state of the incinerator 33 and various physical quantities such as pressure and speed in the facilities related to the incinerator 33, specifically, in the power generation facilities for generating electricity, measured by the sensor unit 32, are output from the sensor unit 32 as sensor information. The sensor information output from the sensor unit 32 is supplied to the combustion control device 31 as a parameter. The combustion control device 31 controls the combustion of the incinerator 33 based on the input parameters.

[0032] (Pit management device) Fig. 2 shows details of the pit management device 10 in Fig. 1. The pit management device 10 shown in Fig. 2 as a management device includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, and an input / output unit 14. The control unit 11 and the communication unit 13 are physically similar to the control unit 21 and the communication unit 22 described above, respectively.

[0033] The input / output unit 14 as an input means includes an interface that inputs various information transmitted from the imaging unit 23 and the sensor unit 24 installed in the waste storage facility 20 through the communication unit 22 and outputs the information to the control unit 11. The information may be transmitted from the imaging unit 23 and the sensor unit 24 to the input / output unit 14 using wired communication or wireless communication. The input / output unit 14 also includes a user interface such as a keyboard, input buttons, a lever, a touch panel for manual input superimposed on a display such as a liquid crystal display, or a microphone for voice recognition. The input / output unit 14 is configured so that a worker or the like can input predetermined information to the control unit 11 by operating the input / output unit 14.

[0034] The input / output unit 14 as an output means displays images of the inside of the storage pit 26 of the waste storage facility 20 captured by the cameras 231, 232 (233, 234) on the display monitor, displays characters and figures on the screen of the touch panel display, and outputs sounds from the speaker, under the control of the control unit 11. In other words, the input / output unit 14 is configured to be able to notify predetermined information to the outside. The input / output unit 14 may be configured from a touch panel display, a speaker microphone, or the like.

[0035] The storage unit 12 is composed of a storage medium selected from a volatile memory such as a RAM, a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), a hard disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive), and a removable medium. The removable medium is, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) memory, or a disk recording medium such as a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), or a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc (BD). The storage unit 12 may also be composed of a computer-readable recording medium such as an externally mountable memory card.

[0036] The storage unit 12 can store an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, and the like for executing the operations of the pit management device 10. These various programs can also be recorded on computer-readable recording media such as hard disks, flash memories, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and flexible disks for wide distribution. The control unit 11 loads the programs stored in the storage unit 12 into the working area of ​​the main storage unit, executes them, and controls each component through the execution of the programs, thereby achieving functions that meet a predetermined purpose.

[0037] The storage unit 12 stores waste level information 121, type information 122, and pile information 123. The waste level information 121, type information 122, and pile information 123 are all stored in the storage unit 12 as a database in a searchable manner.

[0038] The waste level information 121 is information on the waste level of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26. The waste level information 121 includes information on the level of the waste 26a (waste level z) associated with a predetermined position (x, y) such as an address, i.e., two-dimensional coordinates in the storage pit 26. The waste level information 121 may include mapping data including point cloud data representing the shape of the surface of the waste 26a. When the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 is managed as a plurality of units divided into a predetermined rectangular parallelepiped shape, specifically, for example, a cube shape of 500 mm square, the waste level information 121 may include history information such as the volume, bulk density, weight, and storage days of each unit.

[0039] The type information 122 includes type information on the type of waste 26a in the storage pit 26. The type information 122 includes, for example, type information determined on the assumption that the type of waste 26a carried in is one type when the waste collection truck carries the waste 26a into the storage pit 26. The type information 122 includes type information for each predetermined position defined by three-dimensional coordinates in the storage pit 26 after the waste 26a is transferred by the gripper 25. In other words, the type information 122 includes information on the type of waste 26a determined in association with the three-dimensional position coordinates (x, y, z) of the surface of the waste 26a when the surface shape of the waste 26a is measured.

[0040] The deposition information 123 is information generated by associating the waste level information 121 obtained as described above with the type information 122 of the determined waste 26a. That is, the deposition information 123 is three-dimensional map information generated by associating the type information 122 captured by the imaging unit 23 and determined by the type determination unit 112 with three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) based on the waste level information 121 of the stored waste 26a. This allows the control unit 11 to accumulate, as deposition information 123, information on not only the surface of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26, but also information on the waste 26a buried below the surface.

[0041] The deposition information 123 may include work area information related to the work area in the storage pit 26. The work area information includes information related to the carry-in area, the transfer area, and the input area. The work area information may also include information on a crushing area (crushing area) where the waste 26a is crushed by the bucket 253 or the like. This allows the control unit 11 to separate the deposition information for each of the carry-in area, the transfer area, the input area, and the crushing area.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 2, in this embodiment, the functions of a level derivation unit 111, a type determination unit 112, a pile information generation unit 113, and a crane control unit 114 are executed by executing various programs loaded by the control unit 11. The various programs also include a program for realizing an artificial intelligence or a learning model capable of realizing the processing according to this embodiment. The learning model is also called a learned model or a model.

[0043] The level derivation unit 111 can set an area representing the position of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26. Specifically, for example, the horizontal size of the bucket 253 can be used as a reference to divide the area on a plane parallel to the bottom surface of the storage pit 26 and set an address (x, y). It is also possible to set areas such as a carry-in area, a transfer area, and a throw-in area based on the address. The carry-in area 261 is an area (carry-in area) where the waste 26a is carried in from a garbage collection vehicle (packer vehicle). The transfer area is an area (transfer area) where the waste 26a is transferred from the carry-in area by a crane 252 provided in the storage pit 26. The throw-in area is an area (feed-in area) where the waste 26a to be thrown into the incinerator 33 is stored. Note that the carry-in area 261 may be separated from the transfer area and the throw-in area by a partition wall of a predetermined height.

[0044] The level derivation unit 111 can calculate or determine the height of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 based on at least one, preferably multiple pieces of distance information supplied from the sensor unit 24. That is, the level derivation unit 111 derives the height, i.e., the waste level z, based on the distance to the waste 26a at a predetermined position (x, y) input from the sensor unit 24. This allows the level derivation unit 111 to map at least the surface of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 in three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z).

[0045] Here, a method for deriving the waste level z, which is the pile height of the waste 26a, by the level deriving unit 111 based on the distance to the waste 26a at a predetermined position (x, y) input from the sensor unit 24 will be described. Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are diagrams showing the storage pit 26 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is a plan view of the storage pit 26 from above. Figures 4, 5, and 6 are cross-sectional views of the storage pit 26 taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. First, the mapping process by the level deriving unit 111 will be described below.

[0046] In the example shown in Fig. 3, a plane parallel to the bottom surface of storage pit 26 is divided and addresses (x, y) are set, for example, based on the horizontal size of bucket 253. Note that various methods of division can be used to divide the interior of storage pit 26, and are not limited to the example shown in Fig. 3. Furthermore, regarding address (x, y), when the size of bucket 253 is used as the basis, both variables x and y are discrete, but they may also be set continuously.

[0047] The crane (not shown in FIG. 3) used in the waste storage facility 20 is provided above the storage pit 26 equipped with a feed hopper 331 for the incinerator 33. The crane 252 is arranged so as to raise and lower a bucket 253 capable of holding a predetermined amount of waste 26a by winding up and down a wire rope on a crab arranged so as to be able to move laterally on a crane girder.

[0048] Furthermore, waste 26a is dumped into storage pit 26 by opening a carry-in door provided in storage pit 26. The carry-in doors are, for example, openable and closable, and a plurality of them are provided at predetermined intervals along the side wall of storage pit 26. Waste 26a to be brought into waste storage equipment 20 of waste treatment facility 3 is dumped into storage pit 26 through one of the carry-in doors. The waste 26a is transferred, mixed, and dumped into dump hopper 331 in storage pit 26 by three-axis drive of crane 252.

[0049] At least one imaging camera, preferably multiple cameras, is disposed as the imaging unit 23 near the upper waist wall of the storage pit 26. When multiple cameras are installed, it is preferable to install them in a position where there is a low possibility of a blind spot occurring, for example, on the side of the carry-in area 261 of the waste 26a, in order to suppress the occurrence of a blind spot of the camera. In FIG. 4, two cameras 231, 232 are provided. The cameras 231, 232 are configured to have a photographing camera such as a CCD camera or a CMOS camera, but are not necessarily limited to these. The cameras 231, 232 are configured to be able to identify the color tone of the waste 26a, which changes depending on the type of the waste 26a. The cameras 231, 232 may be installed, for example, on the upper part of the inner wall of the storage pit 26, on a wall that can photograph the waste 26a in the storage pit 26. The cameras 231, 232 may be one, or three or more. The imaging unit 23 can use various devices as long as they can detect the type of the waste 26a.

[0050] In the storage pit 26, a plurality of, for example, two, distance measuring sensors 241, 242 are installed which constitute the sensor unit 24. It is preferable, but not limited to, that each of the distance measuring sensors 241, 242 is installed at a position where at least one of the plurality of emitted electromagnetic waves can reach any position on the surface of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26. Specifically, for example, the distance measuring sensors 241, 242 are installed near the upper waist wall of the storage pit 26 near the respective cameras 231, 232.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, in the storage pit 26, the distance measuring sensors 241, 242 can measure the waste level z, which is the height of the waste 26a, when the waste 26a is stored. That is, the distance measuring sensors 241, 242 can measure the distance from each of the distance measuring sensors 241, 242 installed at the top of the four corners of the storage pit 26 to a predetermined position P on the surface of the waste 26a. In this case, the waste level z at the predetermined position (x, y) can be measured by the distance l1 between the distance measuring sensor 241 and the predetermined position P and the emission angle θ1 of the electromagnetic wave from the distance measuring sensor 241. In addition, the waste level z at the predetermined position (x, y) can be measured by the distance l2 between the distance measuring sensor 242 and the predetermined position P and the emission angle θ2 of the electromagnetic wave from the distance measuring sensor 242. That is, the point cloud data P(x, y, z) of the predetermined position P can be obtained by the distance measuring sensors 241, 242. It is also possible to derive the waste level z based on the distances l1 and l2 from the distance measuring sensors 241 and 242 to the predetermined position P of the waste 26a.

[0052] In this way, based on the distance information from the distance measuring sensors 241, 242, the level derivation unit 111 can instantly and continuously derive the waste level z of the waste 26a at the predetermined position P in the storage pit 26. Conventionally, particularly in the carrying-in area, the amount of waste carried in from the garbage collection truck was calculated to calculate the waste level, and then an operator visually confirmed it and manually intervened in the automatic control, but by being able to derive the waste level z, it is possible to reduce the manual intervention of the operator.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 5, regarding the distance l between the distance measuring sensor 241 and the predetermined position P, for example, the electromagnetic waves emitted from the distance measuring sensor 241 may be blocked by the waste 26a piled up high. In this case, the level derivation unit 111 of the control unit 11 may execute a masking process on the blocked portion. That is, when the level derivation unit 111 determines that the position of the object measured by the sensor unit 24 is not the predetermined position of the waste 26a to be measured, the level derivation unit 111 may execute a masking process mode to mask the portion that is not the predetermined position. The masked area may be displayed in a different color or with a dotted line. The level derivation unit 111 can determine the presence or absence of a blind spot of the camera 231 at the predetermined position P measured by the distance measuring sensor 241 by determining whether or not the masking process mode needs to be executed by the distance measuring sensor 241.

[0054] Even when the masking process mode by the level derivation unit 111 is not executed, the following method can be adopted to determine whether or not a blind spot of the camera 231 occurs. That is, when the distance measurement sensor 241 emits electromagnetic waves toward the waste 26a and scans the surface of the waste 26a accumulated in the storage pit 26 with the electromagnetic waves to measure the distance, if the measured distance during scanning changes to a predetermined threshold or more, it can be determined that the part that has changed to the predetermined threshold or more is the location of the blind spot of the camera 231. This is because the object irradiated with the electromagnetic waves after the distance has changed to the predetermined threshold or more is likely not the waste 26a at the predetermined position to be measured, but the blocked waste 26a or another object. The same applies to the cameras 232 to 234 and the distance measurement sensors 242 to 244. As a result, the level derivation unit 111 can determine the part that becomes the blind spot in the image of the image capture unit 23 when the image of the upper surface of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26 is captured. In addition, the level derivation unit 111 may determine whether there is a blind spot in the image captured by the imaging unit 23 and which parts are blind spots by using a learning model or a trained model obtained by machine learning using teacher data.

[0055] Furthermore, the level derivation unit 111 can determine whether or not a blind spot occurs in the storage pit 26, other than the above-mentioned masking processing mode, based on the waste level information 121 and the accumulation information 123. That is, as a method for determining whether or not a blind spot occurs by the level derivation unit 111, various methods such as a threshold value determination mode, an average value determination mode, and a drawing mode can be adopted.

[0056] The threshold determination mode is a mode in which a difference in height of the waste level at which the probability of occurrence of a blind spot is equal to or greater than a predetermined probability is set as a threshold based on the previously collected waste level information 121 and deposition information 123, and it is determined that a blind spot has occurred when the difference in height of the waste level z in a predetermined area is equal to or greater than the set threshold. Note that the threshold determination mode can also be executed in combination with the above-mentioned masking processing mode.

[0057] The average value determination mode is a mode for determining whether or not a blind spot occurs based on the average value of the waste level z. In the average value determination mode, first, the level derivation unit 111 derives the average value (average level Z) of the waste level z based on the planar area of ​​the storage pit 26 from the volume of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26. The level derivation unit 111 determines whether or not a blind spot occurs based on the deviation of the waste level z at a predetermined position P (position (x, y)) from the average level Z. Note that the determination may be performed by combining the average value mode and the threshold value determination mode.

[0058] The drawing mode is a mode in which the level derivation unit 111 draws the upper surface of the waste 26a based on image data captured by the cameras 231-234, and determines a portion that is determined to be impossible to draw as a blind spot. Furthermore, the portion determined to be a blind spot may be estimated from the pile information 123 based on the waste level z measured by the distance measuring sensors 241-244, depending on the portion of the waste 26a determined to be a blind spot.

[0059] Also, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, cameras 233 and 234 can be added to cameras 231 and 232. That is, for example, four cameras 231 to 234 can be installed in storage pit 26. In FIG. 3, cameras 233 and 234 that can be additionally installed are shown with parentheses around their reference numbers, and in FIG. 6, cameras 232 and 233 that are paired with cameras 231 and 234 are shown with parentheses around their reference numbers. In the example shown in FIG. 3, cameras 231 and 232 are provided, for example, at two corners on the loading area 261 side of storage pit 26 that has a rectangular planar shape. Also, when cameras 233 and 234 are added in cases where blind spots are likely to occur, it is preferable that cameras 233 and 234 are provided on the loading area side. That is, cameras 231 to 234 may be provided at the four corners of storage pit 26, respectively. The installation locations of the cameras 231-234 are not necessarily limited, but the installation positions and the number of cameras can be set based on the captured images, angle of view, and resolution of the cameras 231-234. Also, by increasing the number of cameras, the occurrence of blind spots in the imaging of the upper surface of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 can be reduced.

[0060] Along with the installation of the cameras 233, 234 in the storage pit 26, distance measuring sensors 243, 244 can also be installed. In FIG. 3, the distance measuring sensors 243, 244 that can be additionally installed are indicated by parentheses. That is, for example, four distance measuring sensors 241-244 can be installed in the storage pit 26. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the distance measuring sensors 241-244 are provided, for example, at the four corners of the planar rectangular storage pit 26 near the respective cameras 231-234. This can improve the possibility that at least one of the multiple electromagnetic waves emitted from the respective distance measuring sensors 241-244 will reach an arbitrary position on the surface of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26.

[0061] The distance measuring sensors 243, 244 can acquire point cloud data of the predetermined position P by measuring the waste level z at a predetermined location (x, y) based on the distance between the distance measuring sensors 243, 244 and the predetermined position P and the emission angle of the electromagnetic waves from the distance measuring sensors 243, 244. It is also possible to derive the waste level z based on the distance from the distance measuring sensors 243, 244 to the predetermined position P of the waste 26a.

[0062] The installation locations of the distance measuring sensors 241-244 including these distance measuring sensors 243, 244 are not necessarily limited, but the installation positions and the number of sensors to be installed can be set based on the directivity and the reach of the electromagnetic waves of the distance measuring sensors 241-244. The distance measuring sensors 241-244 are preferably installed near the cameras 231-234, respectively. However, as long as the positions of the blind spots in the imaging ranges of the cameras 231-234 can be derived, the distance measuring sensors 241-244 do not necessarily need to be installed near the cameras 231-234.

[0063] When the distance measuring sensors 241-244 according to the present embodiment are configured with LiDAR, the electromagnetic waves used are typically near-infrared or infrared. As a result, although it is difficult for a camera to capture an image in a dark place, the distance measuring sensors 241-244 can measure the distance even in a dark place. In addition, the size of an object that can be detected by the distance measuring sensors 241-244 is equal to or larger than the wavelength. The electromagnetic waves emitted from the distance measuring sensors 241-244 have a high light flux density, high coherence, and an extremely short wavelength, so that they are easily reflected even when irradiated on a small object. As a result, the distance measuring sensors 241-244 can easily measure the time from the time when the electromagnetic waves are emitted toward the waste 26a to the time when the electromagnetic waves reflected by the waste 26a are received. As a result, the distance measuring sensors 241-244 can easily measure the distance to the surface or surface layer of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26 with high accuracy. Furthermore, by measuring distances using the distance measuring sensors 241-244 such as LiDAR, time response can be made on the order of msec, so that the measurement interval can be shortened and the distance from the distance measuring sensors 241-244 to the waste 26a can be measured almost continuously. Therefore, for example, the movement and swing of the bucket 253 can be tracked, so that the swing prevention of the bucket 253 can be optimized.

[0064] Also, when the bucket 253 is moving in the storage pit 26, the electromagnetic waves emitted from at least one or more of the distance measuring sensors 241-244 may be blocked by the bucket 253 and not irradiated to the waste 26a at a predetermined position. Even in this case, since the distance measuring sensors 241-244 are provided at the four corners of the storage pit 26 having a rectangular shape in plan view, the electromagnetic waves emitted from at least one of the distance measuring sensors 241-244 are irradiated to the waste 26a without being blocked by the bucket 253. Therefore, even when the bucket 253 is moving in the storage pit 26, the distance to the waste 26a can be measured from at least one of the distance measuring sensors 241-244, so that the height of the waste 26a can be measured. That is, even when the bucket 253 is moving, the height of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 can be measured by the sensor unit 24 in real time.

[0065] In addition, by installing the distance measuring sensors 241-244 at the top of the four corners of the storage pit 26, the possibility that at least one of the distance measuring sensors 241-244 can measure the upper layer of the waste 26a is improved. This makes it possible to measure the waste level z of the surface of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26 over the entire surface along the horizontal plane of the storage pit 26, that is, over all addresses (x, y). In addition, since the point cloud data P(x, y, z) of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 can be acquired, it is possible to instantly measure the surface shape of the waste 26a and generate the deposition information 123 including the point cloud data P(x, y, z) in which the surface shape of the waste 26a is mapped. In other words, the deposition information 123 includes three-dimensional mapping information of the surface shape of the waste 26a. The generated deposition information 123 is stored in the memory unit 12.

[0066] The type determination unit 112 determines the type (also called classification) of the waste 26a carried into the carry-in area. In addition, when the waste 26a is mixed or reloaded by the crane 252, the type determination unit 112 determines the type and state of the waste 26a after mixing or reloading based on the imaging information provided by the cameras 231, 232. In this way, the type determination unit 112 generates type information. The type information includes information on the type and state of the waste 26a.

[0067] The deposition information generating unit 113 associates the type information 122 of the waste 26a obtained by the type determining unit 112 with three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) based on the waste level information 121 of the waste 26a at a predetermined position obtained based on the measurement by the sensor unit 24. This allows a three-dimensional map of the waste 26a to be continuously generated. Note that the deposition information generating unit 113 may generate the deposition information 123 discontinuously and intermittently at predetermined time intervals.

[0068] The crane control unit 114, which serves as the gripper control unit, outputs and transmits to the control unit 21 an instruction signal for driving the crane 252 on three axes to grip waste 26a at a desired position with the bucket 253 and to scatter the gripped waste 26a. The control unit 21 controls the crane 252 and bucket 253 of the gripper 25 based on the received instruction signal. Note that the crane 252 may be controlled directly by the crane control unit 114.

[0069] In addition, the crane control unit 114, based on the acquired waste level information 121, transfers waste 26a at a predetermined position P where the waste level z is relatively high and where a blind spot occurs in the image capture of at least one of the cameras 231 to 234 to another predetermined position P where the waste level z is relatively low. L In this case, the crane control unit 114 can derive a moving path that allows the bucket 253 to avoid other tops of the waste 26a, and execute control to move the crane 252 based on the derived moving path. LWhen moving the waste 26a to a predetermined position P, the lifting length of the bucket 253 can be shortened, and the movement efficiency of the crane 252 can be improved, compared to when the bucket 253 of the gripping unit 25 is lifted to a position higher than the top of the waste 26a and then moved. For example, if the waste 26a is only to be moved sideways, the waste 26a can be moved with a minimum of winding up of the wire rope that lifts the bucket 253. This allows the bucket 253 to be moved at an optimal height in accordance with the purpose of the treatment of the waste 26a, such as mixing or transshipment. Also, when the crane control unit 114 moves the waste 26a at the predetermined position P, where the waste level z is relatively high, to another predetermined position P, the crane control unit 114 moves the waste 26a at the predetermined position P, where the waste level z is relatively high, to another predetermined position P. L By controlling the crane 252 and the bucket 253 so as to transfer the cargo to the other side, the blind spots in the images captured by the cameras 231 to 234 can be reduced.

[0070] Furthermore, when waste 26a is discharged from bucket 253, the discharge height can be changed according to waste level z at the address (x, y) where waste is discharged, so that bucket 253 is not hoisted up more than necessary. That is, when gripper 25 is automatically operated by control unit 21, crane 252 and bucket 253 can be moved at a height that can avoid mountains of waste 26a piled up. Therefore, unnecessary operations of gripper 25 can be reduced, so that automatic operation of gripper 25 can be efficiently performed and the operating rate can be reduced.

[0071] Furthermore, by accumulating and updating the deposition information 123, the control units 11 and 21 can always derive and control the height required for the bucket 253 to grip and dump the waste 26a based on the latest deposition information 123. Therefore, the control units 11 and 21, particularly the crane control unit 114, can automatically control the gripper 25 including the crane 252 and the bucket 253 through machine learning. This enables the crane control unit 114 to move the crane 252 and the bucket 253 at an appropriate height or along an appropriate movement path so as to achieve the purpose of the operation of the gripper 25, for example, the purpose of reducing blind spots in the images captured by the cameras 231 to 234. Note that various types of machine learning can be adopted for the machine learning, such as deep learning using a neural network, reinforcement learning, or deep reinforcement learning.

[0072] (Operation method of waste treatment facility) Next, a method for operating the waste storage facility 20, which is part of the waste treatment facility according to this embodiment, will be described. Fig. 7 is a flow chart for explaining a method for operating the waste storage facility 20 controlled by the pit management device 10. Note that step ST1 is a process performed by an operator, and steps ST2 to ST8 are processes based on the control of the pit management device 10. Note that in the following description, information is transmitted and received between the respective components via the communication units 13, 22 and the network 2, but a detailed description of this point will be omitted.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 7, first, in step ST1, the worker performs preparations. That is, in step ST1, the worker installs at least one camera 231, and preferably multiple cameras 231-234 as shown in Fig. 3, in a predetermined position of the storage pit 26, for example, near the upper waist wall of the storage pit 26. Note that it is preferable to install the cameras 231-234 in a position that has as few blind spots as possible.

[0074] Next, the process proceeds to step ST2, where the level derivation unit 111 of the control unit 11 of the pit management device 10 controls the imaging unit 23 via the control unit 21 of the waste storage facility 20 to capture an image of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26. The imaging unit 23 generates imaging information of the waste 26a and transmits it to the pit management device 10. The level derivation unit 111 identifies the position (x, y) of the captured waste 26a based on the imaging information supplied from the imaging unit 23.

[0075] Next, the process proceeds to step ST3, where the type determination section 112 of the control section 11 determines the type and state of the captured waste 26a based on the imaging information supplied from the imaging section 23, and stores this as type information 122 in the storage section 12. Furthermore, the pile information generation section 113 generates pile information 123 by correlating the generated type information 122 with the position (x, y) of the waste 26a, and stores this in the storage section 12. This makes it possible to distinguish the type and state of the waste 26a by correlating them with the position (x, y).

[0076] Next, the process proceeds to step ST4, where the level derivation unit 111 measures the waste level z of the waste 26a. The waste level z is preferably measured continuously, but may be measured intermittently. The control unit 21 controls the sensor unit 24 to measure the irradiation angle θ and irradiation distance l when irradiating the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 with electromagnetic waves from the distance measurement sensor 241, etc., to measure the waste level z of the waste 26a. The level derivation unit 111 acquires the measured waste level z and associates it with the position (x, y). The pile information generation unit 113 performs mapping processing of the upper surface of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 based on the measurement value of the waste level z associated with the position (x, y), and generates point cloud data P(x, y, z) of the waste 26a. The pile-up information generating unit 113 associates the point cloud data P(x, y, z) with the type and state of the waste 26 a to generate pile-up information 123 , and stores it in the storage unit 12 .

[0077] Next, the process proceeds to step ST5, where the level derivation unit 111 determines whether or not a blind spot is included in the imaging information acquired from the imaging unit 23. The level derivation unit 111 determines whether or not a blind spot occurs by selecting and combining at least one, and preferably a plurality of, processes from various methods such as the above-mentioned masking process, threshold value determination mode, average value determination mode, and drawing mode. If the level derivation unit 111 determines that a blind spot is included in the imaging information (step ST5: Yes), the process proceeds to step ST6.

[0078] In step ST6, the crane control unit 114 controls the bucket 253 to move to the position (x, y) determined to have a blind spot and grip the waste 26a. Thereafter, the crane control unit 114 controls the bucket 253 to perform a stirring operation to dump the waste 26a at another position, specifically, for example, a position determined to be in the blind spot of the imaging unit 23 and having a small waste level z.

[0079] Further, the position where the waste 26a gripped by the bucket 253 is dumped is not limited, and the waste 26a can be dumped in various positions as long as the blind spot can be reduced. Also, other than when it is determined that a blind spot actually exists, even when it is determined by the level derivation unit 111 that a blind spot is likely to occur, it is possible to execute step ST6 in the same way as when it is determined that a blind spot exists.

[0080] At least one of an automatic control mode and a manual control mode can be adopted as the control of the bucket 253 through the crane 252. That is, in the automatic control mode, the crane control unit 114 automatically controls based on a predetermined program. Based on the program executed by the crane control unit 114, the position where the blind spot occurs and the destination of the waste 26a are set, and the crane 252 and the bucket 253 are controlled by interrupt control or the like. In the manual control mode, a user such as a worker recognizes the imaging information output to the display unit or the like of the input / output unit 14, i.e., the monitor image of the inside of the storage pit 26, and inputs the moving path information to the crane control unit 114 through the input / output unit 14, so that the crane 252 and the bucket 253 are controlled manually.

[0081] Thereafter, the process proceeds to step ST7, where the crane control unit 114 determines whether the mixing operation has been completed. If the crane control unit 114 determines that the mixing operation has been completed (step ST7: Yes), the process returns to step ST2. On the other hand, if the crane control unit 114 determines that the mixing operation has not been completed (step ST7: No), the process returns to step ST5.

[0082] On the other hand, if the level derivation unit 111 determines in step ST5 that the imaging information does not include a blind spot area (step ST5: No), the process proceeds to step ST8. In step ST8, the crane control unit 114 controls the crane 252 in the same manner as in the past, controls the bucket 253 according to the type and state of the waste 26a and the waste level z, and performs the mixing work. Note that if the crane control unit 114 does not take the type and state of the waste 26a into consideration, the crane control unit 114 can control the crane 252 and the bucket 253 based only on the waste level z, thereby improving the processing speed of the mixing work. Then, the process proceeds to step ST7.

[0083] Next, the process proceeds to step ST7, and if the crane control unit 114 determines that the mixing operation has ended (step ST7: No), the process returns to step ST2. On the other hand, if the crane control unit 114 determines that the mixing operation has not ended (step ST7: No), the process returns to step ST5.

[0084] The processing of steps ST2 to ST8 is repeatedly executed during operation of the waste storage facility 20. The operation of the waste storage facility 20 by the pit management device 10 is executed in the above manner.

[0085] Conventionally, the imaging information captured by the imaging unit 23 is information in which the three-dimensional information of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26 is obtained as two-dimensional information, so it was difficult for the level derivation unit 111 to determine whether or not a blind spot occurred based on the imaging information. In addition, when determining the type and state of the waste 26a based on the imaging information captured by the imaging unit 23, there was a problem that the type and state of the waste 26a could not be determined in the area of ​​the blind spot. These problems affect the agitation of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26, and further lead to problems that are likely to affect the control of the combustion of the waste 26a transported from the storage pit 26 to the incineration facility.

[0086] In contrast, in the embodiment described above, when grasping the height (waste level z), type, and condition of the waste 26a stored in the storage pit 26, if a blind spot occurs in the image captured by the imaging unit 23, making it difficult to accurately grasp the type and condition of the waste 26a, the waste 26a is stirred to correct this situation and reduce the occurrence of the blind spot. This makes it possible to determine the type of waste 26a in the storage pit 26 and generate more accurate pile-up information of the waste 26a in the storage pit 26.

[0087] That is, the sensor unit 24 measures the waste level z of the waste 26a for each address (x, y) of the two-dimensional coordinates along the plane of the storage pit 26, and further associates the address (x, y) and the waste level z with the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) to determine the type of the waste 26a. As a result, pile information, which is type mapping information associated with the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z), can be generated from the measured height (waste level z) of the waste 26a and the determined type of the waste 26a, and can be stored in a database. Note that x, y, and z, which represent the position of the waste, may be discrete variables or continuous variables. Therefore, by using the pile information, it is possible to more efficiently perform automatic operation of the gripper unit 25 equipped with the crane 252 and the bucket 253.

[0088] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications based on the technical idea of ​​the present invention are possible. For example, the numerical values ​​given in the above-mentioned embodiment are merely examples, and numerical values ​​different from these may be used as necessary, and the present invention is not limited by the description and drawings that form a part of the disclosure of the present invention according to this embodiment.

[0089] Furthermore, each of the cameras 231 to 234 may be integrated with each of the distance measuring sensors 241 to 244. This can improve the accuracy with which the distance measuring sensors 241 to 244 measure the blind spots of the cameras 231 to 234.

[0090] In the embodiment described above, target areas such as the carry-in area 261, the transfer area, the input area, and the crushing area may be limited depending on the content of the work, and the work such as moving the waste 26a and the determination of the presence or absence of blind spots may be performed. Specifically, for example, during a time period when the garbage collection truck intermittently carries the waste 26a into the carry-in area 261, the carry-in area 261 may be excluded from the management target, and the operation of the waste storage facility 20 may be controlled by the pit management device 10 described above.

[0091] Also, by providing a positioning unit in the refuse collection vehicle and acquiring and accumulating information on the volume of the waste 26a for each district where the refuse collection vehicle collects the waste 26a, it is possible to derive in advance the volume and weight of the waste brought into the carry-in area 261. This makes it possible to simulate in advance the volume and weight of the waste 26a brought into the carry-in area 261 when the pile-up information generating unit 113 generates the pile-up information 123, and to generate the pile-up information more accurately.

[0092] In addition, when artificial intelligence is used in the above-described embodiment, deep learning using a neural network is used as an example of machine learning, but machine learning based on other methods may be performed. For example, other supervised learning such as a support vector machine, a decision tree, a naive Bayes method, or a k-nearest neighbor method may be used. Moreover, semi-supervised learning may be used instead of supervised learning.

[0093] In addition, in one embodiment, the above-mentioned "unit" can be read as a "circuit" etc. For example, a control unit can be read as a control circuit.

[0094] In the description of the flowcharts in this specification, the order of processing between steps is clearly indicated using expressions such as "first," "then," and "continue," but the order of processing required to implement this embodiment is not uniquely determined by these expressions. In other words, the order of processing in the flowcharts described in this specification can be changed as long as there is no contradiction.

[0095] Further advantages and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. The disclosure in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Thus, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 Pit Management System 2 Network 3 Waste treatment facilities 10 Pit management device 11,21 Control section 12 Storage section 13,22 Communications Department 14 Input / output section 20 Waste storage facility 23 Imaging unit 24 Sensor section 25 Gripping part 26 Storage Pit 26a Waste 30 Waste incineration facility 31 Combustion control device 32 Sensor section 33 Incinerator 111 Level Derivation Section 112 Type determination section 113 Deposition information generation section 114 Crane control unit 121 Waste Level Information 122 Type Information 123 Deposition information 231,232,233,234 Camera 241,242,243,244 Distance Measuring Sensor 251 Load cell 252 Crane 253 Bucket 261 Loading area 331 Input hopper

Claims

1. A management device for managing waste in a storage pit configured to be able to store the waste, a level derivation unit that acquires distance information between a sensor unit capable of measuring a distance to the waste at a predetermined position and the waste at the predetermined position, and derives a height of the waste at the predetermined position; A gripping unit control unit that controls a gripping unit that moves the waste stored in the storage pit by gripping and releasing the waste, The level derivation unit determines whether or not a blind spot is included in image information of the waste captured by an image capturing unit capable of capturing an image of the waste, based on information obtained by measurement by the sensor unit; When the level derivation unit determines that the imaging information includes a region that is the blind spot, the gripping unit control unit controls the gripping unit to move the waste in the blind spot to another position. Management device.

2. a type determination unit that determines a type of the waste at the predetermined position based on image information captured by the imaging unit; and a pile information generating unit that generates pile information by associating the waste stored in the storage pit with three-dimensional coordinates based on the height of the waste at the predetermined position derived by the level derivation unit and the type of the waste at the predetermined position determined by the type determination unit. The management device according to claim 1 .

3. the sensor unit includes a distance measuring sensor that emits electromagnetic waves toward the waste and measures the time from when the electromagnetic waves are emitted to when the electromagnetic waves reflected by the waste are received; The level derivation unit determines whether or not the blind spot is included based on the measurement value measured by the distance measurement sensor. The management device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the sensor unit has a plurality of distance measuring sensors, Each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors is installed at a position where at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic waves emitted from the plurality of distance measuring sensors can reach the waste stored in the storage pit. The management device according to claim 3 .

5. The level derivation unit determines whether or not the blind spot occurs based on at least one of a masking processing mode, a threshold determination mode, an average value determination mode, and a drawing mode. The management device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The gripper control unit generates a movement path of the gripper based on the accumulation information, and outputs an instruction signal to move the gripper according to the movement path. The management device according to claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 5 which cites claim 2.

7. A method for managing waste in a storage pit configured to store the waste, comprising: determining whether or not a blind spot is included in image information obtained by an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste, based on information obtained by a sensor unit capable of measuring a distance to the waste at a predetermined position; When it is determined that the imaging information includes an area that is the blind spot, a gripping unit that moves the waste stored in the storage pit by gripping and releasing the waste is controlled to move the waste in the blind spot to another position. Management method.

8. A control unit of a management device including a control unit for managing waste in a storage pit configured to be able to store the waste, determining whether or not a blind spot is included in image information obtained by an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste, based on information obtained by a sensor unit capable of measuring a distance to the waste at a predetermined position; When it is determined that the imaging information includes an area that is the blind spot, a gripping unit that moves the waste stored in the storage pit by gripping and releasing the waste is controlled to move the waste in the blind spot to another position. A program to make that happen.

9. A management device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a storage pit for storing waste; a gripping unit that is capable of moving the waste by gripping and releasing the waste under the control of the management device; Waste treatment facility.

10. A method for operating a waste treatment facility comprising: a storage pit configured to store waste, the storage pit including a sensor unit capable of measuring a distance to the waste at a predetermined position and an imaging unit capable of imaging the waste; a management device including a control unit for managing the storage pit; and a gripping unit capable of moving the waste by gripping and releasing it under the control of the management device, The control unit, Based on the information obtained by the sensor unit, it is determined whether or not the image information obtained by the imaging unit includes a blind spot, and when it is determined that the image information includes the blind spot, the waste in the blind spot is moved to another position by the gripping unit. How to operate a waste treatment facility.

Images