Installation Support Terminal, Installation Support Method, and Installation Support Program

Abstract

To provide an installation support terminal that automatically selects a target sensor to be installed from among a plurality of sensors based on position information, and outputs information specifying the selected target sensor.SOLUTION: An installation support terminal is provided, which comprises: a storage unit for storing, for each of a plurality of sensors, a planned installation position where a sensor should be installed in association with each sensor; a position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information for indicating a position of the sensor itself; a sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position; and a specific information output unit that outputs information which specifies the target sensor. The sensor selection unit selects the target sensor based on a distance between a current position indicated by the position information and the planned installation position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an installation support terminal, an installation support method, and an installation support program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a self-position registration type sensor wirelessly connected to a plant monitoring device. [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-102693

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present invention, an installation support terminal is provided. The installation support terminal may include a storage unit that stores, for each of a plurality of sensors, an installation planned position to be installed in association with each sensor. The installation support terminal may include a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position. The installation support terminal may include a sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position. The installation support terminal may include a specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor.

[0004] The sensor selection unit may select the target sensor based on the distance between the current position indicated by the position information and the installation planned position.

[0005] The sensor selection unit may select the target sensor based on a movement path according to the history of the position information and the installation planned position.

[0006] The specific information output unit may display information for specifying the target sensor on a monitor.

[0007] The specific information output unit may transmit a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation.

[0008] The installation support terminal may further include an identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information for identifying the target sensor, and a planned position output unit that outputs a planned installation position of the target sensor associated with the identification information.

[0009] The planned position output unit may display the planned installation position of the target sensor on a map.

[0010] The planned position output unit may display a route from the current position indicated by the position information to the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map.

[0011] The installation support terminal may further include an installation position registration unit that registers its own position when installing the target sensor as the installation position of the target sensor.

[0012] The installation support terminal may further include an installation position output unit that outputs the registered installation position.

[0013] The installation position output unit may display the registered installation position on a monitor together with the planned installation position.

[0014] The installation support terminal may further include a determination unit that determines the installation position according to user input.

[0015] In a second aspect of the present invention, an installation support method is provided. The installation support method may include storing, for each of a plurality of sensors, a planned installation position to be installed in association with each sensor. The installation support method may include acquiring position information indicating its own position. The installation support method may include selecting a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position. The installation support method may include outputting information for specifying the target sensor.

[0016] In a third aspect of the present invention, an installation support program is provided. The installation support program may be executed by a computer. The installation support program may cause the computer to function as a storage unit that stores, for each of a plurality of sensors, an installation planned position to be installed in association with each sensor. The installation support program may cause the computer to function as a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position. The installation support program may cause the computer to function as a sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position. The installation support program may cause the computer to function as a specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor.

[0017] Note that the above summary of the invention does not list all the features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows an example of a state in which the sensor 100 is installed in the facility 10 using the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment. The installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment supports, for example, an operation in which an operator installs a plurality of sensors 100 in the facility 10.

[0021] Facility 10 may be, for example, a factory, an office building, a commercial building, a hospital, a school, a store, a hotel, a road, a bridge, a tunnel, etc. Hereinafter, a case where Facility 10 is a plant will be described as an example. Here, examples of the plant include industrial plants such as chemical and bio plants, plants for managing and controlling wells and their surroundings in gas fields and oil fields, plants for managing and controlling power generation such as hydraulic, thermal, and nuclear power, plants for managing and controlling environmental power generation such as solar and wind power, plants for managing and controlling water supply and sewerage and dams, etc. There are many devices in the plant, such as field devices, pumps, and tanks. Therefore, in such a Facility 10, it is desirable to measure various physical quantities at various positions within Facility 10 for the purpose of diagnosing the soundness of these devices and predicting signs of failure. Therefore, it is required to install a plurality of sensors 100 within Facility 10.

[0022] The sensor 100 can measure the physical quantity of the measurement target. In this figure, a case where nine sensors, sensors 100a to 100i (collectively referred to as "sensor 100"), are installed within Facility 10 is shown as an example. However, the number of sensors 100 to be installed may be more or less than this. Such a sensor 100 may be, for example, an IoT (Internet of Things) sensor, and as an example, it may be an IIoT (Industrial IoT) sensor targeting industrial fields such as manufacturing, transportation, and logistics. The sensor 100 measures various physical quantities such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, humidity, brightness, acceleration, magnetic field, image, and sound within Facility 10.

[0023]

[0024] Such physical quantities measured by the sensor 100 alone cannot be said to be data effective for analysis, and it is important to grasp at which position within Facility 10 the physical quantity was measured. Therefore, in general, it is planned in advance which sensor 100 should be installed where according to which physical quantity at which position is desired to be measured.In this case, the worker places the multiple sensors 100 on, for example, a cart and installs each of the multiple sensors 100 one by one at the planned installation positions. At this time, the worker patrols the facility 10, finds the sensor 100 to be installed from among the multiple sensors 100, and installs it at the planned installation position that has been planned in advance. However, when an infinite number of sensors 100 exist, it is a complicated task to find the sensor 100 to be installed from among the infinite number of sensors 100, and the installation time is long, and there is a possibility of making a mistake of installing a wrong sensor 100 at the planned installation position. In addition, it is very difficult for the worker to understand in what order the sensors 100 should be installed in order to efficiently complete the installation of all the sensors 100.

[0025] Therefore, the installation support terminal 200 according to this embodiment automatically selects a target sensor to be installed from among the multiple sensors 100 based on the location information, and outputs information for identifying the selected target sensor. In this way, the installation support terminal 200 according to this embodiment supports the worker in installing the multiple sensors 100 in the facility 10.

[0026] The installation support terminal 200 may be a computer such as a PC (personal computer), a tablet computer, a smartphone, a workstation, or a general-purpose computer. The installation support terminal 200 may also be implemented by a virtual computer environment in which one or more programs can be executed in a computer. Alternatively, the installation support terminal 200 may be a dedicated computer designed to support installation, or may be dedicated hardware realized by a dedicated circuit. The installation support terminal 200 may also be realized in various forms. As an example, the installation support terminal 200 may be an operation terminal directly operated by a worker, such as a tablet computer, or may be a robot terminal that is remotely operated by a worker, such as a drone or ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle), or may be an autonomously operated robot terminal.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows an example of a block diagram of the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment. The installation support terminal 200 includes a storage unit 210, a position information acquisition unit 220, a sensor selection unit 230, and a specific information output unit 240. Note that these blocks are functional blocks separated functionally, and do not necessarily match the actual device configuration. That is, in this figure, just because it is shown as one block, it does not necessarily have to be configured by one device. Also, in this figure, just because they are shown as separate blocks, they do not necessarily have to be configured by separate devices.

[0028] The storage unit 210 stores, for each of the plurality of sensors 100, the installation planned position to be installed in association with each sensor. For example, the storage unit 210 may store, for each sensor, the identification information for identifying the sensor 100 and the installation planned position where the sensor 100 is to be installed in association with each other. At this time, the storage unit 210 may also store the detailed information characterizing the sensor 100. This will be described later. Note that these pieces of information may be stored in advance prior to installing the sensor 100. Also, these pieces of information may be those pre-stored in the storage unit 210 of the installation support terminal 200, or may be those stored in the installation support terminal 200 by downloading, for example, those stored in a master database on the cloud. In such a case, it is preferable because a plurality of workers can use the installation support terminals 200 respectively to proceed with the installation work of the sensors 100 at the site in parallel.

[0029] The position information acquisition unit 220 acquires position information indicating its own position. The position information acquisition unit 220 may acquire position information, for example, by positioning its own position using RTK-GPS, DGPS, single-point positioning GPS, etc. That is, the position information acquisition unit 220 may position its own position using a satellite positioning system. Alternatively, the position information acquisition unit 220 may acquire position information, for example, by positioning its own position by base station positioning or the like. That is, the position information acquisition unit 220 may position its own position using an indoor / outdoor positioning system. Alternatively, the position information acquisition unit 220 may acquire position information, for example, by positioning its own position by WiFi CERTIFIED Location, the BLE beacon method, or the like. That is, the position information acquisition unit 220 may position its own position using an indoor positioning system. Since these positioning means themselves are well-known technologies, the description thereof is omitted here. The position information acquisition unit 220 supplies the acquired position information to the sensor selection unit 230.

[0030] The sensor selection unit 230 selects a target sensor to be installed from among a plurality of sensors 100 based on the position information and the planned installation position. For example, the sensor selection unit 230 accesses the storage unit 210. Then, based on the position information supplied from the position information acquisition unit 220 and the planned installation positions of the respective sensors 100 stored in the storage unit 210, a target sensor to be installed may be selected from among the plurality of sensors 100. This will be described later. The sensor selection unit 230 supplies the identification information of the selected target sensor to the specific information output unit 240.

[0031] The specific information output unit 240 outputs information for specifying the target sensor. For example, the specific information output unit 240 may directly output the identification information of the target sensor supplied from the sensor selection unit 230. Instead of this, or in addition, the specific information output unit 240 may access the storage unit 210, acquire the detailed information stored in association with the identification information of the target sensor, and output the detailed information of the target sensor. At this time, the specific information output unit 240 may display and output the information for specifying the target sensor on a monitor, may output it as voice by a speaker, may output it as a print by a printer, or may output it as a signal transmission to other functional units or devices. Also, the specific information output unit 240 may transmit a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows an example of information of the sensor 100 that the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment may store. The installation support terminal 200 may store, for each of a plurality of sensors 100, identification information for identifying the sensor 100, detailed information characterizing the sensor 100, and a planned installation position where the sensor 100 is to be installed, in association with each other.

[0033] Here, the identification information for identifying the sensor 100 may be, for example, the MAC (Media Access Control) address of the sensor 100. The MAC address is a physical address consisting of a unique identification code for each individual physically recorded at the time of manufacture in order to uniquely identify and identify a device from other individuals on an IP network such as the Internet.

[0034] Generally, the MAC address is a 48-bit long address and is expressed using hexadecimal numbers. The MAC address is delimited by six octets from the first octet to the sixth octet, for example, like 01:23:45:67:89:AB or FE:DC:BA:98:76:54.

[0035] Here, the first octet, the second octet, and the third octet are called the OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) and indicate the ID of the vendor that manufactured the device. Also, the fourth octet, the fifth octet, and the sixth octet indicate the vendor management number, which is a unique code numbered within the vendor. More specifically, it is common for the fourth octet to indicate the model ID and the fifth and sixth octets to indicate the serial ID.

[0036] In addition, the detailed information characterizing the sensor 100 may be, for example, information about the vendor that manufactured the sensor 100, the model of the sensor 100, and the appearance (shape, color, size, image, etc.) of the sensor 100. Such detailed information may be input by the user or may be information automatically acquired by the installation support terminal 200.

[0037] As an example, when the identification information for identifying the sensor 100 is the MAC address, it is possible to identify the vendor that manufactured the sensor 100 by examining the upper three octets (the first octet, the second octet, and the third octet) of the MAC address. Also, it is possible to identify the model of the sensor 100 by examining the fourth octet of the MAC address. And if the vendor and the model can be identified, information about the appearance of the sensor 100 can also be acquired from an external server or the like using these as search keys. Therefore, the installation support terminal 200 may automatically acquire the detailed information characterizing the sensor 100 in this way.

[0038] Also, the planned installation position where the sensor 100 is to be installed may be, for example, information on the X coordinate, Y coordinate, and Z coordinate. Such a planned installation position may be input by the user or may be automatically coordinate-converted from CAD data of the facility 10 or the like. The storage unit 210 of the installation support terminal 200 may store such information.

[0039] Figure 4 shows an example of the planned installation positions of a plurality of sensors 100. In this figure, a schematic diagram of the facility 10 is shown with north up. In this figure, the white circles respectively indicate the planned installation positions where a plurality of sensors 100a to 100i should be installed. In this figure, the black circles indicate position information, with the large black circle indicating the current position and the small black circle indicating the history of the position information. The installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment supports the operation of an operator to install a plurality of sensors 100a to 100i in the facility 10 in this way.

[0040] Figure 5 shows an example of a flow for outputting information for identifying a target sensor by the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment. The installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment may, for example, select a target sensor and output information for identifying the target sensor according to this flow.

[0041] In step S510, the installation support terminal 200 stores the planned installation positions. For example, the storage unit 210 stores, for each of the plurality of sensors 100, the planned installation position to be installed in association with each sensor. As an example, as shown in FIG. 3, the storage unit 210 may store, for each of the plurality of sensors 100, identification information for identifying the sensor 100, detailed information characterizing the sensor 100, and the planned installation position where the sensor 100 should be installed in association with each other. At this time, for example, the installation support terminal 200 may access a master database on the cloud and download this information. Then, the storage unit 210 may store this information thus obtained from the cloud.

[0042] In step S520, the installation support terminal 200 acquires position information. For example, the position information acquisition unit 220 acquires position information (for example, X, Y, Z) indicating its own position. At this time, the position information acquisition unit 220 may measure its own position using at least one of a satellite positioning system, an indoor / outdoor positioning system, or an indoor positioning system. The position information acquisition unit 220 supplies the acquired position information to the sensor selection unit 230.

[0043] In step S530, the installation support terminal 200 selects a target sensor. For example, the sensor selection unit 230 selects a target sensor to be installed from among a plurality of sensors 100 based on the position information (X, Y, Z) acquired in step S520 and the planned installation positions (Xa~i, Ya~i, Za~i) stored in step S410.

[0044] At this time, the sensor selection unit 230 may select a target sensor based on the distance between the current position indicated by the position information acquired in step S520 and the planned installation position stored in step S510. As an example, the sensor selection unit 230 may preferentially select, as the target sensor, a sensor with a shorter distance from the current position to the planned installation position among the plurality of sensors 100 over a sensor with a longer distance. Note that the distance here may be a straight-line distance or a path according to the passage situation in the facility 10 or the like. For example, when an operator with the installation support terminal 200 is at the current position in FIG. 4, the sensor selection unit 230 may select the sensor 100c with the closest planned installation position from the current position as the target sensor among the plurality of sensors 100a~100i.

[0045] Alternatively, or in addition, the sensor selection unit 230 may select a target sensor based on the movement path according to the history of the position information acquired in step S520 and the planned installation position stored in step S510. As an example, the sensor selection unit 230 may preferentially select, as the target sensor, a sensor with a shorter distance from the extension line of the movement path according to the history of the position information to the planned installation position than a sensor with a longer distance. For example, assume that an operator with the installation support terminal 200 advances westward along the central street from the current position in FIG. 4 and then advances northward to install the sensor 100c. In this case, the most recent movement path according to the history of the position information is the direction from south to north. Here, assume that when selecting the target sensor again after installing the sensor 100c, the distances from the installation position of the sensor 100c to the planned installation position are approximately the same for the sensors 100d and 100e. In this case, the distance from the extension line of the movement path from south to north is shorter for the sensor 100e than for the sensor 100d. In such a case, the sensor selection unit 230 may preferentially select the sensor 100e as the target sensor over the sensor 100d. That is, after the operator installs the sensor 100c, the sensor selection unit 230 may select the sensor 100e as the next target sensor. Thereby, the operator can install the sensor 100 along the flow of movement for installation.

[0046] In addition to the distance from the current position and the distance from the extension line of the movement path, the sensor selection unit 230 may select a target sensor considering various other conditions. In this case, the sensor selection unit 230 may score the priority for each condition and select, as the target sensor, the sensor with the highest total score obtained by adding the scores for multiple conditions. At this time, the sensor selection unit 230 may add the scores with different weights for each condition. The sensor selection unit 230 supplies the identification information of the selected target sensor to the specific information output unit 240.

[0047] In step S540, the installation support terminal 200 outputs information for identifying the target sensor. For example, the specific information output unit 240 outputs information for identifying the target sensor selected in step S530. As an example, the specific information output unit 240 may display on the monitor, in addition to the identification information of the target sensor supplied from the sensor selection unit 230, the detailed information (vendor, model, appearance, etc.) stored in association with the identification information of the target sensor.

[0048] Further, the specific information output unit 240 may transmit a control signal for causing the target sensor to perform a specific operation. For example, the specific information output unit 240 may transmit a control signal for causing the target sensor to perform operations such as light emission, sound emission, and vibration. In response to this, the target sensor may perform operations such as light emission, sound emission, and vibration. Thereby, the operator can quickly and easily discover the target sensor from the light emission or sound emission from the target sensor.

[0049] Thereby, the operator can discover and install the target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors 100. Then, when the installation of the target sensor is completed, by repeating the flow until there are no more sensors 100 to be installed, the installation support terminal 200 sequentially outputs information for identifying the target sensor. As an example, the installation support terminal 200 can sequentially output information for identifying the target sensors in the order of sensor 100c → sensor 100e → sensor 100b → sensor 100a → sensor 100f → sensor 100h → sensor 100g → sensor 100i.

[0050] FIG. 6 shows an example of output of information for identifying the target sensor by the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment. The installation support terminal 200 may display, for example, as shown in this figure, the identification information and the detailed information (vendor, model, appearance, etc.) for identifying the sensor 100 selected as the target sensor on the monitor.

[0051] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 may transmit a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation. That is, when the sensor 100c is selected as the target sensor, the specific information output unit 240 may transmit a control signal for causing the sensor 100c to execute operations such as light emission, sound emission, and vibration, as shown in this figure. In response thereto, the sensor 100c may execute operations such as light emission, sound emission, and vibration.

[0052] In this way, the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment automatically selects a target sensor to be installed from among a plurality of sensors 100 based on the position information, and outputs information for identifying the selected target sensor. As a result, the operator can recognize the sensor 100 to be installed next, so that it becomes easy to find the sensor 100 to be installed from among the plurality of sensors 100, the installation time can be shortened, and it is also possible to prevent the mistake of installing a different sensor 100 at the planned installation position. Further, the operator can efficiently complete the installation of all the sensors 100 by installing the target sensors in the order output by the installation support terminal 200. As described above, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to support the operator in installing a plurality of sensors 100 in the facility 10.

[0053] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment selects a target sensor based on the distance between the current position and the planned installation position. Thereby, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment, for example, it is possible to preferentially select a sensor 100 that is close in distance from the current position as the target sensor.

[0054] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment selects a target sensor based on the movement path according to the history of the position information and the planned installation position. Thereby, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment, for example, it is possible to preferentially select a sensor 100 that is close in distance from the extension line of the movement path as the target sensor, so that when the operator sequentially installs a plurality of sensors 100, it is possible to provide an efficient installation order that suppresses going back along the path.

[0055] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment displays information for identifying the target sensor on the monitor of its own terminal. Thereby, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment, information for discovering the sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors 100 can be provided to the worker having the installation support terminal 200 at the work site.

[0056] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment transmits a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation. Thereby, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment, operations such as light emission, sound emission, and vibration can be executed on the target sensor, so that the worker can easily recognize the target sensor to be installed by light emission or the like.

[0057] FIG. 7 shows an example of a block diagram of the installation support terminal 200 according to a modification of the present embodiment. In FIG. 7, members having the same functions and configurations as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted except for the following differences. The installation support terminal 200 according to this modification further includes a function of outputting a planned installation position of the target sensor and a function of registering and determining the installation position, in addition to the functions of the above-described installation support terminal 200. The installation support terminal 200 according to this modification further includes an identification information acquisition unit 710, a planned position output unit 720, an input unit 730, an installation position registration unit 740, an installation position output unit 750, and a determination unit 760.

[0058] The identification information acquisition unit 710 acquires identification information for identifying the target sensor. For example, the identification information acquisition unit 710 acquires identification information for identifying the target sensor in response to the worker reading a two-dimensional barcode attached to or printed on the target sensor. However, it is not limited thereto. The identification information acquisition unit 710 may acquire the identification information of the target sensor via user input, or may directly acquire the identification information of the target sensor from the specific information output unit 240. The identification information acquisition unit 710 supplies the acquired identification information of the target sensor to the planned position output unit 720.

[0059] The planned position output unit 720 outputs the planned installation position of the target sensor associated with the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 710. For example, the planned position output unit 720 accesses the storage unit 210. Then, the planned position output unit 720 acquires the planned installation position of the target sensor associated with the identification information from the storage unit 210 and outputs it. As an example, the planned position output unit 720 may display, for example, the planned installation position of the target sensor on a map. At this time, the planned position output unit 720 may display the route from the current position indicated by the position information to the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map. However, it is not limited thereto. Instead of, or in addition to, displaying and outputting the planned installation position of the target sensor on a monitor, the planned position output unit 720 may output it as audio by a speaker, may output it as a print by a printer, or may output it as a signal transmission to other functional units or devices. At this time, the planned position output unit 720 may calculate the route from the current position to the planned installation position based on the current position indicated by the position information, the planned installation position of the target sensor, and the information indicating the passage situation in the facility 10. Since general navigation technology can be used for this, detailed description is omitted here.

[0060] The input unit 730 receives user input. The input unit 730 supplies the received user input to the installation position registration unit 740 and the confirmation unit 760.

[0061] The installation position registration unit 740 registers its own position when installing the target sensor as the installation position of the target sensor. In the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example, the position information acquisition unit 220 supplies the acquired position information not only to the sensor selection unit 230 but also to the installation position registration unit 740. Then, when a user input indicating that the target sensor is to be installed is obtained via the input unit 730, the installation position registration unit 740 registers the position information at that time as the installation position of the target sensor. Accordingly, the storage unit 210 stores the installation position of the target sensor. At this time, when the information of the sensor 100 is stored in the master database on the cloud, the installation position registration unit 740 may register the installation position of the target sensor in the master database by transmitting its own position when installing the target sensor to the cloud.

[0062] The installation position output unit 750 outputs the installation position registered by the installation position registration unit 740. At this time, the installation position output unit 750 may display the registered installation position on the monitor together with the planned installation position. However, it is not limited to this. Instead of, or in addition to, displaying and outputting the installation position of the target sensor on the monitor by the installation position output unit 750, it may output the installation position as audio by a speaker, output it as a print by a printer, or output it as a signal transmission to other functional units or devices.

[0063] The determination unit 760 determines the installation position according to the user input. For example, when a user input indicating that the installation position of the target sensor is to be determined is obtained via the input unit 730, the determination unit 760 determines the installation position of the target sensor. Accordingly, the storage unit 210 stores a flag indicating that the installation position of the target sensor has been determined. When the installation position output unit 750 outputs the registered installation position as a signal transmission to another device, the determination unit 760 may determine the installation position of the target sensor when a response indicating that the user has confirmed is obtained from the other device.

[0064] FIG. 8 shows an example of a flow for registering and determining the installation position of a target sensor by the installation support terminal 200 according to a modification of the present embodiment. This flow may be executed, for example, after the flow of FIG. 5.

[0065] In step S810, the installation support terminal 200 acquires identification information. For example, it is assumed that information for identifying the target sensor is output according to the flow of FIG. 5. Then, when the operator discovers the target sensor from among the plurality of sensors 100 based on the information and reads the two-dimensional barcode attached to the target sensor, the identification information acquisition unit 710 acquires the identification information for identifying the target sensor. The identification information acquisition unit 710 supplies the acquired identification information of the target sensor to the planned position output unit 720.

[0066] In step S820, the installation support terminal 200 outputs the planned installation position. For example, the planned position output unit 720 accesses the storage unit 210. Then, the planned position output unit 720 acquires the planned installation position of the target sensor associated with the identification information acquired in step S810 and outputs it. As an example, the planned position output unit 720 may display, for example, the planned installation position of the target sensor on a map. At this time, the planned position output unit 720 may display the route from the current position indicated by the position information to the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map. Further, the planned position output unit 720 may also display an "Install" button indicating that the target sensor is to be installed.

[0067] In step S830, the installation support terminal 200 determines whether the "Install" button has been pressed. For example, the input unit 730 determines whether it has received a user input indicating that the "Install" button has been pressed. If it is determined that the "Install" button has not been pressed (in the case of No), the installation support terminal 200 returns the process to step S820 and continues the flow. On the other hand, if it is determined that the "Install" button has been pressed (in the case of Yes), the installation support terminal 200 advances the process to step S840.

[0068] In step S840, the installation support terminal 200 acquires position information. For example, the position information acquisition unit 220 acquires position information indicating its own position corresponding to the position where the target sensor is actually installed. Then, the position information acquisition unit 220 supplies the acquired position information to the installation position registration unit 740.

[0069] In step S850, the installation support terminal 200 registers the installation position. For example, the installation position registration unit 740 registers the position information acquired in step S840, that is, its own position when installing the target sensor, as the installation position of the target sensor. Accordingly, the storage unit 210 stores the installation position of the target sensor. When the information of the sensor 100 is stored in the master database on the cloud, the installation position registration unit 740 may register the installation position of the target sensor in the master database by transmitting its own position when installing the target sensor to the cloud.

[0070] In step S860, the installation support terminal 200 outputs the installation position. For example, the installation position output unit 750 outputs the installation position registered in step S850. At this time, the installation position output unit 750 may display the registered installation position together with the planned installation position on the monitor. Further, the installation position output unit 750 may also display a "confirm" button indicating that the installation position is to be confirmed.

[0071] In step S870, the installation support terminal 200 determines whether the "confirm" button has been pressed. For example, the input unit 730 determines whether it has received a user input indicating that the "confirm" button has been pressed. If it is determined that the "confirm" button has not been pressed (in the case of No), the installation support terminal 200 returns the process to step S860 to continue the flow. On the other hand, if it is determined that the "confirm" button has been pressed (in the case of Yes), the installation support terminal 200 advances the process to step S880.

[0072] In step S880, the installation support terminal 200 determines the installation position. For example, the determination unit 760 determines the installation position registered in step S850. In this way, the determination unit 760 determines the installation position according to the user input. Accordingly, the storage unit 210 stores a flag indicating that the installation position of the target sensor has been determined.

[0073] Each time the target sensor is selected according to the flow of FIG. 5 and information indicating the target sensor is output, by executing the flow, the installation support terminal 200 sequentially registers and determines the installation position of the target sensor.

[0074] FIG. 9 shows an example of output of the planned installation position by the installation support terminal 200 according to a modification of the present embodiment. In FIG. 9, the same reference numerals are given to the same displays as in FIG. 4, and the description is omitted except for the following differences. In this figure, the double circle indicates the planned installation position of the target sensor, here, the sensor 100c. Also, in this figure, the arrow indicates the path from the current position to the planned installation position of the target sensor. In this way, the planned position output unit 720 may display the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map. At this time, the planned position output unit 720 may display the path from the current position indicated by the position information to the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map. Further, as shown in this figure, the planned position output unit 720 may also display an "Install" button indicating that the target sensor is to be installed. In this case, when the worker arrives near the planned installation position of the sensor 100c, the worker may press the "Install" button.

[0075] Figure 10 shows an example of the output of the installation position by the installation support terminal 200 according to a modification of the present embodiment. In Figure 10, the same reference numerals are given to the same displays as in Figure 9, and the description will be omitted except for the following differences. In this figure, the star mark indicates the registered installation position of the target sensor, here, the sensor 100c. Thus, the installation position output unit 750 may display the registered installation position (star mark) together with the planned installation position (double circle) on the monitor. Further, as shown in this figure, the installation position output unit 750 may also display a "confirmed" button indicating that the installation position of the target sensor is determined. In this case, when the operator confirms that the installation position (star mark) is approximately at the same position as the planned installation position (double circle), the operator may press the "confirmed" button.

[0076] Figure 11 shows an example of the information of the sensor 100 that the installation support terminal 200 according to a modification of the present embodiment may store. In Figure 11, the same reference numerals are given to the same information as in Figure 3, and the description will be omitted except for the following differences. In the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification, further, the registered installation position and a flag indicating that the installation position has been confirmed are stored. In this figure, an example is shown in which the installation position (Xc', Yc', Zc') of the sensor 100c selected as the target sensor is registered and confirmed.

[0077] Thus, the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification acquires the identification information of the target sensor and outputs the planned installation position of the target sensor, for example, by displaying it on a map. Thereby, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification, the position where the target sensor should be installed can be provided to the operator having the installation support terminal 200.

[0078] At this time, the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification displays the route from the current position to the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map. Thereby, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification, the operator can be navigated to the position where the target sensor should be installed.

[0079] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example registers its own position when installing the target sensor as the installation position of the target sensor. Thus, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to the present embodiment, since its own position is regarded as the installation position of the target sensor and registered, even when the sensor 100 does not have a positioning means, the installation position of the sensor 100 can be registered.

[0080] In addition, the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example outputs the registered installation position. Thus, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example, it is possible to provide an operator with information on where the installation position of the target sensor is registered.

[0081] At this time, the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example displays the registered installation position together with the planned installation position on a monitor. Thus, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example, it is possible to provide an operator having the installation support terminal with information on whether the actually registered installation position is approximately the same as the planned installation position planned in advance.

[0082] Then, the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example determines the installation position according to a user input. Thus, according to the installation support terminal 200 according to this modification example, the installation position can be verified by the user's input.

[0083] Various embodiments of the present invention may be described with reference to flowcharts and block diagrams, where the blocks may represent (1) stages of a process in which operations are performed or (2) sections of an apparatus having the role of performing operations. Specific stages and sections may be implemented by dedicated circuits, programmable circuits supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, and / or processors supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. The dedicated circuits may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, including integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. The programmable circuits may include reconfigurable hardware circuits including memory elements such as logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logical operations, flip-flops, registers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), etc.

[0084] A computer-readable medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions executable by an appropriate device, such that a computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein will comprise a product including instructions executable to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, etc. More specific examples of computer-readable media may include floppy (registered trademark) disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray (RTM) disc, memory stick, integrated circuit card, etc.

[0085] Computer-readable instructions may include any combination of one or more programming languages, including assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or source code or object code written in object-oriented programming languages such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages.

[0086] Computer-readable instructions may be provided to the processor or programmable circuitry of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus locally or via a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc., and executed to create means for performing the operations specified in a flowchart or block diagram. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

[0087] FIG. 12 shows an example of a computer 9900 in which multiple aspects of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. Programs installed on the computer 9900 can cause the computer 9900 to function as an operation associated with the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention or as one or more sections of the apparatus, or execute the operation or the one or more sections, and / or cause the computer 9900 to execute a process according to an embodiment of the present invention or a stage of the process. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 9912 to cause the computer 9900 to execute specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0088] The computer 9900 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 9912, a RAM 9914, a graphic controller 9916, and a display device 9918, which are interconnected by a host controller 9910. The computer 9900 also includes an input / output unit such as a communication interface 9922, a hard disk drive 9924, a DVD drive 9926, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 9910 via an input / output controller 9920. The computer also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 9930 and a keyboard 9942, which are connected to the input / output controller 9920 via an input / output chip 9940.

[0089] The CPU 9912 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 9930 and the RAM 9914, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 9916 acquires image data generated by the CPU 9912 in a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 9914 or in itself, and causes the image data to be displayed on the display device 9918.

[0090] The communication interface 9922 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 9924 stores programs and data used by the CPU 9912 in the computer 9900. The DVD drive 9926 reads a program or data from the DVD-ROM 9901 and provides the program or data to the hard disk drive 9924 via the RAM 9914. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and / or writes programs and data to the IC card.

[0091] The ROM 9930 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by the computer 9900 at activation, and / or a program dependent on the hardware of the computer 9900. The input / output chip 9940 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 9920 via a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, etc.

[0092] The program is provided by a computer-readable medium such as a DVD-ROM 9901 or an IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable medium, installed in a hard disk drive 9924, a RAM 9914, or a ROM 9930, which are also examples of computer-readable media, and executed by the CPU 9912. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 9900, resulting in the cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured by realizing the operation or processing of information according to the use of the computer 9900.

[0093] For example, when communication is executed between the computer 9900 and an external device, the CPU 9912 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 9914 and instruct the communication interface 9922 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. The communication interface 9922 reads the transmission data stored in a transmission buffer processing area provided in a recording medium such as the RAM 9914, the hard disk drive 9924, the DVD-ROM 9901, or the IC card under the control of the CPU 9912, transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes the received data received from the network to a reception buffer processing area or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0094] Also, the CPU 9912 may cause all or necessary parts of files or databases stored in external recording media such as a hard disk drive 9924, a DVD drive 9926 (DVD-ROM 9901), and an IC card to be read into the RAM 9914, and execute various types of processing on the data on the RAM 9914. Next, the CPU 9912 writes back the processed data to the external recording media.

[0095] Various types of information such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases may be stored in the recording media and may undergo information processing. The CPU 9912 may execute various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 9914, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgments, conditional branches, unconditional branches, information search / replacement, etc., described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the results to the RAM 9914. Also, the CPU 9912 may search for information in files, databases, etc. within the recording media. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording media, the CPU 9912 searches for an entry that matches the condition where the attribute value of the first attribute is specified from among the plurality of entries, reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby may obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0096] The programs or software modules described above may be stored on a computer-readable medium on or near the computer 9900. Also, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided within a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable medium, thereby providing the program to the computer 9900 via the network.

[0097] As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0098] In the claims, the specification, and the drawings, for the operations, procedures, steps, stages, and other processes in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown, the execution order of each process, such as the operation order, procedure, step, and stage, is not explicitly stated as "earlier" or "preceding" etc. In addition, it should be noted that, unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process, it can be realized in any order. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if it is described using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to be implemented in this order.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0099] 10 Facility 100 Sensor 200 Installation Support Terminal 210 Storage Unit 220 Position Information Acquisition Unit 230 Sensor Selection Unit 240 Specific Information Output Unit 710 Identification Information Acquisition Unit 720 Scheduled Position Output Unit 730 Input Unit 740 Installation Position Registration Unit 750 Installation Position Output Unit 760 Determination Unit 9900 Computer 9901 DVD-ROM 9910 Host Controller 9912 CPU 9914 RAM 9916 Graphics Controller 9918 Display Device 9920 Input / Output Controller 9922 Communication Interface 9924 Hard Disk Drive 9926 DVD Drive 9930 ROM 9940 Input / Output Chip 9942 Keyboard

Claims

1. For each of a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each sensor, an installation planned position to be installed in association with the sensor; A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position; A sensor selection unit that automatically selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position; A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor; An installation support terminal comprising the above.

2. For each of a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each sensor, an installation planned position to be installed in association with the sensor; A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position; A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position; A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor; Comprising the above, The sensor selection unit selects the target sensor based on the distance between the current position indicated by the position information and the installation planned position. An installation support terminal.

3. For each of a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each sensor, an installation planned position to be installed in association with the sensor; A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position; A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position; A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor; Comprising the above, The sensor selection unit selects the target sensor based on the movement path according to the history of the position information and the installation planned position. An installation support terminal.

4. For each of a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each sensor, an installation planned position to be installed in association with the sensor; A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position; A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position; A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor; Comprising: The specific information output unit is an installation support terminal that transmits a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation.

5. A storage unit that stores, for each of a plurality of sensors, a planned installation position to be installed in association with each sensor; A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position; A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position; A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor; An identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information for identifying the target sensor; A planned position output unit that outputs the planned installation position of the target sensor associated with the identification information; Comprising: The planned position output unit is an installation support terminal that displays a route from the current position indicated by the position information to the planned installation position of the target sensor on the map.

6. The installation support terminal according to claim 5, wherein the planned position output unit displays the planned installation position of the target sensor on a map.

7. The installation support terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the specific information output unit displays information for specifying the target sensor on a monitor.

8. The installation support terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an installation position registration unit that registers its own position when installing the target sensor as the installation position of the target sensor.

9. The installation support terminal according to claim 8, further comprising an installation position output unit that outputs the registered installation position.

10. The installation support terminal according to claim 9, wherein the installation position output unit displays the registered installation position on a monitor together with the planned installation position.

11. The installation support terminal according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising a determination unit that determines the installation position in response to a user input.

12. For each of a plurality of sensors, associating and storing a planned installation position to be installed for each sensor, Obtaining position information indicating its own position, Automatically selecting a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position, Outputting information for identifying the target sensor, An installation support method comprising:

13. For each of a plurality of sensors, associating and storing a planned installation position to be installed for each sensor, Obtaining position information indicating its own position, Selecting a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position, Outputting information for identifying the target sensor, Comprising: In the selection of the target sensor, the target sensor is selected based on the distance between the current position indicated by the position information and the planned installation position. An installation support method.

14. For each of a plurality of sensors, associating and storing a planned installation position to be installed for each sensor, Obtaining position information indicating its own position, Selecting a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position, Outputting information for specifying the target sensor; comprising In the selection of the target sensor, a sensor installation support method for selecting the target sensor based on a movement route according to the history of the position information and the planned installation position.

15. For each of a plurality of sensors, storing in association with each sensor a planned installation position to be installed; acquiring position information indicating its own position; selecting a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position; outputting information for specifying the target sensor; comprising In the output of information for specifying the target sensor, a sensor installation support method for transmitting a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation.

16. For each of a plurality of sensors, storing in association with each sensor a planned installation position to be installed; acquiring position information indicating its own position; selecting a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position; outputting information for specifying the target sensor; acquiring identification information for identifying the target sensor; outputting the planned installation position of the target sensor associated with the identification information; comprising In the output of the planned installation position, a sensor installation support method for displaying on the map a route from the current position indicated by the position information to the planned installation position of the target sensor.

17. Executed by a computer, causing the computer to a storage unit that stores in association with each sensor a planned installation position to be installed for each of a plurality of sensors; A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position, A sensor selection unit that automatically selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position, A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor, An installation support program that causes it to function.

18. Executed by a computer to cause the computer to A storage unit that stores, for each of the plurality of sensors, a planned installation position to be installed in association with each sensor, A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position, A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position, A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor, Cause it to function, The sensor selection unit selects the target sensor based on the distance between the current position indicated by the position information and the planned installation position. An installation support program.

19. Executed by a computer to cause the computer to A storage unit that stores, for each of the plurality of sensors, a planned installation position to be installed in association with each sensor, A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position, A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the planned installation position, A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor, Cause it to function, The sensor selection unit selects the target sensor based on the movement path according to the history of the position information and the planned installation position. An installation support program.

20. Executed by a computer to cause the computer to For each of a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each sensor, an installation planned position to be installed, associated therewith. A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position. A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position. A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor. Function to make it work. The specific information output unit transmits a control signal for causing the target sensor to execute a specific operation. An installation support program.

21. Executed by a computer, causing the computer to For each of a plurality of sensors, a storage unit that stores, for each sensor, an installation planned position to be installed, associated therewith. A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating its own position. A sensor selection unit that selects a target sensor to be installed from among the plurality of sensors based on the position information and the installation planned position. A specific information output unit that outputs information for specifying the target sensor. An identification information acquisition unit that acquires identification information for identifying the target sensor. A planned position output unit that outputs the installation planned position of the target sensor associated with the identification information. Function to make it work. The planned position output unit displays, on the map, a route from the current position indicated by the position information to the installation planned position of the target sensor. An installation support program.

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