Aircraft Marker Light Cleaning Support System and Aircraft Marker Light Cleaning Support Method

Abstract

To provide an aviation beacon cleaning support system and an aviation beacon cleaning support method capable of estimating the amount of cleaning agent to use.SOLUTION: There is provided an aviation beacon cleaning support system that includes: an image acquisition unit that acquires image data of image in which aviation beacon lights are imaged; a determination unit that determines a level of dirt on the aviation beacon lights based on the image data by performing image processing on the image data acquired by the image acquisition unit; and an estimation unit that estimates an amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning the aviation beacon lights based on the determination result of the determination unit and outputs the estimated amount of the cleaning agent.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an aviation beacon cleaning support system and an aviation beacon cleaning support method.

Background Art

[0002] There are embedded aviation beacons used by being embedded in road surfaces such as approach roads and runways at airports. Since such aviation beacons get dirty along with the operation of aircraft, etc., they are regularly cleaned.

[0003] Cleaning agents such as dry ice are used for cleaning the aviation beacons. The amount of cleaning agent to be used on the day is prepared in advance. The required amount of the cleaning agent is estimated based on the number of aviation beacons scheduled to be cleaned and the experience of the person in charge. Then, the estimated required amount of the cleaning agent is prepared in advance.

[0004] However, in the estimation of the amount of the cleaning agent as described above, there is a possibility that there will be a shortage or surplus of the cleaning agent. For example, if the dirt is more severe than expected and the amount of the cleaning agent used for each aviation beacon increases, the cleaning agent may run out and it may become impossible to clean the scheduled number of aviation beacons. Also, if the amount of the cleaning agent is overestimated, there is a possibility that the excess cleaning agent will be wasted or that the storage of the excess cleaning agent will impose a burden. For this reason, in the cleaning of aviation beacons, it is desired to be able to more accurately estimate the amount of the cleaning agent to be used.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an aviation beacon cleaning support system and an aviation beacon cleaning support method capable of estimating the amount of cleaning agent to be used.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an image acquisition unit that acquires image data of an aviation beacon, and an image process is performed on the image data acquired by the image acquisition unit. Based on the image data, a determination unit that determines the degree of dirt of the aviation beacon, and an estimation unit that estimates the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning the aviation beacon according to the determination result of the determination unit and outputs the estimated amount of the cleaning agent. The estimation unit receives an input of environmental information when cleaning the aviation beacon light, and estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit and the environmental information An aviation beacon cleaning support system is provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an aviation beacon cleaning support system and an aviation beacon cleaning support method capable of estimating the amount of cleaning agent to be used can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be exemplified with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted as appropriate.

[0011] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation beacon cleaning support system according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the aviation beacon cleaning support system 10 includes an image acquisition unit 12, a discrimination unit 14, an estimation unit 16, and a display unit 18. The aviation beacon cleaning support system 10 supports the cleaning work of a plurality of aviation beacons 100 installed on the road surface RS of an airport, and enables the cleaning work of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 to be performed more easily and appropriately. Here, the cleaning work refers to the work of removing dirt and dust adhering to the aviation beacon 100 using a predetermined cleaning medium (including wet ones such as detergents and dry ones such as dry ice).

[0012] The aviation beacon 100 is installed and used so as to be embedded in the road surface RS such as a taxiway or a runway of an airport. The aviation beacon 100 is a so-called embedded type aviation beacon. The aviation beacon 100 notifies the pilot of an aircraft of the position and shape of the taxiway or runway by lighting. Thereby, the aviation beacon 100 assists the operation of the aircraft by lighting at night or when the visibility is poor.

[0013] The aviation beacon cleaning support system 10 further includes, for example, a moving body 20. The moving body 20 has an imaging unit 22 that captures the aviation beacon 100 and generates image data of the aviation beacon 100. The imaging unit 22 is, for example, a camera. The moving body 20 acquires a plurality of image data corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 by capturing each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 as still images with the imaging unit 22 while moving. Note that the imaging unit 20 may capture the aviation beacon 100 as a video. In that case, the term "image" used in the following description can be interpreted by replacing it with the term "video". The plurality of image data may be, for example, still images constituting individual frames of a video.

[0014] The moving body 20 is, for example, an unmanned aerial vehicle having an autonomous navigation function or an unmanned ground vehicle having an autonomous driving function (including those ranging from small ones of the same size as the aviation beacon to large ones such as automobiles). The moving body 20 is, for example, a drone. The moving body 20 automatically acquires a plurality of image data corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 by capturing each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 with the imaging unit 22 while flying or traveling along a preset route.

[0015] Note that the moving body 20, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle or an unmanned ground vehicle, does not necessarily have to have an autonomous navigation function. The moving body 20 may be, for example, a remotely operated type in which an operator performs remote operation. Also, the aviation beacon cleaning support system 10 may include a plurality of moving bodies 20. For example, when it is difficult for one moving body 20 to acquire all the image data of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 within a predetermined time, the acquisition of the plurality of image data corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 may be shared among a plurality of moving bodies 20.

[0016] The plurality of image data includes identification information for enabling identification of which one of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 the image data is taken from. The identification information is, for example, position information using GPS (Global Positioning System). When the imaging unit 22 captures the aviation marker light 100 and generates the image data of the aviation marker light 100, the imaging unit 22 includes the position information corresponding to the position at the time of imaging as identification information in the image data. Thereby, when referring to the image data later, it becomes possible to identify which aviation marker light 100 the image data is taken from. Further, the identification information may be automatically added to the image data based on a preset route or a route flown or traveled based on remote operation. For example, based on the route, the identification information is sequentially added to the image data of the aviation marker light 100 to be captured (captured).

[0017] However, the identification information is not limited to position information and may be any information that can identify the aviation marker light 100. For example, identification information such as characters or symbols is displayed on the portion of the aviation marker light 100 exposed from the road surface RS, and by capturing the aviation marker light 100 so as to include the display of the identification information, the identification information may be included as a part of the image data. For example, by reading the identification information through image processing, it may be possible to identify which aviation marker light 100 the image data is taken from. Thus, the identification information may be included in the image data as another information such as position information, or may be included as a part of the image data.

[0018] The image acquisition unit 12 acquires a plurality of image data obtained by capturing each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100. The image acquisition unit 12 acquires a plurality of image data from the mobile body 20, for example, by communicating with the mobile body 20. For example, when the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10 includes a plurality of mobile bodies 20, the image acquisition unit 12 acquires a plurality of image data from the plurality of mobile bodies 20 by communicating with each of the plurality of mobile bodies 20.

[0019] Note that the shooting of a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 by the moving body 20 is performed within a limited time, such as between the end of airport operation and the start of operation. Therefore, within one working hour, it may not be possible to shoot all of the numerous aviation marker lights 100 installed at the airport. For example, it may be possible to perform the shooting of all of the numerous aviation marker lights 100 over several days. Also, as described above, it may be possible to share the shooting of all of the numerous aviation marker lights 100 among a plurality of moving bodies 20. Therefore, the moving body 20 does not necessarily have to shoot all of the numerous aviation marker lights 100 installed at the airport. The image acquisition unit 12 does not necessarily have to acquire all of the image data of the numerous aviation marker lights 100 installed at the airport. The image acquisition unit 12 may acquire at least the image data of a predetermined number of the numerous aviation marker lights 100 installed at the airport.

[0020] For example, the image acquisition unit 12 acquires the image data corresponding to the photographed aviation marker light 100 every time the moving body 20 shoots the aviation marker light 100 by performing wireless communication with the moving body 20.

[0021] The image acquisition unit 12 may also acquire a plurality of image data from the moving body 20 at once by communicating with the moving body 20 after all the shootings of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are completed. In this case, the communication between the image acquisition unit 12 and the moving body 20 may be wireless communication or wired communication. Alternatively, a removable storage medium may be provided in the moving body 20 (shooting unit 22) to store the plurality of image data acquired by shooting, and after all the shootings of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are completed, the storage medium may be removed from the moving body 20 and attached to the image acquisition unit 12 to acquire the plurality of image data from the storage medium. Note that the method for the image acquisition unit 12 to acquire a plurality of image data is not limited to the above, and any method capable of appropriately acquiring a plurality of image data may be used.

[0022] For example, when the identification information is another type of information such as location information, the identification information does not necessarily have to be included in the image data by the imaging unit 22 (mobile body 20). For example, the image acquisition unit 12 may separately acquire the image data and the location information from the mobile body 20, and associate the location information as the identification information with the image data in the image acquisition unit 12. Alternatively, the association between the location information and the image data may be performed by the mobile body 20, and the image acquisition unit 12 may be configured to acquire the image data associated with the location information.

[0023] Furthermore, for example, when the mobile body 20 is a remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicle, imaging may be performed based on the operator's operation, and identification information may be associated with the image data acquired based on the operator's operation. The method of associating the identification information with the image data is not limited to the above, and any method may be used as long as it can identify which image data of any of the aviation marker lights 100 was captured, such as capturing (for example, capturing so that the identification information is included within the imaging range of the image data) to appropriately include the identification information in the image data. Note that when the mobile body 20 is a remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicle, the location information may be estimated based on the operator's operation. For example, relative location information from a reference point (for example, the location of the operator) is estimated based on parameters determined by the operator operating the mobile body 20, such as direction, speed, and travel time, and associated with the captured image data.

[0024] The discrimination unit 14 performs image processing on the plurality of image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 12, and discriminates the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 based on the plurality of image data. The discrimination unit 14 outputs, for example, a plurality of discrimination results corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100. At this time, the discrimination unit 14 may identify which aviation marker light 100 the image data is based on the identification information included in the image data or the identification information associated with the image data, and output the discrimination result of the degree of dirt in association with the identification information. For example, the discrimination unit 14 outputs the discrimination result to the estimation unit 16. By using the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14, it becomes possible to easily discriminate which aviation marker light 100 is dirty and to what extent. Note that the discrimination unit 14 may store the discrimination result in the storage unit in association with the identification information.

[0025] The discrimination of the degree of dirt by the discrimination unit 14 may be represented in two stages: dirty and not dirty, or may be represented in a plurality of stages according to the degree of dirt. Further, the degree of dirt of the aviation marker light 100 may be represented, for example, by the area ratio between the portion where dirt is attached and the portion where no dirt is attached. This area ratio may be the area ratio with respect to the entire area of the aviation marker light 100, or may be the area ratio with respect to a predetermined region (for example, the light projection window 114 described later) of the aviation marker 100. Note that the main dirt adhering to the aviation marker light 100 is, for example, the soot of the aircraft tire.

[0026] The estimation unit 16 estimates the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 according to the determination result of the determination unit 14. For example, the estimation unit 16 estimates the required amount of cleaning agent by multiplying the number of aviation marker lights 100 determined to be dirty by the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning one aviation marker light 100. Also, for example, when the determination result of the determination unit 14 represents the degree of dirt of the aviation marker lights 100 in multiple stages, the estimation unit 16 changes the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning one aviation marker light 100 according to the degree of dirt of the aviation marker light 100. The estimation unit 16 increases the amount of cleaning agent for the aviation marker light 100 with a large degree of dirt and decreases the amount of cleaning agent for the aviation marker light 100 with a small degree of dirt. When the determination result of the determination unit 14 represents the degree of dirt of the aviation marker lights 100 in multiple stages, the estimation unit 16 may, for example, calculate the sum of the individual amounts of cleaning agent calculated for each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 as the total amount of cleaning agent. However, the method for estimating the amount of cleaning agent by the estimation unit 16 is not limited to the above, and any method that can appropriately estimate the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 according to the determination result of the determination unit 14 may be used. The estimation unit 16 outputs the estimated amount of cleaning agent. For example, the estimation unit 16 outputs the estimated amount of cleaning agent to the display unit 18.

[0027] The display unit 18 receives the input of the amount of cleaning agent from the estimation unit 16 and displays the amount of cleaning agent estimated by the estimation unit 16. For example, the display unit 18 has a display screen for displaying an image, and displays the amount of cleaning agent estimated by the estimation unit 16 on the display screen. For example, the display unit 18 displays the numerical value of the estimated amount of cleaning agent on the display screen.

[0028] The determination unit 14, the estimation unit 16, and the display unit 18 are provided, for example, on a terminal used by a person in charge who intends to clean a plurality of aviation marker lights 100. Thereby, it becomes possible for the person in charge of cleaning to easily recognize the amount of cleaning agent required for the next cleaning of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 by referring to the amount of cleaning agent displayed on the display unit 18.

[0029] The discrimination unit 14 and the estimation unit 16 are provided, for example, as an application on the terminal of the person in charge of cleaning. In other words, the discrimination unit 14 and the estimation unit 16 are constituted by, for example, the CPU of the terminal of the person in charge. The display unit 18 is, for example, the display unit of the terminal of the person in charge. A well-known display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display may be used for the display unit 18. The image acquisition unit 12 is, in other words, a communication unit for communicating with the moving body 20. The image acquisition unit 12 may be provided on the terminal of the person in charge, or may be provided separately from the terminal of the person in charge. When the image acquisition unit 12 is provided separately from the terminal of the person in charge, the communication between the image acquisition unit 12 and the discrimination unit 14 may be wired communication or may be via wireless communication. These terminals of the person in charge may be portable terminals or may be stationary terminals.

[0030] Further, the display unit 18 may be, for example, the display unit of a mobile terminal owned by the person in charge of cleaning. The estimation unit 16 may cause the display unit 18 of the mobile terminal to display the estimated amount of the cleaning agent by outputting the estimated amount of the cleaning agent to the mobile terminal in response to a request from the mobile terminal.

[0031] The mobile terminal may be, for example, a mobile terminal personally owned by the person in charge of cleaning. That is, the aviation beacon cleaning support system 10 does not necessarily have to include the display unit 18. The aviation beacon cleaning support system 10 only needs to include at least the image acquisition unit 12, the discrimination unit 14, and the estimation unit 16. The estimation unit 16 may be configured to automatically output the estimated amount of the cleaning agent, or may be configured to output the estimated amount of the cleaning agent in response to a request from the outside.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view schematically showing an aviation beacon according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an aviation beacon according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the aviation beacon 100 includes a main body portion 110 and an installation portion 120. The main body portion 110 has, for example, an upper main body 111 and a lower main body 112.

[0033] The main body part 110 (upper main body 111) has at least a substantially flat surface on the upper side. For example, the upper surface 113a of the central region 113 can be a flat surface. It is sufficient if it can be visually recognized in a front view of the road surface RS. For example, it may protrude from the road surface RS, may be flush, or a part or all of it may be recessed from the road surface RS.

[0034] The appearance of the upper main body 111 is, for example, substantially disc-shaped. The thickness of the central region 113 of the upper main body 111 is thicker than the thickness of the outer peripheral edge. In other words, the upper surface 113a of the central region 113 is located above the upper end of the outer peripheral edge. The upper surface between the central region 113 and the outer peripheral edge is, for example, an inclined surface. The inclined surface is inclined in a direction approaching the road surface RS as it goes toward the outer peripheral edge side. Thereby, the impact generated when an aircraft or the like rides on the aviation beacon light 100 can be alleviated. Further, when displaying identification information on the aviation beacon light 100, it is preferable to display the identification information on the part (for example, the central region 113) of the upper main body 111 exposed from the road surface RS.

[0035] The lower main body 112 is provided below the upper main body 111. The lower main body 112 is, for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape and forms a hollow internal space together with the upper main body 111. For the upper main body 111 and the lower main body 112, a metal material such as an aluminum alloy is used, for example. In other words, the main body part 110 is made of metal. The main body part 110 is, for example, a metal exterior housing having an internal space.

[0036] The main body part 110 has a light projection window 114. The light projection window 114 is provided, for example, so as to close an opening provided in the metal main body part 110. The light projection window 114 is provided, for example, in the upper main body 111. The light projection window 114 has light transmissibility with respect to light in the visible light range. For the light projection window 114, for example, optical glass, optical plastic, or the like is used. For example, by using a material having light transmissibility for the upper main body 111, the upper main body 111 itself may be used as the light projection window.

[0037] The aviation beacon 100 further has a light source unit (not shown). The light source unit is provided inside the main body unit 110. In other words, the light source unit is provided in the internal space formed by the upper main body 111 and the lower main body 112. The light source unit has a light source such as an optical element like a light-emitting diode or a discharge lamp like a halogen lamp, and irradiates light (visible light) by supplying power to the light source.

[0038] The light source unit is provided inside the main body unit 110 and irradiates light to the outside of the main body unit 110 through the light projection window 114. Thereby, as described above, the position and shape of the guiding path or the runway can be notified to the pilot of the aircraft by the light.

[0039] In this way, even when the light source unit is arranged inside the metal upper main body 111 and the lower main body 112 that do not have light transmissibility, the light projection window 114 allows the light irradiated from the light source unit to be irradiated to the outside of the main body unit 110. Further, the light projection window 114 suppresses water, dust, etc. from entering the inside of the main body unit 110 through the opening by, for example, closing the opening provided in the main body unit 110. The light projection window 114 is, for example, a lens that converges or diverges the light irradiated from the light source unit. However, the light projection window 114 does not necessarily have optical characteristics. The light projection window 114 may be, for example, a flat member that closes the opening.

[0040] The installation part 120 is embedded and installed on the road surface RS such as the runway or the guiding path of the airport. The installation part 120 detachably supports the main body unit 110. For example, when performing maintenance on the aviation beacon 100 and a defect is found in the brightness of the light source unit, etc., the main body unit 110 and the light source unit inside the main body unit 110 are removed from the installation part 120, and the main body unit 110 and the light source unit are repaired. In this case, the repaired main body unit 110 and the light source unit may be attached to the installation part 120 again, or a prepared spare main body unit 110 and the light source unit may be attached. Note that the installation part 120 may be, for example, airport-side equipment. In this case, the installation part 120 can be omitted. The installation part 120 is provided as needed in the aviation beacon 100 and can be omitted.

[0041] The image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 only needs to show at least the light projection window 114 in the aviation beacon light 100. In other words, the image data only needs to be an image of the light projection window 114 of the aviation beacon light 100, and the other parts of the aviation beacon light 100 do not necessarily have to be shown.

[0042] More specifically, the discrimination unit 14 performs image processing on a plurality of pieces of image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 12, and based on the plurality of pieces of image data, discriminates the degree of dirt on each light projection window 114 of the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100.

[0043] Thus, the dirt on the aviation beacon light 100 is more specifically the dirt on the light projection window 114 of the aviation beacon light 100. For example, even if dirt adheres to the upper surface 113a of the upper main body 111, the discrimination unit 14 does not discriminate that the aviation beacon light 100 is dirty. The degree of dirt on the aviation beacon light 100 may be represented, for example, by the area ratio between the part where dirt adheres and the part where no dirt adheres on the light projection window 114.

[0044] For example, dirt such as tire soot and dust adhering to the light projection window 114 is observed as black compared to the part where no dirt adheres on the light projection window 114. Therefore, by obtaining the area of the part observed as black in the light projection window 114 through image processing, the degree of dirt on the light projection window 114 of the aviation beacon light 100 can be discriminated.

[0045] Also, for example, when acquiring image data at night, it is conceivable to acquire image data with the aviation beacon light 100 lit. In this case, the part where dirt adheres to the light projection window 114 is observed as darker compared to the part where no dirt adheres on the light projection window 114. Therefore, by obtaining the area of the part observed as dark in the light projection window 114 through image processing, the degree of dirt on the light projection window 114 of the aviation beacon light 100 may be discriminated. The method for discriminating the degree of dirt on the light projection window 114 is not limited to the above, and any method that can appropriately discriminate the degree of dirt on the light projection window 114 may be used.

[0046] Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the aviation marker lamp 100 has a plurality of light projection windows 114. In this case, the image data may be an image obtained by photographing the plurality of light projection windows 114 in one image, or may be an image obtained by photographing any one of the plurality of light projection windows 114. A plurality of pieces of image data may be provided for one aviation marker lamp 100. In other words, the image acquisition unit 12 may acquire a plurality of pieces of image data obtained by photographing each of the plurality of light projection windows 114 for one aviation marker lamp 100.

[0047] The aviation marker lamp 100 embedded in the road surface RS is photographed from above. For example, when it is possible to photograph the plurality of light projection windows 114 at once by photographing directly from above, one piece of image data may be sufficient for one aviation marker lamp 100. However, depending on the shape and arrangement of the light projection windows 114, etc., it may be difficult to see from directly above. In this case, by photographing one aviation marker lamp 100 from a plurality of directions, a plurality of pieces of image data obtained by photographing each of the plurality of light projection windows 114 for one aviation marker lamp 100 are acquired. Thereby, even when the aviation marker lamp 100 has a plurality of light projection windows 114, it is possible to appropriately determine the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of light projection windows 114.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a flowchart schematically showing a method for supporting the cleaning of an aviation marker lamp by an aviation marker lamp cleaning support system according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, in the method for supporting the cleaning of an aviation marker lamp by the aviation marker lamp cleaning support system 10, first, the image acquisition unit 12 acquires image data obtained by photographing each of the aviation marker lamps 100 (step S101 in FIG. 4).

[0049] After the image acquisition unit 12 acquires the image data, the determination unit 14 that has received the image data from the image acquisition unit 12 performs image processing on the image data respectively, and based on the image data, determines the degree of dirt of each of the aviation marker lamps 100 (step S102 in FIG. 4).

[0050] After the discrimination unit 14 discriminates the degree of dirt of each of the aviation marker lights 100, the estimation unit 16 estimates the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 (step S103 in FIG. 4).

[0051] After estimating the amount of the cleaning agent, the estimation unit 16 outputs the estimated amount of the cleaning agent (step S104 in FIG. 4). In this example, the estimation unit 16 outputs (transmits) the estimated amount of the cleaning agent to the display unit 18.

[0052] The display unit 18 receives the input of the amount of the cleaning agent estimated from the estimation unit 16 and displays the amount of the cleaning agent received from the estimation unit (step S105 in FIG. 4).

[0053] For cleaning the plurality of aviation marker lights 100, for example, a dedicated cleaning vehicle is used (see FIG. 9). The cleaning agent required for cleaning is loaded onto the cleaning vehicle, and the cleaning agent is ejected from the cleaning vehicle to the aviation marker lights, thereby cleaning the aviation marker lights. As the cleaning agent, for example, dry ice, detergent, alcohol, etc. are used. The cleaning agent is prepared by ordering in advance from the supplier the amount to be used on the day.

[0054] For example, the amount of the cleaning agent may be estimated based on the number of aviation marker lights 100 scheduled to be cleaned, the experience of the person in charge, etc. However, the amount of the cleaning agent may change according to the degree of dirt of the aviation marker lights 100. Therefore, when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated as described above, for example, when the dirt is more severe than expected and the amount of the cleaning agent per aviation marker light 100 increases, there is a possibility that the cleaning agent will run out and it will be impossible to clean the scheduled number of aviation marker lights 100.

[0055] Also, when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated to be too much, there is a possibility that the remaining cleaning agent will be wasted. Especially in the case of a cleaning agent that is difficult to store, such as dry ice, even if there is remaining cleaning agent, it is difficult to keep it until the next cleaning, and it may be wasted.

[0056] In contrast, in the aviation beacon light cleaning support system 10 and the aviation beacon light cleaning support method according to the present embodiment, the estimation unit 16 estimates the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning a plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 according to the determination result of the determination unit 14. Thereby, in the aviation beacon light cleaning support system 10 and the aviation beacon light cleaning support method according to the present embodiment, the amount of cleaning agent used can be estimated more accurately, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of excess or deficiency in the cleaning agent. Also, for example, the person in charge of cleaning can simply place an order with the supplier based on the amount displayed on the display unit 18, saving the trouble of estimating the amount of cleaning agent and making it easier for the person in charge to place orders and the like.

[0057] (Second Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation beacon light cleaning support system according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, in the aviation beacon light cleaning support system 10a, the estimation unit 16 receives the environmental information input from the input unit 30. Here, the environmental information received by the estimation unit 16 is, for example, seasonal information representing the season when a plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 are cleaned. The seasonal information may be information representing the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, or may be information representing the month and date such as January and February. The seasonal information may be any information that can know the season when cleaning is performed.

[0058] The aviation beacon light cleaning support system 10a further includes, for example, an input unit 30 for inputting environmental information to the estimation unit 16. The input unit 30 is, for example, the input unit of the terminal of the person in charge of cleaning. Well-known input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel are used for the input unit 30. The input unit 30 receives the input of an operation instruction from, for example, the person in charge of cleaning and inputs the environmental information corresponding to the input operation instruction to the estimation unit 16.

[0059] However, the input unit 30 is not limited to receiving input of operation instructions. For example, the input unit 30 may communicate with an external terminal such as an external server or a mobile terminal of a cleaning staff member, receive input of environmental information from the external terminal, and input the input environmental information to the estimation unit 16. Further, the input unit 30 may, for example, automatically collect environmental information from the Internet or the like and input the collected environmental information to the estimation unit 16. The method of inputting environmental information to the estimation unit 16 is not limited to the above, and any method capable of appropriately inputting environmental information to the estimation unit 16 may be used.

[0060] The estimation unit 16 receives input of environmental information and estimates the amount of cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 and the environmental information. As described above, the main dirt adhering to the aviation marker lamp 100 is the dust of the aircraft tire. The dirt on the aviation marker lamp 100 due to the dust of the aircraft tire tends to increase in summer when the temperature of the road surface RS is high and decrease in winter when the temperature of the road surface RS is low. Therefore, the estimation unit 16 estimates a large amount of cleaning agent in summer and a small amount of cleaning agent in winter based on the season represented by the environmental information. In other words, the estimation unit 16 corrects the amount of cleaning agent estimated according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 according to the environmental information. Thereby, the amount of cleaning agent to be used can be estimated more accurately according to the season.

[0061] Note that the environmental information may be, for example, information on the temperature of the installed airport or information on the temperature of the road surface RS. For example, the occurrence condition of the dust of the aircraft tire changes depending on the temperature of the airport or the road surface RS, and particularly when the cleaning agent is dry ice, the storage (holding) time changes depending on the season and the temperature. Therefore, by adopting a configuration in which the input unit 30 inputs temperature and temperature information to the estimation unit 16, it can be expected to improve the accuracy of estimating the amount of cleaning agent in the estimation unit 16.

[0062] Furthermore, during cleaning, the cleaning is performed by spraying a cleaning agent onto the aviation marker light 100. However, if the ambient air volume is high, the cleaning agent may flow away, potentially reducing the cleaning efficiency. Therefore, by configuring the input unit 30 to input air volume information to the estimation unit 16, it is expected that the accuracy of estimating the amount of the cleaning agent in the estimation unit 16 can be improved. The environmental information is not limited to the above and may be any information representing the environment when cleaning the aviation marker light 100.

[0063] (Third Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation marker light cleaning support system according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, in the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10b, the estimation unit 16 receives an input of a correction amount for correcting the amount of the cleaning agent. The aviation marker light cleaning support system 10b further includes, for example, an input unit 32 for inputting the correction amount to the estimation unit 16. Since the configuration of the input unit 32 can be the same as that of the input unit 30, a detailed description thereof is omitted. The method of inputting the correction amount to the estimation unit 16 may be any method capable of appropriately inputting the correction amount to the estimation unit 16.

[0064] The estimation unit 16 receives the input of the correction amount and estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 and the correction amount. In other words, the estimation unit 16 corrects the amount of the cleaning agent estimated according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 according to the correction amount.

[0065] For example, for the aviation marker light 100 arranged on the part of the road surface RS where the aircraft lands, dirt such as tire dust strongly adheres, and there is a possibility that more cleaning agent than expected may be used. In other words, there may be a difference between the amount of the cleaning agent based on the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 and the amount of the cleaning agent actually used in the cleaning operation.

[0066] When a difference occurs between the amount of cleaning agent actually used as described above, the aircraft marker light cleaning support system 10b can correct the above difference by inputting a correction amount to the estimation unit 16 based on operations of the input unit 32 or the like. In other words, the aircraft marker light cleaning support system 10b enables the experience of the person in charge based on the actual cleaning work to be fed back to the estimation of the estimation unit 16. Thereby, the amount of cleaning agent to be used can be estimated more accurately.

[0067] As described above, the degree of difficulty of removing dirt from each of the plurality of aircraft marker lights 100 varies depending on the arrangement of the plurality of aircraft marker lights 100. For this reason, the correction amount is set individually for each of the plurality of aircraft marker lights 100, for example. The correction amount is, for example, a coefficient of the amount of cleaning agent. When determining that cleaning of a predetermined aircraft marker light 100 is necessary based on the determination result of the determination unit 14, for example, the estimation unit 16 multiplies the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning one aircraft marker light 100 by the correction amount to estimate the amount of cleaning agent for that aircraft marker light 100. Then, the estimation unit 16 performs the above calculation for each of the aircraft marker lights 100 for which cleaning is determined to be necessary, and estimates the total amount of cleaning agent based on the sum of the individual amounts of the aircraft marker lights 100.

[0068] Note that the correction amount may be a correction amount proportional to the time since the aviation marker light 100 was installed. The aviation marker light 100 after a certain period of time since installation may be less likely to have dirt removed even when the same amount of cleaning agent is used compared to a new aviation marker light 100. The amount of cleaning agent may be estimated by correcting the difficulty of dirt removal with the correction amount. Also, for example, it may be set as a coefficient for the total amount of cleaning agent. The estimation method for estimating the amount of cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14 and the correction amount is not limited to the above, and any method capable of appropriately estimating the amount of cleaning agent according to the discrimination result and the correction amount may be used. Further, the correction amount may be automatically determined based on the result of actually performing cleaning based on the estimated amount of cleaning agent. For example, if there is an excess of cleaning agent as a result of actually performing cleaning, the correction amount is automatically determined to be low (the estimated amount of cleaning agent is small) for use in the next estimation. Conversely, if the cleaning agent is insufficient, the correction amount is automatically determined to be high (the estimated amount of cleaning agent is large).

[0069] (Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation marker light cleaning support system according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10c, the discrimination unit 14 discriminates the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 and discriminates the attachment site of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100. The discrimination unit 14 discriminates, for example, the attachment site of dirt in each light projection window 114 of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100.

[0070] The estimation unit 16 estimates the amount of cleaning agent according to the determination result of the degree of dirt and the determination result of the dirt adhesion site by the determination unit 14. For example, near the outer edge of the light projection window 114, compared with the vicinity of the center of the light projection window 114, the attached dirt tends to be difficult to fall off. Therefore, the estimation unit 16 estimates, for example, a larger amount of cleaning agent for the aviation marker light 100 with dirt attached near the outer edge of the light projection window 114 based on the determination result of the adhesion site. The estimation unit 16 performs the above calculation for each of the aviation marker lights 100 determined to require cleaning, and estimates the total amount of the cleaning agent based on the sum of the individual amounts of the aviation marker lights 100. Thereby, the amount of the cleaning agent to be used can be estimated more accurately. However, the method for estimating the amount of the cleaning agent according to the determination result of the degree of dirt and the determination result of the dirt adhesion site by the determination unit 14 is not limited to the above, and any method that can appropriately estimate the amount of the cleaning agent according to the determination result of the degree of dirt and the determination result of the dirt adhesion site by the determination unit 14 may be used.

[0071] (Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 8 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation marker light cleaning support system according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, in the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10d, the estimation unit 16 receives an input of time information representing the time from the time when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated to the time when a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are cleaned. The aviation marker light cleaning support system 10d further includes, for example, an input unit 34 for inputting the time information to the estimation unit 16. Since the configuration of the input unit 34 can be the same as the configurations of the input units 30 and 32, detailed description thereof is omitted. The method for inputting the time information to the estimation unit 16 may be any method that can appropriately input the time information to the estimation unit 16.

[0072] The estimation unit 16 receives the input of the time information and estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the determination result of the determination unit 14 and the time information. In other words, the estimation unit 16 corrects the amount of the cleaning agent estimated according to the determination result of the determination unit 14 according to the time information.

[0073] The amount of the cleaning agent estimated by the estimation unit 16 is ordered from the supplier, and it may take several days until the ordered cleaning agent is received and it becomes possible to clean the plurality of aviation marker lights 100. And during this period, the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 may get dirtier further.

[0074] Also, for example, when the cleaning agent is dry ice, after the ordered cleaning agent is delivered, the amount of the cleaning agent (dry ice) may decrease depending on the storage conditions and the like until the cleaning of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 is started.

[0075] Therefore, in the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10d, the estimation unit 16 estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the determination result of the determination unit 14 and the time information. Based on the time information, the estimation unit 16 estimates a larger amount of the cleaning agent as the time from the point in time when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated to the point in time when the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are cleaned becomes longer.

[0076] The estimation unit 16 estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to at least one of, for example, the change in the degree of dirt of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 during the time from the point in time when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated to the point in time when the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are cleaned, and the change in the amount of the cleaning agent during the time from the point in time when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated (the point in time of shipment or delivery of the cleaning agent) to the point in time when the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are cleaned. The estimation unit 16, for example, considers the increase in the degree of dirt of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 until the point in time when the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are cleaned, and estimates a larger amount of the cleaning agent by the expected increase in the degree of dirt. Alternatively, the estimation unit 16, for example, considers the decrease in the cleaning agent until the point in time when the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are cleaned, and estimates a larger amount of the cleaning agent by the expected decrease in the cleaning agent. Thereby, the amount of the cleaning agent to be used can be estimated more accurately.

[0077] Note that the method for estimating the amount of the cleaning agent according to the determination result of the determination unit 14 and the time information is not limited to the above, and any method that can appropriately estimate the amount of the cleaning agent according to the determination result of the determination unit 14 and the time information may be used.

[0078] In addition, the correction of the amount of the cleaning agent based on the seasonal information, the correction of the amount of the cleaning agent based on the correction amount, the correction of the amount of the cleaning agent based on the adhesion site, and the correction of the amount of the cleaning agent based on the time information can be arbitrarily combined. In other words, the estimation unit 16 may use the determination result of the determination unit 14 and estimate the amount of the cleaning agent required for cleaning the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 by using at least any one of the seasonal information, the correction amount, the adhesion site, and the time information.

[0079] (Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 9 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation beacon light cleaning support system according to the sixth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the aviation beacon light cleaning support system 10e further includes a notification unit 40. The notification unit 40 notifies the aviation beacon light 100 to be cleaned among the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 based on the determination result of the determination unit 14. The notification unit 40 is provided, for example, on the cleaning vehicle 200.

[0080] The cleaning vehicle 200 cleans the aviation beacon lights 100 installed on the road surface RS such as the guiding path or the runway while moving. The cleaning vehicle 200 cleans the aviation beacon lights 100 and removes dust and the like adhering to the aviation beacon lights 100 installed outdoors. More specifically, the cleaning vehicle 200 cleans the light projection window 114 of the aviation beacon light 100. Thereby, the cleaning vehicle 200 suppresses the intensity of the light irradiated from the aviation beacon light 100 from being reduced by the adhering dust and the like.

[0081] The cleaning vehicle 200 includes a vehicle body 202 and a cleaning unit 204. The cleaning unit 204 is provided on the vehicle body 202. The vehicle body 202 is an automobile that can run by itself with an internal combustion engine or a motor. The vehicle body 202 is, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle. However, the vehicle body 202 may be a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, or the like. The vehicle body 202 is not limited to having wheels and may have a caterpillar or the like. The vehicle body 202 is not limited to having a power source such as an internal combustion engine or a motor and may be a human-powered one. The configuration of the vehicle body 202 may be any configuration that can move while mounting the cleaning unit 204.

[0082] The cleaning unit 204 cleans the aviation marker light 100. More specifically, the cleaning unit 204 cleans the light projection window 114 of the aviation marker light 100. The cleaning unit 204 has, for example, a jetting unit 210 and a movable unit 212.

[0083] The jetting unit 210 jets a cleaning medium. The jetting unit 210 has, for example, a nozzle and jets the cleaning medium from the nozzle. The cleaning medium is, for example, a mixture of a cleaning agent such as particulate dry ice and air. The cleaning medium is not limited to the above and may be, for example, one using only a cleaning agent. The cleaning agent is not limited to dry ice and may be a detergent, alcohol, or the like as described above. The cleaning medium may be any medium that can appropriately clean the light projection window 114 of the aviation marker light 100.

[0084] The movable unit 212 changes the position of the jetting unit 210, the jetting direction of the cleaning medium jetted from the jetting unit 210, and the like. The movable unit 212 changes the position and direction of the jetting unit 210, for example, according to the operation of an operation unit provided inside the vehicle body 202 of the vehicle. Thereby, it is not necessary to align the position with the aviation marker light 100 with the vehicle body 202, and the position of the jetting unit 210 and the aviation marker light 100 can be aligned by the operation of the movable unit 212. Thereby, the cleaning of the aviation marker light 100 can be performed more efficiently and easily. Note that the configuration of the cleaning unit 204 is not limited to the above and may be any configuration that can appropriately clean the light projection window 114 of the aviation marker light 100.

[0085] The operation unit of the movable unit 212 is provided, for example, at the driver's seat of the vehicle body 202. Thereby, the operation of the cleaning vehicle 200 and the cleaning work of the aviation marker light 100 by the cleaning unit 204 can be performed by one person in charge. The cleaning of the aviation marker light 100 can be performed more efficiently.

[0086] The cleaning unit 204 further includes, for example, a photographing unit 220. The photographing unit 220 is provided in the ejection unit 210, for example, and photographs the ejection direction of the cleaning medium of the ejection unit 210. The image photographed by the photographing unit 220 is displayed on a screen provided on the operation unit of the movable unit 212, for example. Thereby, by operating the operation unit while referring to the image displayed on the screen, the positions of the aviation marker light 100 and the ejection unit 210 can be more easily aligned.

[0087] The notification unit 40 is provided, for example, in the driver's seat of the vehicle body 202. Thus, in the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10e according to the present embodiment, for example, an operator who drives the cleaning vehicle 200 and actually performs the cleaning operation of a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 can grasp the aviation marker lights 100 to be cleaned based on the notification of the notification unit 40. Therefore, in the aviation marker light cleaning support system 10e, for example, it is possible to suppress the situation where an aviation marker light 100 determined not to be dirty in the determination unit 14 is cleaned and the cleaning agent runs out. For this reason, the occurrence of excess or deficiency of the cleaning agent can be more appropriately suppressed, and the cleaning operation of a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 can be more appropriately performed.

[0088] The notification unit 40 is, for example, a display unit having a display screen. The notification unit 40 displays the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 in a state where each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 can be identified based on the identification information associated with the determination result. The notification unit 40 displays the identification information and the determination result in a table format, for example. Thereby, it is possible to easily let the person in charge of cleaning and the like recognize which aviation marker light 100 should be cleaned.

[0089] The notification unit 40 may, for example, superimpose and display the discrimination results of the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 on map information representing a map of the site (airport) where the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 are installed. The notification unit 40 may, for example, display the discrimination results of the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 at positions corresponding to the actual installation positions of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 on the map. Thereby, it is possible to easily let the person in charge of cleaning or the like recognize which aviation marker light 100 installed at which position within the site should be cleaned.

[0090] Note that the mode of notification by the notification unit 40 is not limited to being by display on a screen. The notification unit 40 may, for example, be one that notifies that it is the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned by outputting sound or generating vibration when the cleaning vehicle 200 approaches the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned. The mode of notification by the notification unit 40 may be any mode that can appropriately notify the person in charge of cleaning or the like of the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned among the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 based on the discrimination result of the discrimination unit 14.

[0091] Also, the installation position of the notification unit 40 is not limited to the cleaning vehicle 200. The notification unit 40 may be provided, for example, in the terminal of the person in charge of cleaning. For example, when the terminal of the person in charge of cleaning is a mobile terminal, by bringing the terminal into the vehicle of the cleaning vehicle 200, it is possible to grasp the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned while performing the cleaning operation of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 in the same manner as above.

[0092] The terminal of the person in charge of cleaning may be, for example, a stationary terminal installed in a living room or the like. For example, before actually performing the cleaning operation, the person in charge of cleaning may be able to grasp the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned in a living room or the like. For example, by printing the notification of the notification unit 40 on paper and bringing the paper on which the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned is described into the vehicle of the cleaning vehicle 200, it is possible to grasp the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned while performing the cleaning operation. The notification unit 40 may be, for example, one that performs notification by outputting the aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned on paper.

[0093] Further, the notification unit 40 may, for example, perform notification of the aviation beacon lights 100 to be cleaned among the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 based on, for example, the determination result of the determination unit 14 and the estimation result of the estimation unit 16. For example, as described above, when estimating the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 using at least any one of seasonal information, correction amount, adhesion site, and time information, the amount of cleaning agent to be sprayed on the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 may vary for each of the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 according to the estimation by the estimation unit 16. In such a case, the notification unit 40 may, for example, perform notification of the aviation beacon lights 100 to be cleaned among the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 based on the determination result of the determination unit 14, and also perform notification of the amount of cleaning agent for each of the aviation beacon lights 100 to be cleaned based on the estimation result of the estimation unit 16. Thereby, for example, even when the amount of cleaning agent for each of the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 is different, it is possible to more appropriately suppress the occurrence of excess or deficiency of the cleaning agent.

[0094] In addition, as described above, when the cleaning vehicle 200 has the imaging unit 220, the image acquisition unit 12 may acquire a plurality of image data obtained by imaging each of the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 from the cleaning vehicle 200. In other words, the cleaning vehicle 200 may be used as the moving body of the aviation beacon light cleaning support system 10e.

[0095] For example, after acquiring a plurality of image data in advance with the cleaning vehicle 200 and estimating the amount of cleaning agent required by the estimation unit 16, the cleaning agent in the estimated amount is loaded onto the cleaning vehicle 200, and the cleaning operation of the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100 is performed with the cleaning vehicle 200. Thereby, even when the cleaning vehicle 200 is used as the moving body, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of excess or deficiency of the cleaning agent and more appropriately perform the cleaning operation of the plurality of aviation beacon lights 100.

[0096] For example, when a moving body 20 such as an unmanned aircraft acquires a plurality of pieces of image data in advance and a cleaning vehicle 200 cleans the aviation marker light 100, the image data of the aviation marker light 100 after cleaning may be acquired by the imaging unit 220 of the cleaning vehicle 200, thereby updating the image data of the aviation marker light 100. As a result, for example, the frequency of acquiring all the image data of a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 by the moving body 20 such as an unmanned aircraft can be reduced.

[0097] For example, if an attempt is made to acquire all the image data of a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 every day by the moving body 20 after the operation of the airport ends, it may be time-consuming or the working hours may be insufficient. In such a case, as described above, the image data of the aviation marker light 100 after cleaning is updated to the image data acquired by the imaging unit 220 of the cleaning vehicle 200. As a result, for example, the frequency of acquiring all the image data of a plurality of aviation marker lights 100 by the moving body 20 can be reduced to once every two days or once every three days. Also, even if the frequency of acquiring all the image data is reduced, by updating the image data after cleaning, it becomes possible to perform an appropriate cleaning operation according to the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights 100 during the next cleaning operation. In this way, the moving body 20 such as an unmanned aircraft and the cleaning vehicle 200 may be used in combination.

[0098] In addition, when a notification unit 40 for performing screen display is provided in the driver's seat of the vehicle body 202, the image captured by the imaging unit 220 may be displayed on the notification unit 40. The aviation marker light 100 to be cleaned and the image captured by the imaging unit 220 may be arranged side by side or switched for display on the notification unit 40.

[0099] In addition, the cleaning vehicle 200 may have, for example, an automatic driving function for automatically moving within the site and an automatic cleaning function for automatically cleaning the aviation marker lamp 100 by the ejection unit 210, and may be configured to automatically clean a plurality of aviation marker lamps 100 without human intervention. In this case, the discrimination unit 14 may output the discrimination results of the degree of dirt of the plurality of aviation marker lamps 100 to the cleaning vehicle 200. The cleaning vehicle 200 may receive the input of the discrimination results from the discrimination unit 14 and automatically clean the plurality of aviation marker lamps 100 based on the input discrimination results. In other words, the cleaning vehicle 200 may automatically clean the aviation marker lamps 100 determined to be dirty by the discrimination unit 14 among the plurality of aviation marker lamps 100. Further, based on the estimation result of the estimation unit 16, the cleaning vehicle 200 may recognize the amount of cleaning agent for each aviation marker lamp 100 to be cleaned and automatically clean the aviation marker lamps 100 determined to be dirty with the amount of cleaning agent estimated by the estimation unit 16. The aviation marker lamp cleaning support system may further include, for example, a cleaning vehicle 200 that automatically cleans a plurality of aviation marker lamps 100.

[0100] (Seventh Embodiment) FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation marker lamp cleaning support system according to the seventh embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, in the aviation marker lamp cleaning support system 10f, the estimation unit 16 places an order for the cleaning agent with the supplier according to the estimated amount by outputting the estimated amount of the cleaning agent to the supplier of the cleaning agent. The estimation unit 16 places an order for the cleaning agent, for example, by sending an email or a message to the terminal of the supplier. The estimation unit 16 may place an order for the cleaning agent, for example, by sending an automatic voice to the phone of the supplier or sending a facsimile. The method of ordering the cleaning agent by the estimation unit 16 may be any method that enables appropriate ordering of the cleaning agent to the supplier.

[0101] In this way, in the aviation marker lamp cleaning support system 10f, the estimation unit 16 places an order for the cleaning agent with the supplier. Thereby, for example, the labor of the cleaning staff can be further reduced and the convenience can be further improved.

[0102] In addition, the estimation unit 16 may be configured to automatically place an order for the amount of the cleaning agent corresponding to the estimated amount with the supplier and display the estimated amount of the cleaning agent on the display unit 18.

[0103] (Eighth Embodiment) FIG. 11 is a block diagram schematically showing an aviation beacon cleaning support system according to the eighth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, in the aviation beacon cleaning support system 10g, the moving body 20g is a vehicle having an automatic driving function. The vehicle is a four-wheeled vehicle. However, the vehicle may be a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, or the like. The moving body 20g automatically acquires a plurality of image data corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 by photographing each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 with the photographing unit 22 while traveling along a preset route.

[0104] Note that the moving body 20g, which is a vehicle, does not necessarily have to have an automatic driving function. The moving body 20g may be, for example, a vehicle driven by an operator.

[0105] As described above, the moving body that acquires the image data is not limited to an unmanned aircraft and may be a vehicle or the like. The moving body may be a cleaning vehicle 200 as described above. The configuration of the moving body may be any configuration capable of acquiring a plurality of image data corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 by photographing each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 with the photographing unit 22 while moving.

[0106] In addition, the plurality of image data corresponding to each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100 may be acquired, for example, by an operator photographing with a portable camera or the like while moving by vehicle or on foot or the like. Also, the plurality of image data may be acquired, for example, by photographing with a photographing unit provided on an aircraft such as a passenger aircraft or a cargo aircraft using an airport.

[0107] Thus, the aviation beacon cleaning support system does not necessarily have to be equipped with a moving body. The method for acquiring image data by the image acquisition unit 12 may be any method that can appropriately acquire a plurality of image data obtained by photographing each of the plurality of aviation beacons 100.

[0108] As described above, some embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated. However, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, etc. can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be implemented in combination with each other.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0109] 10, 10a to 10g... Aviation beacon cleaning support system, 12... Image acquisition unit, 14... Discrimination unit, 16... Estimation unit, 18... Display unit, 20, 20g... Moving body, 22... Photographing unit, 30, 32, 34... Input unit, 100... Aviation beacon, 110... Main body unit, 111... Upper main body, 112... Lower main body, 113... Central region, 114... Light projection window, 120... Installation part, 200... Cleaning vehicle, 202... Vehicle main body, 204... Cleaning part, 210... Jet part, 212... Movable part, 220... Photographing unit, RS... Road surface

Claims

1. An image acquisition unit that acquires image data obtained by photographing an aviation marker light; A discrimination unit that discriminates the degree of dirt on the aviation marker light based on the image data by performing image processing on the image data acquired by the image acquisition unit; An estimation unit that estimates the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning the aviation marker light according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit and outputs the estimated amount of the cleaning agent; Comprising: The estimation unit receives input of environmental information when cleaning the aviation marker light, and estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit and the environmental information. An aviation marker light cleaning support system.

2. The estimation unit according to claim 1, wherein the estimation unit receives input of a correction amount which is a coefficient of the amount of the cleaning agent for correcting the amount of the cleaning agent, and multiplies the estimated amount of the cleaning agent estimated according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit by the correction amount to estimate the amount of the cleaning agent. An aviation marker light cleaning support system.

3. The discrimination unit discriminates the degree of dirt on the aviation marker light and discriminates the attachment site of the dirt on the aviation marker light. The estimation unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the estimation unit estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the degree of dirt and the discrimination result of the attachment site of the dirt of the discrimination unit. An aviation marker light cleaning support system.

4. The estimation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the estimation unit receives input of time information representing the time from the time when the amount of the cleaning agent is estimated to the time when the aviation marker light is cleaned, and estimates the amount of the cleaning agent according to the discrimination result of the discrimination unit and the time information. An aviation marker light cleaning support system.

5. The estimation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the estimation unit orders the amount of the cleaning agent estimated to be purchased by outputting the estimated amount of the cleaning agent to the supplier of the cleaning agent. An aviation marker light cleaning support system.

6. A step of acquiring image data obtained by photographing an aviation marker light; A step of discriminating the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights based on the image data by performing image processing on the image data; A step of receiving input of environmental information when cleaning the aviation marker light, and estimating the amount of cleaning agent required for cleaning the aviation marker light according to the discrimination result of the degree of dirt of each of the plurality of aviation marker lights and the environmental information; A step of outputting the estimated amount of the cleaning agent; An aviation marker light cleaning support method having the above steps.

Images