Tubular structure investigation support device, tubular structure investigation support system, method for determining pipe type of tubular structure, and program

Abstract

To provide a tubular structure investigation support device and the like which can determine a tube kind from an image captured in an investigation of a sewer pipe or the like, reduce a work load in the damage determination work, report creation work and the like in an investigation of a tubular structure and improve the work efficiency.SOLUTION: In a tubular structure investigation support system 1, an imaging system 2 performs imaging with a wide-angle camera 22A while progressing along a pipe line in a tubular structure 10 such as water and sewage pipes to obtain a direct-view image. A tubular structure investigation support device 5 includes an image acquisition unit 511, a tube kind determination unit 518 and the like. The tube kind determination unit 518 determines a tube kind (a raw material of a tube 10) using a plurality of image frames of the direct-view image 72 acquired by the image acquisition unit 511 as a determination object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tubular structure inspection support device, a tubular structure inspection support system, a method for determining the pipe type of a tubular structure, and a program, and more particularly to determining the pipe type of a tubular structure such as a sewer pipe. [Background technology]

[0002] Inspections are conducted to check for damage and the condition of tubular structures such as water supply and sewerage pipes, cable pipes, tunnels, etc. In these inspections, a camera that travels inside the pipe is used to photograph the inner wall surface along the pipe, and image data of the photographed inner wall surface is used to create an expanded image on a computer.The expanded image is then visually inspected by workers to determine damage and prepare an inspection report.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an intra-pipe work device monitoring system that is composed of an intra-pipe work device that can move within a pipeline and a ground device equipped with a monitor, in which the ground device displays an image showing the current position of the intra-pipe work device on an expanded image created based on image data of the inner wall of the pipeline.

[0004] Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 1 describes a sewerage report creation system for creating a sewerage pipe inspection report in a predetermined format. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 2010-066070 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] Nozawa Electronics Co., Ltd., "Sewerage Report Creation System," [online], searched on August 3, 2021, Internet,<URL:http: / / nozawa-densi.sakura.ne.jp / CCP004.html> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, before workers can assess damage to sewer pipes, they need to know the pipe type (the material of the pipe) as a prerequisite. Pipe type can be determined from municipal ledger information, but repairs and other work can result in partial or complete changes to the pipe, which can lead to discrepancies with the ledger information.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a tubular structure inspection support device, etc., that can determine the type of pipe, such as a sewer pipe, thereby reducing the workload in damage assessment work and report preparation work, etc., when inspecting tubular structures, and improving work efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A first invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes an image acquisition means for acquiring a direct-view image, which is an image taken by a wide-angle camera while traveling inside a tubular structure in a pipeline direction, a pipe type determination means for determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquisition means, and an output means for outputting a determination result by the pipe type determination means. The pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. The present invention is a tubular structure inspection support device characterized by the above.

[0010] According to the tubular structure inspection support device of the first invention, the pipe type (pipe material) can be determined based on a direct-view image taken of the inside of a tubular structure in the pipe line direction, and the determination result can be output. This allows workers to accurately know the pipe type, which is the basis for damage determination criteria, and improves work efficiency in damage determination work and report creation work in tubular structure inspections. Furthermore, since the determination is made based on a direct-view image, which is smaller but contains more information than an unfolded image, accurate determination results can be obtained. In addition, by using artificial intelligence (AI), there is no need to preprocess the learning data or the images to be judged (adjusting image size, brightness, etc.), making it efficient and enabling accurate judgment results to be obtained.

[0011] In the first aspect of the present invention, the pipe type determination means determines the pipe type based on a plurality of frames of the direct-view image. The pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by taking a majority vote of the determination results of the plurality of frames. By determining the pipe type based on a plurality of frames, erroneous determination due to dirt, damage, etc. can be prevented, and determination accuracy can be improved.

[0012] It is also preferable that the pipe type determination means determine the direct-view image of the entire pipeline.Furthermore, it is preferable that the pipe type determination means detects the location where the pipe type has been changed from the determination result by the pipe type determination means.This makes it possible to check the pipe type throughout the entire pipeline and detect a change in pipe type along the pipeline.

[0014] A second invention includes an imaging device that images the inside of a tubular structure with a wide-angle camera while moving in a pipeline direction, and a tubular structure inspection support device connected to the imaging device via a network, wherein the tubular structure inspection support device includes: an image acquisition means that acquires a direct-view image that is an image captured by the imaging device; a pipe type determination means that determines the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquisition means; and an output means that outputs a determination result by the pipe type determination means. The pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. This is a tubular structure inspection support system characterized by the above.

[0015] According to the tubular structure inspection support system of the second invention, a photographing device captures direct-view images of the interior of a tubular structure, and a tubular structure inspection support device acquires the direct-view images, determines the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the acquired direct-view images, and outputs the determination results. This allows workers to accurately know the pipe type, which is the basis for damage determination criteria, and improves work efficiency in damage determination work and report creation work in tubular structure inspections. Furthermore, since the determination is made based on direct-view images, which are smaller but contain more information than unfolded images, it is possible to obtain accurate determination results. In addition, by using artificial intelligence (AI), there is no need to preprocess the learning data or the images to be judged (adjusting image size, brightness, etc.), making it efficient and enabling accurate judgment results to be obtained.

[0016] The third invention is a computer A pipe type determination method executed by The method includes the steps of: acquiring a direct-view image, which is an image taken by a wide-angle camera while traveling inside a tubular structure in a pipeline direction; determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the acquired direct-view image; and outputting the determination result. The step of determining the pipe type of the tubular structure determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. The present invention relates to a method for determining the type of pipe of a tubular structure.

[0017] The third invention makes it possible to determine the pipe type (pipe material) based on direct-view images taken of the inside of a tubular structure in the direction of the pipe line using a computer, and to output the determination results. This allows workers to know the pipe type, which is the basis for determining damage, and improves work efficiency in damage determination work and report creation work in tubular structure inspections. In addition, because the direct-view images are smaller and contain more information than unfolded images, the determination results can be obtained with high accuracy. In addition, by using artificial intelligence (AI), there is no need to preprocess the learning data or the images to be judged (adjusting image size, brightness, etc.), making it efficient and enabling accurate judgment results to be obtained.

[0018] A fourth invention is a program for causing a computer to function as an image acquisition means for acquiring a direct-view image, which is an image taken by a wide-angle camera while moving inside a tubular structure in a pipeline direction, a pipe type determination means for determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquisition means, and an output means for outputting a determination result by the pipe type determination means. And, the pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence, is.

[0019] According to the fourth invention, a computer can be made to function as the tubular structure inspection support device in the first invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The present invention makes it possible to determine the type of pipe from images taken during the inspection of sewer pipes, etc., thereby providing a tubular structure inspection support device, etc., which can reduce the workload in damage assessment work and report preparation work when inspecting tubular structures, and improve work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a tubular structure inspection support system 1. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the imaging system 2 and the tubular structure inspection support device 5. [Figure 3] Flowchart showing the overall flow of the investigation process [Figure 4] Flowchart showing the flow of display processing [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a main screen 7. [Figure 6] An example of a grid display [Figure 7] Flowchart showing the flow of pipe type determination processing [Figure 8] Example of pipe type display [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of displaying objects 971 and 972 indicating pipe structures (joints) [Figure 10] Flowchart showing the flow of damage input processing [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of specifying points for damaged areas [Figure 12] An example of specifying a box (range) for a damaged area [Figure 13] Flowchart showing the preview process [Figure 14] FIG. 1 shows an example of a preview screen 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a tubular structure inspection support system 1 according to the present invention. In the following description, as an example, a tubular structure inspection support system 1 will be described in which an imaging system 2, a storage 3, and a tubular structure inspection support device (hereinafter, inspection support device) 5 are communicably connected via a network 4, as shown in FIG. 1. Note that the system configuration example shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the storage 3 may be omitted, and the imaging system 2 and inspection support device 5 may be connected via the network 4, or the imaging system 2 and inspection support device 5 may not be communicatively connected via the network 4, and image data and the like may be exchanged via a recording medium or the like.

[0024] The photography system 2 includes a photography device 22 that photographs the interior of a tubular structure 10 (such as a water supply and sewerage pipe, an intake and exhaust pipe, a cable pipe, or a tunnel; hereinafter, referred to as "pipe 10") to be inspected using a wide-angle camera 22A while traveling along the pipe, and an on-site PC 21, which is a computer terminal used at the inspection site. The photography device 22 is a traveling vehicle equipped with a wide-angle camera 22A and an encoder. The encoder is a cable or the like for measuring the distance from the entrance of the pipe to the wide-angle camera 22A. The on-site PC 21 includes an interface for acquiring images (hereinafter, "direct-view images") captured by the photography device 22 and the distance measured by the encoder, a communication interface for connecting to the network 4, a control unit (CPU, ROM, RAM), a memory unit, an input unit, a display unit, etc. It is desirable for the on-site PC 21 to have a function for generating an unfolded image based on the direct-view image acquired from the photography device 22, but the generation of the unfolded image may be performed by a separate computer terminal.

[0025] The unfolded image is an image obtained by cutting an image of the inside of the pipe 10 in the pipe line direction and unfolding it into a flat surface. The method of creating the unfolded image is known, and is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-066070. The imaging system 2 can also be configured using the work equipment and ground equipment described in the above-mentioned patent document, or similar known imaging systems. The on-site PC 21 records distance information (distance from the pipe entrance to the wide-angle camera 22A) acquired by the encoder as position information (position in the pipe line direction) in the captured image (direct-view image) and the unfolded image.

[0026] The on-site PC 21 stores the captured direct-view image in the storage 3 via the network 4. When the on-site PC 21 generates an unfolded image, the generated unfolded image is linked to the direct-view image and stored in the storage 3. Alternatively, the on-site PC 21 may transmit the direct-view image and the unfolded image to the investigation support device 5 via the network 4. Alternatively, the on-site PC 21 may record the direct-view image and the unfolded image on a recording medium.

[0027] The storage 3 is a storage server accessible via the network 4, and has a memory area for saving direct-view images, unfolded images, construction information, etc. sent from the site PC 21. When the storage 3 receives an image acquisition request from the investigation support device 5, it responds to the request by sending the corresponding direct-view images or unfolded images.

[0028] Next, the investigation support device 5 will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the investigation support device 5 is configured by a computer in which a control unit 51, a memory unit 52, a communication unit 53, an input unit 54, a display unit 55, a peripheral device I / F (interface) unit 56, etc. are connected via a bus, and a PC, a tablet, a smartphone, etc. can be used. The configuration of the investigation support device 5 can be changed as appropriate. A tubular structure investigation support program is installed in the investigation support device 5, and the control unit 51 executes processing in accordance with the tubular structure investigation support program to realize each of the functions described below.

[0029] The control unit 51 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The CPU loads programs stored in the memory unit 52, ROM, etc. into a work memory area on the RAM and executes them, driving and controlling each unit (memory unit 52, communication unit 53, input unit 54, display unit 55, peripheral device I / F unit 56) connected via a bus. The ROM permanently stores programs such as a boot program and BIOS, data, etc. The RAM temporarily stores loaded programs and data and also provides a work area used by the control unit 51 to perform various processes.

[0030] The storage unit 52 is a storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk, and stores acquired image data, input damage information, input pipe structure information, etc. The storage unit 52 also stores processing programs (collectively referred to as "tubular structure inspection support programs" or "apps") related to the functions described below.

[0031] The communication unit 53 has a WiFi antenna, a communication port for a wireless communication unit such as Bluetooth, or a wired communication unit such as a LAN, and a communication control device, and is an interface that mediates communication with external devices.

[0032] The input unit 54 includes, for example, a touch panel, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, an input device such as a numeric keypad, and the like, and inputs input data to the control unit 51.

[0033] The display unit 55 is composed of a display such as a liquid crystal panel and a logic circuit (such as a video adapter) for executing display processing in cooperation with the display, and causes the display to display display data input under the control of the control unit 51. The display unit 55 may be a touch panel display in which an input device (input unit 54) such as a touch panel is integrally provided on the display screen.

[0034] The peripheral device I / F unit 56 is a port for connecting peripheral devices, and the control unit 51 transmits and receives data to and from the peripheral devices via the peripheral device I / F unit 56. The peripheral device I / F unit 56 is configured by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or the like. The connection with the peripheral devices may be wired or wireless.

[0035] Next, the functional configuration of the research support device 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The inspection support device 5 has, as its functional units, an image acquisition unit 511, a display processing unit 513, a tubular structure input unit 514, a damage input unit 515, a preview display unit 516, and a pipe type determination unit 518. The inspection support device 5 may also include an unfolded image generation unit 512 that generates an unfolded image. These functional units are realized by the CPU of the control unit 51 reading a processing program (tubular structure inspection support program) stored in the storage unit 52, calling it up into a work memory area on the RAM, and executing it.

[0036] The image acquisition unit 511 acquires the direct-view images captured by the imaging system 2 and the developed images generated by the imaging system 2 via the communication unit 53 or the peripheral device I / F unit 56. Alternatively, the image acquisition unit 511 may acquire the direct-view images and developed images stored in a storage medium by reading them, or the communication unit 53 may acquire the direct-view images and developed images stored in another computer or the direct-view images and developed images stored in the storage 3 via the network 4 such as a LAN or the Internet, and take them into the control unit 51.

[0037] The unfolded image generating unit 512 generates an unfolded image based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquiring unit 511, and stores the unfolded image in the storage unit 52. Note that the unfolded image may be generated in real time while the direct-view image is being captured, or immediately after the direct-view image is captured, at the investigation site, and it may be confirmed at the investigation site whether the conversion was appropriate. In this case, the unfolded image is generated by the on-site PC 21, etc.

[0038] The display processing unit 513 executes display processing to display the direct-view image 72 acquired by the image acquisition unit 511, a partial range of the unfolded image 71, and the entire image 73, which is the unfolded image 71 covering the entire pipe 10, side by side on the display unit 55 (see FIG. 5). In the display processing, the display processing unit 513 displays the position of the direct-view image 72 to be displayed on the pipe 10 in conjunction with the display range of the unfolded image 71, and indicates the position in the entire image 73 and the unfolded image 71. Details of the display processing and examples of display screens will be described later.

[0039] The pipe structure input unit 514 receives input of information about structures such as joints and attachment pipes of the pipe 10 for images (mainly the unfolded image 71) acquired by the image acquisition unit 511. Then, objects 971, 972 indicating the structures (joints and attachment pipes) are displayed on the unfolded image 71 or the overall image 73 (see FIG. 9). The pipe structure input unit 514 also adds identification information to each of the structures (joints, attachment pipes, etc.), links it to positional information on the pipe 10, and records it as pipe structure information.

[0040] When a user designates an arbitrary position on the unfolded image 71, the damage input unit 515 displays a damage information input field 111 for inputting damage information (see FIGS. 11 and 12) and accepts the input of the damage information. The damage information input into the damage information input field 111 is recorded in association with the position designated by the user (position on the pipe 10). The damage position can be designated by a point (dot) or a box (range). Details of the processing by the damage input unit 515 and examples of display screens will be described later.

[0041] The preview display section 516 displays a damage list 150, which is a list of recorded damage information, together with the entire image 73 (see FIG. 14). Details of the preview display process and examples of the display screen will be described later.

[0042] The pipe type determination unit 518 determines the pipe type (material of the pipe 10) of the pipe 10 based on the direct-view image 72 acquired by the image acquisition unit 511. The direct-view image 72 contains more information than the unfolded image 71, and therefore can perform more accurate determination than determining the pipe type based on the unfolded image 71. The pipe type determination unit 518 determines the pipe type through image recognition processing using AI (artificial intelligence). The pipe type determination unit 518 also determines the pipe type using multiple frames of the direct-view image 72 as determination targets. The pipe type is then determined by majority vote of the determination results for the multiple frames. The pipe type determination unit 518 may also perform pipe type determination for the entire pipeline. After performing pipe type determination for the entire pipeline and detecting a location where the pipe type has been changed, the location where the pipe type has been changed is reflected on the unfolded image 71, for example. The determination result (pipe type) by the pipe type determination unit 518 is stored in the memory unit 52 and is displayed, for example, on the main screen 7, the damage information input field 111, the preview screen 15, etc.

[0043] Next, we will explain the flow of tubular structure inspection using the tubular structure inspection support system 1. First, we will explain the overall flow of the inspection with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

[0044] The worker carries the imaging system 2 to the inspection site and uses the imaging device 22 to capture video of the inside of the pipe 10 (step S101). The captured video (images) are sequentially imported into the on-site PC 21 as direct-view images 72. The on-site PC 21 executes an unfolded image generation process and generates an unfolded image 71 based on the imported direct-view images 72 (step S102).

[0045] If the generation of the exfoliated image 71 is to be redone (step S103; No), the process returns to step S101. If the generation of the exfoliated image 71 is successful (step S103; Yes), the direct-view image 72 and the exfoliated image 71 are stored (step S104).

[0046] When the processing of steps S101 to S104 is completed, the work at the investigation site is finished and the worker moves to the office (step S105). In the office, the worker performs work using the investigation support device 5.

[0047] When the application (tubular structure inspection support processing program) is launched (step S106), the control unit 51 of the inspection support device 5 executes the tubular structure inspection support processing. The control unit 51 acquires the direct-view image 72 and the unfolded image 71 from the storage 3 or the like in accordance with the operator's operation (step S107), and performs a display process (step S108), a pipe type determination process (step S109), a tubular structure input process (step S110), a damage input process (step S111), a preview display process (step S112), and a report creation process (step S113), etc. The order of the processes in steps S107 to S113 may be changed or some may be omitted depending on the work content and the operator. The processing of each step will be described below.

[0048] First, the display process of step S108 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The control unit 51 of the research support device 5 displays the main screen 7, which is the main display screen, on the display unit 55, and displays the unfolded image 71, direct-view image 72, and full image 73 acquired in step S107 in each display area provided within the main screen 7 (step S301).

[0049] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of the main screen 7. In the example of Fig. 5, the display area for the unfolded image 71 is provided horizontally at the top of the screen, the display area for the direct-view image 72 is provided at the bottom left of the screen, and the display area for the whole image 73 is provided at the bottom right of the screen, but the layout and size of each display area are not limited to this.

[0050] The unfolded image 71 is displayed with the pipeline direction of the pipe 10 oriented horizontally. The vertical center of the unfolded image 71 corresponds to the bottom of the pipe 10, and the upper and lower ends of the unfolded image 71 correspond to the top of the pipe 10. The unfolded image 71 is also provided with a scale 79 indicating the pipeline direction position of the pipe 10, an unfolded image handle 74, and buttons 77a and 77b for scrolling the display range of the unfolded image 71. The unfolded image handle 74 is an operation unit (first position designation means) that can be moved left and right by a user's operation, and the user can designate any position (pipeline direction position) on the unfolded image 71 by moving the unfolded image handle 74. The pipeline direction position indicated by the scale 79 is the distance from the entrance of the pipe to the camera 22A.

[0051] The direct-view image 72 is a direct-view image 72 captured at a position specified by the expanded image handle 74 (or the entire image handle 76) among the direct-view images 72 captured as a series of moving images. That is, among the frames of the moving image, the frame captured at the position specified by the expanded image handle 74 (or the entire image handle 76) is displayed. It is desirable that position information (the distance from the entrance of the pipe to the camera 22A), a joint number (identification information of the joint), etc. be displayed on the direct-view image 72. A play button 75 (playback instruction input means) is provided near the direct-view image 72. When the play button 75 is operated to input an instruction to play the moving image of the direct-view image 72, the control unit 51 plays the direct-view image 72 in the forward direction (from the start point (start point of shooting) of the pipe 10 to the end point (end point of shooting)). The control unit 51 also moves the entire display range of the expanded image 71 in conjunction with the direct-view image 72 being displayed. The control unit 51 moves the expanded image handle 74 in conjunction with the direct-view image 72 being displayed, and also moves the whole image handle 76 in conjunction with the direct-view image 72. That is, the position of the direct-view image 72 being played back is indicated on the whole image 73 and the expanded image 71. In addition to the play button 75, a reverse play button for reverse playback, buttons for fast-forwarding and fast-rewinding operations, and buttons for moving to the start point and end point may also be provided. If the play button 75 is operated again during video playback, the control unit 51 stops playback.

[0052] The entire image 73 is an expanded image 71 obtained by reducing the size of the expanded image 71 and displaying the entire pipeline, and is displayed with the pipeline direction of the pipe 10 oriented horizontally. As with the expanded image 71, the vertical center of the entire image 73 corresponds to the bottom of the pipe 10, and the upper and lower ends of the entire image 73 correspond to the top of the pipe 10. The entire image 73 is also provided with an entire image handle 76, and movement buttons 78a, 78b, etc. for moving the position of the entire image handle 76. The entire image handle 76 is an operation unit (second position designation means) that can be moved left and right by a user's operation, and the user can designate any position (pipeline direction position) on the entire image 73 by moving the entire image handle 76. The display position of the entire image handle 76 is moved left and right in conjunction with the position in the pipeline displayed by the direct-view image 72 and the position of the expanded image handle 74.

[0053] The main screen 7 displays an unfolded image 71, a direct view image 72, an overall image 73, etc., as well as function buttons 81 to 85 for executing various functions. Function button 81 is a button operated when manually inputting the position of the joint (joint) of pipe 10, function button 82 is a button operated when specifying the damaged position with a point (dot), function button 83 is a button operated when specifying the damaged position with a box (range), function button 84 is a button operated when manually inputting the position of the attached pipe, and function button 85 is a button operated when moving the display position of unfolded image 71. In addition, there are provided a display size (enlargement / reduction rate) change field 86 that is operated when changing (enlarging / reducing) the display range of the expanded image 71, a reset button 87 that is operated when returning the display size (enlargement / reduction rate) to its original state, a grid display / hide switching operation unit 88, a pipe information display field 89 that displays various information about the pipe 10 displayed on the main screen 7 (route number, manhole number, pipe length, total length, etc.), pipe change buttons 90 and 91 that are operated when changing the pipe 10 displayed on the main screen 7, and a preview button 92 that is operated when displaying a preview of damage information.

[0054] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4. When the playback button 75 of the direct-view image 72 is operated on the main screen 7 (step S302; Yes), the control unit 51 dynamically plays back the direct-view image 72 and synchronizes the display range of the unfolded image 71 with the direct-view image 72 (step S303). The control unit 51 also moves and displays the positions of the unfolded image handle 74 and the whole image handle 76 so as to indicate positions corresponding to the direct-view image 72 being displayed (step S304).

[0055] Furthermore, when the exfoliated image handle 74 is operated (step S302; No → step S305; Yes), the control unit 51 displays the exfoliated image 71 while moving the display range so that the position of the exfoliated image handle 74 is always included in the display area, and also displays the direct-view image 72 corresponding to the position of the exfoliated image handle 74 (step S306).The control unit 51 also displays the position corresponding to the position of the exfoliated image handle 74 on the whole image 73 (moving the display position of the whole image handle 76; step S307).

[0056] If the whole image handle 76 is operated (step S305; No → step S308; Yes), the control unit 51 changes the display range of the expanded image 71 so that the position indicated by the whole image handle 76 is included, and displays the direct-view image 72 corresponding to the position of the whole image handle 76 (step S309). Also, the control unit 51 displays the position corresponding to the position of the whole image handle 76 on the expanded image 71 (moves the display position of the expanded image handle 74; step S310).

[0057] If another operation is input on the main screen 7 (step S308; No → step S311; Yes), the control unit 51 executes processing according to the operation (step S312). For example, when the grid display / hide switching operation unit 88 on the main screen 7 is operated, the control unit 51 switches between displaying and hiding a grid 95 on the unfolded image 71, as shown in FIG. 6. The display color of the grid 95 can be selected as white or black, and the grid width can also be changed to 10 mm, 50 mm, 100 mm, etc. Displaying the grid 95 on the unfolded image 71 makes it easier to recognize the position and size of damage and structures. Furthermore, when an operation such as a right click of the mouse is input on the direct-view image 72, the control unit 51 enlarges and displays the direct-view image 72. Furthermore, when the function button 85 is selected and the unfolded image 71 is dragged with the mouse, the control unit 51 changes the display position of the unfolded image 71. Furthermore, when an arbitrary enlargement or reduction ratio is input in the display size (enlargement / reduction ratio) change field 86, the control unit 51 displays the unfolded image 71 at the specified enlargement or reduction ratio. When the reset button 87 is operated, the control unit 51 returns the enlargement or reduction ratio to the original (or a predetermined size that is initially set) and displays the unfolded image 71.

[0058] In steps S311 and S312, processing is performed according to the operation of the above-mentioned function buttons 81 to 85, full preview button 92, change of magnification ratio, etc. If no operation is input (step S311; No), the process returns to step S302 and waits for an operation.

[0059] Next, the pipe type determination process (step S109 in FIG. 3) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 7. When an operation for determining the pipe type is performed while the main screen 7 is displayed (step S401; Yes), the control unit 51 starts the pipe type determination process. The operation for determining the pipe type is, for example, the operation of the management button 61. First, the control unit 51 acquires a direct-view image 72 (step S402) and extracts multiple image frames to be determined from the acquired direct-view image 72 (step S403). The image frames to be determined are arbitrary, but as an example, three frames are used: near the entrance, near the center, and near the end of the pipe 10. The control unit 51 determines the pipe type for each extracted image frame (step S404) and determines the pipe type by taking a majority vote based on the determination results for each image frame (step S405). In the determination process in step S404, the control unit 51 preferably performs image recognition processing using AI (artificial intelligence) to determine the pipe type. The AI uses training data consisting of a large number of direct-view images of various pipes 10 made of various materials, such as concrete pipes (Hume pipes), ceramic pipes, and PVC pipes.

[0060] Once the pipe type has been determined, the control unit 51 stores the determined pipe type in RAM or the memory unit 52 (step S406). Pipe type information is previously input by the operator based on ledger information and stored in the memory unit 52. However, if the pipe type determined in step S405 differs from the input (stored) information, the control unit 51 overwrites the pipe type information. The control unit 51 then outputs the results of the pipe type determination (step S407). For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the management button 61 on the main screen 7 is operated, the pipe type 62 is displayed nearby, e.g., "Pipe type: Ceramic pipe." If pipe diameter 63 information has been input in advance, or if the pipe diameter 63 can be calculated from the direct-view image 72, the pipe diameter 63 is also displayed, e.g., "Pipe diameter: 250 mm."

[0061] As another output example, the pipe type may be displayed in the damage information input field 111 in the damage input process described later (FIGS. 11 and 12), or in the damage list 150 on the preview screen 15 in the preview display process (FIG. 14). Also, the pipe type may be displayed in the report in the report creation process described later.

[0062] It is also possible to detect a change in pipe type along the pipeline (for example, a change from a ceramic pipe to a PVC pipe due to replacement of a sewer pipe) by determining the pipe type along the entire pipeline. In this case, the control unit 51 may extract multiple frames for each predetermined section to determine the pipe type of each section, and if there is a section along the pipeline where the pipe type has been changed, may display an indication of the change in pipe type at a corresponding position on the unfolded image 71.

[0063] Next, the piping structure input process (step S110 in FIG. 3) will be described. Function button 81 on the main screen 7 is a button for specifying a pipe joint. When function button 81 is selected and any position (pipe line direction position) on the unfolded image is specified by clicking or other operation, the control unit 51 of the inspection support device 5 displays objects 971, 972, ... indicating joints superimposed at the specified position. Furthermore, function button 84 is a button for specifying an attached pipe. When function button 84 is selected and any position (pipe line direction position) on the unfolded image is specified by clicking or other operation, the control unit 51 of the inspection support device 5 displays objects 971, 972, ... indicating joints superimposed at the specified position.

[0064] For example, as shown in FIG. 9, straight line objects 971, 972, ... are displayed superimposed at the positions of the joints. Although not shown, for example, a circular object is displayed superimposed at the positions of the attachment pipes. Furthermore, the control unit 51 acquires the position information of these pipe structures (distance position in the pipe 10) from the unfolded image 71 and adds identification information to each pipe structure. It is desirable to add the identification information as a combination of an alphabet indicating the type of pipe structure and a number indicating the order from the start point of the pipe 10. For example, identification information such as "J1", "J2", ... is added to the joints. The control unit 51 links the identification information and position information of each pipe structure and stores them in the memory unit 52 as pipe structure information.

[0065] 9, objects 971 and 972 are displayed at the joints in the unfolded image 71, and identification information 971a "J1" and 972a "J2" are displayed above the objects 971 and 972. In addition, pipe structure information 98 such as "pipe mouth" is displayed at the start and end points of the pipe 10.

[0066] Next, the damage input process (step S111 in FIG. 3) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. On the main screen 7, when the function button 82 is operated to switch to point input (step S501; point) and then an arbitrary position (point) on the unfolded image is clicked (step S502), the control unit 51 displays a point mark 110 at the clicked position (step S503) and acquires position information of the clicked position in the pipe 10 (step S504). The control unit 51 displays a damage information input field 111 (step S505).

[0067] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displaying a damage information input field 111 for point specification. As shown in FIG. 11, a point mark 110 is displayed at a position specified by the user on the unfolded image 71, and a damage information display field 110a is displayed nearby. The damage information display field 110a displays damage information including the location information of the damage (pipe direction position), the joint identification number, the installation direction, the location, and the details. A damage information input field 111 is also displayed at the bottom of the screen. The damage information input field 111 is provided with a details data tab 111a and a photo tab 111b. FIG. 11 shows the state in which the details data tab 111a is selected. The details data tab 111a is provided with a distance input field 113, a location input field 114, a joint number display field 112, a remarks field 115, a damage number 116, a damage type input field 117, and a damage extent input field 118. The distance input field 113 displays the location information (pipe direction position) of the specified point, based on the location information added to the unfolded image 71. The location input field 114 allows the user to select and input the location of the damage in the form of a drop-down list. When pipe structure information has already been input, the joint number display field 112 displays the corresponding joint number. Any characters, numbers, etc. can be input in the remarks field 115. Information on the pipe type determined by the pipe type determination process is displayed in the remarks field 115 of the damage information input field 111, for example, near the Manage button. The damage type input field 117 and the damage degree input field 118 allow the user to input the type and degree of damage in the form of a drop-down list. The damage number 116 indicates the identification information of each damage. Since there may be multiple damages in the same location, it is desirable to provide multiple damage type input fields 117 and damage degree input fields 118.

[0068] In the photo tab 111b, a direct view image 72 corresponding to a specified position, a magnified photo of the damage, or the like can be pasted (input). When the worker operates the cancel button 111c, the control unit 51 erases the damage information input field 111 and returns to the main screen 7. When the worker inputs information into the damage information input field 111 (step S506) and operates the enter button 111d, the control unit 51 stores the information and image input into the damage information input field 111 as damage information in the storage unit 52 (step S507).

[0069] On the other hand, when the function button 83 is operated on the main screen 7 to switch to box input (step S501; box), and then an arbitrary range of the unfolded image is designated by operating the mouse or the like (step S508), the control unit 51 displays a box mark 120 in the designated range (step S509) and acquires position information of the designated range in the pipe 10 (step S510). The control unit 51 displays the damage information input field 111 (step S505).

[0070] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displaying a damage information input field 111 by box specification. As shown in FIG. 12, a box mark 120 is displayed in the range specified by the user on the unfolded image 71, and a damage information display field 120a is displayed nearby. The damage information display field 120a displays damage information including damage range information (range of the pipe direction position), joint location, installation direction, part, content, etc. Also, a damage information input field 111 is displayed at the bottom of the screen. As in FIG. 11, the damage information input field 111 is provided with a content data tab 111a and a photo tab 111b. FIG. 11 shows a state in which the content data tab 111a is selected. The content data tab 111a is provided with a distance input field 113, a part input field 114, a joint number display field 112, a remarks field 115, a damage number 116, a damage type input field 117, and a damage degree input field 118. The distance input field 113 reflects the location information of the box-specified range and displays it as "XXX m to △△ m" or the like. The rest is the same as each part of the damage information input field 111 in Fig. 11. The same applies to the photo tab 111b.

[0071] When the worker inputs information into the damage information input field 111 (step S506) and operates the decision button 111d, the control unit 51 stores the information and images input into the damage information input field 111 as damage information in the memory unit 52 (step S507).

[0072] Next, the preview display process (step S112 in FIG. 3) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. When the preview button 92 is operated on the main screen 7 (step S601; Yes), the control unit 51 of the research support device 5 displays the preview screen 15 on the display unit 55 (step S602).

[0073] The control unit 51 acquires the pipe type information, damage information, and pipe structure information stored in the memory unit 52, and also acquires images linked to the damage information (direct view image 72, unfolded image 71, etc.) (step S603), and displays the damage information reflecting the pipe structure information in a list on the preview screen 15 (step S604).

[0074] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a display example of the preview screen 15. As shown in FIG. 14, the preview screen 15 displays a damage list 150, an entire image 73, and pipe information 89a. In the entire image 73, a dot mark 110 or a box mark 120 is displayed at the location of damage recorded as damage information. In the damage list 150, damage information 151, 152, ... and images 72, 71a, 71b, ... linked to each damage information 151, 152, ... are displayed in order of damage number. The damage information 151, 152, ... corresponds to the information entered in the damage information input field 111 in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12, and displays location information, site information, joint number, remarks, damage type, pipe type, and degree (rank), etc. Each piece of damage information 151, 152, ... has a correction button 151a, 152a, ..., allowing the content to be corrected.

[0075] When the edit button 151a, 152a, ... is operated (step S605; Yes), the control unit 51 accepts the edit of the damage information 151, 152, .... When the edit is input by the worker (step S606), the control unit 51 updates and stores the damage information reflecting the edit in the storage unit 52 (step S607). The control unit 51 stores the date and time of the edit, the edit content, information about the person who edited, etc. as edit history information in the storage unit 52 (step S608). When the edit button 151a, 152a, ... is not operated (step S605; No), the preview process ends.

[0076] Next, the control unit 51 executes a report creation process (step S113 in FIG. 3). In the report creation process, the control unit 51 reads out construction information, pipe information, damage information, images, etc. from the storage unit 25, and generates a report in which the construction information, pipe information, damage information, images, etc. are entered according to a predetermined format defined for each local government. The control unit 51 displays the generated report on the display unit 55. Furthermore, in accordance with instructions from the worker, the control unit 51 prints out the report, stores and transmits the report data, etc.

[0077] As explained above, in the tubular structure inspection support system 1, the tubular structure inspection support device 5 acquires the direct-view image 72 captured by the imaging system 2, determines the pipe type (material of the pipe 10) that is the basis of the damage determination criteria based on the direct-view image 72, and outputs the determination result. Compared to the unfolded image 71, the direct-view image 72 is a smaller image with a larger amount of information, so pipe type determination can be performed efficiently and with high accuracy. This makes it possible to efficiently perform the work of determining damage information and creating reports.

[0078] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the layout of each screen, the display size of each image, and the arrangement of function buttons, operation buttons, display fields, input fields, etc. are merely examples, and other layouts, sizes, and arrangements may be adopted. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the technical ideas disclosed herein, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1. Tubular structure inspection support system 2. Imaging system 21...On-site PC 22. Imaging device 3. Storage 4. Network 5. Tubular structure inspection support device (computer) 51 Control unit 511 Image acquisition unit 512....Expanded image generation unit 513 Display processing unit 514 Pipe structure input section 515 Damage input section 516 Preview display area 61·····Management button 62...Pipe type 63...Pipe diameter 7. Main screen 71...Expanded image (partial range) 72 Direct View Image 73...Full image 74: Developed image handle (first position designation means) 75·····Play button 76 Whole image handle (second positioning means) 79. Scale showing location information 81~85 Function buttons 86 Display size change field 88 Grid display / hide switching operation section 92 Preview button 971, 972... Linear object (joint part) 110···· dot mark 120...Box mark 111····Damage information entry field 15 Preview screen 10·····Tubular structures (tubes)

Claims

1. an image acquisition means for acquiring a direct-view image, which is an image taken by a wide-angle camera while traveling inside the tubular structure in the pipe line direction; a pipe type determination means for determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquisition means; an output means for outputting the determination result by the pipe type determination means; Equipped with The pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. A tubular structure inspection support device characterized by:

2. 2. The tubular structure inspection support device according to claim 1, wherein the pipe type determining means determines a plurality of frames of the direct-view image.

3. 3. The tubular structure inspection support device according to claim 2, wherein said pipe type determining means determines the pipe type by taking a majority vote of the determination results of said plurality of frames.

4. 4. The tubular structure inspection support device according to claim 1, wherein the pipe type determining means determines the direct-view image of the entire pipe line.

5. 5. The tubular structure inspection support device according to claim 4, wherein a location where the pipe type has been changed is detected based on the result of determination by said pipe type determination means.

6. an imaging device that photographs the inside of the tubular structure with a wide-angle camera while moving in the direction of the pipe; a tubular structure inspection support device connected to the imaging device via a network, The tubular structure inspection support device comprises: an image acquisition means for acquiring a direct-view image, which is an image captured by the imaging device; a pipe type determination means for determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquisition means; an output means for outputting the determination result by the pipe type determination means; Equipped with The pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. A tubular structure inspection support system characterized by:

7. A pipe type determination method executed by a computer, comprising: acquiring direct-view images that are images taken with a wide-angle camera while traveling inside the tubular structure in the pipe direction; determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the acquired direct-view image; outputting the determination result; Including, The step of determining the pipe type of the tubular structure determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. A method for determining the type of pipe of a tubular structure.

8. Computer, an image acquisition means for acquiring a direct-view image, which is an image taken by a wide-angle camera while traveling inside the tubular structure in the pipe line direction; a pipe type determination means for determining the pipe type of the tubular structure based on the direct-view image acquired by the image acquisition means; an output means for outputting the determination result by the pipe type determination means; A program for functioning as The pipe type determination means determines the pipe type by image recognition processing using artificial intelligence. A program characterized by:

Images