Communication methods

Abstract

To solve the problem in which a decrease in immediacy and amount of information occurs when point cloud data is transmitted.SOLUTION: A communication device 100 of the present invention includes: a measurement data acquisition unit 121 that acquires point cloud data obtained by measuring a measurement target region; a priority setting unit 122 that sets a priority for each region that is obtained by further dividing within the measurement target region; and a data transmitting unit 123 that changes and transmits the point cloud data of each region within the measurement target region to a data size based on the priority set for each region, according to the communication status of a communication path that transmits the point cloud data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication method, a communication device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in order to realize autonomous driving technology and construct a virtual space, measurement of spatial information such as the distance and shape to an object existing in the real space has been carried out. For example, three-dimensional point cloud data is measured as spatial information by 3D-LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] On the other hand, as the space to be measured becomes wider and the measurement is performed more precisely, the data volume of the point cloud data increases. Therefore, depending on the availability of the communication line, there is a problem that data transmission takes time and the immediacy decreases. On the other hand, when compression is performed to reduce the data size of the point cloud data itself for transmission, there is a problem that the amount of information decreases and the accuracy of processing for the point cloud data decreases. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that when it is determined that communication is impossible due to the availability of the communication line from the data size of the transmission data, the image quality of the transmission data is degraded and transmitted, and in this case, there is a problem that the accuracy of processing decreases.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication method capable of solving the above-described problem that the immediacy and accuracy of processing for point cloud data decrease.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention is a communication method, We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and then transmitted. This is the structure it takes.

[0007] Furthermore, a communication device which is one embodiment of the present invention is A measurement data acquisition unit that acquires point cloud data of the measurement target area, A priority setting unit sets a priority for each of the regions further subdivided within the measurement target area, A data transmission unit that, depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, changes the data size of the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area based on the priority set for each region and transmits it. Equipped with, This is the structure it takes.

[0008] Furthermore, a communication system which is one embodiment of the present invention is A communication system comprising a data transmission device and a data receiving device, The aforementioned data transmission device We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and transmitted. The aforementioned data receiving device The system receives point cloud data that has been resized based on the priority of each region transmitted from the aforementioned data transmission device, and processes the received point cloud data by combining it with previously received point cloud data. This is the structure it takes.

[0009] Also, a program according to one embodiment of the present invention causes an information processing apparatus to acquire point cloud data obtained by measuring a measurement target area, set priorities for each of the areas further divided within the measurement target area, and change and transmit the point cloud data of each area within the measurement target area to a data size based on the priority set for each area according to the communication status of a communication path for transmitting the point cloud data. execute the process. It has the following configuration.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] With the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the immediacy and accuracy of processing for point cloud data.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] [Figure 1] It is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the communication system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the data transmission device disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the state of processing by the communication system disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the state of processing by the communication system disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the state of processing by the communication system disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the state of processing by the communication system disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the state of processing by the communication system disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the data transmission device disclosed in FIG. 1. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the communication device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communication device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0012] [Embodiment 1] The first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIGS. 1 to 2 are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the communication system, and FIGS. 3 to 8 are diagrams for explaining the processing operations of the communication system.

[0013] [Configuration] As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system according to the present invention includes a data transmission device 10 to which a measurement device 20 for measuring a measurement target area is connected, and a data processing device 30 for processing measurement data. Then, the communication system is such that the data transmission device 10 transmits the measurement data measured by the measurement device 20 to the data processing device 30 via the network N, and the data processing device 30 performs processing on the received measurement data.

[0014] As an example, the communication system according to the present invention is configured as a collision detection system for assisting the automatic driving of a vehicle. In this case, the measurement device 20 is mounted on the vehicle, measures spatial information such as the distance and shape to an object existing around as three-dimensional point cloud data, and the data transmission device 10, which is an information processing device mounted on the vehicle, transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30. Then, the data processing device 30 is composed of an information processing device, processes the three-dimensional point cloud data transmitted from the vehicle, performs collision detection on the objects of the vehicle, and notifies the vehicle of the detection result. However, the communication system of the present invention may be composed of any information processing device that performs data transmission and reception. Also, the data transmitted and received by the communication system of the present invention is not limited to three-dimensional point cloud data, and may be two-dimensional point cloud data or any data. Hereinafter, each configuration will be described in detail.

[0015] The measurement device 20 is, for example, a 3D-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and measures three-dimensional point cloud data as spatial information, such as the distance and shape of objects present in the measurement target area. The measurement device 20 then transmits the measured three-dimensional point cloud data to the connected data transmission device 10. As an example, in this embodiment, the measurement device 20 measures three-dimensional point cloud data of the measurement target area where structures and people, as shown by the symbol P in Figure 2, exist. The measurement device 20 measures the measurement target area at regular time intervals and transmits the measured three-dimensional measurement data to the data transmission device 10 via a high-speed transmission line. However, the measurement data measured by the measurement device 20 is not necessarily limited to three-dimensional point cloud data; it may also be two-dimensional point cloud data.

[0016] The data transmission device 10 is composed of one or more information processing devices, each equipped with an arithmetic unit and a storage device. As shown in Figure 2, the data transmission device 10 includes a measurement data acquisition unit 11, a priority setting unit 12, a communication status acquisition unit 13, and a data transmission unit 14. The functions of the measurement data acquisition unit 11, the priority setting unit 12, the communication status acquisition unit 13, and the data transmission unit 14 can be realized by the arithmetic unit executing a program for realizing each function stored in the storage device. The data transmission device 10 also includes a measurement data storage unit 16. The measurement data storage unit 16 is composed of a storage device. The following describes each configuration in detail.

[0017] As described above, the measurement data acquisition unit 11 acquires the three-dimensional point cloud data measured by the measurement device 20 and temporarily stores it in the measurement data storage unit 16. The measurement data acquisition unit 11 sequentially acquires and temporarily stores the three-dimensional point cloud data measured at regular time intervals.

[0018] As described above, the priority setting unit 12 sequentially sets the priority for each region into which the entire area of ​​the three-dimensional point cloud data (measurement target area) is further divided each time three-dimensional measurement data is acquired. In particular, the priority setting unit 12 sets the priority for each region based on the content of the three-dimensional point cloud data. For example, the priority setting unit 12 compares the three-dimensional point cloud data stored in the measurement data storage unit 16 in a time series, divides the data into regions where changes have occurred between three-dimensional point cloud data moving forward and backward in time, and regions where no changes have occurred, and sets the priority of the divided regions according to whether or not changes have occurred. In other words, the priority setting unit 12 takes the difference between three-dimensional point cloud data in a time series, designates the region where a difference has occurred as the action region, and the other regions as the static region, and sets a priority for each. As a result, the priority setting unit 12 divides the entire area of ​​the three-dimensional point cloud data into an action region where moving objects such as people moving forward and backward in time exist, and a static region where no moving objects exist, and sets the priority of the action region higher than the priority of the other static regions.

[0019] In the above example, the priority setting unit 12 divides the three-dimensional point cloud data into moving and stationary regions based on the presence or absence of differences between the data. However, the entire three-dimensional point cloud data can also be divided into regions by setting regions in a predetermined arrangement. In that case, the priority setting unit 12 may check for the presence or absence of moving objects based on the presence or absence of differences for each of the predetermined regions and set a priority. As another example, the priority setting unit 12 may divide the region according to the objects present in the three-dimensional point cloud data. For example, as shown by the symbol P in Figure 2, if there are three objects within the entire three-dimensional point cloud data, it may be divided into three regions according to the positions of the objects.

[0020] Furthermore, the priority setting unit 12 sets the priority for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data based on the transmission status to the data processing device 30 in a time-series manner, as will be described later. Here, depending on the priority set for each region as described above, some regions of the three-dimensional point cloud data may not be transmitted to the data processing device 30 by the data transmission unit 14, which will be described later. In such a situation, the priority setting unit 12 checks the transmission status to the data processing device 30 in a time-series manner for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data, and sets the priority of that region to be higher than other regions the longer the time that the data has not been transmitted to the data processing device 30. Note that the priority setting unit 12 may also set the priority of a region to be higher than other regions the longer the time that the data has not been transmitted in an uncompressed, high-quality state, as will be described later, in addition to regions that have not been transmitted.

[0021] The communication status acquisition unit 13 acquires the communication status of the communication channel used by the data transmission device 10 when transmitting three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the data transmission device 10 is connected to the data processing device 30 via a wireless communication channel and the Internet network. In particular, if the data transmission device 10 is an information processing device mounted on a vehicle, the communication status of the wireless communication channel cannot be said to be stable. For this reason, the communication status acquisition unit 13 specifically acquires the communication status of the wireless communication channel to which the data transmission device 10 is connected. In this embodiment, the communication status acquisition unit 13 is described as acquiring the communication status of the communication channel in two stages: "standard" or "deteriorated" (a state in which the communication status is judged to be poor according to a preset standard, for example, a state in which the measured value representing the communication status (communication speed, radio wave strength, etc.) is lower than the preset standard). However, the communication status may be acquired in more stages.

[0022] As described above, the data transmission unit 14 transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data, for which priority has been set for each region, to the data processing device 30 after changing the data size based on the priority of each region according to the communication status of the communication channel. For example, if the communication status is poor, the data transmission unit 14 will reduce the data size of the three-dimensional point cloud data of regions with lower priority than others and transmit it. In this case, the data transmission unit 14 will compress the data size of the three-dimensional point cloud data of low-priority regions by, for example, voxelizing it before transmission, or it will not transmit the three-dimensional point cloud data of low-priority regions. Voxelizing three-dimensional point cloud data is a process to reduce the data size while maintaining the shape information of the object in the three-dimensional point cloud data and suppressing degradation. If the point cloud data measured by the measuring device 20 is two-dimensional point cloud data, the two-dimensional point cloud data will be pixelated and transmitted. In this way, the data transmission unit 14 will transmit the three-dimensional point cloud data of high-priority regions to the data processing device 30 with priority without degrading the information.

[0023] Furthermore, if the communication status is degraded and there is no difference in priority between regions, the data transmission unit 14 compresses the point cloud data for the entire region and transmits it to the data processing device 30. For example, the data transmission unit 14 voxels the entire region of the three-dimensional point cloud data and transmits it. If the point cloud data measured by the measuring device 20 is two-dimensional point cloud data, the data transmission unit 14 pixels the entire region of such two-dimensional point cloud data and transmits it.

[0024] The data processing device 30 (data receiving device) is composed of one or more information processing devices, each equipped with an arithmetic unit and a memory device. The data processing device 30 includes a processing unit that performs the following operations, which is constructed by the arithmetic unit executing a program.

[0025] Specifically, as described above, the data processing device 30 receives the three-dimensional point cloud data transmitted from the data transmission device 10 and performs processing such as analysis on the three-dimensional point cloud data. At this time, since the data transmission device 10 transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data with the data size changed for each region, the data processing device 30 will, depending on the situation, combine the three-dimensional point cloud data received in the past with the newly received three-dimensional point cloud data for processing. For example, as described above, if the data transmission device 10 does not transmit the three-dimensional point cloud data for low-priority regions and only transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data for high-priority regions, the data processing device 30 will use the three-dimensional point cloud data received in the past for the low-priority regions that were not transmitted, and combine the newly received three-dimensional point cloud data for high-priority regions with this previously received three-dimensional point cloud data.

[0026] [Operation] Next, the operation of the data transmission device 10 described above will be explained, mainly with reference to the flowchart in Figure 8. In addition, the processing of three-dimensional point cloud data by the data transmission device 10 and the data processing device 30 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 7. In Figures 3 to 7, symbols P1 and P2 indicate the processing of three-dimensional point cloud data by the data transmission device 10, which is the transmitting side of the three-dimensional point cloud data. Specifically, symbol P1 indicates the state of the three-dimensional point cloud data acquired by the data transmission device 10 from the measurement device 20, and symbol P2 indicates the state of the three-dimensional point cloud data when the data transmission device 10 transmits it to the data processing device 30. Also, in Figures 3 to 7, symbols P3 and P4 indicate the processing of three-dimensional point cloud data by the data processing device 30, which is the receiving side of the three-dimensional point cloud data. Specifically, symbol P3 indicates the state of the three-dimensional point cloud data when the data processing device 30 receives it from the data transmission device 10, and symbol P4 indicates the state of the three-dimensional point cloud data when the data processing device 30 processes it.

[0027] First, let's explain the example in Figure 3. The data transmission device 10 acquires and stores three-dimensional point cloud data from the measurement device 20 as shown by symbol P1 (step S1). In this example, since the acquired three-dimensional point cloud data is initial data, the data transmission device 10 does not set priority for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data (steps S2 to S6 are skipped), and transmits the entire region of the three-dimensional point cloud data as is to the data processing device 30 as shown by symbol P2 (step S7). The data processing device 30 receives the three-dimensional point cloud data as shown by symbols P3 and P4 and holds it for subsequent analysis processing.

[0028] Next, let's explain the example in Figure 4. The data transmission device 10 acquires three-dimensional point cloud data as shown by symbol P1 from the measurement device 20 (step S1), and sets a priority for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data (step S2). At this time, the data transmission device 10 checks whether there is a difference between the previously stored three-dimensional point cloud data and the newly acquired three-dimensional point cloud data, thereby determining whether there is a moving object in the newly acquired three-dimensional point cloud data. The data transmission device 10 designates the region where a difference has occurred as the moving region and the other regions as the stationary region, and sets a priority for each. Here, for the sake of explanation, the dotted line indicated by symbol P1 represents a person in the past three-dimensional point cloud data, and in the newly acquired three-dimensional point cloud data, it can be seen that the person is moving, indicating the presence of a moving object. For this reason, the data transmission device 10 divides the central region R2 where the person is located as the moving region, and the adjacent edge regions R1 and R3 as stationary regions, and sets the priority of the central region R2 higher than the priority of the edge regions R1 and R3.

[0029] Next, the data transmission device 10 checks the communication status of the communication channel (step S3). If the communication status of the communication channel is not degraded (No in step S3), the data transmission device 10 transmits the entire area of ​​the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 as is (step S7). On the other hand, if the communication status of the communication channel is degraded (Yes in step S3), the data transmission device 10 checks the difference in priority between areas of the three-dimensional point cloud data acquired this time (step S4). If there is a difference in priority (Yes in step S4), the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size of the lower-priority areas and transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 (step S5). In the example in Figure 4, the central area R2 where the moving body, which is a person indicated by symbol P1, is located has a high priority, and the edge areas R1 and R3 located on either side of it have low priorities, so the data size of the edge areas R1 and R3 is reduced. Specifically, in the example shown in Figure 4, the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size of the edge regions R1 and R3 to zero, meaning it does not transmit them to the data processing device 30, while transmitting only the three-dimensional point cloud data of the high-priority region of the central region R2 to the data processing device 30 without reducing the data size.

[0030] Subsequently, as shown by symbol P3, the data processing device 30 receives three-dimensional point cloud data of only the central region R2 from the data transmission device 10 and stores it for processing. At this time, as shown by symbol P4, the data processing device 30 combines the three-dimensional point cloud data of the central region R2 that was received this time with the three-dimensional point cloud data received in the past. As a result, the combined three-dimensional point cloud data reflects past data for the edge regions R1 and R3, where there was no activity, and reflects the latest three-dimensional point cloud data for the central region R2, where activity occurred. Therefore, the data processing device 30 does not receive data for the edge regions R1 and R3, where no change in data content has occurred, and only receives data for the central region R2, where a change in data content has occurred. This allows for the acquisition of three-dimensional point cloud data immediately and without a reduction in information content. As a result, processing of the three-dimensional point cloud data, such as analysis, can be performed quickly and with high accuracy.

[0031] Note that in the example in Figure 4, the explanation of the operation when there is no difference in priority in step S4 of Figure 8 (No in step S4) will be omitted.

[0032] Next, let's explain the example in Figure 5. Here, we assume that steps S1 to S4 in Figure 8 are the same as in the example in Figure 4. That is, the data transmission device 10 acquires three-dimensional point cloud data as shown by symbol P1 (step S1), divides the central region R2 where the person is located into the working region, and the adjacent edge regions R1 and R3 into stationary regions, and sets the priority of the central region R2 higher than the priority of the edge regions R1 and R3 (step S2). Then, because the communication status of the communication channel is degraded (Yes in step S3) and there is a difference in priority for each region (Yes in step S4), the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size of the lower-priority regions and transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 (step S5). At this time, in the example in Figure 5, the data transmission device 10 transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 in a different way than in the example in Figure 4. Specifically, as shown by symbol P2, the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size by voxelizing and compressing the three-dimensional point cloud data of the low-priority edge regions R1 and R3, while transmitting the three-dimensional point cloud data of the high-priority central region R2 to the data processing device 30 without reducing the data size. In Figure 5, the voxelized state is shown in gray.

[0033] Subsequently, as shown by symbol P3, the data processing device 30 receives voxelized three-dimensional point cloud data from the data transmission device 10 for the edge regions R1 and R3, and stores it for processing. At this time, the data processing device 30 can immediately acquire the three-dimensional point cloud data for the entire region, including the central region R2, because the data size of the edge regions R1 and R3, where the data content has not changed, has been reduced. Furthermore, the central region R2, where the data content has changed, can be acquired without reducing the amount of information. As a result, processing of the three-dimensional point cloud data, such as analysis, can be performed quickly and with high accuracy.

[0034] Note that in the example shown in Figure 5, the explanation of the operation when there is no difference in priority in step S4 of Figure 8 (No in step S4) will be omitted.

[0035] Next, let's explain the example in Figure 6. The data transmission device 10 acquires three-dimensional point cloud data as shown by symbol P1 from the measurement device 20 (step S1), and sets a priority for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data (step S2). At this time, the data transmission device 10 checks whether there is a difference between the previously stored three-dimensional point cloud data and the three-dimensional point cloud data acquired this time, and determines that there is no difference in any region. In this case, the data transmission device 10 either does not set a priority for each region, or sets the priority for each region to be the same so that there is no difference in priority for each region.

[0036] If the communication status of the communication channel is degraded (Yes in step S3), the data transmission device 10 checks if there are differences in priority for each region (step S4). In the example in Figure 6, however, there are no differences in priority, even when no priority is set (No in step S4). In this case, as shown by the symbol P2, the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size of the entire region of the three-dimensional point cloud data, compressing it by, for example, voxelizing the entire region, and transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 (step S6). In Figure 6, the voxelized state is shown in gray.

[0037] Subsequently, as shown by symbol P3, the data processing device 30 receives voxelized three-dimensional point cloud data from the data transmission device 10 and stores it for processing. At this time, the data processing device 30 can immediately acquire the three-dimensional point cloud data because the data size of the entire area has been reduced during transmission. On the other hand, in the example of Figure 6, since there is no change in the data content across the entire area of ​​the three-dimensional point cloud data, the impact on the accuracy of processing the three-dimensional point cloud data is minimal.

[0038] Next, let's explain the example in Figure 7. The data transmission device 10 acquires three-dimensional point cloud data as shown by symbol P1 from the measurement device 20 (step S1), and sets a priority for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data (step S2). At this time, the data transmission device 10 checks the transmission status of past three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 and sets a priority for each region. For example, the priority setting unit 12 sets the priority of a region to be higher than other regions the longer the time that data has not been transmitted to the data processing device 30. Here, in the example of symbol P1 in Figure 7, the central region R2, where the person located is situated, has not been transmitted for a long time because although the person is currently stationary, they were moving in the past. On the other hand, the adjacent edge regions R1 and R3 have not been transmitted for a long time because structures are present. For this reason, the priority of the edge regions R1 and R3 is set higher than the priority of the central region R2.

[0039] If the communication status of the communication channel deteriorates (Yes in step S3), and there are differences in priority for each region (Yes in step S4), the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size of the lower-priority regions and transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data to the data processing device 30 (step S5). At this time, as shown by the symbol P2, the data transmission device 10 reduces the data size by voxelizing and compressing the three-dimensional point cloud data of the lower-priority central region R2, while transmitting the three-dimensional point cloud data of the higher-priority edge regions R1 and R3 to the data processing device 30 as is without reducing the data size. In Figure 7, the voxelized state is shown in gray.

[0040] Subsequently, as shown by symbol P3, the data processing device 30 receives voxelized three-dimensional point cloud data from the data transmission device 10 for the central region R2, while receiving three-dimensional point cloud data for the edge regions R1 and R3 without any reduction in information. As a result, although the overall data content remains unchanged, the data processing device 30 can acquire three-dimensional point cloud data for the edge regions R1 and R3, which have not been acquired for a long time, without any reduction in information, while acquiring data for the central region R2 with reduced information. Therefore, the data processing device 30 can acquire three-dimensional point cloud data immediately and update regions that have not been updated for some time with data that does not have reduced information, enabling rapid and highly accurate processing.

[0041] As described above, in this embodiment, when the communication status of the communication channel deteriorates, the data transmission device 10 changes the data size according to the priority set for each region of the three-dimensional point cloud data and transmits it to the data processing device 30. As a result, the data processing device 30 can acquire the three-dimensional point cloud data of the priority region quickly and without reducing the amount of information, and can perform processing on such data quickly and with high accuracy.

[0042] <Embodiment 2> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 11. Figures 9 to 10 are block diagrams showing the configuration of the communication device in Embodiment 2, and Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication device. In this embodiment, the configuration of the data transmission device and communication method described in the above-described embodiment is shown in outline.

[0043] First, with reference to Figure 9, the hardware configuration of the communication device 100 in this embodiment will be described. The communication device 100 is composed of a general information processing device, and as an example, it is equipped with the following hardware configuration. ·CPU(Central Processing Unit)101(Arithmetic unit) ROM (Read Only Memory) 102 (Storage Device) • RAM (Random Access Memory) 103 (Storage Device) • Program group 104 loaded into RAM 103 • Storage device 105 for storing the program group 104 • Drive device 106 for reading and writing to external storage medium 110 of the information processing device. • Communication interface 107 connecting to a communication network 111 outside the information processing device. • Input / output interface 108 for data input and output. • Bus 109 connecting each component

[0044] The communication device 100 can be equipped with the measurement data acquisition unit 121, priority setting unit 122, and data transmission unit 123 shown in Figure 10 by having the CPU 101 acquire the program group 104 and execute it. The program group 104 is, for example, stored in advance in a storage device 105 or ROM 102, and the CPU 101 loads it into RAM 103 and executes it as needed. The program group 104 may also be supplied to the CPU 101 via a communication network 111, or it may be stored in advance in a storage medium 110, and the drive device 106 reads the program and supplies it to the CPU 101. However, the measurement data acquisition unit 121, priority setting unit 122, and data transmission unit 123 described above may be constructed with dedicated electronic circuits to realize such means.

[0045] Figure 9 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device, which is the communication device 100, and the hardware configuration of the information processing device is not limited to the case described above. For example, the information processing device may consist of only a part of the configuration described above, such as not having the drive device 106.

[0046] Then, the communication device 100 executes the communication method shown in the flowchart of Figure 11 through the functions of the measurement data acquisition unit 121, the priority setting unit 122, and the data transmission unit 123, which are constructed by the program as described above.

[0047] As shown in Figure 11, the communication device 100 is Point cloud data of the measurement target area is obtained (step S101), Priority is set for each of the further subdivided areas within the measurement target area (step S102), Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target region is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and transmitted (step S103). This process is executed.

[0048] As described above, the present invention modifies the data size based on the priority set for each region of point cloud data according to the communication status of the communication channel and transmits the data accordingly. As a result, processing of the point cloud data in the priority region can be performed immediately and with high accuracy.

[0049] The programs described above can be stored and supplied to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, and RAMs (Random Access Memory)). Programs may also be supplied to a computer using various types of transient computer-readable media. Examples of transient computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Transitory computer-readable media can be supplied to a computer via wired communication channels such as electric wires and optical fibers, or via wireless communication channels.

[0050] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications to the configuration and details of the present invention can be made within the scope of the present invention as can be understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, at least one of the functions of the measurement data acquisition unit 121, the priority setting unit 122, and the data transmission unit 123 described above may be performed by an information processing device installed and connected at any location on the network, that is, it may be performed by so-called cloud computing.

[0051] <Note> Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows. The general configuration of the communication method, communication device, and program in the present invention will be described below. However, the present invention is not limited to the following configuration. (Note 1) We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and then transmitted. Communication method. (Note 2) The communication method described in Appendix 1, If the communication status of the aforementioned communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, the data size of the point cloud data in the lower priority area is reduced and transmitted. Communication method. (Note 3) The communication method described in Appendix 2, If the communication status of the aforementioned communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, the point cloud data of the lower priority area is compressed and transmitted. Communication method. (Note 4) A communication method described in any of the appendices 1 to 3, Based on the content of the point cloud data within the measurement target area, a priority is set for each area. Communication method. (Note 5) A communication method described in any of Appendix 4, The priority of the region where a moving object exists within the measurement target region is set higher than that of other regions. Communication method. (Note 5.1) A communication method described in Appendix 4 or 5, Within each region of the measurement target area, the priority of regions where changes in the point cloud data occur over time is set higher than that of regions where no changes occur. Communication method. (Note 6) A communication method described in any of the appendices 1 to 4, Priorities are set for each region based on the transmission status of the point cloud data for each region in a time-series manner. Communication method. (Note 6.1) The communication method described in Appendix 6, The longer the time that point cloud data for a given region has not been transmitted, the higher the priority of that region will be set. Communication method. (Note 7) A communication method described in any of the appendices 1 to 6, If the communication status of the aforementioned communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, and there is no difference in the priority set for each region within the measurement target area, the point cloud data for all regions is compressed and transmitted. Communication method. (Note 8) A communication method described in Appendix 3 or 7, When compressing and transmitting the point cloud data, the point cloud data is converted into pixels or voxels before transmission. Communication method. (Note 9) A communication method described in any of the appendices 1 to 8, The data transmission device transmits the point cloud data obtained from the measurement target area, after changing the data size based on the priority of each area. The data receiving device receives point cloud data that has been resized based on the priority of each region transmitted from the data transmitting device, and processes the received point cloud data by combining it with previously received point cloud data. Communication method. (Note 10) A measurement data acquisition unit that acquires point cloud data of the measurement target area, A priority setting unit sets a priority for each of the regions further subdivided within the measurement target area, A data transmission unit that, depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, changes the data size of the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area based on the priority set for each region and transmits it. A communication device equipped with this device. (Note 11) The communication device described in Appendix 10, The data transmission unit, when the communication status of the communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, reduces the data size of the point cloud data in the lower priority area and transmits it. Communication device. (Note 12) The communication device described in Appendix 11, The data transmission unit compresses and transmits the point cloud data of the lower priority region when the communication status of the communication channel falls below a predetermined standard. Communication device. (Note 13) A communication device as described in any of Appendix 10 to 12, The priority setting unit sets the priority for each region based on the content of the point cloud data within the measurement target region. Communication device. (Note 14) The communication device described in Appendix 13, The priority setting unit sets the priority of the region where a moving object exists within the measurement target region to a higher priority than other regions. Communication device. (Note 15) A communication device as described in Appendix 13 or 14, The priority setting unit sets the priority of regions within the measurement target region in which changes in the point cloud data occur over time to be higher than that of regions where no changes have occurred. Communication device. (Note 16) A communication device as described in any of Appendix 10 to 15, The priority setting unit sets the priority for each region based on the transmission status of the point cloud data for each region in a time series. Communication device. (Note 17) The communication device described in Appendix 16, The priority setting unit sets the priority of a region to increase the longer the time that the point cloud data for that region has not been transmitted. Communication device. (Note 18) A communication device as described in any of Appendix 10 to 17, The data transmission unit, when the communication status of the communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, compresses and transmits the point cloud data for all regions if there is no difference in the priority set for each region within the measurement target region. Communication device. (Note 19) A communication device as described in Appendix 12 or 18, The data transmission unit compresses and transmits the point cloud data, and transmits the point cloud data by converting it into pixels or voxels. Communication device. (Note 20) A communication system comprising a data transmission device and a data receiving device, The aforementioned data transmission device We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and transmitted. The aforementioned data receiving device The system receives point cloud data that has been resized based on the priority of each region transmitted from the aforementioned data transmission device, and processes the received point cloud data by combining it with previously received point cloud data. Communication system. (Note 21) In an information processing device, We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and then transmitted. A program to execute a process. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 10. Data transmission device 11 Measurement data acquisition unit 12 Priority setting section 13 Communication Status Acquisition Unit 14. Data transmission section 16 Measurement data storage unit 20 Measuring devices 30 Data Processing Devices 100 Communication devices 101 CPU 102 ROM 103 RAM 104 Program Groups 105 Storage device 106 Drive unit 107 Communication Interface 108 Input / Output Interfaces 109 Bus 110 Storage medium 111 Communication Network 121 Measurement data acquisition unit 122 Priority setting section 123 Data transmission unit

Claims

1. A data transmission device, We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and transmitted. Furthermore, priorities are set for each region based on the transmission status of the point cloud data for each region in a time-series manner. Communication method.

2. A communication method according to claim 1, The aforementioned data transmission device If the communication status of the aforementioned communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, the data size of the point cloud data in the lower priority area is reduced and transmitted. Communication method.

3. A communication method according to claim 2, The aforementioned data transmission device If the communication status of the aforementioned communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, the point cloud data of the lower priority area is compressed and transmitted. Communication method.

4. A communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The aforementioned data transmission device Based on the content of the point cloud data within the measurement target area, a priority is set for each area. Communication method.

5. A communication method according to any of claim 4, The aforementioned data transmission device The priority of the region where a moving object exists within the measurement target region is set higher than that of other regions. Communication method.

6. A communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned data transmission device If the communication status of the aforementioned communication channel falls below a predetermined standard, and there is no difference in the priority set for each region within the measurement target area, the point cloud data for all regions is compressed and transmitted. Communication method.

7. A communication method according to claim 3 or 6, The aforementioned data transmission device When compressing and transmitting the point cloud data, the point cloud data is converted into pixels or voxels before transmission. Communication method.

8. A communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The data transmission device transmits the point cloud data obtained from the measurement target area, after changing the data size based on the priority of each area. The data receiving device receives point cloud data that has been resized based on the priority of each region transmitted from the data transmitting device, and processes the received point cloud data by combining it with previously received point cloud data. Communication method.

9. A measurement data acquisition unit that acquires point cloud data of the measurement target area, A priority setting unit sets a priority for each of the regions further subdivided within the measurement target area, A data transmission unit that, depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, changes the data size of the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area based on the priority set for each region and transmits it. Equipped with, The priority setting unit sets the priority for each region based on the transmission status of the point cloud data for each region in a time series. Communication device.

10. In an information processing device, We acquire point cloud data from the measurement target area, Priorities are set for each of the further subdivided areas within the aforementioned measurement target area. Depending on the communication status of the communication channel through which the point cloud data is transmitted, the point cloud data for each region within the measurement target area is changed to a data size based on the priority set for each region and transmitted. Furthermore, priorities are set for each region based on the transmission status of the point cloud data for each region in a time-series manner. A program to execute a process.

Images