Battery level management server, battery level management program, battery level management method, field installation terminal, and battery level management system.

Abstract

This invention provides a fuel level management server, fuel level management program, fuel level management method, on-site installation terminal, and fuel level management system that can manage the approximate remaining amount of fuel while maintaining the safety and security features of existing fuel tanks. [Solution] The system includes an information acquisition unit 55 that acquires various information in the gauge image, including the full tank position and empty tank position specified in advance by the user; a server-side gauge image acquisition unit 56 that acquires the gauge image from the gauge sensor; a float position identification unit 57 that identifies the position of the float included in the gauge image; a float relative position calculation unit 58 that calculates the relative position of the float; and a remaining amount calculation unit 59 that calculates the remaining amount of fuel based on the relative position of the float.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remaining amount management server, a remaining amount management program, a remaining amount management method, a terminal for on-site installation, and a remaining amount management system for managing the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, technologies for managing the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-016006 discloses a detection device attached to an opening of a storage device, the detection device including a detection unit that detects stored items stored in the storage device from the opening, a storage unit that stores the detection result of the detection unit, a transmission unit that transmits the detection result stored in the storage unit, and a coupling unit that couples to the opening (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, conventionally, fuel tanks such as kerosene tanks have been provided with a tank gauge having a float that moves up and down according to the liquid level height of the fuel. This tank gauge is for grasping a rough remaining amount so that fuel can be replenished in a timely manner before the fuel tank becomes an empty tank, and an accurate remaining amount as measured in Patent Document 1 is not required for both users and fuel dealers.

[0005] Furthermore, the detection device described in Patent Document 1 is installed so that the detection unit (distance sensor) faces the stored material directly. Therefore, if the stored material is a volatile gas such as kerosene, there is a risk of malfunction in the detection unit or a fire accident caused by the battery or other components installed in the detection unit. In addition, since the detection device described in Patent Document 1 is attached to the opening of the storage container, it is necessary to prepare a wide variety of connection parts, and there is also the problem that the anti-theft caps that are conventionally attached to the opening to prevent theft of stored material cannot be used.

[0006] The present invention was made to solve these problems and aims to provide a fuel level management server, fuel level management program, fuel level management method, field installation terminal, and fuel level management system that can manage the approximate remaining amount of fuel while maintaining the safety and security features of existing fuel tanks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The fuel level management server according to the present invention is a fuel level management server for managing the amount of fuel remaining in a fuel tank in order to solve the problem of managing the approximate amount of fuel remaining while maintaining the safety and security of existing fuel tanks, wherein the fuel tank is provided with a tank gauge equipped with a float that moves up and down according to the liquid level of the fuel, and the server includes an information acquisition unit that acquires various information including a full tank position and an empty tank position specified in advance by the user from a gauge image captured by the tank gauge, a server-side gauge image acquisition unit that acquires the gauge image from a gauge sensor provided on the tank gauge, a float position identification unit that identifies the position of the float included in the gauge image using a trained model, a float relative position calculation unit that calculates the relative position of the float based on the position of the float between the empty tank position and the full tank position, and a remaining amount calculation unit that calculates the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float.

[0008] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the problem of estimating the remaining amount of fuel that flexibly takes into account various on-site conditions based on the user's visual observation and experience, the information acquisition unit may acquire the position of the float specified by the user in the gauge image as a specified position, the float relative position calculation unit may calculate the relative position of the float based on the specified position, and the remaining amount calculation unit may calculate the estimated remaining amount of fuel based on the relative position of the float calculated based on the specified position.

[0009] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the problem of narrowing the range in which the gauge image is to be image-recognized and improving the accuracy of float identification, the information acquisition unit may acquire positional information to identify a cutout region for cutting out the tank gauge portion from the gauge image, and the float position identification unit may identify the position of the float included in the cutout region using a trained model.

[0010] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the problem of managing fuel tanks of various tank shapes, the information acquisition unit may acquire the tank shape of the fuel tank, and the remaining amount calculation unit may calculate the remaining amount of fuel based on the relative position of the float and the tank shape.

[0011] Furthermore, in one aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the problem of calculating a remaining amount that is close to the actual remaining amount according to the tank shape of the fuel tank, the remaining amount calculation unit may calculate the remaining amount of fuel using the following formulas (1) to (3). If the tank shape is a horizontal rectangular prism or a vertical cylinder: V = x ... Equation (1) If the tank shape is a horizontal cylinder: V = (1 / π) * [cos -1 (1-2x)-(1-2x)*√(4x-4x 2 )] …Equation (2) If the tank shape is spherical: V = (1 / 2) * (3x 2 -2x 3 ) …Formula (3) However, each symbol represents the following: V: Volume fraction of remaining amount x: Relative position of the float (empty tank position is 0, full tank position is 1)

[0012] The fuel level management program according to the present invention is a fuel level management program for managing the amount of fuel remaining in a fuel tank in order to solve the problem of managing the approximate amount of fuel remaining while maintaining the safety and security of an existing fuel tank, wherein the fuel tank is provided with a tank gauge equipped with a float that moves up and down according to the liquid level of the fuel, and the computer functions as an information acquisition unit that acquires various information including a full tank position and an empty tank position specified in advance by the user from a gauge image captured by the tank gauge, a server-side gauge image acquisition unit that acquires the gauge image from a gauge sensor provided on the tank gauge, a float position identification unit that identifies the position of the float included in the gauge image using a trained model, a float relative position calculation unit that calculates the relative position of the float based on the position of the float between the empty tank position and the full tank position, and a fuel level calculation unit that calculates the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float.

[0013] The fuel level management method according to the present invention is a fuel level management method for managing the amount of fuel remaining in a fuel tank, in order to solve the problem of managing the approximate amount of fuel remaining while maintaining the safety and security of existing fuel tanks, wherein the fuel tank is provided with a tank gauge equipped with a float that moves up and down according to the liquid level of the fuel, and the method comprises: an information acquisition step of acquiring various information including a full tank position and an empty tank position specified in advance by the user from a gauge image captured by the tank gauge; a server-side gauge image acquisition step of acquiring the gauge image from a gauge sensor provided on the tank gauge; a float position identification step of identifying the position of the float included in the gauge image using a trained model; a float relative position calculation step of calculating the relative position of the float based on the position of the float between the empty tank position and the full tank position; and a remaining amount calculation step of calculating the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float.

[0014] The field-installed terminal according to the present invention is a field-installed terminal for installing a gauge sensor on a fuel tank in order to solve the problem of managing the approximate remaining amount of fuel while maintaining the safety and security of an existing fuel tank, and comprises: a terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit that acquires the gauge image from the gauge sensor; an input information acquisition unit that acquires location information consisting of a full tank position, an empty tank position, and a designated position of the float, which are specified in advance by the user in the gauge image; an information transmission unit that transmits the location information to the remaining amount management server described in claim 2; and an estimated remaining amount acquisition unit that acquires the estimated remaining amount of fuel calculated by the remaining amount calculation unit based on the location information from the remaining amount management server.

[0015] Also, as one aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the problem of customizing the learned model for each fuel tank to be managed and further improving the image recognition accuracy of the float, the learned model is machine-learned from gauge images of various tank gauges and may also be machine-learned from the gauge image acquired by the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit.

[0016] The remaining amount management system according to the present invention has the remaining amount management server in any of the above-described aspects, the on-site installation terminal in any of the above-described aspects, and a gauge sensor provided on the tank gauge, in order to solve the problem of managing the approximate remaining amount of fuel while maintaining the safety and crime prevention properties of existing fuel tanks.

Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to manage the approximate remaining amount of fuel while maintaining the safety and crime prevention properties of existing fuel tanks.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is an overall view showing the remaining amount management system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the remaining amount management server and the on-site installation terminal of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] In the present embodiment, it is a diagram showing (a) a designated screen of a cutout area, (b) a designated screen of a full tank position, (c) a designated screen of an empty tank position, and (d) a designated screen of the position of a float. [Figure 4] In the present embodiment, it is a flowchart showing the process when installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge. [Figure 5] In the present embodiment, it is a flowchart showing the process when managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] The following describes embodiments of the remaining capacity management server, remaining capacity management program, remaining capacity management method, field-installed terminal, and remaining capacity management system according to the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the fuel level management system S of this embodiment consists of a gauge sensor 20 provided on the tank gauge 101 of the fuel tank 100, a field installation terminal 10 used when installing the gauge sensor 20 on the tank gauge 101, and a fuel level management server 1 for managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 100. Each of these components will be described below.

[0021] ) [1] Tank gauge The tank gauge 101 indicates the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 100. Conventionally, fuel tanks 100 for storing fuels such as kerosene are equipped with a tank gauge 101 on their top surface. As shown in Figure 1, the tank gauge 101 has a float 102 that moves up and down according to the liquid level of the fuel, and a transparent cover 103 that protects the float 102 so that it can be seen. As shown in Figure 1, the transparent cover 103 is provided with a scale 104 that indicates at least the full tank position (F) and the empty tank position (E), so that the approximate remaining amount can be grasped by the position of the float 102.

[0022] [2] Gauge sensor The gauge sensor 20 is externally attached to the tank gauge 101 to capture gauge images. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the gauge sensor 20 has a cup portion 21 that covers the tank gauge 101 so that it can be seen, and a sensor body 22. The sensor body 22 contains a camera 23 for capturing gauge images, as well as a battery, communication device, timer, lighting device, etc. (not shown).

[0023] In this configuration, when the gauge sensor 20 is installed on the tank gauge 101, it captures a gauge image triggered by a physical switch (not shown) and transmits it to the field installation terminal 10. After installation is complete, the gauge sensor 20 captures a gauge image at intervals set by the timer and transmits it to the remaining amount management server 1. In Figure 1, for convenience, the gauge sensor 20 is shown to the side of the tank gauge 101, but in reality, unlike in Figure 1, the gauge sensor 20 is installed so that the camera 23 is positioned directly in front of the scale 104. This is to clearly capture the scale 104 as a gauge image.

[0024] [3] Terminals for on-site installation The field-installed terminal 10 is comprised of a computer such as a smartphone or tablet, and is used by users such as workers who install the gauge sensor 20 at the site. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the field-installed terminal 10 mainly comprises a display input means 2, a communication means 3, a storage means 4, and an arithmetic processing means 5. Each of these components will be described below.

[0025] The display input means 2 is composed of a touch panel display or the like, and combines input and display functions. In this embodiment, the display input means 2 has a display function that displays gauge images and input screens for various information, and an input function that accepts user input and instructions via touch input.

[0026] Communication means 3 implements communication functions in the field-installed terminal 10. In this embodiment, communication means 3 is composed of a wireless module compatible with carrier network standards such as 5G, wireless LAN standards such as Wi-Fi®, and short-range wireless communication standards such as Bluetooth®. Communication means 3 transmits and receives various data with the remaining capacity management server 1 via a communication network such as the Internet, and also transmits and receives various data with the gauge sensor 20 via short-range wireless communication.

[0027] The storage means 4 stores various types of data and also functions as a working area when the arithmetic processing means 5 performs arithmetic processing. In this embodiment, the storage means 4 is composed of ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, etc., and has a program storage unit 41 as shown in Figure 2.

[0028] The program storage unit 41 has the field installation program 10a (application) installed. The arithmetic processing means 5 then executes the field installation program 10a, causing the computer, which serves as the field installation terminal 10, to function as one of the components described later.

[0029] The arithmetic processing unit 5 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and by executing the field installation program 10a installed in the program storage unit 41, it functions as a terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51, an input information acquisition unit 52, an information transmission unit 53, and an estimated remaining amount acquisition unit 54, as shown in Figure 2. Each component will be described in more detail below.

[0030] The terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51 is a functional unit that acquires gauge images from the gauge sensor 20. In this embodiment, when installing the gauge sensor 20, first, the field installation terminal 10 and the gauge sensor 20 are connected by Bluetooth®. Then, when a physical switch (not shown) provided on the gauge sensor 20 is pressed, the camera 23 captures a gauge image and transmits it to the field installation terminal 10. Therefore, the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51 on the field installation terminal 10 acquires the gauge image from the gauge sensor 20 via the communication means 3.

[0031] The input information acquisition unit 52 is a functional unit that acquires information entered by the user from the display input means 2. In this embodiment, the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires customer information (name, address, etc.), the tank shape of the fuel tank 100, position information to identify a cutout area for cutting out the tank gauge 101 portion from the gauge image, position information consisting of the full tank position, empty tank position, and the position of the float 102 in the gauge image, and so on.

[0032] In this embodiment, three types of tank shapes are selectable: a horizontal rectangular parallelepiped, a vertical cylindrical shape, a horizontal cylindrical shape, and a spherical shape, but the system is not limited to these shapes. Furthermore, if all fuel tanks 100 to be managed have the same shape, it is not necessary to input information about the tank shape.

[0033] Furthermore, when acquiring various positional information using the gauge image, the field-installed terminal 10 displays the gauge image acquired by the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51 on the display input means 2. Figure 3(a) shows the screen for specifying the cropping area, which is displayed when acquiring positional information for the cropping area. On this specification screen, the user moves the rectangular frame F displayed on the gauge image and positions the rectangular frame F so that it encloses the entire scale 104. Then, by touching the "Next" button, the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires the two-dimensional coordinates (X,Y) in the image coordinate system for the four vertices of the rectangular frame F as positional information to identify the cropping area, and also displays the screen for specifying the full tank position.

[0034] Figure 3(b) shows the screen for specifying the full tank position, which is displayed when acquiring location information for the full tank position. On this specification screen, the user traces the full line indicating the full tank position (F) with their finger on the gauge image displayed. Then, by touching the "Next" button, the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires the height direction (Y direction) coordinates in the image coordinate system for the position traced with the finger and displays the next specification screen. Similarly, when acquiring location information for the empty tank position (E) and the float 102 position, as shown in Figures 3(c) and (d), the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires the height direction (Y direction) coordinates in the image coordinate system for the traced position by tracing each line with a finger on the display input means 2.

[0035] The information transmission unit 53 is a functional unit that transmits various types of information acquired by the input information acquisition unit 52 to the fuel level management server 1 via the communication means 3. In this embodiment, as will be described later, when the information transmission unit 53 causes the fuel level management server 1 to estimate the remaining fuel level, it transmits at least the tank shape and location information consisting of the full tank position, the empty tank position, and the position of the float 102 to the fuel level management server 1. Furthermore, if the estimated remaining fuel level is reasonable, the information transmission unit 53 transmits the above-mentioned customer information, gauge image, tank shape, location information identifying the cutout area, full tank position, and empty tank position to the fuel level management server 1 as registered information.

[0036] The estimated remaining fuel acquisition unit 54 is a functional unit that acquires the estimated remaining fuel amount from the fuel management server 1 via the communication means 3. In this embodiment, as will be described later, when the information transmission unit 53 transmits the tank shape, full tank position, empty tank position, and float 102 position to the fuel management server 1, the fuel amount calculation unit 59 of the fuel management server 1 calculates the estimated remaining fuel amount based on this information. The estimated remaining fuel amount calculated by the unit 54 is then acquired from the fuel management server 1 and displayed on the display input means 2.

[0037] [4] Remaining capacity management server The fuel level management server 1 is composed of computers such as cloud servers or physical servers, and manages the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 100. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the fuel level management server 1 mainly has a communication means 3, a storage means 4, and a processing means 5. Each of these components will be described below.

[0038] Communication means 3 implements communication functions in the remaining capacity management server 1. In this embodiment, communication means 3 is composed of a wireless module compatible with carrier network standards such as 5G and wireless LAN standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Communication means 3 transmits and receives various data to and from the gauge sensor 20 and the field-installed terminal 10 via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0039] The storage means 4 stores various types of data and also functions as a working area when the arithmetic processing means 5 performs arithmetic processing. In this embodiment, the storage means 4 is composed of a solid-state drive (SSD), a hard disk drive (HDD), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), flash memory, etc., and as shown in Figure 2, it has a program storage unit 41, a registered information storage unit 42, a gauge image storage unit 43, a trained model storage unit 44, and a remaining data storage unit 45.

[0040] The remaining capacity management program 1a of this embodiment is installed in the program storage unit 41. The arithmetic processing means 5 then executes the remaining capacity management program 1a, causing the computer, acting as the remaining capacity management server 1, to function as one of the components described later.

[0041] The registration information storage unit 42 stores information about the fuel tank 100 to be managed and its customers. In this embodiment, customer information, tank shape, location information identifying the cutout area, full tank position, and empty tank position, etc., transmitted from the information transmission unit 53 of the field-installed terminal 10 and acquired by the information acquisition unit 55 (described later), are stored in the registration information storage unit 42 as registration information.

[0042] The gauge image storage unit 43 stores gauge images captured of the tank gauge 101. In this embodiment, the gauge image storage unit 43 stores gauge images acquired by the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51 of the field installation terminal 10 when the gauge sensor 20 is installed. In addition, as will be described later, the gauge image storage unit 43 also stores gauge images used for calculating the remaining amount as evidence.

[0043] The trained model storage unit 44 stores a trained model that forms the core of the artificial intelligence (AI). In this embodiment, the trained model storage unit 44 stores a trained model that has been machine-learned using gauge images of various tank gauges 101, and is used to detect floats 102 contained in the gauge images by image recognition. When a gauge image is input to this trained model, it outputs the position of the floats 102.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the trained model is also trained using gauge images acquired by the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51 of the field installation terminal 10 when the tank gauge 101 is installed. As a result, the trained model is customized for each fuel tank 100 to be managed, further improving the image recognition accuracy of the float 102.

[0045] The usage of the remaining battery management program 1a and the trained model is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the remaining battery management program 1a and the trained model may be stored on a non-temporary storage medium that can be read by a computer, such as a USB memory stick or CD-ROM, and then read and executed directly from that storage medium. Alternatively, the remaining battery management program 1a and the trained model may be packaged and made available for download as an application for smartphones and tablets. Furthermore, the remaining battery management program 1a and the trained model may be stored on an external server and used in a cloud computing or ASP (Application Service Provider) manner.

[0046] The remaining fuel data storage unit 45 stores the remaining fuel amount of the fuel tank 100 to be managed. In this embodiment, the remaining fuel amount calculated by the remaining fuel amount calculation unit 59, which will be described later, is stored in the remaining fuel data storage unit 45 in chronological order for each fuel tank 100.

[0047] The arithmetic processing unit 5 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and by executing the remaining capacity management program 1a installed in the program storage unit 41, it functions as an information acquisition unit 55, a server-side gauge image acquisition unit 56, a float position identification unit 57, a float relative position calculation unit 58, and a remaining capacity calculation unit 59, as shown in Figure 2. Each component will be described in more detail below.

[0048] The information acquisition unit 55 is a functional unit that acquires information about the fuel tank 100 to be managed and its customers. In this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 55 acquires customer information, tank shape, location information that identifies the cutout area, full tank position and empty tank position, etc., as registered information from the field installation terminal 10 via the communication means 3, and stores it in the registered information storage unit 42. As described above, the full tank position and empty tank position are specified in advance by the user in the gauge image captured from the tank gauge. In addition, in this embodiment, when installing the gauge sensor 20, the information acquisition unit 55 acquires at least the tank shape and location information consisting of the full tank position, empty tank position and the position of the float 102 from the field installation terminal 10.

[0049] The server-side gauge image acquisition unit 56 is a functional unit that acquires gauge images from the gauge sensor 20. In this embodiment, the server-side gauge image acquisition unit 56 acquires gauge images that are periodically transmitted from the gauge sensor 20 via the communication means 3 and stores them in the gauge image storage unit 43.

[0050] The float position identification unit 57 is a functional unit that identifies the position of the float 102 included in the gauge image using a trained model. In this embodiment, the float position identification unit 57 cuts out a cropped area acquired by the information acquisition unit 55 from the gauge image acquired by the server-side gauge image acquisition unit 56. The image of the cropped area is then input to the trained model stored in the trained model storage unit 44, and the position of the float 102 output as a result of image recognition by the trained model is obtained. Then, position information corresponding to the position of the float 102 is output to the float relative position calculation unit 58.

[0051] In this embodiment, in order to improve the accuracy of the float position identification unit 57 in identifying the float 102, a cropped area extracted from the gauge image is input to the trained model. However, the system is not limited to this configuration, and if the gauge image does not deviate from the image trained in the trained model, the gauge image may be input directly to the trained model to identify the position of the float 102.

[0052] The float relative position calculation unit 58 is a functional unit that calculates the relative position of the float 102. In this embodiment, the float relative position calculation unit 58 calculates the relative position of the float 102 based on the empty tank position and the full tank position acquired by the information acquisition unit 55 and the position of the float 102 identified by the float position identification unit 57. Specifically, the float position identification unit 57 connects the empty tank position and the full tank position with a line segment and finds the intersection point between the line segment and the position of the float 102. Then, it calculates the value of the intersection point as the relative position of the float 102, with the empty tank position set to 0 and the full tank position set to 1. For example, if the intersection point is midway between the empty tank position and the full tank position, the relative position will be 0.5.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when installing the gauge sensor 20, the information acquisition unit 55 acquires the full tank position and the empty tank position from the field installation terminal 10, as well as the position of the float 102 specified by the user in the gauge image, as the specified position. In this case, the float relative position calculation unit 58 calculates the relative position of the float 102 based on the specified position. That is, the float position identification unit 57 finds the intersection point between the line segment connecting the empty tank position and the full tank position and the specified position of the float 102. Then, it calculates the value of the intersection point, with the empty tank position set to 0 and the full tank position set to 1, as the relative position of the float 102.

[0054] The remaining fuel calculation unit 59 is a functional unit that calculates the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 100. In this embodiment, the remaining fuel calculation unit 59 calculates the remaining amount of fuel based on the relative position of the float 102 calculated by the float relative position calculation unit 58 and the tank shape acquired by the information acquisition unit 55, and stores the data in the remaining fuel data storage unit 45. Specifically, the remaining fuel calculation unit 59 calculates the remaining amount of fuel using the following formulas (1) to (3).

[0055] If the tank shape is a horizontal rectangular prism or a vertical cylinder: V = x ... Equation (1) If the tank shape is a horizontal cylinder: V = (1 / π) * [cos -1 (1-2x)-(1-2x)*√(4x-4x 2 )] …Equation (2) If the tank shape is spherical: V = (1 / 2) * (3x 2 -2x 3 ) …Formula (3) However, each symbol represents the following: V: Volume fraction of remaining amount x: Relative position of the float (empty tank position is 0, full tank position is 1)

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, when installing the gauge sensor 20, the float relative position calculation unit 58 calculates the relative position of the float 102 based on the specified position of the float 102 specified by the user. In this case, the remaining amount calculation unit 59 calculates the estimated remaining amount of fuel based on the relative position of the float 102 calculated based on the specified position, and transmits it to the field installation terminal 10.

[0057] Next, the operation of the remaining capacity management server 1, remaining capacity management program 1a, remaining capacity management method, field installation terminal 10, and remaining capacity management system S of this embodiment will be described.

[0058] When managing the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank 100 using the remaining amount management server 1, remaining amount management program 1a, remaining amount management method, field installation terminal 10, and remaining amount management system S of this embodiment, first, as shown in Figure 1, a gauge sensor 20 is attached to the tank gauge 101 of the fuel tank 100 to be managed. Since the remaining amount can be managed simply by attaching this gauge sensor 20 externally, the safety and security of the existing fuel tank 100 are maintained.

[0059] After attaching the gauge sensor 20 to the tank gauge 101, the necessary information is registered using the field terminal 10. Specifically, the field terminal 10 is connected to the gauge sensor 20 via Bluetooth® or the like, and then a physical switch or the like provided on the gauge sensor 20 is pressed. As a result, as shown in Figure 4, the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 51 acquires a gauge image from the gauge sensor 20 via the communication means 3 (step S1).

[0060] Next, the input information acquisition unit 52 of the field-installed terminal 10 acquires customer information (name, address, etc.) and information such as the tank shape of the fuel tank 100 that has been input from the display input means 2 (step S2). Subsequently, as shown in Figure 3(a), the rectangular frame F is moved on the display input means 2, which displays the gauge image acquired in step S1, and positioned to enclose the entire scale 104. As a result, the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires the two-dimensional coordinates (X,Y) of the four vertices of the rectangular frame F in the image coordinate system as position information to identify the cropping area of ​​the tank gauge 101 (step S3).

[0061] Next, as shown in Figures 3(b), (c), and (d), the user traces the lines indicating the full tank position (F), the empty tank position (E), and the position of the float 102 on the display input means 2 displaying the gauge image with their finger. As a result, the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires the height direction (Y direction) coordinates in the image coordinate system of each traced position as the specified positions of the full tank position, the empty tank position, and the float 102 (step S4).

[0062] Next, the information transmission unit 53 transmits the various information acquired in steps S2 to S4 to the remaining capacity management server 1 (step S5), and the information acquisition unit 55 of the remaining capacity management server 1 acquires that information (step S6). Then, float relative position calculation Part 5 8 However, based on the designated position of the float 102 between the empty tank position and the full tank position, the relative position of the float 102 is calculated (step S7), and based on that relative position, the remaining amount calculation unit 59 calculates the estimated remaining amount of fuel (step S8).

[0063] As a result, even if the fuel tank 100 is installed at a slight incline, or if the scale 104 of the tank gauge 101 is faded and difficult to see due to deterioration, the empty tank position, the full tank position, and the designated position of the float 102 are specified based on the user's (worker's) visual inspection and experience, so the remaining amount of fuel can be estimated taking into account various conditions at the site. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the remaining amount is calculated according to the tank shape of the fuel tank 100, it is possible to manage fuel tanks 100 with various tank shapes. Moreover, since a calculation formula adapted to each tank shape is used, the calculated remaining amount is close to the actual amount.

[0064] Next, the remaining amount calculation unit 59 transmits the calculated estimated remaining amount to the field-installed terminal 10 (step S9). The estimated remaining amount acquisition unit 54 of the field-installed terminal 10 acquires the estimated remaining amount (step S10) and displays it on the display input means 2. The user determines the validity of the estimated remaining amount based on whether the displayed estimated remaining amount is similar to the actual remaining amount expected based on visual inspection and experience (step S11).

[0065] As a result, if the estimated remaining amount estimated by the remaining amount management server 1 differs from the actual remaining amount, it is determined that the estimate is not valid (step S11: NO), and the process from step S3 is repeated. This reduces the error between the estimated remaining amount estimated by the remaining amount management server 1 and the actual remaining amount expected based on visual inspection and experience.

[0066] On the other hand, if the estimated remaining amount estimated by the remaining amount management server 1 is equivalent to the actual remaining amount, it is determined to be highly valid (step S11: YES), and the information transmission unit 53 transmits customer information, gauge image, tank shape, location information identifying the cutout area, as well as the full tank location and empty tank location for which the most valid estimated remaining amount was obtained, to the remaining amount management server 1 as registration information (step S12).

[0067] In the remaining fuel management server 1, the information acquisition unit 55 acquires the above-mentioned registration information from the field-installed terminal 10 (step S13) and stores it in the registration information storage unit 42. As a result, the remaining fuel management server 1 is equipped with the information necessary to manage the remaining fuel in the fuel tank 100.

[0068] Next, we will explain the process by which the fuel management server 1 manages the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 100. First, as shown in Figure 5, when the gauge sensor 20 detects that the timer has reached the set time (step S21: YES), the camera 23 captures a gauge image and transmits it to the fuel management server 1 (step S22).

[0069] In the remaining amount management server 1, when the server-side gauge image acquisition unit 56 acquires a gauge image from the gauge sensor 20 (step S23: YES), the float position identification unit 57 cuts out a cropped area from the gauge image and inputs it into the trained model to identify the position of the float 102 (step S24). By using the cropped area of ​​the gauge image in this way, the range to be recognized is narrowed, thereby improving the accuracy of identifying the float 102.

[0070] Next, float relative position calculation Part 5 8However, based on the position of the float 102 identified in step S24, the relative position of the float 102 between the empty tank position and the full tank position is calculated (step S25). This allows the relative height of the fuel remaining in the fuel tank 100 to be calculated (relative height when the empty tank position is 0 and the full tank position is 1).

[0071] Next, the remaining fuel calculation unit 59 calculates the remaining fuel amount (step S26) based on the relative position of the float 102 calculated in step S25 and the tank shape previously registered in the registration information storage unit 42, and stores it in the remaining fuel data storage unit 45 (step S27). As a result, the approximate remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 100 is automatically calculated and accumulated and managed in chronological order.

[0072] The following effects are achieved with the remaining capacity management server 1, remaining capacity management program 1a, remaining capacity management method, field installation terminal 10, and remaining capacity management system S according to the present invention. 1. The approximate remaining fuel level can be managed while maintaining the safety and security features of the existing fuel tank 100. 2. Based on the user's visual observation and experience, the remaining fuel amount can be estimated while flexibly taking into account various on-site conditions. 3. By using a cropped area, the range in which the gauge image is to be recognized can be narrowed, thereby improving the accuracy of float identification. 4. Various tank shapes of fuel tanks can be managed. 5. Depending on the shape of the fuel tank, it is possible to calculate a remaining amount that is close to the actual amount. 6. By customizing the trained model for each fuel tank to be managed, the accuracy of float image recognition can be further improved.

[0073] Furthermore, the remaining capacity management server 1, remaining capacity management program 1a, remaining capacity management method, field installation terminal 10, and remaining capacity management system S according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate.

[0074] For example, although the above-described embodiment describes an example applied to a fuel tank for storing kerosene, it is not limited to this, and any fuel tank having a tank gauge equipped with a float that moves up and down according to the liquid level of the fuel is acceptable. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1. Remaining capacity management server 1a Battery level management program 2. Display input means 3. Means of communication 4 Memory means 41 Program Storage Unit 42. Registered Information Storage Unit 43 Gauge Image Storage Unit 44. Pre-trained model memory unit 45 Remaining data storage unit 5. Processing means 51 Terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit 52 Input Information Acquisition Unit 53 Information Transmission Section 54 Estimated remaining amount acquisition unit 55 Information Acquisition Department 56 Server-side gauge image acquisition unit 57 Float position identification unit 58 Float relative position calculation unit 59. Remaining amount calculation unit 10. Terminals for on-site installation 10a Program for on-site installation 20 gauge sensor 21 Cup section 22 Sensor body 23 Cameras 100 Fuel Tank 101 Tank Gauge 102 Floats 103 Transparent cover 104 divisions F Rectangular Frame S Remaining quantity management system

Claims

1. A fuel level management server for managing the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank, The fuel tank is equipped with a tank gauge that has a float that moves up and down according to the fuel level. The tank gauge is equipped with a gauge sensor that captures a gauge image of the tank gauge. When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, a field-installation terminal is used. The aforementioned remaining capacity management server is: When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, an information acquisition unit acquires the full tank position, empty tank position, and specified float position in the gauge image, as specified by the user from the field installation terminal. A float relative position calculation unit calculates the relative position of the float based on the position of the float between the empty tank position and the full tank position, A fuel level calculation unit calculates the estimated remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float and transmits it to the field-installed terminal, If the estimated remaining amount is equivalent to the actual remaining amount based on the user's visual inspection and experience, the information acquisition unit stores the full tank position and empty tank position acquired from the field-installed terminal as registered information in the registration information storage unit. When managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, a server-side gauge image acquisition unit acquires the gauge image from the gauge sensor, A float position identification unit that identifies the position of the float included in the gauge image using a trained model, It has, The float relative position calculation unit is: When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, the relative position of the float is calculated based on the specified position of the float. When managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, the relative position of the float is calculated based on the full tank position and empty tank position stored in the registration information storage unit and the position of the float identified by the float position identification unit. The remaining amount calculation unit calculates the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float. Battery level management server.

2. The information acquisition unit acquires positional information to identify a cutout region for cutting out the tank gauge portion from the gauge image. The float position identification unit identifies the position of the float included in the cutout region using a trained model. The remaining capacity management server according to claim 1.

3. The information acquisition unit acquires the tank shape of the fuel tank, The remaining amount calculation unit calculates the remaining amount of fuel based on the relative position of the float and the shape of the tank. The remaining capacity management server according to claim 1.

4. The remaining amount calculation unit calculates the remaining amount of the fuel tank using the following formulas (1) to (3), as described in claim 3, for the remaining amount management server; If the tank shape is a horizontal rectangular prism or a vertical cylinder: V = x ...Equation (1) If the tank shape is a horizontal cylinder: V = (1 / π) * [cos －１ (1-2x)-(1-2x)*√(4x-4x ２ )] …Formula (2) If the tank shape is spherical: V = (1 / 2) * (3x ２ -2x ３ )...Formula (3) However, each symbol represents the following: V: Volume ratio of remaining amount x: Relative position of the float (empty tank position is 0, full tank position is 1)

5. A fuel level management program for managing the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank, The fuel tank is equipped with a tank gauge that has a float that moves up and down according to the fuel level. The tank gauge is equipped with a gauge sensor that captures a gauge image of the tank gauge. When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, a field-installation terminal is used. The aforementioned remaining amount management program is: When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, an information acquisition unit acquires the full tank position, empty tank position, and specified float position in the gauge image, as specified by the user from the field installation terminal. A float relative position calculation unit calculates the relative position of the float based on the position of the float between the empty tank position and the full tank position, A fuel level calculation unit calculates the estimated remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float and transmits it to the field-installed terminal, If the estimated remaining amount is equivalent to the actual remaining amount based on the user's visual inspection and experience, the information acquisition unit stores the full tank position and empty tank position acquired from the field-installed terminal as registered information in the registration information storage unit. When managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, a server-side gauge image acquisition unit acquires the gauge image from the gauge sensor, A float position identification unit that identifies the position of the float included in the gauge image using a trained model. This makes the computer function, The float relative position calculation unit is: When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, the relative position of the float is calculated based on the specified position of the float. When managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, the relative position of the float is calculated based on the full tank position and empty tank position stored in the registration information storage unit and the position of the float identified by the float position identification unit. The remaining amount calculation unit calculates the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float. Battery level management program.

6. A method for managing the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank, The fuel tank is equipped with a tank gauge that has a float that moves up and down according to the fuel level. The tank gauge is equipped with a gauge sensor that captures a gauge image of the tank gauge. When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, a field-installation terminal is used. The aforementioned remaining quantity management method is: When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, the information acquisition step involves obtaining the full tank position, empty tank position, and specified float position in the gauge image, as specified by the user from the field installation terminal. A float relative position calculation step, which calculates the relative position of the float based on the position of the float between the empty tank position and the full tank position, A remaining fuel calculation step which calculates the estimated remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank based on the relative position of the float and transmits it to the field-installed terminal, If the estimated remaining amount is equivalent to the actual remaining amount based on the user's visual inspection and experience, the registration information storage step stores the full tank position and empty tank position obtained from the field-installed terminal in the information acquisition step as registered information. When managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, the server-side gauge image acquisition step involves acquiring the gauge image from the gauge sensor, A float position identification step in which the position of the float included in the gauge image is identified by a trained model, It has, In the float relative position calculation step, When installing the gauge sensor on the tank gauge, the relative position of the float is calculated based on the specified position of the float. When managing the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank, the relative position of the float is calculated based on the full tank position and empty tank position stored in the registration information storage step and the position of the float identified in the float position identification step. In the remaining amount calculation step, the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank is calculated based on the relative position of the float. How to manage remaining battery level.

7. A field-installation terminal for installing the gauge sensor in the fuel tank, A terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit that acquires the gauge image from the gauge sensor, An input information acquisition unit acquires position information consisting of a full tank position, an empty tank position, and a specified float position, as specified by the user in the gauge image. An information transmission unit that transmits the location information to the remaining quantity management server described in claim 1, An estimated remaining amount acquisition unit acquires the estimated remaining amount of fuel calculated by the remaining amount calculation unit based on the location information from the remaining amount management server. A terminal for on-site installation, equipped with the following features.

8. The field-installed terminal according to claim 7, wherein the trained model has been trained using gauge images of various tank gauges, and has also been trained using the gauge images acquired by the terminal-side gauge image acquisition unit.

9. A remaining capacity management server according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A field-installed terminal according to claim 7 or claim 8, A gauge sensor provided in the tank gauge, A remaining quantity management system that includes this feature.

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