Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide a device which outputs information that enable objective assessment of a degree of segregation.SOLUTION: An information processing device provided herein is configured to acquire information indicative of a degree of segregation of particles contained in a plurality of different types of powder, which results in disproportionately distributed powder having similar characteristics, and output the information indicative of the degree of segregation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure of this specification relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In the process of transporting or mixing powder, a phenomenon called segregation may occur. Since the segregation phenomenon may affect the performance and quality uniformity of products manufactured using powder, in recent years, attempts have been made to analyze the segregation phenomenon using particle simulation.

[0003] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses coloring and displaying particles according to their particle sizes in particle simulation. Non-Patent Document 2 discloses determining particles to be displayed and particles not to be displayed based on values possessed by each particle such as the diameter of the particle in particle simulation. An observer of particle simulation can, for example, confirm the segregation of small-diameter particles by finding particles with a specific particle size by coloring or by displaying only particles with a particle size below a certain value.

Prior Art Documents

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Non-Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] To solve the problems caused by the segregation phenomenon, there may be a case where it is required to objectively evaluate the degree of segregation, and it is difficult to make an objective evaluation simply by making it easier to observe particles with a specific particle size. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the degree of segregation in which particles with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among particles contained in multiple different types of powders, and an output means for outputting the information indicating the degree of segregation to a file. , a display control means that causes the display unit to display information indicating the degree of segregation, to have Furthermore, the display control means causes the segregated particles determined to be segregated based on the degree of segregation to be displayed on the display unit, and the non-segregated particles that were not determined to be segregated to be displayed on the display unit with higher transparency than the segregated particles. It is characterized by the following. Furthermore, an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the degree of segregation in which particles with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among particles contained in a plurality of different types of powders, an output means for outputting the information indicating the degree of segregation to a file, and a display control means for displaying the information indicating the degree of segregation on a display unit, wherein the display control means displays the information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit by performing contour display by color or density of the particles according to the degree of segregation. Furthermore, an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the degree of segregation in which particles with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among particles contained in a plurality of different types of powders; an output means for outputting the information indicating the degree of segregation to a file; and a display control means for displaying the information indicating the degree of segregation on a display unit, wherein the display control means simultaneously displays on the display unit a video showing the behavior of the different types of powders and the information indicating the degree of segregation, and at least one of a graph or table showing the degree of segregation. Furthermore, an information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a display method for displaying the behavior of multiple different types of powders on a display unit, characterized in that it reads information indicating the degree of segregation in which powders with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among the multiple different types of powders, displays segregated particles that are determined to be segregated based on the degree of segregation of the particles contained in the powder on the display unit, and displays non-segregated particles that are not determined to be segregated on the display unit with higher transparency than the segregated particles, thereby displaying the information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit in an identifiable manner. Furthermore, an information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a display method for displaying the behavior of multiple different types of powders on a display unit, characterized in that it reads information indicating the degree of segregation in which powders having similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among the multiple different types of powders, and displays the information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit in an identifiable manner by performing contour display of the particles contained in the powder according to the degree of segregation using the color or density of the particles. Furthermore, an information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a display method for displaying the behavior of multiple different types of powders on a display unit, characterized in that it reads information indicating the degree of segregation in which powders with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among the multiple different types of powders, and simultaneously displays on the display unit, for particles contained in the powder, at least one of a video showing the behavior of the different types of powders and the information indicating the degree of segregation, and a graph or table showing the degree of segregation, thereby displaying the information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit in an identifiable manner. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] By outputting information indicating the degree of segregation to a file, it is possible to use that file to perform objective evaluations of segregation based on indicators in particle simulations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows an example of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a screen displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]This figure shows an example of a screen displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [First Embodiment] In the manufacturing process of products that use powders, such as pharmaceuticals and toners, processes for transporting and mixing powders may be included to ensure product uniformity. Powder mixing is performed to homogenize two or more types of powders. Since powders do not self-diffuse, external force is required for mixing, but in reality, forces that try to mix the powders and forces that try to separate them occur. Therefore, due to the influence of differences in particle size distribution and density between different types of powders, perfectly uniform mixing is not always possible. Thus, although it is desirable for multiple types of powders with different particle sizes, specific gravities, and materials to be uniformly mixed, perfect uniformity is not achieved, and the phenomenon in which powders with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed during the transport and mixing processes is called segregation. Here, powders with similar characteristics refer to powders composed of particles within a certain particle size range, or powders that share specific physical properties, among multiple different types of powders.

[0011] The following are examples of segregation phenomena. For example, in a mixing device, smaller particles may pass through the gaps between larger particles due to gravity or centrifugal force, causing the smaller particles to accumulate in one part of the container and resulting in an uneven particle size distribution. In another example, in a rotary mixing device, when powders are mixed at high speed, larger particles with higher specific gravity may gather on the outside of the rotating device due to centrifugal force, while lighter particles accumulate in the center.

[0012] For example, the manufacturing process of tablets involves mixing small-diameter active pharmaceutical ingredients with large-diameter excipients. To ensure a uniform amount of drug in each tablet, it is desirable to minimize segregation. Particle simulations are used to analyze segregation phenomena in manufacturing processes.

[0013] There are several problems with the methods for evaluating segregation using particle simulations proposed so far. For example, in the method of displaying particles by coloring according to particle size, when a region where particles of the same color are aggregated is observed, it is possible that particles of the particle size indicated by that color are segregated. However, since all particles are displayed, segregation on the surface of the powder layer, such as near the wall surface of the device, is easy to evaluate, but segregation inside the powder layer is difficult to evaluate. In particular, it is difficult to identify the position where segregation is occurring inside the powder layer. Also, in the method of determining which particles to display and which to hide based on values that each particle has, such as the diameter of the particle, not all of the displayed particles contribute to the segregation phenomenon, and it may be difficult to evaluate the segregation phenomenon.

[0014] Also, various degrees of segregation can be considered for the actual segregation phenomenon. The allowable degree of segregation varies depending on the product, and it is desirable that the degree of segregation can be displayed in the simulation according to what the observer of the particle simulation wants to evaluate. In view of these problems, the inventors of the present invention have found a way to objectively display the degree of segregation.

[0015] (Functional configuration for obtaining the degree of segregation) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an information processing apparatus for obtaining the degree of segregation. The control unit 100 controls the overall process of obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation and outputting a file including the information indicating the degree of segregation. The control unit 100 includes a segregation analysis condition setting unit 111, a segregation display condition setting unit 112, a particle calculation result reading unit 113, a segregation index calculation unit 114, a segregation particle display unit 115, and a result output unit 116.

[0016] The segregation analysis condition setting unit 111 sets information indicating the physical properties of the powder to be simulated, thresholds for the degree of segregation, and the analysis region for calculating the segregation index value in memory as segregation analysis condition data 201b. The segregation analysis condition data 201b may be set by user input, or it may be set based on predetermined information according to the material of the powder, or based on data from past particle simulations. The segregation analysis condition setting unit 111 is an example of a setting means for setting conditions for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation.

[0017] The segregation display condition setting unit 112 sets conditions for displaying the results of particle simulations and information indicating the degree of segregation in memory as segregation display condition data 201c. The segregation display condition data 201c includes data related to the content to be displayed on the display unit, such as the method of displaying particles and whether or not to display graphs. The segregation display condition data 201c may be set by user input, or it may be set based on information determined according to the material of the powder, or based on data from particle simulations performed in the past. The segregation display condition setting unit 112 is an example of a setting means for setting conditions for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation.

[0018] The particle calculation result reading unit 113 sets the following information in memory: particle property data 201d, which indicates values ​​related to the physical properties of the particles contained in the powder, such as specific gravity; particle particle size data 201e, which indicates the particle size; particle coordinate data 201f, which indicates the coordinates of the particles contained in the powder calculated by particle simulation; and wall data 201g, which indicates the wall surface of the apparatus targeted for particle simulation. The particle property data 201d includes data related to the physical properties of the particles, such as specific gravity, electrical properties, and magnetic properties. The particle property data 201d and particle particle size data 201e may be set by user input, or they may be set based on predetermined information depending on the material of the powder, or based on data from past particle simulations. The particle coordinate data 201f may be set by the CPU 200 performing a particle simulation (a process that estimates the behavior of the powder and obtains the coordinates of the particles), or it may be set by obtaining the results calculated by a workstation (not shown) connected via bus 205 or LAN interface (not shown). Wall data 201g contains coordinate data representing the shape and position of the device's walls. Wall data 201g may be set by user input, based on CAD data, or based on data from past particle simulations.

[0019] The segregation index calculation unit 114 calculates a particle segregation index value, which is an example of information indicating the degree of segregation of particles contained in a powder, based on the segregation analysis condition data 201b set in the segregation analysis condition setting unit 111 and the particle physical property data 201d, particle particle size data 201e, particle coordinate data 201f, and wall data 201g set in the particle calculation result reading unit 113. The particle segregation index value is set in memory as part of the particle segregation index value data 201h. The particle segregation index value data 201h has a data structure in which information for identifying particles contained in the powder and information indicating the degree of segregation are associated. Information for identifying particles contained in the powder is, for example, information for uniquely identifying particles contained in the powder. The segregation index calculation unit 114 is an example of an acquisition means for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation. Furthermore, the segregation index calculation unit 114 is an example of a data generation means that generates display data that associates information for identifying particles contained in multiple different types of powders with information indicating the degree of segregation.

[0020] The segregated particle display unit 115 displays information indicating the degree of segregation of particles contained in the powder on the display unit, based on the segregation index value data 201h set by the segregation index calculation unit 114. The segregated particle display unit 115 displays information indicating the degree of segregation for the particles contained in the powder on the display unit 202 in an identifiable manner. Details of the manner in which the information indicating the degree of segregation is displayed will be described later. The segregated particle display unit 115 may also display a video representing the behavior of the particles on the display unit, based on the particle coordinate data 201f set by the particle calculation result reading unit 113. Alternatively, the segregated particle display unit 115 may display information indicating the degree of segregation as a graph or table on the display unit. The segregated particle display unit 115 is an example of a display control means for displaying information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit.

[0021] The result output unit 116 outputs a file containing at least the particle segregation index value data 201h set by the segregation index calculation unit 114. The result output unit 116 may output the file to a storage device or to an external device via communication. The result output unit 116 is an example of an output means for outputting information indicating the degree of segregation to a file. The result output unit 116 is also an example of an output means for outputting display data to a file. Considering that an external device reads the display data from the file and displays information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit, the result output unit 116 can also be considered an example of a display control means.

[0022] (Hardware configuration of an information processing device for obtaining the degree of segregation) Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device for acquiring the degree of segregation. The information processing device includes at least a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 200 and RAM (Random Access Memory) 201, and is connected to a display device 202, an input unit 203, and an external storage device 204 via a bus 205. The information processing device may also include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), a LAN (Local Area Network) interface, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. (not shown).

[0023] RAM201 stores, for example, a program 201a for acquiring information indicating the degree of segregation, segregation analysis condition data 201b, segregation display condition data 201c, particle physical property data 201d, particle size data 201e, particle coordinate data 201f, wall data 201g, and particle segregation index value data 201h.

[0024] CPU200 and GPU are examples of processors. RAM201, ROM, HDD, and SSD are examples of memory. An information processing unit may have multiple processors. Various processes are executed when a processor in an information processing unit executes a program stored in memory. An information processing unit may also have a CPU, GPU, or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) dedicated to performing specific processes. An information processing unit may have an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) programmed for specific or all processes. An information processing unit may have multiple memory configurations. An information processing unit may have multiple communication configurations such as bus 205 and LAN interface.

[0025] The display device 202 is configured to display an interface for inputting the various types of information described above for particle simulation and to display the results of the particle simulation; for example, it is a liquid crystal display. The input unit 203 is configured for the user to input information to the information processing device; for example, it is a keyboard or mouse. The display device 202 and the input unit 203 may be integrated as a touch panel display. The display device 202 is an example of a display unit. An external display device (not shown) that displays the degree of segregation based on a file output from the information processing device via the bus 205 or LAN interface is also an example of a display unit.

[0026] In the first embodiment, the CPU 200 performs particle simulation (a process that calculates the behavior of particles contained in the powder) based on various conditions stored in the RAM 201. The particle simulation may be performed on a GPU (not shown), on a workstation (not shown) connected via a bus 205 or LAN interface, or jointly by these configurations and the CPU 200.

[0027] (A process that retrieves and displays information indicating the degree of segregation.) Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process of acquiring information indicating the degree of segregation and displaying it on the display unit. Figure 4 is an example of a screen displayed on the display unit, which is an example of a screen for the user to set various conditions for particle simulation. Figure 5 is an example of a screen displayed on the display unit, which is a diagram illustrating the content of the process. The process of acquiring information indicating the degree of segregation and displaying it on the display unit will be explained below using Figures 3 to 5.

[0028] In step S301, the segregation analysis condition setting unit 111 sets the segregation analysis condition data 201b in the RAM 201. In the first embodiment, an example is described in which the user inputs segregation analysis conditions via a setting screen 404 displayed on the display device 202. When the user selects tab 402 showing the analysis conditions on the display screen 401, setting screens 404 and 405 are displayed on the display unit 202. Setting screen 404 includes items such as whether or not to perform segregation particle analysis, an item for inputting the analysis area, and an item for inputting analysis conditions (particle size, specific gravity, material). Here, particles with a particle size of 50 μm or less are targeted for segregation analysis, and the analysis area is set to particles within a sphere with a radius of 5 mm centered on the particle of interest. The information set here is saved as segregation analysis condition data 201b.

[0029] In step S302, the segregation display condition setting unit 112 sets the segregation display condition data 201c in the RAM 201. In the first embodiment, an example is described in which the user inputs segregation analysis conditions via a setting screen 405 displayed on the display device 202. The setting screen 405 includes items for determining whether or not to display segregated particles, and items for inputting the display method (items related to the threshold for displaying segregated particles, items related to the contour display of the segregation index, items related to the display of particles other than segregation evaluation particles, and items related to the display of the segregation index graph). Here, the threshold for displaying segregated particles is set to 3. The information set here is saved as segregation display condition data 201c.

[0030] The threshold value is a value related to the evaluation of the degree of segregation. In the first embodiment, the number of surrounding particles is used as the threshold value to evaluate the degree of segregation. If you want to evaluate the segregation phenomenon strictly, you can reduce the number of threshold particles, and if you want to evaluate it loosely, you can increase the number of threshold particles. Users can set the threshold value appropriately according to the content and purpose of the problem they consider to be. This allows for the evaluation of the segregation phenomenon according to the problem and purpose.

[0031] In step S303, the particle calculation result reading unit 113 reads the results of the particle simulation and sets the particle coordinate data 201f in RAM 201.

[0032] In step S304, the segregation index calculation unit 114 determines whether or not it is necessary to calculate the segregation index value based on the conditions set in steps S301 and S302. If it is not necessary to recalculate the segregation index value, such as when the segregation analysis conditions have been used to determine the segregation index value previously, or when only the segregation display conditions have been changed, the process proceeds to step S306. If it is necessary to newly calculate the segregation index value, the process proceeds to step S305.

[0033] In step S305, the segregation index calculation unit 114 calculates a segregation index value indicating the degree of segregation of each particle based on the particle physical property data 201d, segregation analysis condition data 201b (threshold), particle coordinate data 201f, and wall data 201g, and sets it in RAM 201 as particle segregation index value data 201h. Details of the processing in step S305 will be described later.

[0034] In step S306, the segregation particle display unit 115 displays information on the display device 202 that indicates the behavior and degree of segregation of the segregated particles, based on the segregation index value of each particle calculated by the segregation particle calculation unit 114. Here, the information that indicates the behavior and degree of segregation of the segregated particles includes, for example, the segregation index value, or a video or graph showing a particle simulation that reflects the segregation index value. Display screen 401 is an example of the screen that is displayed at this time.

[0035] In step S307, the result output unit 116 outputs a file showing the analysis results of the segregation phenomenon. This file includes at least particle segregation index value data 201h. The result output unit 116 may save the file by outputting it to an external storage device 204, or it may output it to an external device connected via a bus 205 or a LAN interface (not shown) so that information indicating the degree of segregation can be displayed on the display unit of the device.

[0036] Here, we will explain the details of the process in step S305. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of particles and the wall of the apparatus for evaluating segregation in the first embodiment. Here, we will explain using the case of evaluating the segregation of small-diameter particles as an example. In Figure 5(a), particle 501 is a small-diameter particle with a particle size of 50 μm or less, and particle 502 is a large-diameter particle with a particle size greater than 50 μm, and is located near the wall surface 503. In Figures 5(b) and (c), particle 504 and particle 507 are the particles to be analyzed, region 505 and region 509 are the regions to be analyzed, and particle 506 and particle 509 are neighboring particles that have been determined to be within the regions to be analyzed. Here, the particles to be analyzed are the particles for which the segregation index value is to be determined, and are selected based on the value of "Analysis Conditions" in the setting screen 404. The regions to be analyzed are based on the value of "Analysis Region" set in the setting screen 404.

[0037] The information processing device according to the first embodiment acquires information indicating the degree of segregation based on particles with similar characteristics to the particle being analyzed, which are located within a predetermined range from the particle being analyzed. Specifically, an example is described in which neighboring particles are defined based on their distance from the particle being analyzed, and a segregation index value is calculated using the number of neighboring particles. Here, as set in setting screen 404, particles with a particle size of 50 μm or less are selected as the particles to be analyzed. Also, as set in setting screen 405, 3 (particles) is used as the threshold for evaluating the degree of segregation.

[0038] In step S311, the segregation index calculation unit 114 sets a spherical region with a predetermined radius as the analysis region 505 for the particles 504 to be analyzed, based on the segregation analysis condition data 201b. In this specification, the particles to be analyzed may be referred to as the particles of interest.

[0039] In step S312, the segregation index calculation unit 114 searches for the target particles (in this case, small-diameter particles) contained within the analysis region 505. This identifies the small-diameter particles 506.

[0040] In step S313, the segregation index calculation unit 114 calculates the segregation index value and sets it as particle segregation index value data. In the first embodiment, the segregation index value is an index value based on the number of small-diameter particles (particles to be analyzed) in the analysis region 505. In step S312, the segregation index value is calculated based on the number of small-diameter particles 506 identified. In the first embodiment, the number of particles to be analyzed included in the analysis region is used as the segregation index value. At this time, the segregation index value may be stored as a data structure associated with information for identifying the particles 504 to be analyzed. This allows the user to objectively evaluate which particles are segregated and to what extent.

[0041] The loop processing from step S311 to step S313 is performed on the target particles for which segregation phenomena are to be analyzed. The analysis of segregation phenomena may target all particles in the apparatus. Alternatively, a specific region within the apparatus, where multiple different types of powders are present, may be pre-set as the space to be analyzed for segregation, and only the particles contained within that specific region may be targeted.

[0042] In the example shown in Figure 5, the segregation index value for small-diameter particle 504 is 6 because there are 6 other small-diameter particles contained within the analysis region 505. Since the threshold for evaluating the degree of segregation is set to 3, small-diameter particle 504 is determined to be a segregated particle. On the other hand, the segregation index value for small-diameter particle 507 is 1 because there is 1 small-diameter particle contained within the analysis region 508. Since the threshold is 3, small-diameter particle 507 is determined not to be a segregated particle.

[0043] Figure 5(d) shows an example where only particles identified as segregated particles are displayed. This allows for the identification and display of the location of segregated particles.

[0044] The information processing device according to the first embodiment may perform particle simulation (a process of predicting the behavior of powder and obtaining the coordinate values ​​of particles) using a known method, or it may appropriately obtain the results of the particle simulation from an external device, and may be executed in appropriate combination with the process of obtaining the information indicating the degree of segregation described above.

[0045] (Modified version of the first embodiment) The methods for identifying particles contributing to segregation are not limited to the examples described above. In addition to methods for identifying particles contributing to segregation based on particle size, methods may also be based on values ​​related to the physical properties of the particles, such as specific gravity and stiffness, or on physical quantities such as charge and magnetization obtained during the behavior of the powder.

[0046] In the example above, the predetermined range for the analysis domain, used to identify the particles contributing to the segregation phenomenon, was defined based on the distance from the particles being analyzed. However, this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 6(a), the analysis domain may be defined in a cubic space with the particles being analyzed as its center of gravity. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 6(b), the space may be divided into a mesh, and the analysis domain may be defined based on the mesh containing the particles of interest.

[0047] In the example above, the number of particles being analyzed within the analysis region was used as a threshold for evaluating the degree of segregation, but this is not the only option. For example, the total volume of the particles being analyzed, the proportion of the volume of the particles being analyzed within the analysis region, or the proportion of the total volume of all particles within the analysis region may be used. As shown in Figure 6(c), if the analysis region 604 includes the wall surface 605, the volume of the wall surface 605 may be deducted from the volume of the analysis region and used to evaluate the degree of segregation.

[0048] In the example above, particles contributing to the segregation phenomenon were identified using segregation index values ​​and thresholds, but this is not the only method. For example, even particles determined not to be segregating particles using the method described above may be particles located at the interface of the region where segregation occurs. Therefore, even if a particle is not determined to be a segregating particle based on the segregation index value and threshold, it may be newly determined to be a segregating particle if it contributes to another particle being determined to be a segregating particle. Particles located near newly determined segregating particles may also be determined to be segregating particles, but thresholds may be set appropriately so that not all particles in the apparatus are determined to be segregating particles.

[0049] In the example described above, a case was explained in which a file containing at least particle segregation index value data 201h is output as a file showing the results of the segregation phenomenon analysis, but it is not limited to this. The file may contain multiple types of data stored in RAM201 in Figure 2. Furthermore, an example of a data structure in which information for identifying particles and segregation index values, which are information indicating the degree of segregation, are associated was described, but it is not limited to this. Any data structure that allows for the analysis of the segregation phenomenon is acceptable, for example, a data structure in which information indicating the position of particles and information indicating the degree of segregation are associated. In this case, information that allows for an objective evaluation of which regions are experiencing segregation can be output. The information processing device according to the first embodiment may output a file with a data structure in which a video created based on particle coordinate data 201f and information indicating the degree of segregation (for example, particle segregation index value data 201h) are associated. By outputting a file that can display information that allows simultaneous viewing of the video and segregation index values, users can more easily perform an objective evaluation of segregation. The information processing device according to the first embodiment may output a file containing a program 201a that performs the above-described processing, so that users can adjust the segregation analysis conditions and segregation display conditions on their own terminals.

[0050] [Second Embodiment] The first embodiment describes a method for displaying only particles determined to be segregated particles. The second embodiment describes a method for simultaneously displaying the overall powder flow and segregated particles, showing how segregation progresses within the overall flow. The method for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation is the same as in the first embodiment and will not be explained here.

[0051] Figure 7(a) shows all the particles used to evaluate the segregation phenomenon, with particle 701 being a small-diameter particle and particle 702 being a large-diameter particle. In Figure 7(b), particle 703 is a particle that was determined to be a segregated particle.

[0052] Figure 7(c) shows an example of a method for displaying information indicating the degree of segregation. Particles other than the particles 703 that were determined to be segregated, i.e., non-segregated particles that were not determined to be segregated, are displayed semi-transparently. Particles 704 are large-diameter particles displayed semi-transparently, and particles 705 are small-diameter particles that were not determined to be segregated particles displayed semi-transparently. The segregated particle display unit 115 displays the transparency of non-segregated particles on the display device 202 with a higher transparency than that of segregated particles. The transparency may be varied based on particle size or segregation index value. This method makes it possible to display information for objectively evaluating the amount of segregated particles and the areas where segregation is occurring, while visually displaying the overall powder behavior.

[0053] [Third Embodiment] The first and second embodiments describe a method for identifying and displaying segregated particles based on pre-set conditions. As mentioned above, actual segregation phenomena vary in degree, and determining the optimal conditions for analyzing segregation phenomena may require trial and error in setting those conditions.

[0054] In the third embodiment, a method for displaying the degree of segregation in detail is shown. The method for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation is the same as in the first embodiment, and will not be explained here.

[0055] The segregation particle display unit 115 displays information indicating the degree of segregation on the display device 202 by using contour displays based on the color or density of the particles according to the degree of segregation. Figure 7(a) shows all the particles used to evaluate the segregation phenomenon, where particle 701 is a small-diameter particle and particle 702 is a large-diameter particle. Figure 7(d) is an example of a method for displaying information indicating the degree of segregation. Figure 7(d) shows only the small-diameter particles corresponding to particle 701, but each of the small-diameter particles is colored using contour displays based on the segregation index value. For example, the darkly colored particle 706 is a particle with a high segregation index value, and the lightly colored particle 707 is a particle with a low segregation index value. This method allows for the display of information for evaluating the degree of segregation in more detail. In combination with the second embodiment, the large-diameter particles may be displayed semi-transparently to allow for visual confirmation of the powder's behavior as well.

[0056] [Fourth Embodiment] When evaluating segregation phenomena, it is sometimes necessary to observe the degree of segregation from various perspectives. Figure 8(a) is an example of a display condition setting screen, and Figure 8(b) is an example of a screen that displays information indicating the degree of segregation.

[0057] In Figure 8(a), the segregation transition graph is selected to be displayed. In the screen shown in Figure 8(b), a video of "all particles displayed," a video of "non-segregated particles displayed transparently," a video of "segregated particles only displayed," and a graph showing the time change of the number of segregated particles are displayed side by side. Line 801 on the graph indicates the time on the video showing the powder behavior. The three videos can be displayed in sync, or they can be played individually according to the user's instructions. This method allows for a display that enables evaluation of the segregation phenomenon from various perspectives.

[0058] The example described uses the case where three types of videos and graphs are displayed side by side, but the number and types of videos are not limited to this. The segregation particle display unit 115 may also display a table as information indicating the degree of segregation. Alternatively, the segregation particle display unit 115 may display at least one of the following on the screen: one type of video, a graph, or a table, and may switch between multiple different types of videos, graphs, or tables at regular intervals or based on user instructions such as button presses. In this case, even if the size of the display unit is small, it is possible to display the segregation phenomenon from various perspectives without reducing visibility.

[0059] [Other embodiments] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0060] The information processing device in each of the embodiments described above may be implemented as a single device, or as a combination of multiple devices that can communicate with each other to perform the above processing; both are included in the embodiments of the present invention. The above processing may also be performed using a common server device or group of servers. The information processing device and the multiple devices constituting the information processing system only need to be able to communicate at a predetermined communication rate, and do not need to be located in the same facility or in the same country.

[0061] Embodiments of the present invention include a configuration in which a software program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment is supplied to a system or device, and the computer of the system or device reads and executes the code of the supplied program.

[0062] Therefore, the program code installed on a computer to implement the processing described in the embodiment is itself one of the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, based on the instructions contained in the program read by the computer, the operating system running on the computer may perform part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiment can also be realized through that processing.

[0063] Embodiments of the present invention also include configurations that appropriately combine the above-described embodiments.

Claims

1. An acquisition means for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation in which particles with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among particles contained in multiple different types of powders, An output means for outputting information indicating the degree of segregation to a file, A display control means for displaying information indicating the degree of segregation on a display unit, It has, The information processing apparatus is characterized in that the display control means causes segregated particles determined to be segregated particles to be displayed on the display unit based on the degree of segregation, and causes non-segregated particles that were not determined to be segregated to be displayed on the display unit with higher transparency than the segregated particles.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the file has a data structure in which information for identifying particles contained in the multiple different types of powders is associated with information indicating the degree of segregation.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires information indicating the degree of segregation by calculating a segregation index value based on particles having similar characteristics to the particles that exist within a predetermined range from the particles.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the acquisition means calculates the segregation index value based on the number of particles having similar characteristics to the particle that are located within a predetermined range from the particle.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the predetermined range is a region obtained by dividing the space in which the segregation is to be analyzed from the space in which the multiple different types of powders exist, or a region based on the distance from the particles.

6. An acquisition means for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation in which particles with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among particles contained in multiple different types of powders, An output means for outputting information indicating the degree of segregation to a file, A display control means for displaying information indicating the degree of segregation on a display unit, It has, The information processing apparatus is characterized in that the display control means displays information indicating the degree of segregation on the display unit by performing contour display based on the color or density of the particles according to the degree of segregation.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the display control means causes the display unit to display at least one of a graph or a table as information indicating the degree of segregation.

8. An acquisition means for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation in which particles with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among particles contained in multiple different types of powders, An output means for outputting information indicating the degree of segregation to a file, A display control means for displaying information indicating the degree of segregation on a display unit, It has, The display control means is an information processing device that simultaneously displays on the display unit a video showing the behavior of different types of powders and information showing the degree of segregation, and at least one of a graph or table showing the degree of segregation.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the display control means displays information for identifying the time of the video on the graph.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the display control means causes a plurality of different types of videos to be displayed on the display unit as the video.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the display control means causes the plurality of types of videos to be displayed on the display unit simultaneously.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the display control means causes the plurality of types of videos to be displayed on the display unit in a switchable manner.

13. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising setting means for setting conditions for obtaining information indicating the degree of segregation.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the aforementioned conditions are conditions for the particle size of the particles from which information indicating the degree of segregation is obtained.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the condition is a threshold for information indicating the degree of segregation, and it is determined whether or not the particle is a segregated particle based on the threshold.

16. A display method for displaying the behavior of multiple different types of powders on a display unit, The system reads information indicating the degree of segregation, where powders with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among the aforementioned multiple types of different powders. An information processing method characterized in that, with respect to the particles contained in the powder, segregated particles determined to be segregated based on the degree of segregation are displayed on the display unit, and non-segregated particles that were not determined to be segregated are displayed on the display unit with higher transparency than the segregated particles, thereby displaying information indicating the degree of segregation in an identifiable manner on the display unit.

17. A display method for displaying the behavior of multiple different types of powders on a display unit, The system reads information indicating the degree of segregation, where powders with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among the aforementioned multiple types of different powders. An information processing method characterized in that, with respect to the particles contained in the powder, information indicating the degree of segregation is displayed on the display unit in an identifiable manner by performing contouring based on the color or density of the particles according to the degree of segregation.

18. A display method for displaying the behavior of multiple different types of powders on a display unit, The system reads information indicating the degree of segregation, where powders with similar characteristics are unevenly distributed among the aforementioned multiple types of different powders. An information processing method characterized in that, with respect to particles contained in the powder, the information indicating the degree of segregation is displayed on the display unit in an identifiable manner by simultaneously displaying on the display unit a video showing the behavior of different types of powders and information indicating the degree of segregation, and at least one of a graph or table showing the degree of segregation.

19. A program that causes a computer to execute the information processing method described in any one of claims 16 to 18.

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