Remote control device, remote control program, remote control method, and remote control system

Abstract

To support recovery from trouble occurring in a target farm work performed by remote operations or autonomous movements of a working machine.SOLUTION: A remote control device (51) comprises: a monitoring processing unit (73) for acquiring a working condition of a working machine (10) that performs a target farm work with remote operations or autonomous movements; and a trouble processing unit (74) that determines whether the remote operations of the working machine or the autonomous movements of the working machine allows recovery from trouble or not when trouble occurs in the target farm work and that notifies an emergency contact destination of a relief request when the recovery is impossible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote control device, a remote control program, a remote control method, and a remote control system.

Background Art

[0002] In order to solve the labor shortage in the agricultural field, for example, in weeding the ridges, the mower is operated by remote control. Patent Document 1 discloses an autonomous driving system for an agricultural work vehicle that can safely remotely operate the agricultural work vehicle during autonomous driving. In this system, when the server is requested to monitor and control the autonomous driving of the agricultural work vehicle from the remote operation device, the server monitors and controls the autonomous driving of the agricultural work vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above-mentioned prior art documents only describe that when there is an abnormality in the agricultural work vehicle or around the agricultural work vehicle, the autonomous driving of the agricultural work vehicle is stopped, and do not describe how to recover from the abnormality.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention mainly aims to realize a remote control device or the like that can assist in recovering from troubles that occur in target agricultural operations by remote operation or autonomous operation of a work machine body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the aforementioned problems, a remote control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a monitoring processing unit that acquires the working status of a work machine that performs target agricultural work by remote operation or autonomous operation, and a trouble processing unit that, when a trouble occurs in the target agricultural work, determines whether it is possible to recover from the trouble by remote operation or autonomous operation of the work machine, and if recovery is not possible, notifies an emergency contact associated with the target agricultural work of a request for assistance.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, the remote control device may include a monitoring processing unit that stores historical information of troubles that have occurred in the target agricultural work, and a trouble processing unit that refers to the historical information and notifies the remote operator, the remote control device, or the work machine of locations where troubles may occur in the target agricultural work.

[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, the remote control device is configured such that the emergency contact is a local personnel responsible for troubleshooting the target agricultural work, and the troubleshooting unit further notifies the local personnel of the occurrence of the trouble and the working status of the work machine when the trouble occurs, and notifies the local personnel of the resolution of the trouble when the trouble is resolved.

[0009] A remote control program according to one aspect of the present invention is a remote control program for causing a computer to function as the remote control device, and is a remote control program for causing the computer to function as the monitoring processing unit and the troubleshooting processing unit.

[0010] To solve the aforementioned problems, a remote control method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a monitoring processing step in which a remote control device acquires the working status of a work machine that performs a target agricultural work by remote operation or autonomous operation, and a trouble handling step in which, when a trouble occurs in the target agricultural work, the remote control device determines whether it is possible to recover from the trouble by remote operation or autonomous operation of the work machine, and if recovery is not possible, notifies an emergency contact associated with the target agricultural work of a request for assistance.

[0011] To solve the aforementioned problems, a remote control system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a work machine that performs target agricultural work by remote operation or autonomous operation, and a server that can send and receive data with the work machine, and is controlled by at least one control device, wherein the control device performs monitoring processing to acquire the work status of the work machine, and trouble processing to determine whether recovery from trouble is possible by remote operation or autonomous operation of the work machine when trouble occurs in the target agricultural work, and if recovery is not possible, notify an emergency contact associated with the target agricultural work of a request for assistance.

[0012] To solve the aforementioned problems, a remote control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: an information acquisition unit that acquires at least one of the supporter information and machine information of a work supporter who can perform agricultural work by remote operation of a work machine, from a database in which multiple pieces of information are registered, which are at least one of the supporter information and machine information of the work machine; an agricultural work information acquisition unit that acquires agricultural work information of a target agricultural work to be performed by remote operation of a work machine or autonomous operation of the work machine from a requester; a request target selection unit that selects a target agricultural work by comparing the agricultural work information of the target agricultural work with at least one of the multiple pieces of supporter information and machine information; a monitoring processing unit that acquires the work status of a work machine that performs the target agricultural work; a trouble processing unit that, in the event of a trouble in the target agricultural work, determines whether recovery from the trouble is possible by remote operation of the work machine or autonomous operation of the work machine, and, if recovery is impossible, notifies an emergency contact associated with the target agricultural work of a request for assistance; and a reward determination unit that determines the reward for performing the target agricultural work based on the agricultural work information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to support recovery from problems that occur during target agricultural work performed by remotely controlling or autonomously operating the work machine. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an agricultural work support system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing an example of a control method for an agricultural work support system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A flowchart illustrating an example of the selection process included in the control method described above. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows an example of the remote control processing included in the control method described above. [Figure 5]It is a flowchart showing an example of the reward determination process included in the control method. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the display of the operator terminal during remote operation or monitoring. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a notification to be displayed on the operator terminal and the requester terminal.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0016] 〔Configuration of the Agricultural Work Support System 1〕 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the agricultural work support system 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the agricultural work support system 1 includes a lawn mower (work body) 10, a requester terminal 20, an operator terminal 30, a fixed imaging device 40, and a server 50.

[0017] According to the agricultural work support system 1, a requester of agricultural work who operates the requester terminal 20 can request agricultural work to an operator who has the operator terminal 30 and is suitable for carrying out the agricultural work. An operator is a person who accepts a request for agricultural work and can carry out agricultural work by monitoring and remotely operating a work body such as a lawn mower 10. Therefore, the operator does not need to live near the land where the agricultural work is actually carried out.

[0018] In the present invention, the meaning of the term "agricultural work" not only includes work related to the production of agricultural crops, etc., but also includes work related to agriculture that does not contribute to the production of agricultural crops, etc., for example, work outside the field such as mowing the grass on the ridge or slope surface. That is, the agricultural work carried out by the agricultural work support system 1 includes, in addition to the work for producing agricultural crops, work related to agriculture that is not directly related to the production of agricultural crops. Examples of agricultural work include, for example, work such as sowing, planting, managing or harvesting in the field related to the production of agricultural crops, work such as mowing grass or water management around the field, and work for creating various record books such as seeds, agricultural chemicals, fertilizers or work history required for field management.

[0019] The work supporter who has received the request performs agricultural work by monitoring and remotely operating the lawn mower 10. At this time, even when there is some trouble with the lawn mower 10 and it is difficult for the work supporter to recover, the agricultural work support system 1 can appropriately respond by notifying local personnel, etc. In addition, the agricultural work support system 1 can determine an appropriate reward for the work supporter.

[0020] In this specification, the agricultural work requested by the requester may be referred to as "target agricultural work", the land where the target agricultural work is carried out may be referred to as "work range", and the work supporter who receives the request and performs agricultural work may be referred to as "remote worker", respectively. Also, when simply referred to as "requester" in this specification, it is intended to mean the requester who requests agricultural work using the agricultural work support system 1.

[0021] (Lawn mower 10) The lawn mower 10 is a working machine body that moves within the work range of the target agricultural work and performs agricultural work such as mowing grass. The lawn mower 10 can be remotely controlled for operations by remote control and can also perform autonomous operations. Here, the "operation by remote control" includes not only the operation by remote control performed by the remote worker, but also the operation by remote control in a mode without human intervention, such as the operation of the lawn mower 10 by a signal from another control device such as the server 50. That is, the server 50 may be a remote control device for remotely operating the lawn mower 10. The lawn mower 10 may also function as an area information acquisition device for acquiring topographic information at each position in the work range.

[0022] The lawnmower 10 includes a machine control device 11, a machine imaging device 12, a position acquisition device 13, a state detection sensor 14, and a machine communication device 19.

[0023] The aircraft imaging device 12 captures images of the area around the lawnmower 10 (for example, the area in which the lawnmower 10 is scheduled to move) and generates image data. The aircraft imaging device 12 outputs the image data to the aircraft control device 11.

[0024] The position acquisition device 13 acquires the position of the lawnmower 10. For example, the position acquisition device 13 acquires the position of the lawnmower 10 using a satellite positioning system such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The position acquisition device 13 outputs position information indicating the position of the lawnmower 10 to the machine control device 11. Note that the lawnmower 10 does not necessarily have to be equipped with the position acquisition device 13. For example, the lawnmower 10 may have a structure that pays out a string, one end of which is fixed at a predetermined position in or around the work area, and the position of the lawnmower 10 within the work area can be easily acquired from the length of the string.

[0025] The state detection sensor 14 is a sensor that detects the state of the lawnmower 10. The lawnmower 10 may be equipped with, for example, an acceleration sensor to measure acceleration, or a tilt sensor such as a gyroscope to measure the tilt angle of the lawnmower 10, as the state detection sensor 14. The state detection sensor 14 outputs the detection result to the machine control device 11.

[0026] The machine control unit 11 comprehensively controls the operation of each part of the brush cutter 10. For example, the machine control unit 11 controls the movement and cutting operation of the brush cutter 10 according to instructions (movement instructions and operation instructions) from the operator terminal 30 remotely operated by a remote operator. The machine control unit 11 may also control the autonomous operation of the brush cutter 10. The machine control unit 11 may have a function to switch between a remote control mode that accepts remote operations from a remote operator and an autonomous operation mode in which the machine control unit 11 or the server 50 performs autonomous operation under its own control.

[0027] The aircraft communication device 19 communicates with the server 50. The aircraft communication device 19 may also communicate with the client terminal 20 and the worker terminal 30.

[0028] The brush cutter 10 may be a fully autonomous machine that does not accept remote control of its operation. Furthermore, the machine used for agricultural work is not limited to the brush cutter 10, but may be used for any type of agricultural work. For example, the machine used for agricultural work may be a liquid fertilizer mixing device or liquid fertilizer spraying device with a fixed installation position that does not move within its working range.

[0029] (Client terminal 20) The client terminal 20 is a communication terminal used by the client. The client terminal 20 comprises a first terminal control device 21, a first touch panel 22, and a first terminal communication device 29.

[0030] The first terminal control device 21 comprehensively controls the processing of each part of the client terminal 20. The first touch panel 22 serves as both an input device for receiving instructions from the client and a display device for displaying images. The first terminal communication device 29 communicates with the server 50.

[0031] The client terminal 20 may be a mobile device such as a smartphone or laptop computer, or it may be a fixed terminal such as a personal computer.

[0032] (Worker terminal 30) The worker terminal 30 is a communication terminal used by the work support staff. The worker terminal 30 comprises a second terminal control device 31, a second touch panel 33, and a second terminal communication device 39.

[0033] The second terminal control device 31 comprehensively controls the processing of each part of the operator terminal 30. The second terminal control device 31 includes a machine control unit 32. The machine control unit 32 outputs signals to control the operation of the lawnmower 10 based on input from the remote operator using the second touch panel 33.

[0034] The second touch panel 33 serves as both an input device for receiving instructions from the work supporter and a display device for displaying images. The second terminal communication device 39 communicates with the server 50. Alternatively, the second terminal communication device 39 may communicate directly with the lawnmower 10.

[0035] The worker terminal 30 may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or laptop computer, or a fixed terminal such as a personal computer. The worker terminal 30 has a remote control function for the lawnmower 10 via the machine control unit 32, but is not limited to this. For example, the agricultural work support system 1 may be equipped with a remote control or the like that can remotely control the lawnmower 10, in which case the worker terminal 30 does not need to include the machine control unit 32. Also, if the lawnmower 10 is a work machine that does not accept remote control of its operation and operates completely autonomously, the worker terminal 30 does not need to include the machine control unit 32.

[0036] (Fixed imaging device 40) The fixed imaging device 40 captures images of the entire or a part of the work area of ​​the target agricultural work and generates image data. The fixed imaging device 40 can communicate with the server 50 and outputs image data to the server 50. The fixed imaging device 40 may also communicate with the worker terminal 30 and output image data directly to the worker terminal 30. The fixed imaging device 40 may be an imaging device that captures a specific range, or it may be an imaging device that captures all directions, such as a 360° camera.

[0037] Furthermore, the agricultural work support system 1 may be equipped with a mobile imaging device instead of a fixed imaging device 40. A mobile imaging device may be, for example, an imaging device mounted on a mobile vehicle capable of traveling within and around the work area, an imaging device mounted on an aircraft such as a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), or an imaging device mounted on a small satellite. The movement of such a mobile imaging device may be autonomously controlled or controlled by remote operation by an operator.

[0038] Furthermore, if the lawnmower 10 is equipped with a machine-mounted imaging device 12, the agricultural work support system 1 does not need to have a fixed imaging device 40. Similarly, if the agricultural work support system 1 has a fixed imaging device 40, the lawnmower 10 does not need to have a machine-mounted imaging device 12. As in this embodiment, when the agricultural work support system 1 has both the machine-mounted imaging device 12 and the fixed imaging device 40 for the lawnmower 10, the remote worker performing the agricultural work can monitor and remotely operate the lawnmower 10 using multiple viewpoints.

[0039] (Server 50) Server 50 is an information processing device that centrally processes information from the agricultural work support system 1. Server 50 comprises a server control device 51, a server storage device 52, and a server communication device 59.

[0040] The server storage device 52 is a storage device that stores various data related to the server 50. The server storage device 52 stores the database 53. The database 53 may contain multiple entries of information about the support worker and information about the work equipment such as the lawnmower 10, but it is sufficient if multiple entries of either information are registered.

[0041] Supporter information may include personal information such as the support worker's registration number and age, past remote farming work history, past evaluations received from clients, remote operation proficiency for each work machine, available dates and times, and desired compensation. Machine information may include information such as the type of work machine, year of manufacture, possible farming tasks, types of potential problems, past trouble history, autonomous operation performance, and whether remote control is possible.

[0042] Information on the remote operation proficiency of a work support worker for each work machine may include, for example, the work support worker's usage history of the work machine, such as the number of times the work support worker has operated each work machine, the operating time, and the number of times they have recovered from trouble. Furthermore, the proficiency information may include proficiency information for each work area, which is generated separately for each work area where the work support worker has performed agricultural work in the past. In addition, the proficiency information may include the work support worker's attendance history of training courses, etc., on the work machine or the target agricultural work.

[0043] The autonomous operation performance of a work machine refers to information indicating the degree to which the work machine is capable of autonomous operation. For example, information such as (a) all tasks can be performed autonomously, (b) only some agricultural tasks can be performed autonomously, or (c) movement can be performed autonomously, but actual agricultural work requires remote control may be registered as autonomous operation performance. Furthermore, the autonomous operation performance may also include information indicating the work accuracy and work speed for tasks that can be performed autonomously.

[0044] Furthermore, the database 53 contains agricultural work information for the target agricultural work. The agricultural work information for the target agricultural work may include information such as the content of the target agricultural work entered by the client, the work period for the target agricultural work, land information of the work area for the target agricultural work, past agricultural work history, and history of troubles that have occurred in the past. The land information of the work area may include image data of the work area, topographic information such as slope and curvature, and suitability indicators for each work machine. The suitability indicator is an indicator that shows the suitability of a work machine such as a brush cutter 10 for the work area (for example, whether the work machine can be used appropriately for the work area).

[0045] Furthermore, database 53 may include evaluations of remote workers entered by the client, emergency contact information in case of trouble, etc. Database 53 may also include weather information acquired by server 50 via server communication device 59. The weather information may include past weather information and weather forecast information.

[0046] Here, we show an example where various types of information are registered in database 53. However, for example, the server storage device 52 may include multiple databases, and information such as supporter information, aircraft information, and agricultural work information may be registered in different databases according to the type of information.

[0047] The server communication device 59 communicates with the lawnmower 10, the client terminal 20, the worker terminal 30, and the fixed imaging device 40. In other words, the server 50 is configured to send and receive data with other devices of the agricultural work support system 1. The transmission and reception between the server 50 and the other devices of the agricultural work support system 1 may be wireless or wired. The server 50 may also remotely control the lawnmower 10 through this communication.

[0048] The server control device 51 includes a selection processing unit 60, a remote control processing unit 70, and a reward determination processing unit 80. The server control device 51 is a control device that controls the agricultural work support system 1, and can also be called an agricultural work support device.

[0049] (Selection processing unit 60) The selection processing unit 60 includes a registration information acquisition unit 61, a candidate extraction unit 62, a work time estimation unit 63, and a request target selection unit 64.

[0050] The registration information acquisition unit 61 acquires supporter information and machine information from the database 53. The machine information acquired here is not limited to the lawnmower 10, but may be machine information for multiple work machines registered in the database 53. The registration information acquisition unit 61 may acquire only either the supporter information or the machine information.

[0051] The registration information acquisition unit 61 also acquires agricultural work information for the target agricultural work requested by the client. In addition, the registration information acquisition unit 61 may acquire weather information stored in the database 53.

[0052] The candidate extraction unit 62 extracts potential work supporters as candidates by comparing the farm work information and supporter information of the target farm work. Alternatively, the candidate extraction unit 62 may extract potential work machines as candidates by comparing the farm work information and machine information of the target farm work. In this case, it is preferable that the work machines extracted as candidates are fully autonomous machines that do not require remote control.

[0053] Furthermore, if the registration information acquisition unit 61 acquires weather information, the candidate extraction unit 62 may use the weather information to estimate the dates and times within the work period on which the target agricultural work can be carried out, and use the results of this estimation to extract candidates. For example, the candidate extraction unit 62 may exclude from the work period dates and times on which unsuitable weather conditions for carrying out the target agricultural work, such as heavy rain, are forecast. Also, if muddy ground is unsuitable for carrying out the target agricultural work, the candidate extraction unit 62 may exclude from the work period the days on which rainfall is forecast and the following few days. In addition, if the target agricultural work is such as sowing or liquid fertilizer application, which requires sunny weather after the work is completed, the candidate extraction unit 62 may exclude from the work period the days on which rainfall is forecast and the day before.

[0054] Furthermore, if the target agricultural work requires several consecutive days of sunny weather, the candidate extraction unit 62 may specify a period of consecutive sunny weather as the work period. Examples of such agricultural work include "tilling-fertilizing / pesticide application-sowing-covering," "tilling-ridging-mulching," "herbicide application-harvesting," "harvesting (binder)-drying," and "gravel cutting-drying-flipping." In addition, when harvesting multiple nearby fields at once for the purpose of obtaining a large yield, it is preferable to have consecutive sunny days.

[0055] Furthermore, if the target agricultural work is an agricultural work that is required after rainfall, such as spraying fungicides, the candidate extraction unit 62 may use only the day after the day in which rainfall is forecast as part of the work period to extract candidates.

[0056] Furthermore, the candidate extraction unit 62 may extract candidates on the premise that the request target selection unit 64 selects multiple request targets. This is the case, for example, when agricultural work is carried out by division of labor using multiple work machines. In this case, the candidate extraction unit 62 may extract multiple candidates for each work machine so that different work support personnel can select each work machine as a request target. In this case, if the preferred weather differs for each work machine, the candidate extraction unit 62 may extract candidates for each work machine, taking into account the content of the target agricultural work, the weather, and the work period. Also, if agricultural work using multiple work machines is to be requested from a single work support person, the candidate extraction unit 62 may use only the dates and times within the work period when the weather is suitable for all of the multiple work machines to carry out the agricultural work in order to extract candidates.

[0057] With this configuration, the candidate extraction unit 62 can estimate the date and time when the target agricultural work can be carried out, taking into account the effects of weather. Therefore, it can extract as candidates the work support personnel who can carry out the target agricultural work at the estimated date and time. Thus, it is possible to prevent the requested person selected by the selection processing unit 60 from being unable to carry out the target agricultural work due to the effects of weather.

[0058] The work time estimation unit 63 estimates the work time required for each extracted candidate for the target agricultural work. If the candidate is a work supporter, the work time estimation unit 63 estimates the work time using the remote operation proficiency level included in the supporter information. For example, the work time may be estimated to be shorter by assuming that the higher the proficiency level, the faster the work speed, based on the average work time of a person who has no experience in the same or similar agricultural work as the target agricultural work.

[0059] The standard average working time may be calculated from past farm work history included in the farm work information for the target farm work. If past farm work history does not exist for farm work of the same type as the target farm work, the standard average working time may be calculated from past work history for similar farm work. Furthermore, the client may register the standard working time in database 53 at the time of the request.

[0060] Furthermore, the work time estimation unit 63 may extract the area of ​​the work area from the land information included in the agricultural work information and use it to estimate the work time. For example, the work time estimation unit 63 may estimate a longer work time the larger the area of ​​the work area. With such a configuration, the work time estimation unit 63 can estimate the work time for each candidate more accurately compared to when the area of ​​the work area is not considered.

[0061] Furthermore, the work time estimation unit 63 may use topographic information included in the land information of the work area to estimate the work time. For example, the work time estimation unit 63 may estimate a longer work time if the topography of the work area is more undulating, based on information on the curvature and slope angle of the work area.

[0062] If the candidate is a work machine, the work time estimation unit 63 estimates the work time required for the target agricultural work using the autonomous operation performance included in the machine information. For example, the work time estimation unit 63 may estimate a shorter work time if the candidate work machine can perform many tasks autonomously, or if the work speed of tasks that can be performed autonomously is fast.

[0063] The request target selection unit 64 selects a target farm worker from among the candidates based on at least the estimated work time. For example, the request target selection unit 64 may select the candidate with the shortest estimated work time as the request target. In addition to work time, the request target selection unit 64 may also select a request target based on other factors included in the supporter information, such as the candidate's available dates and times, past evaluations received from clients, and whether or not they have other farm work contracts. For example, the request target selection unit 64 may exclude candidates whose work time is longer than a predetermined time and then prioritize selecting candidates who have received high evaluations from clients in the past as the request target.

[0064] In this way, the selection processing unit 60 extracts candidates from the farm work information of the target farm work. Then, in selecting the target for the request, the selection processing unit 60 uses the estimated work time for each candidate, which is determined from the remote operation proficiency of the work supporter or the autonomous operation performance of the work machine. Therefore, the selection processing unit 60 can select the candidate that is best suited to the content of the target farm work as the target for the request.

[0065] (Remote control processing unit 70) The remote control processing unit 70 includes a land information acquisition unit 71 and a work management unit 72.

[0066] The land information acquisition unit 71 acquires agricultural work information, including land information for the target agricultural work, which is registered in the database 53. However, if the remote control processing unit 70 can acquire the agricultural work information acquired by the registration information acquisition unit 61, the land information acquisition unit 71 can be omitted.

[0067] The work management unit 72 performs monitoring of the work machine and troubleshooting. The work management unit 72 includes a monitoring processing unit 73 and a troubleshooting processing unit 74.

[0068] The monitoring processing unit 73 acquires the operating status of the lawnmower 10, which is remotely operated by a remote worker who is a work supporter performing the target agricultural work. The monitoring processing unit 73 may acquire image data acquired by the lawnmower 10's machine imaging device 12 and / or fixed imaging device 40 as information indicating the operating status of the lawnmower 10. In addition, the monitoring processing unit 73 may acquire the detection results of the lawnmower 10's state detection sensor 14 as information indicating the operating status of the lawnmower 10.

[0069] Furthermore, even when the target agricultural work is performed by a lawnmower 10 that is fully autonomous and does not require remote operation, the monitoring processing unit 73 acquires the work status of the lawnmower 10 in the same way as when it is remotely operated by a remote worker.

[0070] The monitoring processing unit 73 may store historical information on troubles that occurred during the target agricultural work. For example, the monitoring processing unit 73 may register the trouble history information in the database 53 in a format that includes land information of the work area or machine information of the lawnmower 10 used for the target agricultural work. Trouble will be described later.

[0071] The troubleshooting unit 74 determines whether recovery from a problem occurring in the target agricultural work is possible through remote operation by a remote worker or server 50, or through autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10.

[0072] A "trouble" can include any event that hinders the performance of the target agricultural work using the lawnmower 10. Examples of troubles include malfunctions due to breakdowns of the lawnmower 10, getting stuck due to the lawnmower 10 overturning, and detecting areas where the lawnmower 10 cannot move. Examples of troubles with other work equipment besides the lawnmower 10 include cases where the mixing ratio of fertilizer and solution is outside the specified range in the liquid fertilizer mixing device, and cases where liquid fertilizer cannot be sprayed due to clogging or other reasons in the liquid fertilizer sprayer, or where spraying cannot be stopped even after spraying the specified amount of liquid fertilizer.

[0073] Furthermore, in the case of a malfunction, if the liquid fertilizer sprayer is unable to spray, it is conceivable that the remaining amount of liquid fertilizer will become insufficient during operation. In this case, to recover from the malfunction, the liquid fertilizer may be replenished in order to continue spraying. Alternatively, if it is determined that more liquid fertilizer than the specified amount is being sprayed, spraying may be stopped and the unsprayed area may be identified. Spraying more liquid fertilizer than the specified amount may occur, for example, when there is a problem with the liquid fertilizer valve control, causing the liquid fertilizer to be consumed faster than expected. The amount of liquid fertilizer sprayed by valve control is related to the valve opening, as well as atmospheric pressure, water pressure, and the movement speed of the brush cutter 10. Therefore, valve control problems may include a loose valve, or incorrect settings for the linkage between spraying and the speed of the brush cutter 10, as well as incorrect settings for the liquid fertilizer discharge volume. Note that the sprayer is not limited to spraying liquid fertilizer; it may also spray pesticides, for example.

[0074] It is preferable that the types of troubles are registered in the database 53 in advance. Furthermore, it is preferable that the trouble processing unit 74 can detect the occurrence of troubles even if the type of trouble is not registered in the database 53. For example, the trouble processing unit 74 may compare the farm work information of the target farm work with the work status of the lawnmower 10 and detect the occurrence of a trouble if the lawnmower 10 performs an action such as stopping that is not planned for the target farm work.

[0075] The troubleshooting unit 74 may determine whether recovery from a trouble is possible by looking at the history information of past troubles included in the land information or machine information, if there is information about the same type of trouble. For example, if the trouble history information includes an instance where the lawnmower 10 recovered from the same type of trouble through autonomous operation or remote control, the troubleshooting unit 74 may determine that recovery is possible. Also, if the lawnmower 10 stops in front of an impassable area, the troubleshooting unit 74 may determine that recovery is possible if the land information includes information about an alternative route that can avoid the impassable area.

[0076] The troubleshooting unit 74 may determine that recovery from a problem is impossible if it determines from the trouble history information that recovery is impossible through autonomous operation or remote control, or if a type of trouble not included in the trouble history information has occurred. If the troubleshooting unit 74 determines that recovery from a problem is impossible, it will notify the emergency contact associated with the agricultural work in question to request assistance.

[0077] The emergency contact person may be a local staff member responsible for the area where the agricultural work is performed and who handles troubleshooting related to that work, or it may be an emergency response team for the area that includes the work area. The local staff member may be the client who requested the agricultural work, or it may be a third party other than the client and the remote worker.

[0078] If the emergency contact is a local employee, the troubleshooting unit 74 may notify the local employee of the occurrence of the problem and the operating status of the lawnmower 10 when a problem occurs. The troubleshooting unit 74 may also notify the local employee that the problem has been resolved when the problem is resolved. With this configuration, the local employee can easily determine whether or not they should be on standby to deal with the problem when a problem occurs.

[0079] Furthermore, the emergency contact may be a recovery device (not shown) or its operator that is capable of restoring the lawnmower 10 from trouble. The recovery device may be, for example, a device equipped with a robotic arm that lifts the overturned lawnmower 10 and returns it to its normal position.

[0080] Furthermore, if the work machine is something other than the lawnmower 10, such as a liquid fertilizer mixing device, and the problem is an improper mixing ratio of the liquid fertilizer, the recovery device may be a device that opens and closes a control valve for the solution supplied to the liquid fertilizer mixing device. Such a control valve may be provided not in the liquid fertilizer mixing device, but on the side of the solution tank or the facility that stores the solution. In this case, such a problem cannot be resolved by remote operation of the liquid fertilizer mixing device or by the autonomous operation of the liquid fertilizer mixing device, but can be easily resolved by opening and closing the control valve with the recovery device. In this case, if the operator of the recovery device that opens and closes the control valve can open and close it remotely, or if the recovery device is capable of autonomous operation, recovery work by on-site personnel is unnecessary.

[0081] The troubleshooting unit 74 may notify the user of the occurrence of a problem, the operating status of the lawnmower 10, the resolution of the problem, or a request for assistance by, for example, sending a text message, sending an email, or making an automated voice call. In addition, the troubleshooting unit 74 may notify the user of a request for assistance by sending an emergency signal to an emergency contact.

[0082] The troubleshooting unit 74 may refer to the trouble history information and notify the remote operator or server 50 that remotely controls the lawnmower 10 of areas where troubles are likely to occur during the target agricultural work. This allows the remote operator or server 50 to remotely control the lawnmower 10 so that it avoids areas where troubles are likely to occur.

[0083] Furthermore, the troubleshooting unit 74 may notify the lawnmower 10 of areas where problems may occur. In this case, the lawnmower 10 can autonomously avoid areas where problems may occur.

[0084] In this way, the remote control processing unit 70 can request assistance from an emergency contact if a problem occurs during the target agricultural work performed by remote operation or autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10, and if recovery by remote operation by the remote operator or autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10 is impossible. Therefore, the remote control processing unit 70 can reduce the possibility that the target agricultural work will be stopped due to a problem.

[0085] (Reward determination processing unit 80) The reward determination processing unit 80 includes an agricultural work information acquisition unit 81, a reward type information acquisition unit 82, a worker information acquisition unit 83, an evaluation acquisition unit 84, a reward determination unit 85, a skill level management unit 86, and a registration information update unit 87.

[0086] The agricultural work information acquisition unit 81 acquires agricultural work information for the target agricultural work from the client. Here, "acquired from the client" includes the method by which the agricultural work information acquisition unit 81, etc., acquires information from the database 53 that the client has registered from the client terminal 20. The same applies hereafter.

[0087] The reward type information acquisition unit 82 may acquire reward type information from the client indicating the type of reward for performing the target agricultural work. The reward type information indicates whether the reward for performing the target agricultural work is an exchange value exchangeable for agricultural goods, or agricultural goods themselves. Agricultural goods include not only agricultural products themselves, but also, for example, goods containing agricultural products or processed agricultural products. The exchange value exchangeable for agricultural goods may include, for example, points or discount coupons that can be used to purchase goods on an e-commerce (EC) site or in a physical store. The exchange value exchangeable for agricultural goods may also be a local currency or digital local currency. Points or discount coupons may be electronically granted to a registered account, notified as a point code or coupon code, or mailed as tickets with these codes printed on them.

[0088] The worker information acquisition unit 83 may acquire the remote operation proficiency of the remote operator performing the remote operation, the remote operation performance of the server 50 performing the remote operation, or the autonomous operation performance of the work machine. The agricultural work information acquisition unit 81, the compensation type information acquisition unit 82, and the worker information acquisition unit 83 do not need to acquire information again that has already been acquired by the registration information acquisition unit 61.

[0089] The evaluation unit 84 obtains an evaluation of the target agricultural work performed by the remote worker from the client. If the target agricultural work is performed by the fully autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10, the evaluation unit 84 may obtain an evaluation of the target agricultural work performed by the autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10. The evaluation of the target agricultural work may be a score representing a percentage of the perfect score, a relative value based on the average value, a graded evaluation such as "good," "average," or "bad," or a specific amount of compensation.

[0090] The evaluation of the target farm work may be determined by the client, taking into account the condition of the work area or yield after the work is completed, as well as the priority of the target farm work and the weather conditions at the time of the work. In addition, the comparison result between the work time estimated by the work time estimation unit 63 and the actual work time required for the target farm work may also be a factor in the evaluation. If a problem occurs during the target farm work, the evaluation may be high even if the actual work time is long, depending on the response to recover from the problem. Therefore, the remote control processing unit 70 may display information such as the comparison result between the estimated work time and the actual work time and the history of responses to recover from the problem on the client terminal 20 along with the notification of completion of the target farm work.

[0091] The client may determine the evaluation subjectively, or they may determine the evaluation by incorporating objective indicators based on evaluation criteria data, etc. Therefore, the remote control processing unit 70 may acquire the evaluation criteria data stored in the database 53 and display this evaluation criteria data on the client terminal 20 together with the completion notification for the target agricultural work.

[0092] The remuneration determination unit 85 determines the remuneration for performing the target agricultural work based on the acquired agricultural work information and evaluation. The remuneration may be determined, for example, by multiplying the target agricultural work's estimated unit price by a client factor coefficient and an evaluation coefficient. The client factor coefficient and evaluation coefficient may, for example, be greater than 1, in which case the remuneration will be increased above the estimated unit price, and less than 1, in which case the remuneration will be decreased above the estimated unit price.

[0093] The estimated unit price for a target agricultural task can be determined by multiplying the estimated hourly rate for that task by the actual working time. The estimated hourly rate for a target agricultural task may be calculated, for example, from past agricultural work history included in the agricultural work information. Alternatively, a unit price table for each type of agricultural work may be pre-registered in the database 53, and the compensation determination unit 85 may determine the estimated hourly rate by referring to this unit price table.

[0094] The client factor coefficient may be a coefficient determined by factors such as the client's desired budget, whether the client has specified a work support worker, the importance of the target farm work, and the priority of the target farm work. For example, if the client's desired budget is lower than the estimated hourly rate, or if the importance or priority of the target farm work is low, the compensation determination unit 85 may set the client factor coefficient to be less than 1. Conversely, if the client's desired budget is higher than the estimated hourly rate, if the client has specified a work support worker, or if the importance or priority of the target farm work is high, the compensation determination unit 85 may set the client factor coefficient to be greater than 1.

[0095] The evaluation coefficient may be a coefficient determined based on the client's evaluation. For example, if the client's evaluation is higher than the standard "normal" evaluation, or higher than the average evaluation from past farm work history, the compensation determination unit 85 may set the evaluation coefficient to a coefficient greater than 1.

[0096] The reward determination unit 85 may further determine the reward by referring to the remote operator's skill level or the server 50's remote operation performance. For example, the reward determination unit 85 may set a higher estimated hourly rate for the target agricultural work if the remote operator's skill level or the server 50's remote operation performance, as included in the supporter information, is higher. If the target agricultural work is performed by the fully autonomous operation of the brush cutter 10, the reward determination unit 85 may determine the reward by referring to the autonomous operation performance.

[0097] When the reward type information acquisition unit 82 acquires reward type information, the reward determination unit 85 may refer to the said reward type information and determine an appropriate amount of reward for each type of reward. For example, if the reward is agricultural goods, the reward determination unit 85 may first calculate the reward in monetary value and then determine the reward to be agricultural goods with a market value slightly greater than the calculated monetary value.

[0098] With this configuration, clients can choose their compensation from exchange value that can be exchanged for agricultural products, or from agricultural products themselves. This makes it possible to set appropriate compensation for remotely operated farm work, which is often difficult to justify paying high wages for.

[0099] The proficiency management unit 86 may refer to the farm work information of the target farm work and change the proficiency of remote operation by the remote worker or the remote operation performance of the server 50. For example, if the number of times the target farm work is performed by the remote worker via remote operation exceeds a predetermined value, the proficiency of remote operation may be increased. Also, if the remote operation time or number of remote operations of the brush cutter 10 by the remote worker exceeds a predetermined value after the target farm work has been performed, the proficiency of remote operation of the brush cutter 10 by the remote worker may be increased. Furthermore, if the client's evaluation of the remote worker is higher than average, the proficiency of remote operation may be increased, and if the evaluation is significantly below average, the proficiency of remote operation may be decreased.

[0100] Furthermore, the types of compensation determined by the compensation determination unit 85 may include the addition of proficiency by the proficiency management unit 86. For example, if the target farm work is an extremely simple task, the client may find it difficult to set an appropriate compensation. However, even if the target farm work is simple, the remote worker can become accustomed to remote operation by remotely operating the brush cutter 10. And, as the remote worker's proficiency in remote operation increases, it can be expected that they will be more likely to be selected as a target farm worker for subsequent tasks, and that their compensation will be set higher. Therefore, even if the compensation consists only of the addition of proficiency, such compensation can serve as an incentive for the work support worker to accept the target farm work.

[0101] With this configuration, the reward determination processing unit 80 changes the skill level of the remote worker according to the target agricultural work performed. This makes it possible to manage the skill levels of the remote workers registered in the database 53 to an appropriate value.

[0102] The registration information update unit 87 registers or updates information such as the evaluation by the client obtained by the evaluation acquisition unit 84, the reward determined by the reward determination unit 85, and the remote operation proficiency level changed by the proficiency management unit 86 to the database 53.

[0103] Thus, the reward determination processing unit 80 can determine the reward according to the level of remote operation proficiency or autonomous operation performance. Therefore, a greater reward is given for performing the target agricultural work with a remote operator who has a higher level of remote operation proficiency or with a lawnmower 10 that has a higher level of autonomous operation performance. In this way, the reward determination processing unit 80 can provide an incentive to become proficient in remote operation and to select a work machine with high autonomous operation performance.

[0104] The server control device 51 may include only one or two of the following: the selection processing unit 60, the remote control processing unit 70, and the reward determination processing unit 80. In other words, the agricultural work support system 1 may be a selection system in which the server control device 51 includes only the selection processing unit 60, a remote control system in which only the remote control processing unit 70 is included, or a reward determination system in which only the reward determination processing unit 80 is included.

[0105] In this case, the server control device 51 in the selection system can be described as a selection device that selects the target of the target agricultural work request. This selection device is a control device that controls the selection system and is capable of executing the selection process S1 described later by the selection processing unit 60. Furthermore, the server control device 51 in the remote control system can be described as a remote control device that supports troubleshooting that occurs in the target agricultural work. This remote control device is a control device that controls the remote control system and is capable of executing the remote control process S2 described later by the remote control processing unit 70. Furthermore, the server control device 51 in the reward determination system can be described as a reward determination device that determines the reward for performing the target agricultural work. This reward determination device is a control device that controls the reward determination system and is capable of executing the reward determination process S3 described later by the reward determination processing unit 80.

[0106] Furthermore, this embodiment shows an example where the selection processing unit 60, the remote control processing unit 70, and the reward determination processing unit 80 are all included in the server control device 51. However, each of these functional blocks may be included in the control device of any of the devices provided in the agricultural work support system 1.

[0107] [Processing by Agricultural Work Support System 1] A control method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5, using the processing of the agricultural work support system 1 as an example. As shown in Figure 2, the server control device 51 executes the selection process S1, the remote control process S2, and the reward determination process S3 in this order. Each of these processes will be described in detail below.

[0108] (Selection process S1) As shown in Figure 3, first the registration information acquisition unit 61 acquires farm work information for the target farm work registered by the client from the database 53 (S11), and also acquires land information for the work area of ​​the target farm work (S12). The registration information acquisition unit 61 also performs a registration information acquisition process to acquire supporter information for the work supporter and machine information for the work equipment such as the brush cutter 10 from the database 53 (S13, registration information acquisition step). If multiple supporter information and multiple machine information are registered in the database 53, the registration information acquisition unit 61 acquires these multiple supporter information and machine information.

[0109] Furthermore, if weather information is stored in the database 53, the registration information acquisition unit 61 acquires weather information for the period of the target agricultural work and the periods immediately before and after the work period (S14).

[0110] Next, the candidate extraction unit 62 determines whether the farm work information for the target farm work includes a designation of the request recipient (S15). If the farm work information includes a designation of the request recipient (Yes in S15), the candidate extraction unit 62 determines whether the available dates and times for the designated recipient, which is the designated work supporter or work machine, match the work period of the target farm work (S16). If the available dates and times for the designated recipient match the work period of the target farm work (Yes in S16), the candidate extraction unit 62 executes a candidate extraction process to extract the designated recipient as a candidate for the request recipient (S17, candidate extraction step). In this case, the selection processing unit 60 skips the process in S18 described below.

[0111] If the farm work information does not include a designation of the target of the request (No in S15), or if the date and time when the designated target can perform the work does not match the work period of the target farm work (No in S16), the candidate extraction unit 62 executes a candidate extraction process. Specifically, the candidate extraction unit 62 extracts as candidates the work support personnel and work equipment that can perform the work during the work period of the target farm work (S18, candidate extraction step). The candidate extraction unit 62 may refer to weather information when executing the candidate extraction process in S17 or S18.

[0112] Next, the work time estimation unit 63 performs a work time estimation process to estimate the work time required for each candidate extracted by the candidate extraction unit 62 (S19, work time estimation step). The work time estimation unit 63 may refer to weather information when performing the work time estimation process.

[0113] Next, the request selection unit 64 calculates the priority of each candidate based on information including the estimated work time (S20). The priority of candidates may be calculated in order of shortest estimated work time. Alternatively, the priority of candidates may be calculated based on other information such as past evaluations for the remaining candidates after excluding candidates whose estimated work time exceeds a predetermined time.

[0114] Next, the request target selection unit 64 executes a request target selection process to select the candidate with the highest priority as the request target (S21, request target selection step). At this time, the request target selection unit 64 may select the top two or more candidates with the highest priority as request targets and present them to the requester, allowing the requester to select the final request target. In this case, the requester can easily narrow down the most preferable request target from among only the candidates with high priority.

[0115] Next, the request target selection unit 64 notifies the selected request target of the farm work information for the target farm work (S22). Then, the request target selection unit 64 determines whether the request target has accepted the request for the target farm work (S23). If it determines that the request target has not accepted the request for the target farm work (No in S23), the request target selection unit 64 returns to processing S21 and selects the candidate with the next highest priority as the request target (S21). The request target selection unit 64 repeatedly executes the processes from S21 to S23 until it determines Yes in S23.

[0116] If the request target selection unit 64 determines that the request target has accepted the request for the target agricultural work (Yes in S23), the selection processing unit 60 terminates the selection process S1. Thus, the selection process S1 can be described as a selection method executed by the selection processing unit 60 to select the request target for the target agricultural work.

[0117] The above explanation uses the example of performing the target agricultural work using only the brush cutter 10. However, it is conceivable that the target agricultural work may encompass multiple types of agricultural work that should be performed by multiple types of work machines. In that case, the selection processing unit 60 may repeatedly or in parallel execute the selection process S1 for each type of agricultural work and select the most suitable request target for each type of agricultural work. Alternatively, the selection processing unit 60 may select request targets that can be executed in parallel for multiple types of agricultural work. If the autonomous operation performance of each work machine performing the agricultural work is high, the remote operator only needs to focus on monitoring each work machine. Therefore, it is possible for a single remote operator to perform multiple types of agricultural work in parallel.

[0118] (Remote control processing S2) As shown in Figure 4, the remote control processing unit 70 first determines whether the grass trimmer 10 (working machine) and the fixed imaging device 40 (surveillance camera) for performing the target agricultural work are installed within the work area of ​​the target agricultural work (S31).

[0119] Regarding the determination, the remote control processing unit 70 may make the determination in S31 based on whether or not it has received notification from on-site personnel in the work area of ​​the target agricultural work that the brush cutter 10 and the fixed imaging device 40 have been installed. Alternatively, the remote control processing unit 70 may make the determination based on whether or not the position information acquired by the position acquisition device 13 of the brush cutter 10 indicates within the work area of ​​the target agricultural work. In order to enable a similar determination for the fixed imaging device 40, it is preferable that the fixed imaging device 40 is also equipped with a position acquisition device (not shown) similar to the brush cutter 10.

[0120] If the remote control processing unit 70 determines that the grass trimmer 10 and the fixed imaging device 40 are not installed in the work area (No in S31), the remote control processing unit 70 repeats the process in S31. On the other hand, if the remote control processing unit 70 determines that the grass trimmer 10 and the fixed imaging device 40 are installed in the work area (Yes in S31), the land information acquisition unit 71 acquires land information of the work area from the database 53 (S32).

[0121] Next, the work management unit 72 determines whether the lawnmower 10 is capable of performing the target agricultural work autonomously (S33). If it determines that the lawnmower 10 is not capable of performing the target agricultural work autonomously (No in S33), the work management unit 72 adjusts the remote control settings of the lawnmower 10 according to the land information (S34). If it determines that the lawnmower 10 is capable of performing the target agricultural work autonomously (Yes in S33), the work management unit 72 adjusts the autonomous operation settings of the lawnmower 10 according to the land information (S35).

[0122] Here, the remote control settings may include the travel speed of the brush cutter 10, the brush cutter's mowing speed, and the imaging direction of the machine imaging device 12. The work management unit 72 optimizes the remote control settings according to the land information, making it easier for remote operators to perform the target agricultural work remotely. The autonomous operation settings may include the work path of the brush cutter 10 by autonomous operation, the mowing location, and the autonomous travel speed for each location. The work management unit 72 optimizes the autonomous operation settings according to the land information, enabling the brush cutter 10 to efficiently perform the target agricultural work by autonomous operation.

[0123] Depending on the nature of the agricultural work or the condition of the work area, the brush cutter 10 may perform some tasks autonomously and other tasks remotely. In this case, the work management unit 72 may adjust both the remote operation settings and the autonomous operation settings.

[0124] Next, the work management unit 72 notifies the remote worker of any hazardous areas included in the land information. The work management unit 72 may also notify the lawnmower 10 of these hazardous areas. This allows the remote worker or the lawnmower 10 to perform the target agricultural work while avoiding the hazardous areas. This reduces the possibility of problems occurring with the lawnmower 10. Then, the work management unit 72 notifies the remote worker or the lawnmower 10 that it is ready to start work and has them begin the target agricultural work (S37).

[0125] While the target agricultural work is being performed, the monitoring processing unit 73 performs a monitoring process to acquire image data of the work status of the lawnmower 10 performing the target agricultural work as image data captured by the machine imaging device 12 or the fixed imaging device 40 (monitoring processing step). Therefore, even when the lawnmower 10 is performing the target agricultural work autonomously, when it is not being remotely controlled, the remote operator can monitor the work status of the target agricultural work from the second touch panel 33 of the operator terminal 30.

[0126] Next, the troubleshooting unit 74 determines whether or not a problem has occurred with the lawnmower 10 (S38). If it determines that a problem has occurred with the lawnmower 10 (Yes in S38), the troubleshooting unit 74 determines whether or not the lawnmower 10 has recovered from the problem through remote operation by a remote operator or autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10 (S39). If it determines that the lawnmower 10 has not recovered from the problem (No in S39), the troubleshooting unit 74 determines that manual recovery is necessary and executes troubleshooting to notify the emergency contact for assistance (S40, troubleshooting step).

[0127] The troubleshooting unit 74 then determines whether the lawnmower 10 has recovered from the trouble, based on the results obtained by on-site personnel who have rushed to the scene in response to an emergency request (S41). If it determines that the lawnmower 10 has recovered from the trouble (Yes in S39 or S41), the troubleshooting unit 74 notifies the remote operator of the recovery from the trouble (S42). This eliminates the need for the remote operator to continuously monitor the lawnmower 10 until on-site personnel recover from the trouble if a problem occurs that cannot be resolved remotely.

[0128] If, in S41, it is determined that the brush cutter 10 has not recovered from the trouble (No in S41), the troubleshooting unit 74 determines that it is impossible to continue the agricultural work in question.

[0129] If the troubleshooting unit 74 does not determine in S38 that a problem has occurred with the brush cutter 10 (No in S38), it will not execute the processes from S39 to S42. Then, when it receives a work completion notification from the remote operator or the brush cutter 10 indicating the cancellation or completion of the target agricultural work, the remote control processing unit 70 terminates the remote control process S2.

[0130] Thus, the remote control process S2 can be described as a remote control method executed by the remote control processing unit 70 to respond to problems that occur during the target agricultural work.

[0131] (Reward determination process S3) As shown in Figure 5, the farm work information acquisition unit 81 executes a farm work information acquisition process to acquire farm work information for the target farm work registered by the client from the client terminal 20 to the database 53 (S51, farm work information acquisition step). The remuneration type information acquisition unit 82 acquires remuneration type information for the target farm work registered by the client from the client terminal 20 to the database 53 (S52). The worker information acquisition unit 83 acquires supporter information for remote workers from the database 53 and acquires the skill level information of the remote workers included in the supporter information (S53).

[0132] The evaluation acquisition unit 84 acquires the actual working time required for the target agricultural work by the remote worker or the brush cutter 10 from the database 53 (S54). The actual working time may be, for example, the result of measuring the elapsed time (elapsed time from S37 to S43) from when the remote control processing unit 70 starts the target agricultural work by the brush cutter 10 in remote control processing S2 until the receipt of the work completion notification. The evaluation acquisition unit 84 also executes an evaluation acquisition process to acquire the evaluation of the completed target agricultural work that the client has registered in the database 53 from the client terminal 20 (S55, evaluation acquisition step).

[0133] The reward determination unit 85 performs a reward determination process to determine the reward for performing the target agricultural work based on the various information obtained in the processes from S51 to S55 (S56, reward determination step). Next, the proficiency management unit 86 changes the proficiency level of the remote worker with respect to the brush cutter 10 if the target agricultural work was performed by remote operation by a remote worker (S57). Then, the registration information update unit 87 registers or updates information such as the client's evaluation of the remote worker or the brush cutter 10 and the remote worker's proficiency level in the database 53 (S58). After that, the reward determination processing unit 80 terminates the reward determination process S3.

[0134] Thus, the reward determination process S3 can also be described as a reward determination method executed by the reward determination processing unit 80, which determines the reward for performing the target agricultural work.

[0135] Here, the registration information update unit 87 may also update the history of remote operation or autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10 as part of the lawnmower 10's machine information. By accumulating history information of remote operation or autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10, it is expected that the autonomous operation performance of the lawnmower 10 will improve. With a configuration like the agricultural work support system 1, where the lawnmower 10 is operated remotely by a remote worker or server 50, it is easier to collect the big data necessary for an autonomous lawnmower 10 than when a person directly operates the lawnmower 10. This makes it easier to utilize AI (Artificial Intelligence) for the autonomous operation of work machines such as the lawnmower 10. In this way, the agricultural work support system 1 can contribute to improving the autonomous operation performance of work machines such as the lawnmower 10 and promoting the smartification of agricultural work through the use of AI.

[0136] When the autonomous operation performance of the lawnmower 10 reaches a level sufficient for fully autonomous execution of the target agricultural work, the agricultural work support system 1 can select only the lawnmower 10 as the target of the agricultural work request. In this case, the agricultural work support system 1 can complete the target agricultural work request from the requester almost automatically, without requiring human intervention from remote workers, etc., except in the case of a problem with the lawnmower 10 that is difficult to recover from.

[0137] [Image of how the agricultural work support system is used] Figure 6 shows an example of the display on the second touch panel 33 of the operator terminal 30 when a remote operator monitors or remotely operates the lawnmower 10. As shown in Figure 6, in addition to image data captured by the fixed imaging device 40, Augmented Reality (AR) data may be displayed on the second touch panel 33 superimposed on the image data. Augmented Reality (AR) data may include the status of autonomous operation, the planned route for autonomous operation, terrain information of the work area, caution or warning information, weather information, elapsed time information, battery level information, etc.

[0138] As described above, with the configuration in which augmented reality (AR) data is displayed on the second touch panel 33, remote operators can more easily understand the autonomous operation of the lawnmower 10 while monitoring it. Furthermore, remote operators can easily understand the next work location and hazardous areas even while remotely operating the machine. Therefore, remote operators can easily and reliably monitor or remotely operate the lawnmower 10.

[0139] Figure 7 also shows an example of the display of notifications shown to the requester terminal 20 and the worker terminal 30 from the time the requester makes a request for the target agricultural work until the target agricultural work is completed. Here, an example is shown in which all notifications are displayed in the messenger application on the requester terminal 20 and the worker terminal 30. Such a messenger application may be a general-purpose messenger application, or it may be a messenger function provided in an application dedicated to the agricultural work support system 1. Furthermore, such notifications are not limited to text display using a messenger application, but may also be in the form of, for example, an email being sent for each notification.

[0140] As shown in Figure 7, the agricultural work support system 1 may notify the client and the remote worker of the progress of the target agricultural work on a regular basis. This allows the client and the remote worker to easily grasp the current status of the target agricultural work. In addition, the remote worker and the client can intuitively and easily input evaluations and other information regarding the target agricultural work.

[0141] As described above, the agricultural work support system 1 can smoothly support the entire process from requesting a task to its completion, including matching farmers and other clients with work supporters interested in remote agricultural work. Work supporters can participate in agricultural work performed remotely from their homes. This can help reduce the increased burden on farmers, especially in rural areas, due to a shortage of agricultural workers.

[0142] Furthermore, according to the agricultural work support system 1, it is possible to set highly flexible compensation. Therefore, even for types of agricultural work that were previously difficult to outsource due to low unit prices, clients can easily request them. In addition, even for simple agricultural work, work supporters can receive compensation in the form of agricultural products obtained from the work they have participated in. Therefore, work supporters are more likely to be motivated to actively participate in agricultural work even if the unit price is low.

[0143] Thus, with the Agricultural Work Support System 1, even detailed agricultural tasks can be entrusted to support workers, particularly in rural areas or developing countries, thereby reducing the workload on farmers and preventing long working hours. As a result, agricultural development and increased food production can be expected regardless of region. In this way, the Agricultural Work Support System 1 can also support the creation of a system that supports sustainable agriculture on a global scale through its support for agricultural work. For example, the Agricultural Work Support System 1 can contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Goal 2, "Zero Hunger," and Goal 8, "Decent Work and Economic Growth."

[0144] [Examples of implementation using software] The functions of the server control device 51 (hereinafter referred to as "device") are programs that cause the device to function as a computer, and can be realized by programs that cause the computer to function as each control block of the device (in particular, each part included in the selection processing unit 60, the remote control processing unit 70, and / or the reward determination processing unit 80).

[0145] In this case, the device includes a computer having at least one control device (e.g., a processor) and at least one storage device (e.g., memory) as hardware for executing the program. By executing the program using this control device and storage device, each of the functions described in each of the embodiments is realized.

[0146] The program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary ones. These recording media may or may not be provided by the device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0147] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of each control block can also be implemented by logic circuits. For example, an integrated circuit in which logic circuits functioning as each of the control blocks are formed is also included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, it is also possible to implement the functions of each control block using, for example, a quantum computer.

[0148] Furthermore, each of the processes described in the above embodiments may be performed by AI (Artificial Intelligence). In this case, the AI ​​may operate on the aforementioned device, or it may operate on another device (for example, an edge computer or a cloud server).

[0149] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0150] 1. Agricultural work support system (selection system, remote control system, reward determination system) 10. Lawn mower (working machine) 20 Client terminal 30 Worker terminals 50 servers 51. Server control devices (agricultural work support devices, selection devices, remote control devices, reward determination devices, control devices) 53 Databases 61 Registration Information Acquisition Department 62 Candidate extraction unit 63. Work Time Estimation Unit 64 Request Target Selection Section 71 Land Information Acquisition Department 73 Monitoring Processing Unit 74 Troubleshooting Section 81 Agricultural Information Acquisition Department 82 Reward Type Information Acquisition Unit 83 Worker information acquisition department 84 Evaluation Acquisition Department 85 Compensation Determination Department 86 Proficiency Management Department

Claims

1. A monitoring and processing unit that acquires the working status of a work machine that performs the target agricultural work by remote control or autonomous operation, The system includes a trouble processing unit that, in the event of a trouble occurring in the aforementioned agricultural work, determines whether recovery from the trouble is possible through remote control or autonomous operation of the work machine, and, if recovery is not possible, notifies the emergency contact associated with the aforementioned agricultural work of a request for assistance. The aforementioned emergency contact is a recovery device other than the work machine, or an operator of the recovery device, that is capable of restoring the work machine from the trouble. The recovery device is a device that recovers the work machine from trouble through remote operation by an operator of the recovery device or through autonomous operation of the recovery device. The trouble processing unit is characterized by comparing the farm work information of the target farm work with the working status of the work machine, and detecting the occurrence of a trouble when the work machine performs an action not planned for the target farm work.

2. The monitoring processing unit stores historical information of troubles that occurred during the target agricultural work. The remote control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the trouble processing unit refers to the history information and notifies the remote operator, the remote control device, or the work machine of locations where trouble may occur in the target agricultural work.

3. The aforementioned emergency contact is the local personnel responsible for handling problems related to the aforementioned agricultural work. The aforementioned troubleshooting unit further, In the event of the aforementioned trouble, the local personnel shall be notified of the occurrence of the trouble and the operating status of the work machine. The remote control device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it notifies the local personnel of the resolution of the trouble when the trouble is resolved.

4. A remote control program for causing a computer to function as a remote control device as described in claim 1, wherein the computer functions as a monitoring processing unit and a troubleshooting processing unit.

5. A remote control device performs a monitoring process to acquire the working status of a work machine that performs the target agricultural work by remote control or autonomous operation, The remote control device includes a trouble handling step in which, when a trouble occurs in the target agricultural work, it determines whether recovery from the trouble is possible by remote control of the work machine or by autonomous operation of the work machine, and if recovery is not possible, it notifies the emergency contact associated with the target agricultural work of a request for assistance. The aforementioned emergency contact is a recovery device other than the work machine, or an operator of the recovery device, that is capable of restoring the work machine from the trouble. The recovery device is a device that recovers the work machine from trouble through remote operation by an operator of the recovery device or through autonomous operation of the recovery device. A remote control method characterized in that, in the trouble handling step, the agricultural work information of the target agricultural work and the working status of the work machine are compared, and if the work machine performs an action not planned for the target agricultural work, the occurrence of the trouble is detected.

6. A remote control system comprising a work machine that performs target agricultural work by remote operation or autonomous operation, and a server capable of transmitting and receiving data with the work machine, and controlled by at least one control device, The control device is A monitoring process to acquire the working status of the aforementioned work machine, When a problem occurs in the aforementioned agricultural work, the system will determine whether recovery from the problem is possible through remote control or autonomous operation of the work machine, and if recovery is not possible, it will perform trouble handling by notifying the emergency contact associated with the aforementioned agricultural work of a request for assistance. The aforementioned emergency contact is a recovery device other than the work machine, or an operator of the recovery device, that is capable of restoring the work machine from the trouble. The recovery device is a device that recovers the work machine from trouble through remote operation by an operator of the recovery device or through autonomous operation of the recovery device. A remote control system characterized in that, in the troubleshooting process, it compares the farming information of the target farming operation with the working status of the work machine, and detects the occurrence of a trouble if the work machine performs an action not planned for the target farming operation.

7. A registration information acquisition unit acquires at least one of the supporter information and the machine information from a database in which multiple pieces of information are registered, which are at least one of the supporter information of a work supporter who can perform agricultural work by remotely controlling a work machine and the machine information of the said work machine. A farm work information acquisition unit that acquires farm work information of target farm work performed by remote control of the work machine or by autonomous operation of the said work machine from the client, A request target selection unit selects the target farm work by comparing the farm work information of the target farm work with at least one of the multiple supporter information and the machine information, A monitoring processing unit that acquires the working status of the work machine that performs the aforementioned agricultural work, A trouble processing unit determines, in the event of a trouble occurring in the aforementioned agricultural work, whether recovery from the trouble is possible through remote control or autonomous operation of the work machine, and if recovery is not possible, notifies the emergency contact associated with the aforementioned agricultural work of a request for assistance. The system includes a reward determination unit that determines the reward for performing the target agricultural work based on the aforementioned agricultural work information, The aforementioned emergency contact is a recovery device other than the work machine, or an operator of the recovery device, that is capable of restoring the work machine from the trouble. The recovery device is a device that recovers the work machine from trouble through remote operation by an operator of the recovery device or through autonomous operation of the recovery device. The trouble processing unit is characterized by comparing the farm work information of the target farm work with the working status of the work machine, and detecting the occurrence of a trouble when the work machine performs an action not planned for the target farm work.

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