Shape acquisition method and device, and shape acquisition system

Abstract

Provided is a shape acquisition method for acquiring shape information about a plurality of objects arranged in a grid shape so as to surround a predetermined space, the method including: inserting, into the predetermined space, a rod-shaped sensor holding part for holding a sensor; detecting light from at least one object among the plurality of objects with the sensor held by the sensor holding part; and determining the shape information about the at least one object by using the detection result of the light from the object. For example, the shape of a rebar or the like in a framework can be easily measured without using a large-sized measuring device before pouring ready-mixed concrete.

Description

Shape acquisition method and device, and shape acquisition system

[0001] The present invention relates to a shape acquisition method, a shape acquisition device, and a shape acquisition system, and more particularly to a shape acquisition technology suitable for use when the target object is at least a portion of a structure (hereinafter also referred to as a building or structure) including, for example, a steel frame.

[0002] Conventionally, when constructing a building structure, inspections have been conducted to ensure that structural materials constituting pillars, walls, etc. have been assembled without tilt or distortion. For example, the accuracy of steel frame erection has generally been measured using a three-dimensional surveying instrument that optically measures the position of a target attached to a steel frame pillar. In addition, for measuring the accuracy of steel frame erection, a tilt measurement device has been developed that measures the tilt of a steel frame pillar using a tilt measuring device (sensor) that does not use light (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Recently, there has been a demand for the ability to easily and conveniently measure the shape of reinforcing bars and the like within a framework during the construction of a building, for example, before ready-mixed concrete is poured, without using a large-scale measuring device.

[0004] JP 2018-179533 A

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shape acquisition method for acquiring shape information of a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern surrounding a specified space, the shape acquisition method including: inserting a rod-shaped sensor holding portion that holds a sensor into the specified space; detecting light from at least one of the plurality of objects using the sensor of the sensor holding portion; and using the light detection result to determine shape information of the at least one object.

[0006] According to a second aspect, there is provided a shape acquisition device for acquiring shape information of a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern surrounding a specified space, the shape acquisition device comprising: a sensor that detects light from the plurality of objects; a signal processing unit that uses the detection signal of the sensor to obtain image information of the objects; a calculation unit that obtains shape information of the objects from the image information; a control unit; and a rod-shaped sensor holding unit that holds the sensor, wherein the control unit causes the sensor to detect light from at least one of the plurality of objects when the sensor holding unit is inserted into the specified space, causes the signal processing unit to obtain image information of the object using the light detection result, and causes the calculation unit to obtain shape information of the at least one object using the image information.

[0007] According to a third aspect, there is provided a shape acquisition system comprising the shape acquisition device of the second aspect, a display unit provided in the shape acquisition device, and a remote control device capable of communicating with the shape storage device via a network, and the display unit displays drawing information including arrangement information of a plurality of the objects supplied from the remote control device, and image information of a portion of a plurality of the objects obtained by the sensor.

[0008] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a schematic view of the overall configuration of a shape acquisition system according to a first embodiment. (A) is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of the measuring rod of FIG. 1 , and (B) is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the measurement unit of the measuring rod. (A) is a diagram illustrating a control system for the measuring rod, and (B) and (C) are perspective views showing four reinforcing bars in a reinforcement structure to be measured. (A) is a flowchart illustrating an example of the basic operation of a shape acquisition method, and (B) is a flowchart illustrating an example of a shape acquisition method used during the construction of a structure. (A) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the measuring rod is inserted between reinforcing bars arranged in a lattice pattern, and (B) is a diagram illustrating an example of the display on the display unit of the measuring rod. (A) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the measuring rod is inserted between reinforcing bars arranged in two layers of lattice pattern, and (B) and (C) are diagrams illustrating example images of reinforcing bars in the first and second layers, respectively. (B) is a perspective view illustrating a measuring rod equipped with a position measurement device according to a modified example. 8A is an enlarged perspective view showing an example of the internal configuration of the measurement part of the measurement rod of the second embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an example of a point image obtained by the LIDAR type sensor in FIG. 8A.

[0009] First Embodiment A first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6C. Here, as an example, the object to be measured is a structure (hereinafter referred to as a reinforced concrete structure) in which rebars used in the construction of a reinforced concrete building or a steel-framed reinforced concrete building are arranged in a grid pattern. The reinforced concrete structure is, for example, a single-layer or multiple-layer lattice of rebars before pouring fresh concrete. The structure in which the reinforced concrete structure is used may be any structure, such as a building, a bridge, an elevated road, an elevated railway, a dam, or a tunnel. In the following description, as shown in FIG. 2A, to indicate the position of the object to be measured or the measurement device, the Z axis is taken parallel to the vertical direction (the direction of gravity), the direction opposite to the direction of gravity is taken as the positive direction of the Z axis, the X axis and the Y axis are taken as the Cartesian coordinate system in a plane perpendicular to the Z axis, and the tilt (rotation) directions around the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis are taken as the θx, θy, and θz directions, respectively.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a shape acquisition system 10 according to this embodiment. The shape acquisition system 10 includes a server 12 that also functions as a remote control device, a field controller 14 that also functions as a terminal device, a mobile terminal device (hereinafter referred to as a mobile terminal) 16, and multiple (e.g., several dozen) measurement rods 20 connected to the field controller 14 via a communication line, e.g., a wireless local area network (LAN). The server 12, the field controller 14, and the mobile terminal 16 are connected to each other via a wide area network (hereinafter referred to as a network) 13 such as the Internet. FIG. 1 shows three measurement rods 20 installed at measurement points P1, P2, and P3, among the multiple measurement rods 20. Note that the measurement points P1, P2, P3, etc. are gradually changing positions, and data is transmitted from each measurement rod 20 to the server 12 via the field controller 14. Furthermore, as an example, the server 12 may send design drawing information of the measurement target structure and / or reinforcement structure information (described below) instead of the design drawing information (hereinafter simply referred to as design drawing information / reinforcement structure information) to the measuring rod 20 and / or the mobile terminal 16 (hereinafter simply referred to as measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16). Alternatively, the server 12 may not need to send the design drawing information / reinforcement structure information to the measuring rod 20. In this case, the measuring rod 20 may store the design drawing information, etc. in advance.

[0011] Furthermore, reinforcing bars with thicknesses that differ from the design values ​​may be displayed in different colors on the screen. Instead of transmitting design drawing information / reinforcing bar structure information, for example, a worker on-site may visually check the number of layers of reinforcing bars and the number of reinforcing bars installed vertically and horizontally, and input the results (e.g., numerical values) into the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16. The same information as the design information may be displayed graphically (or in three dimensions in the case of a layered structure) on the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16. Alternatively, instead of visual inspection, the reinforcing bars may be photographed with a camera, and the same information as the transmitted information may be obtained from the photographed results, and the results may be similarly displayed graphically on the screen of the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16. The above displays may also be realized by application software installed on the measuring rod / mobile terminal.

[0012] All communication lines may be wireless, or at least some may be wired. Furthermore, the on-site controller 14 and the mobile terminal 16 do not necessarily need to be provided, and the measurement results of the multiple measuring rods 20 may be provided directly to the server 12 via the network 13. That is, the communication lines and the network 13 may be part of the same network. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 16 may be a mobile PC (personal computer), a smartphone, or the like.

[0013] In this embodiment, a commonly used server computer is used as the server 12, but a cloud (cloud computer) may also be used. The server 12 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, and storage devices such as a HDD and a solid-state drive (SSD), all of which are not shown. The CPU uses the RAM as a work area and executes various processing algorithms defined by various programs stored in the ROM, HDD, etc. Note that the configuration of the server 12, which also functions as a remote control device, is not limited to that of this embodiment. The server 12 may also include at least a configuration (correctness determination function) that transmits information such as design drawings indicating the positions of measurement targets (reinforcement structures) to multiple measuring rods 20 and determines whether the measurement results transmitted from the measuring rods 20 are correct (according to the design values).

[0014] The server 12 does not need to have a function for determining whether or not the results are true. In this case, an operator or other person may perform the determination on behalf of the server 12. Instead of or in addition to the determination, it is also possible to check whether or not all measurements of the measurement object have been completed. The determination of whether or not the reinforcement bars installed on each floor have the thicknesses specified by the design values ​​is made. The remote control device (server 12) is not limited to hardware as in this embodiment, but may be software capable of executing a calculation and control function, for example.

[0015] Furthermore, when the server 12 receives measurement data (including identification information such as ID information) from the on-site controller 14 via the network 13, the server 12 may execute, for example, an interrupt processing routine to compare the measurement data of the object (measurement target) with design data (target value / design value). Note that if an operator or the like performs the comparison (correctness determination) between the measurement data and the design data, the correctness determination process in the server 12 is not necessary.

[0016] In this embodiment, to support the on-site workers so that they can thoroughly and efficiently measure the reinforcement bars, design drawing information or reinforcement structure information is transmitted from the server 12 to the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16, and the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16 can graphically display the reinforcement structure of the measurement target on a screen (for example, the screen of the display unit 28 described below) based on the transmitted information. Here, the reinforcement structure information includes, for example, (1) the stacked layers of reinforcement at the construction site, (2) the number of reinforcement bars installed vertically and horizontally for each layer (or the number of grids defined by the reinforcement bars arranged vertically and horizontally), and (3) thickness information for each reinforcement bar, and at least part of this information may be transmitted to the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16. It is not necessary to transmit all of the reinforcement structure information; only part of it may be transmitted. For example, to support on-site workers, (1) the number of layers and (2) the number of vertical and horizontal rebars installed per layer or the layout information of the grids (or squares) (spaces surrounded by multiple rebars) may be transmitted to the measuring rod 20 or the mobile device 16 carried by the worker. Furthermore, for example, each time one or more grids (squares) are measured, the color of the measured rebar may be changed on the screen, allowing the worker to distinguish at a glance between the measured and incomplete rebars (or grids / squares). In this case, the worker can easily identify the next rebar / grid (square) to be measured, enabling the measurement work to be performed efficiently without omissions. Furthermore, if the worker needs to check for accuracy on-site or if the worker needs to check for errors in the rebar installation, the thickness information of each rebar may be added to the rebar structure information and transmitted. The rebar may then be evaluated for accuracy, and the results may be displayed on the screen of the measuring rod 20 or mobile device 16. Alternatively, the result of the determination of correctness at the server 12 may be displayed on the measuring rod 20 / mobile terminal 16 without determining whether the measurement is correct or not on-site.

[0017] In this embodiment, the on-site controller 14 is a commonly used computer. The on-site controller 14 includes, for example, a CPU, ROM, RAM, HDD, SSD, etc. (not shown). The CPU executes a processing algorithm defined by a program stored in the ROM, HDD, etc. The on-site controller 14 includes an operation unit such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display screen such as an LCD display. In this embodiment, the on-site controller 14 communicates data with the server 12 and a mobile terminal device 16 via the network 13 in response to instructions input via the operation unit by a site supervisor or other manager. Furthermore, when multiple measurement data are sent from, for example, multiple measuring rods 20 via a communication line, the on-site controller 14 transmits the multiple measurement data to the server 12. The mobile terminal 16 is carried by, for example, a worker at the construction site. The mobile terminal 16 is a commonly used portable computer, such as a tablet PC. The mobile terminal 16 may also be a smartphone.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2A , each measuring rod 20 includes a thin, rod-shaped main body 22. The main body 22 is divided into a rod-shaped measuring section 24A housing multiple sensors (image sensors in this embodiment), as described below, and a rod-shaped handle 24B connected to the measuring section 24A. For example, the main body 22 is waterproof. For example, the measuring section 24A and the handle 24B are cylindrical and have the same diameter, but the shapes of the measuring section 24A and the handle 24B are arbitrary. For example, at least one of the measuring section 24A and the handle 24B may be prismatic (e.g., a square prism). For example, the outer surfaces of the measuring section 24A and the handle 24B are formed from a metal such as aluminum, an alloy such as stainless steel, or a synthetic resin. For example, the diameter of the measuring section 24A is approximately several tens of millimeters. Furthermore, the diameter of the measuring section 24A and the diameter of the handle 24B may be different. For example, the diameter of the handle portion 24B may be set to be smaller (or larger) than the diameter of the measuring portion 24A.

[0019] A display unit 28 is rotatably attached to the end of the handle portion 24B via an attachment portion 26. The display unit 28 includes a display screen 28a for displaying various information and an information input portion 28b for inputting information such as numbers. The information input portion 28b may be provided inside the display screen 28a. Furthermore, as an example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) terminal 30 for detecting the position information of the measuring rod 20 (or the measuring portion 24A) is attached to the attachment portion 26. The GPS terminal 30 may be installed at any position on the surface or inside the handle portion 24B. When displaying the measured grid (grid) on the screen by changing the color as described above, the position of the measured grid may be identified using the GPS terminal 30, and the display on the screen may be changed using the position information. Alternatively, a field worker may change the display by touching the measured grid (grid) of the reinforcement structure displayed on the screen. Furthermore, a position sensor other than the GPS terminal 30 may be attached to the measuring rod 20, and the measured grid (mesh) may be identified from the position information, and the display may be changed.

[0020] 2A and 2B, the X and Y axes are taken to be orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the Z axis, with the main body 22 parallel to the Z axis and the handle 24B facing in the +Z direction. In Fig. 2A, a first measurement button 32A and a second measurement button 32B are provided near the top end of the handle 24B and on the bottom surface of the measuring part 24A, respectively, to allow the operator holding the measuring rod 20 to instruct the device control unit 44B (see Fig. 3A) of the measuring rod 20 when to measure the shape of the object. The number and locations of the measurement buttons 32A and 32B are optional, and for example, the second measurement button 32B may be omitted.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2B , a support member 36 shaped like a square pillar and having a square cross section is disposed at the center of a cylindrical portion 34 on the outer surface of the measurement unit 24A. Four image sensors 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D are fixed to the four side surfaces of the support member 36 on the +Z direction side, and objective lenses 40Aa, 40Ba, 40Ca, and 40Da are attached to the cylindrical portion 34 in front of the image sensors 40A-40D, respectively. The image sensors 40A-40D and the objective lenses 40Aa-40Da form a first-stage imaging device group 38A in the Z direction. Four image sensors 40E, 40F, 40G, and 40H are fixed to the four side surfaces of the support member 36 on the -Z direction side, and objective lenses 40Ea, 40Fa, 40Ga, and 40Ha are attached to the cylindrical portion 34 in front of the image sensors 40E-40H, respectively. The imaging elements 40E-40H and the objective lenses 40Ea-40Ha form a second stage of imaging device group 38B in the Z direction. Thus, first and second stage imaging device groups 38A, 38A are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction (here, the Z direction) inside measurement unit 24A. As shown in FIG. 2A, objective lenses 40Aa-40Da and 40Ea-40Ha are embedded in the side surface of measurement unit 24A. The configuration of the imaging elements and imaging device groups is arbitrary and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0022] To improve the waterproofing of the main body 22, protective glass may be embedded on the surfaces of the objective lenses 40Aa-40Ha on the side of the measurement unit 24A. Only one imaging device group (e.g., the first imaging device group 38A) may be provided inside the measurement unit 24A. Furthermore, the first imaging device group 38A may include only two imaging elements 40A and 40C and objective lenses 40Aa and 40Ca (or imaging elements 40B and 40D and objective lenses 40Ba and 40Da) facing each other in the X direction (or Y direction). Furthermore, if a mechanism for rotating the support member 36 is provided, for example, the first imaging device group 38A may include only one imaging element 40A and objective lens 40Aa.

[0023] The first-stage imaging device group 38A (image sensors 40A-40D) can capture images of a first set of four objects arranged to sandwich the measuring unit 24A in the X and Y directions. Similarly, the second-stage imaging device group 38B (image sensors 40E-40H) can capture images of a second set of four objects arranged to sandwich the measuring unit 24A in the X and Y directions. The X-direction spacing between the objects (e.g., rebar in a reinforcement structure) that sandwich the measuring unit 24A in the X or Y direction is a value selected from a plurality of spacings that change in approximately stepped fashion, such as 100 mm, 150 mm, and 200 mm, as described below, for example. Therefore, if the most frequently used value for the spacing is, for example, 150 mm, the focal positions of the image sensors 40A to 40H may be set so as to be the best focus positions for an object spaced, for example, 150 mm apart in the X or Y direction (the distance from the center of the support member 36 to the object is 75 mm), and so as to have a relatively deep focal depth.

[0024] In this case, by measuring and storing the actual size of the object at the best focus position relative to the image sensors 40A-40H in advance, even if the object is located some distance away from the best focus position, the actual size of the object (such as the diameter of a cylindrical object) can be calculated from the size of the image of the object detected by the image sensors 40A-40H. Furthermore, when the object is located significantly away from the best focus position relative to the image sensors 40A-40H, for example, it is possible to determine the distance from the image sensors 40A-40H to the object from the contrast of the image of the object detected by the image sensors 40A-40H, and then calculate the size of the object using this distance, the distance to the best focus position, and the size of the image of the object. Furthermore, the objective lenses 40Aa-40Ha may be supported movably along the optical axis, and the imaging device including the image sensors 40A-40H may be configured as an autofocus system, allowing the actual size of the object to be determined from the image of the object obtained by the image sensors 40A-40H.

[0025] Next, FIG. 3A shows a control system provided within the main body 22 of the measuring rod 20 of this embodiment. In FIG. 3A, the control system includes a wireless communication unit 44A for wireless communication between the on-site controller 14 and the server 12 (FIG. 1), a device control unit 44B for controlling the overall operation of the measuring rod 20, a position identification unit 44C for acquiring the detection results of the GPS terminal 30 and identifying the position of the measuring rod 20, an image processing unit 44D, an arithmetic processing unit 44E, a display control unit 44F for controlling the display information displayed on the display unit 28, and a power supply unit 44G including, for example, a replaceable battery (primary battery) and / or a rechargeable battery (secondary battery). The device control unit 44B incorporates, for example, a CPU, ROM, RAM, SSD, etc. (not shown). The CPU executes a processing algorithm defined by a program stored in, for example, the ROM, SSD, etc. Measurement buttons 32A and 32B are also connected to the device control unit 44B. When at least one of the measurement buttons 32A and 32B is turned on, the device control unit 44B turns on the control signal supplied to the image pickup elements 40A to 40H, causing the image pickup elements 40A to 40H to capture an image of the object. In addition, in preparation for cases where the area around the object is dark, a plurality of light-emitting elements, such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes), that emit light in synchronization with the image pickup by the image pickup elements 40A to 40H may be provided.

[0026] The image processing unit 44D also acquires image signals from the four image sensors 40A-40D of the first-stage imaging device group 38A and the four image sensors 40E-40H of the second-stage imaging device group 38B, calculates the images captured by the eight image sensors 40A-40H, and sends the image information to the arithmetic processing unit 44E. The arithmetic processing unit 44E uses the image information to calculate the shape of the object imaged by the image sensors 40A-40H. For example, the storage unit of the arithmetic processing unit 44E stores the ratio between the image size of the object when the object is at the best focus position of the image sensors 40A-40H and the actual measured size of the object, allowing the size of the object to be calculated from the image size and the ratio. If the image processing unit 44D also acquires distance information to the object imaged by the image sensors 40A-40H, the arithmetic processing unit 44E calculates the shape information of the object with higher accuracy using the image information and distance information of the object. The image processing unit 44D and the arithmetic processing unit 44E each include a microcontroller (MCU), a CPU, a memory device (RAM, ROM, SSD, etc.), an input / output circuit, and a timer circuit (not shown). The image processing unit 44D and the arithmetic processing unit 44E each execute a processing algorithm defined by a program stored in the ROM.

[0027] The measurement data, including the shape information of the object and the position information of the object on the drawing obtained by the arithmetic processing unit 44E, is transmitted to the on-site controller 14 and the server 12 via the device control unit 44B and the wireless communication unit 44A. The measurement data is accompanied by ID information, including information indicating the device number of the measuring rod 20 and the position information of the measuring rod 20 measured by the GPS terminal 30. Therefore, the on-site controller 14 and the server 12 can recognize the device number and current position of the measuring rod 20 that transmitted the measurement data. Instead of providing the arithmetic processing unit 44E, the image processing unit 44D may be configured as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and the functions of the arithmetic processing unit 44E may also be included within the ASIC. Furthermore, the image processing unit 44D and the arithmetic processing unit 44E may each be software functions of the CPU in the device control unit 44B. Furthermore, the functions of the arithmetic processing unit 44E may be included in the on-site controller 14 or the server 12 in FIG. 1 . Furthermore, for example, the functions of the calculation processing unit 44E may be executed by an application on a mobile phone terminal (smartphone) owned by the worker holding the measuring rod 20.

[0028] The power supply from the power supply unit 44G to each part of the measuring rod 20 can be turned on or off by operating a power switch 32C (not shown in FIG. 2A) provided on the main body 22. Since the measuring rod 20 consumes little power, the power supply unit 44G may be kept on at all times without providing a power switch 32C, and the display on the display unit 28 may be turned off if the display content on the display unit 28 does not change for a predetermined time or more. The wireless communication unit 44A is not limited to being wireless, and at least a part of the communication path between the wireless communication unit 44A and the on-site controller 14 or between the wireless communication unit 44A and the server 12 may be wired.

[0029] Furthermore, the measuring rod 20 is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment, and for example, the wireless communication unit 44A, the position identification unit 44C, the image processing unit 44D, and the arithmetic processing unit 44E do not have to be configured as an integrated unit, but only needs to have at least the functions of the image pickup elements 40A to 40H and the image processing unit 44D, i.e., the function of acquiring image information of the measurement object. Furthermore, the part including the image pickup elements 40A to 40H and the other parts (the part including the arithmetic processing unit 44E, etc.) may be connected by a wireless or wired communication line, and the output of image pickup data from the image pickup elements 40A to 40H and the supply of power to the image pickup elements 40A to 40H may be performed via the communication line.

[0030] Next, the measurement targets of the shape acquisition system 10 and measuring rod 20 of this embodiment are, for example, four thick reinforcing bars 50 surrounding a square space SA in a reinforcement structure 48A shown in FIG. 3B , four thin reinforcing bars 52 surrounding a square space SB in a reinforcement structure 48B shown in FIG. 3C , or four reinforcing bars 50 in a first layer 54A and four reinforcing bars 52 in a second layer 54B surrounding a square prismatic space SC in a multi-layer reinforcement structure 48 shown in FIG. 6A . Note that the reinforcement structure to be measured may be a multi-layer structure with three or more layers. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that the reinforcement structure 48A, etc., has a plurality of reinforcing bars 50, 52 whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the X-axis and a plurality of reinforcing bars 50, 52 whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the Y-axis, arranged in a lattice pattern. Furthermore, round steel bars with a circular cross section have traditionally been used as reinforcing bars for forming reinforcement structures, but recently, deformed reinforcing bars, which have greater adhesive strength and anchoring power for concrete, have become more commonly used. Therefore, the reinforcing bars 50, 52, etc. that are the subject of measurement in this embodiment are assumed to be deformed reinforcing bars.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3(B), the thick reinforcing bar 50 (deformed reinforcing bar) has a substantially cylindrical round steel portion 50a, a pair of linear ribs 50b, 50c formed to sandwich the round steel portion 50a, and multiple arc-shaped nodes 50d formed alternately above and below the ribs 50b, 50c at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction to connect the ribs 50b, 50c. Similarly, the thin reinforcing bar 52 also has a round steel portion, a pair of ribs, and multiple nodes. The type of deformed reinforcing bar is expressed by a "nominal diameter D," which is an approximation of the diameter, and the actual size of the deformed reinforcing bar is expressed by a "nominal diameter," which is the diameter of the round steel portion excluding the ribs and nodes. The "nominal diameters" of deformed reinforcing bars with "nominal diameters," such as D10, D13, D16, D19, and D22, are 9.5 mm, 12.7 mm, 15.9 mm, 19.7 mm, and 22.2 mm, respectively. That is, the nominal diameter of the deformed steel bar (the actual diameter of the round steel portion) increases in steps of approximately 3 mm.

[0032] Therefore, when measuring the size (diameter) of the rebars forming the reinforcement structures 48A, 48B, etc., it is sufficient to measure the diameter of the round steel portion of the rebar to be measured with an accuracy of about ±1 mm, determine whether the nominal diameter of the rebar to be measured is 9.5 mm, 12.7 mm, ..., 22.2 mm, etc., as described above, and then determine whether the nominal diameter is D10, D13, ..., D22, etc., as described above. In this embodiment, a series of nominal diameters of rebars and corresponding series of nominal diameters are stored in the memory of the calculation processing unit 44E in the form of a table. For example, fixed-focus image sensors 40A-40H are used to measure the shape of the rebars. However, even with fixed-focus image sensors 40A-40H, a length accuracy of about ±1 mm can be obtained, so that the nominal diameter of the rebar to be measured can be accurately determined as D10, D13, ..., D22, etc., from the image information obtained by the image sensors 40A-40H. The arrangement pitch (the distance between the centers of two parallel reinforcing bars) of the reinforcing bars 50, 52, etc. is a value that increases in multiple steps, for example, 100 mm, 150 mm, or 200 mm.

[0033] Here, an example of the basic measurement operation of the measuring rod 20 (shape acquisition device) of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 4A. Here, the measurement target is assumed to be the reinforcing bars 50 that form the reinforcing bar structure 48A in FIG. 5A. First, in step 102, as shown in FIG. 5A, the operator grasps the handle 24B of the measuring rod 20 with his / her hand and aligns the measuring part 24A of the measuring rod 20 parallel to the Z axis with the measuring part 24A facing in the -Z direction. In this state, the operator inserts the measuring part 24A into the center of the space SA surrounded by the four reinforcing bars 50 of the reinforcing bar structure 48A, and in step 104, turns on the measurement button 32A in FIG. 2A. In response, in step 106, the image sensors 40A-40H in the measuring part 24A capture images of the four surrounding reinforcing bars 50. In the next step 108, the calculation processing unit 44E of the measuring rod 20 selects images of the four reinforcing bars 50 surrounding the space SA from the images obtained by the imaging elements 40A to 40H, and calculates the average value of the diameter (thickness) of the round steel portions of the four reinforcing bars 50 using the diameter of the image of the round steel portion (hereinafter also referred to as the specific portion) among the selected images and a pre-stored ratio (the ratio between the size of the image at the best focus position and the actual measured value).

[0034] Next, the calculation processing unit 44E, for example, determines which of the multiple nominal diameter levels (9.5 mm, 12.7 mm, ..., 22.2 mm, etc.) the calculated diameter of the round steel portion of the reinforcing bar 50 is closest to. For example, if the determined nominal diameter is 22.2 mm, the calculation processing unit 44E determines that the nominal diameter of the reinforcing bar 50 being measured is D22. This radius result is supplied to the display unit 28 via the device control unit 44B and the display control unit 44F. Then, in step 110, the display screen 28a (see FIG. 2(A)) of the display unit 28 displays the measured size (thickness) of the reinforcing bar 50 in the reinforcing bar arrangement structure 48A as nominal diameter D22. By viewing this display, the worker can recognize the thickness of the reinforcing bar 50 in the reinforcing bar arrangement structure 48.

[0035] According to this embodiment, the size (diameter) of the round steel portion (specific portion) of the reinforcing bar 50 can be measured simply (easily) by simply inserting the measuring portion 24A of the measuring rod 20 into the space SA between the reinforcement structures 48A, without using a large measuring device. In step 108 of this embodiment, the calculation processing unit 44E may calculate the diameter of the round steel portion of the reinforcing bar 50 to be measured, and in step 110, the calculated value of the diameter of the round steel portion of the reinforcing bar 50 itself may be displayed on the display unit 28. In this case, the worker may determine the nominal diameter (e.g., D22) of the reinforcing bar 50 from the value of the diameter of the round steel portion of the reinforcing bar 50 displayed on the display unit 28.

[0036] Next, an example of a method for measuring the shape of rebars in a reinforcement structure used in a structure, such as a reinforced concrete structure or a steel-framed reinforced concrete structure currently under construction or an elevated road, using the shape acquisition system 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 4(B). As an example, assume that the measurement target is a two-layer reinforcement structure 48 shown in FIG. 6(A). First, in step 122 in FIG. 4(B), design drawing data of the reinforcement structure 48 to be measured and data indicating the position of the measurement target on the reinforcement structure 48 are transmitted from the server 12 in FIG. 1 to the device control unit 44B via the network 13 and the wireless communication unit 44A of the measuring rod 20. At the same time, position information of the measuring rod 20 (measuring unit 24A) detected by the GPS terminal 30 is supplied to the device control unit 44B via the position identification unit 44C.

[0037] In response, in step 124, the device control unit 44B, via the display control unit 44F, displays on the display screen 28a of the display unit 28 a drawing including the reinforcement structure 48 to be measured, along with symbols indicating the measurement positions 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D on the drawing, as shown in FIG. 5B. Furthermore, among the measurement positions 62A-62D, positions 62A and 62B that have already been measured are indicated as already measured (e.g., by being hatched or by having their display color changed). Therefore, the next measurement position is position 62C or 62D. Furthermore, in step 126, a symbol 64 (e.g., the symbol X) indicating the current position of the measuring rod 20 is displayed on the display screen 28a. This allows the worker viewing the display screen 28a to immediately understand how to get to the next measurement position. Also, as an example, an image 66 captured by one of the image sensors 40A-40H (e.g., image sensor 40A) is also displayed in a portion of the display screen 28a. The image 66 is an image captured when the measuring unit 24A is inserted into the reinforcement structure 48 as described below. This allows the worker holding the measuring rod 20 to confirm the image that is actually captured by the measuring unit 24A. The captured image 66 does not necessarily need to be displayed.

[0038] 6(A), in the next step 128, the worker grasps the handle portion 24B of the measuring rod 20 with his / her hand, and with the measuring portion 24A of the measuring rod 20 facing in the -Z direction, inserts the measuring portion 24A into the center of the space SC surrounded by the four reinforcing bars 50 in the first layer 54A of the reinforcement structure 48 and the four reinforcing bars 52 in the second layer 54B, and turns on the measurement button 32A in step 130. In response to this, the first-stage imaging device group 38A (imaging elements 40A to 40D) in the measuring portion 24A captures images of the four reinforcing bars 50 in the first layer 54A, and the second-stage imaging device group 38B (imaging elements 40E to 40H) captures images of the four reinforcing bars 52 in the second layer 54B.

[0039] Then, in step 132, the calculation processing unit 44E of the measuring rod 20 determines the diameter (thickness) d1 of the image of a specific portion (round steel portion) of the image 50P (see FIG. 6B) of the four reinforcing bars 50 surrounding the space SC obtained by the first-stage imaging elements 40A-40D, and calculates the average value of the diameters d1 of the images of the four reinforcing bars 50. Furthermore, the calculation processing unit 44E determines the diameter (thickness) d2 of the image of a specific portion of the image 52P (see FIG. 6C) of the four reinforcing bars 52 surrounding the space SC obtained by the second-stage imaging elements 40E-40H, and calculates the average value of the diameters d2 of the images of the four reinforcing bars 52. Note that hereinafter, the diameters of the specific portions of the reinforcing bars 50, 52 are simply referred to as the diameters (thickness or size) of the reinforcing bars 50, 52. In this case, the diameters d1, d2 may also be calculated using the diameters of the reinforcing bars 50, 52 and the known ratio (the ratio between the diameter of the image and the actually measured diameter) described above. The calculated diameters of the reinforcing bars 50 and 52 or the nearest nominal diameters (such as 22.2 mm and 15.9 mm) or nominal diameters (such as D22 and D16) are displayed on the display screen 28a.

[0040] Furthermore, in step 134, information on the calculated diameters of the reinforcing bars 50 and 52 of the reinforcement structure 48 is transmitted to the on-site controller 14 and server 12 in FIG. 1 . Then, as an example, in step 136, the server 12 determines whether the diameters of the reinforcing bars 50 and 52 transmitted from the measuring rod 20 are the same as the design values ​​(e.g., the nominal diameters of the reinforcing bars used in the design). If the measurement results are the same as the design values, the operation proceeds from step 136 to step 138, and the server 12 instructs the measuring rod 20 to determine the next measurement position. On the other hand, if the measurement results are different from the design values ​​in step 136, the operation proceeds from step 136 to step 140, and the server 12 instructs the on-site controller 14, etc., to replace the reinforcing bars 50 and 52 with incorrect sizes. This prevents the use of reinforcing bars of incorrect sizes in the reinforcement structure.

[0041] As described above, the measuring rod 20 of this embodiment is a shape acquisition device that acquires shape information of multiple reinforcing bars 50 (objects) arranged in a lattice pattern, for example, surrounding a square-shaped space SA (specified space), and is equipped with image pickup elements 40A to 40D (sensors) that detect light from the multiple reinforcing bars 50, an image processing unit 44D (also called a signal processing unit) that obtains image information of the reinforcing bars 50 using the detection signals of the image pickup elements 40A to 40D, an arithmetic processing unit 44E that obtains shape information (size of a specific part) of the reinforcing bars 50 from the image information, an apparatus control unit 44B (a control unit for the entire apparatus), and a rod-shaped measuring unit 24A (also called a sensor holding unit) that holds the image pickup elements 40A to 40D.

[0042] When the measuring unit 24A is inserted into the space SA (step 102), the device control unit 44B causes the image sensors 40A-40D to detect light from the rebars 50, and then uses the light detection results to cause the image processing unit 44D to obtain image information of the rebars 50 (step 106). Using the image information, the device control unit 44B causes the calculation processing unit 44E to obtain the size (shape information) of a specific portion of the rebars 50 (step 108). According to this embodiment, for example, the shape (e.g., the diameter or size of a specific portion) of the rebars 50 in the reinforcement structure 48A within a framework before the pouring of ready-mixed concrete can be easily measured by simply inserting the measuring unit 24A of the measuring rod 20 into the space within the reinforcement structure 48A, without using a large measuring device. Furthermore, because the measuring unit 24A of the measuring rod 20 is rod-shaped, it can be easily inserted into narrow spaces, making it possible to easily measure the shape of objects inside various complex structures.

[0043] Furthermore, because the measuring unit 24A is provided with two stages of imaging elements 40A to 40H, even when the measurement target is a two-layered reinforcement structure 48, it is possible to quickly and easily measure the shapes of the reinforcing bars 50 in the first layer and the reinforcing bars 52 in the second layer of the two-layered reinforcement structure 48 by simply inserting the measuring unit 24A into the reinforcement structure 48 and taking an image once. Furthermore, because the measuring rod 20 is equipped with a GPS terminal 30, the position of the measuring rod 20 (measuring unit 24A) can be measured using the GPS terminal 30 and displayed on the display unit 28, allowing the worker to quickly set up the measuring rod 20 at the measurement position.

[0044] Furthermore, the shape acquisition system 10 of this embodiment includes the measuring rod 20 (shape acquisition device) of this embodiment, a display unit 28 provided on the measuring rod 20, and a server 12 (also called a remote control device) that can communicate with the measuring rod 20 via a network 13, and displays on the display unit 28 drawing information including arrangement information of the plurality of reinforcing bars 50 supplied from the server 12, and image information of some of the plurality of reinforcing bars 50 obtained by the image pickup elements 40A to 40D. According to this embodiment, by displaying on the display unit 28 the positions of the reinforcing bars 50 in the reinforcement structure to be measured, the worker can easily move the measuring rod 20 to the measurement position.

[0045] In this embodiment, the measurement targets are four reinforcing bars 50, 52 arranged to surround a space. Therefore, for example, by averaging the measurement results of the four reinforcing bars 50, 52, the measurement accuracy of the shapes of the reinforcing bars 50, 52 can be improved. Since the shapes of the four reinforcing bars 50 (or 52) are substantially identical, it is not necessary to measure the shapes of all four reinforcing bars 50 (or 52). It is also possible to measure the shape (thickness) of only one of the four reinforcing bars 50 or 52. Furthermore, depending on the structure, the measurement target may be a reinforcement structure in which a space is surrounded by any number of reinforcing bars other than four, such as three or five. In this case, the target to be measured by the measuring rod 20 of the above-described embodiment may be the shape of at least one of the three or five reinforcing bars surrounding the space. Alternatively, if the shapes of multiple reinforcing bars arranged to surround a space are different from each other (for example, if their nominal diameters are different), the shapes of all of the multiple reinforcing bars may be measured individually.

[0046] According to this embodiment, the following modifications are possible. First, the configuration of the measuring rod 20 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, a mobile phone terminal (smartphone) may be attached to a rod equipped with an imaging element, and an application may be installed on the smartphone so that functions other than capturing images of reinforcement bars can be performed by the smartphone. Furthermore, the functions performed by the smartphone do not have to be all functions other than capturing images, and may be only some of the functions. Furthermore, the power required to use the imaging element may be supplied from the smartphone, and the battery on the rod equipped with the imaging element may be omitted. In the power supply unit 44G of the measuring rod 20 of the above-described embodiment, or the power supply unit (not shown) of the rod equipped with only an imaging element, the battery can be removed for charging, or can be charged at a charging station, as with a stick vacuum cleaner.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, the reinforcement structure 48 to be measured is formed from layers parallel to a substantially horizontal plane, but the orientation of the reinforcement structure to be measured is arbitrary. For example, if the reinforcement structure to be measured includes a layer parallel to a plane including the Z-axis and the X-axis, the measuring portion 24A of the measuring rod 20 can be inserted into the space within that layer parallel to the Y-axis. In the above-described embodiment, the measuring rod 20 includes two levels of image sensors 40A-40H, and the shapes of the first layer rebars 50 and the second layer rebars 52 of the two-layer reinforcement structure 48 are efficiently determined from a single image captured by the image sensors 40A-40H. Alternatively, the measuring rod 20 may include only one level of image sensors 40A-40D. When using this system to determine the shape of the rebars in a multi-layer reinforcement structure, the shape of the first layer rebars is determined from the image captured with the image sensors 40A-40D of the measuring rod 20 inserted between the rebars in the first layer. Next, the measuring rod 20 is inserted deeper, and the shape of the rebars in the second layer is determined from the image taken with the imaging elements 40A-40D of the measuring rod 20 positioned between the rebars in the second layer. By repeating this operation, the shape of the rebars in three or more layers of a reinforcement structure with three or more layers can be determined using the measuring unit 24A, which has only one layer of imaging elements 40A-40D.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, the tip of the measuring rod 20 (tip of the measuring unit 24A) is assumed to be in space when measuring the shape of the rebar. However, in reality, the reinforcement structure to be measured may be multiple layers (or even a single layer) of rebars arranged on a flat surface such as a concrete surface or the ground (hereinafter referred to as the reinforcement installation surface). In this case, to measure the shape of the multiple layers of rebars on the reinforcement installation surface, the measuring unit 24A of the measuring rod 20 is inserted into the space between the multiple layers of rebars. Then, when the image sensor in the measuring unit 24A captures an image of the rebar, the worker presses the measurement button 32B at the tip of the measuring unit 24A against the reinforcement installation surface and turns on the measurement button 32B. This allows the worker to easily measure the shape of the rebar on the reinforcement installation surface simply by pressing the tip of the measuring unit 24A (measurement button 32B) against the reinforcement installation surface.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, as an example, a drawing of the reinforcement bars to be measured is displayed on the display unit 28 of the measuring rod 20. Alternatively, for example, the server 12 may calculate, based on design drawing information or reinforcement structure information, the grids or squares (predetermined spaces surrounded by rebars) into which the measuring rod 20 should be inserted to measure all of the reinforcement bars to be measured, and the results may be transmitted to the measuring rod 20 or the mobile terminal 16 together with the design drawing information or reinforcement structure information. In response to this, the on-site worker may perform measurements while checking the grids (squares) to be measured, which are displayed identifiable on the screen of the display unit 28 of the measuring rod 20 or the screen of the mobile terminal 16 by, for example, changing the display color or adding a mesh. Alternatively, the measuring rod 20 or the mobile terminal 16 may calculate the grids (squares) to be measured based on the design drawing information or reinforcement structure information, and the results may be displayed on the screen of the display unit 28 or the mobile terminal 16. This makes it possible to avoid inserting the measuring rod 20 into grids that do not need to be measured, thereby shortening work time and improving efficiency. Furthermore, it is possible to calculate not only the grids (mesh) to be measured but also the measurement sequence (or measurement path) and display the results on the screen, thereby further reducing work time and improving efficiency.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the position of the measuring rod 20 (measuring unit 24A) is determined using the GPS terminal 30. On the other hand, when the measuring rod is used, for example, at a subway construction site, an opening 24Ba may be provided near the center of the handle 24B of the main body 22, and a reflective optical element 56 such as a corner cube that reflects incident light in the direction of incidence may be installed within the opening 24Ba, as shown in the modified measuring rod 20A of FIG. 7 . In this modified example, a position reference device 58 outside the measuring rod 20A irradiates a light beam (e.g., a laser beam) LB onto the reflective optical element 56, and the light beam LB reflected by the reflective optical element 56 is received by the position reference device 58.

[0051] The position reference device 58 then uses information on the rotation angle θ around an axis parallel to the Z axis (θx direction) when receiving the light reflected from the reflecting optical element 56, the rotation angle φ with respect to a horizontal plane, etc., and the distance D from the position reference device 58 to the reflecting optical element 56, which is calculated from the time difference between emitting the laser beam LB and receiving it, to determine the position of the reflecting optical element 58 (the position of the measurement unit 24A) relative to the position reference device 58. The determined position is transmitted from the position reference device 58 to the device control unit 44B via the wireless communication unit 44A of the measuring rod 20A, and the device control unit 44B displays the position on the display unit 28. According to this modification, the position of the measuring rod 20A can be accurately detected even in an environment where the GPS terminal 30 cannot be used.

[0052] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8(A) and (B). In Figures 8(A) and (B), parts corresponding to Figures 2(A), (B), and 5(B) are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The configuration of the measuring rod (shape acquisition device) of this embodiment is similar to that of the measuring rod 20 of Figure 2(A), except that this embodiment uses a LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) type or a pulsed light scanning type sensor instead of the image pickup elements 40A to 40H.

[0053] 8A shows the internal configuration of the measuring unit 24A1 of the measuring rod 20B of this embodiment. In FIG. 8A, a columnar support member 36A is provided parallel to the Z axis at the center of the cylindrical portion 34 on the outer surface of the measuring unit 24A1. A cylindrical rotating unit 70 is supported on the support member 36A so as to be rotated within a range of ±180 degrees around an axis parallel to the Z axis. A first LIDAR sensor 72A, a second LIDAR sensor 72B, and a third LIDAR sensor 72C are installed on the side of the rotating unit 70, in order from the +Z direction. The LIDAR sensors 72A to 72C have the same configuration.

[0054] For example, the LIDAR sensor 72A has a light source unit 74 that emits pulses of laser light LBA, a beam splitter 76 that reflects a portion of the laser light LBA, and a scanning unit 78 that scans the laser light LBA that has passed through the beam splitter 76 in a direction parallel to the Z axis within a predetermined angle range. The LIDAR sensor 72A further has a light receiving element 80 that receives the laser light LBA that has been scanned by the scanning unit 78, reflected by an object, and then reflected by the beam splitter 76 via the scanning unit 78. The other LIDAR sensors 72B and 72C have the same configuration as the LIDAR sensor 72A, and the LIDAR sensors 72B and 72C scan laser light LBB and LBC, respectively, and receive reflected light from the object. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the LIDAR sensors 72A to 72C rotate within a range of ±180 degrees as the rotating unit 70 rotates, and therefore the laser beams LBA, LBB, and LBC emitted in pulses from the LIDAR sensors 72A to 72C each two-dimensionally scan the object around the cylindrical unit 34. The cylindrical unit 34 is provided with cylindrical windows 82A, 82B, and 82C at predetermined intervals along the Z direction to allow the laser beams LBA, LBB, and LBC to pass through, respectively.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, a signal processing unit (not shown) that processes the detection signal of the light receiving element 80 of the LIDAR sensor 72A detects the intensity of the laser light LBA reflected from the object for each pulse emission. Furthermore, for each pulse emission, the signal processing unit calculates the position (position in the Z direction) of the point on the object that reflected the pulsed light LBA using the scan angle in the Z direction of the scanning unit 78 when detecting the laser light LBA, the rotation angle of the rotating unit 70, and the distance D from the scanning unit 78 to the object, which is calculated from the time between when the laser light LBA is emitted from the light source unit 74 and when it is received by the light receiving element 80. When the intensity of the reflected light for each pulsed light LBA detected by the signal processing unit and the position of the point on the object that reflected the pulsed light LBA are plotted on the display screen 28a of the display unit 28, an image of a large number of points 84 as shown in FIG. 8B is obtained.

[0056] In this case, if the LIDAR sensor 72A scans the four rebars 50 in the first layer 54A of FIG. 6A with laser light LBA, the point image in FIG. 8B represents an accurate image 50P of the rebar 50. The diameter d1A of the specific portion (round steel portion) obtained from the image 50P represents the actual diameter of the specific portion of the rebar 50. Therefore, by comparing the diameter d1A with the multiple nominal diameters of the rebar and identifying the nominal diameter closest to the diameter d1A, the nominal diameter and nominal size (e.g., D22) of the rebar 50 can be determined. Similarly, by processing the detection results of the second-stage LIDAR sensor 72B, for example, the nominal diameter and nominal size of the four rebars 52 in the second layer 54B of FIG. 6A can be determined.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C are used to accurately detect the shape of the reinforcing bars 50, 52, etc., of the reinforcement structure being measured. Furthermore, since the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C can accurately measure the size of the object, even if the measurement objects are multiple objects whose sizes continuously change, the shape (size) of each object can be accurately measured. Furthermore, in this embodiment, three LIDAR sensors 72A-72C are provided, so the shape of the reinforcing bars in each layer of a three-layer reinforcement structure can be accurately measured with a single measurement. Note that, even in this embodiment, only one LIDAR sensor 72A may be provided in the measurement unit 24A1. In this case, by performing multiple measurements while changing the depth of the measurement unit 24A1, the shape of the reinforcing bars in each layer of a multi-layer reinforcement structure can be accurately measured.

[0058] Furthermore, since the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C of this embodiment can also measure the distance to the measurement target with high accuracy, the arrangement pitch of the reinforcing bars 50 or 52, etc., may be measured. To do this, the arrangement pitch may be calculated by adding twice the distance from the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C to the reinforcing bars 50, etc., to the measurement target, and twice the known distance from the center of the measuring rod 20B to the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C. Furthermore, the installation position of at least one of the imaging elements 40A-40H in the measuring rod 20 and the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C in the measuring rod 20B in the direction of gravity (Z direction) may be adjustable. Alternatively, the relative arrangement spacing of the imaging elements 40A-40H or the relative arrangement spacing of the LIDAR sensors 72A-72C may be adjustable. Furthermore, when the reinforcement installation surface is a concrete surface or the ground, the height (normal direction of the reinforcement installation surface) of the multiple image pickup elements 40A-40H can be adjusted by providing an extension / retraction structure between the lowest end of the measuring rod 20, 20B that contacts the reinforcement installation surface and the lowest image pickup element 40E-40H among the multiple image pickup elements 40A-40H. This allows the shape of the reinforcement to be measured using the image pickup elements 40A-40H by extending or retracting the rod's extension / retraction structure accordingly, even if the height distance between the reinforcement installation surface and the reinforcement changes. This also applies when using LIDAR sensors 72A-72C.

[0059] Furthermore, multiple measuring rods 20, 20B with different height positions of the imaging elements 40A-40E (LIDAR sensors 72A-72C) (or the lengths of the portions of the measuring rods 20, 20B below these elements or sensors) may be prepared, and these measuring rods 20, 20B may be used depending on the reinforcement structure at the site. Furthermore, the objects measured by the shape acquisition system 10 or measuring rods 20-20B of the above-described embodiments are not limited to buildings and the like that use the reinforcement structures of the above-described embodiments. They may also be other infrastructure structures that include reinforcement structures, such as bridges, dams, tunnels (interior walls, etc.), highways, elevated roads, plants (including tanks, etc.), indoor facilities (indoor pools, gymnasiums, halls), or the bodies of high-speed railways (such as bullet trains) and railway rails. In addition, the objects may also be parts of vehicles (automobiles, including F1 cars, railways, etc.), power plants (hydroelectric, thermal, natural gas, etc.), etc.

[0060] Furthermore, examples of construction process management to which the methods and systems according to the above-described embodiments can be suitably applied include pile driving management (absolute value management, time-dependent change management) and earth retaining wall management (time-dependent change management). Here, piles refer to structures that serve as the foundation during construction, and earth retaining walls refer to walls that hold back surrounding soil and sand when digging holes to create underground structures.

[0061] The methods and systems according to the above embodiments can also be applied to infrastructure management. For example, they can be suitably applied to bridge maintenance (aging change management), bridge construction management (absolute value management), dam wall maintenance (aging change management), tunnel maintenance (aging change management), and plant / gas tank maintenance (aging change management). In addition, the methods and systems according to the above embodiments can also be applied to various types of deformation analysis. For example, they can be suitably applied to deformation analysis (aging change) of railway rails.

[0062] 10...shape acquisition system, 12...server, 13...network (wide area network), 14...on-site controller, 16...mobile terminal, 20, 20A, 20B...measuring rod, 22...main body, 24A...measuring unit, 24B...handle, 28...display, 40A to 40H...imaging element, 44A...wireless communication unit, 44B...device control unit, 44D...image processing unit, 44E...arithmetic processing unit, 48, 48A, 48B...reinforcement structure, 50, 52...reinforcing bar (deformed reinforcing bar), 72A to 72C...LIDAR type sensor

Claims

1. A shape acquisition method for acquiring shape information of a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern surrounding a specified space, comprising: inserting a rod-shaped sensor holding unit that holds a sensor into the specified space; detecting light from at least one of the plurality of objects using the sensor in the sensor holding unit; and determining shape information of the at least one object using the detection result of the light from the object.

2. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects are structures of any type selected from a plurality of types of structures including specific portions of a plurality of predetermined values ​​whose sizes vary in stages, and obtaining shape information of the at least one object includes selecting the size of the specific portion of the structure from the plurality of predetermined values ​​whose sizes vary in stages.

3. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern surrounding the specified space are four objects, detecting light from at least one of the objects includes detecting light from the four objects, and determining shape information of the at least one object includes determining shape information of the four objects.

4. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects include a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern in multiple layers surrounding the specified space, and detecting light from at least one of the objects by the sensor of the sensor holding unit includes sequentially detecting light from the objects in the multiple layers by the sensor while changing the depth of the sensor holding unit inserted into the specified space.

5. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects include a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern in multiple layers surrounding the specified space, the sensor holding unit has multiple stages of sensors arranged along the longitudinal direction of the sensor holding unit, and detecting light from the plurality of objects includes detecting light from the objects in the multiple layers by the multiple stages of sensors in the sensor holding unit.

6. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the sensor from the end of the sensor holding portion is adjustable.

7. The shape acquisition method according to claim 5, wherein the relative spacing of the multiple stages of sensors is adjustable.

8. A shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein detecting light from the at least one object includes detecting distance information from the sensor to the at least one object, and determining shape information of the at least one object includes determining shape information of the object using image information of the at least one object and the distance information.

9. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an imaging device, and determining shape information of the at least one object includes determining shape information of the object using image information of the at least one object obtained by the imaging device.

10. A shape acquisition method as described in claim 9, comprising determining distance information to the at least one object from the contrast of image information of the at least one object obtained by the imaging device, and determining shape information of the at least one object includes determining shape information of the object using the image information and distance information obtained by the imaging device.

11. The shape acquisition method according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of said imaging devices are arranged at equal angular intervals around the center of said sensor holding portion.

12. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a detection device of a pulsed light scanning type, and the detection device includes: irradiating a region including a plurality of the objects with pulsed light while scanning, and detecting the intensity of the reflected light from the objects and the time from irradiation of the pulsed light to reception of the reflected light; determining distance information to the objects from the time from irradiation of the pulsed light to reception of the reflected light, and determining image information of the objects from the intensity of the reflected light; and determining shape information of the at least one object includes determining the shape information of the object using the image information and distance information of the at least one object.

13. A shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein a display unit and at least a part of a position measurement unit for measuring position information of the sensor holding unit are connected to the sensor holding unit, and the method includes displaying the position information of the sensor holding unit measured by the position measurement unit on the display unit.

14. The shape acquisition method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a handle at an end of the sensor holding part, and inserting the sensor holding part into the specified space via the handle.

15. A shape acquisition method according to claim 1, wherein a display unit is connected to the sensor holding unit, and the display unit displays drawing information including arrangement information of the plurality of objects, and image information of a portion of the plurality of objects obtained by the sensor.

16. A shape acquisition method described in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the plurality of objects include a plurality of reinforcing bars arranged in a lattice pattern, and the shape information of at least one of the objects includes the size of a specific portion of the reinforcing bars.

17. A shape acquisition device for acquiring shape information of a plurality of objects arranged in a lattice pattern surrounding a specified space, comprising: a sensor that detects light from the plurality of objects; a signal processing unit that obtains image information of the objects using the detection signal of the sensor; a calculation unit that obtains shape information of the objects from the image information; a control unit; and a rod-shaped sensor holding unit that holds the sensor, wherein the control unit, when the sensor holding unit is inserted into the specified space, causes the sensor to detect light from at least one of the plurality of objects, causes the signal processing unit to obtain image information of the object using the light detection result, and causes the calculation unit to obtain shape information of the at least one object using the image information.

18. The shape acquisition device described in claim 17, wherein the plurality of objects are any type of structure selected from a plurality of types of structures including specific portions of a plurality of predetermined values ​​whose sizes vary in stages, and the calculation unit selects the size of the specific portion of the structure from the plurality of predetermined values ​​whose sizes vary in stages in order to obtain shape information of the at least one object.

19. The shape acquisition device described in claim 17, wherein the plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern surrounding the specified space are four objects, the sensor detects light from the four objects, and the calculation unit obtains shape information of the four objects.

20. The shape acquisition device described in claim 17, wherein the signal processing unit detects distance information from the sensor to multiple objects using the detection signal of the sensor, and the calculation unit obtains shape information of the objects using the image information and distance information of the multiple objects.

21. The shape acquisition device described in claim 17, wherein the plurality of objects include a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern in multiple layers surrounding the specified space, and the control unit causes the sensor to sequentially detect light from the objects in the multiple layers each time the depth of the sensor holding unit inserted into the specified space changes.

22. The shape acquisition device described in claim 17, wherein the plurality of objects include a plurality of objects arranged in a grid pattern in multiple layers surrounding the specified space, the sensor has multiple stages of sensors arranged along the longitudinal direction of the sensor holding unit, and the control unit causes the multiple stages of sensors to detect light from the objects in the multiple layers when the sensor holding unit is inserted into the specified space.

23. The shape acquisition device according to claim 17, wherein the position of the sensor from the end of the sensor holding portion is adjustable.

24. The shape acquisition device according to claim 22, wherein the relative spacing of the multiple stages of sensors is adjustable.

25. The shape acquisition device according to claim 17, wherein the sensor includes an imaging device, and the computing device determines shape information of the object using image information of the at least one object obtained by the imaging device and the signal processing unit.

26. The shape acquisition device described in claim 25, wherein the signal processing unit determines distance information to the objects from the contrast of image information of the multiple objects obtained by the imaging device, and the calculation unit determines shape information of at least one of the objects using the image information and distance information of the multiple objects.

27. A shape acquisition device according to claim 25, wherein a plurality of said imaging devices are arranged at equal angular intervals around the center of said sensor holding section.

28. The shape acquisition device of claim 17, wherein the sensor is a detection device of a pulsed light scanning type, the detection device irradiates a region including a plurality of the objects with pulsed light while scanning, and detects the intensity of the reflected light from the objects and the time from irradiation to reception of the light, the signal processing unit obtains image information of the plurality of objects from the intensity of the reflected light, and obtains distance information to the plurality of objects from the time from irradiation to reception of the reflected light, and the calculation unit obtains shape information of the object using the image information and distance information of at least one of the objects.

29. A shape acquisition device as described in claim 17, comprising: a display unit; and a position measurement unit that measures position information of the sensor holding unit, and the position information of the sensor holding unit measured by the position measurement unit is displayed on the display unit.

30. The shape acquisition device according to claim 29, wherein the position measurement unit is a GPS terminal connected to the sensor holding unit.

31. A shape acquisition device as described in claim 29, wherein the position measurement unit has a reflecting mirror connected to the sensor holding unit, is installed outside the sensor holding unit, irradiates detection light onto the reflecting mirror, and displays position information of the reflecting mirror determined by a position reference device that detects the reflected light from the reflecting mirror on the display unit.

32. The shape acquisition device according to claim 17, further comprising a handle connected to the sensor holding part, wherein the sensor holding part is inserted into the predetermined space via the handle.

33. A shape acquisition system comprising: a shape acquisition device according to any one of claims 17 to 32; a display unit provided in said shape acquisition device; and a remote control device capable of communicating with said shape storage device via a network, wherein said display unit displays drawing information including arrangement information of a plurality of said objects supplied from said remote control device, and image information of a portion of said plurality of said objects obtained by said sensor.

34. The shape acquisition system according to claim 33, wherein the control unit transmits shape information of the plurality of objects obtained by the calculation unit to the remote control device.

35. A shape acquisition device described in any one of claims 17 to 32, wherein the plurality of objects include a plurality of reinforcing bars arranged in a lattice pattern, and the shape information of at least one of the objects includes the size of a specific portion of the reinforcing bars.

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