Communication band calculation device, system, communication band calculation method, and program

Abstract

Provided is a communication band calculation device for calculating a communication band for a communication network in an environment in which remote work for performing remote control with respect to a work machine is executed from a computer via the communication network. The communication band calculation device comprises: a calculation unit that calculates the communication band required for the remote work on the basis of a background traffic amount and the amount of traffic of information required for the remote work transmitted and received between the computer and the work machine; and a control unit that measures the communication network quality in the communication network for which the communication band is reserved.

Description

Communication bandwidth calculation device, system, communication bandwidth calculation method, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for calculating a communication bandwidth in a communication network.

[0002] Conventionally, for communication services provided via a communication network, regardless of whether the communication is via a fixed line (wired) or wireless communication using a mobile terminal, QoS (Quality of Service) or QoE (Quality of Experience) can be defined as the quality of communication service required by users. Communication service providers design, operate, and manage communication networks to achieve such communication service quality.

[0003] In order to achieve the required quality of communication services, communication networks regularly measure the traffic volume of the communication services they provide, and at the same time, analyze and evaluate the traffic characteristics specific to each communication service, thereby acquiring and accumulating knowledge about the traffic characteristics of each communication service.In order to provide communication services economically and to timely build just the right amount of communication resources, a technology is required that utilizes the knowledge thus obtained to predict future communication traffic volume and calculate the appropriate amount of communication equipment.

[0004] With the spread of advanced IoT (Internet of Things) devices, the rapid development of AI (artificial intelligence), and the increasing speed and improvement of communication infrastructure such as 5G (5th Generation), it is expected that desired tasks that previously could only be carried out directly by highly skilled engineers and workers on site will be accomplished using work processes created by computers.

[0005] In this case, the communication network involved is required to reliably provide the communication service quality of the communication service it provides, which is the quality of communication service required to accomplish the desired work using the work machine at the site, using control signals sent from a computer located remotely away from the site.

[0006] Furthermore, the communication network is also expected to provide possible assistance to avoid work failures or accidents due to the effects of degradation of communication service quality or the effects of unexpected work errors in the work process.

[0007] Prior art documents relating to communication bandwidth calculation techniques include, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0008] JP 2020-150524 JP 2018-157311

[0009] In the prior art, there are many techniques for calculating the appropriate amount of communication equipment required to maintain communication service quality in the future, for communication networks that multiplex and provide a variety of communication services including fixed-line telephone services, video distribution services, and Internet connection services, and for mobile communication networks that provide mobile communication services.

[0010] However, in conventional technology, there was no technology to calculate the communication bandwidth of a communication network in remote work in which a work machine is remotely operated based on a work process created by a computer in an environment in which the computer and the work machine are connected via a communication network.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide technology that makes it possible to calculate the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via the communication network.

[0012] According to the disclosed technology, there is provided a communication bandwidth calculation device that calculates the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via the communication network, the communication bandwidth calculation device comprising: a calculation unit that calculates the communication bandwidth required for the remote work based on the traffic volume of information required for the remote work transmitted and received between the computer and the work machine and the background traffic volume; and a control unit that measures the communication network quality in the communication network for which the communication bandwidth is reserved.

[0013] The disclosed technology provides a technology that makes it possible to calculate the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via the communication network.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining "on-site work", "work using a work process created by a computer", and "remote work using a work process created by a computer". FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a communication terminal for supporting remote work using a work process created by a computer, and a communication bandwidth calculation device for controlling it. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the utility of remote work using a work process created by a computer. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the overall block diagram showing the configuration of a system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a calculation processing unit in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flow diagram (part 1) showing the processing of the calculation processing unit. FIG. 6 is a flow diagram (part 2) showing the processing of the calculation processing unit. FIG. 7 is a flow diagram (part 3) showing the processing of the calculation processing unit. FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining the operation of an application for work error detection on communication terminal Y2. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the device.

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example, and the embodiment to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0016] The following describes a technology that targets communication equipment in a communication network where communication traffic volume fluctuates and increases (decreases), and calculates the required bandwidth equipment capacity after predicting communication traffic volume at a future design target time in order to provide the communication service quality required by users.

[0017] More specifically, this document describes a technology for avoiding work failures or accidents caused by the effects of deterioration in communication service quality or unexpected work errors in a work process, for work machines that perform remote work based on a work process created by a computer through a communication service provided via a communication network.

[0018] Below, first, the problem will be described in more detail, and then the technology according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0019] (Regarding the Issues) As described above, in the prior art, there are many techniques for calculating the appropriate amount of communication equipment required to maintain the quality of communication services at a future point in time for communication networks that multiplex and provide a variety of communication services, including fixed-line telephone services, video distribution services, and Internet connection services, and for mobile communication networks that provide mobile communication services.

[0020] However, in the prior art, there was no technology for avoiding work failures or accidents caused by the effects of deterioration in communication service quality or the effects of unexpected work errors in the work process, for work machines performing remote work based on work processes created by a computer through communication services provided over a communication network.

[0021] First, definitions (prerequisites) for clarifying the problems associated with the present embodiment will be explained. Note that the definitions explained below are those related to the embodiment, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following definitions.

[0022] (Work) The "work" that is the subject of this embodiment is defined as "a worker operating a work machine to achieve a desired work objective, with all of the various decisions and operations during the work being performed by the worker." In other words, the work machine itself is defined here as not having the functionality to autonomously achieve a desired work. The location where the work object and work machine are located is called the "work site," and a specific work at a specific work site is called "work site." In other words, "work site" is work based on the operation of a work machine by a worker on site.

[0023] (Work process and its expression) Furthermore, it is considered that a desired work can be broken down into simple "subtasks" such as raising and lowering, rotating, and moving the work object by a work machine. In a subtask, the position and state of the work object and the work machine change depending on the appropriate control signal and the operation of the work machine in response to that control signal. The position state after this change is the result of the subtask. If the position and state of the work object and the work machine match the position and state intended by the control signal (if it is as intended by the operator), then the subtask is considered to have been accomplished. Hereinafter, the position and state of the work object and the work machine intended by the control signal will be referred to as the "target position," and will be distinguished from the "current position," which is the position and state prior to that.

[0024] In other words, the content and achievement conditions of a subdivision task can be expressed by (one or more) control signals and the planned positions intended by those control signals.

[0025] Since the achievement of the desired task (as a whole) can be considered to correspond to the achievement of a series of linked subtasks, in this paper we refer to this series of subtasks as a "task process." This means that the task process can be expressed as a series of (one or more) control signals and the planned positions intended by those control signals.

[0026] With the goal of accomplishing the desired work more efficiently, safely and reliably, it is believed that the more skilled a worker is, the more efficient and safe the subdivisions within the work process will be.

[0027] In one sub-task, the work object that the work machine acts on may be limited to one work object, or may act on multiple objects if it is determined that there is a low possibility of failure due to a collision, etc. The worker and work machine may move at any speed that does not affect the completion of the sub-task.

[0028] Examples of work machines include robotic arms in factories, production machines in factories, machine tools in factories, agricultural machines in farms, tractors in farms, construction machines at construction sites, various heavy machinery at construction sites, and surgical machines in hospital operating rooms.

[0029] An image of the on-site work is shown in the upper part of Figure 1. Note that Figure 1 also shows symbols such as X1 and X2 that will be used in the following explanation.

[0030] (Explanation of a Work Process Created by a Computer) A "work process created by a computer" related to this embodiment will now be described. A work process created by a computer is a work process that is output by a computer (on behalf of the worker) using as input all information required for the work machines present at the work site, the work object, and the desired work (position information, shape information, weight information, control signals, operation data, work environment data, conditions for achieving the desired work, etc.). The computer may be a cloud computer.

[0031] (Relationship with digital twins) Digital twins are a concept that involves collecting all information (control signals, operation data, work environment data, etc.) about objects that exist in the real world, or "physical space," in real time, transmitting it to the virtual world, or "cyberspace," recreating the object in cyberspace in an identical state to that in physical space, conducting advanced simulations in cyberspace, and feeding back the knowledge that is the result of the simulation in cyberspace into physical space. Note that a virtual model that is precisely recreated in cyberspace and is as identical to reality as possible is sometimes called a digital twin.

[0032] In other words, a work process created by applying the concept of a digital twin is a computer-generated work process, and therefore a computer-generated work process partially encompasses a work process created by applying a digital twin.

[0033] (Explanation of a computer-generated design or simulation for optimizing a work process) In the cyberspace created within the computer, the work machine and work object are reproduced in three-dimensional space in the cyberspace using input information on the exact position, size, and shape of each part (each physical surface and each endpoint of each arm part). Then, by providing the initial velocity and direction of each part, they are reproduced in four-dimensional space, including time. Furthermore, the results of the physical interaction between the work machine and work object, along with information such as their weight, can be used to design or simulate a work process for achieving a desired task in accordance with the laws of physics. Therefore, a control signal to be input to the work machine to achieve the desired work result for the subtask can be obtained. At the same time, the final state of the work machine and work object for that subtask, resulting from that control signal, can be obtained. This final state is equivalent to the initial state for the next subtask section. Potential risks (failures and accidents) can also be detected in advance and modified to appropriately avoid them.

[0034] By conducting optimization design or simulation of a series of subtasks in cyberspace as a preliminary study, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the entire desired task. While the efficiency of on-site work relies on the knowledge and experience of the worker and human cognitive ability, design or simulation in cyberspace eliminates these constraints, enabling faster and more precise control of work machines, and it is expected that the entire desired task will be accomplished more efficiently and in less time while reducing various risks. However, this corresponds to further refinement of the subtasks, which means that each subtask will become smaller, leading to further reductions in the work time for each subtask.

[0035] (Data Required by Computers to Create Work Processes) The data required by computers to create work processes includes control signals sent from cyberspace to physical space to operate work machines. Conversely, from physical space to cyberspace, numerous sensor devices, such as video cameras, global positioning systems (GPS), inertial measurement units (IMU), radar, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR), are attached to work objects, work machines, and surrounding objects at the work site to recognize the various surrounding environments. These devices collect large amounts of data in real time and continuously transmit it to the digital world. Using this data and various remote sensing technologies, it is possible to accurately recognize the structure of objects and spaces in the physical world relative to the work machines, work objects, and surrounding areas in real time, enabling conversion to cyberspace within the computer (hereafter referred to as cyberspace conversion).

[0036] All data that is input to the control signals of the work machines, work objects, and sensor devices from cyberspace (computer) to physical space (work site) with the aim of achieving desired work through a work process created by a computer is called control signal data, and the amount of this data is called the control signal data amount. On the other hand, all data that is output by the numerous sensor devices and the work machines or work objects, etc., that is output from physical space (work site) to cyberspace (computer) for the same purpose is called sensor data, and the amount of this data is called the sensor data amount.

[0037] An image of a work process created by a computer is shown in the middle of Figure 1. The work process created by the computer is optimized through simulation in cyberspace.

[0038] (Remote work according to a work process created by a computer) In this embodiment, work using a work machine on site in accordance with a work process created by a computer located remotely from the site is referred to as "remote work according to a work process created by a computer." In other words, "remote work according to a work process created by a computer" is work according to a work process created by a computer that is carried out remotely via a communication network.

[0039] A communications network is required to send and receive control signals from the computer to on-site work machines, as well as the large amounts of data acquired by sensors and cameras in the opposite direction.

[0040] In this case, remote work using computer-generated work processes is affected by the communication service quality (packet loss, delay time, delay time fluctuation, etc.) of the communication network. The impact becomes greater the greater the distance between the remote computer and the work site, and if the communication service quality deteriorates beyond a certain level, it becomes difficult to complete the desired work. The more optimized and faster the computer-generated work processes become, the more serious the impact that even a slight deterioration in communication service quality, such as an increase in packet loss rate, delay time, or delay time fluctuation, can have on the completion of the desired work.

[0041] The bottom of Figure 1 shows an image of "remote work using computer-generated work processes."

[0042] When a computer creates a work process, it performs exhaustive calculations through optimization simulations, which breaks down the entire desired work into small subtasks, resulting in an extremely short time scale for the subtasks. In a remote work process, the computer must receive on-site sensor data and monitor and confirm that each of the subtasks simulated in advance is being accurately accomplished. However, if the communication service quality, such as packet loss, delay time, and delay time fluctuation, deteriorates, it may become impossible to monitor and confirm the on-site work in a timely manner.

[0043] Alternatively, even if there are no problems with the quality of communication services, there is a risk that unforeseen factors at the work site (such as the effects of vibrations caused by earthquakes or sudden strong winds, or intrusions or interference from outside) may cause minute work errors in each sub-task, and these minute work errors may accumulate, ultimately increasing the likelihood that the desired work will not be accomplished.

[0044] Therefore, the more a computer-generated work process is optimized, accelerated, and made more efficient through optimization design or optimization simulation, the greater the distance between the computer and the work site, and the greater and more serious the impact of deterioration in communication service quality and unexpected work errors will be.

[0045] The technology according to the present embodiment aims to solve the above-mentioned problems. Specifically, the technology according to the present embodiment aims to avoid work failures or accidents caused by the effects of deterioration in communication service quality or the effects of unexpected work errors in a work process, for a work machine performing a remote work based on a work process created by a computer, through a communication service provided via a communication network for accomplishing a desired remote work based on the work process created by a computer.

[0046] (Outline of the embodiment) First, an outline of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, a communication bandwidth calculation device 10 is provided that calculates the amount of communication equipment required to provide a communication service.

[0047] The communication bandwidth calculation device 10, through the communication services provided via a communication network, can prevent work failures or accidents caused by the effects of deterioration in communication service quality or the effects of unexpected work errors in the work process, for work machines performing remote work based on work processes created by a computer.

[0048] In addition, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 may be configured to be capable of performing only one of the following: "avoiding the impact of deterioration in communication service quality on work machines performing remote work based on work processes created by a computer" and "avoiding work failures or accidents due to the impact of unexpected work errors in work processes created by a computer."

[0049] (General Configuration of Communication System) Fig. 2 shows a general configuration example of a communication system according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a communication terminal for supporting remote work based on a work process created by a computer, and a communication bandwidth calculation device for controlling the communication terminal. However, the functions of the communication terminal may be replaced by a multi-access edge computing (MEC) device.

[0050] 2, this communication system has communication terminals Y1 and Y2 for connecting a computer X1 and a work machine X2 at a site via a communication network 20. The communication terminals Y1 and Y2 include functions for supporting remote work.

[0051] Furthermore, this communication system includes a communication bandwidth calculation device 10. The communication bandwidth calculation device 10 controls the communication terminals Y1 and Y2. As shown in Fig. 2, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 acquires information within the communication network 20 required for controlling the communication terminals Y1 and Y2, and transmits setting information to each of the communication terminals Y1 and Y2. The internal configuration and operation of the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 will be described in detail later. The process executed by the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 is outlined below.

[0052] The communication bandwidth calculation device 10 in this embodiment calculates the communication bandwidth for communications for remote work so that the NW quality limit value indicating the minimum communication network quality (packet loss rate, delay time, delay time fluctuation, etc.) required to accomplish a desired work remotely can be satisfied for the communication service provided between the computer X1 and the work machine X2, and secures the communication bandwidth through the operation system.

[0053] In addition, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 monitors the communication network quality during communication for an application in a communication terminal that performs remote work communication, and if it detects a deterioration that exceeds the NW quality limit value, it stops the work by issuing a command signal to stop the work.

[0054] At the same time, the communications bandwidth calculation device 10 uses the communicating sensor data to calculate the three-dimensional spatial position information in physical space of the work machine and work object at the time of each sub-task segment, compares this with the three-dimensional spatial position information planned in physical space for the work machine and work object at the time of the corresponding sub-task contained in the planned work process information obtained in advance, calculates the difference as the work error at that time, and if a work error exceeding the work error limit is detected, stops the work by issuing a work stop command signal. This allows computer X1 to minimize rework in the work process and achieve the desired work by running the optimization simulation again.

[0055] 3, the effect of the work process generated by the computer X1 in this embodiment on remote work is that it can detect and stop the work earlier than the computer X1 detects a deterioration in the quality of the communication network or an error in the work, thereby making it possible to avoid major failures or accidents in the remote work. The more the work process generated by the computer is optimized or made faster and more efficient, the greater the impact of a momentary deterioration in the quality of the communication network becomes, so the effect of being able to stop the work earlier, even for a short time, can be expected to be greater.

[0056] More specifically, the following benefits (1) to (3) can be obtained, as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, the planned work process information is advance information such as the spatial position of the work object and each part of the work machine.

[0057] Benefit (1): For remote work by work machine X2 based on the work process created by computer X1, it is possible to provide appropriate network quality by designing the capacity of various resources within the communication network, such as communication bandwidth, and scheduling the allocation of resources.

[0058] Benefit (2): By detecting deterioration of communication network quality (packet loss rate, delay time, delay time fluctuation, etc.) using the application in the communication terminals Y1 and Y2, deterioration can be detected at an earlier point in time than when detected by the computer X1 or the work machine application X2, and commands such as a work stop signal can be implemented as necessary.

[0059] Benefit (3): By comparing the planned work process information, which is advance information such as the spatial positions of the work object and each part of the work machine X2 generated by the optimization simulation on the computer X1, with the camera / sensor data from the work site, it is possible to detect the occurrence of unexpected work errors at an earlier stage. This makes it possible to issue commands such as a work stop signal as necessary.

[0060] (Overall Configuration of Communication System) Fig. 4 is an overall block diagram showing the configuration of a communication system including a communication bandwidth calculation device 10 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, a fixed-line communication network that provides data communication services will be described as an example of the target communication network 20. However, it is also possible to implement a part or all of the network using a mobile communication network. Furthermore, this embodiment assumes that data communication is performed using the IP protocol, but data communication using the IP protocol is only an example, and the technology according to the present invention is applicable regardless of the type of protocol.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 4, a data communication service is provided by a communication network 20 to PC terminals 411, 421, 431, and 441, which are user-owned data communication terminals, via communication terminals 41, 42, 43, and 44, which are network termination devices.

[0062] Any user-owned data communication terminal using communication network 20 can communicate with a desired server or any data communication terminal by passing through bandwidth facilities 30 to 37, nodes 21 and 22, access nodes 23 and 24, gateway router 25, and then through the Internet 26.

[0063] As a specific example of remote work using a work process created by a computer, which is performed in the communication system of this embodiment, it is assumed that a computer X1 is connected to communication terminal 41 and a work machine X2 is connected to communication terminal 44. To clearly indicate this relationship, communication terminals 41 and 44 will also be referred to as communication terminals Y1 and Y2, respectively. An application that enables communication terminals Y1 and Y2 to be controlled by communication bandwidth calculation device 10 is installed on communication terminals Y1 and Y2.

[0064] As a result, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 supports the achievement of a desired remote task based on a task process created by a computer as a communication service or function provided by the communication network 20.

[0065] Note that nodes, access nodes, and bandwidth facilities are all examples of communication facilities, and specifically, nodes are mainly routers, and access nodes are mainly switches, etc. Furthermore, bandwidth facilities are fixed transmission paths (communication lines) such as optical lines, or wireless transmission paths (communication lines).

[0066] The communication bandwidth calculation device 10 is configured as an information processing device using a computer, and performs calculation processing using, for example, the following information 61 to 63 as input.

[0067] Network equipment configuration information 61, equipment unit traffic information 62, remote work request information 63, network quality limit value 64, work error limit value 65, and planned work process information 66. Each piece of information will be explained below.

[0068] The network equipment configuration information 61 is information on the configuration and interconnection relationships of network equipment that is held and updated within the operation system 51. The network equipment configuration information 61 includes all information on the communication equipment in the communication network 20, such as information on the nodes, access nodes, and line bandwidths accommodated in the communication network 20, and information on the connection relationships between the nodes / access nodes and lines.

[0069] Next, the facility-based traffic information 62 will be described. For example, the facility-based traffic information 62 relating to the band facility 30 is measurement data obtained by measuring at regular time intervals the amount of traffic flowing out of or into the band facility 30 in connection with the node 21. The facility-based traffic information 62 includes traffic information relating to all communication facilities constituting the communication network 20, and is accumulated for a certain period of time within the operation system 51.

[0070] Next, we will explain the remote work request information 63. The remote work request information 63 is various information related to the remote work to be undertaken based on the work process created by the computer, and specifically includes, for example, the following information (1) to (4).

[0071] (1) Location information including latitude and longitude of computer X1, and subscriber information.

[0072] (2) Location information including latitude and longitude of the work machine X2 and the work object, contractor information, and three-dimensional spatial map information regarding the entire site (including information necessary for accomplishing remote work, such as information regarding the work environment and conditions at the site, such as gradient, inclination, geology, soil, etc., and information regarding surrounding obstructions, obstacles, buildings, etc.).

[0073] (3) The physical locations within the communication network 20 of the communication terminal Y1 (41) to which the computer X1 is connected and the communication terminal Y2 (44) to which the work machine X2 is connected, as well as their logical addresses (IP addresses) within the communication network 20 and communication terminal IDs. (4) Information specifying the scheduled work period (date and time), sensor data and its amount, control signal data and its amount, NW quality limit value 64, work error limit value 65, and scheduled work process information 66.

[0074] The above information (1) to (3) can determine the IP addresses of computer X1 and work machine X2. Therefore, it is possible to identify the communication connection for remote work based on the work process created by the computer, and also the communication path for that purpose. Furthermore, information (4) can identify not only the background communication traffic volume but also the traffic volume generated for the remote work (sensor data volume and control signal data volume), thereby accurately predicting the traffic volume that will burden the communication equipment at the same time on the scheduled day. This makes it possible to calculate the communication equipment capacity required to achieve the required communication network quality, and appropriately reserve and secure the communication equipment. Furthermore, it is possible to detect unpredictable degradation in communication service quality and work errors that may hinder the completion of the remote work, and if detected, it is possible to stop the work by issuing a work stop command signal. As a result, it is possible to avoid major failures and accidents during the remote work.

[0075] In this embodiment, the remote work request information 63 is notified to the user / contract management system 52 by the contractors of communication terminals Y1 and Y2 as a condition for providing the communication service. The remote work request information 63 is stored and updated within the user / contract management system 52 together with contractor information, communication terminal ID, contract details, etc.

[0076] The NW quality limit value 64 is a numerical value of the communication network quality (packet loss rate, delay time, delay time fluctuation, etc.) required minimum for the communication service provided between the computer X1 and the work machine X2 to accomplish the desired work remotely. The NW quality limit value 64 is set and evaluated as an internal parameter in the optimization design or simulation for the work process created by the computer X1, and is a condition that the contractor requests the communication service provider to provide the communication service to be used for the remote work process. Alternatively, regardless of the internal parameter, a delay time of 100 milliseconds may be requested of the communication service. Therefore, the NW quality limit value 64 can be explicitly included in the remote work request information 63.

[0077] The task error limit value 65 is a numerical value indicating the threshold value of task error in a task process at which it becomes difficult to achieve the desired remote task using the communication service provided between the computer X1 and the task machine X2. The task error limit value 65 is set and evaluated as an internal parameter in the optimization design or simulation for the task process created by the computer X1, and is a condition that the contractor requests the communication service provider to use for the communication service for the remote task process. Alternatively, regardless of the internal parameter, a task error of 10 millimeters may be requested of the communication service. Therefore, the task error limit value 65 can be explicitly included in the remote task request information 63.

[0078] The planned work process information 66 is a sequence of planned (one or more) control signals and planned positions intended by those control signals, which represent a work process for accomplishing a desired remote work using the communication services provided between computer X1 and work machine X2. As described above, the planned positions refer to the planned three-dimensional spatial position information, status, and various achievement conditions for each physical endpoint of the work machine and work object at the end of each sub-task, intended as a result of the work machine operating in accordance with the corresponding control signal. The planned work process information 66 is set and evaluated as an internal parameter in optimization design or simulation for the work process created by computer X1, and constitutes the conditions that the contractor requests the communication service provider for the communication services to be used for the remote work process. Therefore, the planned work process information 66 can be explicitly included in the remote work request information 63.

[0079] The communication bandwidth calculation device 10 performs the processes described below using the above various information and numerical values ​​as input, and executes processes to avoid work failures or accidents due to the effects of deterioration in communication service quality or the effects of unexpected work errors in the work process, for work machines performing remote work based on work processes created by a computer, through communication services provided via a communication network.

[0080] (Internal Configuration of Communication Bandwidth Calculation Device 10) Next, the internal configuration of the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0081] The configuration of the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 shown in Fig. 4 is an example of a hardware configuration when it is realized by a computer. The computer may be a physical machine or a virtual machine, and when the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 is realized by a virtual machine, the hardware configuration shown in Fig. 4 becomes a virtual hardware configuration.

[0082] 4, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 has, as its main components, a communication interface unit 11 (hereinafter referred to as the communication I / F unit 11), an operation input unit 12, a screen display unit 13, an information database unit 14 (hereinafter referred to as the information DB unit 14), a storage unit 15, and an arithmetic processing unit 16. These components are connected via an internal communication bus, and can transmit and receive information to and from each other.

[0083] The communication I / F unit 11 is made up of a dedicated data communication circuit and has the function of communicating with the operation system 51 and with the user / contract management system 52 .

[0084] The operation input unit 12 is made up of operation input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, and has the function of detecting input operations from an operator and outputting operation information to the arithmetic processing unit 16 .

[0085] The screen display unit 13 is a screen display device such as a display, and has a function of displaying various information such as operation menus and calculation results on the screen in response to instructions from the calculation processing unit 16.

[0086] The information DB unit 14 is made up of storage devices such as a hard disk and memory, and has the function of transmitting, receiving, and storing various data used for each process in the arithmetic processing unit 16. The information DB unit 14 accumulates and timely updates network equipment configuration information 61, equipment-unit traffic information 62, and remote work request information 63.

[0087] The storage unit 15 is made up of a storage device such as a hard disk or memory, and has the function of storing various programs and data used in the various processes in the arithmetic processing unit 16 .

[0088] The calculation processing unit 16 has a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and its peripheral circuits, and reads programs and data from the memory unit 15 through operations from the information DB 14 or the operation input unit 12, and executes the programs to obtain network equipment configuration information 61, equipment-unit traffic information 62, and remote work request information 63 required for the calculation processing from the information DB unit 14, and stores the results of the calculation processing in the information DB unit 14.

[0089] The program that realizes the processing in the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 is provided by a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a memory card. The program read from the recording medium is stored in the memory unit 15, for example, and is read and executed by the arithmetic processing unit 16. The program may also be downloaded from a server or the like via a communication network.

[0090] (Configuration of the Arithmetic Processing Unit 16) Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the internal functional configuration of the arithmetic processing unit 16 according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0091] 5 is a block diagram showing each processing unit of the arithmetic processing unit 16. Each processing unit is a functional processing unit that is realized by executing a program by the arithmetic processing unit 16. For convenience of description, in the drawings referred to in the following explanation, only a reference numeral (e.g., 61) may be used for information (e.g., network equipment configuration information 61).

[0092] As shown in FIG. 5, the calculation processing unit 16 includes, as main processing units, an information acquisition unit 16A, a background traffic prediction unit 16B, a communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C, an operation system setting unit 16D, a network quality degradation detection control unit 16E, a work error detection control unit 16F, and an application setting unit 16G.

[0093] The communication bandwidth calculation device 10 may not include all of the above-described processing units. In other words, some of the processing units may be located outside the communication bandwidth calculation device 10. The functions of each unit are outlined below.

[0094] The "background traffic prediction unit 16B and communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C" may be called a calculation unit. The "network quality degradation detection control unit 16E and work error detection control unit 16F" may be called a control unit.

[0095] The information acquisition unit 16A acquires remote work request information 63 in addition to network equipment configuration information 61 and equipment-unit traffic information 62. The remote work request information 63 includes a network quality limit value 64 indicating the minimum communication network quality (packet loss rate, delay time, delay time fluctuation, etc.) required to accomplish a desired remote work in remote operation based on a work process created by a computer, a work error limit value 65 indicating the threshold of work error at which it becomes difficult to accomplish the desired work remotely, and scheduled work process information 66 expressed as series information of the achievement status for each subdivided work section into which the work is broken down, which corresponds to the work process planned for the remote work. The background traffic prediction unit 16B predicts background traffic prediction information 69 for each communication facility through which communication for the remote work will pass at the scheduled date and time of the work.

[0096] The communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C calculates the required bandwidth (or required resources) for remote work, which is information specifying the communication bandwidth (or the quality class or capacity of communication resources) that can provide a communication service quality better than the NW quality limit value 64 under conditions where the traffic volume due to the control signals and sensor data transmitted and received between the computer X1 and the work machine X2 places a load on the communication equipment through which the communication passes, in addition to the background traffic prediction information 69 predicted by the background traffic prediction unit 16B. Note that "communication resources" may also be used as a term that encompasses "communication bandwidth."

[0097] The operation system setting unit 16D instructs the operation system 51 on the communication equipment side through which the communication for the remote work passes to reserve the necessary bandwidth (or necessary resources) for the remote work, and also instructs the communication terminal side that performs the communication for the remote work to configure the communication settings for the remote work so as to use the reserved communication bandwidth or communication resources.

[0098] The NW quality degradation detection control unit 16E performs control so that an application in a communication terminal that performs remote work communication monitors the NW quality during the communication, and if it detects a deterioration in communication network quality that exceeds the NW quality limit value 64, it sends a command signal to stop the work.

[0099] The work error detection control unit 16F uses the sensor data during communication to calculate three-dimensional spatial position information in physical space of the work machine and work object at the time of each subdivision work segment for an application in the communication terminal that communicates for remote work.

[0100] Next, the work error detection control unit 16F compares the above three-dimensional spatial position information with the three-dimensional spatial position information of the work machine and work object planned in cyberspace at the time of the corresponding subdivided work section, which is contained in the planned work process information obtained in advance, calculates the difference as the work error at that time, and if it detects a work error that exceeds the work error limit value 65, it controls the system to send a command signal to stop work.

[0101] The application setting unit 16G generates application setting information for setting the application appropriately in order to control the application in the communication terminal.

[0102] The communication bandwidth calculation method executed by the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 may include an information acquisition step executed by an information acquisition unit 16A, a background traffic prediction step executed by a background traffic prediction unit 16B, a communication bandwidth calculation step executed by a communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C, an operation system setting step executed by an operation system setting unit 16D, a NW quality degradation detection control step executed by a NW quality degradation detection control unit 16E, a work error detection control step executed by a work error detection control unit 16F, and an application setting step executed by an application setting unit 16G.

[0103] The operation of each processing unit will be described in more detail below with reference to flowcharts.

[0104] (Information Acquisition Unit 16A) The operation of the information acquisition unit 16A will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0105] <S110 (Step 110)> In S110, the information acquisition unit 16A acquires network facility configuration information 61 and facility-specific traffic information 62 required for the calculation process from the operation system 51. The information acquisition unit 16A also acquires remote work request information 63 from the user / contract management system 52.

[0106] <S120> In S120, the information acquisition unit 16A stores the network facility configuration information 61, the facility-specific traffic information 62, and the remote work request information 63 in the information DB unit 14.

[0107] (Background traffic prediction unit 16B) The background traffic prediction unit 16B predicts background traffic prediction information for each communication facility through which communications for the remote work will pass at the scheduled date and time of the work. Background traffic refers to communication traffic other than communications for the work process created by the computer. Therefore, the background traffic prediction unit 16B makes its predictions on the premise that the size of the background traffic is unrelated to and independent of the size of the traffic for communications for the work process created by computer X1.

[0108] The operation of the background traffic prediction unit 16B will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0109] <S210> In S210, the background traffic prediction unit 16B acquires the network facility configuration information 61, the facility-specific traffic information 62, and the remote work request information 63 from the information DB unit 14.

[0110] <S220> In S220, the background traffic prediction unit 16B identifies the communication path within the communication network 20 connecting the computer X1 and the work machine X2, and further identifies the communication facilities on that communication path, using the network facility configuration information 61 and the remote work request information 63. Furthermore, the background traffic prediction unit 16D uses the time-series data of the facility-specific traffic information 62 and the scheduled work date and time (period) in the remote work request information 63 to generate background traffic prediction information 69 of the traffic that will form the background of the scheduled work date and time, for each communication facility on the communication path at the scheduled work date and time.

[0111] As a specific example of a method for deriving the background traffic prediction information 69, linear regression prediction using the least squares method will be described.

[0112] For a certain communication facility E on the communication route, ０ From t Ｎ The sequence of cases of the peak hour traffic data volume on the relevant date corresponding to the ０ ,.... ,x Ｎ}, then at future time t ＊ The predicted value of the peak traffic data volume at t ＊ ) can be expressed as

[0113] Here, if a simple regression model is used, the parameters a and b are used to calculate the time t ｉ The traffic volume of (0≦i≦N) is a+bt ｉ The actual traffic volume is xi. The sum of squared residuals is defined as E(a, b). That is, E(a, b) is as follows:

[0114] The least squares method estimates the parameters a and b so as to minimize the residual sum of squares, and therefore the estimated quantities ^a and ^b of the parameters a and b can be obtained as the solution to the following simultaneous equations, which are partially differentiated with respect to each other:

[0115] In this case, the prediction function F(t ＊ ) is defined below.

[0116] The method for deriving the background traffic prediction information 69 may be a multiple regression prediction model, or more complex prediction methods such as a generalized linear model, a generalized linear hybrid model, or a hierarchical Bayesian model. References describing these prediction methods include, for example, "Takuya Kubo, Introduction to Statistical Modeling for Data Analysis: Generalized Linear Model, Hierarchical Bayesian Model, MCMC, Iwanami Shoten, 2012."

[0117] <S230> In S230, the background traffic prediction unit 16D stores the calculated background traffic prediction information 69 in the information DB unit 14.

[0118] (Communication Band Calculation Unit 16C) The operation of the communication band calculation unit 16C will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0119] <S310> In S310, the communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C acquires the network equipment configuration information 61, the remote work request information 63, and the background traffic prediction information 69 from the information DB unit 14.

[0120] The communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C uses the network equipment configuration information 61 and the remote work request information 63 to identify the communication path within the communication network 20 connecting the computer X1 and the work machine X2, and further identifies the communication equipment on that communication path.

[0121] <S320> In S320, the communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C calculates the required bandwidth for remote work information 70. Below, the required bandwidth for remote work information 70 and an example of a method for calculating the information will be described.

[0122] The remote operation required bandwidth information 70 is information relating to the required communication equipment resources within the network.

[0123] More specifically, the remote work required bandwidth information 70 is information that specifies the communication bandwidth required to achieve a communication service quality better than the NW quality limit value 64 for the communication path within the communication network 20 connecting the computer X1 and the work machine X2 under conditions where the amount of sensor data, the amount of control signal data, and the background traffic prediction 69 overlap to create a traffic load, and also specifies the packet priority class or quality-specific slice that will accommodate the communication.

[0124] In general, communication network quality can be estimated using two parameters: communication equipment capacity and load traffic volume. Here, we will explain an example of estimating communication network quality using a computer-based network simulation based on the technology in the reference document "ns-3 a discrete-event network simulator for internet systems, https: / / www.nsnam.org."

[0125] Specifically, a certain communication facility E on the communication path ｋ For (0≦k≦M), the bandwidth (capacity) of each communication facility is W ｋ (0≦k≦M) At a future time t ＊ The predicted values ​​of the sensor data amount and the control signal data amount in Y ｋ (t ＊ ) (0≦k≦M), and the background traffic prediction information 69 is F ｋ (t ＊ ), the total predicted traffic volume is Y ｋ (t ＊ ) + F ｋ (t ＊ Based on this condition, a network simulation is performed using a computer, and the result is that the communication equipment E between the computer X1 and the work machine X2 is ｋ NW quality degradation Q ｋ (t ＊ ) can be estimated by this network simulation. ｋ and the predicted traffic volume Y ｋ (t ＊ ) + Fｋ (t ＊ ) from the two parameters, we calculate the mapping function G to the communication network quality as an evaluation result by computer-based network simulation. ｋ can be defined as follows: Here, = is defined as the communication network quality of (left side) and (right side) being equivalent as a simulation result.

[0126] Therefore, when the NW quality limit value 64 is Qlow and the relative quality of the network is expressed using the symbol < (defined as the network quality being better on the left side of < than on the right side), the bandwidth of the communication equipment, W, is used until the following formula is satisfied: ｋ By increasing the bandwidth t, it is possible to derive the remote operation required bandwidth information 70 required to satisfy the NW quality limit value 64. ＊ In this case, the communication equipment bandwidth is increased until the NW quality limit value 64 is satisfied. ｋ (t ＊ ) and the following relationship is obtained:

[0127] From the above, at future time t ＊ The calculation of the remote work required bandwidth information 70 can be expressed as follows:

[0128]

[0129] The network quality estimation method for calculating the remote operation required bandwidth information 70 may be a method using a theoretical formula based on mathematical modeling of communication equipment control, traffic, and communication protocols. For example, the method disclosed in the reference "Sundarapandian, V. (2009). "7. Queueing Theory". Probability, Statistics and Queueing Theory. PHI Learning. ISBN 978-8120338449." may be used.

[0130] <S330> In S330, the communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C stores the remote operation required bandwidth information 70 in the information DB unit 14.

[0131] (Operation System Setting Unit 16D) The operation of the operation system setting unit 16D will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0132] <S410> In S410, the operation system setting unit 16D acquires the network equipment configuration information 61, the remote work request information 63, and the remote work required bandwidth information 70 from the information DB unit 14.

[0133] <S420> In S420, the operation system setting unit 16D identifies the communication equipment on the communication path between communication terminal Y1 and communication terminal Y2 that will communicate for the remote work, based on the network equipment configuration information 61 and the information contained in the remote work request information 63.

[0134] Furthermore, the operation system setting unit 16D generates remote work communication equipment reservation information 71 for each identified communication equipment at the date and time when the remote work communication will occur from the information included in the remote work request information 63. The remote work communication equipment reservation information 71 is information for reserving the "communication bandwidth or communication resources required to satisfy the NW quality limit value 64" included in the remote work required bandwidth information 70.

[0135] <S430> In S430, the operation system setting unit 16D transfers the remote work communication equipment reservation information 71 to the operation system 51, and uses the operation system 51 to reserve communication resources at each communication equipment for the remote work communication.

[0136] <S440> In S440, the operation system setting unit 16D generates remote work communication setting information 72 from the information included in the remote work request information 63 for each of the applications of the communication terminal Y1 and the communication terminal Y2.

[0137] The remote work communication setting information 72 is information that sets communication conditions so that communication for remote work between the application of communication terminal Y1 and the application of communication terminal Y2 can utilize communication resources reserved based on the remote work communication equipment reservation information 71.

[0138] <S450> In S450, the operation system setting unit 16D transfers the remote work communication setting information 72 to each of the application of communication terminal Y1 and the application of communication terminal Y2, and executes communication condition settings for the operation system 51 so that remote work communication between the application of communication terminal Y1 and the application of communication terminal Y2 can reliably utilize the communication resources reserved based on the remote work communication equipment reservation information 71.

[0139] <S460> In S460, the operation system setting unit 16D stores the remote operation communication equipment reservation information 71 and the remote operation communication setting information 72 in the information DB unit 14.

[0140] (NW Quality Degradation Detection Control Unit 16E) The operation of the NW quality degradation detection control unit 16E will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0141] <S510> In S510, the NW quality degradation detection control unit 16E acquires the remote work request information 63 (NW quality limit value 64) from the information DB unit 14.

[0142] <S520> In S520, the NW quality degradation detection control unit 16E generates application setting information 73, which is setting information for the application of communication terminal Y1 and the application of communication terminal Y2, and is "setting information for an application that measures the communication network quality (packet loss, delay time, delay time fluctuation, etc.) during remote work for the communication path or communication connection used for remote work between computer X1 and work machine X2, and immediately transmits a work stop signal when it is detected that the NW quality limit value 64, which is a threshold, has been exceeded."

[0143] <S530> The application setting information 73 is transferred to the application setting unit 16G.

[0144] (Work Error Detection Control Unit 16F) The operation of the work error detection control unit 16F will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0145] <S610> In S610, the work error detection control unit 16F acquires the remote work request information 63 from the information DB unit 14. The remote work request information 63 includes a work error limit value 65 and scheduled work process information 66.

[0146] <S620> In S620, the work error detection control unit 16F generates application setting information 73, which is setting information for the application of communication terminal Y1 and the application of communication terminal Y2, and is "setting information for an application that receives sensor data from work machine X2 during remote work over the communication connection used for remote work between computer X1 and work machine X2, generates three-dimensional spatial position information of work machine X2 for each subdivided work unit, compares this three-dimensional spatial position information with the three-dimensional spatial position information of work machine X2 for the subdivided work unit assumed in the advance optimization simulation included in the planned work process information 66, calculates a work error for the subdivided work unit as the difference, and immediately sends a work stop signal when it is detected that the work error limit value, which is a threshold value, has been exceeded."

[0147] <S630> The application setting information 73 is transferred to the application setting unit 16G.

[0148] (Application Setting Unit 16G) The operation of the application setting unit 16G will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

[0149] <FIG. 8, S1010> In S1010, the application setting unit 16G receives from the NW quality degradation detection control unit 16E the application setting information 73, which is setting information for an application that uses an application of communication terminal Y1 and an application of communication terminal Y2 to measure the communication network quality for the communication path or communication connection used for the remote work between computer X1 and work machine X2 during the scheduled remote work and transmits a work stop signal if the NW quality limit value 67 is exceeded, as described above, and sets the application setting information 73 in the applications of communication terminal Y1 and communication terminal Y2.

[0150] <FIG. 9, S1020> In S1020, as described above, the application setting unit 16G uses an application on communication terminal Y1 and an application on communication terminal Y2 to receive sensor data from work machine X2 during remote work over the communication connection used for remote work between computer X1 and work machine X2, generates three-dimensional spatial position information of work machine X2 for the subdivided work unit, compares this three-dimensional spatial position information with the three-dimensional spatial position information of work machine X2 for the subdivided work unit assumed in the advance optimization simulation included in the planned work process information, calculates a work error for the subdivided work unit as the difference, and receives application setting information 73 from the work error detection control unit 16F, which is setting information for an application that operates to immediately send a work stop signal when an exceedance of the work error limit value, which is a threshold value, is detected, and sets this information in the applications of communication terminal Y1 and communication terminal Y2.

[0151] <Example of Application Operation> The operation of the application for detecting work errors on the communication terminal Y2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0152] <S2010> In S2010, the application for work error detection of the communication terminal Y2 acquires the scheduled work process information 66 from the application setting unit 16G.

[0153] <S2020> The application for work error detection on communication terminal Y2 extracts the "planned positions," "planned speeds and directions," etc. of the work machine and work target object for the time of the subdivided work from the acquired planned work process information 66.

[0154] <S2030> The application for detecting work errors on the communication terminal Y2 simultaneously receives sensor data from the sensors X3 in real time.

[0155] <S2040> The application for work error detection on communication terminal Y2 processes the received sensor data in real time and calculates the "current position," "current speed and direction," etc. of the work machine and work object at the time of the subdivision work.

[0156] <S2050> The application for detecting work errors on communication terminal Y2 calculates the difference between the "planned positions" and "current positions" of the work machine and the work target object, and sets this as the work error.

[0157] <S2060> The application for detecting a task error on the communication terminal Y2 determines whether the task error is greater than the task error limit value. If it is not greater, no action is taken.

[0158] <S2070> If the work error is greater than the work error limit value, the application for work error detection on communications terminal Y2 transmits a work stop signal to work machine X2.

[0159] Instead of the above-described processes of S2050 to S2070, or in addition to the above-described processes of S2050 to S2070, the following processes of S2060 and S2070 may be executed.

[0160] <S2065> In S2065, the application for detecting work errors on communications terminal Y2 generates and updates as needed a safe work stop signal that will prevent a collision from occurring, based on the current positions, speeds, and directions of the work machine and work object. Alternatively, the safe work stop signal is extracted from the scheduled work process information 66. A more specific explanation is provided below.

[0161] Because the working parts of the work machine X2, such as the arm, or the work machine itself, or the work object or surrounding objects are in motion, such as moving or turning, a simple work stop signal could cause a collision between them, leading to work failure or an accident.

[0162] In order to avoid collisions and the like that may occur due to a simple work stop signal, an application on communication terminal Y2 stores and prepares in advance a safe work stop signal, which is (one or more) control signals that are calculated taking into consideration the positions, movement speeds, directions, and other conditions of the "operating parts such as the arm and main body of work machine X2, the work object, and surrounding objects" and that will enable a safe work stop without causing a collision, and when the NW quality limit value 64 or the work error limit value 65 is exceeded, the safe work stop signal is appropriately transmitted to work machine X2, etc. in a timely manner.

[0163] To achieve this, for example, the following methods (1) and (2) can be used: (1) is an example in which a communication network provides a safe work stop signal as part of its function, and (2) is an example in which a computer generates a safe work stop signal as part of the work process.

[0164] (1) In the application of communication terminal Y2, remote sensing technology is applied to sensor data to continuously create and update a safe work stop signal, which is a control signal that can achieve a safe work stop without collisions, etc., calculated after taking into consideration the positions, movement speeds, directions, etc. of the "operating parts such as the arm and main body of work machine X2, the work object, and surrounding objects" in parallel with the work process.

[0165] For example, a control signal is created that maintains a constant distance between the work machine and the work object, or returns the work machine and the work object to several pre-set candidate evacuation locations, and that results in the safest state among the combinations of candidate routes / trajectories and candidate speeds. The safest state is determined by an object movement simulation based on conditions such as collision prevention. The above-mentioned evacuation locations, routes / trajectories, and speeds may be selected probabilistically and randomly to perform an object movement simulation.

[0166] (2) When the computer X1 creates the work process, it may calculate a safety work stop signal for each sub-work unit when it detects that the network quality limit value 64 or the work error limit value 65 has been exceeded, and store this signal in the remote work request information 63 together with the scheduled work process information 66.

[0167] <S2070> If the work error is greater than the work error limit value, the application for work error detection on communications terminal Y2 transmits a safe work stop signal to work machine X2 to prevent a collision.

[0168] (Supplementary Note) For convenience of explanation, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 according to the present embodiment is described using a functional block diagram, but the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 according to the present embodiment may be realized by hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the functional units may be used in combination as necessary. Furthermore, the method according to the present embodiment may be performed in an order different from that shown in the embodiment.

[0169] (Hardware Configuration Example) A more specific example of a hardware configuration will be described below. Any of the devices described in this embodiment (such as the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 and the communication terminals Y1 and Y2) can be realized, for example, by causing a computer to execute a program. This computer may be a physical computer or a virtual machine on the cloud.

[0170] That is, the device can be realized by executing a program corresponding to the processing performed by the device using hardware resources such as a CPU and memory built into a computer. The program can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (such as a portable memory) and stored or distributed. The program can also be provided via a network such as the Internet or email.

[0171] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the computer. The computer in Fig. 11 includes a drive device 1000, an auxiliary storage device 1002, a memory device 1003, a CPU 1004, an interface device 1005, a display device 1006, an input device 1007, an output device 1008, and the like, all of which are interconnected via a bus B. The computer may further include a GPU.

[0172] The program that realizes the processing on the computer is provided by a recording medium 1001, such as a CD-ROM or a memory card. When the recording medium 1001 storing the program is set in the drive device 1000, the program is installed from the recording medium 1001 to the auxiliary storage device 1002 via the drive device 1000. However, the program does not necessarily have to be installed from the recording medium 1001, but may be downloaded from another computer via a network. The auxiliary storage device 1002 stores the installed program as well as necessary files, data, etc.

[0173] The memory device 1003 reads and stores the program from the auxiliary storage device 1002 when an instruction to start the program is received. The CPU 1004 realizes the functions related to the device 10 in accordance with the program stored in the memory device 1003. The interface device 1005 is used as an interface for connecting to a network, etc. The display device 1006 displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like according to the program. The input device 1007 is composed of a keyboard, mouse, buttons, a touch panel, etc., and is used to input various operation instructions. The output device 1008 outputs the results of calculations.

[0174] (Summary of the embodiment) As explained above, the technology explained in this embodiment provides a communication bandwidth calculation device 10 that calculates the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where a computer and a work machine are connected via a communication network, in remote work where the work machine is remotely operated based on a work process created by the computer.

[0175] The communication bandwidth calculation device 10 includes a communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C, a network quality degradation detection control unit 16E, and a work error detection control unit 16F.

[0176] The communication bandwidth calculation unit 16C calculates and reserves the required bandwidth (or required resources) for remote work. The required bandwidth (or required resources) for remote work is information specifying the communication bandwidth (or the quality class or capacity of the communication resources) that can provide a communication service quality better than the NW quality limit value, which is the communication network quality required to accomplish the remote work, under conditions where the traffic volume due to control signals and sensor data sent and received between the computer and the work machine, as well as the background traffic volume due to other communication services, places a load on the communication equipment through which the communication passes.

[0177] The network quality degradation detection control unit 16E measures the communication network quality in the communication network for which the communication bandwidth is reserved, and controls the remote work, including transmitting a work stop signal to the work machine when the value becomes worse than the NW quality limit value corresponding to the lower limit value.

[0178] The work error detection control unit 16F measures the work error during the work process and remote work, and when it detects that the work error exceeds the work error limit value, which is a threshold value evaluated by the computer at which the remote work becomes impossible to achieve, it controls the remote work, including sending a work stop signal to the work machine.

[0179] As described above, the communication bandwidth calculation device 10 in this embodiment makes it possible to calculate the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via the communication network. Furthermore, it makes it possible to avoid work failures or accidents due to the effects of deterioration in communication service quality or the effects of unexpected work errors in the work process for work machines performing remote work based on a work process created by a computer, through communication services provided via the communication network.

[0180] The following additional notes are provided regarding the above-described embodiments.

[0181] <Additional Notes> (Additional Item 1) A communications bandwidth calculation device that calculates the communications bandwidth of a communications network in an environment where remote work is performed in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via the network, comprising: a calculation unit that calculates the communications bandwidth required for the remote work based on background traffic volume and traffic volume of information required for the remote work transmitted and received between the computer and the work machine; and a control unit that measures communications network quality in the communications network for which the communications bandwidth is reserved. (Additional Item 2) The communications bandwidth calculation device described in Additional Item 1, wherein the control unit controls the remote work when the communications network quality becomes worse than a predetermined quality limit value. (Additional Item 3) The communications bandwidth calculation device described in Additional Item 1, wherein the control unit measures a work error, which is the error between a plan for a work process and the result of the remote work, and controls the remote work when it detects that the work error has exceeded a predetermined work error limit value. (Additional Item 4) The communications bandwidth calculation device described in Additional Item 3, wherein the control is control to transmit a work stop signal to the work machine. (Supplementary Item 5) A system comprising the communication bandwidth calculation device described in any one of Supplementary Items 1 to 4, a communication terminal connected to the computer, and a communication terminal connected to the work machine. (Supplementary Item 6) A communication bandwidth calculation method executed by a communication bandwidth calculation device that calculates the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via a communication network, the communication bandwidth calculation method comprising: a calculation step of calculating the communication bandwidth required for the remote work based on background traffic volume and traffic volume of information required for the remote work transmitted and received between the computer and the work machine; and a control step of measuring communication network quality in the communication network for which the communication bandwidth is reserved. (Supplementary Item 7) A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to function as each unit in the communication bandwidth calculation device described in any one of Supplementary Items 1 to 4.

[0182] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such a specific embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

[0183] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Communication bandwidth calculation device 11 Communication I / F unit 12 Operation input unit 13 Screen display unit 14 Information DB unit 15 Memory unit 16 Arithmetic processing unit 16A Information acquisition unit 16B Background traffic prediction unit 16C Communication bandwidth calculation unit 16D Operation system setting unit 16E NW quality degradation detection control unit 16F Work error detection control unit 16G Application setting unit 20 Communication network 21, 22 Node 23, 24 Access node 25 Gateway router 26 Internet 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 Bandwidth equipment 41 Communication terminal Y1 42, 43 Communication terminal 44 Communication terminal Y2 411 Computer X1 421, 431 PC terminal 441 Work machine X2 442 Sensors X3 51 Operation system 52 User / contract management system 61 Network equipment configuration information 62 Equipment unit traffic information 63 Remote work request information 64 NW quality limit value 65 Work error limit value 66 Planned work process information 69 Background traffic prediction information 70 Remote work required bandwidth information 71 Remote work communication equipment reservation information 72 Remote work communication setting information 73 Application setting information 1000 Drive device 1001 Recording medium 1002 Auxiliary storage device 1003 Memory device 1004 CPU 1005 Interface device 1006 Display device 1007 Input device 1008 Output device

Claims

1. A communication bandwidth calculation device that calculates the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via the network, the communication bandwidth calculation device comprising: a calculation unit that calculates the communication bandwidth required for the remote work based on the traffic volume of information required for the remote work transmitted and received between the computer and the work machine and the background traffic volume; and a control unit that measures the communication network quality of the communication network in which the communication bandwidth is reserved.

2. The communication bandwidth calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the remote operation when the communication network quality becomes worse than a predetermined quality limit value.

3. The communication bandwidth calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit measures a work error, which is the difference between the schedule for the work process and the result of the remote work, and controls the remote work when it detects that the work error exceeds a predetermined work error limit value.

4. A communication bandwidth calculation device according to claim 3, wherein the control is a control for transmitting a work stop signal to the work machine.

5. A system comprising the communication bandwidth calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a communication terminal connected to the computer, and a communication terminal connected to the work machine.

6. A communication bandwidth calculation method executed by a communication bandwidth calculation device that calculates the communication bandwidth of a communication network in an environment where remote work is carried out in which a computer remotely controls a work machine via a communication network, the communication bandwidth calculation method comprising: a calculation step of calculating the communication bandwidth required for the remote work based on the traffic volume of information required for the remote work transmitted and received between the computer and the work machine and the background traffic volume; and a control step of measuring the communication network quality in the communication network for which the communication bandwidth is reserved.

7. A program for causing a computer to function as each unit in the communication bandwidth calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images