Site information management system and site information management method

Abstract

A site information management system according to the present invention is made up of a calculating device that includes a computation device that executes predetermined processing, and a storage device connected to the computation device. The computation device includes a site data storage unit that stores site data including a movement record in which a position and a time of a worker or work equipment moving in a site are associated with each other, a change location extraction unit in which the computation device determines the presence or absence of a time-series change of a site structure from the site data stored in the site data storage unit, and a recommendation unit in which the computation device outputs the estimated change information. The recommendation unit sets a location where the determined change is present as an area where 3D data is to be acquired, and outputs information of the area.

Description

Site information management system and site information management method Incorporation by Reference

[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-109701, filed on July 8, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a site information management system.

[0003] At plant sites and construction sites, construction plans may not match the actual situation on-site, resulting in rework, delays, and increased man-hours. To solve this problem, it has been proposed to use a 3D model of the site to create a metaverse of the entire site, centrally manage site information, and enable remote parties to accurately understand the site, give appropriate instructions for plan changes and issues, and solve problems.

[0004] The following prior art exists as background technology in this technical field: Patent Document 1 (JP 2023-146396 A) describes a management system including: a completion database that stores at least component IDs and component coordinates for completed components of a building; an environment database that stores at least environment acquisition result IDs and environment acquisition coordinates for environmental conditions of the building including the completed components or objects related to the completed components after completion; an operation model creation unit that extracts the completed components related to the acquired environmental conditions as operational components and creates an operation model of the operational components; and an operation database that stores operational component IDs, the component IDs, operational component coordinates, and operational component shapes for the operational components based on the operation model.

[0005] To generate or update a site 3D model, multiple measuring instruments are installed on site, or people or mobile objects move around the site with measuring instruments (e.g., laser scanners such as LiDAR) to measure 3D data. However, moving measuring instruments across a large site is inefficient and requires labor and time. To efficiently update the site 3D model, it is desirable to measure only the parts of the site where the condition has changed and update the site 3D model partially. Therefore, a method is needed to identify parts of the site where the condition has changed and update the site 3D model of those parts.

[0006] Furthermore, there are limitations on human and computer resources, and a method is required to measure 3D data and update the on-site 3D model within these limitations.

[0007] A representative example of the invention disclosed in the present application is as follows: That is, a site information management system is configured by a computer having an arithmetic unit that executes predetermined processing and a storage device connected to the arithmetic unit, the arithmetic unit including a site data storage unit that stores site data including movement records that associate the positions and times at which workers or work equipment have moved around the site, a change location extraction unit that determines whether or not there has been a time-series change in site structures from the site data stored in the site data storage unit, and a recommendation unit that outputs information about the estimated changes, wherein the recommendation unit designates the location where the determined change exists as an area where 3D data should be acquired and outputs information about the area.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of 3D data measurement, reduce the storage capacity for storing 3D data, and reduce the system load. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

[0009] 1 is a block diagram showing a logical configuration of a site information management system of Example 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a physical configuration of the site information management system of Example 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a site 3D model update location recommendation process of Example 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of site data stored in a site data storage unit of Example 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a two-dimensional site map of Example 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing recommended information of Example 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a recommended information display screen output from the site information management system of Example 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a recommended information display screen output from the site information management system of Example 1. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a recommended information display screen output from the site information management system of Example 1. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a data format of recommended information output from the site information management system of Example 1. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing recommended information of Example 2. FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a recommended information generation process of Example 2. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of user restriction information of Example 2. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of user restriction information of Example 2. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of a site information management system of Example 3. 10 is a flowchart of a site 3D model update process according to a third embodiment; FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a site 3D model storage process according to a third embodiment; FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a 3D model synthesis process according to a third embodiment; FIG. 13 is a diagram showing recommendation information according to a third embodiment; FIG. 14 is a diagram showing model synthesis order information according to a third embodiment;

[0010] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of a site information management system 10 according to a first embodiment.

[0011] The sites targeted by the site information management system 10 of this embodiment include construction sites whose shape changes depending on the work being done, and plant sites where equipment is updated, but the site information management system 10 can also be applied to sites other than those mentioned above where changes occur depending on the work being done.

[0012] The site information management system 10 of Example 1 includes a mobile object position data registration unit 11 , a site data storage unit 12 , a 3D data acquisition unit 13 , a 3D model storage unit 14 , a change portion extraction unit 15 , and a user recommendation unit 16 .

[0013] The mobile object position data registration unit 11 acquires the site data with the position data and date and time, and registers it in the site data storage unit 12. The mobile object position data registration unit 11 acquires the position, time, and details of the work performed at the site from workers or vehicles equipped with a positioning function using a beacon or GNSS. The work details are information including, for example, a work log, inspection images, and performance data.

[0014] The site data storage unit 12 stores the site data acquired by the mobile object position data registration unit 11. The configuration of the site data storage unit 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] The 3D data acquisition unit 13 generates a partial 3D model represented in three dimensions from the 3D data representing the measurement of the on-site structure, and stores the generated model in the 3D model storage unit 14. The 3D data measured on-site can be measured as 3D data represented by a point cloud using, for example, a measuring device held by a worker or mounted on a vehicle or an aircraft (drone) (for example, a sensing device such as a laser scanner such as LiDAR or a camera that captures images and videos required to construct a 3D model using SLAM technology).

[0016] The 3D model storage unit 14 stores the partial 3D model generated by the 3D data acquisition unit 13. The 3D model storage unit 14 stores a 3D model overlooking the entire site and the partial 3D model generated by the 3D data acquisition unit 13, and can combine these 3D models and update the 3D models.

[0017] The change area extraction unit 15 identifies or estimates areas where changes have occurred at the site from the site data registered in the site data storage unit 12, and extracts areas where the 3D model stored in the 3D model storage unit should be updated.

[0018] The user recommendation unit 16 creates an order for acquiring 3D data of the parts to be changed in the 3D model extracted by the change part extraction unit 15, and generates the created 3D data acquisition sequence.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the physical configuration of the site information management system 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0020] The site information management system 10 of this embodiment is configured by a computer having a processor (CPU) 1, a memory 2, an auxiliary storage device 3, and a communication interface 4. The site information management system 10 may also have an input interface 5 and an output interface 6.

[0021] The processor 1 is a computing device that executes programs stored in the memory 2. The processor 1 executes various programs to realize various functional units of the site information management system 10 (e.g., a mobile object position data registration unit 11, a 3D data acquisition unit 13, a change portion extraction unit 15, a user recommendation unit 16, etc.). Note that some of the processing performed by the processor 1 by executing the programs may be executed by another computing device (e.g., hardware such as a GPU, ASIC, or FPGA).

[0022] The memory 2 includes a ROM, which is a non-volatile storage element, and a RAM, which is a volatile storage element. The ROM stores unchanging programs (e.g., BIOS), etc. The RAM is a high-speed, volatile storage element such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and temporarily stores programs executed by the processor 1 and data used when the programs are executed.

[0023] The auxiliary storage device 3 is a large-capacity, non-volatile storage device such as a magnetic storage device (HDD) or flash memory (SSD). The auxiliary storage device 3 also stores data used by the processor 1 when executing a program and the program executed by the processor 1. The site data storage unit 12 and the 3D model storage unit 14 may be configured by the auxiliary storage device 3. That is, the program is read from the auxiliary storage device 3, loaded into the memory 2, and executed by the processor 1 to realize each function of the site information management system 10.

[0024] The communication interface 4 is a network interface device that controls communication with other devices in accordance with a predetermined protocol.

[0025] The input interface 5 is an interface to which input devices such as a keyboard 7 and a mouse 8 are connected and which receives input from an operator. The output interface 6 is an interface to which output devices such as a display device 9 and a printer (not shown) are connected and which outputs the results of program execution in a format that can be viewed by an operator.

[0026] The program executed by the processor 1 is provided to the site information management system 10 from removable media (CD-ROM, flash memory, etc.) or via a network, and is stored in a non-volatile auxiliary storage device 3, which is a non-transitory storage medium. For this reason, the site information management system 10 should preferably have an interface for reading data from removable media.

[0027] The site information management system 10 is a computer system configured on a single physical computer or on multiple logically or physically configured computers, and may operate on a virtual computer constructed on multiple physical computer resources. For example, each functional unit may operate on a separate physical or logical computer, or multiple functional units may be combined to operate on a single physical or logical computer.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the on-site 3D model update part recommendation process according to the first embodiment.

[0029] First, the change extraction unit 15 executes a change confirmation process (S101). In the change confirmation process, the change extraction unit 15 references the site data stored in the site data storage unit 12 and determines whether any changes have occurred in the site data since the last time the change confirmation process was performed, based on the time associated with the data. For example, the change extraction unit 15 determines whether any new site data has been acquired since the last time the change confirmation process was performed, or whether any existing site data has changed since the last time the change confirmation process was performed.

[0030] In step S101, if there is no change in the site data (No in S102), there is no need to measure the 3D data, and therefore the site 3D model update location recommendation process is terminated.

[0031] On the other hand, if there is a change in the site data (Yes in S102), the change part extraction unit 15 executes a change area candidate extraction process (S103). In the change area candidate extraction process, the change part extraction unit 15 acquires location information associated with the site data determined to have a change in the site data. Then, the acquired location information is compared with the site map to identify the location of the site information. Note that the site map may be divided into multiple areas, and the area to which the location of the site data belongs may be identified. The areas may be divided by units for measuring 3D data at the site, and the 3D data may be measured within the change candidate area to which the location of the site data with a change belongs. The site map for setting the areas may be either a two-dimensional 2D map or a three-dimensional 3D map.

[0032] Thereafter, the user recommendation unit 16 executes a recommendation information generation process (S104). In the recommendation information generation process, the user recommendation unit 16 acquires an area associated with the on-site data for which the change portion extraction unit 15 has determined that there is a change in the on-site data, adds the data to the recommendation information ( FIG. 6 ), and records “Yes” in the work association information.

[0033] The user recommendation unit 16 then records the moving object and work attributes of the site data in the recommendation information ( FIG. 6 ). The user recommendation unit 16 then analyzes the update status of the identified change candidate area, evaluates the possibility that the 3D data has changed, and records the result in the model change accuracy of the recommendation information ( FIG. 6 ). For example, the user recommendation unit 16 may evaluate the possibility that the 3D data has changed by referring to a predefined conversion table so that if the work attribute of the site data is remodeling or construction, the 3D data is likely to have changed, and if the work attribute of the site data is inspection or visual inspection, the 3D data is likely to have changed.

[0034] Then, the user recommendation unit 16 determines the order of areas in which 3D data should be measured on-site during the next measurement, and records this in the measurement priority order of the recommendation information (FIG. 6).

[0035] The user recommendation unit 16 then generates transmission information for transmitting information about the measurement areas based on the determined order. For example, if the transmission information is for a person, it may output a measurement priority order of the areas visualized by superimposing it on a site map. If the transmission information is for a machine (e.g., a robot or a drone), it may output a movement sequence for measurement.

[0036] Then, the user recommendation unit 16 executes a recommendation information transmission process to output the transmission information generated in the recommendation information generation process (S105). Examples of the transmission information output by the user recommendation unit 16 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 8.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the site data stored in the site data storage unit 12 according to the first embodiment.

[0038] The site data is recorded for each task and includes at least one of still and video images taken during the task, the voice of the worker related to the task, sounds during the task, task location information, task time, and task attributes. The task location information is expressed in relative coordinates based on a predetermined origin on the site map, but may also be expressed in absolute coordinates using latitude, longitude, and altitude. The task time is the date and time the task was performed. The task attributes represent the content of the task and are records of tasks classified as, for example, remodeling, inspection, construction, visual inspection, etc. Here, the site data storage unit stores site data for at least one of the worker and the work machine. With regard to the worker, if the worker's location and time spent there can be determined, it is possible to determine that work was performed at that location, and therefore it is possible to estimate whether or not there was a change in the site structure.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a two-dimensional site map according to the first embodiment.

[0040] The site map records the positions and sizes of buildings and other structures in the area including the site using relative coordinates from a predetermined origin. As described above, the site map is divided into multiple areas that serve as units for measuring 3D data.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating recommendation information according to the first embodiment.

[0042] The recommendation information in Example 1 includes a mobile object information number, an area, work association information, work attributes, a model change probability, and a measurement priority order. The mobile object information number is a serial number used to manage information acquired from mobile objects (workers, construction machinery) related to work at the site. This number can later be used to identify the identity of the mobile object. The area is a region divided at the site to serve as a unit for measuring 3D data. The work association information indicates whether or not information relating the area to work is present. If the work association information is "present," link information relating the area to site data may be recorded. The work attribute is the work attribute of the site data associated with the area. The model change probability is the possibility that the 3D data evaluated by the user recommendation unit 16 has changed. The measurement priority order is the order of areas in which 3D data should be measured, as determined by the user recommendation unit 16.

[0043] Even if there is no work association information, by recording the collected mobile object information in the recommendation information, it is possible to identify areas where the 3D data may have changed. In other words, in areas where mobile objects related to work at the site are not moving, it is assumed that the 3D data has not changed, and there is no need to measure the 3D data. This eliminates the need for the user to measure the entire site area. In this case, the measurement priority order is the same, but the measurement priority order may also be calculated based on the required measurement time for each area and measurement time constraints, as in Example 2 described below.

[0044] 7A, 7B, and 7C are diagrams showing examples of recommendation information display screens, which are communication information output to people from the site information management system 10 of the first embodiment.

[0045] In the example screen shown in Figure 7A, the measurement priority order of areas where 3D data should be measured is displayed on a two-dimensional site map. The recommended measurement route may also be displayed in text. In the recommendation information shown in Figure 6, the order of priority is Area A, Area B, and Area C. Therefore, in the example screen shown in Figure 7A, the order of 1, 2, and 3 is displayed on the site map, along with arrows indicating movement according to the measurement priority order.

[0046] In the example screen shown in FIG. 7B, the measurement priority order of areas for which 3D data should be measured is displayed on a three-dimensional site map.

[0047] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7C, the entire site map may be displayed in two dimensions, and as the user approaches the area to be measured, a 3D site map may be superimposed and displayed.

[0048] The display method should be selectable by the user.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data format of the transmission information output from the site information management system 10 of the first embodiment.

[0050] If the destination of the recommendation information is a machine (e.g., a robot or a drone) rather than a person, it is preferable to output transmission information indicating a route in which measurement positions are represented by a sequence of coordinates, as shown in Figure 8.

[0051] As described above, the site information management system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention can limit the areas where 3D data is measured, thereby reducing the number of steps required for measuring the 3D data. Furthermore, since the priority order for measuring the 3D data is determined according to the accuracy of changes in the site data, the areas where 3D data should be measured with priority are known, allowing for accurate measurement of the 3D data.

[0052] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The site information management system 10 of the second embodiment differs from the site information management system 10 of the first embodiment in the recommendation information generation process S104. In the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same configurations and processes as those of the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0053] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating recommendation information according to the second embodiment.

[0054] The recommendation information in Example 2 includes a mobile object information number, an area, task association information, task attributes, model change accuracy, required measurement time, required resolution, data volume, model generation priority, and measurement priority. The mobile object information number is a serial number for identifying mobile objects (workers, construction machinery) related to tasks at the site. The area is a region into which the site is divided so as to serve as a unit for measuring 3D data. The task association information indicates whether or not information relating the area to tasks is present. If the task association information is "present," link information relating the area to site data may be recorded. The task attributes are task attributes of the site data associated with the area. The model change accuracy is the possibility that the 3D data evaluated by the user recommendation unit 16 has changed. The required measurement time is the measurement time required in the area. The required resolution is the resolution of 3D data measurement in the area, and is expressed, for example, as point cloud density. The data volume is the amount of 3D data measured in the area. The model generation priority is the priority for generating a site 3D model from 3D data measured in the area. The measurement priority order is the order of areas in which 3D data should be measured, as determined by the user recommendation unit 16.

[0055] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the recommendation information generation process (S104) according to the second embodiment.

[0056] First, the user recommendation unit 16 executes a user constraint acquisition process to acquire user constraint information (S1041). The user constraint information includes time constraints, storage capacity constraints, and priority constraints to be reflected in the 3D model input by the user, and details thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14.

[0057] Then, the user recommendation unit 16 executes a priority order formulation process. In the priority order formulation process, the user recommendation unit 16 analyzes the update status of the identified change candidate area, evaluates the possibility that the 3D data has changed, and records the result in the model change probability of the recommendation information ( FIG. 9 ).

[0058] The user recommendation unit 16 then determines the order of areas in which 3D data should be measured at the site during the next measurement, and records this in the measurement priority order of the recommendation information ( FIG. 9 ). For example, the user recommendation unit 16 may evaluate the possibility that the 3D data has changed by referring to a predefined conversion table so that if the work attribute of the site data is remodeling or construction, the 3D data is likely to have changed, and if the work attribute of the site data is inspection or visual inspection, the 3D data is likely to have changed.

[0059] Then, the user recommendation unit 16 takes into consideration the user restriction information to determine the order of areas in which 3D data should be measured on-site during the next measurement, and records this in the measurement priority order of the recommendation information (FIG. 9).

[0060] To measure 3D data on a site, it is necessary to move around the site with a measuring device (for example, a laser scanner such as LiDAR or a sensing device such as a camera that captures images and videos required to construct a 3D model using SLAM technology). This requires time when the area to be measured is large or the structure of the object being measured is complex. However, on-site measurement is often subject to time constraints, requiring measurements to be completed within a limited measurement time. For this reason, the system takes into account the user's time constraints and recommends a measurement priority order that is convenient for the user, in order of model change accuracy.

[0061] The user constraint information (time constraint information) shown in Fig. 11 records the time required for measurement for each area for each measurer. The measurers recorded in the user constraint information may include not only workers but also vehicles and aircraft.

[0062] For example, when the user constraint information specifies that the available time for 3D data measurement is 60 minutes, the measurement priority determined based on the model change accuracy is the order of measurement areas A → C → B. Referring to the time constraint information for each measurer ( FIG. 11 ), it can be seen that if measurer A measures 3D data in the order of measurement areas A → C → B, the available time for measurement will end midway through area C, and measurement of area C will not be completed. In this case, it may be better to acquire data for area B first rather than failing to acquire 3D data for both areas C and B. Specifically, areas with a model change accuracy of High are assigned the highest priority in the measurement order, and then measurement areas are selected and scheduled according to priority within the time allowed by the user constraints. If time is running out, measurement areas with a model change accuracy of Mid or lower that fit within the available time for measurement are selected and scheduled, thereby determining the order of 3D data acquisition so that many areas can be measured in one measurement schedule.

[0063] When measuring 3D data at a site using a machine (such as a vehicle or an aircraft) rather than a person, the order in which 3D data is acquired for an area can be determined according to the measurement method. In this case, in the user constraint acquisition process, the method for measuring 3D data (person, machine) can be acquired along with user constraint information, and the order in which the areas for measuring 3D data are acquired can be determined.

[0064] The user recommendation unit 16 may also determine the measurement priority order by referring to the constraint information on inter-area travel time ( FIG. 12 ). By taking travel time into consideration, it is possible to determine an efficient and realistic priority order that satisfies the user's time constraints and takes into account the measurement time and travel time required to acquire 3D data within the time constraints.

[0065] 12, the time required for travel between areas is recorded for each measurer. The measurers recorded in the user constraint information may include not only workers but also vehicles and aircraft.

[0066] The user recommendation unit 16 may also determine the measurement priority order by referring to storage constraint information ( FIG. 13 ). The point cloud data used to generate a 3D model is large in volume, and the data must be managed within the storage capacity available to the user. This limits the amount of data that can be acquired in one 3D data measurement.

[0067] 13, the amount of data (required storage capacity) according to the combination of area and resolution is recorded. The storage constraint information should be determined in advance based on the area size and the specifications of the measuring instrument to be used.

[0068] The user recommendation unit 16 determines the order of acquisition of 3D data for the measurement areas so that the schedule for measuring 3D data satisfies the storage constraint information. For example, if the user's capacity constraint acquired in the user constraint acquisition process is 500 GB per measurement, the measurement priority order determined based on the model change accuracy is measurement area A → area C → area B. If the measurement time for each area is sufficient, referring to the storage constraint information (FIG. 13), adding the data amounts of High resolution for areas A, C, and B results in a total of 700 GB, exceeding the 500 GB data amount constraint. Therefore, the user is recommended to measure 3D data for two areas in the order of area A → area B, excluding area C.

[0069] Specifying the required resolution for the area to be measured in the recommendation information ( FIG. 9 ) enables appropriate recommendations to be made to the user. For example, the resolution of the 3D model can be determined by understanding the work content from the work association information. This can determine the required resolution, which is the resolution required for the work content and the 3D model. For example, the work content is determined for each area, and if the work content allows for a lower required resolution, the resolution when acquiring the 3D model can be set to a coarser resolution. By referring to the set resolution and storage constraint information ( FIG. 13 ), recommendation information can be created that includes scheduling of 3D model measurement locations and measurement resolution settings, so that acquisition is performed in area A (High), area C (Middle), and area B (High) even under the 500 GB constraint.

[0070] The user recommendation unit 16 may determine the order of acquiring 3D data for measurement areas with high user value, taking into account the processing time required to update a site 3D model generated from measured 3D data. A partial site 3D model is generated from measured 3D data, an existing site 3D model is updated with the generated site 3D model, and various studies are performed using the updated site 3D model. Therefore, use cases are envisioned in which a site 3D model generated from newly measured 3D data needs to be used quickly, and in which a high-precision site 3D model is desired even if it takes time to update the site 3D model. For example, the processing time required to generate a site 3D model from measured 3D data varies depending on the measurement range and resolution. If the measured 3D data is wide and high-resolution, updating the site 3D model with the measured 3D data requires a long time. For this reason, the constraint information ( FIG. 14 ) can be configured to set the required resolution, reflection priority, and model generation priority according to the work content, and a schedule for 3D model measurement locations can be created based on the estimated time required for the site 3D model update process.

[0071] In Example 2, variations of the recommendation information generation process using user constraint information and model change probability information were shown, but this example is just one example, and the essence is to generate recommendation information according to various constraint conditions that are set in advance, and the method of determining the priority order of recommendations is not limited to that described in the example.

[0072] In the second embodiment, the order of acquiring 3D data is determined taking into consideration the constraints of the user, so that the order of acquiring 3D data for measurement areas that are of high value to the user can be recommended.

[0073] As described above, according to the site information management system 10 of the second embodiment of the present invention, the measurement range can be narrowed down depending on the priority order for measuring 3D data, so that the measurement range and measurement plan can be optimized within the constraints, the storage capacity for storing 3D data can be reduced, and the load on the site information management system 10 can be reduced. Furthermore, for users of the site information management system, information that is immediately required can be obtained preferentially within the constraints of the system and operation.

[0074] <Embodiment 3> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The site information management system 10 of the third embodiment differs from the site information management system 10 of the first embodiment in that the site information management system 10 updates a 3D model. In the third embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same configurations and processes as those of the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0075] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of the site information management system 10 according to the third embodiment.

[0076] The site information management system 10 of the first embodiment includes a mobile object position data registration unit 11, a site data storage unit 12, a 3D data acquisition unit 13, a 3D model storage unit 14, a change portion extraction unit 15, a user recommendation unit 16, a 3D model management unit 17, and a 3D model synthesis processing unit 18. The mobile object position data registration unit 11, the site data storage unit 12, the 3D data acquisition unit 13, and the 3D model storage unit 14 are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

[0077] In addition to the functions described in the first embodiment, the change part extraction unit 15 has a next 3D model update priority analysis unit 151. The next 3D model update priority analysis unit 151 acquires 3D models from the 3D model storage unit 14 and analyzes the priority order for synthesizing the 3D models. For example, the next 3D model update priority analysis unit 151 may analyze the priority order based on the area and range of the 3D model, the priority for generating the 3D model, the difficulty of modeling, and the time available to the user.

[0078] In addition to the functions described in the first embodiment, the user recommendation unit 16 also has a 3D model acquisition sequence construction unit 161. The 3D model acquisition sequence construction unit 161 identifies the update locations and update order of the 3D model from the update locations of the on-site data, taking into account the priority order for synthesizing the 3D model, and generates the identified 3D data acquisition sequence.

[0079] The 3D model management unit 17 manages the deadline for the 3D models to control the data amount of the partial 3D models stored in the 3D model storage unit 14 according to the priority. For example, the 3D model management unit 17 manages the deadline for storing the partial 3D models in the 3D model storage unit 14 and the timing for compressing the partial 3D models stored in the 3D model storage unit 14. The 3D model management unit 17 also manages the priority for combining 3D models and generates combination order information (see FIG. 19 ). For example, since the number of steps required for the 3D model combination process varies depending on the point cloud density of the data acquired by the 3D data acquisition unit 13, it is advisable to change the priority of the 3D data combination process.

[0080] The 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 combines the target 3D models stored in the 3D model storage unit 14 in accordance with the model synthesis schedule generated by the next 3D model update priority analysis unit 151 to synthesize a 3D model.

[0081] FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the on-site 3D model update process according to the third embodiment.

[0082] First, the site data storage unit 12 executes a site data storage process to store the site data to which the position data and date and time are added, acquired by the mobile object position data registration unit 11 (S301).

[0083] The next 3D model update priority analysis unit 151 then acquires 3D models from the 3D model storage unit 14 and analyzes the priority order for synthesizing the 3D models, and the 3D model acquisition sequence construction unit 161 identifies the update locations and update order of the 3D models from the update locations of the site data, taking into account the priority order for synthesizing the 3D models, and generates the identified 3D data acquisition sequence. A site 3D model update location recommendation process is executed (S302).

[0084] Then, in accordance with the 3D model acquisition sequence construction unit 161, the 3D data acquisition unit 13 generates a partial 3D model from 3D data obtained by measuring the on-site structure using, for example, a measuring instrument held by a worker or mounted on a vehicle or an aircraft (drone), and stores the generated 3D model in the 3D model storage unit 14 (S303). Details of the on-site 3D model storage process will be described later with reference to FIG. 17 .

[0085] Then, the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 executes a 3D model synthesis process in which the 3D model is synthesized using the on-site data of the changed parts received from the changed part extraction unit 15 in accordance with the priority order of the 3D data synthesis process managed by the 3D model management unit 17, and the synthesized 3D model is stored in the 3D model storage unit 14 (S304). Details of the 3D model synthesis process will be described later with reference to FIG. 18 .

[0086] FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the on-site 3D model storage process (S303) according to the third embodiment.

[0087] First, the 3D data acquisition unit 13 receives 3D data obtained by measuring the structure at the site using, for example, a measuring instrument held by a worker or mounted on a vehicle or an aircraft (drone), and executes a site 3D model acquisition process to generate a partial 3D model (S3031).

[0088] Then, the 3D data acquisition unit 13 executes a site 3D model storage process to store the partial 3D model in the 3D model storage unit 14 (S3032).

[0089] FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the 3D model synthesis process (S304) according to the third embodiment.

[0090] First, the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 acquires recommendation information from the user recommendation unit 16 (S3041). The configuration of the recommendation information in the third embodiment includes 3D model information and model reflection priority, as will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0091] Then, the next 3D model update priority analysis unit 151 calculates the model synthesis man-hours for each area and records the synthesis man-hours in the recommendation information of Fig. 19 (S3042). For example, the original site data stored in the site data storage unit 12, the newly acquired site data, a 3D model corresponding to the area of ​​the site data to be synthesized, and a 3D model corresponding to the area of ​​the newly acquired site data are acquired from the 3D model storage unit 14 and compared, and the CPU load at the time of model synthesis is calculated based on the amount of changed parts, the difference in point cloud density (amount of data), and a comparison of gaps with feature points, and the like, and the model synthesis man-hours can be calculated by dividing the calculated value by the CPU resources available per unit time.

[0092] The 3D model management unit 17 then determines the order in which the 3D models will be synthesized and records the synthesis priority order in the recommendation information of FIG. 19 (S3043). Referring to the model reflection priority and synthesis man-hours, a model synthesis schedule (described later) is created with reference to FIG. 20 to distribute the CPU processing load and conform to the model reflection priority (user needs). Synthesis of 3D models may be processed one by one in accordance with the model synthesis schedule, or may be processed in parallel within the scope of CPU resources. A model synthesis schedule may be created so that resources are first concentrated to proceed with high-priority processing, and then multiple low-priority processing operations are executed in parallel.

[0093] Then, the 3D model management unit 17 determines whether the 3D model needs to be updated (S3043).

[0094] If it is determined that the 3D model needs to be updated, the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 executes a process of synthesizing the 3D models in accordance with the model synthesis schedule (S3045), and terminates the 3D model synthesis process after executing all synthesis processes scheduled in the model synthesis schedule. For example, the 3D model synthesis process involves the 3D data acquisition unit 13 acquiring the newly generated partial 3D model and the current partial 3D model from the 3D model storage unit 14 in accordance with the 3D model synthesis schedule, searching for feature points of the newly generated partial 3D model and the current partial 3D model, aligning the positional relationship between the models using feature points with similar attributes among the searched feature points, converting the format of the newly generated partial 3D model to the format of the current partial 3D model, replacing the corresponding portion of the current partial 3D model with the newly generated partial 3D model, performing a smoothing process so that the boundary of the replaced portion becomes continuous, and synthesizing the newly generated partial 3D model and the current partial 3D model.

[0095] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating recommendation information according to the third embodiment.

[0096] The recommendation information in Example 3 includes a mobile object information number, an area, work association information, work attributes, model change accuracy, required measurement time, required resolution, data capacity, model generation priority, measurement priority, synthesis man-hours, and synthesis priority. The area, work association information, work attributes, model change accuracy, required measurement time, required resolution, data capacity, model generation priority, and measurement priority are the same as those in Example 2 described above. The synthesis man-hours are the time required for the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 to synthesize a 3D model from the site data. The synthesis priority is the priority with which the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 synthesizes a 3D model.

[0097] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a model synthesis schedule of Example 3.

[0098] The model synthesis schedule includes a job number, a mobile object information number, a job attribute, a measurement area, a required resolution, a model reflection priority, a measurement priority order, and synthesis man-hours. The job number is a number indicating the order in which the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 performs model synthesis. The mobile object information number is a serial number used to manage information acquired from mobile objects (workers, heavy construction equipment) related to work at the site. This number can also be used to later identify the identity of the mobile object. The job attribute is a job attribute recorded in the site data for the work. The measurement area is the area in which the work was performed. The model change probability is the possibility that the 3D data evaluated by the user recommendation unit 16 has changed. The required resolution is the resolution of 3D data measurement in the area. The model reflection priority is a model reflection priority generated as recommendation information. The measurement priority order is the order in which the areas in which 3D data should be measured are determined by the user recommendation unit 16. The synthesis man-hours are the time required for the 3D model synthesis processing unit 18 to synthesize a 3D model from the site data.

[0099] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes various modifications and equivalent configurations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to configurations including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, part of the configuration of one embodiment may be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, the configuration of another embodiment may be added to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, part of the configuration of each embodiment may be added, deleted, or replaced with other configurations.

[0100] Furthermore, the aforementioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole in hardware, for example by designing them as integrated circuits, or may be realized in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function.

[0101] Information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in a storage device such as a memory, hard disk, or SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

[0102] In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines that are necessary for implementation. In reality, it can be considered that almost all components are interconnected.

Claims

1. A site information management system, comprising a computer having an arithmetic unit that executes predetermined processing and a storage device connected to the arithmetic unit, wherein the arithmetic unit comprises a site data storage unit that stores site data including movement records that associate the positions and times when at least one of workers or work equipment moved around the site; a change area extraction unit that determines whether or not there have been any changes over time in site structures from the site data stored in the site data storage unit; and a recommendation unit that outputs information about the estimated changes, wherein the recommendation unit designates the areas where the determined changes have occurred as areas where 3D data should be acquired and outputs information about the areas.

2. A site information management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a mobile object position data registration unit that associates work information indicating the content of the work with the movement record and registers it in the site data storage unit.

3. A site information management system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the work information includes at least one of still images of the site, moving images of the site, voice of the worker, sound information during work, and work records.

4. A site information management system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the recommendation unit analyzes the change status of the site data and determines the order in which to acquire the 3D data according to the possibility that the site structure has changed and the extent of the change.

5. A site information management system as described in claim 4, characterized in that the recommendation unit determines the order in which to acquire 3D data so as to satisfy the condition of the time available for acquiring the 3D data.

6. A site information management system as described in claim 4, characterized in that the recommendation unit outputs information about the area where the 3D data should be acquired in a manner that differs depending on whether the destination of the information is a person or a machine.

7. A site information management system as described in claim 4, characterized in that the recommendation unit outputs information on the area where the 3D data should be acquired as transmission information indicating a route represented by a sequence of coordinates.

8. A site information management system as described in claim 4, characterized in that the recommendation unit outputs data for displaying on a screen the order in which 3D data is acquired together with a site 3D model representing the site structure or site map information.

9. A site information management system as described in claim 1, comprising: a 3D model storage unit in which a 3D model representing the site structure is stored; a 3D data acquisition unit that generates a partial 3D model from newly acquired 3D data; and a 3D model synthesis processing unit that synthesizes the generated 3D model with the 3D model stored in the 3D model storage unit.

10. A site information management system according to claim 9, characterized in that it has a 3D model management unit that manages the order in which the 3D models are synthesized, the deadline for storing the 3D models in the 3D model storage unit, and the timing for compressing the 3D models stored in the 3D model storage unit.

11. A site information management system as described in claim 9, wherein the recommendation unit outputs the time required to synthesize the 3D model and the storage capacity of the 3D model storage unit required to store the 3D model.

12. A site information management method executed by a site information management system, wherein the site information management system is composed of a computer having an arithmetic unit that executes predetermined processing and a storage device connected to the arithmetic unit, and the site information management method comprises: a site data storage procedure in which the arithmetic unit stores site data including movement records that associate the positions and times at which workers or work equipment have moved around the site; a change area extraction procedure in which the arithmetic unit determines, from the stored site data, whether or not there has been a chronological change in site structures; and a recommendation procedure in which the arithmetic unit outputs information about the estimated changes, wherein in the recommendation procedure, the arithmetic unit designates the areas where the determined changes have occurred as areas where 3D data should be acquired and outputs information about the areas.

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