Control system, control method, and program

Abstract

[Problem] According to the present invention, it is possible to perform multiple missions by using an unmanned vessel. [Solution] The present invention is a control system for controlling operations of one or more unmanned vessels each equipped with a first measurement sensor. The control system comprises: a data-collection request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for a marine data collection mission for collecting, using the first measurement sensors, marine data of a marine area in which the unmanned vessels are deployed; an other-mission request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for another mission different from the marine data collection mission; a multiple-mission executability determination unit that determines whether or not parallel execution of multiple missions including the marine data collection mission and the other mission is possible; and an unmanned-vessel operation execution unit that controls operations of parallel execution of the multiple missions if it is determined that parallel execution of the multiple missions is possible.

Description

Control System, Control Method, and Program

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

[0002] In recent years, with the collection, aggregation, and sharing of various ocean-related information, the practical application of an ocean situation understanding system (MDA system) that effectively and efficiently grasps the ocean situation has been promoted. In addition, in order to improve the usefulness of the MDA system, it is required to collect ocean data related to the ocean constantly and without gaps. Therefore, not only manned aircraft and ships with limited resources but also unmanned ships (hereinafter also referred to as "unmanned boats") are being considered for use in collecting ocean data.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for measuring ocean data using measurement sensors mounted on boat-shaped observation buoys movable on the sea. In particular, a system for transmitting route control data for navigating to set positions for optimally arranging a plurality of observation buoys from the ground side to the observation buoys on the sea via satellite communication is disclosed.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-50229

[0005] As described above, in order to constantly and without gaps collect ocean data related to the ocean using unmanned ships, it is necessary to deploy a large number of unmanned ships on the sea, so a large amount of equipment resources and a large amount of human resources for the operation of unmanned ships are required. Here, unmanned ships that can be deployed on the sea can be used for various purposes such as maritime security other than the collection of the above-mentioned ocean data, inspection of maritime infrastructure facilities, and maritime communication relay. Therefore, if unmanned ships can be used not only for collecting ocean data but also for other purposes, the resources required for equipment and operation can be effectively utilized.

[0006] Further, when trying to perform a plurality of tasks on a common unmanned ship instead of a single task, it is necessary to reconcile the operations required for the execution of each task, and in some cases, concentration on one task or a determination to execute both tasks in parallel is required according to the situation.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of at least one of the above problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a control system or control method for unmanned vessels that can perform multiple tasks in a maritime area or the like using one or more unmanned vessels.

[0008] The present invention provides a control system for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, comprising: a data collection request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in the ocean area where the unmanned vessel is deployed using the first measurement sensor; an other mission request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; a multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, can be performed in parallel; and an unmanned vessel operation execution unit that controls the operation of the multiple missions in parallel when it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel.

[0009] According to the present invention, an unmanned vessel can be used to perform multiple tasks.

[0010] This is an overall configuration diagram of the control system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the unmanned vessel system 1000. This is a diagram showing an example of the activity state when the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed in a sea area. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010. This is a diagram showing an example of a variation of the external ocean data collection system 4000. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the user terminal 5000. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the overall control system 2000. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the data analysis system 3000. This is a flowchart diagram showing the processing flow of the control system 1. This is a diagram showing an example of the content of a data collection request determined by the data collection request acquisition unit 2100. This is a diagram showing an example of the content of prior information acquired by the prior information acquisition unit 2200. This is a diagram showing an example of information regarding request information or plan information for other missions acquired by the other mission request acquisition unit 2400. This is a flowchart diagram showing the processing flow of determining the measurement method by the measurement method determination unit 2300. This is a flowchart diagram showing the processing flow of determining whether multiple missions can be executed in parallel by the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit 2510. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the request state for execution of multiple tasks by the Multiple Task Execution Feasibility Decision Unit 2510. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the operation state in the ocean data collection task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the higher-level operation state in the ocean search and monitoring task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the operation state when an object is found in the ocean search and monitoring task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of other operation states when an object is found in the ocean search and monitoring task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the operation state in the communication infrastructure provision task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the operation state in the offshore equipment inspection task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the operation state in the fisheries support task. This is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the operation state in the biological ecological survey task. This is a flowchart diagram showing the operation plan determination processing flow by the operation plan determination unit 2520. This is a flowchart diagram showing the determination processing flow for whether multiple tasks can be continued by the Multiple Task Continuation Feasibility Decision Unit 2610. This is a flowchart diagram showing the operation control flow of the unmanned vessel system 1000 by the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620.This is a flowchart showing the data analysis processing flow by the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the data analysis system 3000. This is a flowchart showing the output processing flow of marine data by the data analysis system 3000. This is a hardware configuration diagram of the integrated control system 2000.

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention are described below. The present invention has the following configuration: [Item 1] A control system for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, comprising: a data collection request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in an ocean area deployed by the first measurement sensor; an other mission request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; a multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not to perform multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, in parallel; and an unmanned vessel operation execution unit that controls the operation of performing multiple missions in parallel when it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel. [Item 2] The control system according to Item 1, wherein the ocean data collection mission includes a mission to collect ocean data in the ocean area using the first measurement sensor, including at least one of the following: speed and direction of ocean currents or tidal currents, wave height, wave period, seawater temperature, oxygen concentration, salinity, pH, wind speed on the sea surface, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and weather. [Item 3] A control system according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the ocean data collection task includes collecting ocean data in the ocean area using the first measurement sensor, which includes at least one of the following: area or density of plankton occurrence, area or density of algae occurrence, location or shape of reefs, height of the low tide line, location or shape of the coastline, location or shape of the seabed. [Item 4] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the other task request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for a search task to search for a specific object on the sea surface, underwater, or in the air above the ocean area using the first measurement sensor or a second measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned vessel. [Item 5] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 4, wherein the other task request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for a wireless communication environment provision task to provide a connection environment with a wireless communication network on the sea surface, underwater, or in the air above the ocean area using a communication device mounted on the unmanned vessel.[Item 6] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein the Other Task Request Acquisition Unit acquires the requested information or planned information for inspection tasks, in which the inspection of equipment installed on or in the sea in the marine area or the monitoring of intruders into the equipment is performed using the first measurement sensor or the second measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned vessel. [Item 7] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 6, wherein the Other Task Request Acquisition Unit acquires the requested information or planned information for fisheries support tasks, in which the monitoring of aquaculture farms or fishing grounds in the marine area, fish detection, or feeding is performed using the unmanned vessel. [Item 8] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 7, wherein the Other Task Request Acquisition Unit acquires the requested information or planned information for marine biological survey tasks, in which the acquisition of information regarding the ecology of organisms in the marine area is performed using the first measurement sensor or the second measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned vessel. [Item 9] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 8, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether multiple tasks can be executed by comparing at least one of the area and date and time of task execution included in the request information or plan information for the ocean data collection task and the other task. [Item 10] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 9, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether multiple tasks can be executed based on at least one of the following conditions: whether the unmanned vessel deployed in the ocean area is equipped with equipment used for the ocean data collection task and the other task, or whether it has the power performance required for the ocean data collection task and the other task. [Item 11] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 10, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether multiple tasks can be executed based on setting information regarding the feasibility of multiple task execution for the ocean data collection task and the other task.[Item 12] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 11, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines, when it determines that the multiple tasks can be performed in parallel, whether to perform the ocean data collection task and the other tasks simultaneously, or to perform them at different times in parallel. [Item 13] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 12, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether to perform multiple tasks based on setting information regarding the feasibility of performing multiple tasks, which is set in advance in correspondence with the operation status of the ocean data collection task. [Item 14] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 13, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether to perform multiple tasks based on setting information regarding the feasibility of performing multiple tasks, which is set in advance in correspondence with the operation status of the other tasks. [Item 15] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 14, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks according to the state of at least one of the following: the CPU processing resources of the unmanned vessel while it is executing the other tasks, the memory device resources, the recording capacity resources of the measurement data recording device, the communication quality, and the degree of achievement of the objectives of the other tasks. [Item 16] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 15, wherein, while the multiple tasks of the ocean data collection task and the other tasks are being executed in parallel, the urgency of the other tasks increases, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit decides to interrupt the parallel execution of the multiple tasks and have the unmanned vessel execute the other tasks. [Item 17] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 16, wherein, when the parallel execution of the multiple tasks has been interrupted by the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit, the urgency of the other tasks decreases, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit decides to resume the parallel execution of the multiple tasks.[Item 18] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 17, wherein when it is decided to perform multiple tasks, including the ocean data collection task and the other tasks, in parallel, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines one or more of the unmanned vessels, the number of the unmanned vessels, or the operation plan of the unmanned vessels to perform the multiple tasks in parallel. [Item 19] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 18, wherein the unmanned vessel operation execution unit controls the parallel execution operation of the multiple tasks by either simultaneous parallel execution, in which the ocean data collection task and the other tasks are executed at the same time, or staggered parallel execution, in which they are executed at different times, according to the determination result of the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit. [Item 20] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 19, wherein the control system has a display unit that displays status information to the user indicating whether the task currently being performed by the unmanned vessel is the ocean data collection task, the other tasks, or the parallel execution of the multiple tasks. [Item 21] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 20, comprising a user input receiving unit that receives a designation request from a user specifying one of the ocean data collection mission, the other mission, or the parallel execution of the multiple missions, wherein the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to perform the multiple missions in parallel in response to the designation request. [Item 22] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 21, comprising a data management unit that records the ocean data collected by the ocean data collection mission in association with at least one of the following pieces of information: the measurement location of the ocean data, the unmanned vessel that acquired the ocean data, and the date and time of measurement of the ocean data.[Item 23] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 22, wherein when the ocean data is image data, point cloud data, radar measurement data, or acoustic data, the control system includes a state interpretation unit that interprets at least one of the following by performing analysis processing on the ocean data: seawater conditions including at least one of the salinity, hydrogen ion index, water temperature, seawater components, and seawater density of the seawater at the location where the ocean data is collected; oceanographic conditions including at least one of the ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, and wave speed of the ocean data collection location; meteorological conditions including at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, rainfall, atmospheric pressure, air components, and weather at the location where the ocean data is collected; biological ecological conditions including at least one of seaweed beds, plankton, and marine organisms; and seabed land conditions including at least one of the reef shape, coast shape, and seabed shape. [Item 24] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 23, wherein when the ocean data is image data, point cloud data, radar measurement data, or acoustic data, the control system includes a state prediction unit that predicts a future state of at least one of the following by performing analysis processing on the ocean data: static seawater state including at least one of the salinity, hydrogen ion index, water temperature, seawater composition, and seawater density of the seawater at the location where the ocean data is collected; oceanographic state including at least one of the ocean current, tidal current, wave height, wave period, and wave speed of the ocean data collection location; meteorological state including at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, air composition, and weather at the location where the ocean data is collected; biological ecological state including at least one of the seaweed bed, plankton, and marine organisms; and seabed land state including at least one of the reef shape, coast shape, and seabed shape. [Item 25] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 24, wherein the unmanned vessel is equipped with a data processing unit that performs at least one of the following: primary processing of the ocean data or data compression processing; and a recording unit that stores the ocean data or processed data processed by the data processing unit.[Item 26] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 25, comprising an information output unit that displays on a display device or transmits to an external system the ocean data collected by the ocean data collection mission, or processed data generated by data analysis processing of the ocean data, or processed image data created using the ocean data or the processed data. [Item 27] ​​A control method for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, wherein a computer performs the steps of: acquiring request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in an ocean area deployed by the unmanned vessel using the first measurement sensor; acquiring request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; determining whether or not to perform multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, in parallel; and, if it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel, controlling the operation of the multiple missions in parallel. [Item 28] A program for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, which causes a computer to execute: a data collection request acquisition command to acquire request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in the ocean area where the unmanned vessel is deployed using the first measurement sensor; an other mission request acquisition command to acquire request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; a multiple mission execution feasibility determination command to determine whether or not multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, can be performed in parallel; and an unmanned vessel operation execution command to control the operation of the multiple missions to be performed in parallel if it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel.

[0012] <A. First Embodiment> Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are merely examples, and other known elements or alternative means can be used depending on the application, purpose, or scale.

[0013] [A. Configuration] (A-1. Overall System Configuration) First, the system configuration of the control system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 1 and 2.

[0014] (A-1-1. Overview of System Configuration) Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a control system 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "System 1") according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the control system 1 comprises an unmanned vessel system 1000, a general control system 2000, and a data analysis system 3000. The general control system 2000 is configured to communicate with an external ocean data collection system 4000 and a user terminal 5000 via an internet connection, etc., and can send and receive information. The general control system 2000 can also transmit control commands to the unmanned vessel system 1000 deployed at sea via a communication satellite 6100 or a ground base station 6200, and can receive operating status, measurement data, etc. from the unmanned vessel system 1000.

[0015] The unmanned vessel system 1000 comprises one or more unmanned vessels 1010. When the unmanned vessel system 1000 consists of multiple unmanned vessels 1010, the multiple unmanned vessels 1010 are connected to each other by wireless communication and can form a communication network. The unmanned vessel system 1000 can also consist of multiple unmanned vessel groups (1000a, 1000b). In this case, at least one unmanned vessel 1010 in each unmanned vessel group communicates wirelessly with the central control system 2000.

[0016] The unmanned vessel 1010 can acquire measurement data on 7,000 different objects using its onboard measurement sensors (optical cameras, IR cameras, laser sensors such as LiDAR, radar sensors such as millimeter-wave sensors and microwave sensors, sound wave sensors such as sonar, etc.), including moving objects at sea such as ships, floating objects, and people adrift; offshore facilities (wind power generation facilities, wave power generation facilities, offshore oil plants, offshore runways, etc.); coastal land conditions such as remote islands, reefs, grounding points, low tide lines, and coastal shapes; ocean conditions (ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, wave speed); other seawater conditions (salinity, hydrogen ion concentration, water temperature, seawater composition, seawater density); weather; marine ecosystems (seaweed beds, plankton, etc.); marine organism ecosystems (whales, sea turtles, fish schools, etc.); and coastal organisms (seals, penguins, polar bears, etc.).

[0017] Various information, including measurement data of the measurement target 7000 acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the operating status of the unmanned vessel system 1000, is transmitted to the central control system 2000 via the communication satellite 6100 or the ground base station 6200. Based on the measurement data acquired from the unmanned vessel system 1000, as well as data collection request information and prior information, the central control system 2000 can determine control commands for the unmanned vessels 1010 that constitute the unmanned vessel system 1000 and control the operation of the unmanned vessels 1010. The generated control commands and other information are displayed on the user interface unit 2700, which will be described later, and command input can also be obtained from the user via the user interface unit 2700.

[0018] The data analysis system 3000 acquires measurement data related to the measurement target 7000 acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000 via the central control system 2000. It also performs data processing and data interpretation on the acquired measurement data to generate processed data, and can provide this processed data to one or more external ocean data collection systems 4000 or one or more user terminals 5000. Furthermore, it has the function of receiving requests from the external ocean data collection systems 4000 and user terminals 5000 regarding future acquisition of ocean data and transmitting this request information to the central control system 2000.

[0019] (A-1-2. Configuration of Unmanned Vehicle System 1000) Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the unmanned vehicle system 1000. As shown in Figure 2, the multiple unmanned vehicles 1010 that make up the unmanned vehicle system 1000 are configured to play the role of a master unit 1001 that can wirelessly communicate with a communication satellite 6100 or a ground base station 6200, or a slave unit 1002 that can communicate directly or indirectly with the master unit 1001. In addition, a wireless communication network is established that allows the multiple slave units 1002 and the multiple unmanned vehicles 1010 that play the role of a master unit 1001 to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each unmanned vehicle group (1000a, 1000b) is equipped with at least one master unit 1001 and multiple slave units 1002. The master unit 1001 is wirelessly connected to the communication satellite 6100 or the ground base station 6200, and has the function of aggregating various information collected from multiple slave units 1002 and transmitting it to the communication satellite 6100 or the ground base station 6200, as well as directly or indirectly transmitting information related to control commands acquired from the communication satellite 6100 or the ground base station 6200 to each slave unit 1002. The wireless communication path between the ground-side integrated control system 2000 and the unmanned vessel system 1000 can use either the communication path via the communication satellite 6100 or the communication path via the ground base station 6200, but is not limited to these, and other communication paths can also be used, and these communication paths can be made redundant for sending and receiving information.

[0020] The unmanned vessel group 1000a shown in Figure 2 comprises a primary connected slave unit 1002 that communicates with a master unit 1001, a secondary connected slave unit 1002 that communicates with the primary connected slave unit 1002, and a tertiary connected slave unit 1002 that communicates with the secondary connected slave unit 1002. Each slave unit (primary connected slave unit 1002, secondary connected slave unit 1002, and tertiary connected slave unit 1002) has the function of relaying information received from other master units 1001 or slave units 1002 to other master units 1001 or slave units 1002, thereby forming a communication network that can connect to all unmanned vessels 1010 belonging to the unmanned vessel group 1000a.

[0021] (A-1-3. Example of deployment of Unmanned Vessel System 1000 in a maritime area) Figure 3 shows an example of the operational state when deploying Unmanned Vessel System 1000 in a maritime area. In the example shown in Figure 2, a ground base station 6200, a satellite base station that communicates with a communication satellite 6100, a central control system 2000, a data analysis system 3000, and an external ocean data collection system 4000 are provided on the ground side shown in the upper right of the diagram. In addition, a cooperation system is provided on the ground side that includes facilities related to external cooperating organizations, such as private organizations (including private security organizations, ocean research organizations, infrastructure inspection organizations, and private rescue organizations, etc.) not shown in the diagram. Furthermore, an AIS (Automatic Identification System) control center and AIS base station may be provided to acquire information about ships from ships navigating the ocean via radio communication and manage this ship information.

[0022] On the other hand, on the ocean side shown on the left of the diagram, an unmanned vessel system 1000 consisting of multiple unmanned vessels (master unit 1001, slave units 1002) is deployed on the sea. Measurement sensors 1110 mounted on unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000 measure the target of measurement 7000, such as ships, offshore equipment, remote islands, and sea conditions. Information such as measurement data of the target of measurement 7000 detected by the measurement sensors 1110 is collected by the master unit 1001 via the wireless communication network within the unmanned vessel system 1000, and transmitted from the master unit 1001 to the central control system 2000 via the communication satellite 6100 or ground base station 6200. In addition, each unmanned vessel 1010 is equipped with a navigation unit 1300 that can be controlled to navigate in any direction, and can perform operations related to the measurement of the target of measurement 7000 or other tasks based on control commands generated by the central control system 2000.

[0023] In the example shown in Figure 3, the central control system 2000 is shown to be implemented in a land-based facility. However, it is not limited to this, and all or part of the functions implemented in the central control system 2000 shown in this embodiment can be installed in other land-based coastal field bases (not shown) or on manned mother ships at sea, and the operation and management of the unmanned vessel system 1000 can be performed at the coastal field bases or manned mother ships.

[0024] The control system 1 of this embodiment, as described in Figures 1 to 3, uses the communication satellite 6100 described as an example of a non-terrestrial network for transmitting and receiving information between the overall control system 2000 and the unmanned aerial vehicle system 1000. This communication satellite 6100 can be placed in geosynchronous orbit, medium orbit (MEO), low Earth orbit, or other orbits, or other communication satellites. Furthermore, the communication network applicable to the present invention is not limited to this, and a non-terrestrial network using an unmanned aerial vehicle called a HAPS (High Altitude Platform Station) can also be used. In this case, for example, an unmanned aerial vehicle that circles at an altitude of approximately 8 to 50 km can be used.

[0025] Furthermore, as a communication network for sending and receiving information between the integrated control system 2000 and the unmanned vessel system 1000, it is also possible to use a communication network that directly connects the ground base station 6200 to the unmanned vessel system 1000 via wireless communication, rather than a communication network that uses a non-terrestrial network such as the communication satellite 6100 or HAPS. Note that the ground base station 6200 is not limited to a stationary fixed base station, but may consist of a mobile base station. In addition, as a communication network for sending and receiving information between the integrated control system 2000 and the unmanned vessel system 1000, any of the above-mentioned communication networks (non-terrestrial network using the communication satellite 6100, non-terrestrial network using an unmanned aerial vehicle, or communication network that directly connects the ground base station 6200 to the unmanned vessel system 1000 via wireless communication) can be applied, but is not limited to these, and it is also possible to combine the above-mentioned multiple communication networks to make the communication path redundant.

[0026] (A-2. Configuration of the Unmanned Vessel 1010) Next, the functions implemented in the unmanned vessel 1010 and their contents will be explained using Figure 4. In this invention, the term "unmanned vessel" refers to a mobile body capable of navigating on or underwater, regardless of whether it is autonomous or remotely controlled, and includes a mobile buoy that can move using a battery, internal combustion engine, or a thrust generating unit that utilizes wind power or wave power.

[0027] Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010. Although Figure 4 describes the functional block diagram of the unmanned vessel 1010, the functions implemented in the unmanned vessel 1010 can be the same as those shown in Figure 4, regardless of whether the unmanned vessel 1010 is used as the master unit 1001 or the slave unit 1002. The unmanned vessel 1010 includes a measurement unit 1100, a self-state determination unit 1200, a navigation unit 1300, a communication unit 1400, a data processing unit 1500, and a recording unit 1600.

[0028] The measurement unit 1100 is a functional unit that detects the measurement target 7000 located within the measurable range around the unmanned vessel 1010 using the measurement sensor 1110, and acquires measurement data related to the measurement target 7000. The measurement unit 1100 comprises the measurement sensor 1110 and the measurement control unit 1120.

[0029] The measurement sensor 1110 may include one (monocular) or more electro-optical sensors for acquiring image data on the sea surface, optical sensors such as optical cameras, infrared sensors (IR sensors), and stereo cameras, laser sensors such as LiDAR for acquiring point cloud data, optical distance measuring sensors such as ToF sensors (Time of Flight sensors), and radar sensors for detecting millimeter waves and microwaves. By measuring the area around the unmanned vessel 1010, the measurement sensor 1110 acquires measurement data for 7000 objects within the measurable range on the sea surface. Furthermore, each of the above sensors can be used as a distance measuring sensor to measure the distance to an object based on the measurement data.

[0030] Furthermore, the measurement sensor 1110 may also have an acoustic wave sensor (also called an acoustic wave measurement unit) that includes a sonar that utilizes sound waves such as ultrasound, in addition to the sensors described above. The acoustic wave sensor can be used not only underwater but also in the air above the water. When the acoustic wave sensor is used in the air, it can be used as a distance measuring sensor to measure the distance to the object being measured by measuring the sound waves that are reflected back from the object after being generated. When the acoustic wave sensor is used underwater, it may be either an active sonar that generates sound waves and measures the sound waves that resonate from objects in the water, or a passive sonar that measures the sound emitted from objects in the water. The active sonar can be configured as, for example, a side-scan sonar, a multi-beam sonar, or a single-beam sonar. The acoustic wave sensor may also be configured as a USBL transceiver or an acoustic communication modem.

[0031] Furthermore, in addition to the sensors described above, the measurement sensor 1110 may also consist of a seawater condition measurement sensor that measures seawater conditions such as salinity, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), water temperature, seawater composition, and density; an oceanographic measurement sensor that measures oceanographic conditions such as ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, and ocean current or tidal current speed in the surrounding sea area; a meteorological measurement sensor that measures meteorological conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, other weather conditions, and air quality on the surrounding sea; and a marine ecological measurement sensor that measures the condition of seaweed beds and plankton in the sea. As another example, the measurement sensor 1110 can also consist of an IMU (accelerometer / angular velocity sensor), a MAG sensor, and a GNSS sensor (positioning coordinate system).

[0032] Furthermore, the measurement control unit 1120 controls the attitude angle of at least one of the three axes of the measurement sensor 1110 relative to the unmanned vessel 1010 by operating a sensor attitude changing device that can change the attitude of the measurement sensor 1110. Also, for example, if the measurement sensor is an optical sensor, the measurement control unit 1120 can adjust the frame rate, shutter speed, etc. Also, if the measurement sensor is a laser sensor, the measurement control unit 1120 can adjust the output of the irradiating laser. Also, if the measurement sensor is a radar sensor, the measurement control unit 1120 can adjust the output of millimeter waves or microwaves. Also, the measurement control unit 1120 can adjust the measurement sensitivity of the measurement sensor to an arbitrary control amount. Also, if the measurement sensor is an optical sensor, the measurement control unit 1120 can change the zoom amount and resolution of the optical sensor to an arbitrary control amount.

[0033] Next, the self-equipment status determination unit 1200 comprises a navigation status determination unit 1210, an internal status determination unit 1220, and an external status determination unit 1230, and is a functional unit that determines the navigation status, internal and external status of the unmanned vessel 1010. The navigation status determination unit 1210 determines the position (two-dimensional or three-dimensional), speed, heading, direction of movement, acceleration / deceleration, turning speed, and other state quantities related to the navigation status. The internal status determination unit 1220 determines the remaining energy and fuel levels of the battery installed on the vessel, the distance that can be traveled calculated from the remaining energy and fuel levels, temporary abnormal conditions of equipment installed on the vessel (temperature abnormalities, communication abnormalities, etc.), and equipment failure status. Furthermore, the external status determination unit 1230 determines the communication status, such as communication strength (dB value, etc.), communication speed, and communication delay of wireless communication with other unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000, or wireless communication with the integrated control system 2000 via the communication satellite 6100 or ground base station 6200, or the ocean currents and tidal currents (flow velocity, flow direction), wind speed (wind speed, wind direction), wave height, and weather (rain, snow, cloudy, etc.) around the vessel.

[0034] The method by which the navigation state determination unit 1210 determines the position, speed, direction of movement, and acceleration / deceleration of the aircraft is not particularly limited, but for example, the position, speed, and direction of movement of the aircraft at the present time can be determined using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), GPS (Global Positioning System), RTK-GNSS (Real Time Kinematic - Global Navigation Satellite System), etc. Here, the position information includes at least two-dimensional coordinate information in a plan view (e.g., latitude, longitude), and preferably three-dimensional coordinate information including altitude information. The acceleration and deceleration can be calculated based on the amount of change in the determined speed over time.

[0035] Furthermore, the method for measuring the aircraft's heading involves determining the aircraft's heading at the current time using, for example, a geomagnetic sensor, a GNSS compass, or SLAM technology utilizing the seabed shape. The heading includes at least the attitude angle (direction) in a plan view around the Z axis, and preferably includes attitude information around the three axes: the X, Y, and Z axes. The turning speed can be calculated based on the amount of change over time of the determined heading information.

[0036] Next, the navigation unit 1300 is a functional unit that includes a thrust generation unit, an attitude control mechanism, and a navigation control unit, and navigates the aircraft in any direction according to control commands received from the integrated control system 2000 via the communication unit 1400. The thrust generation unit is composed of, for example, a propeller, and can generate thrust by driving the propeller using the power of an engine or electric motor. The thrust generation unit 1310 can also be composed of a sail that generates thrust by receiving wind, or it can be composed of a wave glider that generates thrust by receiving wave force.

[0037] The attitude control mechanism consists of a rudder plate mounted on the aircraft and a propeller attitude change mechanism that can change the attitude angle of the propeller (mainly the yaw angle around the Z axis). By changing these angles, the direction of the nose (yaw angle) of the unmanned vessel 1010 can be controlled. In addition, the attitude angles of the aircraft, namely the roll angle around the X axis and the pitch angle around the Y axis, can also be controlled by a center of gravity position change mechanism that changes the position of heavy objects inside the aircraft using actuators.

[0038] Furthermore, the navigation control unit is a functional unit that controls the aircraft's navigational movements by controlling the output from the thrust generation unit and the attitude control mechanism. The navigation control unit has one or more processors, such as a programmable processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), MPU, or DSP), and includes a processing unit that can access memory (storage unit). The memory stores logic, code, and / or program instructions that the processing unit can execute to perform one or more processing steps.

[0039] The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the aircraft's navigation state. For example, the control module adjusts the aircraft's position on the sea surface, speed, acceleration / deceleration, heading, turning speed, and attitude angles around the three axes. In other words, the navigation control unit 1330 controls the aircraft's navigation by causing it to perform various actions such as moving forward, backward, accelerating, decelerating, and turning.

[0040] Next, the communication unit 1400 comprises an inter-unmanned vessel communication unit 1410 and a central control communication unit 1420, and is a functional unit that communicates with other unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the central control system 2000. The inter-unmanned vessel communication unit 1410 is equipped with a communication antenna used for the maritime wireless communication network and communicates with other unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000. The central control communication unit 1420 is equipped with a satellite communication antenna capable of communicating with the communication satellite 6100, or a communication antenna capable of communicating with the ground base station 6200, and communicates with the central control system 2000 via the communication satellite 6100 or the ground base station 6200. In addition to the above-mentioned communication units, the communication unit may also include a communication unit equipped with an AIS antenna or a VHF antenna that communicates with external patrol boats or AIS base stations.

[0041] Next, the data processing unit 1500 is a functional unit that performs data processing such as primary processing and data compression of measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor 1110. For example, the data processing unit 1500 can perform primary processing to process the raw data (measurement data) after measurement acquired by the measurement sensor 1110 and generate transmission data to be wirelessly transmitted from the unmanned boat system 1000 to the central control system 2000. Furthermore, in order to reduce the transmission load when wirelessly transmitting the transmission data from the unmanned boat system 1000 to the central control system 2000, the data processing unit 1500 can perform data compression processing to compress the raw data (measurement data) after measurement and generate transmission data. Moreover, the data processing unit 1500 may also have a function to interpret the state of the measurement target 7000 by performing primary processing of the measurement data and, according to the interpretation result, determine whether or not to transmit the measurement data and transmission data from the unmanned boat system 1000 to the central control system 2000, or to select the data to be transmitted.

[0042] Next, the recording unit 1600 includes a measurement data recording unit 1610 and a self - state recording unit 1620. The measurement data recording unit 1610 records the measurement data measured by the measurement unit 1100 and the transmission data processed by the data processing unit 1500. The self - state recording unit 1620 records various state information about the self - machine determined by the self - machine state determination unit 1200.

[0043] (A - 3. Configuration of Other Sub - systems) Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the functions of the external ocean data collection system 4000 and the user terminal, which are other sub - systems within the control system 1, will be described.

[0044] (A - 3 - 1. Specific Example of the External Ocean Data Collection System 4000) FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a variation of the external ocean data collection system 4000. The external ocean data collection system 4000 is a system that can collect and share ocean data acquired by the unmanned boat system 1000 based on an ocean data collection task. The external ocean data collection system 4000 can be composed of, for example, an ocean situation grasping system 4100, or a weather information transmission and processing system 4200, or other systems.

[0045] The ocean situation grasping system (MDA system) 4100 is a system that collects, aggregates, and shares various information related to the ocean for the purpose of effectively and efficiently grasping the ocean situation, and is a system operated by various countries and organizations. The ocean situation grasping system 4100 has a function of acquiring various information related to the ocean situation from the data analysis system 3000 and other external systems, and aggregating and sharing various information for each sea area (location) and time.

[0046] The information aggregated and shared by the ocean condition monitoring system 4100 includes various types of information, such as the seawater state measured by seawater salinity concentration, hydrogen ion index (pH), water temperature, seawater components, density, etc., or the sea state such as ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, sea ice, the speed of ocean currents or tidal currents, or the meteorological state such as sea surface temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, air pressure, rainfall, clouds, fog, other weather conditions, air quality, etc., or the state of the marine ecosystem such as seaweed beds, tidal flats, wetlands, coral reefs, plankton, chlorophyll concentration in the sea, etc., or information related to the ecological state of other marine organisms, or information related to topography and geology such as grounding points (rock reef shapes), seabed shapes, bathymetric contours, low tide lines, shorelines, etc.

[0047] The ocean condition monitoring system 4100 can obtain measurement data of the ocean, post - processed data obtained by processing the measurement data, or post - processed image data created using the post - processed data from the data analysis system 3000. In addition, the ocean condition monitoring system 4100 can send request information for measurement data that it wants to newly obtain to the data analysis system 3000. For example, it can send request information regarding ocean areas, dates and times, types of ocean data where data is insufficient in the ocean condition monitoring system 4100, or ocean areas, dates and times, types of ocean data for which requests have been received from users of the ocean condition monitoring system 4100 to the data analysis system 3000.

[0048] The meteorological information transmission and processing system 4200 is a system that aggregates various types of observation data related to meteorology and post - processed data obtained by processing the observation data, and shares them externally. The meteorological information transmission and processing system 4200 can collect meteorological data from various systems capable of observing meteorological data, such as meteorological observation satellites, radiosondes, ground - based meteorological observation devices, meteorological radars, wind profilers, etc. In addition to the above - mentioned systems, the meteorological information transmission and processing system 4200 can obtain measurement data (or post - processed data obtained by processing the measurement data) related to meteorology in the ocean area measured by the unmanned boat system 1000 from the data analysis system 3000.

[0049] The weather information transmission processing system 4200 can send request information for newly acquired measurement data to the data analysis system 3000. For example, the weather information transmission processing system 4200 can send request information to the data analysis system 3000 regarding weather data for ocean areas, dates and times, and data types where data is insufficient, or regarding weather data for areas, dates and times, and data types requested by users of the weather information transmission processing system 4200.

[0050] (A-3-2. Configuration of User Terminal 5000) Figure 6 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of User Terminal 5000. Based on tasks other than ocean data collection, User Terminal 5000 can acquire measurement data related to ocean monitoring, communication infrastructure provision, offshore equipment inspection, fisheries support, and biological ecological surveys acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000, processed data obtained by processing said measurement data, or processed image data created using the processed data, from the data analysis system 3000 and display output to the display unit. User Terminal 5000 includes terminals for ocean monitoring personnel 5100, communication infrastructure provision personnel 5200, offshore equipment inspection personnel 5300, fisheries personnel 5400, biological ecological survey personnel 5500, and reef survey personnel 5600.

[0051] The marine monitoring personnel terminal 5100 can obtain information from the data analysis system 3000 regarding the monitoring results of pre-set monitoring targets in the ocean, air, underwater, or coastal land areas within the monitored marine area.

[0052] The communication infrastructure provider terminal 5200 can acquire status information such as the communication quality of wireless communication in any of the ocean areas (above sea, in the air, or underwater) that are the target of providing a connection environment to the communication network from the data analysis system 3000.

[0053] The terminal 5300 for personnel inspecting marine equipment can obtain measurement data of the marine equipment being inspected, or data related to inspection results obtained by processing the measurement data, from the data analysis system 3000.

[0054] The Fisheries-Related Terminal 5400 is a mobile terminal used by fisheries-related personnel, or a terminal device installed in fisheries-related facilities or fishing vessels, and can acquire processed data related to ocean analysis results, monitoring results of aquaculture farms and fishing grounds, and other data processing results related to fishing and aquaculture from the data analysis system 3000.

[0055] The biological ecological survey personnel terminal 5500 is a mobile terminal used by personnel conducting ecological surveys of marine organisms, or a terminal device installed in related facilities, and can acquire measurement data or processed data related to ecological surveys of marine organisms from the data analysis system 3000.

[0056] Furthermore, each user terminal 5000 described above can obtain request information for newly acquired measurement data (such as measurement area, date and time, and type of measurement data) from the user and transmit this request information to the data analysis system 3000.

[0057] (A-4. Configuration of the Integrated Control System 2000) Next, the functions and contents of the Integrated Control System 2000 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the Integrated Control System 2000. As shown in Figure 7, the Integrated Control System 2000 includes a data collection request acquisition unit 2100, a pre-information acquisition unit 2200, a measurement method determination unit 2300, a other mission request acquisition unit 2400, an unmanned vessel operation planning unit 2500, an unmanned vessel operation execution unit 2600, and a user interface unit 2700.

[0058] (A-4-1. Data Collection Request Acquisition Unit 2100) The data collection request acquisition unit 2100 is a functional unit that acquires information regarding requests and plans for ocean data collection missions, which involve collecting ocean data in the ocean area where the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed using the measurement sensor 1110. The data collection request acquisition unit 2100 comprises a measurement request type determination unit 2110, a measurement condition determination unit 2120, and a measurement data type determination unit 2130. The contents of the various request information determined by the measurement request type determination unit 2110, the measurement condition determination unit 2120, and the measurement data type determination unit 2130 will be explained below with reference to Figure 10.

[0059] Figure 10 shows an example of the content of a data collection request determined by the data collection request acquisition unit 2100. The measurement request type determination unit 2110 is a functional unit that determines the type of ocean-related information for which measurement is requested. As shown in Figure 10, the content types of measurement request information determined by the measurement request type determination unit 2110 include seawater conditions, oceanographic conditions, meteorological conditions, marine ecosystems, seabed topography conditions, and noise conditions.

[0060] Seawater conditions may include, for example, oxygen concentration, salinity, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), seawater temperature, seawater composition, and seawater density. Oceanographic conditions may include, for example, the speed and direction of ocean currents or tidal currents, wave height, wave period, and wave speed. Meteorological conditions may include, for example, temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, air composition, and weather (rainfall, snowfall, precipitation, cloudiness, etc.). Marine ecosystems may include, for example, the areas and densities of algae growth in seaweed beds, the areas and densities of plankton growth, and the areas and densities of chlorophyll. Seabed topographic conditions may include, for example, the location and shape of reefs, the location and shape of the seabed, the height of the low tide line, and the location and shape of the coastline. Noise conditions may include, for example, conditions related to acoustic data measured on or under the sea in marine areas using acoustic measuring devices such as sonar and microphones.

[0061] Next, the measurement condition determination unit 2120 is a functional unit that determines the measurement conditions when measuring the ocean-related information described above. As shown in Figure 10, the measurement conditions determined by the measurement request type determination unit 2110 may include area, measurement width, date and time, measurement frequency, measurement method, synchronous / asynchronous, measurement completion conditions, etc.

[0062] The measurement conditions can include area information such as patrolling multiple areas, a specific designated planar area (e.g., a two-dimensional area at sea level), or a specific designated three-dimensional area (e.g., a three-dimensional space below sea level). Measurement distance can include requests for distance specification (e.g., a two-dimensional mesh), depth specification (e.g., a three-dimensional mesh), or arbitrary coordinate specification (e.g., LLA position coordinates). Date and time information can include, for example, date and time information indicating the data acquisition period, or the deadline date and time for obtaining data analysis results. Measurement frequency can include, for example, information indicating how often measurements are taken, such as 5 times / day. Measurement methods can include stationary measurements, where the unmanned vessel 1010 is stationary, and moving measurements, where measurements are taken while the vessel is in motion.

[0063] Furthermore, the synchronous / asynchronous information includes information indicating the conditions for synchronous control when measurement work is performed synchronously and asynchronously among multiple unmanned vessels 1010. Conditions for synchronous measurement may include, for example, synchronization of measurement points, synchronization of measurement direction, and synchronization of the object being measured. Similarly, conditions for asynchronous measurement may include asynchronous measurement points, asynchronous measurement direction, and asynchronous object being measured.

[0064] Furthermore, information regarding the completion conditions for measurement can include the completion of measurements under the aforementioned measurement conditions (area, date and time, measurement frequency, etc.).

[0065] Next, the measurement data type determination unit 2130 is a functional unit that determines the type of measurement sensor and the type of measurement data used when measuring the ocean-related information described above. The measurement data type determined by the measurement request type determination unit 2110 may include, for example, optical image data, point cloud data, radar wave data, acoustic data, seawater condition information, oceanographic condition information, meteorological condition information, and marine ecological information.

[0066] Optical image data may include, for example, optical image data acquired by electro-optical sensors or infrared (IR) sensors. Point cloud data may include, for example, point cloud data measured by laser measurement data such as LiDAR. Radar wave data may include, for example, millimeter wave measurement data or microwave measurement data. Acoustic data may include, for example, underwater acoustic measurement data measured by active sonar such as side-scan sonar, multi-beam sonar, single-beam sonar, and sub-bottom profiler, or passive sonar.

[0067] Seawater condition information may include, for example, measurement data related to seawater conditions such as salinity, pH, water temperature, seawater composition, and seawater density. Oceanographic condition information may include, for example, measurement data related to oceanographic conditions such as ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, and wave speed. Meteorological condition information may include, for example, measurement data related to meteorological conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, air quality, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, and other weather conditions. Marine ecological information may include, for example, measurement data related to marine ecosystems such as the area or volume of seaweed beds, plankton concentration, and chlorophyll concentration.

[0068] Furthermore, the data collection request acquisition unit 2100 may have a function to acquire request information other than the various types of information described above. For example, it may include request information specifying the method of recording acquired data, the timing of transmission, the type of data analysis, and may also include requests for cooperation with UAVs or UUVs.

[0069] Furthermore, the data collection request acquisition unit 2100 can also acquire in advance requests for response actions in the event that an anomaly is detected in the analysis results of the marine data. These response action requests may include re-measurement under the same conditions, additional measurement under different conditions, notification of action command requests to the user, display of warnings to the user, and acceptance of intervention commands.

[0070] (A-4-2. Pre-information acquisition unit 2200) The pre-information acquisition unit 2200 is a functional unit that imports information to be processed or used in each functional unit within the integrated control system 2000 from the user, an external source, or a recording device. The pre-information acquisition unit 2200 includes a peripheral information acquisition unit 2210, a measurement target information acquisition unit 2220, and a measurement history information acquisition unit 2230. The contents of the various types of pre-information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 2210, the measurement target information acquisition unit 2220, and the measurement history information acquisition unit 2230 will be explained below with reference to Figure 11.

[0071] Figure 11 shows an example of the content of the pre-information acquired by the pre-information acquisition unit 2200. The surrounding information acquisition unit 2210 is a functional unit that acquires environmental information and operational management information in the sea area where the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed and in the surrounding area. As shown in Figure 11, the information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 2210 includes environmental information and operational management information.

[0072] Environmental information includes, for example, current and future oceanographic information, current and future weather information, communication environment information (such as communication speed, strength, and delay) regarding the communication quality of maritime radio communications in the area where the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed and its surrounding areas, or geographic information. Geographic information may include, for example, information regarding the seabed shape, and the location, area, and shape of land (including islands, shoals, and breakwaters) in the area where the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed and its surrounding areas.

[0073] Furthermore, the operational management information includes, for example, AIS information and surrounding vessel information regarding the sea area where the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed and its surrounding areas. The surrounding vessel information may also include information on sea routes passing near the ocean area (location, traffic volume by time of day, and passability by time of day). In addition, the operational management information may also include ship navigation information obtained from the VHF Data Exchange System.

[0074] Next, the measurement target information acquisition unit 2220 is a functional unit that acquires measurement target information regarding the measurement target 7000 that the unmanned vessel system 1000 measures in the course of ocean data collection missions (especially measurement of coastal land conditions) or other missions (especially monitoring and inspection missions). As shown in Figure 11, the information acquired by the measurement target information acquisition unit 2220 includes information such as the position coordinates and external dimensions of the measurement target 7000.

[0075] Next, the measurement history information acquisition unit 2230 is a functional unit that acquires measurement target information regarding the measurement target 7000 that the unmanned vessel system 1000 measures in the course of ocean data collection missions (especially measurement of coastal land conditions) or other missions (especially monitoring and inspection missions). As shown in Figure 11, the information acquired by the measurement history information acquisition unit 2230 includes information such as past measurement dates and times and past measurement data trends.

[0076] (A-4-3. Measurement Method Determination Unit 2300) The measurement method determination unit 2300 is a functional unit that determines the measurement method for ocean data in accordance with the request information for the ocean data collection mission. The measurement method determination unit 2300 comprises a measurement type determination unit 2310, a measurement plan determination unit 2320, a data processing plan determination unit 2330, and a group organization determination unit 2340.

[0077] The measurement type determination unit 2310 is a functional unit that determines the type of measurement space to be measured and the time type to be measured when measuring ocean data. First, the measurement space type includes information indicating the number of dimensions (one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional) of the space to be measured from which the measurement data is acquired.

[0078] One-dimensional spatial types can include, for example, a type that obtains measurements for each depth in the ocean from the sea surface (Z-axis direction), a type that obtains measurements for each height above the sea surface (Z-axis direction), or a type that obtains measurements for each distance from the measurement position on the sea surface.

[0079] Two-dimensional spatial types can include, for example, a type that obtains measurements at each position on the sea surface plane (XY plane), or a type that obtains measurements at each position on an arbitrary plane extending in the depth direction of the ocean (such as the XZ plane) (for example, measurements from a side-scan sonar).

[0080] Three-dimensional spatial data types can include, for example, a type that obtains measurements for each position in a three-dimensional space (XYZ space) including the sea surface and underwater, a type that obtains measured values ​​for each position in a three-dimensional space (XYZ space) including the sea surface and the sky, and a type that obtains measured values ​​for each position in a three-dimensional space (XYZ space) including underwater, sea surface, and the sky. Note that the measured values ​​for each position in a three-dimensional space (XYZ space) including the sea surface and underwater may include not only underwater positions but also measured values ​​for each position such as the seabed, reefs, coastlines, and low tide lines.

[0081] Next, the measurement time type includes information indicating the timing of measurement, such as the frequency of acquiring measurement data and triggers. For example, the measurement time type includes a measurement type that performs continuous measurement at all times, an interval measurement type that performs measurements periodically with a predetermined period (interval), a specified date and time measurement that performs measurements at any specified date and time, or a trigger measurement type that performs measurements when set trigger conditions are met.

[0082] For example, when measuring reefs or stranding points, the changes in reefs and stranding points are relatively gradual, so a measurement time type that involves periodic measurements with relatively long intervals can be used.

[0083] The measurement plan determination unit 2320 is a functional unit that determines the station-side plan, including the order of measurement areas and locations and the movement route, when there are multiple areas or objects to be measured, or when the area to be measured is large. The measurement plan determination unit 2320 determines a measurement plan that can realize the measurement space type and measurement time type determined by the measurement type determination unit 2310.

[0084] The data processing plan determination unit 2330 is a functional unit that determines plans for various processes to be carried out in the unmanned vessel system 1000 after acquiring measurement data, including data storage of measurement data, data compression, transmission of measurement data to the overall control system 2000, primary data analysis processing, and transmission of post-analysis data to the overall control system 2000.

[0085] For example, the data processing plan determination unit 2330 can determine a data transmission plan to send measurement data acquired within the unmanned vessel system 1000 to the central control system 2000 in real time. Another example is that the data processing plan determination unit 2330 can determine a data transmission plan to temporarily record the measurement data acquired within the unmanned vessel system 1000 in the recording unit 1600 of one of the unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000, and then send the measurement data to the central control system 2000 when the communication load decreases or when the vessel has moved to a communication-enabled area.

[0086] As yet another example, the data processing plan determination unit 2330 can determine a data transmission plan for sending the compressed or analyzed data to the integrated control system 2000 by performing data compression processing or primary analysis processing of the measurement data acquired within the unmanned vessel system 1000 in the data processing unit 1500 of the unmanned vessel 1010.

[0087] The group formation determination unit 2340 can determine the formation configuration of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 and the assignment of roles and operations to each unmanned vessel 1010 when the unmanned vessel system 1000 has multiple unmanned vessels 1010. Furthermore, when the unmanned vessel system 1000 operates in cooperation with external unmanned aircraft or unmanned submersibles, the group formation determination unit 2340 can determine the formation configuration and assignment of roles and operations including the cooperating unmanned aircraft or unmanned submersibles. In addition, when the unmanned vessel system 1000 operates in cooperation with an external oceanographic survey system, the group formation determination unit 2340 can determine the placement of the unmanned vessels 1010, etc., taking into consideration cooperation with the oceanographic survey system.

[0088] (A-4-4. Other Mission Request Acquisition Unit 2400) The Other Mission Request Acquisition Unit 2400 is a functional unit that acquires request information or plan information for missions other than the ocean data collection mission. The contents of the request information or plan information for other missions acquired by the Other Mission Request Acquisition Unit 2400 will be explained below using Figure 12. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of information regarding request information or plan information for other missions acquired by the Other Mission Request Acquisition Unit 2400. In the example shown in Figure 12, the other missions different from the ocean data collection mission include ocean surveillance, communication infrastructure provision, offshore equipment inspection, fisheries support, and biological ecological surveys.

[0089] In marine search and surveillance missions, the types of objects to be searched and monitored include objects on the sea surface, objects in the air, objects underwater, seabed topography information (including reefs, seabed, stranding points, and coastlines), and marine acoustic information. Furthermore, the seabed topography information and marine acoustic information measured in marine search and surveillance missions can be used as comparative data for difference analysis when detecting and identifying underwater objects using acoustic sensors such as sonar. Detailed requirements and planning information for marine search and surveillance missions may also include the measurement sensors to be used, measurement areas, measurement dates and times, detailed information on measurement targets, and activity plans. The measurement sensors used in marine search and surveillance missions may be the same as or different from those used in the aforementioned marine data collection missions.

[0090] The mission to provide communication infrastructure includes areas such as the sea, air, and underwater where communication equipment mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010 will provide connectivity to the wireless communication network. Furthermore, detailed requirements and plans for the communication infrastructure provision mission may include specific target areas for infrastructure provision, dates and times of infrastructure provision, target users for wireless communication connectivity, required communication quality (such as communication speed, signal strength, and latency), and activity plans.

[0091] The task of inspecting marine equipment includes inspecting and measuring marine equipment installed on or under the sea, such as offshore wind power generation systems consisting of numerous wind turbines scattered across the ocean, offshore runways, and offshore oil plants. Detailed requirements and planning information for the marine equipment inspection task may include the measurement sensors to be used, inspection areas, inspection dates and times, inspection targets, and inspection plans including the order and movement between multiple inspection targets. The measurement sensors used in the marine equipment inspection task may be the same as or different from those used in the aforementioned marine data collection task. Furthermore, the marine equipment inspection task may include monitoring for intruders entering the equipment, in addition to inspecting and measuring the various marine equipment described above.

[0092] Fisheries support tasks include marine analysis (such as fish detection) for offshore and deep-sea fisheries, coastal fisheries, and aquaculture support, as well as aquaculture feeding and monitoring of aquaculture farms and fishing grounds (including monitoring for theft and illegal fishing in aquaculture farms and fishing grounds). Detailed requirements and plans for fisheries support tasks may also include information on measurement sensors to be used, activity areas, activity dates and times, measurement targets, and activity plans.

[0093] The biological ecological survey mission includes surveys of marine animals (such as whales and sea turtles) and animals living on or near coastal land. Detailed requirements and planning information for the biological ecological survey mission may include the measurement sensors to be used, the activity area, activity dates and times, measurement targets, and activity plan. The measurement sensors used in the biological ecological survey mission may be the same as or different from those used in the aforementioned marine data collection mission.

[0094] (A-4-5. Unmanned Vehicle Operation Planning Unit 2500) The Unmanned Vehicle Operation Planning Unit 2500 is a functional unit that determines whether or not to perform multiple missions in parallel, including the ocean data collection mission and other missions, and determines the plans necessary for operating the unmanned vehicle system 1000, such as the operation plan and communication routes required for the execution of multiple missions. The Unmanned Vehicle Operation Planning Unit 2500 comprises a Multiple Mission Execution Feasibility Determination Unit 2510, an Operation Plan Determination Unit 2520, and a Communication Route Determination Unit 2530.

[0095] The Multiple Mission Execution Feasibility Decision Unit 2510 is a functional unit that determines whether or not to perform multiple missions in parallel, including the ocean data collection mission and other missions. In addition to determining whether or not to perform multiple missions in parallel, the Multiple Mission Execution Feasibility Decision Unit 2510 may also have the function of determining whether to perform the missions in parallel in the same way, such as simultaneous parallel execution, where the ocean data collection mission and other missions are performed at the same time, or staggered parallel execution, where they are performed at different times. When making a decision on parallel execution in this way, it is possible to make the decision based on pre-configured information, but it is also possible to make the decision based on conditions such as user intervention information and priority.

[0096] There are several possible methods for the Multiple Mission Execution Feasibility Decision Unit 2510 to determine whether multiple missions can be executed in parallel. For example, the Multiple Mission Execution Feasibility Decision Unit 2510 can determine whether multiple missions can be executed by comparing at least one of the mission execution areas and dates included in the request information or plan information of the ocean data collection mission and the other missions. In other words, it can determine that multiple missions can be executed if at least part of the requested execution areas or requested execution dates and times for each mission overlap.

[0097] As another example, in place of, or in addition to, the comparison conditions for the mission execution area and schedule described above, the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can determine whether multiple missions can be executed based on at least one of the following conditions: whether the unmanned vessel 1010 is equipped with equipment used for both the ocean data collection mission and other missions, or whether it has the power performance required for both the ocean data collection mission and other missions. In other words, if the unmanned vessel is equipped with equipment used for both the ocean data collection mission and other missions, or if it has the power performance required for both the ocean data collection mission and other missions, it can be determined that multiple missions can be executed. Here, power performance includes maximum speed, maximum acceleration, maximum jerk, maximum deceleration acceleration, turning radius, maximum turning speed, course change speed, course change responsiveness, maximum cruising range, attitude angle maintenance performance, etc.

[0098] As another example, in addition to or instead of the conditions for determining the feasibility of executing multiple missions as described above, the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit 2510 may also determine the feasibility of executing multiple missions based on setting information regarding the feasibility of executing multiple missions for the ocean data collection mission and other missions. In this case, the setting information may be, for example, information in which the feasibility of executing multiple missions is pre-set for each type of other mission. Alternatively, it may be information in which the feasibility of executing multiple missions is pre-set for each operational status of multiple missions.

[0099] As described above, when the feasibility of executing multiple tasks is determined based on pre-configured setting information for each operational status of multiple tasks, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can determine whether to execute multiple tasks based on pre-configured setting information regarding the feasibility of executing multiple tasks, which is associated with the operational status of the ocean data collection task. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the feasibility of executing multiple tasks can also be determined based on pre-configured setting information regarding the feasibility of executing multiple tasks, which is associated with the operational status of other tasks. In other words, the feasibility of executing multiple tasks can be determined based on information regarding the feasibility of executing multiple tasks, which is associated with at least one of the operational statuses of the ocean data collection task and the operational statuses of other tasks that are to be executed in parallel.

[0100] The operation plan determination unit 2520 is a functional unit that determines, when it is decided to perform multiple tasks in parallel, such as the ocean data collection task and other tasks, the number of unmanned vessels to be performed in parallel, and the operation plan for each unmanned vessel. In other words, it determines the operation plan for each unmanned vessel 1010 of the unmanned vessel system 1000.

[0101] The operation plan determined by the operation plan determination unit 2520 may include, for example, a transition plan for the work status of multiple tasks to allow the unmanned vessel 1010 to perform multiple tasks in parallel, and may also include a movement plan that includes the number of unmanned vessels 1010, their deployment locations, movement routes, and movement schedules.

[0102] The communication path determination unit 2530 has the function of determining the wireless communication path connecting the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the central control system 2000 from a communication path via the communication satellite 6100 or the ground base station 6200. Furthermore, the ground base station 6200 can be selected as a fixed-location base station (such as a private BWA or mobile phone base station) or a mobile base station (vehicle-type base station).

[0103] Furthermore, the communication path determination unit 2530 may also have a function to determine the configuration of a maritime wireless communication network consisting of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 that constitute the unmanned vessel system 1000. Here, the communication path determination unit 2530 can also determine whether or not to construct the maritime wireless communication network in cooperation with USVs, floating buoys, UAVs, UUVs, seabed buoys, etc.

[0104] Furthermore, the communication path determination unit 2530 can determine the placement locations of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 to realize wireless communication paths and wireless communication networks, based on the determination results of wireless communication paths connecting the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the central control system 2000, and the configuration of wireless communication networks composed of multiple unmanned vessels 1010. When constructing a wireless communication network at sea in cooperation with USVs, floating buoys, UAVs, UUVs, submarine buoys, etc., the communication path determination unit 2530 can also determine the placement locations of the cooperating USVs, etc.

[0105] (A-4-6. Unmanned Vehicle Operation Execution Unit 2600) The Unmanned Vehicle Operation Execution Unit 2600 is a functional unit that controls the parallel execution of multiple tasks, including the ocean data collection task and other tasks, in real time when it is determined that these tasks can be performed in parallel. The Unmanned Vehicle Operation Execution Unit 2600 comprises a Multiple Task Continuation Feasibility Determination Unit 2610, an Unmanned Vehicle Operation Management Unit 2620, and a Control Command Output Unit 2630.

[0106] The Multiple Mission Continuation Feasibility Decision Unit 2610 is a functional unit that determines whether it is possible to continue the parallel execution of multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and other missions. For example, the Multiple Mission Continuation Feasibility Decision Unit 2610 can grasp the current status of the unmanned vessel system 1000, including the current operating status of the ocean data collection mission and other missions, and determine whether it is possible to continue the parallel execution of multiple missions according to that status.

[0107] For example, the multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2610 can determine whether or not to perform multiple missions based on the CPU processing resources, memory device resources, and recording capacity resources of the measurement data recording unit 1610 that records measurement data of the unmanned vessel 1010 that is performing other missions. In other words, if it is determined that these resources are insufficient compared to the resources required for the other missions, it can determine that performing multiple missions is not possible. Here, the memory device refers to a memory device including RAM and ROM that perform temporary writes and reads during CPU processing.

[0108] As another example, the multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2610 can determine whether or not to perform multiple missions based on the current state of communication quality (communication speed, communication strength, communication delay, etc.) in the wireless communication path connecting the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the central control system 2000, and the communication quality (communication speed, communication strength, communication delay, etc.) in the wireless communication network composed of multiple unmanned vessels 1010. In other words, if it is determined that these communication qualities are worse than the communication qualities required for other missions, it can determine that performing multiple missions is not possible.

[0109] As another example, the multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2610 can determine whether or not to perform multiple missions depending on the progress of achieving the objectives of the other missions. For example, if the other mission is a sea area monitoring mission, and the objective of the monitoring mission is the coverage rate, which represents the ratio of the monitored area to the entire area to be monitored, then if it is determined that the current coverage rate is too low compared to the target coverage rate, it will be determined that multiple missions cannot be performed, and the unmanned vessel system 1000 can concentrate its operations on the monitoring mission. As yet another example, if the other mission is a sea equipment inspection mission, and the objective of the sea equipment inspection mission is the number of sea equipment that has been inspected, then if it is determined that the current number of inspected sea equipment is too low compared to the target number of inspected sea equipment, it will be determined that multiple missions cannot be performed, and the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000 can be concentrated on the sea equipment inspection mission.

[0110] As another example, the multiple mission continuation decision unit 2610 can decide to interrupt the parallel execution of multiple missions and have the unmanned vessel 1010 perform the other mission if the urgency of the other mission increases while multiple missions, such as the ocean data collection mission, are being executed in parallel. For example, if a user makes an input that increases the urgency level via the user interface unit 2700 (described later), or if an event that increases the urgency level is detected, such as the discovery of a monitored object during a monitoring mission, the parallel execution of multiple missions can be interrupted, and the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000 can be concentrated on performing the other mission whose urgency level has increased.

[0111] As described above, if the parallel execution of multiple tasks is interrupted and the urgency of the other tasks decreases, the multiple task continuation feasibility determination unit 2610 can decide to resume the parallel execution of the multiple tasks. In other words, if the urgency of the other tasks decreases and it is no longer necessary to concentrate the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000 solely on the execution of the other tasks whose urgency has increased, the parallel execution of multiple tasks can be resumed once again.

[0112] The unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 has a function to control the parallel execution of multiple tasks in real time when the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 or the multiple task continuation feasibility determination unit 2610 determines that it is possible to perform multiple tasks, including the ocean data collection task and other tasks, in parallel.

[0113] The unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 calculates, for example, the status of the ocean data collection mission and the external environment, the formation and movement routes of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 in the unmanned vessel system 1000, and the conditions for carrying out the ocean data collection mission.

[0114] The control command output unit 2630 is a functional unit that outputs control commands to the unmanned vessel system 1000 in response to various decision results from the unmanned vessel operation planning unit 2500, the multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2610, and the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620, or to intervention commands from the user received by the user input reception unit 2720, which will be described later. For example, the control command output unit 2630 outputs a control command to the unmanned vessel system 1000 to perform either simultaneous or staggered parallel execution, in response to the decision result of the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit 2510 regarding whether to perform the ocean data collection mission and other missions in parallel simultaneously or staggered parallel execution.

[0115] Alternatively, the control command output unit 2630 can output a control command to the unmanned vessel system 1000 to perform either simultaneous or staggered parallel execution of the ocean data collection mission and other missions, in response to a user's specification request information specifying whether to perform them simultaneously or staggered.

[0116] (A-4-7. User Interface Unit 2700) The user interface unit 2700 is a functional unit that displays and outputs various information to the user of the integrated control system 2000 and receives input information from the user. The user interface unit 2700 comprises a display unit 2710 and a user input receiving unit 2720.

[0117] The display unit 2710 can display and output measurement data acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000, acquired information from each functional unit within the integrated control system 2000, judgment information, or decision information. For example, the display unit 2710 can display status information of the mission currently being performed to the user, indicating whether the mission being performed by the unmanned vessel system 1000 is an ocean data collection mission, another mission, or the parallel execution of multiple missions.

[0118] Furthermore, the display unit 2710 can display and output the operating status of each unmanned vessel 1010 of the unmanned vessel system 1000, such as its position, orientation, and speed, as well as the formation, deployment area, and operation history of the unmanned vessel system 1000. In addition, the display unit 2710 can notify the user when the multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2610 decides to interrupt the parallel execution of multiple missions, and when providing this notification, the user can be notified not only by display output, but also by sound, light emission, or vibration.

[0119] The user input receiving unit 2720 is a functional unit that receives arbitrary user input information related to or unrelated to the various information displayed on the display unit 2710. For example, the user input receiving unit 2720 can receive a specification request from the user specifying one of the following: a marine data collection mission, another mission, or the parallel execution of multiple missions.

[0120] The user input information received by the user input receiving unit 2720 may include intervention control commands from the user to the unmanned vessel 1010 or the unmanned vessel system 1000. The user input receiving unit 2720 may be a portable mobile device such as a smartphone, tablet, or notebook PC. User input information can also be received via operation buttons provided on the display screen of the display unit 2710.

[0121] (A-5. Overview of Data Analysis System 3000) Next, an overview of the data analysis system 3000 will be explained using Figure 8. Figure 8 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the data analysis system 3000. The data analysis system 3000 comprises a data acquisition management unit 3100, a measurement data management unit 3200, a measurement data analysis processing unit 3300, an information output unit 3400, and an external information acquisition unit 3500.

[0122] (A-5-1. Data Acquisition Management Unit 3100) The Data Acquisition Management Unit 3100 is a functional unit that manages requests and plans related to the acquisition of measurement data obtained by marine data collection missions. The Data Acquisition Management Unit 3100 comprises a Data Request Determination Unit 3110, a Data Collection Planning Unit 3120, and a Data Acquisition Request Unit 3130.

[0123] The data request determination unit 3110 is a functional unit that determines request information regarding marine data acquired through marine data collection missions from external marine data collection systems 4000 and user terminals 5000. For example, the data request determination unit 3110 can determine measurement request information as shown in Figure 10.

[0124] The data acquisition planning unit 3120 is a functional unit that generates a data acquisition plan in accordance with the data request determined by the data request determination unit 3110. The data acquisition request unit 3130 is a functional unit that transmits information regarding the above-mentioned data acquisition request and data acquisition plan to the central control system 2000 to request data acquisition.

[0125] (A-5-2. Measurement Data Management Unit 3200) The Measurement Data Management Unit 3200 is a functional unit that acquires and stores marine data, etc., from the integrated control system 2000. The Measurement Data Management Unit 3200 comprises a Measurement Data Acquisition Unit 3210 and a Measurement Data Storage Unit 3220.

[0126] The measurement data acquisition unit 3210 is a functional unit that acquires ocean data acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000 in the ocean data collection mission, via the central control system 2000. The measurement data storage unit 3220 has the function of recording the ocean data acquired by the measurement data acquisition unit 3210 in association with at least one of the following pieces of information: the measurement location of the ocean data, the identification information of the unmanned vessel 1010 that acquired the ocean data, and the date and time of measurement of the ocean data.

[0127] (A-5-3. Measurement Data Analysis Processing Unit 3300) The Measurement Data Analysis Processing Unit 3300 is a functional unit that performs data processing, including analysis, on ocean data acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000 in the ocean data collection mission. The Measurement Data Analysis Processing Unit 3300 comprises a data processing unit 3310 and a distribution information generation unit 3320.

[0128] The data processing unit 3310 has the function of performing data processing, including various analytical processes, on the ocean data acquired by the measurement data acquisition unit 3210. Here, the data processing unit 3310 does not perform data processing on all ocean data acquired by the measurement data acquisition unit 3210, but can also select ocean data that matches the request conditions of the request information regarding ocean data acquired from an external ocean data collection system 4000 or a user terminal 5000 (for example, the request information shown in Figure 10), and perform the following data processing on the selected ocean data.

[0129] The data processing unit 3310, for example, when the acquired ocean data is image data, point cloud data, radar measurement data, or acoustic data, performs analysis processing on the ocean data, thereby interpreting various state information about the ocean, such as seawater conditions, oceanographic conditions, meteorological conditions, marine ecosystems, and seabed land conditions, which are acquired as requested information as shown in Figure 10.

[0130] More specifically, the data processing unit 3310 can interpret at least one of the following: seawater conditions including salinity, hydrogen ion concentration, water temperature, seawater composition, and seawater density at the location where the ocean data is collected; oceanographic conditions including at least one of ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, and wave speed at the location where the ocean data is collected; meteorological conditions including at least one of air temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, and air composition at the location where the ocean data is collected; biological ecological conditions including at least one of seaweed beds, plankton, and marine organisms; and seabed land conditions including at least one of reef shape, coast shape, and seabed shape. In addition, the data processing unit 3310 may have a function to make future predictions by performing analysis processing on ocean data, not limited to interpreting the current state of the ocean as described above.

[0131] The distribution information generation unit 3320 is a functional unit that generates distribution information to be distributed to the external ocean data collection system 4000 and the user terminal 5000. The distribution information generation unit 3320 can create processed image data using processed data generated by data analysis processing by the data processing unit 3310, ocean data acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000, or a combination thereof. For example, if the processed data generated by the data processing unit 3310 is oceanographic conditions (such as wave height), the distribution information can generate processed image data as distribution information by integrating these oceanographic conditions with map information or wide-area satellite images.

[0132] (A-5-4. Information Output Unit 3400) The information output unit 3400 is a functional unit that transmits ocean data collected by the ocean data collection mission, processed data generated by data analysis processing of ocean data, or processed image data created using ocean data or processed data as distribution information to the external ocean data collection system 4000 or user terminal 5000, and displays it on the display unit of the external ocean data collection system 4000 or user terminal 5000. Here, the information output unit 3400 does not transmit all ocean data, processed data, or processed image data to the external ocean data collection system 4000 or user terminal 5000, but can also select ocean data etc. that match the request conditions of the request information regarding ocean data acquired from the external ocean data collection system 4000 or user terminal 5000 (for example, the request information shown in Figure 10), and transmit the selected ocean data etc. to the external ocean data collection system 4000 or user terminal 5000, and display it on the display unit of the external ocean data collection system 4000 or user terminal 5000.

[0133] (A-5-5. External Information Acquisition Unit 3500) The external information acquisition unit 3500 is a functional unit that acquires information from the external marine data collection system 4000 and the user terminal 5000. For example, the external information acquisition unit 3500 can acquire requests for distribution information to be displayed on the display unit from the external marine data collection system 4000 and the user terminal 5000. In addition, the external information acquisition unit 3500 can acquire requests for newly collected marine data from the external marine data collection system 4000 and the user terminal 5000.

[0134] (A-6. Control Flow of Control System 1) Next, the control flow of the entire control system 1 will be explained. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the control system 1. Steps 101 to 106 described below are for pre-configuration, steps 107 to 108 are for real-time control after the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed at sea, and steps 109 to 110 are for processing the acquired ocean data.

[0135] First, the data collection request acquisition unit 2100 acquires information regarding requests and plans for the ocean data collection mission, which involves collecting ocean data in the ocean area where the unmanned vessel system 1000 is deployed using the measurement sensor 1110 (step 101). In this step, various types of request information are acquired, for example, as shown in Figure 10.

[0136] Next, the pre-information acquisition unit 2200 imports information to be processed or used in each functional unit within the integrated control system 2000 from the user, an external source, or a recording device (step 102).

[0137] Next, the measurement method determination unit 2300 determines the measurement method for the ocean data according to the request information for the ocean data collection mission (step 103). The detailed processing content of this step will be described later.

[0138] Next, the Other Mission Request Acquisition Unit 2400 acquires request information or plan information for missions other than the ocean data collection mission (step 104).

[0139] Next, the Multiple Mission Execution Feasibility Decision Unit 2510 determines whether or not to perform multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and other missions, in parallel (step 105). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0140] Next, the operation plan determination unit 2520 determines one or more unmanned vessels to perform multiple tasks in parallel, the number of unmanned vessels, and the operation plan for the unmanned vessels (step 106). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0141] Next, the Multiple Mission Continuation Determination Unit 2610 determines whether it is possible to continue the parallel execution of multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and other missions (step 107). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0142] Next, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 determines the formation and movement path of the unmanned vessel system 1000 (step 108). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0143] Next, the measurement data analysis processing unit 3300 of the data analysis system 3000 performs data processing on the measurement data acquired by the ocean data collection mission (step 109). In this step, for example, the state of the ocean can be interpreted or predicted by processing the measurement data.

[0144] Next, the information output unit 3400 of the data analysis system 3000 transmits the ocean data collected by the ocean data collection mission, or the processed data generated by analyzing the ocean data, or the processed image data created using the ocean data or processed data, as distribution information to the external ocean data collection system 4000 or the user terminal 5000 (step 110).

[0145] (A-7. Control Flow of Measurement Method Determination Unit 2300) Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the processing flow for determining the measurement method by the measurement method determination unit 2300. In particular, Figure 13 shows the detailed processing of step 103 in the flowchart of Figure 9.

[0146] First, the measurement type determination unit 2310 determines the type of measurement space to be measured when measuring ocean data (step 201).

[0147] Next, the measurement type determination unit 2310 determines the measurement time type to be measured when measuring ocean data (step 202).

[0148] Next, the measurement plan determination unit 2320 determines the station-side plan, including the order of the areas and locations to be measured and the movement route (step 203).

[0149] Next, the data processing plan determination unit 2330 determines the data processing plan to be implemented in the unmanned vessel system 1000 (step 204). In this step, the unit determines a plan for various processes to be implemented in the unmanned vessel system 1000 after acquiring measurement data, including, for example, data storage of measurement data in the unmanned vessel system 1000, data compression, transmission of measurement data to the overall control system 2000, primary data analysis processing, and transmission of analyzed data to the overall control system 2000.

[0150] Next, the group formation determination unit 2340 determines the formation configuration of the multiple unmanned vessels 1010 and the assignment of roles and actions to each unmanned vessel 1010 (step 204).

[0151] Next, the group formation determination unit 2340 determines the overall formation configuration, including unmanned aircraft and unmanned submersibles that operate in coordination with the unmanned vessel system 1000, as well as the plan for assigning roles and actions (step 205).

[0152] (A-8. Processing method for determining the measurement method)

[0153] The following describes the processing method for determining whether multiple tasks can be performed in parallel in the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510, using Figures 14 to 23.

[0154] (A-8-1. Processing Flow for Determining Measurement Method) Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the processing flow for determining whether multiple tasks can be performed in parallel in the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510. In particular, Figure 14 shows the detailed processing of step 105 in the flowchart of Figure 9.

[0155] First, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 determines the hardware requirements for each of the multiple tasks (step 301).

[0156] Next, the system determines the next processing step to proceed to, depending on whether the hardware configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010 of the unmanned vessel system 1000 conforms to the hardware requirements for multiple missions (step 302). In this step, if it is determined that the hardware configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010 conforms to the hardware requirements for multiple missions, the system proceeds to step 303. On the other hand, if it is determined that the hardware configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010 does not conform to the hardware requirements for multiple missions, the system proceeds to step 306.

[0157] Next, if step 302 determines that the hardware configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010 conforms to the hardware requirements for multiple missions, the measurement condition determination unit 2120 determines the activity area and time required for each of the multiple missions based on the request information acquired (step 303).

[0158] Next, the system compares at least one of the activity request areas and time periods required for each of the multiple tasks, and determines the next processing step to proceed to based on whether at least a portion of the activity request areas and time periods overlap (step 304). In this step, if it is determined that at least a portion of the activity request areas and time periods overlap, the system proceeds to step 305. On the other hand, if it is determined that the activity request areas and time periods do not overlap, the system proceeds to step 306.

[0159] Next, if it is determined in step 304 that the activity request area and at least part of the time overlap, the next processing step to proceed to is determined depending on whether the pre-configured settings information for each mission allows for the parallel execution of multiple missions (step 305). In this step, if the settings information allows for the parallel execution of multiple missions, the process proceeds to step 307. On the other hand, if it is determined that the settings information does not allow for the parallel execution of multiple missions, the process proceeds to step 306.

[0160] Next, if in step 302 it is determined that the hardware configuration of the unmanned vessel 1010 does not meet the hardware requirements for multiple missions, or in step 304 it is determined that the activity request area and time do not overlap, or in step 305 it is determined that the configuration information does not allow for the parallel execution of multiple missions, then it is determined that parallel execution of multiple missions is not possible (step 306).

[0161] Next, if the configuration information in step 305 allows for the parallel execution of multiple tasks, a request regarding whether parallel execution is not possible, whether simultaneous parallel execution is possible, or whether parallel execution is possible at different times is determined for each operational status of the work plan (state transition plan) for the ocean data collection task (step 307). The detailed processing content of this step will be described later.

[0162] Next, for each operational status of the work plan (state transition plan) for other tasks, it is determined whether simultaneous parallel execution or parallel execution at different times is permissible (step 308). The detailed processing content of this step will be described later.

[0163] (A-8-2. Determination process for measurement method according to the operational status of each task) Below, the operational status of each task used in the determination process, as shown in steps 307 and 308 of Figure 14, will be explained using Figures 15 to 23.

[0164] (A-8-2-1. Processing to determine the request for parallel execution of multiple tasks) Figure 15 is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the request state for the execution of multiple tasks by the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510. As shown in Figure 15, there are two main states for the request for the execution of multiple tasks: a dedicated ocean data measurement request state and a parallel measurement request state. The dedicated measurement request state is a state in which no parallel measurement request for multiple tasks is made, and the unmanned vessel system 1000 is made to concentrate solely on the ocean data collection task. The parallel measurement request state is a state in which the ocean data collection task and other tasks are performed in parallel.

[0165] In the state transition diagram shown in Figure 15, when processing starts, the system enters a standby state (ST1501), and then transitions to either a dedicated measurement request state or a parallel measurement request state. Here, it is possible to determine whether or not to transition to the parallel measurement request state depending on the overlapping area and overlapping date and time where the mission execution area and date and time included in the request information or plan information for the ocean data collection mission and other missions overlap. In addition, it is possible to determine whether or not to transition to the parallel measurement request state depending on whether or not the unmanned vessel 1010 has the equipment and power performance required for both the ocean data collection mission and other missions, or depending on pre-configured information regarding the feasibility of executing multiple missions.

[0166] Furthermore, based on the pre-configured settings regarding the feasibility of executing multiple tasks for each operational status of the ocean data collection mission shown in Figure 16 (described later), it is possible to determine whether or not to transition to the parallel measurement request state.

[0167] To transition to the dedicated measurement request state, the system will transition to one of the following request states within the dedicated measurement request state: recovery charging (ST1502), movement between data acquisition points (ST1503), anchored measurement for dedicated ocean data acquisition (ST1504), or measurement while moving for dedicated ocean data acquisition (ST1505).

[0168] On the other hand, when transitioning to a parallel measurement request state, the system transitions to a request state for either anchored measurement (ST1506) for parallel acquisition of ocean data, or on-the-go measurement (ST1507) for parallel ocean data acquisition. Here, the determination of whether it is anchored measurement or on-the-go measurement can be made according to the measurement method and measurement data type included in the request information shown in Figure 10.

[0169] Furthermore, after measurement is performed under any of the above conditions, the system transitions to a state requesting the analysis and distribution of ocean data (ST1508), and after a waiting period, the process is completed. Note that the analysis of ocean data can be performed within the unmanned vessel system 1000, or it can be performed by the data analysis system 3000.

[0170] In the dedicated measurement request state shown in Figure 15, since the request state is for performing only the ocean data collection mission, an operation plan is generated that will perform only the ocean data collection mission in accordance with the request state. On the other hand, in the parallel measurement request state, in response to the parallel measurement request shown in Figure 15, the operation plans for the ocean data collection mission and the other missions are generated by considering whether the operation status of the other missions is in a state where they can accept the parallel measurement request.

[0171] (A-8-2-2. State transitions in ocean data collection missions) Figure 16 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions in the operational state of an ocean data collection mission. As shown in Figure 16, the operational status of an ocean data collection mission can be broadly divided into three states: pre-measurement preparation state, measurement mission execution state, and measurement mission cancellation / completion state.

[0172] The pre-measurement preparation state includes the movement state (ST1601), which is the state in which the system moves to the measurement target area after processing starts, and the deployment state (ST1602), which is the state in which multiple unmanned vessels 1010 are deployed after moving to the measurement target area.

[0173] Furthermore, the measurement mission execution status includes operational states such as anchored measurement for ocean data acquisition (ST1603), measurement while moving for ocean data acquisition (ST1604), recovery charging status by charging equipment (such as solar panels and wave power generation equipment) mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010 (ST1605), standby status including measurement interruption (ST1606), movement status between data acquisition locations (ST1607), and measurement data analysis and distribution status (ST1608).

[0174] Furthermore, the measurement mission cancellation / completion state includes the return state (ST1609), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is moved to a location for retrieval, and the retrieval state (ST1610), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is retrieved after its return.

[0175] Furthermore, information regarding the possibility of parallel execution of measurement operations related to other tasks is set in correspondence with each of the above operating states, and based on this information, it is possible to determine whether to transition to the dedicated measurement request state or the parallel measurement request state shown in Figure 15. Here, for example, in the anchored measurement for ocean data acquisition (ST1603), recovery charging state (ST1605), standby state (ST1606), and measurement data analysis distribution state (ST1608), the operating state can be set to allow parallel execution of anchored measurements for other tasks, so the request state shown in Figure 15 can be the request state for anchored measurement for parallel acquisition of ocean data (ST1506).

[0176] Furthermore, in each of the following states—movement state (ST1601), deployment state (ST1602), in-movement measurement of ocean data (ST1604), movement between data acquisition locations (ST1607), and return state (ST1609)—the system can be configured to allow parallel execution of in-movement measurements for other missions. Therefore, the requested state shown in Figure 15 can be the requested state for in-movement measurement of parallel acquisition of ocean data (ST1507). On the other hand, in the recovery state (ST1610), parallel execution of other missions is no longer possible.

[0177] (A-8-2-3. Transition of Higher-Level States in Ocean Search and Surveillance Missions) The transition of operational states in ocean search and surveillance missions will be explained below using Figures 17 to 19. Information on whether or not ocean data collection missions can be performed in parallel, which is set in correspondence with each operational state shown in Figures 17 to 19, will also be explained.

[0178] Figure 17 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions between higher-level operational states in a maritime search and surveillance mission. As shown in Figure 17, the operational status of a maritime data collection mission can be broadly divided into three states: pre-surveillance preparation state, surveillance mission execution state, and surveillance mission cancellation / completion state.

[0179] The pre-monitoring preparation status includes the movement status (ST1701) when the system moves to the monitoring area after the mission starts, and the deployment status (ST1702) when multiple unmanned vessels 1010 are deployed after moving to the monitoring area.

[0180] Furthermore, the monitoring mission execution status includes the following operational states: search and monitoring status (ST1703) for monitoring the target area; recovery charging status (ST1704) using charging equipment (such as solar panels or wave power generation equipment) mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010; standby status (ST1705) including when monitoring and measurement are suspended; and post-discovery action status (ST1706) for performing actions after discovering a target object.

[0181] Furthermore, the monitoring mission cancellation / completion state includes the return state (ST1707), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is moved to a location for retrieval, and the retrieval state (ST1708), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is retrieved after its return.

[0182] Furthermore, each operating state shown in Figure 17 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide whether or not to perform multiple tasks in parallel based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 17.

[0183] As information regarding the possibility of performing multiple tasks in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 17, for example, in the recovery charging state (ST1704) and standby state (ST1705), information is set to permit the parallel performance of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection mission. Also, in the moving state (ST1701), deployed state (ST1702), and return state (ST1707), information is set to permit the parallel performance of measurements while moving for the ocean data collection mission. Furthermore, in the search and surveillance state (ST1703), in principle, the parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission is not permitted, and information is set to permit the parallel performance of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as before the initial detection of the object being monitored, or during surveillance patrol at a speed lower than a predetermined speed). In addition, in the post-discovery action (ST1706) and recovery state (ST1708), information is set to prohibit the parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission.

[0184] Next, Figure 18 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions in the operational state when an object is discovered in a maritime search and surveillance mission. In the example shown in Figure 18, the operational status of the unmanned vessel 1010 includes a surveillance navigation state in which surveillance and measurement operations are performed, a state in which the data processing unit 1500 of the unmanned vessel 1010 has detected a candidate for surveillance, an initial detection determination state for the surveillance target, a detailed measurement execution state, a detailed detection determination state, a re-detailed measurement state in which detailed measurement is performed again after the detailed detection determination, a position acquisition loss state in which the position acquisition of the surveillance target by the unmanned vessel 1010 has been lost, a re-acquisition surveillance state in which measurement and acquisition are performed after the detailed detection determination, an execution state of an operation different from each of the above operations, and a surveillance and measurement completion state.

[0185] Furthermore, each operating state shown in Figure 18 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide whether or not to perform multiple tasks in parallel based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 18.

[0186] As information indicating whether multiple tasks can be performed in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 18, for example, in the monitoring and measurement completion state, information is set to permit the parallel execution of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection task. Also, in the monitoring navigation state, information is set to permit the parallel execution of measurements while moving for the ocean data collection task. Furthermore, in the states of target candidate detection, position acquisition lost state, and reacquisition monitoring state, in principle, the parallel execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection task is not permitted, and information is set to permit the parallel execution of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as before initial detection of the target object, or during monitoring patrol at a speed lower than a predetermined speed). In addition, in other states such as initial detection judgment state, detailed measurement state, detailed detection judgment state, re-detailed measurement state, continuous acquisition navigation state, and other operation judgment and execution state, information is set to prohibit the parallel execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection task.

[0187] Next, Figure 19 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions to other operational states when an object is discovered during a maritime search and surveillance mission. In particular, Figure 19 shows an example of the operational state of the unmanned vessel 1010 after the detailed detection determination of the monitored object based on the measurement data of the unmanned vessel 1010 has been completed. At this time, operational determination is made according to the type of monitored object and the alert level (levels 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) determined in the detailed detection determination. Here, the alert level can be determined according to the type of object, size, detection date and time (time period), detection location, measured movement speed, acceleration, past movement trajectory, etc. If the alert level determination is indeterminate, the detailed measurement operation is re-executed to perform the alert level determination again. As a result, the alert level (levels 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) is determined from the indeterminate state of the alert level determination, and the operational mode transitions according to the level.

[0188] For example, if the determined alert level is relatively low (levels 0-3), the operating state will transition according to the alert level to normal surveillance navigation (surveillance and measurement operation), surveillance navigation for alert level 1, surveillance navigation for alert level 2, and surveillance navigation for alert level 3. When surveillance navigation is no longer necessary, the surveillance and measurement will be terminated.

[0189] Furthermore, if the determined alert level is relatively high (levels 4-5), or if the monitored object falls under a specific category requiring alert, the system will transition to continuous tracking or tracking mode. In addition, if the location is lost, monitoring for reacquisition will be performed, and if tracking or acquisition is completed, the system will perform the operation determination again.

[0190] Each operating state shown in Figure 19 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide whether or not to perform multiple tasks in parallel based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 19.

[0191] As information indicating whether multiple tasks can be performed in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 19, for example, in the monitoring and measurement completion state, information is set to permit the parallel performance of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection mission. Also, in the operation determination state, surveillance navigation (normal) state, and tracking and acquisition completion state, information is set to permit the parallel performance of moving measurements for the ocean data collection mission. Furthermore, in the re-acquisition monitoring state, surveillance navigation (alert level 1) state, and surveillance navigation (alert level 2) state, in principle, the parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission is not permitted, and information is set to permit the parallel performance of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as before the initial detection of the object being monitored, or during surveillance patrol at a speed lower than a predetermined speed). In addition, in other states such as tracking state, continuous acquisition state, position acquisition lost state, and surveillance navigation (alert level 3) state, information is set to prohibit the parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission.

[0192] (A-8-2-4. State transitions in the communication infrastructure provision mission) Next, we will explain the communication infrastructure provision mission, which is one of the other missions, using Figure 20. Figure 20 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions in the operational state of the communication infrastructure provision mission. We will also explain the information regarding whether or not the ocean data collection mission can be carried out in parallel, which is set in correspondence with each operational state shown in Figure 20.

[0193] As shown in Figure 20, the operational status of communication infrastructure provision can be broadly categorized into three states: pre-provision preparation state, communication infrastructure provision state, and communication infrastructure provision mission completion / completion state.

[0194] The pre-communication infrastructure provision preparation status includes the movement status (ST2001), which is the movement to the target area for communication infrastructure provision after the mission starts, and the deployment status (ST2002), which is the deployment of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 after moving to the target area.

[0195] Furthermore, the communication infrastructure provision status includes operational statuses such as: communication connection status (ST2003) for wireless communication connection within the target area; recovery charging status (ST2004) by charging equipment (such as solar panels and wave power generation equipment) mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010; standby status (ST2005) including interruption of communication infrastructure provision; communication switching status (ST2006) for switching the wireless communication network configuration inside the unmanned vessel system 1000 and connections with external communication satellites 6100 and ground base stations 6200; and formation deployment position / shape change status (ST2007) for changing the formation deployment position and shape of the unmanned vessel system 1000.

[0196] Furthermore, the communication infrastructure provision mission suspension / termination status includes the return status (ST2008), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is moved to a location for recovery, and the recovery status (ST2009), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is recovered after its return.

[0197] Each operating state shown in Figure 20 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide whether or not to perform multiple tasks in parallel based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 20.

[0198] As information regarding the possibility of performing multiple tasks in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 20, for example, in the recovery charging state (ST2004) and standby state (ST2005), information is set to permit the parallel performance of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection mission. In addition, in the moving state (ST2001), deployed state (ST2002), and return state (ST2008), information is set to permit the parallel performance of measurements while moving for the ocean data collection mission. Furthermore, in the communication connection state (ST2003), parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission is generally not permitted, and information is set to permit parallel performance of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as moving at a speed lower than a predetermined speed, and having more than a predetermined amount of processing resources available for the CPU and memory). Moreover, in the communication switching state (ST2006), formation deployment position / shape change state (ST2007), and recovery state (ST1708), information is set to prohibit the parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission.

[0199] (A-8-2-5. State transitions in the offshore equipment inspection mission) Next, we will explain the offshore equipment inspection mission, which is one of the other missions, using Figure 21. Figure 21 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions in the operating state of the offshore equipment inspection mission. We will also explain the information regarding whether or not the ocean data collection mission can be carried out in parallel, which is set in correspondence with each operating state shown in Figure 21.

[0200] As shown in Figure 21, the operational status of offshore equipment inspections can be broadly categorized into three states: pre-inspection preparation, inspection mission execution, and inspection mission completion / completion.

[0201] The pre-inspection preparation status includes the movement status (ST2101), which is the movement to the inspection target area where the offshore equipment to be inspected is installed after the start of the mission, and the deployment status (ST2102), which is the deployment of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 after moving to the inspection target area.

[0202] Furthermore, the inspection mission execution status includes the following operational statuses: inspection data acquisition status (ST2103), in which measurement data for inspecting offshore equipment is acquired within the inspection target area; recovery charging status (ST2104), in which charging devices (such as solar panels and wave power generation devices) mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010 are used; standby status (ST2105), including when inspection data acquisition is interrupted; movement between inspection targets (ST2106), in which the vessel moves between multiple offshore equipment targets; and acquired data analysis and transmission status (ST2107), in which the acquired data is analyzed and transmitted.

[0203] Furthermore, the inspection mission cancellation / completion status includes the return status (ST2108), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is moved to a location for retrieval, and the retrieval status (ST2109), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is retrieved after its return.

[0204] Each operating state shown in Figure 21 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide on the parallel execution of multiple tasks based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 21.

[0205] As information regarding the possibility of performing multiple tasks in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 21, for example, in the recovery charging state (ST2104), standby state (ST2105), and acquired data analysis / transmission state (ST2107), information is set to permit the parallel execution of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection mission. In addition, in the moving state (ST2101), deployed state (ST2102), movement between inspection targets (ST2106), and return state (ST2108), information is set to permit the parallel execution of measurements while moving for the ocean data collection mission. Furthermore, in the inspection data acquisition state (ST2103), in principle, parallel execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission is not permitted, and information is set to permit parallel execution of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as moving at a speed lower than a predetermined speed, and having more than a predetermined amount of processing resources available for the CPU and memory). Finally, in the recovery state (ST2109), information is set to prohibit the parallel execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission.

[0206] (A-8-2-6. State transitions in the fisheries support mission) Next, we will explain the fisheries support mission, which is one of the other missions, using Figure 22. Figure 22 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions in the operational state of the fisheries support mission. We will also explain the information regarding whether or not the ocean data collection mission can be carried out in parallel, which is set in correspondence with each operational state shown in Figure 22.

[0207] As shown in Figure 22, the operational status of fisheries support can be broadly categorized into three states: pre-mission preparation, mission execution, and mission cancellation / completion.

[0208] The pre-mission preparation status includes the movement status (ST2201), which is the movement to the target area where fishing support will be provided after the start, and the deployment status (ST2202), which is the deployment of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 after moving to the target area.

[0209] Furthermore, the mission execution status includes operational statuses such as: fisheries-related data acquisition status (ST2203) for acquiring measurement data for fisheries support within the target area; fisheries monitoring status (ST2204) for monitoring theft and illegal fishing in aquaculture farms and fishing grounds; feeding status (ST2205) for feeding in aquaculture farms, etc.; recovery charging status (ST2206) using charging equipment (solar panels, wave power generation equipment, etc.) mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010; standby status (ST2207) including a state in which fisheries support operations are suspended; inter-target movement (ST2208) for moving between multiple aquaculture farms and fishing grounds; and acquired data analysis and transmission status (ST2209) for analyzing and transmitting acquired data.

[0210] Furthermore, the mission cancellation / completion state includes the return state (ST2210), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is moved to a location for recovery, and the recovery state (ST2211), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is recovered after its return.

[0211] Each operating state shown in Figure 22 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide on the parallel execution of multiple tasks based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 22.

[0212] As information regarding the possibility of performing multiple tasks in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 22, for example, in the recovery charging state (ST2206), standby state (ST2207), and acquired data analysis / transmission state (ST2209), information is set to permit the parallel performance of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection task. In addition, in the moving state (ST2201), deployed state (ST2202), inter-target movement state (ST2208), and return state (ST2110), information is set to permit the parallel performance of measurements while moving for the ocean data collection task. Furthermore, in the fisheries-related data acquisition (ST2203), fishing ground monitoring state (ST2204), and feeding state (ST2205), in principle, parallel performance of measurement operations for the ocean data collection task is not permitted, and information is set to permit parallel performance of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as moving at a speed lower than a predetermined speed, and having more than a predetermined amount of processing resources available for the CPU and memory). Furthermore, in the recovery state (ST2109), information is set that prevents the simultaneous execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission.

[0213] (A-8-2-7. State transitions in the biological ecological survey mission) Next, we will explain the biological ecological survey mission, which is one of the other missions, using Figure 23. Figure 23 is a state transition diagram showing the transitions in the operational state of the biological ecological survey mission. We will also explain the information regarding whether or not the ocean data collection mission can be carried out in parallel, which is set in correspondence with each operational state shown in Figure 23.

[0214] As shown in Figure 23, the operational status of a biological ecological survey can be broadly categorized into three states: pre-survey preparation, survey execution, and survey cancellation / completion.

[0215] The pre-survey preparation status includes the movement status (ST2301), which is the movement to the target area where the biological ecological survey will be conducted after the start of operation, and the deployment status (ST2302), which is the deployment of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 after moving to the target area.

[0216] Furthermore, the survey mission execution status includes operational states such as: survey data acquisition status (ST2303) in which measurement data for biological ecological surveys are acquired within the target area; recovery charging status (ST2304) using charging equipment (such as solar panels and wave power generation equipment) mounted on the unmanned vessel 1010; standby status (ST2305) including a state in which biological ecological survey operations are interrupted; inter-target movement (ST2306) in which the vessel moves between multiple survey target locations; and acquired data analysis and transmission status (ST2207) in which the acquired data is analyzed and transmitted.

[0217] Furthermore, the mission cancellation / completion state includes the return state (ST2308), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is moved to a location for recovery, and the recovery state (ST2309), in which the unmanned vessel 1010 is recovered after its return.

[0218] Each operating state shown in Figure 23 is associated with information on whether or not measurement operations related to ocean data collection can be performed in parallel. The multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510 can decide on the parallel execution of multiple tasks based on the multiple task parallel execution request state shown in Figure 15 and the multiple task parallel execution feasibility information set in accordance with each operating state in Figure 23.

[0219] As information regarding the possibility of performing multiple tasks in parallel, corresponding to each operating state in Figure 23, for example, in the recovery charging state (ST2304), standby state (ST2305), and acquired data analysis / transmission state (ST2307), information is set to permit the parallel execution of anchored measurements for the ocean data collection mission. In addition, in the moving state (ST2301), deployed state (ST2302), inter-target movement (ST2306), and return state (ST2308), information is set to permit the parallel execution of measurements while moving for the ocean data collection mission. Furthermore, in the survey data acquisition state (ST2303), in principle, parallel execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission is not permitted, and information is set to permit parallel execution of measurement operations only when certain conditions are met (such as moving at a speed lower than a predetermined speed, and having more than a predetermined amount of processing resources available for the CPU and memory). Finally, in the recovery state (ST2309), information is set to prohibit the parallel execution of measurement operations for the ocean data collection mission.

[0220] (A-9. Processing Flow for Determining the Operation Plan) Next, the processing flow for determining the operation plan of the unmanned vessel system 1000 will be described. Figure 24 is a flowchart showing the processing flow for determining the operation plan by the operation plan determination unit 2520. In particular, Figure 24 shows the detailed processing of step 106 in the flowchart diagram of Figure 9.

[0221] First, the operation plan determination unit 2520 determines the number and location of the unmanned vessels 1010 of the unmanned vessel system 1000 to be deployed in the target area (step 401). In this step, for example, the operation plan determination unit 2520 can determine the number and location of the unmanned vessels 1010 necessary for mission execution, in addition to the size of the target area, the mission completion deadline date and time, and measurement request information included in the request information acquired by the data collection request acquisition unit 2100, as well as the feasibility of parallel operation of multiple missions determined by the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit 2510.

[0222] Next, the operation plan determination unit 2520 determines the wireless communication paths to be constructed by the unmanned vessel system 1000 (step 402). In this step, for example, the communication paths of the maritime wireless network constructed by multiple unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000, and the paths of the wireless communication lines constructed between the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the central control system 2000 via the communication satellite 6100 and the ground base station 6200 are determined.

[0223] Next, the placement of the unmanned vessel 1010, which will perform communication relay in order to construct a wireless communication network or wireless communication line inside and outside the unmanned vessel system 1000 determined in step 402, is determined (step 403).

[0224] Next, based on the decision result regarding the feasibility of parallel execution of multiple tasks determined by the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit 2510, a work plan for parallel execution of multiple tasks is generated (step 404). In this step, for example, if ocean data collection can be performed in parallel with other tasks (parallel execution is possible), a work plan is generated for performing ocean data collection in parallel with other tasks. On the other hand, if ocean data collection cannot be performed in parallel with other tasks (parallel execution is not possible), a work plan for dedicated ocean data measurement is generated.

[0225] Next, based on the results determined in each of the above steps, a plan for the movement path of the unmanned vessel 1010 is generated (step 405).

[0226] (A-10. Processing Flow for Operation Plan Determination) Next, we will explain the real-time control of the unmanned vessel system 1000 by the unmanned vessel operation execution unit 2600 after the unmanned vessel system 1000 has been deployed on the sea. Figure 25 is a flowchart showing the processing flow for determining whether multiple missions can be continued by the multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2610. In particular, Figure 25 shows the detailed processing of step 107 in the flowchart diagram of Figure 9.

[0227] First, the current operational status of the ocean data collection mission is determined (step 501). In this step, for example, the current operational status of the unmanned vessel 1010, as shown in Figure 16, is determined to correspond to which operational status in the ocean data collection mission.

[0228] Next, the processing step to proceed to is determined based on whether the information recorded in association with the operational status of the ocean data collection mission allows for the parallel execution of other missions (step 502). If the parallel execution of other missions is not permitted in this step, the process proceeds to step 508. On the other hand, if the parallel execution of other missions is permitted, the process proceeds to step 503.

[0229] Next, if the parallel execution of other tasks is permitted in step 502, the current operational status of the other tasks is determined (step 503). In this step, for example, as shown in Figures 17 to 23, the operational status of the current unmanned vessel 1010 is determined to correspond to which operational status of the other tasks.

[0230] Next, the processing step to proceed to is determined based on whether the information regarding the feasibility of performing multiple tasks in parallel, recorded in association with the operational status of other tasks, permits the parallel execution of oceanographic data collection (step 504). If the parallel execution of oceanographic data collection is not permitted in this step, the process proceeds to step 508. On the other hand, if the parallel execution of oceanographic data collection is permitted, the process proceeds to step 505.

[0231] Next, the system determines the next processing step to proceed to based on whether the resource availability within the unmanned vessel system 1000 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 505). In this step, if the resource availability is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the system proceeds to step 505; on the other hand, if the resource availability is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the system proceeds to step 508. In this step, resources include the CPU processing resources, memory device resources, recording capacity resources of the measurement data recording unit 1610 that records measurement data, and communication quality resources of the unmanned vessel 1010 performing the ocean data collection mission or other missions.

[0232] Next, if it is determined in step 505 that the resource surplus is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the next processing step to which the system should proceed is determined depending on whether the achievement level of the objectives of other missions is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step 506). In this step, if it is determined that the achievement level of the objectives of other missions is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the system proceeds to step 507. On the other hand, if it is determined that the achievement level of the objectives of other missions is not equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the system proceeds to step 508. The achievement level of objectives includes, for example, the search rate (coverage rate) in maritime search and surveillance missions, the inspection completion rate in maritime equipment inspection missions, and the communication compensation area rate in communication infrastructure provision missions.

[0233] Next, if it is determined in step 506 that the degree of achievement of the objectives of the other mission is above a predetermined value, the next processing step to which the process should proceed is determined depending on whether or not the urgency of the other mission has risen above a predetermined value (step 507). In this step, if it is determined that the urgency of the other mission has risen above a predetermined value, the process proceeds to step 508. On the other hand, if it is determined that the urgency of the other mission has not risen above a predetermined value, the process proceeds to step 509. In this step, an increase in the urgency of the other mission above a predetermined value may occur, for example, due to sudden changes in sea conditions or an increase in urgency due to the occurrence of a maritime disaster.

[0234] Next, if the parallel execution of other tasks is not permitted in step 502, or if the parallel execution of ocean data collection is not permitted in step 504, or if the resource margin is not above a predetermined value in step 505, or if it is determined in step 506 that the achievement of the objectives of other tasks is not above a predetermined value, or if it is determined in step 507 that the urgency of other tasks has risen above a predetermined value, then the parallel execution of multiple tasks is prohibited (step 508). In other words, the unmanned vessel system 1000 is made to concentrate on the execution of other tasks without performing multiple tasks in parallel. In addition to the above cases, if, for example, an abnormality or malfunction occurs in the measurement sensors of the unmanned vessel, the external environment changes to a state unsuitable for task execution, or there is a discrepancy due to changes in the area or date and time of multiple tasks, the parallel execution of multiple tasks may also be prohibited in step 508.

[0235] Next, if it is determined in step 507 that the urgency of other tasks has not increased above a predetermined value, the parallel execution of multiple tasks will continue (step 509).

[0236] Next, the determination result regarding whether or not parallel implementation can be continued is displayed to the user, and commands from the user are accepted (step 510). In this step, for example, the determination result regarding whether or not parallel implementation can be continued is displayed on the display unit 2710 of the user interface unit 2700, and user input is accepted via the user input receiving unit 2720.

[0237] The process flow for determining whether multiple missions can be continued, as shown in Figure 25, allows the unmanned aerial vehicle system 1000 to determine whether it can simultaneously perform the ocean data acquisition mission while performing one of the other missions, and also allows it to decide whether to permit the acquisition of ocean data while the system is in an operational status such as recharging, standby, or moving during another mission.

[0238] (A-11. Operation Control Processing Flow of Unmanned Vessel System 1000) Figure 26 is a flowchart showing the operation control flow of the unmanned vessel system 1000 by the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620. In particular, Figure 26 shows the detailed processing of step 108 in the flowchart of Figure 9.

[0239] First, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 grasps the internal state and operational status of the unmanned vessel 1010 in the ocean data collection mission (step 601). Here, the internal state includes the battery level, the temperature of the battery and other equipment, and any abnormalities or malfunctions of other equipment, while the operational status includes the actual mobility performance values ​​of the unmanned vessel 1010.

[0240] Next, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 grasps the external environmental conditions in the activity area of ​​the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 602). The external environmental information grasped in this step includes weather conditions, sea conditions, and communication environment in the activity area.

[0241] Next, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 generates proposed changes to the operation plan, including the formation, movement paths, placement, movement speed, and communication paths of the multiple unmanned vessels 1010 that constitute the unmanned vessel system 1000 (step 603). In this step, in addition to the above, the unit may also determine the selection of equipment such as measurement sensors to be mounted on the unmanned vessels 1010, whether or not to cooperate with an external marine survey system, and the necessary resources of the external marine survey system to cooperate with.

[0242] Next, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 calculates other constraints for continuing the ocean data collection mission, taking into account the operating status of the unmanned vessel 1010, weather conditions, sea conditions, and communication environment in the activity area (step 604). The constraints calculated in this step include, for example, restrictions on the requested area for ocean data collection, restrictions on the type of ocean data to be collected, restrictions on the movement speed of the unmanned vessel 1010, restrictions on the date and time of ocean data collection, and postponement of the completion date and time of ocean data collection. In addition, this step may also include recommended conditions such as the movement speed and movement locations that the user would recommend if they were directly manually controlling the operation of the unmanned vessel 1010, not limited to the constraints described above. By calculating these constraints and recommended conditions, if the amount of energy required for movement increases due to disturbances such as wind and waves, and an energy shortage is predicted, restrictions on the requested area or postponement of the completion date and time can be implemented.

[0243] Next, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 displays the proposed changes to the operation plan generated in step 603, the constraints and recommended conditions calculated in step 604, or the operating status of the unmanned vessel 1010 (including the status of the wireless communication path and communication quality) as determined in step 601 on the display unit 2710, and receives specified input information from the user regarding the displayed changes, etc., via the user input reception unit 2720 (step 605). In this step, the unmanned vessel operation management unit 2620 can further determine the operation control command based on the received user input information.

[0244] Furthermore, the user input information received in step 605 may include, for example, a user command regarding the timing of ocean data transmission, which involves storing ocean data acquired by the ocean data collection mission in the unmanned vessel 1010 and transmitting the stored ocean data to the central control system 2000 when the communication load used by the other mission decreases, in the case of performing ocean data collection missions and other missions (such as ocean search and surveillance missions) in parallel.

[0245] Next, the control command output unit 2630 transmits the confirmed operation control command to the unmanned vessel system 1000 and executes the control of the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 606).

[0246] (A-12. Analysis Processing Flow of Measurement Data) Figure 27 is a flowchart showing the data analysis processing flow by the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the data analysis system 3000. In particular, Figure 27 shows the detailed processing of step 109 in the flowchart of Figure 9. Steps 701 and 702 shown in Figure 27 show the processing performed within the unmanned vessel system 1000, and steps 703 to 706 show the processing performed by the data analysis system 3000.

[0247] First, the data processing unit 1500 of the unmanned vessel 1010 performs primary processing and data compression on the measurement data acquired by the measurement unit 1100 of the unmanned vessel 1010. Alternatively, the measurement data recording unit 1610 stores the measurement data (step 701).

[0248] Next, data is transmitted from the unmanned vessel 1010 to the data analysis system 3000 (step 702).

[0249] Next, the measurement data management unit 3200 of the data analysis system 3000 acquires the measurement data and records the data by associating it with other data (step 703). In this step, for example, the acquired measurement data is recorded by associating it with at least one of the following pieces of information: the measurement location of the measurement data, the identification information of the unmanned vessel 1010 that acquired the measurement data, and the measurement date and time of the measurement data.

[0250] Next, the measurement data analysis processing unit 3300 performs analysis processing on the measurement data and interprets the requested information regarding the ocean (step 704).

[0251] Next, the measurement data analysis processing unit 3300 performs analysis processing on the measurement data and makes future predictions for information that needs to be acquired regarding the ocean (step 705).

[0252] Next, the measurement data analysis processing unit 3300 creates image data for distribution using the processed data generated in steps 704 and 705, the measurement data acquired by the unmanned vessel system 1000, or a combination thereof (step 706).

[0253] (A-13. Export Processing Flow for Ocean Data, etc.) Figure 28 is a flowchart showing the output processing flow of ocean data by the data analysis system 3000. In particular, Figure 28 shows the detailed processing of step 110 in the flowchart of Figure 9.

[0254] First, the information output unit 3400 outputs various data to the display device in the data analysis system 3000 (step 801). In this step, the information output to the display device may include the degree to which ocean data collection has been achieved in relation to the requested conditions for acquiring ocean data. It may also have a function to display not only the latest ocean data but also past accumulated data. Furthermore, the displayed information may include the scheduled time when ocean data will be updated in the future, or notification information that the latest ocean data collection has been completed. In addition, the information displayed in this step may be determined based on display priority information (time priority, detailed image priority, area specification priority, etc.) acquired as priority information in advance.

[0255] Next, the information output unit 3400 transmits various data to the external ocean data collection system 4000 (step 802). In this step, the method for transmitting various data to the external ocean data collection system 4000 can be to transmit the measurement data acquired within the unmanned vessel system 1000 in real time, or to temporarily record the measurement data in the recording unit 1600 of one of the unmanned vessels 1010 within the unmanned vessel system 1000 and transmit the measurement data when the communication load decreases or when movement to a communication-enabled area is completed.

[0256] Next, the information output unit 3400 transmits various data to the user terminal 5000 (step 803).

[0257] Next, the external information acquisition unit 3500 acquires request information regarding ocean data collection from the external ocean data collection system 4000 and the user terminal 5000 (step 804).

[0258] Next, the data acquisition management unit 3100 determines the required conditions for collecting marine data (step 805). In this step, it is possible to generate a marine data collection plan in addition to the required conditions for collecting marine data. Furthermore, in this step, the data acquisition management unit 3100 can determine the degree to which marine data collection has been achieved in relation to the required conditions for collecting marine data, and can generate a marine data collection plan to improve that degree of achievement.

[0259] Next, the data acquisition management unit 3100 transmits the requested conditions for acquiring marine data or the data collection plan to the central control system 2000 (step 806).

[0260] (A-14. Hardware Configuration) Figure 29 is a hardware configuration diagram of the integrated control system 2000. Here, the integrated control system 2000 in the present invention is an information processing device such as a server or a PC. As shown in the figure, the integrated control system 2000 includes an input device 100, an output device 200, a processing device 300, a main memory 400, an auxiliary memory 500, a communication device 600, and a bus 700 that electrically connects each of these devices.

[0261] The input device 100 can constitute the user input receiving unit 2720 and is a device for the user to input information and instructions to the central control system 2000. Specifically, the input device 100 is, for example, a touch panel, keyboard, mouse, or voice input device such as a microphone.

[0262] The output device 200 is a device that outputs various information generated by the integrated control system 2000, and can constitute the display unit 2710. Specifically, the output device 200 can constitute the display unit 2710 using eyewear, AR, VR display devices, etc., or it may be a printer or a speaker.

[0263] The processing unit 300 is, for example, a device that performs arithmetic processing. Specifically, the processing unit 300 is, for example, a CPU, a microprocessor, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other semiconductor devices capable of performing calculations.

[0264] The main memory 400 is a memory device including RAM and ROM that allows reading and temporary writing to memory elements at arbitrary addresses at any time during processing, without requiring waiting times dependent on access patterns. For example, RAM is temporarily written to and read from during programs, application programs, and various other processes executed by the processing unit 300. ROM is a non-volatile memory in which recorded information is not lost even if the power to the device is lost. The auxiliary storage device 500 is a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory that can store digital information.

[0265] The communication device 600 is a device that performs wireless or wired information communication with the outside world, and can constitute the aforementioned information communication unit 2800.

[0266] In the embodiment described above, an example was explained in which the execution of multiple different missions is achieved by determining whether it is possible to perform multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and other missions, in parallel. However, even when any of the other missions are being performed, data measurement in the ocean data collection mission is always carried out to collect ocean data, and the collected ocean data can be stored in the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the data analysis system 3000. In this case, it is also possible to select ocean data that matches the conditions requested by the external ocean data collection system 4000 or the user terminal 5000 from the stored ocean data and transmit or analyze the data.

[0267] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its scope. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0268] [A-2. Effects of this Embodiment] The above-described embodiment makes it possible to perform multiple tasks using unmanned vessels. For example, it is possible to use one or more unmanned vessels to perform multiple tasks, including tasks such as collecting various marine data and other tasks (marine search and surveillance, provision of communication infrastructure, inspection of marine equipment, support for fisheries, and biological ecological surveys).

[0269] 1...Control system (system) 100...Input device 200...Output device 300...Processing device 400...Main memory 500...Auxiliary memory 600...Communication device 700...Bus 1000...Unmanned vessel system 1001...Master unit 1002...Slave unit 1010...Unmanned vessel 1100...Measurement unit 1110...Measurement sensor 1120...Measurement control unit 1200...Self-vehicle status determination unit 1210...Navigation status determination unit 1220...Internal status determination unit 1230...External status determination unit 1300...Navigation unit 1400...Communication unit 1410...Inter-unmanned vessel communication unit 1420...Overall control communication unit 1500...Data processing unit 1600...Recording unit 1610...Measurement data recording unit 1620...Self-vehicle status recording unit 2000...Overall control system 2100...Data collection request acquisition unit 2110...Measurement request type determination unit 2120...Measurement condition determination unit 2130...Measurement data type determination unit 2200...Pre-information acquisition unit 2210...Surrounding information acquisition unit 2220...Measurement target information acquisition unit 2230...Measurement history information acquisition unit 2300...Measurement method determination unit 2310...Measurement type determination unit 2320...Measurement plan determination unit 2330...Data processing plan determination unit 2340...Group formation determination unit 2400...Other mission request acquisition unit 2500...Unmanned vessel operation plan unit 2510...Multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit 2520...Movement plan determination unit 2530...Communication path determination unit 2600...Unmanned vessel operation execution unit 2610...Multiple mission continuation feasibility determination unit 2620...Unmanned vessel operation management unit 2630...Control command output unit 2700...User Interface Unit 2710...Display Unit 2720...User Input Reception Unit 3000...Data Analysis System 3100...Data Acquisition Management Unit 3110...Data Request Determination Unit 3120...Data Collection Planning Unit 3130...Data Acquisition Request Unit 3200...Measurement Data Management Unit 3210...Measurement Data Acquisition Unit 3220...Measurement Data Storage Unit 3300...Measurement Data Analysis Processing Unit 3310...Data Processing Unit 3320...Distribution Information Generation Unit3400... Information output unit 3500... External information acquisition unit 4000... External ocean data collection system 4100... Ocean condition assessment system 4200... Weather information transmission processing system 5000... User terminal 5100... Ocean monitoring personnel terminal 5200... Communication infrastructure provider personnel terminal 5300... Marine equipment inspection personnel terminal 5400... Fishery personnel terminal 5500... Biological ecological survey personnel terminal 6100... Communication satellite 6200... Ground base station 7000... Measurement target

Claims

1. A control system for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, comprising: a data collection request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in the ocean area where the unmanned vessel is deployed using the first measurement sensor; an other mission request acquisition unit that acquires request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; a multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, can be performed in parallel; and an unmanned vessel operation execution unit that controls the operation of the multiple missions in parallel when it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the ocean data collection task includes collecting ocean data in the ocean area using the first measuring sensor, the data including at least one of the following: the speed and direction of ocean currents or tidal currents, wave height, wave period, seawater temperature, oxygen concentration, salinity, pH, wind speed on the sea surface, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and weather.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the ocean data collection task includes collecting ocean data in the ocean area using the first measurement sensor, which includes at least one of the following: area or density of plankton occurrence, area or density of algae occurrence, location or shape of reefs, height of the low tide line, location or shape of the coastline, location or shape of the seabed.

4. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the other mission request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for a search mission to search for a specific object on the sea surface, in the sea, or in the air above the marine area, using the first measurement sensor or the second measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned vessel.

5. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the other task request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for a wireless communication environment provision task that provides a connection environment with a wireless communication network on the sea, underwater, or in the air of the marine area, using a communication device mounted on the unmanned vessel.

6. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the other task request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for an inspection task, which involves inspecting equipment installed on or in the sea in the marine area or monitoring for intruders into the equipment, using the first measurement sensor or the second measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned vessel.

7. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the other task request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for a fisheries support task in which the unmanned vessel performs at least one of the following: monitoring of aquaculture farms or fishing grounds in the marine area, fish detection, or feeding.

8. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the other task request acquisition unit acquires the request information or plan information for a marine biological survey task, which involves acquiring information on the ecology of organisms in the marine area from the first measurement sensor or the second measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned vessel.

9. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks by comparing at least one of the area and date and time of task execution included in the request information or plan information of the ocean data collection task and the other task.

10. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks based on at least one of the following conditions: whether or not the unmanned vessel deployed in the ocean area is equipped with equipment used for the ocean data collection task and the other tasks, and whether or not it has the power performance required for the ocean data collection task and the other tasks.

11. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks based on setting information relating to the feasibility of executing multiple tasks, namely the ocean data collection task and the other tasks.

12. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines, when it determines that the multiple tasks can be performed in parallel, to perform the ocean data collection task and the other tasks simultaneously, or to perform them at different times in parallel.

13. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks based on setting information relating to the feasibility of executing multiple tasks, which is set in advance in correspondence with the operation status of the ocean data collection task.

14. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks based on setting information regarding the feasibility of executing multiple tasks, which is set in advance in correspondence with the operation status of the other tasks.

15. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not to execute multiple tasks according to the state of at least one of the following: the CPU processing resources of the unmanned vessel while it is performing the other tasks, the memory device resources, the recording capacity resources of the ocean data recording device, the communication quality, and the degree of achievement of the objectives of the other tasks.

16. A control system according to claim 1, wherein, while the multiple tasks including the ocean data collection task and the other tasks are being executed in parallel, if the urgency of the other tasks increases, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit decides to interrupt the parallel execution of the multiple tasks and have the unmanned vessel execute the other tasks.

17. A control system according to claim 16, wherein, when the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit interrupts the parallel execution of the multiple tasks and the urgency of the other tasks decreases, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit decides to resume the parallel execution of the multiple tasks.

18. A control system according to claim 1, wherein when it is decided to perform the multiple tasks, including the ocean data collection task and the other tasks, in parallel, the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit determines one or more of the unmanned vessels, the number of the unmanned vessels, or the operation plan of the unmanned vessels to perform the multiple tasks in parallel.

19. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned vessel operation execution unit controls the parallel execution operation of the multiple tasks by either simultaneous parallel execution, in which the ocean data collection task and the other tasks are executed at the same time, or staggered parallel execution, in which the tasks are executed at different times, according to the determination result of the multiple task execution feasibility determination unit.

20. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a display unit that displays status information to the user indicating whether the unmanned vessel is performing the ocean data collection mission, the other mission, or the parallel execution of the multiple missions.

21. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a user input receiving unit that receives a designation request from a user specifying one of the ocean data collection mission, the other mission, or the parallel execution of the multiple missions, and the multiple mission execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not to perform the multiple missions in parallel in response to the designation request.

22. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a data management unit that records the ocean data collected by the ocean data collection mission in association with at least one of the following pieces of information: the measurement location of the ocean data, the unmanned vessel that acquired the ocean data, and the date and time of measurement of the ocean data.

23. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a state interpretation unit that interprets at least one of the following by performing analysis processing on the ocean data when the ocean data is image data, point cloud data, radar measurement data, or acoustic data: seawater conditions including at least one of the salinity, hydrogen ion index, water temperature, seawater components, and seawater density of the seawater at the location where the ocean data is collected; oceanographic conditions including at least one of the ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, wave period, and wave speed at the location where the ocean data is collected; meteorological conditions including at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, rainfall, atmospheric pressure, air components, and weather at the location where the ocean data is collected; biological ecological conditions including at least one of seaweed beds, plankton, and marine organisms; seabed land conditions including at least one of the reef shape, coast shape, and seabed shape; and ocean noise level conditions including conditions relating to noise on or under the sea.

24. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a state prediction unit that predicts a future state of at least one of the following by performing analysis processing on the ocean data when the ocean data is image data, point cloud data, radar measurement data, or acoustic data: static seawater state including at least one of the salinity, hydrogen ion index, water temperature, seawater components, and seawater density of the seawater at the location where the ocean data is collected; oceanographic state including at least one of the ocean current, tidal current, wave height, wave period, and wave speed at the location where the ocean data is collected; meteorological state including at least one of the temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, air components, and weather at the location where the ocean data is collected; biological ecological state including at least one of seaweed beds, plankton, and marine organisms; seabed land state including at least one of the reef shape, coast shape, and seabed shape; and ocean noise level state including a state relating to noise on or under the sea.

25. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned vessel is equipped with a data processing unit that performs at least one of primary processing of the ocean data and data compression processing, and a recording unit that stores the ocean data or processed data processed by the data processing unit.

26. A control system according to claim 1, comprising an information output unit that displays on a display device or transmits to an external system the ocean data collected by the ocean data collection mission, or processed data generated by data analysis processing of the ocean data, or processed image data created using the ocean data or the processed data.

27. A control method for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, the method comprising: a computer acquiring request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in an ocean area where the unmanned vessel is deployed using the first measurement sensor; a computer acquiring request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; a computer determining whether or not to perform multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, in parallel; and, if it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel, a computer controlling the operation of the multiple missions to be performed in parallel.

28. A program for controlling the operation of one or more unmanned vessels equipped with a first measurement sensor, which causes a computer to execute: a data collection request acquisition command to acquire request information or plan information for an ocean data collection mission to collect ocean data in the ocean area where the unmanned vessel is deployed using the first measurement sensor; an other mission request acquisition command to acquire request information or plan information for other missions different from the ocean data collection mission; a multiple mission execution feasibility determination command to determine whether or not multiple missions, including the ocean data collection mission and the other missions, can be performed in parallel; and an unmanned vessel operation execution command to control the operation of the multiple missions in parallel if it is determined that the multiple missions can be performed in parallel.

Images