Control system, control method, and program

Abstract

The present invention is a control system that controls the operation of a plurality of mobile bodies to search for an object, said mobile bodies being equipped with measurement sensors that are capable of detecting said object, and comprises: a search condition information acquisition unit that acquires search condition information including a target area and / or a search period for the search; a search goal determination unit that determines a search goal in accordance with the search condition information; and a search operation command unit that, on the basis of the search goal, transmits a command for performing the search with the mobile bodies, wherein the search goal determination unit determines a search goal for each of a plurality of partial areas that are defined within the target area, or for each of a plurality of time spans within the search period. With the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of search work in which a plurality of mobile bodies are used.

Description

Control System, Control Method, and Program

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

[0002] Conventionally, the practical application of a system for autonomously moving a plurality of unmanned aircraft to search for a specific object has been studied. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for optimizing the behavior of an entire group of unmanned aircraft while each aircraft constituting the plurality of unmanned aircraft autonomously selects an action. In particular, it is disclosed that a plurality of unmanned aircraft spread evenly over the entire action area to conduct a search.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-105599

[0004] Here, Patent Document 1 and the like disclose that the entire search target area is searched uniformly. However, depending on the type of search, there may be a tendency in the appearance position of the search target object, etc., or it may be possible to predict to some extent the position where the object will appear next, etc.

[0005] In such a case, for example, rather than searching the entire search target area uniformly, it is possible to improve the search effect by focusing more on areas or time zones where the appearance probability of the object is predicted to be high, or areas or time zones that should be vigilant for other reasons, compared to others.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of at least one of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a system or a control method or the like that can improve the effect of a search operation using a plurality of moving bodies.

[0007] According to the present invention, in a control system that controls the operations of a plurality of moving bodies equipped with measurement sensors capable of detecting an object to search for the object, a search condition information acquisition unit that acquires search condition information including at least one of a search target area and a search period, a search target determination unit that determines a search target according to the search condition information, and a search operation command unit that transmits an execution command for the search by the moving body based on the search target, and the search target determination unit determines the search target for each of a plurality of partial areas defined within the target area or for each of a plurality of time zones within the search period, a control system is obtained.

[0008] According to the present invention, the effectiveness of search operations using multiple mobile objects can be improved.

[0009] This is an overall configuration diagram of a control system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of an implementation image when the control system 1 is implemented in real space. This is a diagram showing stakeholders related to the control system 1. This is a configuration diagram showing an unmanned boat system 1000 composed of multiple unmanned boats. This is a conceptual diagram showing how the unmanned boat system 1000 deployed on the sea searches for an object 7000. This is a diagram showing the positional relationship on the sea surface of multiple unmanned boats 1010 that constitute a group. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the unmanned boat 1010. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the overall control system 2000. This is a flowchart showing an example of the higher-level processing flow of the overall control system 2000. This is a flowchart showing an example of the higher-level processing flow of the overall control system 2000. This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the unmanned boat system management unit 2200. This is a diagram showing an example of search condition information and system information acquired by the pre-information acquisition unit 2210. This is a diagram showing an example of information items related to the discovered object included in the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221. This figure shows an example of information items related to search conditions and search performance included in the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221. This figure shows an example of information items related to environmental disturbances included in the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221. This figure shows an example of the aggregated results of object discovery results for each partial area during a predetermined time period, generated by the history information analysis unit 2222. This figure shows an example of the aggregated results of object discovery results for multiple time periods, generated by the history information analysis unit 2222. This figure shows an example of statistical information of object discovery results generated by the history information analysis unit 2222. This figure shows an example of the results of disturbance correction processing by the statistical value correction unit 2223. This figure shows an example of a search plan determined by the search plan determination unit 2240. This figure shows an example of disturbance state information used for search state determination by the search state determination unit 2250. This figure shows an example of search state information estimated by the search state estimation unit 2251. This figure shows the first search target update process by the search target update unit 2260. This figure shows the second search target update process by the search target update unit 2260. This diagram shows the third search target update process performed by the search target update unit 2260.This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow of the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200. This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow of statistical processing of discovery history information by the history information processing unit 2220. This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow of determining the search target value by the search target determination unit 2230. This flowchart shows an example of the processing flow of determining the current search status of the unmanned vessel by the search status determination unit 2250. This is a hardware configuration diagram of the integrated control system 2000.

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention are described below. The present invention has the following configuration: [Item 1] A control system for searching for an object by controlling the operation of a plurality of mobile bodies equipped with measuring sensors capable of detecting an object, comprising: a search condition information acquisition unit that acquires search condition information including at least one of the target area and the search period; a search target determination unit that determines a search target according to the search condition information; and a search operation command unit that transmits a command to execute a search by the mobile body based on the search target, wherein the search target determination unit determines a search target for each of a plurality of sub-areas defined within the target area, or for each of a plurality of time periods within the search period. [Item 2] The control system according to Item 1, wherein the search target determined by the search target determination unit is a target value of the search rate calculated from the area of ​​the target area or the sub-area and the area of ​​the area that has been searched. [Item 3] A control system according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the search target determined by the search target determination unit is a target value of the search rate calculated from the area of ​​the target area or the partial area, the area of ​​the searched area, and the length of the search period and the length of the search execution time. [Item 4] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 3, comprising a statistical information acquisition unit that acquires discovery history information of the object by past searches, wherein the discovery history information includes information on search conditions, including at least one of the target area of ​​the search, the search time, the number, arrangement, and movement state of the mobile body used in the search, the measurement sensor used in the search, and index information indicating the search performance, or information on the object, including at least one of the discovery location, discovery time of the object, the type, size, number, length, orientation, two-dimensional or three-dimensional position, speed, direction of travel, trajectory, turning speed, turning angle, turning radius, maximum speed, and maximum acceleration of the object, or information on environmental disturbances that affect the measurement performance or power performance of the mobile body.[Item 5] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 4, wherein the search target determination unit determines a search target for each partial area or for each time period based on the discovery history information of the target object from past searches conducted in areas where at least a portion of the target area included in the search condition information overlaps. [Item 6] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein the search target determination unit determines a search target for each partial area or for each time period based on the discovery history information of past searches conducted in time periods included in the search period included in the search condition information. [Item 7] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 6, wherein the search target determination unit determines a search target for each partial area or for each time period based on the discovery history information of past searches conducted in time periods included in the search period for areas where at least a portion of the target area included in the search condition information overlaps. [Item 8] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 7, wherein the discovery history information includes information on the discovery frequency or number of discoveries of the object for each of a plurality of sub-areas, the search target determination unit sets the alert level of the first sub-area, in which the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is greater than that of the second sub-area, to an alert level higher than that of the second sub-area, and sets the search target of the first sub-area to a search target with a higher value than that of the second sub-area. [Item 9] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 8, wherein the discovery history information includes information on the discovery frequency or number of discoveries of the object for each of a plurality of time periods, the search target determination unit sets the alert level of the first time period, in which the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is greater than that of the second time period, to an alert level higher than that of the second time period, and sets the search target of the first time period to a search target with a higher value than that of the second time period.[Item 10] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 9, comprising a user interface unit that displays and outputs the search targets for each partial area or each time period determined by the search target determination unit. [Item 11] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 10, wherein when user input information relating to the search target information is received, the search target determination unit determines the search target based on the received user input information. [Item 12] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 11, comprising a history information analysis unit that analyzes the discovery history information of the target object from past searches and determines the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target object for each partial area or each time period. [Item 13] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 12, wherein the history information analysis unit corrects the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target object for each partial area or each time period based on the environmental disturbance information at the time of past searches included in the discovery history information. [Item 14] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 13, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines the search state of the mobile body based on the current operating state information or measurement information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the search target according to the search state. [Item 15] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 14, comprising: a search state determination unit that calculates the actual value of the search rate by the mobile body based on the current operating state information, measurement information or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the target value of the search rate based on a comparison of the target value of the search rate and the actual value. [Item 16] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 15, comprising: a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the current operating state information, measurement information or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body and the discovery history information of the target object from past searches.[Item 17] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 16, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines the probability of an object existing in the target area or a partial area based on the current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the discovery history information of the object from past searches and the probability of the object existing. [Item 18] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 17, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines the probability of the mobile body discovering the object based on the current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the discovery history information of the object from past searches and the probability of the object discovery. [Item 19] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 18, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines an object existence probability indicating the probability that the object exists in the target area and an object discovery probability indicating the probability that the object will be discovered by the mobile body, based on current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body and accumulated information of operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body during the currently running search period; and a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the discovery history information of the object from past searches, the object existence probability, and the object discovery probability. [Item 20] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 19, wherein the search condition information acquisition unit includes resource information relating to at least one of the number or performance of the mobile bodies used for the search, the measurement sensors used for the search, and the communication performance of the wireless communication used for the search; and the search target determination unit determines a search target according to the search condition information and the resource information. [Item 21] A control system according to any one of Items 1 to 20, wherein the command to execute the search operation transmitted by the search operation command unit includes a command to execute the search operation that includes at least one of the number, arrangement, movement speed, turning speed, movement direction, movement path, and straight-line movement time of the moving objects.[Item 22] A control system according to any one of items 1 to 21, wherein the mobile body is an unmanned vessel capable of navigating the sea by remote control or autonomous control. [Item 23] A control method for searching for an object by controlling the operation of a plurality of mobile bodies equipped with measuring sensors capable of detecting an object, wherein the computer performs a search condition information acquisition step of acquiring search condition information including at least one of the target area and the search period, a search target determination step of determining a search target according to the search condition information, and a search operation command step of transmitting a command to the mobile body to perform a search based on the search target, wherein in the search target determination step, the computer determines a search target for each of a plurality of sub-areas defined within the target area, or for each of a plurality of time periods within the search period. [Item 24] A program usable in a control system that controls the operation of multiple mobile bodies equipped with measuring sensors capable of detecting an object to search for the object, the program causing a computer to execute: a search condition information acquisition command to acquire search condition information including at least one of the target area and search period of the search; a search target determination command to determine a search target according to the search condition information; a search operation command to transmit an execution command for the mobile body to perform the search based on the search target; and in the search target determination command, causing the computer to determine a search target for each of the multiple sub-areas defined within the target area or for each of the multiple time periods within the search period.

[0011] <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.

[0012] [A. Configuration] (A-1. Overall System Configuration) First, the overall system configuration of the control system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 1 to 3.

[0013] (A-1-1. Overview of the overall 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 and a central control system 2000. The central control system 2000 is configured to communicate with an external cooperative system 5000 and an external system 6000 via an internet connection or the like, and can input and output information. The central control system 2000 can transmit control commands to the unmanned vessel system 1000 deployed at sea via a ground base station 4000 and a communication satellite 3000, and can also receive the operating status and measurement data of the unmanned vessel system 1000. Therefore, the central control system 2000 can remotely control or autonomously navigate the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000, which has multiple unmanned vessels 1010 equipped with measurement sensors capable of detecting target objects 7000 and capable of navigating at sea, in order to search for target objects 7000 in a predetermined area. Here, the designated area is any area that the user can set or pre-configure.

[0014] The unmanned vessel system 1000 comprises one or more unmanned vessels 1010. When the unmanned vessel system 1000 is composed 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 vessels 1010 also have the function of detecting objects 7000, such as ships, floating objects, drifting persons, buoys, and underwater objects such as divers and marine life (whales, etc.), using onboard measurement sensors (sound wave sensors such as sonar, optical cameras, IR cameras, laser sensors such as LiDAR, and radar sensors such as millimeter-wave sensors and microwave sensors). They can also perform inspection and measurement of offshore structures such as offshore wind power generation facilities.

[0015] The detection results and measurement data of objects detected by the unmanned vessel system 1000, as well as various information on the operational status of each unmanned vessel 1010 of the unmanned vessel system 1000, are transmitted to the central control system 2000 via the communication satellite 3000 and the ground base station 4000. The central control system 2000 determines operational commands for the unmanned vessel system 1000 based on the information obtained from the unmanned vessel system 1000 and pre-obtained request information. The generated operational commands and other information are transmitted to the cooperative system 5000, and intervention commands can also be obtained from the cooperative system.

[0016] (A-1-2. Example of implementation of control system 1 in real space) Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of an implementation image when control system 1 is implemented in real space. In the example shown in Figure 2, a ground base station 4000 and a central control system 2000 are provided on the ground side shown in the upper right of the diagram. In addition, a cooperative system 5000 is provided on the ground side, which includes related facilities of external cooperative organizations such as external cooperative monitoring organization facilities (including private security organizations, private rescue organizations, etc.), and further, an external system 6000 is provided, such as an AIS (Automatic Identification System) control center and AIS base station that manage information on ships navigating the ocean.

[0017] On the other hand, on the ocean side shown on the left of the diagram, the unmanned vessel system 1000, the target object 7000, and part of the cooperative system 5000, including a surveillance vessel operated by an external cooperating organization, are deployed. The unmanned vessel system 1000 also has multiple groups (1000a, 1000b, 1000c) consisting of a master unit and multiple slave units, and each group can communicate directly or via the communication satellite 3000. The unmanned vessel system 1000 can also communicate with the surveillance vessel directly or via the communication satellite 3000, and for example, detection information regarding the target object 7000 can be notified from the unmanned vessel system 1000 to the surveillance vessel (or research vessel). The unmanned vessel system 1000 may also be connected to an AIS base station in a communicative manner to acquire AIS information.

[0018] In the example shown in Figure 2, the central control system 2000 is shown to be implemented in a land-based facility, but it is not limited to this. All or part of the functions implemented in the central control system 2000 shown in this embodiment can be installed on coastal field bases located in land-based coastal areas (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.

[0019] In the embodiment described in Figures 1 and 2 above, an example was described in which a non-terrestrial network using a geosynchronous orbit or low-earth orbit communication satellite 3000 is used as the communication network for sending and receiving information between the integrated control system 2000 and the unmanned vessel system 1000. However, 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 about 8 to 50 km can be used. Furthermore, as the communication network for sending and receiving information between the integrated control system 2000 and the unmanned vessel 1010, it is also possible to use a communication network that directly connects the ground base station 4000 to the unmanned vessel 1010 via wireless communication, without going through the communication satellite 3000 or HAPS. Note that the ground base station 4000 is not limited to a stationary fixed base station, but may also consist of a mobile base station.

[0020] (A-1-3. Stakeholders related to Control System 1) Figure 3 is a diagram showing the stakeholders related to Control System 1. As shown in Figure 3, Control System 1 has an operator who operates the unmanned vessel system 1000 by inputting and outputting information via the user interface unit 2700 of the integrated control system 2000. If all or part of the functions implemented in the integrated control system 2000 shown in this embodiment are implemented in a coastal field base on land or a manned mother ship at sea (not shown), the operator can operate and manage the unmanned vessel system 1000 at the coastal field base or the manned mother ship.

[0021] Furthermore, the external cooperative monitoring organization facilities of the cooperative system 5000 have monitoring supervisors, and the monitoring vessels have monitors, who work together to search for target objects 7000 in the marine area. In addition, the cooperative system 5000 may also include private security companies and private rescue organizations. Furthermore, the AIS control center of the external system 6000 has personnel responsible for generating, operating, and managing AIS information. Moreover, the external system 6000 includes a weather information provision system that provides weather information for the area including the area to be searched, and the weather information provision system has personnel responsible for generating, managing, and distributing weather information.

[0022] Furthermore, the objects 7000 that can be searched by the control system 1 and the cooperation system 5000 include moving objects on the surface of the sea such as ships, floating objects, people adrift, and buoys, as well as moving objects underwater such as divers navigating the sea and marine life (such as whales). The control system 1 can communicate and cooperate with the cooperation system 5000 and the external system 6000 to search for objects 7000 more efficiently. In addition, the objects to be inspected and measured can also include offshore structures such as offshore wind power generation facilities.

[0023] (A-2. Unmanned Vessel System 1000) Next, the system configuration of the unmanned vessel system 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7.

[0024] (A-2-1. Overview of the Unmanned Vessel System 1000) Figure 4 is a configuration diagram showing the unmanned vessel system 1000, which is composed of multiple unmanned vessels. As shown in Figure 4, the unmanned vessel system 1000 is composed of one or more groups (1000a, 1000b), and each group is composed of multiple unmanned vessels 1010. Furthermore, the multiple unmanned vessels 1010 that make up each group are configured to play the role of a master unit 1001 that can wirelessly communicate with the communication satellite 3000, or a slave unit 1002 that can communicate directly or indirectly with the master unit 1001. The master unit 1001 communicates with the communication satellite 3000, aggregates information collected from the multiple slave units 1002 and transmits it to the communication satellite 3000, and has the function of directly or indirectly transmitting information related to operation commands acquired from the communication satellite 3000 and information it generates itself to each slave unit 1002.

[0025] Group 1000a, shown in Figure 4, comprises a primary connected slave unit 10021 that communicates with the master unit 1001, a secondary connected slave unit 10022 that communicates with the primary connected slave unit 10021, and a tertiary connected slave unit 10023 that communicates with the secondary connected slave unit 10022. Each slave unit (primary connected slave unit 10021, secondary connected slave unit 10022, and tertiary connected slave unit 10023) 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 between the master unit 1001 and the multiple slave units 1002.

[0026] (A-2-2. Search by Unmanned Vehicle System 1000) Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram showing how the unmanned vehicle system 1000, deployed on the sea, searches for the target object 7000. As shown in Figure 5, multiple unmanned vehicles 1010 constituting a group are deployed on the sea, and the measurement sensors 1110 mounted on each unmanned vehicle 1010 can detect the target object 7000 that is within the measurable range on or under the sea. The measurement data and detection judgment results of the detected target object 7000 are collected by the master unit 1001 via a communication network between the unmanned vehicles 1010, transmitted from the master unit 1001 to the communication satellite 3000, and then transmitted to the central control system 2000 via the ground base station 4000 and the internet. Furthermore, each unmanned vessel 1010 is equipped with a navigation unit 1300 that allows it to navigate in any direction, and it is possible to perform the task of searching for the target object 7000 based on the operation commands transmitted by the central control system 2000.

[0027] (A-2-3. Configuration of the Unmanned Vehicles 1010 Constituting a Group) Figure 6 is a diagram showing the relative positions of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 constituting a group on the sea surface. In the example shown in Figure 6, when multiple unmanned vessels 1010 are made to perform a search according to the search plan, the arrangement and communication connection relationships of a group composed of multiple unmanned vessels 1010 are shown.

[0028] Group 1000a, shown in Figure 6, comprises one master unit 1001 and multiple slave units 1002. Furthermore, the master unit 1001 and the multiple slave units 1002 are connected via wireless communication, as shown by the solid lines, thereby forming a wireless communication network at sea. Each slave unit 1002 includes a primary connected slave unit 10021 that wirelessly connects to the master unit 1001, and a secondary connected slave unit 10022 that wirelessly connects to the primary connected slave unit 10021.

[0029] In this embodiment, the number of relays by the slave units 1002 when forming a group is not limited, and it may include third-level, fourth-level, or higher-level connected slave units. The primary connected slave unit 10021 shown in Figure 16 has the function of relaying the transmission and reception of information between the master unit 1001 and the secondary connected slave units 10022, thereby enabling the exchange of information between the master unit 1001 and multiple secondary connected slave units 10022.

[0030] Furthermore, the number of secondary connection slave units 10022 that wirelessly connect to the primary connection slave unit 10021 is not limited to one. Multiple secondary connection slave units 10022 can be wirelessly connected to the primary connection slave unit 10021, thereby forming a tree-like communication network in which multiple unmanned vessels 1010 branch off within group 1000a. In addition, since there is an upper limit to the wireless communication distance between each unmanned vessel 1010, the position of at least one of the two unmanned vessels 1010 that communicate wirelessly with each other, for example, the master unit 1001 and the primary connection slave unit 10021, and the primary connection slave unit 10021 and the secondary connection slave unit 10022, is controlled so that the relative distance between the unmanned vessels 1010 is maintained within the range of the communication upper limit relative distance included in the monitoring plan as shown in Figure 11 (for example, about 1.5 km). Furthermore, if the relative distance between the two unmanned vessels 1010 increases and the other unmanned vessel 1010 moves outside the communication range, wireless communication between them will become impossible, and control commands from the central control system 2000 will not be able to be transmitted. Therefore, it is desirable for the two unmanned vessels 1010 that are connected to each other to perform self-position control to maintain the relative distance between them within the communication range, with a higher priority than other control functions.

[0031] On the other hand, the relative distance between unmanned vessels 1010 that do not communicate wirelessly with each other does not require the maintenance of the communication connection described above. However, in order to efficiently search for the target object 7000, which is the objective of the unmanned vessel system 1000, it is preferable for each unmanned vessel 1010 to maintain an appropriate distance so that the measurement ranges of the measurement sensors of each unmanned vessel 1010 do not overlap, or overlap to a moderate degree, rather than being too close together and having most of the measurement ranges of the measurement sensors overlap. Therefore, the relative distance between unmanned vessels 1010 that do not communicate with each other is controlled with a relatively lower priority so as to maintain a preset steady-state relative distance (for example, about 1 km). This control to maintain the steady-state relative distance can be achieved by applying, for example, a control based on the Boids algorithm.

[0032] Furthermore, if the relative distance between the unmanned vessels 1010 becomes too close and there is a possibility of collision, position control can be performed to increase the relative distance with a relatively high priority in order to avoid a collision and prevent damage to the unmanned vessels 1010.

[0033] As described above, control to maintain the relative distance between unmanned vessels 1010 that communicate with each other within the communication range, and avoidance control to avoid collisions with other unmanned vessels approaching at close range are executed with relatively high priority, while control to maintain the relative distance between unmanned vessels 1010 that do not communicate with each other is executed with relatively low priority.

[0034] (A-2-3. Configuration of Unmanned Vehicle 1010) Figure 7 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the unmanned vehicle 1010. Although Figure 7 describes the functional block diagram of the unmanned vehicle 1010, the master unit 1001 and the slave unit 1002 of the unmanned vehicle 1010 can both implement the same functions as shown in Figure 7. The unmanned vehicle 1010 is equipped with a measurement unit 1100, a self-state determination unit 1200, a navigation unit 1300, a communication unit 1400, a determination unit 1500, and a recording unit 1600.

[0035] The measurement unit 1100 is a functional unit that uses a measurement sensor 1110 to detect objects 7000 that exist within the measurable range on or under the sea surrounding the unmanned vessel 1010, and acquires measurement information about the objects 7000. The measurement unit 1100 comprises a measurement sensor 1110 and a measurement control unit 1120.

[0036] The measurement sensor 1110 may include one (monocular) or more electro-optical sensors for acquiring image data on or under the sea, 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 of a two-dimensional plane on the sea. 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.

[0037] 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 acquire measurement data of 7000 objects within the measurable range in the three-dimensional space underwater. It can also 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 off objects underwater, or a passive sonar that measures the sound emitted from objects underwater. The active sonar can be composed of, for example, a side-scan sonar, a multi-beam sonar, or a single-beam sonar. The acoustic wave sensor may also be composed of a USBL transceiver or an acoustic communication modem.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] Furthermore, the external status determination unit 1230 can determine the communication quality 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 3000 or ground base station 4000, or the sea conditions around the vessel (wave height, wave speed, ocean current speed, ocean current direction, tidal current speed, tidal current direction), meteorological conditions (wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity), weather conditions (fog, thunderstorms, rain, snow, hail, sleet, cloudy, etc.), seawater conditions (seawater temperature, seawater density, salinity, pH value, presence or absence of seaweed beds, etc.), solar-related information (solar position (altitude, azimuth, trajectory), backlighting, frontlighting, solar radiation), and other conditions (moon position (altitude, azimuth, trajectory, lunar phase), ionospheric disturbances (solar flares, etc.)).

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] Next, the navigation unit 1300 includes a thrust generation unit 1310, an attitude control mechanism 1320, and a navigation control unit 1330, and is a functional unit that navigates the aircraft in an arbitrary direction according to an operation command received via the communication unit 1400. The thrust generation unit 1310 can apply any means capable of generating thrust. As an example, it can be composed of a propeller driven by using the power of an engine or an electric motor. Also, the thrust generation unit 1310 can be composed of a sail that generates thrust by receiving wind, or can be composed of a wave glider that generates thrust by receiving wave power.

[0044] The attitude control mechanism 1320 is composed of a rudder plate provided on the aircraft body, a propeller attitude change mechanism capable of changing the attitude angle of the propeller (mainly the yaw angle around the Z axis), etc. By changing these angles, the nose direction (yaw angle) of the aircraft can be controlled. Also, with a center of gravity position change mechanism that changes the position of a weight object in the aircraft body by an actuator, the attitude angles of the roll angle around the X axis and the pitch angle around the Y axis of the aircraft body can also be controlled.

[0045] Also, the navigation control unit 1330 is a functional unit that controls the navigation operation of the aircraft by controlling the thrust generation unit 1310 and the attitude control mechanism 1320. The navigation control unit 1330 has one or more processors such as a programmable processor (for example, a central processing unit (CPU), MPU, or DSP), and includes a processing unit capable of accessing a memory (storage unit). The memory stores logic, code, and / or program instructions executable by the processing unit to perform one or more processing steps.

[0046] The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the navigation state of the aircraft. For example, the control module adjusts the position of the aircraft on the sea surface, the moving speed, the moving acceleration and deceleration, the nose orientation, the turning speed, and the attitude angles around the three axes. That is, the navigation control unit 1330 controls the navigation operation of the aircraft by causing the aircraft to perform operations such as moving forward, moving backward, accelerating, decelerating, and turning.

[0047] Next, the communication unit 1400 includes an inter-unmanned-boat communication unit 1410 and a centralized control communication unit 1420, and is a functional unit that communicates with other unmanned boats 1010 and the centralized control system 2000 within the unmanned boat system 1000. The inter-unmanned-boat communication unit 1410 includes a communication antenna used for a marine wireless communication network and communicates with other unmanned boats 1010 within the unmanned boat system 1000. The centralized control communication unit 1420 includes a satellite communication antenna capable of communicating with the communication satellite 3000 or a communication antenna capable of communicating with the ground base station 4000, and communicates with the centralized control system 2000 via the communication satellite 3000 or the ground base station 4000. In addition to the above-described communication units, the communication unit may include an AIS antenna and a VHF antenna, and may include a communication unit that communicates with an external monitoring ship or an AIS base station.

[0048] Next, the determination unit 1500 is a functional unit that performs data processing such as primary processing and data compression of the measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor 1110. The determination unit 1500 can perform, for example, primary processing of the raw data (measurement data) after measurement acquired by the measurement sensor 1110 to generate transmission data to be wirelessly transmitted from the unmanned boat system 1000 to the centralized control system 2000. Further, the determination unit 1500 can perform data compression processing to compress the raw data (measurement data) after measurement and generate transmission data so that the transmission load when wirelessly transmitting the transmission data from the unmanned boat system 1000 to the centralized control system 2000 is reduced.

[0049] Furthermore, the determination unit 1500 can interpret the state of the object 7000 by performing primary processing on the measurement data, and can interpret the presence or absence of a detected object, the size of the detected object, and the like. Further, it may have a function of determining whether to transmit measurement data or transmission data from the unmanned boat system 1000 to the centralized control system 2000 according to the interpretation result, or selecting the data to be transmitted.

[0050] Next, the recording unit 1600 comprises a measurement data recording unit 1610, a self-operated machine status recording unit 1620, and a judgment information recording unit 1630. The measurement data recording unit 1610 records the measurement data measured by the measurement unit 1100. The self-operated machine status recording unit 1620 records various status information about the self-operated machine determined by the self-operated machine status determination unit 1200. The judgment information recording unit 1630 records various judgment information determined by the determination unit 1500.

[0051] (A-3. Description of the Integrated Control System 2000) Next, an integrated control system 2000 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 8 to 12.

[0052] (A-3-1. Overview of the Integrated Control System 2000) First, the functions and contents of the Integrated Control System 2000 will be explained using Figure 8. Figure 8 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the Integrated Control System 2000. As shown in Figure 8, the Integrated Control System 2000 comprises a heterogeneous system integrated management unit 2100, an unmanned vessel system management unit 2200, a user interface unit 2300, a data transmission and reception management unit 2400, a data recording management unit 2500, and a maintenance and operation management unit 2600.

[0053] (A-3-1-1. Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100) The Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100 is a functional unit that centrally manages multiple heterogeneous systems, such as the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the cooperative system 5000, which includes patrol vessels and external cooperative monitoring organizations. It is a functional unit that acquires various information such as measurement data and operating status from multiple heterogeneous systems and manages the operation of each system. The functions of the Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100 will be described later.

[0054] (A-3-1-2. Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200) The Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200 has the function of generating a detailed search plan, including the formation and operation of the Unmanned Vehicle System 1000, in advance before executing the search, or updating it during the execution of the search operation.

[0055] The unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 is a functional unit that generates a detailed search plan, including the formation and operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000, based on an overall search plan received from, for example, the heterogeneous system management unit 2100, before executing the search. The detailed search plan may include not only a search for objects in the surface area but also a search plan for objects in the underwater area.

[0056] Furthermore, the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 can control the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000 to search for an object, and if an object is found, it can record the object's measurement data and notify the user. In addition, the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 can control not only the search operation to find an object in the target area, but also actions related to tracking the object after it has been found.

[0057] Furthermore, when the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200 receives an updated overall search plan from the Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100, it can also update the detailed search plan, including the formation and operation of the Unmanned Vehicle System 1000, during the execution of the search work, based on the updated overall search plan. In addition, the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200 can grasp the progress of the search results against the detailed search plan based on the information received from the Unmanned Vehicle System 1000. The detailed functions of the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200 will be described later.

[0058] (A-3-1-3. User Interface Unit 2300) The User Interface Unit 2300 has the function of displaying and outputting various information generated by the heterogeneous system management unit 2100 and the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200, various information transmitted and received by the data transmission and reception management unit 2400, and various information recorded in the data recording management unit 2500 to the user, and receiving input information from the user. The User Interface Unit 2300 comprises a display output unit 2310 and a user input reception unit 2320.

[0059] The display output unit 2310 is a functional unit that displays and outputs various information generated by the heterogeneous system management unit 2100 and the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200, various information transmitted and received by the data transmission and reception management unit 2400, and various information recorded in the data recording management unit 2500 to the user. The user input reception unit 2320 is a functional unit that receives input information from the user.

[0060] (A-3-1-4. Data transmission and reception management unit 2400) The data transmission and reception management unit 2400 is a functional unit that transmits and receives information between the integrated control system 2000 and the outside. The data transmission and reception management unit 2400 comprises an unmanned vessel operation command transmission unit 2410, an external information transmission unit 2420, an unmanned vessel information receiving unit 2430, and an external information receiving unit 2440.

[0061] The unmanned vessel operation command transmission unit 2410 is a functional unit that transmits operation commands to the unmanned vessel system 1000 generated by the central control system 2000. The external information transmission unit 2420 is a functional unit that transmits various information to the external cooperative system 5000 and other systems. The unmanned vessel information receiving unit 2430 is a functional unit that receives information such as measurement data and operating status from the unmanned vessel 1010 by the unmanned vessel system 1000. The external information receiving unit 2440 is a functional unit that receives various information from the external cooperative system 5000 and other systems.

[0062] (A-3-1-5. Data Recording Management Unit 2500) The Data Recording Management Unit 2500 is a functional unit that records and manages various information generated by the heterogeneous system management unit 2100 or the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200, or information resulting from decisions, or various information transmitted or received by the data transmission / reception management unit 2400, or information displayed or received from the user by the user interface unit 2300.

[0063] The data recording and management unit 2500 can record, in particular, information on the discovery history of objects from past searches by the unmanned vessel system 1000, measurement data acquired from the unmanned vessel system 1000, and the results of statistical processing of the discovery history information of objects processed by the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200.

[0064] (A-3-1-6. Maintenance and Operation Management Department 2600) The Maintenance and Operation Management Department 2600 is a functional department that manages maintenance and upkeep, including repair, diagnosis, and maintenance of the multiple unmanned vessels 1010 and other equipment that constitute the unmanned vessel system 1000. In addition, the Maintenance and Operation Management Department 2600 may also have a resource management function that grasps the current status of resources such as equipment, personnel, and facilities necessary for the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000 and provides instructions for their allocation, not limited to maintenance. Furthermore, the Maintenance and Operation Management Department 2600 may also have an operation monitoring function that grasps the operating status of the multiple unmanned vessels 1010 of the unmanned vessel system 1000 and provides instructions regarding their operation.

[0065] Furthermore, the Maintenance and Operations Management Department 2600 may also have the function of managing tasks necessary for the operation of the unmanned vessel system 1000, including pre- and post-operation tasks such as arranging and transporting necessary resources such as equipment, personnel, and facilities, recovering malfunctioning aircraft, repairing and storing them, replenishing batteries, and recovering measurement data.

[0066] (A-3-2. Configuration of the Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100) Next, the Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100 will be described using Figure 9. Figure 9 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2100. As shown in Figure 9, the integrated control system 2000 includes an overall pre-planning unit 2110 and an overall operation management unit 2120.

[0067] The overall pre-planning unit 2110 is a functional unit that generates a search plan for multiple heterogeneous systems, including the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the cooperative system 5000, before the search operation is executed. It comprises a pre-information acquisition unit 2111 and an overall pre-planning unit 2112.

[0068] The pre-information acquisition unit 2111 is a functional unit that acquires various information necessary for generating an overall search plan in the overall pre-plan determination unit 2112. The pre-information acquisition unit 2111 has the function of receiving information regarding higher-level search requests concerning the overall system of multiple heterogeneous systems from users such as the user interface unit 2300 or the cooperative system 5000.

[0069] The overall pre-planning unit 2112 has the function of generating an overall search plan, which includes the roles to assign to the unmanned vessel system 1000 and other systems based on the received search request, as well as the system configuration of the unmanned vessel system 1000. The overall pre-planning unit 2112 may also have the function of coordinating and mediating between multiple heterogeneous systems when generating the overall search plan. The overall pre-planning unit 2112 also instructs the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200, which will be described later, on the search plan.

[0070] Next, the overall operation management unit 2120 is a functional unit that manages the execution of the search mission for the entire heterogeneous system, including the unmanned vessel system 1000 and other systems, during the execution of the search operation. The overall operation management unit 2120 comprises an overall plan progress management unit 2121, an overall plan update management unit 2122, a heterogeneous system mediation unit 2123, and an overall plan progress recording unit 2124.

[0071] The overall plan progress management unit 2121 is a functional unit that acquires the work status from the unmanned vessel system 1000 and other systems and grasps the progress status of the overall exploration plan. The overall plan update management unit 2122 is a functional unit that updates the overall exploration plan when there is a change in the user's exploration request or when there is a delay in the progress status. The heterogeneous system mediation unit 2123 is a functional unit that coordinates and mediates between multiple heterogeneous systems when updating the overall exploration plan. The overall plan progress recording unit 2124 is a functional unit that records information regarding the progress status of the overall exploration plan grasped by the overall plan progress management unit 2121.

[0072] (A-3-3. Processing Flow of Higher-Level Functions of the Integrated Control System 2000) Next, the processing flow of each higher-level function of the Integrated Control System 2000 will be explained using Figure 10. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the higher-level processing flow of the Integrated Control System 2000. Steps 101 to 104 in the flowchart shown in Figure 10 represent preparatory processing, and steps 105 to 108 represent real-time processing during search execution.

[0073] First, the pre-information acquisition unit 2111 of the heterogeneous system management unit 2100 acquires pre-information (step 101). In this step, for example, information such as user requests and information about systems other than the unmanned vessel system 1000 is acquired.

[0074] Next, the overall pre-planning unit 2112 determines the overall search plan for the heterogeneous systems (step 102).

[0075] Next, the overall pre-planning unit 2112 transmits information regarding the overall search plan to the unmanned vessel system 1000 and other systems (step 103). In this step, the overall pre-planning unit 2112 can transmit information regarding the overall search plan to, for example, the external cooperative monitoring system or surveillance vessel of the cooperative system 5000 and the unmanned vessel system 1000.

[0076] Next, the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 determines the pre-operation plan for the unmanned vessel system 1000 (step 104). In this step, the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 can determine the pre-operation plan based, for example, on the overall search plan received from the overall pre-plan determination unit 2112.

[0077] Next, the overall plan progress management unit 2121 manages the progress of the entire heterogeneous system (step 105). In this step, the overall plan progress management unit 2121 can grasp the progress of the overall exploration plan by, for example, obtaining the work status from the unmanned vessel system 1000 and other systems.

[0078] Next, the overall plan update management unit 2122 updates the overall search plan for the entire heterogeneous system (step 106). In this step, the overall plan update management unit 2122 can update the overall search plan, for example, if there is a change in the user's search request or if there is a delay in the progress status.

[0079] Next, the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 manages the progress of the search conducted by the unmanned vessel system 1000 (step 107). In this step, the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 can, for example, grasp the progress of the search results against the detailed search plan based on information received from the unmanned vessel system 1000.

[0080] (A-3-4. Configuration of the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200) Next, the configuration of the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200 will be explained. Figure 11 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200. As shown in Figure 11, the Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2200 includes a pre-information acquisition unit 2210, a history information processing unit 2220, a search target determination unit 2230, a search plan determination unit 2240, a search status determination unit 2250, a search target update unit 2260, and a search operation command unit 2270.

[0081] (A-3-4-1. Pre-information acquisition unit 2210) The pre-information acquisition unit 2210 is a functional unit that acquires the pre-information necessary to calculate the search target by the search target determination unit 2230, which will be described later. The pre-information acquisition unit 2210 comprises a search condition information acquisition unit 2211 and a system information acquisition unit 2212.

[0082] The search condition information acquisition unit 2211 is a functional unit that acquires search condition information related to search conditions requested by users, etc., and can acquire search condition information that includes at least one of the search area and the search period. The system information acquisition unit 2212 is a functional unit that acquires information such as the system configuration of the unmanned vessel system 1000 used for the search. Figure 12 shows an example of search condition information and system information acquired by the pre-information acquisition unit 2210.

[0083] As shown in Figure 12, the search condition information (request information) includes information about the object 7000 to be searched, the area to be searched, and the search time (search period, etc.). The object 7000 to be searched can include ships, divers, marine life, and other objects on or under the sea. The area to be searched includes information specifying the location and range in the sea area (two-dimensional planar area) and the underwater area (three-dimensional spatial area). The search time is specified, for example, by the date and time, time of day, or time period (e.g., 18:00 to 24:00) when the search will be performed.

[0084] System information includes details about unmanned vessels used for exploration. For example, system information may include the number of unmanned vessels used for exploration, the performance of the unmanned vessels (maximum speed, maximum acceleration, maximum deceleration, etc.), the type and performance of the measurement sensors (measurement range, etc.), and the communication performance of the unmanned vessels (communication range, communication speed, communication strength, etc.).

[0085] (A-3-4-2. History Information Processing Unit 2220) The History Information Processing Unit 2220 is a functional unit that acquires discovery history information of 7000 objects from past searches and performs statistical processing, etc. The History Information Processing Unit 2220 comprises a History Information Acquisition Unit 2221, a History Information Analysis Unit 2222, and a Statistical Value Correction Unit 2223.

[0086] The history information acquisition unit 2221 is a functional unit that acquires discovery history information of 7000 objects from past searches. The discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221 will be explained below with reference to Figures 13 to 15.

[0087] Figure 13 shows an example of information items related to a discovered object included in the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221. As shown in Figure 13, the information items related to the discovered object 7000 include the appearance of the discovered object, discovery information, and dynamic state. The appearance of the object includes the type, size, length, number, and orientation (head direction) of the object 7000. Discovery information includes the discovery location (position in a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space) and discovery time. Dynamic information includes the speed, direction of travel, trajectory, turning speed, turning angle, turning radius, maximum speed, and maximum acceleration of the object 7000.

[0088] In addition to the information shown in Figure 13, the information items related to the discovered object included in the discovery history information may also include information obtainable when object 7000 is discovered and tracked, such as the escape route, escape direction, tracking end location, and predicted escape destination. The predicted escape destination can be predicted and calculated from information such as the escape route, escape direction, and tracking end location. This information on the predicted escape destination can be used in future searches to raise the target value for the movement route to the predicted escape destination.

[0089] Next, Figure 14 shows an example of information items related to search conditions and search performance included in the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221. As shown in Figure 14, the search condition information includes the target area, search time, number of unmanned vessels used for the search, their placement, movement status, and measurement sensors used for the search. In addition, the search performance-related information includes, as indicator information showing search performance, the search rate (also called coverage rate or monitoring density distribution), which shows the percentage of the area that has been moved or measured by the unmanned vessel 1010 in the target area or partial area of ​​the search, or the detection probability (also called target discovery probability, detection rate, or encounter rate), which shows the probability that the unmanned vessel 1010 will detect the target object 7000 in the target area or partial area of ​​the search. Furthermore, the search performance-related information may also include the existence probability, which shows the probability that the target object 7000 exists in the target area or partial area of ​​the search.

[0090] Next, Figure 15 shows an example of information items related to environmental disturbances included in the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221. As shown in Figure 15, environmental disturbances include information on various environmental disturbances that affect the measurement performance and power performance of the unmanned vessel during the search. Measurement performance disturbance information includes optical measurement disturbance information, laser measurement disturbance information, acoustic measurement disturbance information, and radio wave measurement disturbance information.

[0091] Optical measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of optical sensors, such as solar altitude, fog, rain, snow, light intensity, wave height, sea spray, and other factors. Laser measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of laser sensors, such as fog, rain, snow, wave height, sea spray, and other factors. Acoustic measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of acoustic sensors, such as seawater concentration, seawater temperature, seawater clarity, and other factors. Radio wave measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of radio wave sensors, such as lightning strikes, rain, fog, wave height, sea spray, and other factors.

[0092] Disturbance information for power performance includes information on moving resistance disturbances, marine obstacles, and temperature disturbances. Moving resistance disturbance information includes ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, current speed, wind speed, and other environmental disturbances that cause resistance to the movement of the unmanned vessel. Marine obstacle information includes seaweed, drift ice, floating debris, ships, and other obstacles that hinder the movement of the unmanned vessel at sea. Temperature disturbance information includes water temperature, air temperature, solar radiation, and other environmental disturbances that affect the temperature of various devices installed on the unmanned vessel.

[0093] Next, the history information analysis unit 2222 is a functional unit that analyzes and processes the discovery history information acquired by the history information acquisition unit 2221 and calculates statistical information on the discovery of the target object 7000 in past search history. The history information analysis unit 2222 has the function of determining the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target object 7000 for each of the multiple sub-areas defined within the target area of ​​the search, or for each of the multiple time periods within the search period.

[0094] The following describes the analysis process of discovery history information by the history information analysis unit 2222 using Figures 16 to 18. Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of the aggregated results of object discovery records for each partial area during a predetermined time period, generated by the history information analysis unit 2222. In particular, Figure 16 shows the aggregated results of the discovery location and number of discoveries of objects during a predetermined time period (18:00 to 24:00) based on the results of searching for suspicious vessels conducted during a predetermined period (for example, one year in 2023).

[0095] In Figure 16, the number of discoveries is tallied for each of the sub-areas into which the search target area has been divided. Areas with a high number of discoveries are shown in a darker color, while areas with a low number of discoveries or no discoveries are shown in a lighter color. As shown in Figure 16, within the search target area, there are sub-areas with a high number of discoveries and sub-areas with a low number of discoveries. Therefore, it is desirable to generate future search plans based on the trends in the discovery locations of objects in this past history. Note that while Figure 16 illustrates an example of aggregating the number of discoveries for each sub-area, aggregation is not limited to the number of discoveries; discovery frequency or other discovery performance indices may also be used.

[0096] Next, Figure 17 shows an example of the aggregated results of object discovery records for multiple time periods generated by the historical information analysis unit 2222. In particular, Figure 17 shows the aggregated results of object discovery locations and the number of discoveries for multiple time periods (6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, 6:00 PM to midnight, and midnight to 6:00 AM) based on the results of searching for suspicious vessels conducted over a predetermined period (for example, one year in 2023).

[0097] As shown in Figure 17, even within the same search area, there can be significant differences in the frequency of object 7000 discoveries and the trends in their locations when aggregated by time of day. In the example shown in this figure, the number of suspicious vessel discoveries is low from 6 AM to 6 PM because it is a bright time of day, but the number of object 7000 discoveries increases from 6 PM to midnight, and the number of discoveries is highest from midnight to 6 AM. Furthermore, from midnight to 6 AM, the locations where objects are found form a band connecting the lower left and upper right, suggesting that objects may be moving between the lower left and upper right.

[0098] Next, Figure 18 shows an example of statistical information on object discovery results generated by the history information analysis unit 2222. In particular, Figure 18 shows the results of statistical processing of discovery results indices such as the number of discoveries in each time period for each of the multiple sub-areas set within the target area of ​​the search.

[0099] In the example shown in Figure 18, the statistical processing results for a predetermined sub-area are displayed, and in that sub-area, the detection performance index peaks highest during the nighttime hours, particularly around 2:00 AM. In this way, the detection performance index can be determined for each sub-area and time period.

[0100] Next, the statistical value correction unit 2223 has the function of correcting the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target objects 7000 for each partial area or time period, based on the environmental disturbance information from past searches included in the discovery history information.

[0101] The predetermined actions of the statistical value correction unit 2223 will be explained using Figure 19. Figure 19 is a diagram showing an example of the results of the disturbance correction processing by the statistical value correction unit 2223. The disturbances in measurement performance shown in Figure 15 are factors that reduce measurement performance. Therefore, if the disturbances in measurement performance in the past object discovery history are large, the discovery data will be that of objects discovered under low measurement performance conditions. For this reason, if the measurement performance was high, it is expected that the number of object discoveries would increase. Taking the above into consideration, the statistical value correction unit 2223 corrects the statistical values ​​to increase the index of past discovery records when the disturbances in measurement performance are large.

[0102] Furthermore, the statistical value correction unit 2223 may have a function to correct the search performance of the unmanned vessel 1010, such as the target discovery probability, detection rate, and encounter rate, based on environmental disturbance information during the search, in addition to correcting the number of times the target object 7000 has been discovered.

[0103] The history information processing unit 2220 may also have a function to display to the user via the user interface unit 2300 statistical information of the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target object 7000 for each partial area or time period, which has been corrected by the statistical value correction unit 2223.

[0104] (A-3-4-3. Search Target Determination Unit 2230) The search target determination unit 2230 is a functional unit that determines the search target according to the search condition information acquired by the search condition information acquisition unit 2211. In particular, the search target determination unit 2230 has the function of determining the search target for each of the multiple sub-areas defined within the target area of ​​the search condition information, or for each of the multiple time periods within the search period. The search target determination unit 2230 comprises a warning level determination unit 2231 and a target search rate determination unit 2232.

[0105] The alert level determination unit 2231 has the function of determining the alert level for each partial area or time period based on the discovery history information of objects from past searches conducted in areas where at least a portion of the target area of ​​the search included in the search condition information overlaps. Here, overlapping areas mean areas where a search has been conducted in the past, either partially or entirely, within a predetermined two-dimensional area of ​​the sea, if the target area of ​​the search included in the search condition information is a predetermined two-dimensional area of ​​the sea.

[0106] Furthermore, the alert level determination unit 2231 compares various target information regarding search performance in past searches with various actual search information to determine the surplus or deficit of search performance in each item related to the search for each partial area or time period, and can set a higher alert level for the partial area or time period in which a surplus of search performance is determined. The surplus or deficit of search performance may include, for example, the search rate, detection probability, number of unmanned vessels 1010, deployment distribution, movement speed, straight-line travel time, movement path, and search execution time. The influence of environmental disturbances can also be considered in determining the surplus or deficit of search performance.

[0107] Furthermore, the alert level determination unit 2231 has the function of determining the alert level for each partial area or time period based on discovery history information of past searches conducted during the time period included in the search period of the search condition information.

[0108] Furthermore, the alert level determination unit 2231 can also determine the alert level for each partial area or time period, taking into account both the area and the time period, based on discovery history information of past searches conducted during the time period included in the search period, for areas where at least a portion of the target areas included in the search condition information overlap.

[0109] As shown in Figures 16 to 18, if the discovery history information includes information on the discovery frequency or number of discoveries of the target object 7000 for each of the multiple sub-areas, the alert level determination unit 2231 can, for example, set the alert level of the first sub-area, where the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is higher than that of the second sub-area, to a higher alert level than that of the second sub-area. In other words, the alert level of a sub-area where the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is relatively higher than that of other sub-areas can be set to a relatively higher alert level.

[0110] Furthermore, if the discovery history information includes information on the discovery frequency or number of discoveries of the target object 7000 for multiple time periods, as shown in Figures 16 to 18, the alert level determination unit 2231 can, for example, set the alert level for the first time period, where the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is higher than that of the second time period, to a higher alert level than that of the second time period. In other words, the alert level for time periods where the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is relatively higher than that of other time periods can be set to a relatively higher alert level.

[0111] Furthermore, the alert level determination unit 2231 can set a higher alert level for areas or time periods with a high probability of existence or detection of the target object shown in Figure 14, which is included in the discovery history information.

[0112] Next, the target search rate determination unit 2232 has the function of determining search targets such as the search rate for each partial area or time period, according to the alert level for each partial area or time period determined by the alert level determination unit 2231. For example, if there is a first partial area and a second partial area, and the alert level of the first partial area is higher than that of the second partial area, the target search rate determination unit 2232 can set the search target for the first partial area to a higher search target than that of the second partial area.

[0113] Furthermore, the method for determining search targets by the target search rate determination unit 2232 is not limited to determining search targets for each partial area or time period according to the alert level for each partial area or time period determined by the alert level determination unit 2231. The target search rate determination unit 2232 can also determine search targets for each partial area or time period without using the alert level, based on either the discovery history information of past searches conducted in areas where at least a portion of the target areas included in the search condition information overlap, or the discovery history information of past searches conducted in time periods included in the search period.

[0114] Furthermore, as yet another example of how the target search rate determination unit 2232 determines the search targets, it is not limited to determining the search targets for each partial area or time period according to the alert level for each partial area or time period determined by the alert level determination unit 2231. The target search rate determination unit 2232 can also calculate the probability of existence of the object 7000 for each partial area or time period based on at least one of the discovery history information of past searches conducted in areas where at least a portion of the target areas included in the search condition information overlap, or the discovery history information of past searches conducted in time periods included in the search period, and determine the search targets so that the search targets for partial areas or time periods with a high probability of existence are higher.

[0115] The search target determined by the target search rate determination unit 2232 can be a target value for the search rate calculated from the area of ​​the target area or a sub-area and the area of ​​the explored area. More specifically, for example, it can be a target value for the search rate that represents the ratio of the explored area area to the area of ​​the target area or a sub-area of ​​the target area included in the search condition information.

[0116] As another example, the search target determined by the target search rate determination unit 2232 can also be a target value of the search rate calculated from the area of ​​the target area or a partial area, the area of ​​the searched area, and the length of the search period and the length of the search execution time. In this case, for example, the target value of the search rate can be a ratio of the area of ​​the searched area to the search execution time, with respect to the area and time of the search target, which is defined by the combination of the area of ​​the target area or a partial area of ​​the target area included in the search condition information and the search period (time of the search).

[0117] As yet another example, the target search rate determination unit 2232 can also calculate, as search targets, an encounter rate indicating the probability that the unmanned vessel 1010 will encounter the object 7000 in the target area or partial area of ​​the search included in the search condition information, a detection probability indicating the probability that the unmanned vessel 1010 will detect the object 7000, or a discovery probability indicating the probability that the unmanned vessel 1010 will recognize the object 7000 and make a discovery determination.

[0118] Furthermore, the search target determination unit 2230 can also determine the search target in accordance with resource information of the unmanned vessel system 1000, including, in addition to the search condition information acquired by the search condition information acquisition unit 2211, the number or performance of the unmanned vessels used for the search, the measurement sensors used for the search, and the communication performance of the wireless communication used for the search.

[0119] Here, the search target determination unit 2230 may also have a function to display information of the search targets for each partial area or time period, determined by the target search rate determination unit 2232, to the user via the user interface unit 2300.

[0120] Furthermore, if user input information regarding the search target is received via the user interface unit 2300, the search target determination unit 2230 may have a function to determine the search target based on the received user input information. In this case, for example, the user can check the search target information for each partial area or time period determined by the target search rate determination unit 2232 on the display output unit 2310, and input approval, rejection, modification, etc., for the search target as user input information, thereby intervening in the final search target determination process by the search target determination unit 2230.

[0121] (A-3-4-4. Search Plan Determination Unit 2240) The search plan determination unit 2240 is a functional unit that generates a search plan for the unmanned vessel 1010 based on the search target determined by the search target determination unit 2230, and instructs the search operation command unit 2270, which will be described later, to transmit an execution command for the search plan to the unmanned vessel system 1000, etc. Furthermore, if the search target is updated by the search target update unit 2260, which will be described later, the search plan determination unit 2240 has the function of generating an execution command for the search plan based on the updated search target. The search plan to be determined will be explained below using Figure 20. Figure 20 is a diagram showing an example of a search plan determined by the search plan determination unit 2240.

[0122] As shown in the table at the bottom of Figure 20, the search plan determined by the search plan determination unit 2240 includes information on the search time, the search area at each time, the number and placement of unmanned vessels, the movement targets, and the measurement sensors used for the search. The search time is defined by the date and time, time of day, or time period when the search is performed. The movement targets of the unmanned vessels include the target movement speed, target turning speed, target movement direction, target movement path, and target straight-line travel time.

[0123] Furthermore, as shown in the upper part of Figure 20, the search area, target movement path, number and placement of unmanned vessels may be displayed and output from the user interface unit 2300 in map format.

[0124] Furthermore, while the example shown in Figure 20 illustrates a search plan for a single group consisting of multiple unmanned vessels 1010, a similar search plan may be applied to multiple groups. In that case, the search plan would include information on the search time, the search area at each time point, the number and arrangement of groups, their moving targets, and the measurement sensors used for the search.

[0125] Figure 20 illustrates an example in which the search plan determination unit 2240 generates a search plan using the unmanned vessel 1010. However, the search plan determination unit 2240 may also have a function to generate post-discovery actions, particularly a tracking plan, in advance after the object has been discovered. In that case, a tracking plan can be generated according to the type of object 7000 that has been discovered, its discovery location, and the time of discovery. Furthermore, a tracking plan can be generated that involves tracking towards a predicted escape destination based on information about the predicted escape destination, which has been predicted and calculated in advance from information such as the escape route, escape direction, and tracking end location.

[0126] The search plan determination unit 2240 can display and output search plan information, as shown in Figure 20, from the user interface unit 2300.

[0127] (A-3-4-5. Search State Determination Unit 2250) The search state determination unit 2250 has the function of determining the search state of the unmanned vessel 1010 based on the current operating state information, measurement information, and environmental disturbance information of the unmanned vessel 1010 acquired from the unmanned vessel 1010. The search state determination unit 2250 comprises a search status estimation unit 2251, a current search rate calculation unit 2252, a target existence probability calculation unit 2253, and a target discovery probability calculation unit 2254.

[0128] The search status estimation unit 2251 has the function of interpreting the search status of the unmanned vessel 1010 based on the current operating status information of the unmanned vessel 1010, which is the result of the self-state determination unit 1200 obtained from the unmanned vessel system 1000, measurement information from the measurement unit 1100, or environmental disturbance information around the unmanned vessel 1010 obtained from the unmanned vessel system 1000 or the external system 6000.

[0129] Figure 21 shows an example of disturbance state information used by the search state determination unit 2250 for determining the search state. In particular, Figure 21 shows environmental disturbance information around the unmanned vessel 1010 acquired from the unmanned vessel system 1000 and the external system 6000. As shown in Figure 21, the disturbance state information includes information on various environmental disturbances that affect the measurement performance and power performance of the unmanned vessel during the search.

[0130] Measurement disturbances include optical measurement disturbance information, laser measurement disturbance information, acoustic measurement disturbance information, and radio wave measurement disturbance information. Optical measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of optical sensors, such as solar altitude, fog, rain, snow, light intensity, wave height, sea spray, and other factors. Laser measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of laser sensors, such as fog, rain, snow, wave height, sea spray, and other factors. Acoustic measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of acoustic sensors, such as seawater concentration, seawater temperature, seawater clarity, and other factors. Radio wave measurement disturbance information includes environmental disturbances that affect the measurement of radio wave sensors, such as lightning strikes, rain, fog, wave height, sea spray, and other factors.

[0131] Furthermore, disturbances in power performance include information on moving resistance disturbances, information on obstacles at sea, and information on temperature disturbances. Information on moving resistance disturbances includes ocean currents, tidal currents, wave height, current speed, wind speed, and other environmental disturbances that cause resistance to the movement of the unmanned vessel. Information on obstacles at sea includes seaweed, drift ice, floating debris, ships, and other obstacles that hinder the movement of the unmanned vessel at sea. Information on temperature disturbances includes water temperature, air temperature, solar radiation, and other environmental disturbances that affect the temperature of various devices installed on the unmanned vessel.

[0132] Figure 22 shows an example of search state information estimated by the search state estimation unit 2251. The search state estimation unit 2251 can estimate the search state as shown in Figure 22, taking into account various environmental disturbances that affect the measurement performance and power performance of the unmanned vessel during a search as shown in Figure 21. The search state estimated by the search state estimation unit 2251 includes the search position, search time, number of unmanned vessels, placement, operation command value, operation state, and measurement state. In particular, the search state estimation unit 2251 can determine the measurement state, including the measurement range, based on various environmental disturbances that affect the measurement performance and power performance.

[0133] Next, the current exploration rate calculation unit 2252 has the function of calculating an actual value of the exploration rate, which indicates the ratio of the area area explored and the time spent exploring to the area and time to be explored. The current exploration rate calculation unit 2252 can calculate an actual value of the exploration rate based, for example, on the exploration status information shown in Figure 22, which is estimated by the exploration status estimation unit 2251.

[0134] The current search rate calculation unit 2252 can determine whether the search progress is excessive or insufficient based on the search status estimated by the search status estimation unit 2251. For example, the current search rate calculation unit 2252 can determine whether the search rate, detection probability, number of unmanned craft 1010s, their distribution, movement speed, straight-line movement time, movement path, and search execution time are excessive or insufficient.

[0135] Next, the object existence probability calculation unit 2253 is a functional unit that calculates the object existence probability, which indicates the probability that the object 7000 exists in the target area or a sub-area, based on the current operating state information of the unmanned vessel 1010, which is the result of the self-state determination unit 1200 obtained from the unmanned vessel 1010, measurement information from the measurement unit 1100, or environmental disturbance information around the unmanned vessel 1010 obtained from the unmanned vessel system 1000 or the external system 6000.

[0136] For example, the object existence probability calculation unit 2253 can determine the explored areas based on the information of the unmanned vessel 1010's past movement path and measurement range, and calculate the object existence probability such that the probability of object 7000 being present in the currently or previously explored areas is low.

[0137] Next, the target detection probability calculation unit 2254 is a functional unit that calculates the target detection probability, which indicates the probability that the unmanned vessel 1010 will detect the target object 7000, based on the current operating state information of the unmanned vessel 1010, which is the result of the self-state determination unit 1200 obtained from the unmanned vessel 1010, the measurement information from the measurement unit 1100, or the environmental disturbance information around the unmanned vessel 1010 obtained from the unmanned vessel system 1000 or the external system 6000.

[0138] For example, the target detection probability calculation unit 2254 can calculate the probability of detecting an object based on information about the unmanned vessel 1010's past movement path and measurement range, as well as future target movement paths and measurement ranges. Furthermore, based on measurement performance disturbance information, the target detection probability calculation unit 2254 can calculate a relatively lower probability of detecting the object 7000 in areas or time periods with large measurement disturbances (such as sunset, high waves, and fog) because the measurement range becomes narrower in those areas.

[0139] Here, the target existence probability calculation unit 2253 and the target discovery probability calculation unit 2254 can also calculate the existence probability and discovery probability of the target object 7000 based on the current operating status information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the unmanned vessel 1010 acquired from the unmanned vessel 1010, etc., and the accumulated information of the operating status information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the unmanned vessel 1010 acquired from the unmanned vessel 1010, etc. during the currently running search period.

[0140] The search status determination unit 2250 can display and output information regarding the search status of the unmanned vessel determined by the search status determination unit 2250 in real time from the user interface unit 2300.

[0141] (A-3-4-6. Search Target Update Unit 2260) The search target update unit 2260 has the function of updating the search target according to the search state determined by the search state determination unit 2250. Multiple update processing methods can be applied to the search target update processing method of the search target update unit 2260. Each update processing method will be described below with reference to Figures 23 to 25.

[0142] First, the first update processing method will be explained. Figure 23 shows the first search target update processing by the search target update unit 2260. In the first update processing method shown in Figure 23, the target value of the search rate can be updated based on the comparison result obtained by comparing the target value of the search rate, which has been determined in advance by the search target determination unit 2230 according to the discovery history information from past searches, and the actual value of the search rate up to the present, which has been determined by the search status determination unit 2250 according to the search status information of the currently executing search operation, using a comparator.

[0143] Figure 23 specifically shows an example where the target search rate is determined for each sub-area and each time period, with higher target search rates set for the sub-areas shown in darker colors. The actual search rate values ​​to date are also shown for each sub-area, with the darker-colored areas indicating areas with high actual search rates. Therefore, by comparing the target and actual search rates using a comparator, the search target values ​​can be updated to higher values ​​for sub-areas that have no actual search data yet and have high target search rates. While Figure 23 shows an example where the target search rate is determined for each sub-area and each time period, the target search rate can also be determined for the entire search area on a time-by-time basis.

[0144] Next, the second update processing method will be explained. Figure 24 shows the second search target update processing by the search target update unit 2260. In the second update processing method shown in Figure 24, the target value of the search rate can be updated based on discovery history information from past searches and information on the current search status (operation status information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information) obtained from the unmanned vessel 1010.

[0145] Figure 24 shows an example in which, in particular, information regarding the current search status obtained from the unmanned vessel 1010 is acquired, including the current operating status information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the unmanned vessel 1010 (real-time search status information), and accumulated information on the operating status information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the unmanned vessel 1010 acquired from the unmanned vessel 1010, etc. during the currently running search period (accumulated information on current operation search results). Furthermore, discovery history information from past searches is also acquired, and the target value of the search rate is updated and calculated based on these three types of information.

[0146] Next, the third update processing method will be explained. Figure 25 shows the third search target update processing by the search target update unit 2260. In the third update processing method shown in Figure 25, first, the target existence probability calculation unit 2253 calculates the target existence probability based on the real-time search status information and the current operation search performance accumulation information described above. Similarly, the target discovery probability calculation unit 2254 calculates the target discovery probability based on the real-time search status information and the current operation search performance accumulation information. Furthermore, the search target update unit 2260 can update the target value of the search rate based on the discovery history information from past searches, the target existence probability, and the target discovery probability.

[0147] In the third update processing method shown in Figure 25, an example was described in which the search target update unit 2260 updates the target value of the search rate based on three types of information: discovery history information from past searches, the probability of the target existing, and the probability of the target being discovered. However, this is not the only option, and it is also possible to apply an update processing method that updates the target value of the search rate based on discovery history information and the probability of the target existing, or an update processing method that updates the target value of the search rate based on discovery history information and the probability of the target being discovered.

[0148] (A-3-4-7. Search Operation Command Unit 2270) The Search Operation Command Unit 2270 is a functional unit that transmits an execution command to the unmanned vessel system 1000, etc., when it receives a command from the Search Plan Determination Unit 2240 to transmit an execution command for the search to the unmanned vessel system 1000, etc.

[0149] The search operation command unit 2270 transmits an execution command for the search plan to the unmanned vessel system 1000, etc., which includes information such as the number, arrangement, movement targets (movement speed, turning speed, movement direction, movement path, straight-line travel time), search area, and search time of the unmanned vessels 1010. In addition to the above, the execution command for the search plan may also include commands for the execution of charging and recovery operations using solar panels, wave power generation units, etc., mounted on the unmanned vessels 1010, and the location where the recovery operations will be performed.

[0150] (A-3-5. Processing Flow of Unmanned Vessel System Management Unit 2200) Next, the processing flow of the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200 will be explained. Figure 26 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the unmanned vessel system management unit 2200. Steps 201 to 204 shown in Figure 26 are preparatory processes before executing the search, and steps 205 to 207 show the processes performed during the search.

[0151] First, the pre-information acquisition unit 2210 acquires search condition information related to the search conditions requested by the user, etc., and information related to the system configuration of the unmanned vessel system 1000 to be used for the search (step 201).

[0152] Next, the history information processing unit 2220 acquires the discovery history information of the 7000 objects from past searches and performs statistical processing, etc. (step 202).

[0153] Next, the search target determination unit 2230 determines the search target according to the search condition information obtained by the search condition information acquisition unit 2211 (step 203).

[0154] Next, the search plan determination unit 2240 generates a search plan for the unmanned vessel 1010 based on the search targets determined by the search target determination unit 2230, and transmits an execution command for the search plan to the unmanned vessel system 1000, etc. (step 204).

[0155] Next, the search state determination unit 2250 determines the search state of the unmanned vessel 1010 based on the current operating state information, measurement information, and environmental disturbance information of the unmanned vessel 1010 obtained from the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 205).

[0156] Next, the search target update unit 2260 updates the search target according to the search status of the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 206).

[0157] Next, the search plan determination unit 2240 generates a search plan according to the updated search target and transmits an execution command for the search plan to the unmanned vessel system 1000, etc. (step 207).

[0158] (A-4. Method for analyzing discovery history information) Next, the method for analyzing discovery history information will be explained. Figure 27 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow for statistical processing of discovery history information by the history information processing unit 2220. In particular, Figure 27 shows the detailed processing of step 202 of the flowchart shown in Figure 26.

[0159] First, the history information acquisition unit 2221 acquires the discovery history information of the 7000 target objects from past searches (step 301).

[0160] Next, the history information analysis unit 2222 grasps the search performance of the unmanned vessel system 1000 in past searches based on the discovery history information (step 302). In this step, for example, various status information such as search performance and search status as shown in Figure 14 can be grasped, and statistical information such as the discovery frequency, number of discoveries, or discovery performance index of the target object 7000 for each partial area or time period can be grasped as shown in Figures 16 to 18.

[0161] Next, the statistical value correction unit 2223 corrects various status information, such as the statistical information obtained in step 302, based on the environmental disturbance information (step 303). In this step, for example, as shown in Figure 19, the past detection performance index can be corrected for each partial area or time period based on the environmental disturbance information.

[0162] Next, the history information processing unit 2220 outputs statistical information of the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target object 7000 for each partial area or time period, which has been corrected by the statistical value correction unit 2223, to the user via the user interface unit 2300 (step 304).

[0163] (A-5. Method for Determining the Search Target) Next, the method for determining the search target will be explained. Figure 28 is a flowchart showing an example of the process flow for determining the search target value by the search target determination unit 2230. In particular, Figure 28 shows the detailed processing of step 203 of the flowchart shown in Figure 26.

[0164] First, the alert level determination unit 2231 determines whether the performance is sufficient or insufficient in past searches (step 401). In this step, various target information regarding the search performance in past searches is compared with various actual search information to determine whether the search performance is sufficient or insufficient in each item related to the search, for each partial area or time period. In this step, for example, the sufficiency or insufficiency is determined with respect to the search rate, detection probability, number of unmanned vessels 1010, deployment distribution, movement speed, straight-line travel time, movement path, and search execution time.

[0165] Next, the alert level determination unit 2231 determines the alert level for each partial area or time period (step 402). Several specific methods for determining the alert level in this step are possible. For example, the alert level can be set higher for partial areas or time periods where it is determined that there is a deficiency in search performance. Another example is that the alert level can be set higher for partial areas or time periods where the discovery frequency, number of discoveries, or past discovery performance index included in the discovery history information is relatively high, compared to other partial areas or time periods. The method for determining the alert level is not limited to the above methods, and other methods can be applied.

[0166] Next, the target search rate determination unit 2232 determines the target search rate (step 403). Several specific methods for determining the target search rate in this step are possible. For example, the target search rate can be determined according to the alert level determined in step 402. Another example is that the target search rate can be determined according to the result of the search performance surplus or deficit determination determined in step 401. Yet another example is that the target search rate can be determined according to the statistical information of the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target objects 7000 for each partial area or time period, generated by the history information processing unit 2220. In addition, the target search rate can be determined by the methods shown in Figures 23 to 25.

[0167] Next, the display output unit 2310 of the user interface unit 2300 displays the target search rate determined in step 403 to the user (step 404).

[0168] Next, the user input receiving unit 2320 of the user interface unit 2300 receives user input information regarding the target search rate (step 404).

[0169] Next, the target search rate determination unit 2232 determines the target search rate based on the user input information received in step 404 (step 405). Here, the areas and time periods in which future target objects 7000 will appear do not necessarily follow the trends of past discovery history, and the appearance trends may change. Therefore, the search target determination unit 2230 proposes the target search rate generated in step 403 based on past discovery history to the user, and accepts input such as approval, rejection, or modification from the user, thereby reflecting the user's opinion in the target search rate and improving the accuracy of future searches.

[0170] (A-6. Method for Determining the Search Status) Next, the method for determining the search status will be explained. Figure 29 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow for determining the current search status of the unmanned vessel by the search status determination unit 2250. In particular, Figure 29 shows the detailed processing of step 205 of the flowchart shown in Figure 26.

[0171] First, the search status estimation unit 2251 interprets the search status of the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 501).

[0172] Next, the search situation estimation unit 2251 interprets environmental disturbance information around the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 502).

[0173] Next, the search status estimation unit 2251 estimates the search performance of the unmanned vessel 1010, taking into account the influence of environmental disturbance information (step 503).

[0174] Next, the current search rate calculation unit 2252 calculates the actual search rate value according to the estimated search performance of the unmanned vessel 1010 (step 504).

[0175] Next, the current search rate calculation unit 2252 determines whether the search progress is surplus or deficit based on the actual value of the search rate calculated in step 504 (step 505). In this step, for example, surplus or deficit can be determined with respect to the search rate, detection probability, number of unmanned craft 1010 units, deployment distribution, movement speed, straight-line movement time, movement path, and search execution time.

[0176] Next, the object existence probability calculation unit 2253 calculates the object existence probability, which indicates the probability that the object 7000 exists in the target area or a sub-area (step 506).

[0177] Next, the target discovery probability calculation unit 2254 calculates the target discovery probability, which indicates the probability of finding the target object 7000 (step 507).

[0178] (A-7. Hardware Configuration) Figure 30 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.

[0179] The input device 100 can constitute the user input receiving unit 2320 of the user interface unit 2300, and is a device for the user to input information and instructions to the integrated control system 2000. Specifically, the input device 100 is, for example, a touch panel, keyboard, mouse, or voice input device such as a microphone.

[0180] The output device 200 is a device that outputs various information generated by the integrated control system 2000, and can constitute the display output unit 2310 of the user interface unit 2300. Specifically, the output device 200 can constitute the display output unit 2310 with eyewear, AR, VR display devices, etc., and may also be a printer or a speaker.

[0181] 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.

[0182] 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.

[0183] The communication device 600 is a device that performs wireless or wired information communication between the integrated control system 2000 and the outside world.

[0184] In the embodiments described above, an example of using an unmanned vessel as an example of a mobile body for searching was explained, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to any mobile body other than unmanned vessels, such as submersibles that navigate underwater, flying vehicles that fly in the air, and vehicles that travel on land.

[0185] 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.

[0186] [A-2. Effects of this Embodiment] The above-described embodiment can improve the effectiveness of search operations using multiple mobile units. For example, by determining search targets for each area and time period, searches can be performed more effectively.

[0187] 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 10021...Primary connected slave unit 10022...Secondary connected slave unit 10023...Tertiary connected slave unit 1010...Unmanned vessel 1100...Measurement unit 1110...Measurement sensor 1120...Measurement control unit 1200...Self-state determination unit 1210...Navigation state determination unit 1220...Internal state determination unit 1230...External state determination unit 1300...Navigation unit 1310...Thrust generation unit 1320...Attitude control mechanism 1330...Navigation control unit 1400...Communication unit 1410... Unmanned Vehicle Communication Unit 1420... Overall Control Communication Unit 1500... Judgment Unit 1600... Recording Unit 1610... Measurement Data Recording Unit 1620... Self-Vehicle Status Recording Unit 1630... Judgment Information Recording Unit 2000... Overall Control System 2100... Heterogeneous System Management Unit 2110... Overall Pre-Plan Decision Unit 2111... Pre-Information Acquisition Unit 2112... Overall Pre-Plan Decision Unit 2120... Overall Operation Management Unit 2121... Overall Plan Progress Management Unit 2122... Overall Plan Update Management Unit 2123... Heterogeneous System Mediation Unit 2124... Overall Plan Progress Recording Unit 2200... Unmanned Vehicle System Management Unit 2210... Pre-Information Acquisition Unit 2211... Search Condition Information Acquisition Unit 2212... System Information Acquisition Unit 2220... History Information Processing Unit 2221... History Information Acquisition Unit 2222...History Information Analysis Unit 2223...Statistical Value Correction Unit 2230...Search Target Determination Unit 2231...Alert Level Determination Unit 2232...Target Search Rate Determination Unit 2240...Search Plan Determination Unit 2250...Search Status Determination Unit 2251...Search Status Estimation Unit 2252...Current Search Rate Calculation Unit 2253...Target Existence Probability Calculation Unit 2254...Target Discovery Probability Calculation Unit 2260...Search Target Update Unit 2270...Search Operation Command Unit 2300...User Interface Unit2310...Display output unit 2320...User input reception unit 2400...Data transmission and reception management unit 2410...Unmanned vessel operation command transmission unit 2420...External information transmission unit 2430...Unmanned vessel information reception unit 2440...External information reception unit 2500...Data recording management unit 2600...Maintenance and operation management unit 3000...Communication satellite 4000...Ground base station 5000...Cooperative system 6000...External system 7000...Target object

Claims

1. A control system for searching for an object by controlling the operation of multiple mobile bodies equipped with measuring sensors capable of detecting an object, comprising: a search condition information acquisition unit that acquires search condition information including at least one of the target area and search period of the search; a search target determination unit that determines a search target according to the search condition information; and a search operation command unit that transmits an execution command for the search by the mobile bodies based on the search target, wherein the search target determination unit determines the search target for each of the multiple sub-areas defined within the target area, or for each of the multiple time periods within the search period.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the search target determined by the search target determination unit is a target value of the search rate calculated from the area of ​​the target area or the partial area and the area of ​​the area that has been searched.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the search target determined by the search target determination unit is a target value of the search rate calculated from the area of ​​the target area or the partial area, the area of ​​the searched area, and the length of the search period and the length of the search execution time.

4. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a statistical information acquisition unit for acquiring discovery history information of the object by past searches, wherein the discovery history information includes information on search conditions, which includes at least one of the target area of ​​the search, the search time, the number, arrangement, and movement state of the mobile bodies used in the search, the measurement sensors used in the search, and index information indicating the search performance; or information on the object, which includes at least one of the discovery location of the object, the discovery time of the object, the type, size, number, length, orientation, two-dimensional or three-dimensional position, speed, direction of travel, trajectory, turning speed, turning angle, turning radius, maximum speed, and maximum acceleration of the object; or information on environmental disturbances that affect the measurement performance or power performance of the mobile body.

5. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the search target determination unit determines the search target for each partial area or for each time period based on the discovery history information of the object by past searches performed on areas in which at least a portion of the target area included in the search condition information overlaps.

6. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the search target determination unit determines the search target for each partial area or for each time period based on the discovery history information of past searches performed during the time period included in the search period included in the search condition information.

7. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the search target determination unit determines the search target for each partial area or for each time period, based on discovery history information of past searches performed during the time period included in the search period, for areas in which at least a portion of the target area included in the search condition information overlaps.

8. A control system according to claim 5 or 7, wherein the discovery history information includes information on the discovery frequency or number of discoveries of the object for each of a plurality of sub-areas, the search target determination unit sets the alert level of the first sub-area, where the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is greater than that of the second sub-area, to an alert level higher than that of the second sub-area, and sets the search target of the first sub-area to a search target with a higher value than that of the second sub-area.

9. A control system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the discovery history information includes information on the discovery frequency or number of discoveries of the object for each of a plurality of time periods, the search target determination unit sets the alert level for the first time period in which the discovery frequency or number of discoveries is greater than that of the second time period to an alert level higher than that of the second time period, and sets the search target for the first time period to a search target with a higher value than that of the search target for the second time period.

10. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a user interface unit that displays and outputs the search targets for each partial area or each time period, determined by the search target determination unit.

11. A control system according to claim 10, wherein when user input information relating to the search target is received, the search target determination unit determines the search target based on the received user input information.

12. A control system according to claim 1, comprising a history information analysis unit that analyzes the discovery history information of the object obtained from past searches and determines the discovery frequency, number of discoveries, or discovery performance index of the object for each partial area or time period.

13. A control system according to claim 12, wherein the history information analysis unit corrects the discovery frequency, discovery count, or discovery performance index of the target object for each partial area or each time period based on the environmental disturbance information at the time of past search operations included in the discovery history information.

14. A control system according to claim 1, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines the search state of the mobile body based on current operating state information or measurement information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the search target according to the search state.

15. A control system according to claim 2 or 3, comprising: a search state determination unit that calculates an actual value of the search rate by the mobile body based on current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the target value of the search rate based on a comparison of the target value of the search rate and the actual value of the search rate.

16. A control system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, comprising a search target update unit that updates the search target based on current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body and the discovery history information of the target object by past searches.

17. A control system according to claim 16, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines the probability of an object being present in the target area or a partial area based on the current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the discovery history information of the object from past searches and the probability of an object being present.

18. A control system according to claim 16, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines an object discovery probability indicating the probability that the mobile body will discover the object based on the current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body; and a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the past discovery history information of the object by the search and the object discovery probability.

19. A control system according to claim 16, comprising: a search state determination unit that determines, based on current operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body, and accumulated information of operating state information, measurement information, or environmental disturbance information of the mobile body acquired from the mobile body during the currently running search period, an object existence probability indicating the probability that the object exists in the target area and an object discovery probability indicating the probability that the mobile body will discover the object; and a search target update unit that updates the search target based on the discovery history information of the object from past searches, the object existence probability, and the object discovery probability.

20. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the search condition information acquisition unit includes resource information relating to at least one of the number or performance of the mobile bodies used for the search, the measurement sensors used for the search, and the communication performance of the wireless communication used for the search, and the search target determination unit determines the search target according to the search condition information and the resource information.

21. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the execution command for the search operation transmitted by the search operation command unit includes the execution command for the search operation which includes at least one of the number, arrangement, movement speed, turning speed, movement direction, movement path, and straight-line movement time of the moving bodies.

22. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile body is an unmanned vessel capable of navigating the sea by remote control or autonomous control.

23. A control method for searching for an object by controlling the operation of a plurality of mobile bodies equipped with measuring sensors capable of detecting an object, wherein a computer performs a search condition information acquisition step of acquiring search condition information including at least one of the target area and the search period, a search target determination step of determining a search target according to the search condition information, and a search operation command step of transmitting an execution command for the mobile bodies to perform the search based on the search target, wherein in the search target determination step, the computer determines the search target for each of a plurality of sub-areas defined within the target area, or for each of a plurality of time periods within the search period.

24. A program usable in a control system that controls the operation of multiple mobile bodies equipped with measuring sensors capable of detecting an object to search for the object, the program causing a computer to execute: a search condition information acquisition command to acquire search condition information including at least one of the target area and search period of the search; a search target determination command to determine a search target according to the search condition information; a search operation command to transmit an execution command for the search by the mobile bodies based on the search target; and in the search target determination command, causing the computer to determine the search target for each of the multiple sub-areas defined within the target area, or for each of the multiple time periods within the search period.

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