Information processing device, information processing program, and information processing system

Abstract

In the present invention, a server: calculates the remaining durability amounts of tires mounted on a vehicle, by using identification information for identifying the tires and tire information in which the temperatures and the internal pressures of the tires are associated with each other; selects a retread candidate tire from among the tires mounted on the vehicle, by using the calculated remaining durability amounts of the tires; and outputs specific information indicating the selected retread candidate tire.

Description

Information Processing Device, Information Processing Program, and Information Processing System

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing program, and an information processing system.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a state determination system that acquires state data including various information that can affect the deterioration of the base portion of a tire from a vehicle and calculates an evaluation value indicating the state of the base portion of the tire based on the acquired state data (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-161540).

[0003] In a mine, many mining vehicles are running on a roadway to transport the mined minerals. When the tires of such mining vehicles are worn, from the viewpoints of economy and reducing the load on the environment, instead of replacing them with new tires, the tread portion of the worn tire may be shaved and new tread rubber may be attached thereon to reuse the tire. The tire thus regenerated is called a "retread tire", and the operation of replacing the tread portion of the tire is called "retread".

[0004] When attempting to reuse a worn tire mounted on a mining vehicle as a retread tire, the tire removed from the mining vehicle is transported to a retread factory.

[0005] The state of the base portion of the tire after the tread portion is shaved may not be known unless the tread portion is shaved. Therefore, if the base portion of the tire transported to the retread factory is deteriorated more than expected, the durability of the tire may not be ensured even if retread is performed, and thus the tire will be discarded without retread.

[0006] On the other hand, at the mine site, the degree of deterioration of the tire can only be determined from visual information such as tire wear. Therefore, in some cases, there may be a wasteful operation of transporting a tire that is potentially deteriorated and not suitable for retread to the retread factory.

[0007] Furthermore, if tires are to be recycled into retreaded tires, retreading tires that are less deteriorated will extend the lifespan of the recycled tires, resulting in greater cost savings and reduced environmental impact.

[0008] This disclosure is made in view of the above points, and aims to provide an information processing device, an information processing program, and an information processing system that can select tires suitable for retreading from among the tires mounted on mining vehicles.

[0009] The information processing device according to the first embodiment includes: a calculation unit that calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on a mining vehicle using identification information that identifies a tire and tire information that associates the temperature and internal pressure of the tire, or the temperature and acceleration of the tire; a selection unit that selects a candidate tire for retreading from among the tires mounted on the mining vehicle using the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit; and an output unit that outputs identification information that enables the user to identify the candidate tire for retreading selected by the selection unit.

[0010] In the information processing device according to the second embodiment, the selection unit selects the tire with the highest remaining durability among the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit as a candidate tire for retreading.

[0011] In the third embodiment, the information processing device, in the information processing device according to the first embodiment, selects a tire as a retread candidate tire from among the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit, the tire whose remaining durability is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

[0012] The information processing device according to the fourth embodiment, in the information processing device according to the first embodiment, the selection unit selects as a candidate tire for retreading a tire whose remaining durability is greater than the wear durability after retreading, from among the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit.

[0013] The information processing device according to the fifth embodiment is an information processing device according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, in which the calculation unit calculates the cumulative temperature of the tires and calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the mining vehicle such that the higher the cumulative temperature of the tires, the less the remaining durability of the tires.

[0014] The information processing device according to the sixth embodiment is an information processing device according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, in which the calculation unit calculates the remaining durability of a tire using tire information that associates the temperature and internal pressure of the tire, calculates the amount of change in internal pressure, which is the difference between the highest and lowest internal pressures of the tire each day, and calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the mining vehicle such that the larger the cumulative value of the amount of change in internal pressure, the less durability the tire has.

[0015] The information processing device according to the seventh embodiment is an information processing device according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, in which the calculation unit calculates the remaining durability of a tire using tire information relating the temperature and internal pressure of the tire, using the daily maximum temperature and minimum internal pressure of the tire, and calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the mining vehicle such that the higher the cumulative value of the maximum temperature and the lower the cumulative value of the minimum internal pressure, the less the remaining durability of the tire.

[0016] The information processing program according to the eighth aspect is a program that causes a computer to perform the following processes: calculate the remaining durability of each tire mounted on a mining vehicle using identification information that identifies a tire and tire information that associates the tire's temperature and internal pressure, or the tire's temperature and acceleration; select a candidate tire for retreading from among the tires mounted on the mining vehicle using the calculated remaining durability of each tire; and output identification information that allows the user to identify the selected candidate tire for retreading.

[0017] An information processing system according to the ninth embodiment includes an information processing device comprising: a calculation unit that calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on a mining vehicle using identification information that identifies a tire and tire information that associates the temperature and internal pressure of the tire, or the temperature and acceleration of the tire; an output unit that outputs at least one of historical information relating to the temperature and internal pressure of the tire associated with the identification information, or historical information relating to the temperature and acceleration of the tire associated with the identification information, and the remaining durability of the tire represented by the identification information; and an information terminal comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires the identification information from a tire; a communication unit that transmits the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit to the information processing device and receives at least one of the historical information associated with the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit and the remaining durability of the tire from the information processing device; and a display unit that displays the information received by the communication unit.

[0018] According to this disclosure, the effect is that it is possible to select tires suitable for retreading from among the tires fitted to mining vehicles.

[0019] This figure shows an example of a mining vehicle. This figure shows an example of the configuration of the information processing system according to the first embodiment. This figure shows an example of the data structure of vehicle information. This figure shows an example of the main components of the server's electrical system. This flowchart shows an example of the output processing flow according to the first embodiment. This figure shows an example of the configuration of the information processing system according to the second embodiment. This figure shows an example of the main components of the information terminal's electrical system. This flowchart shows an example of the output processing flow according to the second embodiment.

[0020] The following description of this embodiment will be made with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for the same components and processes, and redundant explanations are omitted. The dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual ratios.

[0021] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 shows an example of a mining vehicle 4 used in a mine. A mine is a place where minerals existing underground are extracted. Therefore, a mine does not necessarily have to be a raised place like a mountain; even on flat land, a place where minerals are extracted is called a mine. Furthermore, in this disclosure, a mine is not limited to a narrow definition targeting metals, but also includes places where prospecting and mining of minerals useful as resources such as coal, lime, and stone are carried out.

[0022] Mining vehicles 4 include various types, such as shovels and wheel loaders. In this disclosure, mining vehicles 4 refer to all vehicles that travel on mine tracks using the tires they are equipped with. Therefore, a dump truck used to transport mined minerals, as shown in Figure 1, is an example of a mining vehicle 4. Hereafter, mining vehicles 4 will be simply referred to as "vehicle 4".

[0023] Each tire mounted on the vehicle 4 has an RF (Radio Frequency) tag 1 attached to its sidewall. The RF tag 1 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip that stores information, and the information stored in the RF tag 1 can be read using radio waves. This method of reading information from the RF tag 1 using radio waves is called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). Therefore, the RF tag 1 may also be called an RFID tag, but in this disclosure, it will be referred to as "RF tag 1". As an example, the RF tag 1 has identification information pre-stored to uniquely identify each tire.

[0024] Furthermore, the mounting location of the RF tag 1 is not limited to the tire sidewall. For example, the RF tag 1 can be mounted anywhere on the tire except in the area that is worn down by retreading.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, each wheel of a tire mounted on the vehicle 4 is equipped with a sensor 2 for acquiring tire-related information (hereinafter referred to as "tire information"). There are no restrictions on the type of tire information that the sensor 2 measures, but for example, each wheel is equipped with a sensor 2 that measures tire temperature, internal pressure, and acceleration as tire information. The sensor 2 outputs individual accelerations in the three axial directions represented by the X, Y, and Z axes, as well as a composite acceleration obtained by combining two or more accelerations in the X, Y, and Z axes.

[0026] Furthermore, sensor 2 has a reading function that acquires identification information from the RF tag 1 of the tire mounted on the wheel to which sensor 2 is attached. Sensor 2 measures the tire temperature, internal pressure, and acceleration in real time. In this case, the tire temperature, internal pressure, and acceleration may be measured using sensor 2, which can measure multiple physical quantities with a single sensor. Alternatively, for example, the tire temperature and internal pressure may be measured by a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) attached to tire 2, and the acceleration may be measured by attaching an acceleration sensor separately to the tire. The measured values ​​measured by sensor 2 are associated with the tire's identification information in sensor 2 and transmitted wirelessly to the hub 3 attached to the vehicle 4. If sensor 2 does not have a reading function that acquires identification information from the RF tag 1, the user can manually register the identification information of the tire to be measured in sensor 2.

[0027] When Hub 3 acquires tire information from each of the sensors 2, it associates the acquired time with the tire information. This adds the measurement time to the tire information. Of course, Sensor 2 could also associate the measured time with the measured tire information and transmit it to Hub 3. In this case, it would be unnecessary for Hub 3 to add the measurement time to the tire information.

[0028] The hub 3 is equipped with a sensor unit (not shown) that measures information related to the movement of the vehicle 4 to which the hub 3 is attached (hereinafter referred to as "driving information"). There are no restrictions on the type of driving information that the sensor unit measures, but the sensor unit measures information such as the vehicle 4's position, speed, acceleration, and tilt angle in real time, as well as the time of measurement of the information. If a sensor 2 that does not include a function to measure acceleration is used, the acceleration measured by the sensor unit attached to the vehicle 4 may be used as the tire acceleration. In this disclosure, as an example, the acceleration of the tire is measured by the sensor 2.

[0029] Furthermore, the hub 3 stores the vehicle number of the vehicle 4 to which the hub 3 is attached. The vehicle number is information that uniquely identifies vehicle 4. The vehicle number does not necessarily have to be a number; it may also be letters or symbols.

[0030] Hub 3 transmits the vehicle number of vehicle 4, identification information for each tire mounted on vehicle 4, chronological tire information associated with the identification information of each tire, and chronological driving information associated with the vehicle number of vehicle 4 to server 10 (see Figure 2) via wireless communication. Hereafter, the vehicle number, identification information, tire information, and driving information transmitted to server 10 will be collectively referred to as "vehicle information."

[0031] Figure 2 shows an example configuration of an information processing system 100A that calculates the remaining durability of tires to which RF tags 1 are attached. As shown in Figure 2, the information processing system 100A includes RF tags 1 attached to each tire of the vehicle 4, and sensors 2 installed on the wheels of each tire. The information processing system 100A also includes a hub 3 that receives tire information from each sensor 2 and transmits vehicle information including the received tire information to a server 10, and a server 10 that uses the vehicle information received from the hub 3 to calculate the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the vehicle 4.

[0032] Server 10 is an example of an information processing device in this disclosure and includes an input unit 10A, a storage unit 10B, a calculation unit 10C, a selection unit 10D, and an output unit 10E.

[0033] The input unit 10A receives vehicle information from the hub 3 via wireless communication. The input unit 10A also receives various instructions from users, for example, through the input unit 5G (see Figure 4) provided in the server 10. Users include, for example, the vehicle's operations manager, mechanics, and drivers. The input unit 10A then passes the vehicle information received from the hub 3 to the storage unit 10B.

[0034] The storage unit 10B stores vehicle information for each of the 4 vehicles received from the input unit 10A in the storage device.

[0035] Figure 3 shows an example of the data structure of vehicle information stored in the storage device. The storage unit 10B stores, for example, tire information for each tire mounted on vehicle 4, which is represented by a vehicle number, and driving information of vehicle 4, which is also represented by a vehicle number, in chronological order.

[0036] Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, the identification information of each tire mounted on vehicle 4, represented by the vehicle number, is associated, and the tire information of each tire is associated with the tire information measurement time. In addition, the driving information of vehicle 4, represented by the vehicle number, is associated with the driving information measurement time. Note that in Figure 3, “t ｎ The notation "(n is a non-negative integer)" represents the measurement time when each piece of information was measured. For example, a smaller value of n indicates that the information was measured earlier.

[0037] In other words, the memory unit 10B stores in the memory device historical information of tire temperature, internal pressure, and acceleration, which are examples of tire information, as well as historical information of position, speed, and acceleration, which are examples of driving information, for each vehicle 4.

[0038] The calculation unit 10C uses the tire information stored in the memory device to calculate the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the vehicle 4 for each tire on the vehicle 4.

[0039] The remaining durability of a tire is an indicator that represents the degree to which a tire can be used safely, and is expressed, for example, by usable time or mileage. The usable time of a tire represents the remaining time that the tire can be driven safely without damage, based on the driving conditions of the vehicle 4 as shown by the most recent driving information. The mileage of a tire represents the remaining distance that the tire can be driven safely without damage, based on the driving conditions of the vehicle 4 as shown by the most recent driving information.

[0040] The calculation unit 10C calculates at least one of the usable time and mileage of each tire as the remaining durability of the tire. The specific method for calculating the remaining durability of the tire will be explained later.

[0041] The selection unit 10D, for example, for a vehicle 4 specified by the user, uses the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit 10C to select a tire suitable for retreading, i.e., a retread candidate tire, from among the tires mounted on the specified vehicle 4. The specific method for selecting the retread candidate tire will be explained later.

[0042] The output unit 10E outputs identification information that allows the user to identify the retread candidate tire selected by the selection unit 10D. Identification information for the tire selected as a retread candidate tire is an example of identification information.

[0043] The server 10 having the functional configuration shown in Figure 2 is configured using, for example, a computer 5. Figure 4 shows an example of the main components of the electrical system of the server 10 configured using the computer 5.

[0044] Computer 5 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 5A, which is an example of a processor; RAM (Random Access Memory) 5B, which is used as a temporary workspace for the CPU 5A; non-volatile memory 5C; and an input / output interface (I / O) 5D. The CPU 5A, RAM 5B, non-volatile memory 5C, and I / O 5D are connected to each other via a bus 5E to transfer data.

[0045] The CPU 5A reads, for example, an information processing program stored in the non-volatile memory 5C and executes the processing of each functional unit in the server 10 shown in FIG. 2.

[0046] The non-volatile memory 5C is an example of a storage device that maintains the stored information even when the power supplied to the non-volatile memory 5C is cut off. For example, a semiconductor memory (Solid State Drive: SSD) is used. Information that would be troublesome if it disappeared every time the power of the server 10 is cut off, such as an information processing program, is stored in the non-volatile memory 5C. Note that the non-volatile memory 5C does not necessarily have to be built into the computer 5, and it may be, for example, a portable storage device detachable from the computer 5.

[0047] On the other hand, to the I / O 5D, for example, a communication unit 5F, an input unit 5G, and an output unit 5H are connected.

[0048] The communication unit 5F is connected to a communication line (not shown) and has a communication protocol for transmitting and receiving data wirelessly or wired to an external device connected to the communication line. For example, the communication unit 5F is connected to the hub 3 or the like.

[0049] The input unit 5G is a device that receives information from a user and notifies the CPU 5A, and includes, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, buttons, and a touch panel.

[0050] The output unit 5H is, for example, a device that outputs the information processed by the CPU 1A to the outside. There is no restriction on the output form of the information as long as the person in charge of the operation of the vehicle 4 can recognize the information. The output unit 5H outputs the information to the outside using at least one output form such as display of information on a monitor, printing of information on paper, and transmission of information to an external device.

[0051] Note that the units connected to the I / O 5D are selected as necessary. Therefore, it is not necessarily the case that the communication unit 5F, the input unit 5G, and the output unit 5H are connected to the I / O 5D.

[0052] Next, the operation of server 10 will be explained. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the output processing flow executed by the CPU 5A of server 10 when it receives an output instruction for a retread candidate tire. The CPU 5A of server 10 reads the information processing program stored in the non-volatile memory 5C and executes the output processing.

[0053] The output instruction for the retread candidate tire includes the vehicle number of the vehicle 4 that is to be retreaded. Furthermore, the non-volatile memory 5C is assumed to store vehicle information for each vehicle 4.

[0054] In step S10, the CPU 5A obtains the vehicle number included in the output instruction for the retread candidate tire, and retrieves the identification information of each tire associated with the obtained vehicle number from the non-volatile memory 5C. Furthermore, for each tire identification information obtained, the CPU 5A retrieves the tire information associated with the identification information from the non-volatile memory 5C. As an example, the CPU 5A obtains the tire temperature and internal pressure. That is, the CPU 5A obtains the history of the tire temperature and internal pressure from the non-volatile memory 5C, which is the tire information for each tire mounted on the vehicle 4 represented by the vehicle number.

[0055] In step S20, the CPU 5A selects one unselected identification piece from the identification pieces obtained in step S10. That is, the CPU 5A selects one tire from among the tires mounted on vehicle 4, which are represented by the vehicle number. For the sake of explanation, the identification piece selected in step S20 is called the "selected identification piece."

[0056] In step S30, the CPU 5A uses the tire information associated with the selection identification information to calculate the remaining durability of the tire represented by the selection identification information.

[0057] For example, CPU 5A calculates the cumulative temperature of a tire using historical information of the tire's temperature, which is an example of tire information.

[0058] Since tire deterioration tends to progress with higher tire temperatures, CPU 5A calculates the remaining tire durability such that the higher the cumulative tire temperature over a predetermined period from the time the latest tire information was obtained to a predetermined time, the lower the remaining tire durability. To calculate the remaining tire durability, a correspondence table that associates the cumulative tire temperature with the remaining tire durability, or a function that uses the cumulative tire temperature as the explanatory variable and the remaining tire durability as the dependent variable, can be used. Alternatively, CPU 5A may calculate the remaining tire durability using an estimation model that has been pre-programmed with machine learning to output the remaining tire durability when the cumulative tire temperature is input.

[0059] Furthermore, the remaining durability of a tire can also be calculated using the tire's internal pressure. Tires tend to deteriorate faster the greater their deformation, and this deformation is represented by the change in the tire's internal pressure. Therefore, CPU 5A may calculate the change in internal pressure, which is the difference between the highest and lowest internal pressures of the tire each day, and calculate the remaining durability of the tire such that the larger the cumulative value of the change in internal pressure over a period from the time the latest tire information was obtained to a predetermined time, the lower the tire's remaining durability will be.

[0060] Furthermore, a large daily change in internal pressure may indicate that the tire has been subjected to a significant impact or that there is some kind of malfunction in the tire. Therefore, CPU 5A may calculate the remaining durability of the tire in such a way that the more days the daily change in internal pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold during the period from when the latest tire information was obtained back to a predetermined time, the less the tire's remaining durability will be.

[0061] Furthermore, the remaining durability of a tire can also be calculated by combining tire temperature and internal pressure. As mentioned above, the higher the tire temperature, the more the tire deteriorates, and the greater the tire deformation, the more the tire deteriorates. Since the amount of tire deformation increases with lower internal pressure, the higher the tire temperature and the lower the internal pressure, the more the tire deteriorates.

[0062] Therefore, the CPU 5A may, for example, use the tire's daily maximum temperature and minimum internal pressure to calculate the remaining durability of the tire such that the higher the cumulative value of the tire's daily maximum temperature and the lower the cumulative value of the tire's daily minimum internal pressure over a period of time from when the latest tire information was obtained to a predetermined time, the less the tire's remaining durability will be.

[0063] In step S40, the CPU 5A determines whether there is any unselected identification information among the identification information obtained in step S10. If there is unselected identification information, the process proceeds to step S20, where one piece of identification information is selected from the unselected identification information to become the new selected identification information. The CPU 5A repeatedly performs the process of calculating the remaining durability of each tire using the tire information of the tire represented by the new selected identification information.

[0064] On the other hand, if the determination process in step S40 determines that there is no unselected identification information, that is, if the remaining durability has been calculated for all tires mounted on vehicle 4 represented by the acquired vehicle number, the process proceeds to step S50.

[0065] In step S50, the CPU 5A selects a retread candidate tire from among the tires mounted on the vehicle 4, which is represented by the acquired vehicle number.

[0066] To extend the lifespan of the retreaded tires, it is preferable that the retread candidate tires have as much remaining durability as possible. Therefore, CPU 5A selects the tire with the highest remaining durability, calculated by the process in step S30, from among the tires mounted on vehicle 4, which is represented by the acquired vehicle number, as the retread candidate tire.

[0067] The method for selecting retread candidate tires is not limited to the method described above. For example, CPU 5A may select tires from among those mounted on vehicle 4, represented by the acquired vehicle number, that have a remaining durability equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, as retread candidate tires. In this case, multiple tires may be selected as retread candidate tires. In this case, the threshold for remaining durability can be stored in non-volatile memory 5C beforehand, for example. The threshold for remaining durability can be changed by the user.

[0068] Furthermore, CPU 5A may select the tire with the greatest remaining durability compared to the wear durability of the tire after retreading as the candidate tire for retreading. The wear durability of the tire after retreading is the time or distance required for the retreaded tire to wear out completely. Any method can be used to calculate the wear durability of the tire after retreading. For example, CPU 5A may calculate the wear durability of the tire from past performance values. Alternatively, CPU 5A may use a calculation formula to calculate the wear durability of the tire.

[0069] Furthermore, the CPU 5A may select as a candidate tire for retreading the tire whose remaining durability is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold among the tires mounted on the vehicle 4, and whose remaining durability is the greatest compared to the wear durability of the tire after retreading.

[0070] In step S60, the CPU 5A outputs the retread candidate tire selected by the processing in step S50. For example, the CPU 5A displays the retread candidate tire on a monitor, which is an example of an output unit 5H. This completes the output processing shown in Figure 5.

[0071] As described above, the information processing system 100A according to the first embodiment can output retread candidate tires suitable for retreading for a designated vehicle 4. Therefore, it is possible to know which tires should be transported to the retreading plant before removing the tires from the vehicle 4, thus reducing the unnecessary work of transporting tires that cannot be retreaded to the retreading plant. In addition, since the information processing system 100A outputs tires with a higher remaining durability compared to other tires as retread candidate tires, selecting retread candidate tires according to the output of the information processing system 100A can extend the lifespan of the tires after retreading.

[0072] The above example describes how tire temperature and internal pressure are obtained as tire information, and how the remaining tire durability is calculated from the obtained tire temperature and internal pressure. However, the method for calculating the remaining tire durability is not limited to this. CPU 5A may obtain tire temperature and acceleration as tire information instead of tire temperature and internal pressure.

[0073] For example, the greater the acceleration, the faster the tire tends to deteriorate. Taking vertical (Z-axis) acceleration as an example, when cargo is loaded onto vehicle 4, a load is applied. As a result, vehicle 4 sinks down, and acceleration is detected. Also, when vehicle 4 is moving, it shakes up and down due to unevenness in the road surface, and acceleration is detected. Thus, vertical acceleration can be understood as representing the repeated vertical deformation of the tire. Therefore, the larger the cumulative value of acceleration over the period from when the latest tire information was obtained to a predetermined point in time, the more repeatedly the tire has deformed. In this case, CPU 5A may calculate the remaining durability of the tire in a way that reduces the remaining durability of the tire. Furthermore, not only the overall cumulative value, but also behaviors such as a large increase in the cumulative value of acceleration per unit time can be considered as factors that affect the remaining durability of the tire.

[0074] Similarly, the impact of acceleration in the X-axis direction and acceleration in the Y-axis direction on the remaining durability of the tire can be calculated either individually or in combination with acceleration in other axes (for example, inputs to the tire during braking and turning can be considered). The method for calculating the remaining durability of the tire can be determined as appropriate from the driving pattern of the vehicle 4 equipped with the tire in question. In addition, the acceleration of the vehicle 4 may be used instead of the tire acceleration. In this case, depending on the object being calculated, the same or nearly the same results can be obtained as when using the tire acceleration, and furthermore, since it is not necessary to install sensors for each tire or acquire acceleration data, the burden such as cost can be reduced. Thus, using the acceleration of the vehicle 4 instead of the tire acceleration is a preferred form. Naturally, the remaining durability of the tire can also be calculated by combining the tire temperature and acceleration. As mentioned above, considering that tire deterioration progresses as the tire temperature increases, the tire deterioration will progress as both the tire temperature and the tire acceleration increase. Therefore, CPU 5A may calculate the remaining durability of the tire such that the higher the cumulative value of the tire's daily maximum temperature and the greater the cumulative value of the tire's acceleration over a period of time from when the latest tire information was obtained to a predetermined time, the less the tire's remaining durability will be.

[0075] <Second Embodiment> The mine's roads are unpaved and scattered with large and small rocks, which puts a load on the tires of vehicle 4. Therefore, the tires are inspected at the vehicle 4's maintenance facility in the mine. While the vehicle 4's mechanics can visually check the tire's wear and the presence of cracks, the degree of tire deterioration caused by daily changes in tire temperature, internal pressure, and acceleration cannot always be visually confirmed.

[0076] In the second embodiment, an information processing system 100B that allows mechanics to check the degree of deterioration of the tires of vehicle 4 will be described.

[0077] Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of the information processing system 100B. The difference between the configuration of the information processing system 100B shown in Figure 6 and the configuration of the information processing system 100A according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 2 is that an information terminal 6 has been newly added.

[0078] The information terminal 6 is a device carried by the mechanic who maintains the vehicle 4, and may include, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, or a dedicated mobile terminal developed for the maintenance of the vehicle 4. Note that the user of the information terminal 6 is not limited to mechanics; it may also be the driver of the vehicle 4, etc. However, for the sake of explanation, the description will focus on the usage of the information terminal 6 by a mechanic.

[0079] The information terminal 6 includes an acquisition unit 6A, a communication unit 6B, and a display unit 6C.

[0080] The acquisition unit 6A acquires the identification information of a tire that a mechanic brings close to an RF reader 7J (see Figure 7), which reads identification information from an RF tag using radio waves.

[0081] The communication unit 6B transmits and receives data with the server 10 wirelessly. Specifically, the communication unit 6B transmits the tire identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 6A to the server 10, and receives from the server 10 at least one of the tire information associated with the transmitted identification information and the remaining durability of the tire.

[0082] The display unit 6C displays the information received by the communication unit 6B from the server 10.

[0083] On the other hand, the functional configuration of the server 10 is the same as that of the server 10 in the first embodiment. However, the calculation unit 10C of the server 10 calculates the remaining durability of the tires mounted on the vehicle 4 for each tire of the vehicle 4 at predetermined intervals, using the tire information stored in the non-volatile memory 5C, and using the method described in the process of step S30 in Figure 5. For example, the calculation unit 10C of the server 10 calculates the remaining durability of each tire of each vehicle 4 every day. There are no restrictions on the calculation interval for the remaining durability of the tires; it may be every hour or every two days. The calculation interval for the remaining durability of the tires can be changed by the user.

[0084] The calculation unit 10C of the server 10 adds the calculated remaining durability for each tire of each vehicle 4, along with the time the remaining durability was calculated, to the tire information stored for each tire of each vehicle 4. In other words, the tire information stored in the non-volatile memory 5C of the server 10 in the second embodiment includes the tire temperature, internal pressure, acceleration, and history of the remaining durability.

[0085] Although Figure 6 shows only one information terminal 6, there are no restrictions on the number of information terminals 6 included in the information processing system 100B, and multiple information terminals 6 may exist.

[0086] The information terminal 6 having the functional configuration shown in Figure 6 is configured, for example, using a computer 7. Figure 7 shows an example of the main components of the electrical system of the information terminal 6 configured using a computer 7.

[0087] Computer 7, like computer 5 which constitutes server 10 shown in Figure 4, is equipped with a CPU 7A, which is an example of a processor, RAM 7B used as a temporary workspace for CPU 7A, non-volatile memory 7C, and I / O 7D. CPU 7A, RAM 7B, non-volatile memory 7C, and I / O 7D are connected to each other via bus 7E to exchange data.

[0088] The CPU 7A reads, for example, the terminal program stored in the non-volatile memory 7C and executes the processing of each functional unit in the information terminal 6 shown in Figure 6.

[0089] On the other hand, I / O 7D is connected to, for example, a communication unit 7F, an input unit 7G, an output unit 7H, and an RF reader 7J.

[0090] The communication unit 7F is connected to a communication line and is equipped with a communication protocol for sending and receiving data wirelessly or via wired connection with a server 10 or the like that is connected to the communication line.

[0091] The input unit 7G is a device that receives information from the user and notifies the CPU 7A, and includes, for example, buttons and a touch panel.

[0092] The output unit 7H is comprised of, for example, a display that shows information processed by the CPU 7A.

[0093] As previously explained, the RF reader 7J uses radio waves to read identification information from RF tags within its reading range.

[0094] Depending on the situation, I / O 7D may be connected to units other than the communication unit 7F, input unit 7G, output unit 7H, and RF reader 7J.

[0095] Next, the operation of the information processing system 100B will be explained. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the output processing flow executed by the CPU 7A of the information terminal 6 and the CPU 5A of the server 10 when a mechanic issues an output instruction to the information terminal 6 to output the condition of the tires of the vehicle 4 in order to perform maintenance on the vehicle 4. The CPU 7A of the information terminal 6 reads the terminal program stored in the non-volatile memory 7C, and the CPU 5A of the server 10 reads the information processing program stored in the non-volatile memory 5C and executes the output processing.

[0096] It is assumed that the non-volatile memory 5C of server 10 stores vehicle information for each vehicle 4. Furthermore, it is assumed that the mechanic brings the information terminal 6 close to the tire whose status they want to know, within the reading range of the RF tag by the RF reader 7J.

[0097] In step S100, the CPU 7A of the information terminal 6 controls the RF reader 7J to obtain tire identification information from the RF tag within the reading range of the RF reader 7J.

[0098] In step S110, the CPU 7A of the information terminal 6 transmits the tire identification information obtained through the processing in step S100 to the server 10 via the communication unit 7F.

[0099] Meanwhile, in step S200, the CPU 5A of the server 10 obtains the remaining durability amount associated with the tire identification information received from the information terminal 6 from the non-volatile memory 5C.

[0100] In step S210, the CPU 5A of the server 10 transmits the remaining durability amount obtained through the processing in step S200 to the information terminal 6, which is the source of the identification information.

[0101] In step S120, the CPU 7A of the information terminal 6, which received the remaining durability amount from the server 10, displays the remaining durability amount received from the server 10 on the output unit 7H. Therefore, the mechanic can find out the remaining durability amount of the tire whose status they want to know. With this, the output processing shown in Figure 8 is completed.

[0102] In addition, the CPU 5A of the server 10 may, in the process of step S200 in Figure 8, acquire temperature and internal pressure history information, or temperature and acceleration history information associated with the tire identification information received from the information terminal 6, from the non-volatile memory 5C, and in the process of step S210, transmit the acquired temperature and internal pressure history information, or temperature and acceleration history information, to the information terminal 6. In this case, the output unit 7H of the information terminal 6 will display the temperature and internal pressure history information, or temperature and acceleration history information, of the tire whose status is to be investigated.

[0103] Naturally, in step S200 of Figure 8, the CPU 5A of the server 10 may obtain the temperature and internal pressure history information, or the temperature and acceleration history information, and the remaining durability amount associated with the tire identification information received from the information terminal 6, from the non-volatile memory 5C, and in step S210, transmit the obtained temperature and internal pressure history information, or the temperature and acceleration history information, and the remaining durability amount to the information terminal 6. In this case, the output unit 7H of the information terminal 6 will display the temperature and internal pressure history information, or the temperature and acceleration history information, and the remaining durability amount of the tire whose status is to be investigated.

[0104] As described above, the information processing system 100B according to the second embodiment can display at least one of the following on the information terminal 6: historical information on tire temperature and internal pressure, or historical information on temperature and acceleration, and remaining durability. Therefore, a mechanic of the vehicle 4 can understand the condition of the tires, which cannot be obtained by visual inspection alone. In addition, when a mechanic of the vehicle 4 needs to replace the tires of the vehicle 4, they can determine which tires are suitable for retreading.

[0105] Although one form of information processing system 100A and information processing system 100B (hereinafter referred to as "information processing system 100") has been described above using embodiments, the disclosed form is merely an example, and the form of information processing system 100 is not limited to the scope described in the embodiments. Various modifications or improvements can be made to the embodiments without departing from the gist of this disclosure, and such modified or improved forms of information processing system 100 are also included within the technical scope of the disclosure.

[0106] In the above embodiment, as an example, a configuration in which the output processing shown in Figures 5 and 8 is implemented in software was described. However, the same processing as the output processing flowchart may be executed in hardware. In this case, the processing speed can be increased compared to when the output processing is implemented in software.

[0107] Furthermore, the above embodiment described an example in which the information processing program is stored in the non-volatile memory 5C of the server 10 and the terminal program is stored in the non-volatile memory 7C of the information terminal 6. However, the storage locations of the information processing program and the terminal program are not limited to the non-volatile memory 5C and the non-volatile memory 7C, respectively. The information processing program and the terminal program can also be provided in a form recorded on a computer-readable storage medium.

[0108] For example, information processing programs and terminal programs may be provided in a form recorded on portable semiconductor memory such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory and memory cards. Non-volatile memory 5C, non-volatile memory 7C, USB, and memory cards are examples of non-transitor storage media.

[0109] Furthermore, the CPU 5A of the server 10 may download an information processing program from an external device via the communication unit 5F and store the downloaded information processing program in the non-volatile memory 5C. Similarly, the CPU 7A of the information terminal 6 may download a terminal program from an external device via the communication unit 7F and store the downloaded terminal program in the non-volatile memory 7C. The information processing program of this invention can be provided as a program product. A program product includes all forms of products for providing a program. For example, a program product includes a program provided via a network such as the Internet, and non-temporary recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs on which the program is stored.

[0110] In the embodiments, CPU 5A and CPU 7A were used as examples of general-purpose processors for explanation. However, in the embodiments, the term "processor" refers to a broader definition of a processor, and includes not only general-purpose processors such as CPU 5A and CPU 7A, but also dedicated processors (e.g., GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, Programmable Logical Device, etc.).

[0111] Furthermore, the operation of the processor in the above-described embodiment may not be performed by a single processor, but may be performed by multiple processors working together, or by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. This disclosure can also be applied to programs and program products.

[0112] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-205767, filed on 26 November 2024, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually noted to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising: a calculation unit that calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on a mining vehicle using identification information that identifies the tire and tire information that associates the tire's temperature and internal pressure, or the tire's temperature and acceleration; a selection unit that selects a candidate tire for retreading from among the tires mounted on the mining vehicle using the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit; and an output unit that outputs identification information that enables the user to identify the candidate tire for retreading selected by the selection unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the tire with the highest remaining durability among the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit as a candidate tire for retreading.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects, from among the remaining durability of each tire calculated by the calculation unit, a tire whose remaining durability is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, as a candidate tire for retreading.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects, from among the remaining durability amounts of each tire calculated by the calculation unit, a tire whose remaining durability amount is greater than the wear durability amount after retreading as a candidate tire for retreading.

5. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the cumulative temperature of the tires and calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the mining vehicle such that the higher the cumulative temperature of the tires, the less durability the tires have left.

6. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the remaining durability of a tire using tire information relating the temperature and internal pressure of the tire, calculates the amount of change in internal pressure, which is the difference between the highest and lowest internal pressures of the tire each day, and calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the mining vehicle such that the larger the cumulative value of the amount of change in internal pressure, the less durability the tire has.

7. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the remaining durability of a tire using tire information relating the tire temperature and internal pressure, and uses the tire's daily maximum temperature and minimum internal pressure to calculate the remaining durability of each tire mounted on the mining vehicle such that the higher the cumulative value of the maximum temperature and the lower the cumulative value of the minimum internal pressure, the less the tire will have remaining durability.

8. An information processing program that causes a computer to perform the following processes: calculate the remaining durability of each tire mounted on a mining vehicle using identification information that identifies the tire and tire information that associates the tire's temperature and internal pressure, or the tire's temperature and acceleration; select a candidate tire for retreading from among the tires mounted on the mining vehicle using the calculated remaining durability of each tire; and output identification information that allows the user to identify the selected candidate tire for retreading.

9. An information processing device comprising: a calculation unit that calculates the remaining durability of each tire mounted on a mining vehicle using identification information that identifies a tire and tire information that associates the temperature and internal pressure of the tire, or the temperature and acceleration of the tire; an output unit that outputs at least one of historical information relating to the temperature and internal pressure of the tire associated with the identification information, or historical information relating to the temperature and acceleration of the tire associated with the identification information, and the remaining durability of the tire represented by the identification information; and an information processing system including an information terminal comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires the identification information from a tire; a communication unit that transmits the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit to the information processing device and receives at least one of the historical information associated with the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit and the remaining durability of the tire from the information processing device; and a display unit that displays the information received by the communication unit.

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