Method, program, storage medium, device, and system related to simulation of particle group
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2025/040023
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-03-27
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-01
Smart Images
Figure JP2025040023_01102026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Method, program, storage medium, apparatus, and system for particle group simulation
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method, program, storage medium, apparatus, and system for particle group simulation.
[0002] As a method for simulating the behavior of particle groups, the discrete element method (also referred to as distinct element method: DEM: Discrete Element Method) is known. In this method, particles are first regarded as elements such as spheres. Next, contact and / or sliding between each element is calculated. Then, the motion of each element at each time point is tracked.
[0003] When simulating the behavior of a particle group in a container, various setting operations are required on the screen. Patent Document 1 discloses a method and the like for setting a region where a particle group is arranged.
[0004] In addition, when simulating the behavior of a particle group, the behavior in a rotating body may be simulated. Patent Document 2 discloses a simulation for analyzing the behavior of the powder in a rotating body.
[0005] International Publication No. 2024 / 157503, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2021-190060
[0006] To simulate the behavior of a particle swarm, a dedicated simulation program is used. Typically, this program provides an interface for inputting initial conditions. After inputting the initial conditions through the interface, the user can virtually simulate the movement of the particle swarm by using trigger buttons or other controls provided by the interface. However, sometimes the desired simulation results are not obtained. One reason for this is that when inputting the initial conditions, inappropriate values are entered, and / or inappropriate options are selected, resulting in the particle swarm not being properly positioned within the container in the first place (for example, some of the particle swarm is positioned outside the container, or the positions of some of the particle swarm overlap with the positions of parts of the internal structure within the container). However, users have little opportunity to notice the aforementioned inappropriate values and / or settings beforehand.
[0007] Furthermore, simulating the virtual movement of particle swarms consumes a significant amount of time. Therefore, the occurrence of the above failures impairs the efficiency of the simulation process. Moreover, from a technical standpoint, the occurrence of the above failures leads to the inefficient consumption of resources in the information processing unit running the program.
[0008] Therefore, this disclosure aims to provide a method for efficiently simulating the behavior of a group of particles.
[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure encompasses, in one aspect, the following inventions: (Invention 1) A method for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container, the method comprising: receiving input information about a group of particles to be placed in the container; placing the group of particles in the container based at least on the information about the group of particles; outputting information about the arrangement state of the group of particles to a display; receiving input conditions for moving the placed group of particles; after the step of outputting to the display, receiving input for a trigger to move the group of particles according to the conditions; and simulating the behavior of the group of particles based at least on the trigger. (Invention 2) The method of Invention 1, wherein the step of placing the group of particles in the container includes rearranging the group of particles based at least on information about a field force acting on the group of particles, and the step of outputting to the display includes outputting information about the rearrangement state of the group of particles. (Invention 3) A method according to Invention 1 or 2, wherein the step of outputting to a display includes outputting an image including an object showing the state in which the particle group is arranged in the container. (Invention 4) A method according to any one of Inventions 1 to 3, wherein the information of the particle group includes information of the particle group before arrangement, the information of the particle group before arrangement includes at least one piece of information from the number of particles constituting the particle group, the weight of the particle group, or the volume of the particle group, the information regarding the arrangement state of the particle group includes information of the particle group after arrangement, and the information of the particle group after arrangement includes at least one piece of information from the number of particles constituting the arranged particle group, the weight of the arranged particle group, or the volume of the arranged particle group. (Invention 5) A method according to Invention 4, further comprising the step of outputting a warning to a display if the first piece of information included in the information of the particle group before arrangement does not match the second piece of information, wherein the second piece of information corresponds to the first piece of information and is included in the information of the particle group after arrangement.(Invention 6) A method according to any one of Inventions 1 to 5, wherein the step of outputting to a display includes outputting to the display based at least on the input of a predetermined signal. (Invention 7) A program for an information processing device equipped with a processor, which causes the processor to execute the method according to any one of Inventions 1 to 6 by commanding the processor. (Invention 8) A computer-readable non-temporary storage medium storing the program of Invention 7. (Invention 9) A system for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container, the system comprising at least one server and at least one terminal, the system being configured to perform the following steps: receiving input of information about a group of particles to be placed in the container; placing the group of particles in the container based at least on the information about the group of particles; outputting information about the placement state of the group of particles to a display; receiving input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; receiving input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions after the step of outputting to the display; and simulating the behavior of the group of particles based at least on the trigger. (Invention 10) An apparatus comprising a program that provides an interface for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container, wherein the interface is configured to: receive input of information about a group of particles to be placed in the container; output to a display information about the state in which the group of particles is placed in the container, at least based on the information about the group of particles; receive input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; and, after the step of outputting to the display, receive input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions.
[0010] In one aspect, the above invention performs the step of outputting information regarding the arrangement state of a group of particles to a display. In another aspect, the system of the above invention includes a server and / or terminal capable of performing this step. This gives the user an opportunity to notice inappropriate value input and / or inappropriate option selection settings, and enables efficient simulation.
[0011] An information processing device of the present disclosure in one embodiment is shown. A system of the present disclosure in one embodiment is shown. The system may include a plurality of terminals and at least one server. The terminals and server may be connected via a network. A method of the present disclosure in one embodiment is shown. An interface of the present disclosure in one embodiment is shown. The interface may include an item for receiving a three-dimensional data file of a container (referred to as "3D data file" in Figure 4, and similarly in subsequent figures) and an item for receiving data of a group of particles. The interface may also include an item for displaying the container in three dimensions. An interface of the present disclosure in one embodiment is shown. It has a similar configuration to the interface shown in Figure 4, but may include an item for setting the properties of the container. Specifically, a property can be set that allows the placement (filling) of a group of particles inside the container. In one embodiment, an image including an object showing the state of the container is shown. The container is at least partially transparent, so that the internal structure of the container is visible. A stirring blade is present inside the container. In one embodiment, an image including an object showing the state in which a group of particles has been placed inside the container shown in Figure 6 is shown. The state shown in Figure 7 shows an example where the placement of the group of particles was successful. In one embodiment, an image including an object showing the state in which a group of particles is arranged in the container shown in Figure 6 is shown. The state shown in Figure 8 shows an example where the arrangement of the group of particles has failed due to improper settings. Specifically, a portion of the group of particles is located outside the container. In one embodiment, an image including an object showing the state in which a group of particles is arranged in the container shown in Figure 6 is shown. The state shown in Figure 9 shows an example where the arrangement of the group of particles has failed due to improper settings. Specifically, a portion of the group of particles is located inside the stirring blade (rotation axis portion).
[0012] The following describes specific embodiments for carrying out the invention. The following description is intended to facilitate understanding of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
[0013] 1. Outline In one embodiment, this disclosure relates to a method, program, storage medium, apparatus, and system for simulating a group of particles.
[0014] The applicable technical fields are not particularly limited and can be applied to any technical field that simulates the behavior of particle swarms.
[0015] The particle size is not particularly limited, and the methods and programs of this disclosure are applicable to particles of any size. For example, the particle size may be on the order of meters, millimeters, micrometers, or nanometers. In one embodiment, the particles of this disclosure are powders. The type of particles is also not limited, and the methods and programs of this disclosure may simulate the behavior of one group of particles or the behavior of two or more groups of particles. The number of particles is also not particularly limited. In one embodiment, the terms "particle" and "powder" as used herein are interchangeable. In one embodiment, the terms "particle" and "powder" as used herein may or may not include media. The media has the function of grinding another group of particles introduced into the container and / or facilitating their agitation. Therefore, in certain embodiments, simulation is included to predict the state in which the group of particles to be ground and / or agitated and the media coexist in the container.
[0016] The simulation algorithm may be based at least on the discrete element method (DEM).
[0017] 2. Environment for Executing the Program The environment for executing the program and method is not particularly limited, and a typical information processing device (also called a computing device) can be used. The information processing device (100) may typically include a processor (110), memory (120), non-temporary storage medium (130), and a communication module (140), as shown in Figure 1.
[0018] The information processing device (100) includes, but is not limited to, the following: a server, a personal computer, a tablet device, a smartphone, a smartwatch, smart glasses, etc.
[0019] The program is stored in a non-temporary storage medium (130, e.g., HDD, SSD, etc.), loaded into memory (120, e.g., RAM, etc.) as needed, and executed by a processor (110, e.g., CPU, etc.). If necessary, the program can connect to a network via a communication module (140) to send and receive information.
[0020] In one embodiment, the program may be installed as application software on an information processing device (100) and executed by the information processing device (100).
[0021] In another embodiment, the number of information processing devices (100) is not limited to one, and multiple information processing devices (100) may be used as needed. In that case, the functions of the program may be distributed among multiple information processing devices (100).
[0022] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2, a system (200) configuration may be adopted in which a server (210) and a terminal (220) are interconnected via a network. In this system (200), the terminal (220) may receive input from a user and transmit at least a portion of the received input to the server (210). The server (210) may receive the input information transmitted from the terminal (220), process the information, and transmit a portion of the output to the terminal (220). The terminal (220) may then receive the output information transmitted from the server (210) and display it on the terminal (220).
[0023] Therefore, in another aspect, the Disclosure also relates to an information processing device including the Program of the Disclosure, and a system including the Information Processing Device. In yet another aspect, the Disclosure relates to terminals and / or servers constituting the System of the Disclosure. The internal configuration of the terminals and servers may be the same as that of the Information Processing Device shown in Figure 1. In yet another aspect, the Disclosure relates to a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium (e.g., HDD, SSD, flash memory, optical disk, etc.) storing the Program.
[0024] The information processing device described above may be connected to a display or the like as appropriate. The information processing device can then transmit signals to the display for displaying calculation results from a processor or the like on the display.
[0025] 3. Outline of the Method (Figure 3) In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container and a program for performing the method. The method may be performed by the information processing device described above. The method includes the following steps: (A) receiving input of information about a group of particles to be placed in a container; (B) placing the group of particles in the container based at least on the information about the group of particles; (C) outputting information about the arrangement state of the group of particles to a display; (D) receiving input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; (E) receiving input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions after the step of outputting to the display; (F) simulating the behavior of the group of particles based at least on the trigger.
[0026] In the prior art, steps (A) and (D) described above are performed at the same time, and after these, steps (B) and (F) are executed as a single batch process. Therefore, there was a possibility that steps (B) and (F) would be executed without the user noticing any inappropriate settings in step (A). However, in the method disclosed in the embodiment described above, step (F) is executed after outputting to the display. Therefore, there is a high probability that the user will notice any inappropriate settings before step (F) is executed. The steps described above and other steps will be described in detail below.
[0027] 4. Step to receive input of information on the group of particles to be placed in the container First, a step is performed to receive input of information on the group of particles to be placed in the container. The information on the group of particles may include, for example, the following: the number of particles constituting the group, the weight of the group of particles, or the volume of the group of particles. The information on the group of particles may further include, for example, the following: the weight of individual particles, the volume of individual particles, the shape of individual particles, information required in the DEM method (e.g., the rolling friction coefficient of individual particles, the friction coefficient between individual particles, the friction coefficient between individual particles and the inner wall of the container, the interparticle interaction acting on individual particles (e.g., liquid bridging force)), the Poisson's ratio of individual particles, the Young's modulus of individual particles, etc. Note that for weight and volume, either one may be replaced with density.
[0028] In a further embodiment, the step of receiving input information about the group of particles to be placed in the container may include receiving information about the arrangement of the group of particles. Information about the group of particles to be placed in the container may include, for example, information about: where to place the group of particles (in other words, information about the location where the group of particles will be placed), and how to arrange the group of particles (e.g., information about the arrangement of the group of particles, e.g., simple cubic lattice, face-centered cubic lattice, random arrangement, etc.).
[0029] Information regarding where to place the particle group may be provided by, for example, inputting numerical values related to spatial position (e.g., numerical values related to the position and range of XYZ coordinates) to specify the possible placement range. Alternatively, if a GUI is provided, the possible placement range may be specified via a pointing device (e.g., mouse, trackball) or touch panel. Information regarding the specified range may also be accepted.
[0030] In a further embodiment, the step of receiving input information about the group of particles to be placed in the container may include receiving information about the container. The information about the container may include three-dimensional data of the container. The format of the three-dimensional data of the container is not particularly limited. Typically, the format of the three-dimensional data of the container may be a CAD file. Alternatively, the format of the three-dimensional data of the container may be a point cloud data format acquired by a 3D scanner. For example, the three-dimensional data file of the container may read files with the following extensions: ".model", ".CATPart", ".CATProdet", ".sldprt", ".sldasm", ".prt", ".asm", ".ipt", ".iam", ".x_t", ".x_b", ".xmt_txt", ".sat", ".sab", ".jt", ".dxf", ".d wg", ".dwf", ".igs", ".iges", ".stp", ".step", ".stl", ".obj", ".amf", ".3mf", ".wrl", ".vda", ".skp", ".3 dm,” “.rvt,” “.QIF,” “.ply,” “.anf,” “.pkg,” “.idf,” “.idb,” “.emn,” “.prt,” “.asat,” “.3dxml,” “.rsdoc,” and “.scdoc.”
[0031] In a further embodiment, the information regarding the container may include information regarding structures present inside the container. This information regarding the structures may also include three-dimensional data, similar to the information regarding the container, and the data format may be the same as that of the container data format. Examples of structures include stirring blades, baffles, and the like.
[0032] The user may input information about the group of particles to be placed in the container and other information. An interface for user input may be provided. For example, the interface may include items for inputting information about individual particles, as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the interface may include items for specifying files stored locally or in the cloud, as shown in Figure 4. Moreover, after loading the 3D data of the container, an object representing the shape of the container may be displayed on the user interface. Although not shown in Figure 4, an interface may also be provided for specifying files related to 3D data about structures inside the container, similar to the 3D data of the container. The 3D data of the container and the 3D data about structures inside the container may be separate data or they may be the same data.
[0033] Furthermore, the information processing device may assign a property to the 3D data of a container before, during, or after reading the data, indicating whether to allow or prohibit particle filling inside the container. This property assignment process may be performed in response to user input (e.g., clicking a checkbox), as shown in Figure 5, or it may be performed automatically by the information processing device executing a predetermined process. When performed automatically, typically, a property is set to allow particle filling inside the container.
[0034] On the other hand, the information processing device may, in response to user input or automatically, assign a property to the 3D data of the structure inside the container that indicates that particle filling inside is prohibited.
[0035] 5. Step of arranging the particle group in the container based at least on the information of the particle group After performing the step of receiving input information of the particle group to be placed in the container, the step of arranging the particle group based at least on the received information is performed. For example, in response to user operation (for example, in response to clicking the "Place Particles" button shown in Figure 5), the particle group is placed in the container. For example, the particle group may be placed based at least on the information described above regarding where to place the particle group for the purpose of placing it in the container. In this case, the particle group is placed so that it does not exist outside the specified range.
[0036] Furthermore, for the purpose of placing the particle group inside the container, the particle group may be arranged at least based on the information described above regarding how to arrange the particle group. For example, if the setting is for random arrangement, the particle group may temporarily be floating inside the container. In this case, by later applying gravity and causing motion based on it, it is possible to reproduce the state in which the particle group is ultimately deposited at the bottom of the container. For example, if a simple cubic lattice, face-centered cubic lattice, etc., is set, the particle group can be arranged to be deposited sequentially from the bottom of the container based on this setting.
[0037] When performing the placement process, the container or any structures present inside the container may be taken into consideration. For example, if a property is assigned that prohibits filling the container with particles, it is preferable to place the container or structures while avoiding them.
[0038] Typically, containers are given properties that allow particle filling inside, while structures are typically given properties that prohibit particle filling inside.
[0039] However, due to human error (for example, user mistakes or forgetting to configure settings), improper settings regarding particle filling may occur. Such improper settings could result in particle clusters being placed inside the structure or overflowing from the container. Alternatively, improper settings regarding where to place the particle clusters could cause them to be placed outside the container. Users may have little opportunity to notice such improper settings and may proceed to the process of moving the particle clusters within the container. They might only realize the problem after obtaining the final result, potentially wasting time.
[0040] The method described herein in one embodiment can help avoid such wasted time. This point will be explained in the next section.
[0041] 6. Step to output information on the arrangement of the particle group to a display After performing the step of arranging the particle group in the container based at least on the information of the particle group, the step of outputting information on the arrangement of the particle group to a display via an interface or the like is performed.
[0042] Information regarding the arrangement of the particle group may be in image format, text format, or a combination of both.
[0043] The image format information may, for example, in a part of the interface shown in Figures 4 and 5, display an image that includes an object indicating the state of the container (more precisely, the state of the group of particles present inside the container by partially making the container transparent). For example, as shown in Figure 6, the inside of the container can be displayed by making the container portion transparent.
[0044] Then, after performing the above-described step of arranging the particle group, an image including an object showing a state in which the container and the particle group are present may be displayed. This allows the user to visually confirm whether the particle group has been appropriately arranged. For example, the user can confirm the following points: as shown in FIG. 7, the particle group is present inside the container; and the particle group is present while avoiding a structure existing inside the container (in FIG. 7, a stirring blade is present as the structure).
[0045] If an inappropriate setting has been made, as shown in FIG. 8, an image including an object representing a state in which a part of the particle group exists outside the container is displayed. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, an image including an object representing a state in which a part of the particle group exists inside the structure is displayed.
[0046] The above-described image format information may be output to a display based at least on input of a predetermined signal. For example, in the interfaces shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a "preview" button may be provided, and information in image format may be output to the display based on a signal indicating that the button has been clicked.
[0047] The text format information may include information on the particle group after arrangement. The information on the particle group after arrangement may include information on the number of particles constituting the arranged particle group, the weight of the arranged particle group, or the volume of the arranged particle group.
[0048] Preferably, information on the particle group before arrangement may be output together to a display. The information on the particle group before arrangement may include information on the number of particles constituting the particle group, the weight of the particle group, or the volume of the particle group. This allows the user to visually recognize and compare the information on the particle group before arrangement and the information on the particle group after arrangement. Further, this enables the user to notice inappropriate arrangement of the particle group caused by inappropriate settings.
[0049] For example, by comparing the following items, users can become aware of improper particle group placement caused by inappropriate settings: Information on the particle group before placement Information on the particle group after placement Number of particles constituting the particle group Number of particles constituting the placed particle group Weight of the particle group Weight of the placed particle group Volume of the particle group Volume of the placed particle group
[0050] For example, the number of particles constituting a group of arranged particles is counted by counting the number of particles placed in the container. Weight and volume are counted similarly.
[0051] Ideally, the information about the particle group before placement and the information about the particle group after placement should match. However, if some of the particle group is placed outside the container, the two sets of information will not match. This allows us to detect improper placement.
[0052] In addition to the above, the information on the particle group before placement may include the target filling amount, and the information on the particle group after placement may also include the filling amount. The filling amount may be based on the number of particles, or on a percentage of the internal volume of the container, etc.
[0053] 7. Rearrangement and Redisplay In one embodiment, the step of arranging the particle group in a container may include rearranging the particle group based at least on information regarding the field forces acting on the particle group. The step of outputting to a display may include outputting information regarding the rearrangement state of the particle group.
[0054] Furthermore, the step of arranging the particle group in the container may include receiving input information regarding the field forces acting on the particle group. Examples of fields related to field forces are not limited to but may include one or more of the following: a gravitational field, an electric field, a magnetic field, a flow field, a pressure field, etc. Also, the field forces acting on the particle group may include liquid bridging forces. In addition, the step of arranging the particle group in the container may include receiving input information regarding the particle group to be rearranged in the container. The information regarding the particle group to be rearranged in the container may include the various types of information described in "4. Step of receiving input information regarding the particle group to be placed in the container" (including information about the container, structure, etc.).
[0055] The above configuration and output are not limited to just one execution. For example, they can be executed again for one or more purposes described in any one of the following items.
[0056] (A) A group of placed particles is dropped and rearranged according to gravity. (B) A group of particles placed in a liquid environment is rearranged according to the liquid bridging force. (C) When calculating the behavior of a group of particles in a fluid, the fluid flow is further considered when rearranging them. (D) A group of particles placed in other specific fields (e.g., electric field, magnetic field, etc.) is rearranged according to the forces of that field.
[0057] For the purpose of (A) above, for example, gravity may be applied as a force, and the simulation may be based on the motion of the particle group falling. The simulation process described above may be performed in response to user input (for example, in response to clicking a button such as "Make the particle group fall based on gravity"). In this case, the placement step described above may include making the particle group fall according to gravity.
[0058] For the purpose of (B) above, for example, the liquid bridging force may be calculated by considering the interparticle distance, the amount of liquid present between the particles, and the contact angle between the liquid and the particles, and the motion of adjacent particles cohesive together may be simulated.
[0059] For the purposes of (C) and (D) above, the above-described arrangement and output may be performed, for example, in response to user input (for example, by clicking a button such as "Add Condition" and entering an additional condition).
[0060] 8. Check Function In one embodiment, the above method further includes the step of outputting a warning to the display if the first information and the second information do not match. The first information is one or more pieces of information included in the information of the particle group before placement. On the other hand, the second information is one or more pieces of information that corresponds to the first information and is included in the information of the particle group after placement.
[0061] The warning may include a text-based message. Alternatively, the warning may be based on changing the display format of the discrepancy in either the first or second piece of information (e.g., changing the font size, adding an underline, changing the font color, adding a warning icon, etc.).
[0062] Specific examples of the first and second pieces of information may be the information about the particle group before placement and the information about the particle group after placement, as described above. A process may be performed to compare one or more of these items, and if the values do not match, a warning in the format described above may be output.
[0063] While users can visually check for errors, issuing warnings makes it easier for them to notice potential inappropriate settings.
[0064] 9. After the step of outputting to the display, a step is taken to accept input for a trigger to move the particle group according to the conditions. By outputting to the display, the user can check the state after placement in advance. After confirming that there are no problems with the placement settings, the user can input a trigger to move the particle group. For example, although not shown in the diagram, a button such as "RUN" can be provided on the interface and clicked. In response to the user's operation, the process of moving the particle group can be started.
[0065] Prior to trigger input, several conditions related to the process of moving the particle group are set. These conditions may be set by the user through the interface. These conditions include conditions other than those related to the particle group information described above. For example, the conditions may include one or more of the following: gravity, container motion (e.g., rotation (e.g., spin, revolution, etc.), vibration), structure motion (e.g., rotation (e.g., spin, revolution, etc.), vibration). These conditions can be input by the user through the user interface. Alternatively, predetermined values (e.g., gravity), etc., may be omitted from input.
[0066] 10. Steps to simulate the behavior of the particle swarm based on a trigger The process of moving the particle swarm may include simulating the behavior of the particle swarm. The behavior of the particle swarm may be based at least on a DEM. After simulating the behavior of the particle swarm, an image containing an object showing the state of the particle swarm in the resulting container may be output to the display. In addition, various numerical values obtained as a result of simulating the behavior of the particle swarm (e.g., collision energy) may be output to the display.
[0067] 11. System The methods and programs described above may be executed by, for example, a single information processing device. However, in another embodiment, as mentioned in "2. Environment for Executing the Program" (particularly as mentioned in Figure 2), some processing may be executed by a server and other processing may be executed by a terminal.
[0068] Therefore, in one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a system for simulating the behavior of a group of particles contained in a container.
[0069] In one example, the server and the terminal may each have modules for performing their respective processes. Here, a module may be a virtual component realized by a combination of a processor and a program (for example, a function, method, class, etc. that has a specific function).
[0070] For example, a module may perform steps including at least the following: (A) receiving input of information about a group of particles to be placed (including rearrangement) in a container; (B) placing (including rearrangement) the group of particles in the container based at least on the information about the group of particles; (C) outputting information about the arrangement state of the group of particles to a display; (D) receiving input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; (E) receiving input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions after the step of outputting to the display; (F) simulating the behavior of the group of particles based at least on the trigger.
[0071] Furthermore, the above module may be configured to perform the following steps: (G) Output a warning to the display if the first information contained in the information of the particle group before placement does not match the second information.
[0072] All of the steps (A) through (G) described above may be performed on the terminal side. In this case, the terminal side may be equipped with modules for performing each of these steps.
[0073] Alternatively, some of the steps (A) through (G) described above may be performed on the terminal side, and the remaining steps may be performed on the server side.
[0074] For example, steps (B) and (F) described above may be executed on the server side, and steps (A), (C), (D), (E), and (G) may be executed on the terminal side. In this case, the server side may have a module for executing steps (B) and (F). The terminal side may have a module for executing steps (A), (C), (D), (E), and (G).
[0075] The terminal may include a module for displaying the various types of information described in the embodiments described above. The terminal may also include a module for receiving the various types of information entered by the user, as described in the embodiments described above, and optionally for sending it to the server. The terminal may also include a module for sending the information received in steps (A), (D), and (E) to the server.
[0076] The server may include a module for sending various types of information to the terminal. For example, the server may include a module for sending information about the processing results related to (B) and (F) to the terminal.
[0077] Alternatively, some of the steps (A) to (G) described above may be performed collaboratively on both the terminal and server sides. For example, in step (G), the server side may perform a check to see if the first information contained in the information of the particle group before placement matches the second information, and the terminal side may perform a step to output a warning to the display if they do not match.
[0078] 12. Information Processing Device In one embodiment of the Information Processing Device, the Disclosure may include a device comprising a program that provides an interface for simulating the behavior of a group of particles contained in a container. The program may, but is not limited to, be in HTML format, for example. The HTML may be dynamically generated on the server side and transmitted to the terminal. The HTML may then be displayed on the terminal's display through browser software or the like.
[0079] The interface may be configured to perform the following operations: (a) receiving input of information about a group of particles to be placed in a container; (b) outputting to a display information about the state in which the group of particles has been placed in the container, at least based on the information about the group of particles; (c) receiving input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; and (d) after the step of outputting to the display, receiving input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions.
[0080] For example, (a) above may be implemented by providing an interface for the user to input specific conditions, such as the text boxes corresponding to "mass," "size," and "quantity" shown in Figure 5. Alternatively, although not shown in the figure, it may be implemented by providing an interface for selecting a specific option from multiple options, such as in the form of a list, dropdown menu, or radio buttons.
[0081] For example, (b) above may be implemented by displaying an object as shown in Figure 7 within a specific frame of the image, as shown in Figure 5. Alternatively, although not shown in Figure 5, (b) above may be implemented by displaying it through a pop-up window.
[0082] In relation to (a) above, the interface may be configured to accept input of information about the particle group to be rearranged in the container. And, in relation to (b) above, the interface may be configured to output to a display information about the state in which the particle group has been rearranged in the container, based at least on the information about the particle group to be rearranged.
[0083] Furthermore, in relation to (a) and (b) above, the interface may be configured to accept input of triggers for arranging (including rearranging) the particle group according to the conditions. For example, as shown in Figure 5, a "Arrange Particles" button may be provided.
[0084] For example, (c) above may be implemented, although not shown in the diagram, by displaying the item name (or label, for example, "rotation speed") and providing a text box into which a value can be entered, similar to (a) above.
[0085] For example, regarding (d) above, although not shown in the diagram, an object that triggers the execution of the simulation may be provided (e.g., a "RUN" button). After the user has finished setting the simulation conditions, the simulation is executed by manipulating this object (e.g., clicking the button). The simulation may be executed on the terminal side or on the server side. The results of the simulation are displayed on the interface. Therefore, the interface may be further configured to display the results of the simulation. Here, the results of the simulation or data related thereto may include information about the position of each particle in three-dimensional spatial coordinates at each time. Therefore, displaying the results of simulating the behavior of a group of particles may include visually reproducing the behavior of each particle within the interface (e.g., displaying a still image or playing a video).
[0086] The interface may be configured to display the various types of information described in the embodiments described above. The interface may also be configured to receive the various types of information entered by the user, as described in the embodiments described above, and, if necessary, transmit it to the server. Furthermore, the interface may be configured to allow the loading of information about containers and / or structures by uploading a file defining the structure (e.g., a CAD file) (e.g., a reference button as shown in Figure 5).
[0087] In addition to (a) to (d) above, the interface may be configured to output a warning to the display when the first information and the second information do not match. For example, a warning message may be displayed at any location within the interface shown in Figure 5. Alternatively, a warning message may be displayed separately from the interface shown in Figure 5, such as in a pop-up window.
[0088] The above describes specific embodiments of the invention. The above embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the technical features disclosed in one of the above embodiments can be applied to other embodiments. Also, unless otherwise specified, for a particular method, it is possible to change the order of some steps and other steps, and further steps may be added between two specific steps. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims.
[0089] Potential Contribution to the SDGs: According to one embodiment of this disclosure, efficient operation in particle swarm simulations using an information processing device may lead to energy savings. Energy savings indirectly contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases. Therefore, one embodiment of this disclosure may contribute to Goal 13 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts."
Claims
1. A method for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container, the method comprising: receiving input information about a group of particles to be placed in the container; placing the group of particles in the container based at least on the information about the group of particles; outputting information about the arrangement of the group of particles to a display; receiving input conditions for moving the placed group of particles; receiving input a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions after the step of outputting to the display; and simulating the behavior of the group of particles based at least on the trigger.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of arranging a group of particles in a container includes rearranging the group of particles based at least on information relating to the field forces acting on the group of particles, and the step of outputting to a display includes outputting information relating to the rearrangement state of the group of particles.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of outputting to a display includes outputting an image that includes an object showing the state in which the group of particles is arranged in the container.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information of the particle group includes information of the particle group before arrangement, the information of the particle group before arrangement includes at least one piece of information among the number of particles constituting the particle group, the weight of the particle group, or the volume of the particle group, the information of the arrangement state of the particle group includes information of the particle group after arrangement, and the information of the particle group after arrangement includes at least one piece of information among the number of particles constituting the arranged particle group, the weight of the arranged particle group, or the volume of the arranged particle group.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of outputting a warning to a display if the first information included in the information of the particle group before arrangement does not match the second information, wherein the second information corresponds to the first information and is included in the information of the particle group after arrangement.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of outputting to a display includes outputting to the display based at least on the input of a predetermined signal.
7. A program for an information processing device equipped with a processor, which causes the processor to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 by instructing the processor.
8. A computer-readable non-temporary storage medium storing the program of claim 7.
9. A system for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container, the system comprising at least one server and at least one terminal, the system being configured to perform the following steps: receiving input of information about a group of particles to be placed in the container; placing the group of particles in the container based at least on the information about the group of particles; outputting information about the placement state of the group of particles to a display; receiving input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; receiving input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions after the step of outputting to the display; and simulating the behavior of the group of particles based at least on the trigger.
10. An apparatus comprising a program that provides an interface for simulating the behavior of a group of particles in a container, wherein the interface is configured to: receive input of information about a group of particles to be placed in the container; output to a display information about the state in which the group of particles is placed in the container, at least based on the information about the group of particles; receive input of conditions for moving the placed group of particles; and, after the step of outputting to the display, receive input of a trigger for moving the group of particles according to the conditions.