JP6957651B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for estimating the time required for processing using an air vehicle.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a map formed by arranging a plurality of cells in a work area is generated, the area S of the work area is calculated based on the map, and the required work time is calculated from the calculated area S. Is described.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-176115

For example, when an air vehicle images a plant in a field and calculates a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from the spectral reflection characteristics of the plant, the speed and altitude of the air vehicle flying over the field are used. The calculation accuracy of NDVI differs accordingly. For example, the faster the flight speed of the flying object, the worse the accuracy of the calculated NDVI. Further, for example, the higher the flight altitude of the flying object, the worse the accuracy of the calculated NDVI.

In view of such a background, it is an object of the present invention to know the time required for the processing when the flying object performs the processing with the required accuracy.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is specified as a specific unit that specifies a target accuracy that is a target value of accuracy in processing performed by an air vehicle on a processing target area and a specific unit that specifies the size of the processing target area. Provided is an information processing apparatus including a calculation unit for calculating the time required for the flying object to perform the processing with the target accuracy specified for the processing target area having a large size. ..

The process is a process performed based on the ground imaging by the flying object, and the calculation unit may calculate the required time based on the size of the range covered by one imaging. good.

The calculation unit may change the size of the effective range in the captured image according to the conditions.

The calculation unit may change the size of the effective range according to the amount of light at the time of imaging or the timing of imaging.

The calculation unit may correct the required time according to the amount of light at the time of imaging or the timing of imaging.

When the required time calculated by the calculation unit exceeds the upper limit of the target required time, the generation for generating information regarding the size of the processing target area capable of performing the processing at the upper limit is generated. It may be provided with a part.

The calculation unit may compare the lower limit of the required time according to the execution of the calibration for the process with the target required time, and generate information according to the comparison result.

According to the present invention, when a flying object performs processing with a required accuracy, it is possible to know the time required for the processing.

It is a figure which shows an example of the structure of the flight control system 1. It is a figure which shows an example of the appearance of the flying object 10. It is a figure which shows the hardware composition of the aircraft body 10. It is a figure which shows the hardware configuration of the server apparatus 20. It is a figure which shows an example of the functional structure of the server apparatus 20. It is a figure which illustrates the effective range of the captured image. It is a figure explaining the meaning of a function f, g. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the required time calculation operation of a server apparatus 20.

Configuration FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the flight control system 1. The flight control system 1 is a system that controls the flight of the flying object 10. The flight control system 1 includes a plurality of flying objects 10 and a server device 20. The aircraft body 10 and the server device 20 can communicate with each other via a network. The flying object 10 performs a process of imaging a plant in a field, for example, in a processing target area such as a field. The server device 20 is an example of an information processing device according to the present invention, and uses the imaging result of the flying object 10 to obtain a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from the spectral reflection characteristics of plants in the processing target area. Perform the calculation process. Further, the server device 20 performs a process of calculating the time required for the process when the flying object 10 performs the process with the required accuracy.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the flying object 10. The flying object 10 is, for example, a drone, and includes a propeller 101, a driving device 102, and a battery 103.

The propeller 101 rotates about an axis. As the propeller 101 rotates, the flying object 10 flies. The drive device 102 applies power to the propeller 101 to rotate it. The drive device 102 includes, for example, a motor and a transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the motor to the propeller 101. The battery 103 supplies electric power to each part of the flying object 10 including the driving device 102.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the air vehicle 10. The aircraft body 10 is physically configured as a computer device including a processor 11, a memory 12, a storage 13, a communication device 14, a positioning device 15, an image pickup device 16, a beacon device 17, a bus 18, and the like. In the following description, the word "device" can be read as a circuit, a device, a unit, or the like.

The processor 11 operates, for example, an operating system to control the entire computer. The processor 11 may be composed of a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with a peripheral device, a control device, an arithmetic unit, a register, and the like.

Further, the processor 11 reads a program (program code), a software module, and data from the storage 13 and / or the communication device 14 into the memory 12, and executes various processes according to these. As the program, a program that causes a computer to execute at least a part of the operation of the flying object 10 is used. Various processes executed in the aircraft body 10 may be executed by one processor 11, or may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 11. The processor 11 may be mounted on one or more chips. The program may be transmitted from the network via a telecommunication line.

The memory 12 is a computer-readable recording medium, and is composed of at least one such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). May be done. The memory 12 may be referred to as a register, a cache, a main memory (main storage device), or the like. The memory 12 can store a program (program code), a software module, or the like that can be executed to carry out the flight control method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The storage 13 is a computer-readable recording medium, and is, for example, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, an optical magnetic disk (for example, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, or a Blu-ray). It may consist of at least one (registered trademark) disk), smart card, flash memory (eg, card, stick, key drive), floppy (registered trademark) disk, magnetic strip, and the like. The storage 13 may be referred to as an auxiliary storage device.

The communication device 14 is hardware (transmission / reception device) for performing communication between computers via a wired and / or wireless network, and is also referred to as, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, or the like.

The positioning device 15 measures the three-dimensional position of the flying object 10. The positioning device 15 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, and measures the current position of the flying object 10 based on GPS signals received from a plurality of satellites.

The image pickup device 16 captures an image of the surroundings of the flying object 10. The image pickup device 16 is, for example, a camera, and takes an image by forming an image on the image pickup element using an optical system. The image pickup device 16 captures an image in a predetermined range, for example, below the flying object 10.

The beacon device 17 transmits a beacon signal having a predetermined frequency, and also receives a beacon signal transmitted from another aircraft 10. The reachable range of this beacon signal is a predetermined distance such as 100 m. The beacon signal includes aircraft identification information that identifies the aircraft 10 that transmits the beacon signal. This flying object identification information is used for preventing collisions between the flying objects 10 and the like.

Each device such as the processor 11 and the memory 12 described above is connected by a bus 18 for communicating information. The bus 18 may be composed of a single bus, or may be composed of different buses between the devices.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the server device 20. The server device 20 is physically configured as a computer device including a processor 21, a memory 22, a storage 23, a communication device 24, a bus 25, and the like. Since the processor 21, the memory 22, the storage 23, the communication device 24, and the bus 25 are the same as the processor 11, the memory 12, the storage 13, the communication device 14, and the bus 18 described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server device 20. For each function in the server device 20, the processor 21 performs calculations by loading predetermined software (programs) on hardware such as the processor 21 and the memory 22, and communication by the communication device 24 and the memory 22 and the storage 23 are performed. It is realized by controlling the reading and / or writing of the data in.

In FIG. 5, the tracking unit 200 records the flight object identification information of the flight object 10 under the control of the server device 20 and the flight status thereof. The flight status includes the position where the flying object 10 is flying and the date and time at that position. The tracking unit 200 records the position information and the date and time information notified from the aircraft body 10. Further, the tracking unit 200 determines whether or not the position information and the date and time information are within the flight plan planned in advance, and records the determination result.

The input unit 201 inputs to the server device 20 the target accuracy for the processing performed by the flying object 10 on the field which is the processing target area and the size of the processing target area. The target accuracy referred to here is, for example, a predetermined value as the accuracy of NDVI. Further, the input unit 201 inputs image data indicating an image captured by the flying object 10 to the server device 20.

Based on the information input by the input unit 201, the specifying unit 202 specifies the target accuracy in the processing performed by the flying object 10 on the processing target area and the size of the processing target area.

The calculation unit 203 calculates the time required for the flying object 10 to perform the imaging process so as to achieve the target accuracy specified by the specific unit 202 for the processing target area of the size specified by the specific unit 202. do. This process is performed based on the imaging of the ground (field) by the flying object 10, and the calculation unit 203 calculates the required time based on the size of the effective range in the captured image. Further, the calculation unit 203 changes the size of this effective range according to the conditions. More specifically, the calculation unit 203 determines the size of this effective range using the condition of the amount of light at the time of imaging. The larger the amount of light at the time of imaging, the larger the effective range, and the smaller the amount of light at the time of imaging, the smaller the effective range.

Here, the effective range in the captured image will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining this effective range. For one imaging range P, a part of it becomes the effective range Pu. Generally, the lens used when the flying object 10 takes an image for NDVI calculation is a fisheye lens. The image captured by this fisheye lens is a two-dimensional circular image, and the NDVI is calculated from the spectral reflection characteristics of the plants in this image. Since the calculation result of NDVI differs depending on the elevation angle at the time of imaging, the calculation result at the end of the captured image changes remarkably. Therefore, in the captured image, it is desirable to set a circular region within a predetermined range from the center of the imaging range as an effective range, and to use this effective range as a calculation target of NDVI. Further, the effective range differs depending on the flight altitude of the flying object 10. That is, when the flight altitude is high, the imaging range P in one imaging is also widened, and as a result, the effective range Pu is also widened. On the other hand, when the flight altitude is low, the imaging range P in one imaging is also narrowed, and as a result, the effective range Pu is also narrowed.

In this way, the calculation unit 203 calculates the required time based on the size of the range covered by one imaging. When calculating the NDVI of the field that is the treatment target area, it is desirable to calculate the NDVI from the spectral reflection characteristics of the plant within a predetermined ratio (for example, 10%) of the size of the entire area. If the effective range in the image is different, the number of imaging processes is also different. Specifically, when the effective range in the captured image is large (larger than a certain value), the number of imaging processes is also reduced, and the effective range in the captured image is small (smaller than a certain value). In that case, the number of times of imaging processing is also increased.

When the required time calculated by the calculation unit 203 exceeds the upper limit of the target required time, the generation unit 204 provides information on the size of the processing target area capable of performing processing at the upper limit (the information regarding the size of the processing target area that can be processed by the upper limit. For example, the ratio of the size of the processing target area that can be processed with the above upper limit to the size of the entire initial processing target area) is generated. As a result, when the entire range of the processing target area cannot be processed within the target required time, the processing completion degree in the entire processing target area can be estimated.

The evaluation value calculation unit 206 calculates the NDVI from the spectral reflection characteristics of the plant in this image based on the image data input by the input unit 201.

The output unit 205 outputs the required time calculated by the calculation unit 203, the information generated by the generation unit 204, or the NDVI calculated by the evaluation value calculation unit 206.

Operation Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the following description, when the flying object 10 is described as the main body of processing, specifically, the processor 11 is loaded by loading predetermined software (program) on hardware such as the processor 11 and the memory 12. Means that the process is executed by performing the calculation and controlling the communication by the communication device 14 and the reading and / or writing of the data in the memory 12 and the storage 13. The same applies to the server device 20.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the required time calculation operation of the server device 20. First, the input unit 201 inputs to the server device 20 the target accuracy for the processing performed by the flying object 10 on the field which is the processing target area and the size of the processing target area (step S11). This input may be performed by an input device connected to the server device 20, or may be performed by a remote control device of the aircraft 10.

Based on the information input by the input unit 201, the specifying unit 202 specifies the target accuracy for the processing performed by the aircraft 10 on the processing target area and the size of the processing target area (step S12).

The calculation unit 203 calculates the time required for the flying object 10 to perform the imaging process so as to achieve the specified target accuracy for the processing target area of the specified size as follows ( Step S13).

The accuracy A is expressed by a function f of the flight altitude h of the flying object 10 as shown in the following equation.
A = f (h)

When the flying object 10 images the area to be processed, the higher the flight altitude, the more the effect is that the reflected light is received from a wide ground range other than the area directly under the flying object 10. Therefore, this function f is designed to be a function in which the accuracy A decreases as the flight altitude h of the flying object 10 increases.

The required time T is expressed by a function g of the flight altitude h and the flight speed v of the flying object 10 as shown in the following equation.
T = g (h, v)

Here, since the imaging is performed with the flying object 10 stopped, the flight speed v is the speed at which the flying object 10 moves between the respective imaging positions. Further, the function g may include the area and shape of the processing target area (field), the effective range Pu, the stop time at the time of shooting (time to temporarily stop at the time of shooting), the number of times of shooting, and the like as variables.

Here, the meanings of the functions f and g will be described. First, the flight altitude h is determined by the function f from the accuracy A. Next, based on the flight altitude h and the effective range Pu, the imaging range to be covered by the flying object 10 in one imaging is determined. Then, a flight plan including various flight conditions is determined based on the one-time imaging range and the size of the processing target area. This flight plan determines the time T required for the flight body 10 to process. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 7, when the flight altitude is low and the flight path to the processing target area is high density, the required time T becomes long. On the other hand, when the flight altitude is high and the flight path to the processing target area has a low density (that is, the processing range per unit interval is wide), the required time T becomes short.

When the required time T calculated by the calculation unit 203 exceeds the upper limit of the target required time (step S14; NO), the generation unit 204 can perform processing at the upper limit of the processing target area. Generate information about the size of (step S15). Specifically, when the size Sl of the processing target area where processing can be performed at the upper limit, the size S of the processing target area, and the upper limit Tt of the target required time, it is expressed as follows.
Size Sl = (Tt / T) x S

The generation unit 204 generates (Sl / S) × 100 (%) as information regarding the size of the processing target area that can be processed at the upper limit.

The output unit 205 outputs the required time T calculated by the calculation unit 203 or the information ((Sl / S) × 100 (%)) generated by the generation unit 204 (step S16).

According to the above embodiment, when the flying object 10 performs the processing with the required accuracy, the time required for the processing can be known.

Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The above-described embodiment may be modified as follows. Further, the following two or more modified examples may be combined and carried out.
Modification 1
For example, the solar altitude differs depending on the imaging time such as morning / afternoon, time zone, moon, or season, and as a result, the amount of light at the time of imaging differs. Therefore, the calculation unit 203 should correct the required time according to the imaging time. It may be. Specifically, since the correction formula based on the amount of light L at the time of imaging can be expressed by the function e (t) of the time t, the required time T is corrected by the mathematical formula of the required time T × e (t). Further, the calculation unit 203 may correct the required time according to the amount of light itself at the time of imaging. Specifically, the required time T is corrected by the mathematical formula of the required time T × d (L) using the function d (L) related to the amount of light L at the time of imaging.

Modification 2
The calculation unit 203 may compare the lower limit of the required time according to the execution of the calibration for the process with the target required time, and generate information according to the comparison result. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the processing can be completed within the target time when calibrated. Specifically, before the imaging process, an object of a predetermined color such as a white plate is imaged and the imaging device is calibrated. By this calibration, the lower limit of the time required when the flying object 10 performs processing at a certain flight speed and flight altitude with a predetermined target accuracy is obtained. The calculation unit 203 compares the lower limit of the required time according to the execution of calibration for the process with the target required time, and generates information (for example, the ratio of the former to the latter) according to the comparison result.

Modification 3
As described above, since there is a certain relationship between the amount of light at the time of imaging and the imaging timing, the calculation unit 203 may change the effective range Pu according to the imaging timing.

Modification 4
In the present invention, the processing performed by the flying object is not limited to the imaging process of the field or the like. Further, each of the above-mentioned mathematical expressions is only an example, and addition of a constant or a coefficient to the above-mentioned mathematical expression is arbitrary.

Other Modifications The block diagram used in the description of the above embodiment shows a block of functional units. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of hardware and / or software. Further, the means for realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized by one physically and / or logically coupled device, or directly and / or indirectly by two or more physically and / or logically separated devices. (For example, wired and / or wireless) may be connected and realized by these a plurality of devices.
Further, at least a part of the functions of the server device 20 may be mounted on the flying object 10. Similarly, at least some of the functions of the flying object 10 may be implemented in the server device 20.

Each aspect / embodiment described herein includes LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G, 5G, FRA (Future Radio Access), W-CDMA. (Registered Trademarks), GSM (Registered Trademarks), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, UWB (Ultra-WideBand), It may be applied to systems utilizing Bluetooth®, other suitable systems and / or next-generation systems extended based on them.

The order of the processing procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc. of each aspect / embodiment described in the present specification may be changed as long as there is no contradiction. For example, the methods described herein present elements of various steps in an exemplary order, and are not limited to the particular order presented.
Each aspect / embodiment described in the present specification may be used alone, in combination, or switched with execution. Further, the notification of predetermined information (for example, the notification of "being X") is not limited to the explicit one, but is performed implicitly (for example, the notification of the predetermined information is not performed). May be good.

The terms "system" and "network" as used herein are used interchangeably.

The information or parameters described in the present specification may be represented by an absolute value, a relative value from a predetermined value, or another corresponding information. For example, the radio resource may be indexed.

The names used for the above parameters are not limited in any way. Further, mathematical formulas and the like using these parameters may differ from those expressly disclosed herein. Since the various channels (eg, PUCCH, PDCCH, etc.) and information elements (eg, TPC, etc.) can be identified by any suitable name, the various names assigned to these various channels and information elements are in any respect. However, it is not limited.

The terms "determining" and "determining" as used herein may include a wide variety of actions. "Judgment" and "decision" are, for example, judgment, calculation, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (for example, table). , Searching in a database or another data structure), ascertaining can be regarded as "judgment" or "decision". Further, "judgment" and "decision" are receiving (for example, receiving information), transmitting (for example, transmitting information), input (input), output (output), and access. (Accessing) (for example, accessing data in memory) may be regarded as "determined" or "determined". In addition, "judgment" and "decision" mean that "resolving", "selecting", "choosing", "establishing", "comparing", etc. are regarded as "judgment" and "decision". Can include. That is, "judgment" and "decision" may include that some action is regarded as "judgment" and "decision".

The present invention may be provided as a flight control method or an information processing method including processing steps performed in the flight control system 1 or the server device 20. Further, the present invention may be provided as a program executed by the flying object 10 or the server device 20. Such a program may be provided in the form of being recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk, or may be provided in the form of being downloaded to a computer via a network such as the Internet and being installed and made available. It is possible.

Software, instructions, etc. may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, the software uses wired technology such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair and digital subscriber line (DSL) and / or wireless technology such as infrared, wireless and microwave to websites, servers, or other When transmitted from a remote source, these wired and / or wireless technologies are included within the definition of transmission medium.

The information, signals, etc. described herein may be represented using any of a variety of different techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to throughout the above description are voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or photons, or any of these. It may be represented by a combination of.

The terms described herein and / or the terms necessary for understanding the present specification may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meanings. For example, the channel and / or symbol may be a signal. Also, the signal may be a message. Further, the component carrier (CC) may be referred to as a carrier frequency, a cell, or the like.

Any reference to elements using designations such as "first", "second" as used herein does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations can be used herein as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Thus, references to the first and second elements do not mean that only two elements can be adopted there, or that the first element must somehow precede the second element.

The "means" in the configuration of each of the above devices may be replaced with a "part", a "circuit", a "device" and the like.

As long as "inclusion," "comprising," and variations thereof are used herein or in the claims, these terms are as comprehensive as the term "comprising." Intended to be targeted. Furthermore, the term "or" as used herein or in the claims is intended not to be an exclusive OR.

Throughout this disclosure, if articles are added by translation, for example a, an, and the in English, unless the context clearly indicates that these articles are not. It shall include more than one.

Although the present invention has been described in detail above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented as modifications and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description of the present specification is for the purpose of exemplification and does not have any limiting meaning to the present invention.

1: Flight control system, 10: Aircraft, 20: Server device, 21: Processor, 22: Memory, 23: Storage, 24: Communication device, 25: Bus, 200: Tracking unit, 201: Input unit, 202: Specific Unit, 203: calculation unit, 204: generation unit, 205: output unit, 206: evaluation value calculation unit.

Claims (8)

Using the image of the processing target area captured by the flying object, the target accuracy, which is the target value of the accuracy of the vegetation index calculated from the spectral reflection characteristics of the plants in the processing target area, and the size of the processing target area are determined. The specific part to identify and
A calculation unit that calculates the time required for the flying object to fly at the flight altitude and image the processing target area of the specified size using the flight altitude that achieves the target accuracy. An information processing device characterized by being provided with. The process is a process performed based on an image of the ground by the flying object.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the required time based on the size of a range covered by one imaging. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the calculation unit changes the size of the effective range of the captured image according to a condition. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the calculation unit changes the size of the effective range according to the amount of light at the time of imaging or the timing of imaging. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the calculation unit corrects the required time according to the amount of light at the time of imaging or the imaging timing. When the required time calculated by the calculation unit exceeds the upper limit of the target required time, the generation for generating information regarding the size of the processing target area capable of performing the processing at the upper limit is generated. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a unit. The calculation unit increases the effective range for which the vegetation index is calculated in the captured image as the amount of light at the time of imaging increases, and the specified target accuracy is achieved based on the size of the effective range. The time required for the flying object to perform the processing of imaging the processing target area of the specified size is calculated so as to be performed.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the information processing device is characterized by the above. When the required time calculated by the calculation unit exceeds the upper limit of the target required time, the processing target area capable of performing the processing at the upper limit with respect to the size of the processing target area. A generator that generates a percentage of size,
Further provided with an output unit that outputs the ratio.
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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