JP7774474B2 - Construction Machinery Monitoring System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a construction machinery monitoring system.

There are systems that allow for monitoring of information about construction machinery on a remote terminal by transmitting information about the position, status, etc. of the machinery from construction machinery deployed at a construction site to the remote terminal. This makes it possible to check in real time on the remote terminal whether the construction machinery is being operated safely. In such systems, information needs to be transmitted from the construction machinery to the remote terminal at short intervals in order to grasp the constantly changing status of the construction machinery in real time. However, transmitting information at high frequencies poses problems such as an increase in communication volume and a lack of communication bandwidth.

As an example of technology for changing communication frequency depending on the situation, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control device that reduces communication load by shortening the communication cycle when a functional unit corresponding to multiple devices related to the vehicle's behavior receives a control request, and lengthening the communication cycle when a different functional unit receives a control request.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-22793

However, when construction machinery travels on roads at construction sites, the road surface is often uneven, causing greater bumps than when traveling on paved asphalt. When construction machinery travels on road surfaces with greater bumps, there is a high risk of the loaded soil falling or the machinery tipping over. For this reason, it is preferable to frequently update the status information of the construction machinery in order to understand its condition.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned issues, and aims to provide a construction machinery monitoring system that can adaptively change the frequency of communication between a construction machinery and a remote terminal when monitoring the construction machinery, thereby optimizing the amount of communication.

To achieve the above objectives, one embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system disclosed herein comprises multiple construction machines equipped with construction machinery control devices, an information terminal installed remotely from the construction machines, and a management device including a management control device and capable of communicating with the construction machines and the information terminal; the construction machinery control device comprises a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the construction machines, an attitude information acquisition unit that acquires attitude information of the construction machines, and a construction machinery communication control unit that transmits construction machinery status information regarding the status of the construction machines, including the position information and the attitude information, at a predetermined transmission interval; the management control device comprises a management communication control unit that acquires the construction machinery status information transmitted from the construction machinery control device and transmits it to the information terminal; a road surface condition determination unit that determines the road surface conditions on which the construction machines are traveling based on the position information and the attitude information; and a transmission interval setting unit that updates and sets the transmission interval based on the road surface conditions.

In a preferred embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system, the management and control device further includes a driving condition determination unit that determines the driving conditions, including the driving speed, of the construction machinery based on the location information, and the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the driving conditions.

In a preferred embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system, the construction machinery status information includes cargo information including the weight of the cargo loaded on the construction machinery, the management control device further includes a cargo status determination unit that determines the cargo status of the construction machinery based on the cargo information, and the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the cargo status.

In a preferred embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system, the construction machinery status information includes drive information indicating the drive status of each part of the construction machinery, the management control device further includes an operation status determination unit that determines the operation status of the construction machinery based on the drive information, and the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the operation status.

In a preferred embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system, the construction machinery status information includes obstacle information including the positions and movement speeds of obstacles around the construction machinery, the management control device further includes an obstacle status determination unit that determines the obstacle status around the construction machinery based on the obstacle information, and the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the obstacle status.

In a preferred embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system, the management and control device further includes an other machinery status determination unit that determines the other machinery status indicating the status of other construction machinery relative to a specified construction machinery based on the position information of multiple construction machinery, and the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the other machinery status.

In a preferred embodiment of the construction machinery monitoring system, when the management control device receives an instruction signal requesting the start of transmission of the construction machinery status information, it begins transmitting the construction machinery status information sent from the construction machinery control device at the transmission interval to the information terminal each time.

According to the present disclosure, when monitoring construction machinery, the frequency of communication between the construction machinery and a remote terminal can be adaptively changed to optimize the amount of communication.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a construction machine monitoring system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration of the construction machine shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of the management device illustrated in FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration of the information terminal shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of an initial setting process of a transmission interval by a management control device. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a process for generating construction machine status information by the construction machine control device. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the transmission process by the construction machine control device. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a transmission interval setting process performed by the management control device.

The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the description of the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that are replaceable and easy for those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially identical. Furthermore, the components in the embodiments described below can be variously omitted, replaced, or modified without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. In the following embodiments, the components necessary to illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described, and other components will be omitted.

(Embodiment)
[Configuration of construction machinery monitoring system]
Using Figure 1, a construction machine monitoring system 1 including a plurality of construction machines 10 equipped with a construction machine control device 20 (see Figure 2) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a construction machine monitoring system 1 according to an embodiment. The construction machine monitoring system 1 is a system that transmits information about the construction machines 10 deployed at a construction site via the construction machine control device 20 shown in Figure 2 and can be monitored from a remote information terminal 70.

The construction machinery monitoring system 1 comprises n (n is an integer equal to or greater than 1) construction machines 10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-i (i is an integer equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than n), ..., 10-n, a management device 40, and an information terminal 70. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the n construction machines 10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-i, ..., 10-n, they will be referred to as construction machines 10. Furthermore, the number n of construction machines 10 monitored by the construction machinery monitoring system 1 can increase or decrease depending on the work process at the construction site.

The construction machines 10 are various types of construction machinery, such as hydraulic excavators, backhoes, and crawler dump trucks, that are deployed at construction sites and used for construction work. In this embodiment, the construction machines 10 are assumed to be construction vehicles that move around the construction site. Each construction machine 10 is capable of communicating with the management device 40 via a communications network (WAN or the Internet). The system configuration of the construction machines 10 will be described in detail below.

The management device 40 is installed in a device located remotely from the construction site, on a server on the Internet, or on a cloud server. The management device 40 is capable of communicating with each construction machine 10 via a communications network (WAN or the Internet). The management device 40 is also capable of communicating with each information terminal 70 via a communications network (LAN, WAN, or the Internet). The system configuration of the management device 40 will be described in detail below.

The information terminal 70 is a device installed remotely from the construction site and monitors the construction machines 10 deployed at the construction site. The information terminal 70 is, for example, a personal computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, etc. operated by a supervisor who monitors the construction machines 10 using the information terminal 70. The information terminal 70 is capable of communicating with the management device 40 via a communications network (LAN, WAN, or the Internet). The information terminal 70 is capable of monitoring the location and status of the construction machines 10 via the management device 40. The information terminal 70 may be configured as part of the management device 40. There may also be multiple information terminals 70. The system configuration of the information terminal 70 will be described in detail below.

[Construction machinery system configuration]
The detailed system configuration of the construction machine 10 will be described using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the construction machine 10 shown in Figure 1. The construction machine 10 of the embodiment includes a position detection unit 11, an attitude detection unit 12, a cargo detection unit 13, an obstacle detection unit 14, actuators 15 for each unit, a communication unit 17, and a construction machine control device 20.

The position detection unit 11 detects the position of the construction machine 10 at the construction site. The position detection unit 11 includes, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver (GNSS sensor) that detects the position of the construction machine 10 using the GNSS, and detects the position of the construction machine 10 in a global coordinate system. The position detection unit 11 outputs the position information of the construction machine 10 to the position information acquisition unit 21 of the construction machine control device 20, which will be described later.

The attitude detection unit 12 detects the attitude of the construction machine 10. The attitude includes, for example, roll angle, pitch angle, and yaw angle. The attitude detection unit 12 includes, for example, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that detects three-dimensional angular velocity and acceleration using a three-axis gyro sensor and a three-directional acceleration sensor. The attitude detection unit 12 outputs attitude information of the construction machine 10 to the attitude information acquisition unit 22 of the construction machine control device 20, which will be described later.

The load detection unit 13 detects the presence and weight of a load loaded on the construction machine 10. The load detection unit 13 includes, for example, a weighing scale. The load detection unit 13 outputs load information for the construction machine 10 to the load information acquisition unit 23 of the construction machine control device 20, described below. Note that the load information is not limited to that in the embodiment in which the actual presence and weight of a load is detected by a load detection unit 13, such as a weighing scale, but may also be predicted based on a prior operation schedule and the current process, using, for example, operation instruction information Dc acquired by the operation instruction acquisition unit 26, described below, and drive information (operation feedback information) indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 of each part acquired by the actuator control unit 25.

The obstacle detection unit 14 detects the position and movement speed of obstacles around the construction machine 10. The obstacle detection unit 14 includes, for example, an imaging device such as a visible light camera or an infrared (IR) camera, or a measuring instrument such as a range sensor, a laser scanner, a laser range finder (LRF), or a light detection and ranging (LIDAR). When the obstacle detection unit 14 includes an imaging device, for example, multiple obstacle detection units 14 are arranged to capture images in all directions around the construction machine 10, capture images of the surroundings of the construction machine 10, and obtain obstacle information for the construction machine 10 from the captured images. When the obstacle detection unit 14 includes a measuring instrument, for example, the obstacle detection unit 14 radiates multiple laser beams toward the surroundings, receives the light reflected from the surfaces of surrounding objects, and obtains point cloud information, which is a collection of points indicating the position of the object's surface, based on the direction of irradiation and the time required from irradiation to reception. The obstacle detection unit 14 obtains this point cloud information as obstacle information for the construction machine 10. The obstacle detection unit 14 outputs the obstacle information around the construction machine 10 to the obstacle information acquisition unit 24 of the construction machine control device 20, which will be described later.

In this embodiment, the actuators 15 for each part include actuators 15 for moving the construction machine 10 and performing construction work. Construction work includes, for example, loading, waste soil, excavation, etc. The actuators 15 perform predetermined control based on control signals output from the actuator control unit 25 of the construction machine control device 20 (described below). The actuators 15 output drive information (operation feedback information) indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 to the actuator control unit 25.

The communication unit 17 performs data communication to exchange various data with the management device 40 via a communication network. The communication unit 17 transmits various data to the management device 40 based on a communication control signal output from the communication control unit 27 of the construction machinery control device 20 (described below). The communication unit 17 transmits, for example, construction machinery information Dv and construction machinery status information Ds. The communication unit 17 outputs various data received from the management device 40 to the communication control unit 27. The communication unit 17 receives, for example, operation instruction information Dc and transmission interval instruction information Dt.

The construction machine information Dv is, for example, information that is stored in advance in the storage device of the construction machine control device 20 (described below). The construction machine information Dv includes, for example, the model name, type of machine, and weight and other specifications of the construction machine 10, the planned traveling speed, the type of work, and whether the machine is manned or unmanned. In other words, the communication unit 17 transmits the construction machine information Dv of the construction machine 10 on which the communication unit 17 is installed.

The construction machine status information Ds is information generated by the construction machine status information generation unit 29 of the construction machine control device 20, which will be described later. The construction machine status information Ds includes at least position information indicating the current position of the construction machine 10 and attitude information indicating the attitude of the construction machine 10. The construction machine status information Ds may include, for example, travel information including the movement speed of the construction machine 10, the load status of earth and sand being transported by the construction machine 10, obstacle information including the position and movement speed of obstacles around the construction machine 10, and drive information (feedback information) indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machine 10. In other words, the communication unit 17 transmits the construction machine status information Ds of the construction machine 10 itself on which the communication unit 17 is installed.

The operation instruction information Dc includes scenario operation instructions specified for the construction machine 10. A scenario describes the operations to be performed by the construction machine 10 in a sequence. Operations included in the operation instruction information Dc received by the construction machine 10-1 include, for example, "drive to point A," "dig at point B," "load the construction machine 10-2," and "drive to point C." Operations included in the operation instruction information Dc received by the construction machine 10-2 include, for example, "drive to point B," "load at point B," "drive to point D," "dump soil at point D," and "drive to point E." In other words, the communication unit 17 receives operation instruction information Dc that is instructed to the construction machine 10 on which the communication unit 17 is mounted.

The transmission interval instruction information Dt is instruction information that sets the transmission interval ST at which the communication unit 17 transmits construction machine status information Ds to the management device 40. The transmission interval ST is set in the management device 40.

The construction machine control device 20 includes a processing unit that executes a predetermined control program, a storage device that stores various control programs and data used for various control processes, and an input/output interface device that serves as a means of communication with the various devices of the construction machine 10. The construction machine control device 20 is implemented with one or more processing units, one or more storage devices, and multiple input/output interfaces.

The arithmetic processing device may be implemented, for example, by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MCU (Micro Controller Unit), microprocessor, microcomputer, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or system LSI (Large Scale Integration). The storage device may be implemented, for example, by non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a minidisk, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc).

The construction machinery control device 20 includes a position information acquisition unit 21, an attitude information acquisition unit 22, a cargo information acquisition unit 23, an obstacle information acquisition unit 24, an actuator control unit 25, an operation instruction acquisition unit 26, a communication control unit 27, a transmission interval memory unit 28, and a construction machinery status information generation unit 29.

The location information acquisition unit 21 acquires location information of the construction machine 10 at the construction site acquired by the location detection unit 11 from the location detection unit 11. The location information acquisition unit 21 outputs the acquired location information to the construction machine status information generation unit 29.

The attitude information acquisition unit 22 acquires, from the attitude detection unit 12, attitude information of the construction machine 10 acquired by the attitude detection unit 12. The attitude information acquisition unit 22 outputs the acquired attitude information to the construction machine status information generation unit 29.

The cargo information acquisition unit 23 acquires cargo information for the construction machine 10 acquired by the cargo detection unit 13 from the cargo detection unit 13. The cargo information acquisition unit 23 outputs the acquired cargo information to the construction machine status information generation unit 29.

The obstacle information acquisition unit 24 acquires obstacle information around the construction machine 10 acquired by the obstacle detection unit 14 from the obstacle detection unit 14. The obstacle information acquisition unit 24 outputs the acquired obstacle information to the construction machine status information generation unit 29.

The actuator control unit 25 outputs control signals to control the actuators 15 of each part in accordance with the operation instruction information Dc acquired by the operation instruction acquisition unit 26 (described below). That is, the actuator control unit 25 outputs drive signals to drive the actuators 15 of each part to realize the operation of each part of the construction machine 10 in accordance with the scenario described in the operation instruction information Dc. The actuator control unit 25 acquires drive information (operation feedback information) from the actuators 15 that indicates the drive status of the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machine 10. The actuator control unit 25 outputs the acquired drive information to the construction machine status information generation unit 29.

The operation instruction acquisition unit 26 acquires and stores operation instruction information Dc received by the communication unit 17. When the communication unit 17 receives new operation instruction information Dc, the operation instruction acquisition unit 26 adds the new operation instruction information Dc to the already stored operation instruction information Dc and stores it, or overwrites the already stored operation instruction information Dc with the new operation instruction information Dc and stores it.

The communication control unit 27 controls communication in the communication unit 17. The communication control unit 27 outputs communication information including construction machine information Dv of the construction machine 10 to the communication unit 17, for example, when the construction machine 10 is started or when the construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1. The communication control unit 27, for example, causes the communication unit 17 to transmit the construction machine information Dv to the management device 40. The communication control unit 27, for example, outputs operation instruction information Dc received by the communication unit 17 to the operation instruction acquisition unit 26. The communication control unit 27, for example, outputs transmission interval instruction information Dt received by the communication unit 17 to the transmission interval memory unit 28. The communication control unit 27, for example, acquires construction machine status information Ds output from the construction machine status information generation unit 29. The communication control unit 27 outputs communication information including the acquired construction machine status information Ds to the communication unit 17. The communication control unit 27 causes the communication unit 17 to transmit the construction machine status information Ds to the management device 40 at the transmission interval ST stored in the transmission interval memory unit 28.

The transmission interval memory unit 28 stores the transmission interval ST based on the transmission interval instruction information Dt received by the communication unit 17. When the communication unit 17 receives new transmission interval instruction information Dt, the transmission interval memory unit 28 sets a new updated transmission interval ST based on the new transmission interval instruction information Dt. Note that the new updated transmission interval ST may be overwritten and stored.

The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 generates construction machinery status information Ds to be transmitted to the management device 40. The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 acquires the position information of the construction machinery 10 at the construction site acquired by the position information acquisition unit 21. The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 acquires the attitude information of the construction machinery 10 acquired by the attitude information acquisition unit 22 from the attitude information acquisition unit 22. The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 acquires the load information of the construction machinery 10 acquired by the load information acquisition unit 23 from the load information acquisition unit 23. The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 acquires the obstacle information around the construction machinery 10 acquired by the obstacle information acquisition unit 24 from the obstacle information acquisition unit 24. The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 acquires the drive information indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machinery 10 acquired by the actuator control unit 25 from the actuator control unit 25. The construction machine status information generation unit 29 generates construction machine status information Ds based on the acquired position information, attitude information, cargo information, obstacle information, and drive information. The construction machine status information generation unit 29 outputs the generated construction machine status information Ds to the communication control unit 27.

[System configuration of management device]
The detailed system configuration of the management device 40 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the management device 40 shown in Fig. 1. The management device 40 includes a storage unit 41, a communication unit 42, and a management control device 50.

The memory unit 41 includes a storage device that stores various control programs for the management device 40, data used for various control processes, and data related to the objects monitored by the construction machinery monitoring system 1. The storage device may be implemented, for example, as RAM, ROM, HDD, flash memory, non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as EPROM or EEPROM (registered trademark), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a minidisk, or a DVD. The memory unit 41 stores map information Dm and construction machinery information Dv. The map information Dm includes information mapping the construction objects, material storage areas, waste soil storage areas, and travel routes of the work area of the construction machinery 10 at the construction site. The map information Dm is stored in advance in the memory unit 41. The map information Dm can be updated by the data update unit 51 of the management control device 50, described below. The updated map information Dm includes, for example, information on the road surface at the construction site and information on obstacles mapped based on the construction machine status information Ds received from the construction machine 10. The construction machine information Dv stored in the memory unit 41 is information received by the communication unit 42 from each of the multiple construction machines 10 via the communication network.

The communication unit 42 performs data communication to exchange various data between multiple construction machines 10 and the information terminal 70 via a communication network. The communication unit 42 outputs various data received from multiple construction machines 10 and the information terminal 70 to the communication control unit 52. The communication unit 42, for example, receives construction machine information Dv and construction machine status information Ds from each construction machine 10. The communication unit 42, for example, receives operation instruction information Dc from the information terminal 70. The communication unit 42 transmits various data to the multiple construction machines 10 and the information terminal 70 based on communication control signals output from the communication control unit 52 of the management control device 50 (described below). The communication unit 42, for example, transmits map information Dm, construction machine information Dv and construction machine status information Ds for each construction machine 10, and site information Df to the information terminal 70. The communication unit 42, for example, transmits operation instruction information Dc and transmission interval instruction information Dt to each construction machine 10.

The site information Df is information generated by the site information generation unit 56 of the management control device 50, which will be described later. The site information Df includes information on the construction site based on the construction machine status information Ds transmitted from each construction machine 10, linked to the coordinate information of the map information Dm. The site information Df includes, for example, road surface information such as unevenness, dampness, and puddles, information on objects not included in the map information Dm, and information on changes in material storage areas, waste soil storage areas, and travel routes included in the map information Dm. The site information Df may also include, for example, weather information.

The communication unit 42, for example, transmits map information Dm stored in advance in the memory unit 41 to the information terminal 70. The communication unit 42, for example, receives construction machine information Dv from each construction machine 10. The communication unit 42, for example, transmits the construction machine information Dv received from each construction machine 10 and stored in the memory unit 41 to the information terminal 70. The communication unit 42, for example, receives operation instruction information Dc and transmission interval instruction information Dt for each construction machine 10 from the information terminal 70. The communication unit 42, for example, transmits the operation instruction information Dc and transmission interval instruction information Dt to each construction machine 10. The communication unit 42, for example, receives construction machine status information Ds from each construction machine 10. The communication unit 42, for example, transmits the construction machine status information Ds and updated site information Df for each construction machine 10 to the information terminal 70.

The management control device 50 includes a processing unit that executes predetermined control programs to realize the various functions of the management device 40. The processing unit may be implemented by a processor such as a CPU, MCU, microprocessor, microcomputer, GPU, DSP, or system LSI.

The management control device 50 includes a data update unit 51, a communication control unit 52, an operation instruction acquisition unit 53, a construction machine status information acquisition unit 54, an instruction information generation unit 55, a site information generation unit 56, a road surface condition determination unit 60, a driving status determination unit 61, a cargo status determination unit 62, an obstacle status determination unit 63, an operation status determination unit 64, a other machine status determination unit 65, and a transmission interval setting unit 66.

The data update unit 51 overwrites or accumulates new data over data including map information Dm and construction machine information Dv stored in the memory unit 41. The data update unit 51 acquires site information Df from the site information generation unit 56. The data update unit 51 stores the acquired site information Df linked to the coordinate information of the map information Dm stored in the memory unit 41. When a new construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1 and the communication unit 17 receives construction machine information Dv of the new construction machine 10 from the new construction machine 10, the data update unit 51 accumulates and stores the construction machine information Dv of the construction machine 10 in the construction machine information Dv of the memory unit 41.

The communication control unit 52 controls communication in the communication unit 42. For example, when the communication unit 42 receives an instruction signal requesting the transmission of specific map information Dm, the communication control unit 52 outputs communication information including the requested map information Dm and transmits it to the information terminal 70. The communication control unit 52 requests the map information Dm, for example, when the construction machinery monitoring system 1 is started, when monitoring of the construction machinery 10 deployed at the construction site begins, or when the user operating the information terminal 70 performs a specific operation.

For example, when the communication control unit 52 receives an instruction signal from the information terminal 70 requesting the transmission of construction machine information Dv, it transmits the requested construction machine information Dv to the information terminal 70. The timing at which the communication control unit 52 is requested for the construction machine information Dv can be, for example, when the construction machine monitoring system 1 is started, when monitoring of a construction machine 10 deployed at a construction site begins, when a new construction machine 10 is deployed at a construction site, or when a user operating the information terminal 70 performs a specified operation.

For example, when the communication control unit 52 receives an instruction signal requesting the start of transmission of construction machine status information Ds, it starts transmitting the construction machine status information Ds to the information terminal 70, and transmits the construction machine status information Ds transmitted from each construction machine 10 at a predetermined transmission interval ST to the information terminal 70 each time. The timing at which the communication control unit 52 is requested to start transmitting the construction machine status information Ds can be, for example, when the construction machine monitoring system 1 is started, when monitoring of a construction machine 10 deployed at a construction site begins, when a new construction machine 10 is deployed at a construction site, or when a user operating the information terminal 70 performs a predetermined operation.

The communication control unit 52 may, for example, transmit the site information Df to the information terminal 70 at the same time as the construction machine status information Ds. The communication control unit 52 may, for example, transmit the site information Df to the information terminal 70 if the site information Df is updated while the construction machine status information Ds is being periodically transmitted.

The operation instruction acquisition unit 53 acquires the operation instruction information Dc received by the communication unit 42. The operation instruction acquisition unit 53 outputs the acquired operation instruction information Dc to the instruction information generation unit 55.

The construction machine status information acquisition unit 54 acquires the construction machine status information Ds received by the communication unit 42. The construction machine status information acquisition unit 54 outputs the acquired construction machine status information Ds to the road surface condition determination unit 60, driving condition determination unit 61, cargo condition determination unit 62, obstacle condition determination unit 63, operating condition determination unit 64, other machine status determination unit 65, and transmission interval setting unit 66.

The instruction information generation unit 55 generates instruction information including operation instruction information Dc and transmission interval instruction information Dt to be transmitted to each construction machine 10. The instruction information generation unit 55 acquires operation instruction information Dc including operation instructions for each construction machine 10 acquired by the operation instruction acquisition unit 53. The instruction information generation unit 55 acquires transmission interval instruction information Dt including the transmission interval ST corresponding to each construction machine 10 set by the transmission interval setting unit 66. The instruction information generation unit 55 generates the acquired operation instruction information Dc and transmission interval instruction information Dt as instruction information to be transmitted to each construction machine 10. The instruction information generation unit 55 outputs the generated instruction information to the communication control unit 52.

The site information generation unit 56 generates site information Df including various current status information for the construction site whose map is stored in the map information Dm. The site information generation unit 56 acquires the construction machine status information Ds for each construction machine 10 acquired by the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54. The site information generation unit 56 generates site information Df for the construction site linked to the coordinate information in the map information Dm based on the construction machine status information Ds from multiple construction machines 10. The site information generation unit 56 outputs the generated site information Df to the data update unit 51 and the communication control unit 52.

The road surface condition judgment unit 60 acquires the position information of each construction machine 10 at the construction site acquired by the position information acquisition unit 21 of that construction machine 10 from the construction machine condition information acquisition unit 54. The road surface condition judgment unit 60 acquires the attitude information of that construction machine 10 acquired by the attitude information acquisition unit 22 of that construction machine 10 from the construction machine condition information acquisition unit 54. The road surface condition judgment unit 60 judges the road surface conditions of the road surface on which the construction machine 10 is traveling based on the acquired position information and attitude information. More specifically, the road surface condition judgment unit 60 judges the road surface conditions, including the unevenness of the road surface on which the construction machine 10 is traveling and the degree of tortuosity of the passage, based on the position of the construction machine 10 detected by the position detection unit 11 of the construction machine 10 and the three-dimensional angular velocity and acceleration of the construction machine 10 detected by the attitude detection unit 12 of the construction machine 10. The road surface condition determination unit 60 may, for example, preset a correspondence table between each detected measurement value or a value calculated using a preset formula based on each measurement value and an index indicating an index of road surface conditions, and determine the road surface conditions based on the correspondence table. The road surface condition determination unit 60 outputs the road surface condition determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66.

The traveling condition determination unit 61 acquires the position information of each construction machine 10 at the construction site acquired by the position information acquisition unit 21 of that construction machine 10 from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54. The traveling condition determination unit 61 determines the traveling condition, including the traveling speed, of that construction machine 10 based on the acquired position information. The traveling condition determination unit 61 outputs the travel condition determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66.

The load status determination unit 62 acquires the load information of each construction machine 10 acquired by the load information acquisition unit 23 of that construction machine 10 from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54. The load status determination unit 62 determines the load status, including the weight of the load loaded on that construction machine 10, based on the acquired load information. The load status determination unit 62 outputs the load information determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66.

The obstacle situation determination unit 63 obtains obstacle information around each construction machine 10 obtained by the obstacle information acquisition unit 24 of that construction machine 10 from the construction machine situation information acquisition unit 54. The obstacle information includes, for example, the presence or absence of an object within a predetermined distance, the object's movement speed and direction, and other information regarding the risk of a collision or other risk if the construction machine 10 continues to operate. The obstacle situation determination unit 63 determines the obstacle situation around the construction machine 10, including the position and movement speed of obstacles, based on the obtained obstacle information. The obstacle situation determination unit 63 outputs the obstacle situation determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66.

The operation status determination unit 64 acquires drive information indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machine 10, acquired by the actuator control unit 25 of each construction machine 10, from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54. The operation status determination unit 64 determines the operation status of the construction machine 10 based on the acquired drive information. The operation status indicates the state of operation of the construction machine 10 caused by the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machine 10, such as while turning, digging, stopped, or while the arm is extending or retracting. The operation status determination unit 64 determines the operating range of the construction machine 10 based on the operation of the actuators 15 of each part, such as whether the operation has a low impact on the surroundings of the construction machine 10, such as while turning, digging, or stopped, or whether the operation has a high impact on the surroundings of the construction machine 10, such as while the arm is extended. The operation status determination unit 64 outputs the determination result of the operation status to the transmission interval setting unit 66.

The other machine status determination unit 65 obtains the position information of each construction machine 10 at the construction site, which has been obtained by the position information acquisition unit 21 of each construction machine 10, from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54. The other machine status determination unit 65 obtains drive information indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 of each part of each construction machine 10, which has been obtained by the actuator control unit 25 of each construction machine 10, from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54. The other machine status determination unit 65 determines the other machine status relative to the construction machine 10 based on the position information and drive information of the construction machine 10 and the position information and drive information of construction machines 10 other than the construction machine 10 in question. The other machine status determination unit 65 outputs the determination result of the other machine status to the transmission interval setting unit 66.

The transmission interval setting unit 66 sets the transmission interval ST at which the communication unit 17 transmits the construction machine status information Ds under the control of the communication control unit 27 of each construction machine 10. The transmission interval setting unit 66 sets the transmission interval ST based on the transmission interval initial value STinit of each construction machine 10, for example, when the construction machine monitoring system 1 is started up or when a construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1. The transmission interval initial value STinit is, for example, a value that is preset for each individual construction machine 10. The transmission interval initial value STinit may be included in the construction machine information Dv pre-stored in the storage device of the construction machine control device 20 of each construction machine 10, or may be set by input from an external source. The initial transmission interval ST is calculated, for example, using the formula ST = STinit. The initial transmission interval ST-i of a construction machine 10-i (see Figure 1) is calculated, for example, using the formula ST-i = STinit-i.

The transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the judgment result of the road surface conditions from the road surface condition judgment unit 60. The transmission interval setting unit 66 updates and sets the transmission interval ST of each construction machine 10 based on at least the road surface conditions. The transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the judgment result of the traveling condition from the traveling condition judgment unit 61. The transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the judgment result of the load information from the load condition judgment unit 62. The transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the judgment result of the obstacle condition from the obstacle condition judgment unit 63. The transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the judgment result of the operating condition from the operating condition judgment unit 64. The transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the judgment result of the other machine conditions from the other machine condition judgment unit 65. The transmission interval setting unit 66 may update and set the transmission interval ST based on at least one of the traveling condition, load condition, obstacle condition, operating condition, and other machine conditions. The transmission interval setting unit 66 outputs the set transmission interval ST to the instruction information generation unit 55.

[Information terminal system configuration]
A detailed system configuration of the information terminal 70 will be described using Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the information terminal 70 shown in Fig. 1. The information terminal 70 includes an operation unit 71, a display unit 72, a communication unit 73, and a calculation unit 74.

The operation unit 71 can accept various operations for the calculation unit 74. The operation unit 71 can accept, for example, an operation to request the management device 40 for map information Dm of the construction site, site information Df, and construction machine information Dv of multiple construction machines 10. The operation unit 71 can accept, for example, an operation to request the management device 40 to start regular transmission of construction machine status information Ds for multiple construction machines 10. The operation unit 71 can accept an operation to specify each construction machine 10 and instruct a scenario operation. The operation unit 71 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the accepted operation to the calculation unit 74. The operation unit 71 can be realized, for example, by a physical switch, a keyboard, or a touch panel provided on the display unit 72.

The display unit 72 displays various images based on the video signal output from the calculation unit 74. The display unit 72 displays, for example, map information Dm of the construction site, mapping information in which the location information of the construction machine 10 is overlaid on the map information Dm, the operating status of the construction machine 10, road surface conditions, etc. The display unit 72 may include a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electro-luminescence display (OLED), or an inorganic electro-luminescence display (IELD). The display unit 72 may include an input device such as a touch screen.

The communication unit 73 performs data communication to exchange various data with the management device 40 via the communication network. The communication unit 73 outputs various data received from the management device 40 to the calculation unit 74. The communication unit 73 transmits various data to the management device 40 based on communication control signals output from the calculation unit 74. The communication unit 73 transmits, for example, operation instruction information Dc input from the operation unit 71 to the management device 40. The communication unit 73 receives, for example, map information Dm, construction machine information Dv of each construction machine 10, construction machine status information Ds of each construction machine 10, and site information Df of the construction site from the management device 40.

The calculation unit 74 includes a calculation processing unit that executes predetermined control programs to realize various functions of the information terminal 70. The calculation processing unit may be implemented by a processor such as a CPU, MCU, microprocessor, microcomputer, GPU, DSP, or system LSI. The calculation unit 74 can accept various operation signals from the operation unit 71. The calculation unit 74 controls the display unit 72 and communication unit 73.

[Processing by the construction machine control device and management control device]
The processing flow by the construction machine control device 20 and the management control device 50 will be described using Figures 5 to 8. First, using Figure 5, the processing flow for initially setting the transmission interval ST at which the construction machine 10 transmits construction machine status information Ds, which indicates information about the status of the construction machine 10 including position information and attitude information of the construction machine 10, to the management device 40 will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow for initially setting the transmission interval ST by the management control device 50. The processing shown in Figure 5 is executed by the management control device 50 based on a predetermined control program and data. For example, when the construction machine monitoring system 1 is started up or a new construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1, the management control device 50 proceeds to step S11 shown in Figure 5 and starts processing.

In the first step S11, the management control device 50 resets i, which indicates the ordinal number of the construction machine 10 for which the initial setting process for the transmission interval ST is to 1 (i←1). The management control device 50 repeatedly executes the processes from step S11 to step S14 until i>n is satisfied in step S11. In other words, the management control device 50 performs the initial setting process for the transmission interval ST for multiple construction machines 10 that are the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1. The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, the management control device 50 causes the transmission interval setting unit 66 to set the transmission interval initial value STinit for the construction machine 10-i. The transmission interval initial value STinit for the construction machine 10-i is calculated using the formula STinit = STinit-i. The transmission interval initial value STinit-i is a value specific to the construction machine 10-i and is included, for example, in the construction machine information Dv pre-stored in the storage device of the construction machine control device 20 for the construction machine 10-i. In this case, the transmission interval setting unit 66 retrieves and sets the transmission interval initial value STinit-i from the construction machine information Dv. The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S13.

In step S13, the transmission interval setting unit 66 of the management control device 50 sets the transmission interval ST based on the transmission interval initial value STinit. In this embodiment, the transmission interval setting unit 66 calculates the transmission interval ST using the formula ST = STinit. The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the management control device 50 sets i←i+1, returns to step S11, and repeatedly executes the loop process from step S11 to step S14 until i>n is satisfied in step S11. If i>n is satisfied in step S11, the management control device 50 terminates the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 5.

Next, using Figure 6, we will explain the flow of the generation process for generating construction machine status information Ds, which indicates information about the status of the construction machine 10, including position information and attitude information of the construction machine 10. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the process for generating construction machine status information Ds by the construction machine control device 20. The process shown in Figure 6 is executed by the construction machine control device 20 based on a predetermined control program and data. The construction machine control device 20 repeatedly executes the process shown in Figure 6 at a predetermined cycle, for example, the same cycle as the transmission interval ST. The construction machine control device 20 transitions to step S21 shown in Figure 6 and starts processing, for example, when the construction machine 10 is started, the construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1, or a predetermined cycle has passed since the previous generation of construction machine status information Ds.

In step S21, the construction machinery control device 20 acquires the position information of the construction machinery 10. Specifically, the position information acquisition unit 21 acquires the position information of the construction machinery 10 at the construction site acquired by the position detection unit 11 from the position detection unit 11, and the construction machinery status information generation unit 29 acquires the position information from the position information acquisition unit 21. The construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to step S22.

In step S22, the construction machine control device 20 acquires posture information of the construction machine 10. Specifically, the posture information acquisition unit 22 acquires the posture information of the construction machine 10 acquired by the posture detection unit 12 from the posture detection unit 12, and the construction machine status information generation unit 29 acquires the posture information from the posture information acquisition unit 22. The construction machine control device 20 proceeds to step S23.

In step S23, the construction machine control device 20 acquires load information including the weight of the load loaded on the construction machine 10. Specifically, the load information acquisition unit 23 acquires the load information of the construction machine 10 acquired by the load detection unit 13 from the load detection unit 13, and the construction machine status information generation unit 29 acquires the load information from the load information acquisition unit 23. The construction machine control device 20 proceeds to step S24.

In step S24, the construction machine control device 20 acquires obstacle information including the positions and movement speeds of obstacles around the construction machine 10. Specifically, the obstacle information acquisition unit 24 acquires obstacle information around the construction machine 10 acquired by the obstacle detection unit 14 from the obstacle detection unit 14, and the construction machine status information generation unit 29 acquires the obstacle information from the obstacle information acquisition unit 24. The construction machine control device 20 proceeds to step S25.

In step S25, the construction machine control device 20 acquires drive information for the construction machine 10. Specifically, the actuator control unit 25 acquires drive information (operation feedback information) from the actuators 15 indicating the drive status of the actuators 15 in each part of the construction machine 10, and the construction machine status information generation unit 29 acquires the drive information from the actuator control unit 25. The construction machine control device 20 proceeds to step S26.

In step S26, the construction machinery control device 20 generates construction machinery status information Ds. Specifically, the construction machinery status information generation unit 29 generates the construction machinery status information Ds based on the acquired position information, posture information, cargo information, obstacle information, and drive information. The construction machinery status information generation unit 29 outputs the generated construction machinery status information Ds to the communication control unit 27. The construction machinery control device 20 then ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

Next, using Figure 7, we will explain the flow of the transmission process for transmitting construction machine status information Ds, which indicates information about the status of the construction machine 10, including position information and attitude information of the construction machine 10, to the management device 40. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the transmission process by the construction machine control device 20. The process shown in Figure 7 is executed by the construction machine control device 20 based on predetermined control programs and data. The construction machine control device 20 transitions to step S31 shown in Figure 7 and starts processing, for example, when the construction machine 10 is started up or when the construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1.

In step S31, the construction machinery control device 20 resets the elapsed time t to 0 (t = 0) and starts the count-up timer. The construction machinery control device 20 then proceeds to step S32.

The construction machinery control device 20 executes the loop process from step S32 to step S39 until the transmission process is completed. The construction machinery control device 20 then proceeds to step S33.

The construction machinery control device 20 executes the loop process from step S33 to step S37 until the elapsed time t exceeds the transmission interval ST, i.e., until t > ST is satisfied. The construction machinery control device 20 then proceeds to step S34.

In step S34, the construction machinery control device 20 determines whether to end the transmission process. The construction machinery control device 20 ends the transmission process when monitoring by the construction machinery monitoring system 1 ends, the construction machinery 10 leaves the construction site, or a predetermined end signal is received from the information terminal 70. If the transmission process is to be ended (step S34; Yes), the construction machinery control device 20 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in Figure 7. If the transmission process is not to be ended (step S34; No), the construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to step S35.

In step S35, the construction machinery control device 20 determines whether or not to update the transmission interval ST. Specifically, it determines whether or not the transmission interval memory unit 28 has stored the new transmission interval ST set by processing the flowchart shown in Figure 8, which will be described later. If the transmission interval ST is to be updated (step S35; Yes), the construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to step S36. If the transmission interval ST is not to be updated (step S35; No), the construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to step S37.

If the transmission interval ST has been updated (Step S35; Yes), the construction machinery control device 20 updates the transmission interval ST in Step S36. Specifically, the construction machinery control device 20 references the updated transmission interval ST as the new transmission interval ST for the transmission interval ST stored in the transmission interval memory unit 28. The construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to Step S37.

If t > ST is not satisfied in step S37, the construction machinery control device 20 returns to step S33 and repeatedly executes the loop processing from step S33 to step S37 until t > ST is satisfied. If t > ST is satisfied in step S37, the construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to step S38.

In step S38, the construction machinery control device 20 executes a transmission process. Specifically, the communication control unit 27 acquires the construction machinery status information Ds generated by the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 from the construction machinery status information generation unit 29, outputs communication information including the acquired construction machinery status information Ds to the communication unit 17, and transmits the construction machinery status information Ds to the management device 40. The construction machinery control device 20 proceeds to step S39.

In step S39, the construction machinery control device 20 resets the elapsed time t to 0 (t←0), returns to step S32, and repeatedly executes steps S32 to S39 until the transmission process is terminated in step S34.

Next, using Figure 8, we will explain the process flow for setting the transmission interval ST, at which the construction machine 10 transmits construction machine status information Ds, which indicates information about the status of the construction machine 10, including the position information and attitude information of the construction machine 10, to the management device 40. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the process flow for setting the transmission interval ST by the management control device 50. The process shown in Figure 8 is executed by the management control device 50 based on a predetermined control program and data. The management control device 50 repeatedly executes the process shown in Figure 8 at a predetermined cycle. The management control device 50 transitions to step S41 shown in Figure 8 and starts processing, for example, when the construction machine monitoring system 1 is started, a new construction machine 10 joins the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1, or a predetermined cycle has passed since the previous transmission interval ST was set.

In step S41, the transmission interval setting unit 66 of the management control device 50 resets the scaling coefficient k to 1 (k = 1). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S42.

In the first step S42, the management control device 50 resets i, which indicates the ordinal number of the construction machine 10 for which the transmission interval ST setting process is to be performed, to 1 (i←1). The management control device 50 repeatedly executes the processes from step S42 to step S72 until i>n is satisfied in step S42. In other words, the management control device 50 performs the process of setting the transmission interval ST for multiple construction machines 10 that are the monitoring targets in the construction machine monitoring system 1. The management control device 50 proceeds to step S43.

In step S43, the transmission interval setting unit 66 of the management control device 50 sets the initial transmission interval STinit for the construction machine 10-i. The initial transmission interval STinit for the construction machine 10-i is calculated using the formula STinit = STinit - i. The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S44.

In step S44, the management control device 50's transmission interval setting unit 66 acquires the scaling factors k1-i, k2-i, k3-i, k4-i, k5-i, and k6-i. The scaling factors k1-i, k2-i, k3-i, k4-i, k5-i, and k6-i are values specific to the construction machine 10-i and are stored in advance, for example, in the storage device of the construction machine control device 20 of the construction machine 10-i. The scaling factors k1-i, k2-i, k3-i, k4-i, k5-i, and k6-i are values set in advance for each item that causes the transmission interval ST to change, and may be different values for each individual construction machine 10.

The scaling factors k1-i, k2-i, k3-i, k4-i, k5-i, and k6-i may all be different values, or some or all may be the same value. When transmitting construction machine status information Ds, if the same frequency band is used and the transmission interval ST is changed by thinning out the data to be transmitted, it is preferable that the scaling factors k1-i, k2-i, k3-i, k4-i, k5-i, and k6-i be powers of 2. The management control device 50 proceeds to step S51.

In step S51, the management control device 50 determines whether the construction machine 10-i is loaded. Specifically, the load status determination unit 62 obtains the load information for the construction machine 10-i obtained by the load information acquisition unit 23 of the construction machine 10-i from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54, and determines the load status, including the weight of the load loaded on the construction machine 10-i, based on the obtained load information. The load status determination unit 62 outputs the load information determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66. Note that the presence of a load refers to, for example, the presence of a load of a predetermined weight or more, and does not include cases where a small amount of soil remains on the construction machine 10-i after soil dumping. If the construction machine 10-i is loaded (step S51; Yes), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S52. If the construction machine 10-i is not loaded (step S51; No), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S53.

In step S52, the transmission interval setting unit 66 of the management control device 50 updates the scaling coefficient k to k1-i (k = k1-i). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S71.

In step S53, the management control device 50 determines whether the vibrations acting on the construction machine 10-i are equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the road surface condition determination unit 60 acquires, from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54, the position information of the construction machine 10-i at the construction site acquired by the position information acquisition unit 21 of the construction machine 10-i, and the attitude information of the construction machine 10-i acquired by the attitude information acquisition unit 22, from the attitude information acquisition unit 22. Based on the acquired position information and attitude information, the road surface condition determination unit 60 determines the road surface conditions of the road on which the construction machine 10-i is traveling. The road surface condition determination unit 60 outputs the road surface condition determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66. Note that vibrations include, for example, values calculated using a predetermined formula from various measured values, such as acceleration, acting on the construction machine 10-i. If the vibrations acting on the construction machine 10-i are equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S53; Yes), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S54. If the vibration acting on the construction machine 10-i is not greater than the predetermined value (step S53: No), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S55.

In step S54, the transmission interval setting unit 66 of the management control device 50 updates the scaling coefficient k to k2-i (k = k2-i). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S71.

In step S55, the management control device 50 determines whether the traveling speed of the construction machine 10-i is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, the traveling status determination unit 61 acquires the location information of the construction machine 10-i at the construction site acquired by the location information acquisition unit 21 of the construction machine 10-i from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54, and determines the traveling speed of the construction machine 10-i based on the acquired location information. The traveling status determination unit 61 outputs the travel speed determination result to the transmission interval setting unit 66. If the traveling speed of the construction machine 10-i is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S55; Yes), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S56. If the traveling speed of the construction machine 10-i is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S55; No), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S57.

In step S56, the management control device 50 causes the transmission interval setting unit 66 to update the scaling coefficient k to k3-i (k = k3-i). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S71.

In step S57, the management control device 50 determines whether the construction machine 10-i is traveling. Specifically, the traveling status determination unit 61 determines the traveling status of the construction machine 10-i based on the location information acquired in step S55. The traveling status determination result is output to the transmission interval setting unit 66. If the construction machine 10-i is traveling (step S57; Yes), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S58. If the construction machine 10-i is not traveling (step S57; No), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S59.

In step S58, the management control device 50 causes the transmission interval setting unit 66 to update the scaling coefficient k to k4-i (k = k4-i). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S71.

In step S59, the management control device 50 determines whether there is an obstacle around the construction machine 10-i. Specifically, the obstacle situation determination unit 63 obtains obstacle information around the construction machine 10-i acquired by the obstacle information acquisition unit 24 of the construction machine 10-i from the construction machine situation information acquisition unit 54, and determines the obstacle situation around the construction machine 10-i, including the position and movement speed of the obstacle, based on the obtained obstacle information. Note that the presence of an obstacle refers to, for example, an obstacle being present within a predetermined first distance, an obstacle being present within a predetermined second distance longer than the first distance and approaching the construction machine 10-i, or an obstacle being present within a predetermined third distance longer than the second distance and approaching the construction machine 10-i at a predetermined speed or greater. Note that other machines may also be included as obstacles. In other words, the other machine situation determination unit 65 may determine the status of other machines and consider them to be obstacles based on the position information and drive information of construction machines 10 other than the construction machine 10-i. If there is an obstacle around the construction machine 10-i (Step S59; Yes), the management control device 50 proceeds to Step S60. If there is no obstacle around the construction machine 10-i (Step S59; No), the management control device 50 proceeds to Step S61.

In step S60, the transmission interval setting unit 66 of the management control device 50 updates the scaling coefficient k to k5-i (k = k5-i). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S71.

In step S61, the management control device 50 determines whether the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machine 10-i are operating in a way that significantly affects the surrounding area. Specifically, the operation status determination unit 34 obtains drive information for the actuators 15 of each part of the construction machine 10-i obtained by the actuator control unit 25 of the construction machine 10-i from the construction machine status information acquisition unit 54, and determines the operation status, including the operating range of the construction machine 10-i, based on the obtained drive information. If the operating range of the construction machine 10-i is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step S61; Yes), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S62. If the operating range of the construction machine 10-i is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S61; No), the management control device 50 proceeds to step S71.

In step S62, the management control device 50 causes the transmission interval setting unit 66 to update the scaling coefficient k to k6-i (k = k6-i). The management control device 50 then proceeds to step S63.

In step S71, the management control device 50 has the transmission interval setting unit 66 set the transmission interval ST-i for the construction machine 10-i. Specifically, the transmission interval ST-i is calculated using the formula ST-i = STinit × k. That is, if the scaling factor k is updated in step S52, step S54, step S56, step S58, step S60, or step S62, the transmission interval ST-i is updated according to the updated scaling factor k. The transmission interval setting unit 66 outputs the set transmission interval ST-i to the instruction information generation unit 55. The management control device 50 proceeds to step S72.

In step S72, the management control device 50 sets i←i+1, resets the scaling factor k to 1 (k←1), returns to step S42, and repeatedly executes the loop process from step S42 to step S72 until i>n is satisfied in step S42. If i>n is satisfied in step S42, the management control device 50 terminates the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 8.

(Effects of the embodiment)
As described above, the construction machinery monitoring system 1 of the embodiment comprises a plurality of construction machines 10 each equipped with a construction machinery control device 20, an information terminal 70 installed remotely from the construction machines 10, and a management device 40 including a management control device 50 and capable of communicating with the construction machines 10 and the information terminal 70, the construction machinery control device 20 including a position information acquisition unit 21 that acquires position information of the construction machines 10, an attitude information acquisition unit 22 that acquires attitude information of the construction machines 10, and a communication control unit 27 that transmits construction machinery status information Ds regarding the status of the construction machines 10 including the position information and attitude information at a predetermined transmission interval ST, and the management control device 50 includes a communication control unit 52 that causes the construction machinery status information Ds transmitted from the construction machinery control device 20 to be transmitted to the information terminal 70, a road surface condition determination unit 60 that determines the road surface conditions of the road surface on which the construction machines 10 are traveling based on the position information and attitude information, and a transmission interval setting unit 66 that updates and sets the transmission interval ST based on the road surface conditions.

The road surfaces at construction sites where construction machines 10 work are bumpy due to unevenness, stones, and soil variations, compared to when traveling on ordinary paved roads. When traveling over such bumpy roads, the risk of accidents, such as the dropping of loaded soil or tipping over, increases. The construction machine monitoring system 1 of the embodiment changes the transmission interval ST based on the road conditions on which each construction machine 10 travels. For example, when a household construction machine 10 passes through a bumpy area where the risk of accidents increases, the transmission interval ST of the construction machine 10 can be shortened and construction machine status information Ds can be output more frequently. This allows a monitor monitoring the status of the construction machine 10 from a remote information terminal 70 to receive construction machine status information Ds more frequently and grasp the situation in real time. On the other hand, when a specific construction machine 10 is traveling over a relatively bumpy area, the transmission interval ST of the construction machine 10 can be lengthened and construction machine status information Ds can be output less frequently, thereby reducing communication volume. Therefore, the construction machine monitoring system 1 of this embodiment can adaptively change the frequency of communication between multiple construction machines 10 and a remote information terminal 70, optimizing the amount of communication.

In addition, in the construction machinery monitoring system 1 of this embodiment, the management control device 50 further includes a driving condition determination unit 61 that determines the driving conditions, including the driving speed, of the construction machinery 10 based on the position information, and the transmission interval setting unit 66 updates and sets the transmission interval ST based on the driving conditions. When the construction machinery 10 is moving at a high speed, the distance traveled between transmission intervals ST increases. In other words, the continuity of the position information included in the construction machinery status information Ds output at each transmission interval ST decreases. In this case, the transmission interval ST is changed based on the driving speed of each construction machinery 10. In other words, for example, when the driving speed of a specific construction machinery 10 is high, the transmission interval ST of that construction machinery 10 can be shortened, and construction machinery status information Ds can be output at a high frequency. This allows a monitor monitoring the status of the construction machinery 10 from a remote information terminal 70 to receive the position information of the construction machinery 10 at a high frequency, enabling continuous tracking of the construction machinery 10's movement footprint. On the other hand, if the traveling speed of a given construction machine 10 is low, the transmission interval ST by that construction machine 10 can be lengthened and construction machine status information Ds can be output less frequently, thereby reducing communication volume.

In addition, in the construction machine control device 20 of this embodiment, the construction machine status information Ds includes load information, including the weight of the load loaded on the construction machine 10. The management control device 50 further includes a load status determination unit 62 that determines the load status of the construction machine 10 based on the load information, and the transmission interval setting unit 66 updates and sets the transmission interval ST based on the load status. When the construction machine 10 is loaded or the load is heavy, the incidence of accidents such as the load dropping or tipping over due to even a small bump increases. In this case, the transmission interval ST is changed based on the load status of the construction machine 10. That is, for example, when a specific construction machine 10 is loaded or the load is heavy, the transmission interval ST of the construction machine 10 can be shortened, allowing the construction machine status information Ds to be output more frequently. This allows a monitor monitoring the status of the construction machine 10 from a remote information terminal 70 to receive the construction machine status information Ds of the construction machine 10 more frequently, enabling real-time status awareness. On the other hand, when a specific construction machine 10 has no load or the weight of the load is small, the transmission interval ST of that construction machine 10 can be lengthened and construction machine status information Ds can be output less frequently, thereby reducing communication volume.

In addition, in the construction machine control device 20 of this embodiment, the construction machine status information Ds includes drive information indicating the drive status of each part of the construction machine 10, and the management control device 50 further includes an operation status determination unit 64 that determines the operation status of the construction machine 10 based on the drive information, and the transmission interval setting unit 66 updates and sets the transmission interval ST based on the operation status. When the construction machine 10 is performing an operation such as digging or turning, or is stopped, the occurrence rate of accidents decreases. In this case, the transmission interval ST is changed based on the operation status of the construction machine 10. In other words, for example, if a specific construction machine 10 or the actuators 15 of each part are not moving around the construction machine 10, the transmission interval ST of that construction machine 10 is lengthened and construction machine status information Ds is output less frequently, thereby reducing communication volume.

In addition, in the construction machine control device 20 of this embodiment, the construction machine status information Ds includes obstacle information, including the position and movement speed of obstacles around the construction machine 10. The management control device 50 further includes an obstacle status determination unit 63 that determines the obstacle status around the construction machine 10 based on the obstacle information. The transmission interval setting unit 66 updates and sets the transmission interval ST based on the obstacle status. The risk of accidents, such as contact with an obstacle, increases when there is an obstacle around the construction machine 10, when approaching an obstacle, or when the obstacle is moving. In this case, the transmission interval ST is changed based on the obstacle status around the construction machine 10. That is, for example, when there is an obstacle load around a specific construction machine 10, the transmission interval ST of the construction machine 10 can be shortened, and construction machine status information Ds can be output frequently. This allows a supervisor monitoring the status of the construction machine 10 from a remote information terminal 70 to receive the construction machine status information Ds of the construction machine 10 frequently, enabling real-time situation awareness. On the other hand, if there are no obstacles around a specific construction machine 10, the transmission interval ST of that construction machine 10 can be lengthened and construction machine status information Ds can be output less frequently, thereby reducing communication volume.

In addition, in the construction machinery monitoring system 1 of this embodiment, the management control device 50 further includes an other machinery status determination unit 65 that determines the other machinery status, indicating the status of other construction machinery 10 relative to a specific construction machinery 10, based on the position information of multiple construction machinery 10. The transmission interval setting unit 66 updates and sets the transmission interval ST based on the other machinery status. When other construction machinery 10 (other machinery) are present around a specific construction machinery 10, when the specific construction machinery 10 is approaching another machinery, or when the other machinery is moving, the occurrence rate of accidents such as collisions with other machinery increases. In this case, the transmission interval ST is changed based on the other machinery status around the construction machinery 10. That is, for example, when another machinery is approaching a specific construction machinery 10, the transmission interval ST of the construction machinery 10 can be shortened, and construction machinery status information Ds can be output frequently. This allows a monitor monitoring the status of the construction machinery 10 from a remote information terminal 70 to receive the construction machinery status information Ds of the construction machinery 10 frequently, enabling real-time situation awareness. On the other hand, if there are no other machines around a given construction machine 10, the transmission interval ST by that construction machine 10 can be lengthened and construction machine status information Ds can be output less frequently, thereby reducing communication volume.

In addition, in the construction machinery monitoring system 1 of this embodiment, when the management control device 50 receives an instruction signal requesting the start of transmission of construction machinery status information Ds, it starts transmitting the construction machinery status information Ds sent from the construction machinery control device 20 at transmission interval ST to the information terminal 70 each time. This makes it possible to suppress communication in situations where monitoring is not necessary, thereby reducing communication volume.

Note that this disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. In other words, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of this disclosure.

For example, if the obstacle situation assessment unit 63 determines that there is an obstacle that poses a risk of collision or other problems if the construction machine 10 continues to operate, the construction machine control device 20 may output a control signal to make an emergency stop of the actuator 15 of the construction machine 10. Furthermore, the construction machine control device 20 may also be capable of receiving a control signal that updates and sets the transmission interval ST stored in the transmission interval memory unit 28 to the transmission interval ST set by the user, based on a predetermined operation by the user operating the information terminal 70.

Furthermore, in the processing of the flowchart shown in Figure 8, one threshold value is set for each judgment, and the two options of whether to change the scaling coefficient k or not are described. However, multiple threshold values may be set for each judgment, and the scaling coefficient k may be changed to a different value at each stage.

Furthermore, the illustrated components of the construction machine control device 20, construction machine 10 including the construction machine control device 20, management control device 50, management device 40 including the management control device 50, information terminal 70, and construction machine monitoring system 1 are functional concepts and do not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown. In other words, the specific forms of the construction machine control device 20, construction machine 10 including the construction machine control device 20, management control device 50, management device 40 including the management control device 50, information terminal 70, and construction machine monitoring system 1 are not limited to those illustrated, and all or part of the construction machine control device 20, construction machine 10 including the construction machine control device 20, management control device 50, management device 40 including the management control device 50, information terminal 70, and construction machine monitoring system 1 may be functionally or physically distributed or integrated in any unit depending on the processing load, usage status, etc. of the construction machine control device 20, construction machine 10 including the construction machine control device 20, management control device 50, management device 40 including the management control device 50, information terminal 70, and construction machine monitoring system 1.

Furthermore, for example, the construction machine control device 20 may be configured to be retrofittable to the construction machine 10, so that the construction machine 10 can operate even when the construction machine control device 20 is not installed. In this case, for example, in the configuration shown in FIG. 2, this is realized by distributing the functions of the actuator control unit 25 between the existing construction machine 10 and the construction machine control device 20. Specifically, this is realized by having the existing construction machine 10 have a drive control unit that controls the drive of the actuator 15, and the construction machine control device 20 have a drive information acquisition unit that acquires drive information (operation feedback information) of the actuator 15.

The configuration of the construction machine control device 20, the construction machine 10 including the construction machine control device 20, the management control device 50, the management device 40 including the management control device 50, the information terminal 70, and the construction machine monitoring system 1 is realized, for example, as software, by programs loaded into memory. In the above embodiment, these functional blocks are described as being realized by the cooperation of these hardware and software. In other words, these functional blocks can be realized in various ways, using only hardware, only software, or a combination of both.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Construction machine monitoring system 10 Construction machine 11 Position detection unit 12 Attitude detection unit 13 Load detection unit 14 Obstacle detection unit 15 Actuator 17 Communication unit 20 Construction machine control device 21 Position information acquisition unit 22 Attitude information acquisition unit 23 Load information acquisition unit 24 Obstacle information acquisition unit 25 Actuator control unit 26 Operation instruction acquisition unit 27 Communication control unit (construction machine communication control unit)
28 Transmission interval storage unit 29 Construction machine status information generation unit 40 Management device 41 Storage unit 42 Communication unit 50 Management control device 51 Data update unit 52 Communication control unit (management communication control unit)
53 Operation instruction acquisition unit 54 Construction machine status information acquisition unit 55 Instruction information generation unit 56 Site information generation unit 60 Road surface status determination unit 61 Traveling status determination unit 62 Load status determination unit 63 Obstacle status determination unit 64 Operation status determination unit 65 Other machine status determination unit 66 Transmission interval setting unit 70 Information terminal 71 Operation unit 72 Display unit 73 Communication unit 74 Calculation unit Dm Map information Dv Construction machine information Ds Construction machine status information Dc Operation instruction information Df Site information Dt Transmission interval instruction information

Claims (7)

A plurality of construction machines each equipped with a construction machine control device;
an information terminal provided remotely from the construction machine;
a management device including a management control device and capable of communicating with the construction machine and the information terminal;
Equipped with
The construction machine control device
a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the construction machine;
a posture information acquisition unit that acquires posture information of the construction machine;
a construction machine communication control unit that transmits construction machine status information regarding the status of the construction machine, including the position information and the attitude information, at a predetermined transmission interval;
Including,
The management control device
a management communication control unit that acquires the construction machine status information transmitted from the construction machine control device and transmits it to the information terminal;
a road surface condition determination unit that determines the road surface condition on which the construction machine travels based on the position information and the attitude information;
a transmission interval setting unit that updates and sets the transmission interval based on the road surface condition;
Construction machinery monitoring system, including The management control device further includes a traveling condition determination unit that determines the traveling condition of the construction machine, including the traveling speed, based on the position information,
the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the traveling status.
The construction machine monitoring system according to claim 1 . The construction machine status information includes cargo information including the weight of the cargo loaded on the construction machine,
The management control device further includes a cargo status determination unit that determines the cargo status of the construction machine based on the cargo information,
the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the cargo status;
The construction machine monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2. The construction machine status information includes drive information indicating the drive status of each part of the construction machine,
The management control device further includes an operation status determination unit that determines the operation status of the construction machine based on the drive information,
the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the operating status.
The construction machine monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. the construction machine status information includes obstacle information including the positions and moving speeds of obstacles around the construction machine,
The management control device further includes an obstacle situation determination unit that determines an obstacle situation around the construction machine based on the obstacle information,
the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the obstacle status.
The construction machine monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The management control device further includes an other machine status determination unit that determines the status of other construction machines relative to a specific construction machine based on the position information of the plurality of construction machines,
the transmission interval setting unit updates and sets the transmission interval based on the status of the other device.
The construction machine monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. When the management control device receives an instruction signal requesting the start of transmission of the construction machine status information, the management control device starts transmitting the construction machine status information to the information terminal each time the construction machine status information is transmitted from the construction machine control device at the transmission interval.
The construction machine monitoring system according to claim 6.