JP7581406B2 - Facility inspection method and facility inspection system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an equipment inspection method and equipment inspection system technology for inspecting equipment.

Technology relating to equipment inspection methods for inspecting equipment has been publicly known. For example, see Patent Document 1.

Patent Document 1 describes a technology for an inspection method that uses an RFID tag attached to a device to be inspected, a portable information terminal capable of contactlessly sending and receiving data between the RFID tag and the device, and a management PC capable of storing inspection data from the portable information terminal. With the technology described in Patent Document 1, when the RFID data is read by the portable information terminal, an inspection value input screen corresponding to the device to be inspected to which the RFID tag is attached is displayed on the portable information terminal. The worker performing the inspection work can input the inspection value of the device to be inspected that he or she has read visually from the inspection value input screen. By configuring in this way, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can prevent the occurrence of input errors such as inputting inspection values into the input screen of another device when writing them.

However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, since an RFID tag is attached to the equipment to be inspected, it is possible to identify the equipment to be inspected, but it is not possible to identify more detailed inspection locations (such as which parts of the equipment should be inspected). Furthermore, when there are multiple pieces of equipment to be inspected within the same facility, it is necessary to know in advance where the equipment to be inspected is installed within the facility. Therefore, while the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not cause any problems when inspections are performed by relatively skilled workers who understand the inspection locations in advance, there is a risk that mistakes will be made in the inspection locations and the efficiency of the inspection work will decrease when inspections are performed by workers who are not accustomed to inspection work. Therefore, there is a demand for technology for an equipment inspection method and equipment inspection system that allows even unskilled workers to easily identify the inspection locations and perform inspections more efficiently.

JP 2010-61262 A

One aspect of the present disclosure has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide an equipment inspection method and an equipment inspection system that can perform equipment inspections efficiently even when there are multiple inspection locations scattered around.

The problem that one aspect of this disclosure aims to solve is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will be described next.

That is, an equipment inspection method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a matching process in which three-dimensional point cloud data of a plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected, which has been acquired in advance, is displayed on a display unit of a head-mounted display worn by a wearer, and the wearer superimposes the three-dimensional point cloud data on a real space viewed by the wearer through the display unit, and the head-mounted display fixes the three-dimensional point cloud data displayed on the display unit to the real space; a tag display process in which the head- mounted display displays tags indicating inspection points of the plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected that have been set in advance in the three-dimensional point cloud data on the display unit so that the inspection order can be identified; and an inspection process in which the wearer inspects the inspection points in accordance with the tags. In the matching process, after the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data are aligned, the display of the three-dimensional point cloud data on the display unit is erased, and in the tag display process, only the tag that has the earliest predetermined inspection order among the tags set at uninspected inspection points is displayed.

In addition, in one aspect of the present disclosure, during the inspection process, the wearer selects the tag , and a management ledger of the inspection location corresponding to the selected tag is displayed on the display unit , and the wearer inputs the inspection results into the management ledger.

In addition, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the method further includes an alarm process in which, if it is determined that there is an abnormality in the inspection results inputted in the inspection process, the head mounted display issues an alarm to prompt the driver to give priority to inspection of other inspection locations associated with the inspection location having the abnormality.

In addition, in one aspect of the present disclosure, in the tag displaying step, the tag is displayed in a manner that makes it possible to identify whether or not inspection has been completed.

In addition, in one aspect of the present disclosure, in the matching process, an operation image for moving the three-dimensional point cloud data is displayed on the display unit, and the wearer operates the operation image to move the three-dimensional point cloud data to a position corresponding to the real space.

Moreover, an equipment inspection system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a memory unit that stores three-dimensional point cloud data of a plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected that have been acquired in advance, and inspection locations of the three-dimensional point cloud data, and a display unit that is provided in a head-mounted display and displays the three-dimensional point cloud data and the inspection locations fixed to the real space while overlaying the three- dimensional point cloud data and the inspection locations on the real space, and erases the display of the three-dimensional point cloud data after the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data are aligned, wherein the display unit is capable of displaying tags indicating the inspection locations of the plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected that have been set in advance in the three-dimensional point cloud data in a manner that allows the order of inspection to be identified, and when the tags are displayed in a manner that allows the order of inspection to be identified, only the tag that has the earliest predetermined inspection order among the tags set for inspection locations that have not yet been inspected is capable of being displayed.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, equipment inspection can be performed efficiently even when there are many inspection points scattered around.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an equipment inspection system according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an equipment inspection system. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of an equipment inspection method. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing three-dimensional point cloud data displayed on a display unit in a field of view in real space. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a solid figure for moving three-dimensional point cloud data is displayed. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing how three-dimensional point cloud data is moved using a solid figure. A diagram showing the management ledger displayed when a tag is selected. A diagram showing how a tag indicating the next inspection item is displayed.

First, the overall configuration of an equipment inspection system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

The equipment inspection system 1 is for inspecting various types of equipment. There are no particular limitations on the equipment that is inspected by the equipment inspection system 1, and any equipment (various types of infrastructure equipment, factory equipment, etc.) can be inspected. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that an inspection of pumping station A will be performed. The equipment inspection system 1 mainly comprises a head-mounted display 10 and a management server 20.

The head mounted display 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as HMD 10) is worn on the head of an inspector and provides mixed reality to the inspector. The HMD 10 is configured as a glasses-type wearable device. The HMD 10 mainly comprises a display unit 11, a sensor unit 12, a communication unit 13, etc.

The display unit 11 is placed in front of the inspector's field of vision and provides the inspector with an appropriate image. The display unit 11 is composed of, for example, a transparent liquid crystal display. The inspector can visually recognize the image displayed on the display unit 11 superimposed on the real space seen through the display unit 11.

The sensor unit 12 is capable of detecting various types of information. The sensor unit 12 is composed of at least one sensor capable of detecting various types of information. The type of sensor used is selected arbitrarily according to the application of the HMD 10. Examples of sensors used in the sensor unit 12 include a depth sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, and various cameras. The sensor unit 12 can detect the position, orientation, body (hand, etc.) movement, and three-dimensional shape of the surroundings (real space) of the worker wearing the HMD 10. The HMD 10 can detect the movement of the worker's hand using the sensor unit 12 and perform operations according to the movement. In addition, by using the sensor unit 12, the HMD 10 can recognize the surrounding space. This allows the HMD 10 to move the image displayed on the display unit 11, for example, by following the change in viewpoint or movement of the person wearing the HMD 10.

The communication unit 13 communicates with external devices by an appropriate communication method (e.g., the Internet, a mobile communication network, etc.). In this embodiment, the communication unit 13 communicates with the communication unit 25 of the management server 20 (described later) and can transmit and receive various information.

A user of the HMD 10 can turn the power on and off, adjust the volume, and so on, by operating various switches provided on the HMD 10. In addition, the user of the HMD 10 can cause various icons and operation screens to be displayed on the display unit 11 in response to a specific operation, and can perform various operations related to the HMD 10 by operating the icons, etc.

Although detailed description will be omitted, in addition to the above, the HMD 10 also includes an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU required for various processes, and storage devices such as RAM and ROM, etc. as appropriate.

The management server 20 manages various types of information related to inspections. Any server, such as a physical server or a virtual server, can be used as the management server 20. The management server 20 can be installed, for example, in management office B where the inspection work manager works. The management server 20 mainly comprises a three-dimensional point cloud database 21, a management ledger database 22, a tag database 23, an inspection sequence database 24, a communication unit 25, etc.

The three-dimensional point cloud database 21 stores three-dimensional point cloud data of equipment to be inspected (inspection target equipment). The three-dimensional point cloud data of the inspection target equipment is measured in advance and stored in the three-dimensional point cloud database 21. At this time, the three-dimensional point cloud database 21 stores information for identifying the inspection target equipment (e.g., number, equipment name, equipment address, etc.) linked to the three-dimensional point cloud data of the inspection target equipment.

For example, the three-dimensional point cloud database 21 stores three-dimensional point cloud data of the entire building of pumping station A, which is the equipment to be inspected in this embodiment. The three-dimensional point cloud data includes three-dimensional point cloud data of the building of pumping station A and various equipment (pump P, engine, control panel, etc.) installed in this building. The three-dimensional point cloud data can be measured using an appropriate measuring device (such as a three-dimensional laser scanner). Figure 4 shows three-dimensional point cloud data P' of pump P installed in pumping station A as an example.

The management ledger database 22 stores information (management ledger) related to the inspection contents of the equipment to be inspected. The management ledger database 22 stores information for identifying the inspection item (e.g., number, name of the equipment to be inspected, name of the device to be inspected, name of the inspection item, etc.) linked to information related to the contents of the inspection item (standard value, measured value, unit of measurement value, etc.). Figure 7 shows, as an example, a management ledger D related to a specific inspection item ("discharge pressure" in the example) called up on the display unit 11 of the HMD 10.

The tag database 23 stores tags (tag data) set for inspection locations on the three-dimensional point cloud data stored in the three-dimensional point cloud database 21. Here, a tag is information about an inspection location. In this embodiment, the tag includes the name of the inspection item, information (coordinates, etc.) indicating the inspection location on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and information (URL, etc.) for calling up the management ledger corresponding to the inspection location. FIG. 4 shows, as an example, tags T1 and T2 displayed on the display unit 11 (more specifically, on the three-dimensional point cloud data P' of the pump P called up on the display unit 11). As shown in FIG. 4, the tags T1 and T2 called up on the display unit 11 include, for example, the name of the inspection item and are displayed to point out the inspection location.

The inspection sequence database 24 stores information regarding the order in which multiple inspection items (inspection points) should be inspected. The inspection sequence database 24 stores a predetermined inspection order for each piece of equipment to be inspected.

The communication unit 25 communicates with external devices by an appropriate communication method (e.g., the Internet, a mobile communication network, etc.). In this embodiment, the communication unit 25 communicates with the communication unit 13 of the HMD 10 and can transmit and receive various information.

Although detailed explanation is omitted, in addition to the above, the management server 20 is appropriately equipped with a processor such as a CPU required for various processes, storage devices such as RAM and ROM, etc. In addition, the management server 20 is appropriately equipped with a display device such as an LCD monitor, an input device such as a keyboard, etc., used by, for example, an administrator who manages the inspection work.

Next, we will explain the equipment inspection method using the above-mentioned equipment inspection system 1.

As a preliminary preparation for the inspection, three-dimensional point cloud data of the entire building, including the exterior and interior of pumping station A, which is the equipment to be inspected in this embodiment, is measured and stored in the three-dimensional point cloud database 21 of the management server 20. In addition, tags are set at the inspection points in the three-dimensional point cloud data, and information regarding the tags is stored in the tag database 23 of the management server 20.

In step S101 shown in FIG. 3, the worker performing the inspection operates the HMD 10 to read into the HMD 10 the three-dimensional point cloud data stored in the three-dimensional point cloud database 21 of the management server 20 and the tags stored in the tag database 23. At this time, the worker operates the HMD 10 to select the equipment to be inspected this time (pumping station A) from the data on multiple pieces of equipment to be inspected stored in the management server 20. The management server 20 transmits the three-dimensional point cloud data of the selected equipment, etc. to the HMD 10. After the process of step S101 is performed, the process proceeds to step S102.

In step S102, the operator operates the HMD 10 to display the three-dimensional point cloud data and tags on the display unit 11. FIG. 4 shows, as an example, an example in which the three-dimensional point cloud data P' of the pump P and the tags T1 and T2 set at the inspection points on the three-dimensional point cloud data P' are displayed on the display unit 11. Note that in this embodiment, for convenience, only tags T1 and T2 are illustrated, but in reality, in addition to these two tags, tags are displayed at all inspection points of the pumping station A that is the subject of this inspection.

As shown in FIG. 4, by displaying the three-dimensional point cloud data P' on the transparent display unit 11, the operator can simultaneously view the pump P in real space seen through the display unit 11 and the three-dimensional point cloud data P'. The three-dimensional point cloud data and tags displayed on the display unit 11 can also be hidden at will. After the process of step S102 is performed, the process proceeds to step S103.

In step S103, the operator operates the HMD 10 to align (match) the real space with the three-dimensional point cloud data. For example, when the three-dimensional point cloud data is displayed on the display unit 11 in step S102, it is assumed that the position of the pump P in the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data P' of the pump P are misaligned, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, in step S103, the operator matches the positions of the two.

Specifically, the operator operates the HMD 10 to display a three-dimensional figure M as shown in FIG. 5 on the display unit 11. The three-dimensional figure M is composed of an arrow figure M1 indicating three mutually orthogonal directions (X direction, Y direction, and Z direction) and a spherical figure M2 with a scale.

The solid figure M is used to adjust the position of the three-dimensional point cloud data displayed on the display unit 11. The worker can grab the solid figure M on the display unit 11 with his/her hand and move it (changing its position in the X, Y and Z directions, and rotating it). When the solid figure M is moved, the three-dimensional point cloud data also moves to follow the solid figure M, as shown in FIG. 6. The worker moves the solid figure M so that the three-dimensional point cloud data matches the real space. For example, the worker can match the three-dimensional point cloud data with the real space by using the pump P as a landmark and moving the solid figure M so that the position of the pump P matches the position of the three-dimensional point cloud data P' of the pump P.

Although not shown, in addition to the solid figure M, an operation menu (operation panel, numerical input section, icons, etc.) for moving the three-dimensional point cloud data can also be displayed on the display section 11. For example, precise alignment can be achieved by using the numerical input section to input the amount of movement of the three-dimensional point cloud data (displacement in the X, Y, and Z directions, or amount of rotation) as a numerical value. Also, for example, the size of the three-dimensional point cloud data can be adjusted using an operation panel that can change the scale of the three-dimensional point cloud data.

For example, the operation panel can be used to instantly move to any location on the 3D point cloud data (in other words, any location on the 3D point cloud data can be instantly displayed). This allows efficient alignment even for 3D point cloud data of relatively large facilities.

After aligning the real space with the three-dimensional point cloud data in step S103, the worker performs a specified operation to erase (change to hidden) the three-dimensional point cloud data on the display unit 11. As a result, an image (see Figure 7) in which tags are added to the inspection points in the real space is provided on the display unit 11.

When the worker wearing the HMD 10 moves, the HMD 10 internally moves the three-dimensional point cloud data to follow the worker's movements. Therefore, there is no misalignment between the real space and the position of the tag indicating the inspection location. In this way, the HMD 10 provides a mixed reality that combines the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data. After the process of step S103 is performed, the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, the worker operates the HMD 10 to start the inspection work. For example, the worker uses the operation menu displayed on the display unit 11 of the HMD 10 to input to the HMD 10 that he or she will start the inspection work. After the process of step S104 is performed, the process proceeds to step S105.

In step S105, the HMD 10 displays tags on the display unit 11 according to the inspection order stored in the inspection order database 24 of the management server 20. Specifically, the HMD 10 refers to the inspection order stored in the inspection order database 24, and displays only the tag corresponding to the earliest inspection item on the display unit 11, and does not display tags corresponding to the other inspection items. Figure 7 shows an example in which, of the two inspection items for pump P, "discharge pressure" and "vibration," only tag T1 corresponding to "discharge pressure," which has the earliest inspection order, is displayed.

Since the inspection points are displayed by tags in this way, the worker can easily identify the inspection points. This function allows not only experienced workers, but also workers who are not yet familiar with inspection work to smoothly carry out inspections. Furthermore, in this embodiment, only the tag that is the earliest in the inspection order is displayed, so the worker can easily understand the inspection order (the inspection point that should be inspected next). In addition to the tag, it is also possible to display an arrow or the like indicating the tag's position on the display unit 11. This allows the worker to easily find and move to the tag, for example, even if the tag is displayed relatively far away (the tag's position is difficult to understand), improving work efficiency. After the process of step S105 is performed, the process proceeds to step S106.

In step S106, the worker inspects the inspection location and inputs the measurement value using the HMD 10. Specifically, the worker inspects the inspection location indicated by the tag displayed on the display unit 11 in step S105. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the worker measures the "discharge pressure" of the pump P using the instrument indicated by the tag T1. The worker then selects the tag T1 using the HMD 10 (for example, by touching in mixed reality). The HMD 10 communicates with the management server 20, calls up the management ledger D corresponding to the inspection location indicated by the selected tag T1, and displays it on the display unit 11. The HMD 10 also displays the keyboard K used to input numerical values, etc., on the display unit 11 together with the management ledger D. The worker operates the keyboard K displayed on the display unit 11 to input the measurement value into the management ledger D. The measurement value entered into the management ledger D is transmitted to the management server 20 and stored in the management ledger database 22. The measurement values entered into the management ledger D may be configured to be stored in the HMD 10 itself. When the operator has completed (confirmed) the input of the measurement values, he/she inputs this fact using the keyboard K.

If there is any abnormality in the input of the measured values in step S106, it is also possible to notify the user (by displaying an error, etc.). Examples of abnormalities include a measured value that deviates from the standard value by a predetermined threshold or more, or an incorrect inspection sequence. After the measured values are input in step S106, the HMD 10 or the management server 20 determines whether there is an abnormality. If an abnormality is found, the display unit 11 of the HMD 10 can display an error, etc., to notify the user of the abnormality. In addition, by displaying an error not only on the HMD 10 but also on the LCD monitor of the management server 20, the administrator can also be notified of the abnormality at the same time. The method of notification is not particularly limited, and it is also possible to notify the user by voice, etc. After the process of step S106 is performed, the process proceeds to step S107.

In step S107, the HMD 10 determines whether or not all inspections of the equipment to be inspected this time have been completed. If there are any inspection locations that have not been inspected, the process proceeds to step S105. In this manner, the processes of steps S105 and S106 are repeated until inspections of all the previously scheduled inspection locations have been completed.

For example, in step S105, which is entered after step S107, the HMD 10 causes the display unit 11 to display a tag corresponding to the next inspection item. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, tag T2 indicating the next inspection item (inspection location) is displayed, and tag T1, which has been inspected, is hidden. In the subsequent step S106, the worker inspects the inspection location indicated by tag T2 and inputs the measurement value.

In this manner, steps S105 and S106 are repeated until inspection of all of the pre-planned inspection locations is completed. When inspection of all of the pre-planned inspection locations is completed, the process moves from step S107 to step S108.

In step S108, the worker operates the HMD 10 to end the inspection work. For example, the worker uses the operation menu displayed on the display unit 11 of the HMD 10 to input to the HMD 10 that the inspection work is to be ended. This causes the HMD 10 to end the processing related to the inspection work (for example, communication with the management server 20, display of tags, etc.).

If an inspection has been omitted at the time when the instruction to end the inspection work is input in step S108, it is also possible to notify the operator of this (by displaying an error message, etc.). For example, after the instruction to end the inspection work is input in step S108, the HMD 10 or the management server 20 determines whether an inspection has been omitted, and if an inspection has been omitted, an error message can be displayed on the display unit 11 of the HMD 10 to notify the operator of the omission. If an inspection has been omitted, the process returns to step S105, for example, and the HMD 10 can guide the operator to the area that has been omitted.

In this manner, in this embodiment, inspection locations can be easily identified by overlaying three-dimensional point cloud data on real space using the HMD 10. This allows not only skilled workers, but also workers who are not accustomed to inspection work to easily perform inspections. In addition, since measurement values can be directly input into the management server 20 (management ledger) using the HMD 10, there is no need to transcribe measurement values written on paper, for example, which improves work efficiency and prevents transcription errors.

As described above, the equipment inspection method according to this embodiment includes the following steps:
a matching process (step S103) in which three-dimensional point cloud data of the inspection target equipment acquired in advance is displayed on a display unit 11 of an HMD 10 (head mounted display) and the three-dimensional point cloud data is superimposed on a real space visually recognized through the display unit 11;
A tag display process (step S105) in which a tag indicating an inspection point in the three-dimensional point cloud data is displayed on the display unit 11;
An inspection process (step S106) in which the inspection point is inspected according to the tag;
It includes.
With this configuration, equipment inspection can be performed effectively even when there are many inspection points scattered around. In other words, since the inspection points can be identified by the tags, not only experienced workers but also workers who are inexperienced can smoothly perform the inspection work.

In addition, the equipment inspection method according to the present embodiment includes:
In the inspection process (step S106),
When the tag is selected, the management ledger D of the inspection location corresponding to the selected tag is displayed on the display unit 11, and the inspection results are entered into the management ledger D.
With this configuration, the inspection results (measured values) can be easily recorded. In particular, in this embodiment, the measured values input by the worker using the HMD 10 are directly input to the management ledger database 22 of the management server 20, eliminating the need for transcription work, improving work efficiency and preventing transcription errors.

In addition, the equipment inspection method according to the present embodiment includes:
In the matching process (step S103),
After the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data are aligned, the display of the three-dimensional point cloud data on the display unit 11 is erased.
This configuration makes it easier to recognize the real space. Also, by not displaying the three-dimensional point cloud data, the processing load of the HMD 10 can be reduced.

In addition, the equipment inspection method according to the present embodiment includes:
In the tag display step (step S105),
The tag is displayed so as to enable identification of the inspection order and/or whether or not the inspection has been completed.
By configuring in this way, it is possible to easily grasp the order of inspections and whether or not they have been completed.

In addition, the equipment inspection method according to the present embodiment includes:
In the tag display step (step S105),
The tags can be switched between visible and invisible according to the order of inspection.
With this configuration, the number of tags displayed on the display unit 11 can be reduced, and the visibility of the real space can be improved.

In addition, the equipment inspection method according to the present embodiment includes:
In the matching process (step S103),
A three-dimensional figure M (operation image) for moving the three-dimensional point cloud data is displayed on the display unit 11, and the wearer of the HMD 10 (operator) operates the three-dimensional figure M to move the three-dimensional point cloud data to a position corresponding to the real space.
With this configuration, the operator can align the positions of the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data while checking their positions, thereby enabling efficient alignment.

In addition, the equipment inspection system 1 according to this embodiment is
A storage unit (a three-dimensional point cloud database 21 and a tag database 23) that stores previously acquired three-dimensional point cloud data of an inspection target facility and inspection points of the three-dimensional point cloud data;
A display unit 11 is provided in an HMD 10 (head mounted display) and is capable of displaying the three-dimensional point cloud data and the inspection points in a real space by superimposing the data on the real space;
It is equipped with the following.
With this configuration, the equipment can be inspected appropriately. That is, since the inspection points displayed on the display unit 11 can be grasped, not only skilled workers but also workers who are inexperienced in inspection work can smoothly perform the inspection work.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims. Below, we will explain modified examples of the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the worker is allowed to identify the inspection order by switching between displaying and hiding tags and displaying only the tag of the inspection location to be inspected next, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the method of identifying the inspection order can be changed as desired. For example, it is also possible to display the inspection order in an appropriate manner (e.g., numbers, color coding, etc.) on the tag displayed at each inspection location.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which the order of inspections was identified by tags, but it is also possible to configure the tags to be able to identify other information. For example, by providing a difference in display (e.g., a different color or a different display message) between the tags of inspection locations that have been inspected and the tags of inspection locations that have not yet been inspected, it is possible to configure the tags to be able to identify whether the inspection has been completed (whether it has been inspected or not).

In the above embodiment, a predetermined inspection order is stored in the inspection order database 24, and inspections are performed according to this inspection order. However, the inspection order stored in the inspection order database 24 can be determined by any method. For example, the order of a series of inspections performed by an operator wearing the HMD 10 can be stored in the inspection order database 24 via the HMD 10, and the inspection can be guided in this inspection order from the next inspection onwards. With such a configuration, for example, an experienced person can first perform an inspection in the correct (efficient) inspection order, and that order can be used from the next inspection onwards, allowing even an operator who is inexperienced in inspection work to perform the inspection work efficiently. It is also possible to store multiple patterns of inspection orders in the inspection order database 24 and allow the operator to select the order he or she desires.

Although the above embodiment has been described with one HMD 10 as an example, it is also possible to use multiple HMDs 10 to have multiple workers perform inspection work. For example, by storing the inspection order for each HMD 10 (each worker) when multiple HMDs 10 are used in the inspection order database 24, it is possible to guide multiple workers to the appropriate inspection order. In this case, by storing the inspection order so that the inspection points of the multiple workers do not overlap with each other and there are no omissions, inspection work can be performed efficiently.

In addition, if there is an abnormality in the measurement value input in step S106 of the above embodiment (the measurement value deviates from the standard value by more than a predetermined threshold value), it is also possible to instruct the operator to give priority to inspecting other inspection points that are correlated with the inspection point in question. Here, "inspection points that are correlated" means that the measurement values of multiple inspection points are related to each other, and if an abnormality occurs at one, it is highly likely that an abnormality will also occur at the others. For example, the management server 20 associates and stores mutually correlated inspection points in advance, and if an abnormality occurs in the measurement value at one of the inspection points, an instruction is issued to prompt the operator to use the HMD 10 to give priority to inspecting other correlated inspection points. This makes it possible to quickly confirm that an abnormality has occurred in a specific piece of equipment.

Furthermore, if there is an abnormality in the measured values, the location causing the abnormality can be estimated and reported by the HMD 10 or the management server 20. For example, the cause of the abnormality at each inspection point can be estimated by using a cause investigation flow chart prepared by the manufacturer of each piece of equipment. Therefore, if there is an abnormality in the measured values, the cause can be quickly estimated using the cause investigation flow chart, and the abnormality can be quickly resolved.

Furthermore, if an abnormality is found in the measured values, this may be reported at the next inspection onwards. For example, the inspection points where an abnormality was found in the measured values may be stored in the management server 20, and at the next inspection onwards, a message indicating that an abnormality was found may be displayed on the tag of the inspection point. By looking at the display on the tag, the worker can recognize that the inspection point is an important inspection point.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a worker wearing the HMD 10 performs inspection work using mixed reality, but the status of the inspection work may also be confirmed simultaneously on the management server 20. For example, by displaying the mixed reality provided by the HMD 10 in real time on the LCD monitor of the management server 20, relevant parties other than the worker (such as a manager) can also confirm the status of the inspection work. In addition, by utilizing communication between the HMD 10 and the management server 20, it is also possible for the worker and manager to consult with each other while performing the inspection work.

In the above embodiment, an example of performing inspection work using the equipment inspection system 1 has been shown, but the method of using the equipment inspection system 1 is not limited to this. For example, it can be used to share various information between a person wearing the HMD 10 and a person operating the management server 20. For example, by sharing a three-dimensional virtual space (metaverse) constructed using the three-dimensional point cloud data of the equipment to be inspected stored in the three-dimensional point cloud database 21 between a person wearing the HMD 10 and a person operating the management server 20, it is possible to hold meetings regarding the inspection of the equipment to be inspected, training on inspection methods, etc. This allows people to intuitively grasp on-site information using the stereoscopic three-dimensional point cloud data without actually going to the site.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the equipment inspection system 1 includes the HMD 10 and the management server 20, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration of the equipment inspection system 1 can be changed as desired. For example, it is possible to incorporate the functions of the management server 20 into the HMD 10, and to configure the equipment inspection system 1 using the HMD 10 alone. It is also possible to configure the management server 20 with multiple servers, and to share the functions of the management server 20 among multiple servers.

The equipment inspection method illustrated in the above embodiment (see FIG. 3) is merely an example, and the contents of the method can be changed as desired. For example, the order of the steps (processes) in the above embodiment can be changed, omitted, or added as desired.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Equipment inspection system 10 Head-mounted display 11 Display unit 12 Sensor unit 20 Management server 21 Three-dimensional point cloud database 22 Management ledger database 23 Tag database 24 Inspection sequence database

Claims (6)

a matching process in which three-dimensional point cloud data of a plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected, which have been acquired in advance, is displayed on a display unit of a head-mounted display worn by a wearer , and the head-mounted display fixes the three-dimensional point cloud data displayed on the display unit to the real space in a state in which the wearer overlays the three-dimensional point cloud data on the real space visually recognized by the wearer through the display unit ;
a tag display process in which the head mounted display displays tags indicating inspection points of the plurality of inspection target facilities that are set in advance in the three-dimensional point cloud data on the display unit in a manner that allows the order of inspection to be identified;
an inspection step in which the wearer inspects the inspection point according to the tag;
Including,
In the matching step,
After the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data are aligned, the display of the three-dimensional point cloud data on the display unit is erased,
In the tag display step,
Among the tags set at uninspected inspection locations, only the tag with the earliest predetermined inspection order is displayed.
Equipment inspection methods. In the inspection process,
When the wearer selects the tag, a management ledger of the inspection location corresponding to the selected tag is displayed on the display unit, and the wearer inputs the inspection result into the management ledger.
The facility inspection method according to claim 1. The method further includes a notification step of, when it is determined that there is an abnormality in the inspection result input in the inspection step, making a notification by the head mounted display to prompt the driver to preferentially inspect another inspection point associated with the inspection point having the abnormality.
The facility inspection method according to claim 2. In the tag display step,
The tag is displayed so as to be able to identify whether the inspection has been completed or not.
The facility inspection method according to claim 1. In the matching step,
an operation image for moving the three-dimensional point cloud data is displayed on the display unit, and the wearer operates the operation image to move the three-dimensional point cloud data to a position corresponding to the real space;
The facility inspection method according to claim 1. A storage unit that stores three-dimensional point cloud data of a plurality of inspection target facilities acquired in advance and inspection points of the three-dimensional point cloud data;
a display unit that is provided in the head mounted display, that displays the three-dimensional point cloud data and the inspection location in a state where the three-dimensional point cloud data and the inspection location are superimposed on the real space, and that erases the display of the three-dimensional point cloud data after the real space and the three-dimensional point cloud data are aligned;
Equipped with
The display unit is
Tags indicating the inspection locations of the plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected that are set in advance in the three-dimensional point cloud data can be displayed in a manner that allows the order of inspection to be identified, and when the tags are displayed in a manner that allows the order of inspection to be identified, only the tag that is set to the uninspected inspection locations and has the earliest predetermined inspection order can be displayed.
Equipment inspection system.

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