JP2000125024A - Remote operation assisting communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote operation assisting communication device which presents the instruction of operations by a skilled and an unskilled person and reduces the load of their reception. SOLUTION: A server device 10 is installed on the side of a control center A where a skilled person is and a client device 20 is installed in a remote work site B where an unskilled person is; and they are connected together through a public communication network C, an image of an operation object captured by the camera of a communication terminal 21 is displayed on a monitor 15, and the laser pointer of the communication terminal 21 is moved according to the operation of the skilled person on an operation device 11 to indicate specific operation contents, e.g. the position of a switch to be operated to the unskilled person.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote work support communication device for giving an instruction to a skilled person to make a non-skilled person in a remote place perform work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a skilled person, that is, a person who is proficient in performing a task, has a non-skilled person in a remote place, that is, a person who is ignorant or unfamiliar with the task, perform the task by telephone or recently The work was performed while giving instructions using a video conference system, a video phone, and the like, which are now being implemented. Such a method of supporting the work is referred to as remote work support.

A conventional remote work support using a telephone will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, A is an expert α
B is a remote work place where the unskilled person β is located, and C is a public communication network connecting the control center A and the remote work place B, such as an analog telephone network and an ISDN network.

[0004] Here, a skilled person α in the control center A sends a telephone to an unskilled person β in the remote work place B in order to operate a panel (work target) D in which a number of switches of the same shape are arranged. Considering the case where an instruction is given by using a button, when the task of pressing a certain switch is conveyed, for example, "At the fourth position from the top,
The position of the switch to be operated, how to operate the switch, and the like will be verbally explained to the unskilled person β through the handset of the telephone, such as “the third switch from the left. The unskilled person β listens for instructions from the skilled person α through the handset of the telephone and executes the work.

[0005]

However, in such conventional remote work support, a skilled worker describes a work instruction content as "the fourth switch from the top and the third switch from the left ...". There has been a problem that it has to be explained concretely and in detail using words, which is very burdensome. Also, unskilled persons need to listen carefully to the contents of instructions from the skilled persons, and there is a problem that, similarly to the skilled persons, it is very burdensome. Furthermore, there is a problem that it is difficult for a skilled person to confirm the action actually performed by an unskilled person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a remote work support communication device capable of reducing the burden on a skilled worker when presenting an instruction to a non-skilled person, ie, capable of easily giving an instruction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a remote work support communication device that can reduce the burden on unskilled workers to receive instructions from skilled workers, that is, can intuitively understand the intentions of skilled workers.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote work support communication device capable of easily confirming the action of a non-skilled person among skilled persons.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a skilled worker at a control center provides a remote operator with instructions at a non-skilled person at at least one remote work place to perform work. A work support communication device, comprising a server device installed on the control center side and at least one client device installed on the remote work site side and connected to the server device via a communication network, The client device includes at least a communication terminal capable of photographing a remote work place and capable of giving a visual direct instruction to an unskilled person, and the server device includes an operation device for remotely controlling the communication terminal. We propose a remote work support communication device provided at least.

[0010] According to the above configuration, the skilled person can obtain the image of the remote work place, that is, the image of the unskilled person or the work target through the communication terminal by operating the operation device, and also obtain the image through the communication terminal. For the unskilled person, it is possible to give a visual direct instruction as a work instruction, and therefore, it is possible to confirm the action of the unskilled person in the skilled person and to reduce the burden of presenting the instruction to the unskilled person. In addition, the burden on the unskilled person for receiving instructions from the skilled person can be reduced.

Here, as the server device, together with the operation device, a monitor for displaying an image transmitted from the remote work place, a camera for photographing an image of the control center, Using a speaker for transmitting the voice of the expert to the expert, a microphone for transmitting the voice of the expert to the unskilled person, and a network interface for connecting to a public communication network. Can be.

[0012] Further, as the client device, together with the communication terminal, a monitor for displaying an image transmitted from the control center;
A speaker for transmitting the voice of the expert to the unskilled person, a microphone for transmitting the voice of the unskilled person to the expert, and a network interface for connecting to a public communication network Can be used.

[0013] Further, the communication terminal includes two sets of turntables having a structure capable of rotating in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and a camera for photographing the remote work place is mounted on one of the turntables. On the turntable, a laser pointer for indicating an operation position or the like in a work target in the remote work place is mounted. According to a camera and a laser pointer that can be remotely operated in any direction by the operation device, a skilled worker By pointing the camera in the direction to be viewed by using the operating device, it is possible to observe the state of the unskilled person or the work object in detail, and to perform a laser pointer on the work object that the unskilled person wants to pay attention to. And simply using a simple pronoun such as "This switch ..." can easily give instructions to unskilled people. . In addition, since the unskilled person indicates the operation position and the like of the work target with the laser pointer,
It becomes possible to intuitively understand the intention of the expert.

According to the laser pointer, which can be arbitrarily turned on and off by the operating device, the skilled worker can emphasize the work object pointed by the laser pointer that the unskilled person wants to see. it can.

[0015] Further, a packet between the server device and the client device, a video of the control center and the remote work place, a voice of the control center and the remote work place, a command signal to the communication terminal, and a packet. According to what is used and exchanged, the skilled person gives the above-mentioned instruction to the unskilled person in the remote place without depending on the type of the public communication network such as the analog telephone network, the ISDN network, the PHS network and the Internet. It becomes possible.

[0016]

FIG. 2 shows an example of an embodiment of a remote work support communication device according to the present invention.
A server device 10 installed in the control center A,
It comprises a client device 20 installed at a remote work site B, and these are connected via a public communication network C. In addition,
As the public communication network C, not only an analog telephone network and an ISDN network but also a PHS network and the Internet can be used.

The server device 10 includes an operation device 11 for remotely operating a communication terminal described later,
A microphone 12 for transmitting a voice of a skilled person to an unskilled person;
Speaker 1 for transmitting voice from unskilled person to skilled person
3, a camera 14 for photographing the state of the control center, a monitor 15 for displaying an image transmitted from a remote work site, and a network interface for connecting the server apparatus 10 to the public communication network C. Face 16
And a server controller 17.

Here, the server controller 17 controls the operation device 1
Command value from 1 to communication terminal and microphone 1
2, the sound to the speaker 13 and the camera 14
From the public communication network C
Into a communication packet to be transmitted to and received from the client device 20 through

The client device 20 is a communication terminal 21 capable of photographing a remote work place and giving a visual direct instruction to an unskilled person.
And a microphone 22 for transmitting the voice of the unskilled person to the skilled person.
A speaker 23 for transmitting a voice from a skilled person to a non-skilled person, a monitor 24 for displaying an image transmitted from a control center, and the client device 20.
Comprises a network interface 25 for connecting to the public communication network C, and a client controller 26.

Here, the client controller 26 converts the command value from the operating device to the communication terminal 21, the voice from the microphone 22, the voice to the speaker 23, and the video from the control center into a public communication network C. To a communication packet to be transmitted to and received from the server device 10 through

FIG. 3 shows the communication terminal 2 described above.
1 is a front view and a side view showing details.

The communication terminal 21 is connected to the camera 2
11 and a turntable 21 for mounting the camera 211
2, laser pointer 213, laser pointer 213
A rotary table 214 for mounting the rotary table, a relay unit 215 for connecting the two rotary tables 212 and 214,
The communication terminal 21 includes three feet 216 for making the communication terminal 21 independent.

The rotary tables 212 and 214 are provided with servo motors 2 for independently rotating the camera 211 and the laser pointer 213 in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.
17 are mounted two by two.

FIG. 4 shows a communication terminal 21.
Disassembled state, in this case, the two turntables 212 and 214
In addition, a state when disassembled into three portions of the relay portion 215 is shown by a front view and a side view.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the details of the server controller 17 and the client controller 26. The server controller 17 includes a call / response unit 171 and an operation amount conversion unit 172.
Video / audio transmitting unit 173 and video / audio receiving unit 17
And 4. Also, client controller 2
6 is a call / response unit 261, a command value conversion unit 262,
It comprises a video / audio transmission unit 263 and a video / audio reception unit 264.

In the following, the server device 10 installed at the control center A and the client device 20 installed at the remote work site B are connected via the public communication network C, so that an expert and an unskilled Explain that work support can be provided.

Since the server device 10 and the client device 20 are connected via the public communication network C, it is not preferable to keep the connection at all times from the viewpoint of communication charges and effective use of lines. Therefore, it is preferable to make a connection only when remote work support is performed between the control center A and the remote work place B. The call / response units 171 and 261 have a function of monitoring whether a call is made from the other device and calling the other device when necessary. Assuming that TCP / IP is used as a communication protocol between the server device 10 and the client device 20, the call / response units 171 and 261 are, for example, Inter
face, 1997, January issue, pages 153 to 158, and the general method of the sample program described in Listing 7.

After the server device 10 and the client device 20 are connected by the call / response units 171 and 261, a start signal is sent, and the operation of the video / audio transmitting units 173 and 263 and the video / audio receiving units 174 and 264 is performed. Is started, and transmission and reception of video and audio between the control center A and the remote work place B are started.

The expert can talk to the unskilled person through the microphone 12, listen to the unskilled person through the speaker 13, and monitor the camera installed in the control center A through the camera 211 mounted on the communication terminal 21. 15, the video of the remote work place B can be viewed.

An unskilled person can talk to the skilled person through the microphone 22, hear the skilled person through the speaker 23, and set up at the remote work place B through the camera 14 installed at the control center A. The video of the control center A can be viewed on the monitor 24.
The transmission and reception of these video and audio are performed in real time.

The start signal is simultaneously output from the manipulated variable converter 1.
72 and the command value conversion unit 262, and the expert gives independent command values to the four servo motors 217 mounted on the communication terminal 21 through the operating device 11, and the camera 211 and the laser pointer 213 in the horizontal direction. And the vertical direction can be freely changed.

The operating device 11 has a function of operating the horizontal and vertical directions of the camera 211 and the horizontal and vertical directions of the laser pointer 213, ie, a movement with four degrees of freedom. It has a function to turn on and off arbitrarily by remote control.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show specific examples of the operation device 11, wherein FIG. 6A shows a joystick type device and FIG. 6B shows a mouse type device often used in personal computers.

The joystick type operation device 11 comprises an operation lever 111, a changeover switch 112 and a lighting switch 113. The operation lever 111 can be arbitrarily tilted in the vertical and horizontal directions as shown by arrows, that is, has an operation amount of two degrees of freedom.

However, the camera 211 and the laser pointer 2
Since four degrees of freedom are required to freely operate the direction of the camera 13, the operation of the camera 211 and the operation of the laser pointer 213 are switched by the changeover switch 112.
That is, when the operation lever 111 is operated in a state where the changeover switch 112 is not pressed, the direction of the camera 211 is changed, and when the operation lever 111 is operated in a state where the changeover switch 112 is pressed, the direction of the laser pointer 213 is changed. By doing so, an operation amount of four degrees of freedom can be secured. By pressing the lighting switch 113, the laser pointer 213 can be turned on and off.

The mouse-type operation device 11 is also different in form from the joystick type, but is functionally equivalent, and can be arbitrarily moved in the vertical and horizontal directions as indicated by arrows. , A changeover switch 115, and a lighting switch 116.

The amount of operation given to the operation device 11 by the expert is
It is converted into a communication packet by the operation amount conversion unit 172, received by the command value conversion unit 262 via the public communication network C,
The command value is converted into a command value of a servomotor 217 mounted on the communication terminal 21, and changes the horizontal and vertical directions of the camera 211 or the laser pointer 213. The same applies to turning on and off the laser pointer 213.

The remote work support using the remote work support communication device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The contents of the work that the skilled person α instructs the unskilled person β are the same as the conventional case shown in FIG.
This is the work of pressing a certain switch. Control center A
By using the operation device 11, the skilled person α can freely remotely control the directions of the camera and the laser pointer mounted on the communication terminal 21 in the remote work place B.

The skilled person α wants the unskilled person β to operate using the beam spot E of the laser pointer while grasping the situation of the work object D at the remote work place B by the camera mounted on the communication terminal 21. By pointing to the switch, a pronoun such as “this” can be used, such as “this switch...”, And it is possible to give an instruction to the unskilled person β with a very simple verbal expression. Further, the expert α can make the beam spot E blink so that the instruction is emphasized or clarified.

The unskilled person β also said, "Here it is."
The expert α can be answered with a simplified expression using the pronoun “here”, and the exchange of work between the expert and the unskilled person becomes very smooth.

In the above description, the case where the control center and the remote work place are 1: 1 has been described. However, a plurality of remote work places may be provided. What is necessary is just to allow the skilled person at the center side to be able to select arbitrarily.

[0043]

As described above, according to the remote work support communication device of the present invention, a skilled person can easily give an instruction, and an unskilled person can intuitively understand the intention of the skilled person. As a result, the burden on both the skilled and unskilled person performing the work can be reduced, and the skilled person can easily confirm the action of the unskilled person.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional remote work support system;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the remote work support communication device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of a communication terminal;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a disassembled state of the communication terminal.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of a server controller and a client controller;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a remote work support using the remote work support communication device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: server device, 11: operation device, 12, 22: microphone, 13, 23: speaker, 14: camera, 15, 2
4: Monitor, 16, 25: Network interface, 17: Server controller, 20: Client device, 2
1: Communication terminal, 26: Client controller, 111: Operation lever, 112, 115: Changeover switch, 113, 116: Lighting switch, 114: Operation body, 171, 261: Call / response unit, 172: Operation amount conversion unit , 173, 263: video / audio transmission unit, 174, 2
64: video / audio receiving unit, 262: command value converting unit, 21
1: camera, 212, 214: turntable, 213: laser pointer, 215: relay unit, 216: foot, 217: servomotor, A: control center, B: remote work place,
C: public communication network, D: operation target, E: beam spot,
α: skilled person, β: unskilled person.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Michito Matsumoto 3-19-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Junichi Masuda 3-19 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F term (reference) 5C054 AA02 CF06 CG05 DA01 DA09 EA03 EG04 HA01 HA03 5C064 AA06 AC04 AC07 AC12 AC20 AD02 AD08 AD09 AD14 5K048 BA00 EB02 EB14 EB15 FB10 FB11 HA00 HA21 5K101 NN11

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A remote work support communication device for providing an instruction for an expert at a control center to cause an unskilled person at at least one remote work place to perform an operation, wherein the communication device is installed on the control center side. Server device,
At least one client device installed on the remote work site side and connected to the server device via a communication network, the client device is capable of taking a picture of the remote work site and directing it visually to an unskilled person. A remote work support communication device, comprising: at least a communication terminal capable of giving various instructions; and the server device includes at least an operation device for remotely controlling the communication terminal. 2. The server device, together with the operation device, includes a monitor for displaying an image transmitted from the remote work place, a camera for capturing an image of the control center, and the unskilled person. A speaker for transmitting the voice of the expert to the expert, a microphone for transmitting the voice of the expert to the unskilled person, and a network interface for connecting to a public communication network. The communication device according to claim 1. 3. The client device, together with the communication terminal, a monitor for displaying an image transmitted from the control center, a speaker for transmitting the voice of the expert to the unskilled person, The remote work supporting communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a microphone for transmitting a voice of an unskilled person to the skilled person, and a network interface for connecting to a public communication network. 4. The communication terminal includes a turntable having a structure capable of rotating in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.
A camera for photographing the remote work place is mounted on one turntable, and a laser pointer for indicating an operation position or the like on a work target of the remote work place is mounted on the other turntable. 4. The remote work supporting communication device according to claim 1, wherein the laser pointer can be remotely operated in an arbitrary direction by the operation device. 5. The remote work support communication device according to claim 4, wherein the laser pointer can be arbitrarily turned on and off by the operation device. 6. A packet between the server device and the client device, comprising a video of the control center and the remote work place, a voice of the control center and the remote work place, a command signal to the communication terminal, and a packet. The remote work support communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the communication is performed by utilizing.