JP2015106265A - Information processing apparatus and parameter setting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the behavior of air bubbles from becoming unnatural, as further as possible, when displaying the behavior of air bubbles with three-dimensional animation.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus includes: a parameter storage unit which stores, for each predetermined display area, a parameter for representing the behavior of air bubbles as three-dimensional animation; and a parameter setting unit which sets the parameter for each predetermined display area. The information processing apparatus sets a speed of the air bubbles, a display time of the air bubbles, a size of the air bubbles, a generation frequency of the air bubbles and a generation position of the air bubbles. As the parameter, the information processing apparatus sets a generation area of the air bubbles as a stereoscopic area.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a parameter setting method.

  Conventionally, there is a technique for easily expressing the movement of particles, bubbles, and the like in a tube or a furnace. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses displaying the void ratio of liquid particles in different colors. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses that a change in the void ratio of liquid particles is represented by a change in color. For example, Patent Document 3 discloses that the void ratio of the liquid particles is represented by the size of a circle indicating the liquid particles, and the distribution of the liquid particles is represented by a comparative color chart.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-92794 JP 61-198370 A JP 2003-71275 A

  The above-described conventional technique displays the particle motion two-dimensionally. However, there is a demand for displaying the particle motion with a three-dimensional animation for the purpose of reproducing the particle motion more easily. For example, when the behavior of bubbles is displayed with a three-dimensional animation using an existing simulation module, there is a problem that it is difficult to display the behavior of bubbles in the most natural state possible.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and a parameter setting method that make bubble behavior as unnatural as possible.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention stores, as one aspect, parameters for expressing bubble behavior as a three-dimensional animation for each predetermined display area. A parameter storage unit that sets the parameter for each predetermined display area.

  In this information processing apparatus, the parameter for expressing the behavior of the bubble as a three-dimensional animation is set for each predetermined display region, so that the behavior of the bubble can be adjusted for each predetermined display region.

  As a desirable mode of the present invention, the parameter setting unit sets the bubble speed, the bubble display time, the bubble size, the bubble generation frequency, and the bubble generation position as the parameters. It is desirable.

  In this aspect, the bubble speed for expressing the bubble behavior as a three-dimensional animation, the bubble display time, the bubble size, the bubble generation frequency, and the bubble generation position (for example, bubble generation) Since a plane area for designating possible positions is set, parameters necessary for expressing the behavior of bubbles can be set.

  As a desirable mode of the present invention, it is desirable to set the bubble generation position (generation area) as a three-dimensional area as the parameter.

  In this aspect, since the bubble generation region is set as a three-dimensional region as a parameter for expressing the bubble behavior as a three-dimensional animation, the bubble generation position is in the height direction (for example, the direction in which the bubble rises). Can be dispersed.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides a parameter setting method for causing an information processing apparatus to execute a parameter for expressing bubble behavior as a three-dimensional animation. A step of setting for each display area; and a step of storing a parameter set for each predetermined display area in a storage unit.

  In this parameter setting method, a parameter for expressing the behavior of the bubble as a three-dimensional animation is set for each predetermined display region, so that a method for adjusting the behavior of the bubble for each predetermined display region can be realized.

  The information processing apparatus and parameter setting method according to the present invention have an effect of preventing the bubble behavior from becoming unnatural as much as possible when the behavior of the bubble is displayed in a three-dimensional animation.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting data stored in the storage unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a region. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an animation image according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an animation image according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed by the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting data stored in the storage unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a bubble generation region set by the animation parameter setting unit. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed by the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  Embodiments of an information processing apparatus and a parameter setting method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Further, the constituent elements in this embodiment include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those in the so-called equivalent range. In the following embodiment, for example, the behavior of a gas-liquid two-phase flow related to piping in a plant to be simulated, that is, the behavior of bubbles (hereinafter referred to as bubbles) generated in the liquid flowing in the piping. An example of processing when displaying as a three-dimensional animation will be described.

[Configuration of information processing device]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing apparatus 100 includes a display unit 110, an input unit 120, a communication unit 130, a medium reading unit 140, a control unit 150, and a storage unit 160.

  The display unit 110 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) panel, and displays various information such as characters, symbols, and figures based on a control signal transmitted from the control unit 150. To do. In Example 1, the display part 110 displays the animation which shows the behavior of a bubble. The input unit 120 includes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and outputs a signal (such as a position of a pointer displayed on the display unit 110) corresponding to an operation performed by the user on the input device to the control unit 150. To do. The communication unit 130 controls transmission / reception of information with other devices based on a predetermined communication protocol. The medium reading unit 140 reads a program and data from a portable non-transitory storage medium such as an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a memory card.

  The control unit 150 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 151 that is an arithmetic device and a memory 152 that is a storage device, and implements various functions by executing programs using these hardware resources.

  Specifically, the control unit 150 reads out a program (for example, the animation control program 161 and the animation generation module 162) stored in the storage unit 160, expands the program in the memory 152, and includes the program expanded in the memory 152. The CPU 151 is caused to execute a command to be executed. The control unit 150 reads / writes data from / to the memory 152 and the storage unit 160 according to the execution result of the instruction by the CPU 151, outputs information to the display unit 110, and performs operations such as communication by the communication unit 130. To control.

  The storage unit 160 includes a nonvolatile storage device such as a magnetic storage device or a semiconductor storage device, and stores various programs and data. The programs stored in the storage unit 160 include an animation control program 161 and an animation generation module 162. The data stored in the storage unit 160 includes physical behavior data 163 and setting data 164. The storage unit 160 is an example of a parameter storage unit.

  The whole or part of the program or data stored in the storage unit 160 in FIG. 1 may be stored in a storage medium that can be read by the medium reading unit 140. Alternatively, the whole or part of the program or data stored in the storage unit 160 in FIG. 2 may be acquired from another device through communication by the communication unit 130. For example, in the first embodiment, the information processing apparatus 100 may read the storage medium in which the physical behavior data 163 and the setting data 164 are written by the medium reading unit 140 and store the storage medium in the storage unit 160. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus 100 may acquire the physical behavior data 163 and the setting data 164 from another apparatus through communication by the communication unit 130 and store them in the storage unit 160.

  The physical behavior data 163 is data regarding various dimensions of the pipe and the liquid flowing in the pipe. The physical behavior data 163 is referred to, for example, when setting each parameter for displaying the behavior of bubbles in a three-dimensional animation.

  The setting data 164 is a parameter for expressing the bubble behavior as a three-dimensional animation. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the setting data 164 stored in the storage unit 160 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the setting data 164 includes each parameter of a bubble speed, a bubble display time, a bubble size, a bubble generation rate, and a bubble generation region for each predetermined display region. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a region. A region R shown in FIG. 3 is a predetermined three-dimensional display region for displaying the behavior of bubbles by a three-dimensional animation, and is set based on, for example, the dimensions of a pipe to be simulated. The region R is composed of a region r1 and a region r2, as shown in FIG. The region r1 and the region r2 are arbitrarily determined. The bubble speed is a parameter set based on the rising speed of the bubble when the flow velocity of the liquid flowing in the pipe is zero and the flow velocity. The bubble display time is a parameter set based on the height of the region and the bubble speed. The bubble size is a parameter set based on the dimensions of the pipe to be simulated. The bubble generation rate is a parameter set so as to satisfy a predetermined void rate. The bubble generation area is a parameter for setting a region where a bubble expressed by an animation can be generated (for example, a plane region for designating a position where a bubble can be generated). The parameters of the bubble speed, bubble display time, bubble size, bubble generation rate, and bubble generation region are set so as not to protrude from the region r1 and region r2.

  The animation control program 161 provides a function for controlling a three-dimensional animation representing the behavior of bubbles generated by the animation generation module 162. For example, the animation control program 161 includes an animation parameter setting unit 161a as shown in FIG.

  The parameter setting unit 161a for animation sets parameters for displaying the behavior of bubbles in the pipe as a three-dimensional animation for each predetermined display area in the pipe for the pipe to be simulated. Provide functionality. Specifically, the animation parameter setting unit 161a displays a setting screen for setting parameters on the display unit 110, and the bubble speed, the bubble display time, the bubble for each predetermined display area on the setting screen. Accepts setting input for each parameter of size, bubble generation rate, and bubble generation area. The parameter setting 161a for animation stores each parameter of the bubble speed, the bubble display time, the bubble size, the bubble generation rate, and the bubble generation region set and input for each predetermined display area as setting data 164 in the storage unit 160. The animation parameter setting unit 161a is an example of a parameter setting unit.

  The animation parameter setting unit 161 a sets each parameter of the bubble speed and the bubble display time based on the flow velocity of the liquid flowing in the pipe included in the physical behavior data 163. For example, the animation parameter setting unit 161a sets the bubble velocity parameter based on the sum of the rising velocity of the bubble when the flow velocity of the liquid flowing in the pipe is zero and the flow velocity. The parameter of the bubble speed is set for each of the region r1 and the region r2 illustrated in FIG. Note that the rising speed of the bubbles when the flow velocity of the liquid flowing in the pipe is zero is given in advance.

  The animation parameter setting unit 161a sets the bubble display time parameter based on the height of the region and the bubble speed. For example, the animation parameter setting unit 161a sets the bubble display time parameter by dividing the height of the region by the bubble velocity. For example, the bubble display time parameter is set for each of the region r1 and the region r2 illustrated in FIG. The height of the region is determined based on the dimensions of the piping included in the physical behavior data 163.

  The animation parameter setting 161a sets a bubble size parameter based on the dimensions of the pipe. The bubble size parameter is set, for example, for each of the regions r1 and r2 shown in FIG. In addition, the average bubble size according to the dimension of piping used as simulation object shall be previously given for every area | region r1 and area | region r2.

  The animation parameter setting 161a sets a bubble generation rate (bubble generation frequency) parameter when a predetermined void ratio is satisfied. For example, the bubble generation rate parameter is set for each of the region r1 and the region r2 illustrated in FIG. It is assumed that the predetermined void ratio is given in advance for each of the regions r1 and r2.

  The bubble void ratio VF for setting the bubble generation rate parameter is: bubble size r, bubble speed v, bubble display time h / v, bubble generation rate n, bottom area S of region r1 (or region r2), Based on the height h of the region r1 (or region r2), it is calculated by the following equation (1). The r value, v value, S value, and h value are determined in advance from the physical behavior data 163 of the piping to be simulated, and the bubble display time h / v is obtained from the v value and h value. It is done.

Void ratio VF = (4/3 × π × r ³ × h / v × n) / (S × h) (1)

  For the above formula (1), the bubble size r, the bubble speed v, the bubble display time h / v, the bottom area S of the region r1 (or region r2), and the region r1 (or region r2) are known values. By substituting the height h, the bubble generation rate n of the region r1 (or region r2) is calculated. With the animation parameter setting 161a, the value of the bubble generation rate n calculated based on the above equation (1) is set as the parameter of the bubble generation rate of the region r1 (or region r2). Note that the information processing apparatus 100 can also change the bubble generation rate when displaying the bubble behavior three-dimensional animation by changing the void ratio.

  The animation generation module 162 provides a function for generating an animation expressing the behavior of bubbles in three dimensions and displaying the animation on the display unit 110. The animation generation module 162 refers to the setting data 164 stored in the storage unit 160, generates an animation that expresses the behavior of bubbles in three dimensions according to each parameter included in the setting data 164, and displays it on the display unit 110. Provides a function to display.

  4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating examples of animation images according to the first embodiment. 4 and 5 are different views of the same image. An image A1 shown in FIG. 4 is an example of an animation image when viewed from the direction D1 shown in FIG. An image A2 illustrated in FIG. 5 is an example of an animation image viewed from the direction D2 illustrated in FIG. The animation image A1 shown in FIG. 4 and the animation image A2 shown in FIG. 5 capture a moment with an animation in which bubbles rise in the direction of the axis Y shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. Corresponds to a still image.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the information processing apparatus 100 sets the above-described parameters for displaying the behavior of bubbles in a three-dimensional animation for each of the regions r1 and r2. There is a change between the density of bubbles in r1 and the density of bubbles in region r2. Specifically, the information processing apparatus 100 sets each parameter set for the region r1 and the region r2 as an average value, and satisfies the predetermined void ratio calculated by the above formula (1) and the bubble size r and Each parameter is appropriately set for each of the regions r1 and r2 by randomly changing the value of each parameter of the bubble generation rate n. In this way, the information processing apparatus 100 can generate the bubble animation image A2 expressing more natural behavior and display it on the display unit 110 when displaying the behavior of the bubble with a three-dimensional animation. it can.

[Processing by Information Processing Apparatus (Example 1)]
Processing executed by the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. In the processing illustrated in FIG. 6, for example, the control unit 150 reads the animation control program 161 and the animation generation module 162 from the storage unit 160 in response to a user operation, and starts the animation control program 161 and the animation generation module 162. Is executed.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6, the control unit 150 selects a region (for example, a region r <b> 2) that generates bubbles from a predetermined display region that displays the behavior of bubbles with a three-dimensional animation (step S <b> 101).

  Subsequently, the control unit 150 sets a bubble speed parameter (step S102), sets a bubble display time parameter (step S103), sets a bubble size parameter (step S104), and sets a bubble generation rate parameter. Is set (step S105), and the parameter of the bubble generation region is set (step S106).

  Subsequently, the control unit 150 determines whether or not the parameter setting has been completed for all the areas included in the predetermined display area in which the behavior of the bubble is displayed with a three-dimensional animation (step S107).

  If the result of determination is that parameter settings have not been completed for all regions (No at step S107), the control unit 150 returns to step S101 and continues the processing shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the parameter setting is completed for all the regions as a result of the determination (Yes in step S107), the control unit 150 ends the process illustrated in FIG.

  In the first embodiment, the information processing apparatus 100 appropriately sets, for example, a parameter for displaying the behavior of bubbles in a three-dimensional animation for each of the region r1 and the region r2. Thereby, for example, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment can change between the density of bubbles in the region r1 and the density of bubbles in the region r2, and more natural behavior is expressed. Generation and display of the bubble animation image A2 can be realized. For this reason, according to Example 1, when displaying the behavior of a bubble by a three-dimensional animation, the behavior of a bubble can be made as unnatural as possible.

  In the first embodiment, the bubble generation region may be a three-dimensional (three-dimensional region) as a parameter for displaying the behavior of the bubble with a three-dimensional animation. The information processing apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment basically has the same functional configuration as the information processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, but differs in the points described below.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the setting data 164 stored in the storage unit 160 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the setting data 164 sets each parameter of a bubble speed, a bubble display time, a bubble size, a bubble generation rate, and a bubble generation region for each predetermined display region. Set as area. The bubble generation area is set for each of the areas r1 and r2. The bubble generation region set as the three-dimensional region may be set by a method of causing the user to draw the ranges of the region r1 and the region r2 on the screen displayed on the display unit 110 by GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like. The coordinate value for designating the region r1 and the region r2 may be set by a method of allowing the user to input the coordinate value.

  The animation parameter setting unit 161a provides a function for accepting a parameter setting input for a bubble generation region as a three-dimensional region for each predetermined display region on a setting screen for setting parameters. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a bubble generation region set by the animation parameter setting unit 161a. The animation parameter setting unit 161a receives a region r1-a that is a three-dimensional region included in the region r1 and a region r2-a that is a three-dimensional region included in the region r2 as parameters of the bubble BA generation region. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the animation generation module 162 randomly generates a plurality of bubbles BA in the region r1-a and the region r2-a designated as the bubble generation region parameters by the animation parameter setting unit 161a. A plurality of bubbles BA are generated based on a predetermined random number so as to be generated from the position.

  The height of the region r1-a is desirably in the range of about 10 to 30% of the height of the region r1. Similarly, the height of the region r2-a is desirably in the range of about 10 to 30% of the height of the region r2.

  The information processing apparatus 100 can disperse the bubble generation positions in the height direction (the Y-axis direction in FIG. 8) by randomly generating a plurality of bubbles from the bubble generation region set as a three-dimensional region. The change in the void ratio at the boundary between the region r1 and the region r2 included in R can be moderated. That is, the information processing apparatus 100 can prevent an extreme change in the bubble density at the boundary between the region r1 and the region r2 included in the region R.

[Processing by Information Processing Device (Example 2)]
Processing executed by the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment. In the processing illustrated in FIG. 9, for example, the control unit 150 reads the animation control program 161 and the animation generation module 162 from the storage unit 160 in response to a user operation, and starts the animation control program 161 and the animation generation module 162. Is executed.

  As illustrated in FIG. 9, the control unit 150 selects a region (for example, a region r <b> 2) that generates bubbles from a predetermined display region that displays the behavior of bubbles with a three-dimensional animation (step S <b> 201).

  Subsequently, the control unit 150 sets a bubble speed parameter (step S202), sets a bubble display time parameter (step S203), sets a bubble size parameter (step S204), and a bubble generation rate parameter. Is set (step S205), and the parameter of the bubble generation region is set (step S206). The control unit 150 sets the bubble generation region parameter in the three-dimensional region.

  Subsequently, the control unit 150 determines whether or not the parameter setting has been completed for all the areas included in the predetermined display area in which the behavior of the bubbles is displayed with a three-dimensional animation (step S207).

  If the result of determination is that parameter settings have not been completed for all regions (step S207, No), the control unit 150 returns to step S201 and continues the processing shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the parameter setting has been completed for all the regions as a result of the determination (Yes in step S207), the control unit 150 ends the process illustrated in FIG.

  In the second embodiment, the information processing apparatus 100 specifies, for example, the region r1-a that is a three-dimensional region included in the region r1 and the region r2-a that is a three-dimensional region included in the region r2 as the generation position of the bubble BA. To do. Therefore, in Example 2, the bubble generation positions are dispersed in the height direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 8), and the change in the void ratio at the boundary between the region r1 and the region r2 in the region R can be moderated. In this way, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to realize a natural expression as much as possible as the behavior of the bubbles.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the information processing apparatus 100 may adjust the bubble size parameter so that large and small bubbles are displayed in a predetermined range in the predetermined display region R. In the first and second embodiments, the information processing apparatus 100 may change the bubble generation rate within a certain range in the predetermined display region R.

  In addition, the aspect of this invention shown by said Example can be arbitrarily changed in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. For example, the information processing apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 does not necessarily need to be physically and functionally configured as illustrated. For example, the animation control program 161 shown in FIG. 2 may be integrated with the animation generation module 162. Alternatively, the animation control program 161 shown in FIG. 2 may be divided into a plurality of modules. In this way, all or some of the constituent elements of the information processing apparatus 100 can be configured to be physically or functionally distributed / integrated in arbitrary units according to various loads or usage conditions. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Information processing apparatus 110 Display part 120 Input part 130 Communication part 140 Medium reading part 150 Control part 160 Storage part 161 Animation control program 162 Animation generation module 163 Physical behavior data 164 Setting data

Claims (3)

A parameter storage unit that stores, for each predetermined display area, a parameter for expressing the behavior of the bubble as a three-dimensional animation;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a parameter setting unit that sets the parameter for each predetermined display area.   The parameter setting unit sets the bubble speed, the bubble display time, the bubble size, the bubble generation frequency, and the bubble generation position as the parameters. The information processing apparatus described. A parameter setting method to be executed by an information processing apparatus,
Setting parameters for expressing bubble behavior as a three-dimensional animation for each predetermined display area;
Storing the parameters set for each of the predetermined display areas in a storage unit.

Images