JP6715281B2 - Underwater exploration system and information processing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for exploring underwater fish schools such as the sea.

Conventionally, there is known a system that collects underwater information such as an underwater image and sensor measurement data acquired by a buoy floating on the surface of water such as the sea via a communication line (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). ..

JP-A-11-298884 Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-253888

The conventional system has a problem that it is not possible to accurately perform underwater exploration over a wide area such as the sea in real time.

A system according to an aspect of the present invention is a system for performing underwater exploration, and includes a plurality of wired communication units that communicate via an underwater cable, and a plurality of wireless communication units that wirelessly communicate with an over-the-air stay type wireless relay device. A buoy, a drive unit that is connected to each of the plurality of buoys via the underwater cable, and a driving unit for moving underwater by autonomous control or control from the outside, and wired communication for communicating via the underwater cable Section, a plurality of underwater vehicles having an information acquisition section for acquiring underwater information, a stay-over-the-air wireless relay device capable of wireless communication with the plurality of buoys, and the underwater acquired by the plurality of underwater vehicles. An information processing device that performs information processing of underwater exploration based on the information.
In the system, the information acquisition unit of the underwater vehicle may include an imaging unit that images underwater using light, sound waves, ultrasonic waves, or radio waves, and the underwater information may include underwater image information.
Further, in the system, the buoy further includes an information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information in the vicinity of the buoy, and the information processing device includes the plurality of underwater information acquired by the plurality of underwater moving objects. Information processing of underwater exploration may be performed based on the peripheral information acquired by the plurality of buoys.
In the system, the information acquisition unit of the buoy may include an imaging unit that images the periphery of the buoy, and the peripheral information may include image information of the periphery of the buoy. The peripheral information may include at least one of position information of the buoy and position information of the underwater vehicle.
Further, in the system, the underwater exploration target may be at least one of underwater fish school, organism, biological reef, treasure, lost property, victim, submarine volcano, archeological site, resource, environment and topography.
Further, in the system, the information processing device has a database that accumulates a relationship between a plurality of types of underwater exploration candidates that may be underwater explored and the underwater information. Information processing of underwater exploration may be performed based on the acquired underwater information and the database, and an identification result of an underwater exploration target may be obtained based on the result of the information processing. The identification result of the object of the underwater exploration is whether or not it is close to one or more target candidates identified from among the plurality of types of underwater exploration candidates, or the plurality of types of underwater exploration The determination result may be the presence or absence of any of the target candidates of. The information processing device may update the database based on the underwater information acquired by the underwater vehicle and the identification result of the underwater exploration target.
Further, in the system, the information processing device transmits a result of the underwater exploration to a ship or an air vehicle located near an object found in the underwater exploration or the underwater vehicle located near the object. May be.
Further, in the system, the information processing device may generate control information for controlling the underwater vehicle based on a result of the underwater exploration, and transmit the control information to the underwater vehicle.
Further, in the system, the information processing device may be a server provided on the ground, a ship or an air vehicle, or may be an edge computer provided in the underwater vehicle, the buoy or the wireless relay device. May be.
Further, in the system, the underwater vehicle may include a battery, the buoy may include a power generator, and the battery may be charged by supplying power to the underwater vehicle via the underwater cable. The buoy power generation device may be a wave power generation device that generates electric power using wave energy.

According to the present invention, it is possible to accurately perform underwater exploration over a wide area such as the sea.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a wide-area underwater exploration system via HAPS according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows an example of HAPS which can be used for the wide area underwater exploration system which concerns on embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of the component of the basic function of HAPS which concerns on embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of the component of the basic function of the buoy which comprises the underwater exploration unit in the wide area underwater exploration system which concerns on embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of the component of the basic function of the submersible robot which comprises the underwater exploration unit which concerns on embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of the component of the basic function of the server in the wide area underwater exploration system which concerns on embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of the component of the basic function of the remote control apparatus in the wide area underwater exploration system which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of underwater exploration and position control of a submersible robot in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of underwater exploration and position control of a submersible robot in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the position control of the underwater exploration unit which concerns on embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows the other example of the position control of the underwater exploration unit which concerns on embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows the further another example of the position control of the underwater exploration unit which concerns on embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a wide-area underwater exploration system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment uses ICT (information and communication technology) and AI (artificial intelligence) technology to underwater fish groups 91 such as the sea, living creatures, biological reefs, lost properties, victims, submarine volcanoes, ruins. The present invention is also a system for exploring resources, environment, and topography, and is applicable as a smart fishery system for finding out a group of fish 91 or the like in the ocean of the open sea and monitoring/observing cultured fish.

In FIG. 1, a wide-area underwater exploration system according to an embodiment includes a HAPS (“high-altitude platform station” or “high-altitude pseudo-satellite”) 10 as a plurality of over-the-air stay type wireless relay devices, and a sea surface 90 s of a wide-area sea 90. And a plurality of underwater exploration units (undersea exploration units) 30 that are dispersedly arranged in and can communicate via the HAPS 10. The wide-area underwater exploration system via the HAPS 10 according to the present embodiment is compatible with simultaneous connection of a large number of underwater exploration units (terminal devices) 30, large-capacity transmission, low-delay transmission, or the like. suitable to the realization of a three-dimensional network of mobile communication of generations. In addition, in the present embodiment, an example of arranging the underwater exploration unit on the surface of the sea and exploring the sea will be described. ..

The HAPS 10 is located in an air space of a predetermined altitude and forms a three-dimensional cell (three-dimensional area) in a cell formation target air space of a predetermined altitude. The HAPS 10 is a levitation body or flying body that is controlled by autonomous control or external control so as to float or fly to a high altitude air space (levitation air space) of 100 [km] or less from the sea surface 90s of the wide area sea 90. (For example, a solar plane or an airship) is equipped with a wireless relay station. The airspace in which the HAPS 10 is located is, for example, a stratospheric airspace with an altitude of 11 [km] or more and 50 [km] or less. This airspace may be an airspace having an altitude of 15 [km] or more and 25 [km] or less, and an airspace having an altitude of approximately 20 [km], in which the weather conditions are relatively stable.

Each of the wireless relay stations of the HAPS 10 forms a beam for wireless communication with a terminal device, which is a mobile station, toward the sea surface 90s. The terminal device in this embodiment is incorporated in the buoy 310 of each underwater exploration unit 30. The terminal device may be a communication terminal module incorporated in a drone which is an aircraft such as a small remote-controllable helicopter flying over the sea, or a communication terminal such as a user device used in an airplane flying over the sea. May be

Each of the wireless relay stations of the HAPS 10 is, for example, a base station that wirelessly communicates with a gateway (GW) station (also referred to as “feeder station”) 70 as a relay station connected to the core network of the mobile communication network 80 on the ground 95, Alternatively, it is a repeater slave device that wirelessly communicates with a feeder station (repeater master device) 70 as a relay station connected to a base station on the ground 95. The wireless relay stations of the HAPS 10 are each connected to the core network of the mobile communication network 80 via the GW station 70 installed on the ground 95, for example. The communication between the HAPS 10 and the GW station 70 may be wireless communication using radio waves such as microwaves, or may be optical communication using laser light or the like.

Each HAPS 10 may autonomously control its own levitating movement (flying), wireless relay processing, and the like by executing a control program by a control unit configured by a computer incorporated therein. For example, each of the HAPS 10 acquires its own current position information (for example, GPS position information), prestored position control information (for example, flight schedule information), position information of other HAPS located in the surroundings, and the like information. The levitation movement (flight), wireless relay processing, and the like may be autonomously controlled based on the.

Further, the levitation movement (flight) of each HAPS 10 and the wireless relay processing may be controlled by a management device or a remote control device provided in a communication center of the mobile communication network 80 or the like.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the HAPS 10 that can be used in the wide area underwater exploration system of the embodiment. In FIG. 2, HAPS 10 is a solar plane type HAPS, and has a main wing portion 101 with both ends in the longitudinal direction extending upward and one end edge of the main wing portion 101 in the lateral direction as a propulsion device for a bus power system. And a plurality of motor-driven propellers 103. A solar power generation panel (hereinafter referred to as “solar panel”) 102 as a solar power generation unit having a solar power generation function is provided on the upper surface of the main wing portion 101. Further, pods 105 serving as a plurality of equipment accommodating portions for accommodating mission equipment are connected to two positions on the lower surface of the main wing portion 101 in the longitudinal direction via plate-like connecting portions 104. A wireless relay station 110 as a mission device and a battery 106 are housed inside each pod 105. Wheels 107 used at the time of taking off and landing are provided on the lower surface side of each pod 105. The electric power generated by the solar panel 102 is stored in the battery 106, the motor of the propeller 103 is rotationally driven by the electric power supplied from the battery 106, and the wireless relay station 110 executes wireless relay processing.

Further, the HAPS 10 includes a three-dimensional corresponding directional antenna device 130 as a communication unit used for communication with other HAPS and artificial satellites. In the example of FIG. 2, the antenna device 130 is arranged at both ends of the main wing portion 101 in the longitudinal direction, but the antenna device 130 may be arranged at another portion of the HAPS 10. The communication used for communication with other HAPS and artificial satellites may be optical communication or wireless communication by another method such as wireless communication by radio waves such as microwaves.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of components of basic functions of the HAPS 10 according to the embodiment. 3, the wireless relay station of the HAPS 10 includes a feeder link communication unit 11 that wirelessly communicates with the GW station 70 and the like via the antenna 11a, and a service link wirelessly communicates with the underwater exploration unit (terminal device) 30 through the antenna 12a. The communication unit 12, the frequency conversion unit 13 that performs conversion between the frequency of the feeder link and the frequency of the service link that are different from each other, and the inter-HAPS communication unit that wirelessly communicates with other HAPS in the vicinity via the antenna device 130 described above. And 15. The inter-HAPS communication unit 15 can also be used for communication with an artificial satellite. Further, the HAPS 10 includes a control unit 14 that controls each unit, a flight drive unit that includes a motor-driven propeller 103 and the like, and a power supply unit 17 that includes a solar panel 102, a battery 106, and the like.

The HAPS 10 may include an image capturing unit 18, such as a camera, that captures an image of the buoys 310 of the plurality of underwater exploration units 30 located on the sea surface. The bird's-eye view images of the plurality of buoys 310 captured by the imaging unit 18 can be used for position control between the buoys 310.

The solar plane type HAPS 10 levitates with a lift force, for example, by performing a circular flight, a “D”-shaped flight, or an “8”-shaped flight based on a predetermined target flight route, It can be levitated to stay within a certain horizontal range at a certain altitude. The solar plane type HAPS 10 can fly like a glider when the propeller 103 is not rotationally driven. For example, the power of the battery 106 rises to a higher position when the power of the battery 106 is surplus due to the power generation of the solar panel 102 in the daytime or the like, and the power supply from the battery 106 to the motor is stopped when the solar panel 102 cannot generate the power in the night and the like. You can fly like.

The HAPS that can be used in the wide-area underwater exploration system of this embodiment may be an unmanned airship-type HAPS that has a large payload and can carry a large-capacity battery. This type of HAPS consists of an airship body filled with a gas such as helium gas for buoyancy, a motor-driven propeller as a bus power system propulsion device, and a device accommodating part for accommodating mission devices. Prepare A wireless relay station and a battery are housed inside the device housing unit. The electric power supplied from the battery drives the propeller motor to rotate, and the wireless relay process is performed by the wireless relay station. A solar panel having a solar power generation function may be provided on the upper surface of the airship body to store the electric power generated by the solar panel in a battery. The unmanned airship type HAPS may also include a three-dimensional directional antenna device as a communication unit used for communication with other HAPS and artificial satellites.

In addition, the plurality of HAPSs 10 of the embodiment are configured to perform inter-HAPS communication by optical communication or the like in the sky, and a wireless communication network excellent in robustness that can stably realize a three-dimensional network over a wide area. May be formed. This wireless communication network can also function as an ad hoc network by dynamic routing according to various environments and various information. The wireless communication network between the HAPSs 10 can be formed to have various two-dimensional or three-dimensional topologies, and may be, for example, a mesh type wireless communication network.

Further, in the present embodiment, the communication between the HAPS 10 and the core network of the mobile communication network 80 may be performed via the GW station 70 and a low-orbit satellite. In this case, the communication between the artificial satellite and the GW station 70 may be wireless communication using radio waves such as microwaves, or may be optical communication using laser light or the like.

Further, the HAPS 10 according to the embodiment may include an edge computer as an information processing device that performs various types of information processing. The edge computer is configured by, for example, a small computer, and executes a pre-installed program to perform information processing of underwater exploration based on information acquired by the underwater exploration unit 30, position control of the underwater exploration unit 30, and HAPS 10. Various information processing related to wireless relay in the wireless relay station 110 may be executed.

The uplink and downlink duplex systems for wireless communication with the underwater exploration unit 30 (terminal device) via the wireless relay station 110 are not limited to specific systems, and for example, time division duplex (Time Division Duplex: The TDD method may be used, or the frequency division duplex (FDD) method may be used. Further, the access method of wireless communication with the terminal device via the wireless relay station 110 is not limited to a specific method, and for example, an FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) method, a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) method, a CDMA ( A Code Division Multiple Access (OFD) method or an OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) may be used. In addition, the wireless communication has functions such as diversity coding, transmission beamforming, and space division multiplexing (SDM), and a plurality of antennas are simultaneously used for both transmission and reception, so that a unit frequency It is also possible to use a MIMO (Multi-Input and Multi-Output) technology capable of increasing the transmission capacity. Further, the MIMO technology may be SU-MIMO (Single-User MIMO) technology in which one base station transmits a plurality of signals at the same time and the same frequency as one terminal device, or one base station has a plurality of signals. It may be a MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) technique in which signals are transmitted to different terminal devices at the same time and the same frequency, or a plurality of different base stations transmit signals to one terminal device at the same time and the same frequency. ..

Hereinafter, a case where the wireless relay device that wirelessly communicates with the underwater exploration unit 30 (terminal device) is the solar plane type HAPS 10 having the wireless relay station 110 will be described, but the following embodiment has the wireless relay station 210. The same can be applied to other wireless relay devices that can move over the sky such as an unmanned airship type HAPS.

As shown in FIG. 1 described above, the plurality of underwater exploration units 30 capable of wireless communication via the HAPS 10 are respectively a buoy 310 as a floating device arranged in a floating state on the sea surface 90s, and an underwater buoy 310. An unmanned submersible robot (hereinafter referred to as “submersible robot”) 330 as an underwater vehicle connected via a cable 320. An antenna 311 for wireless communication with the HAPS 10 is provided at the upper end of the buoy 310, and an underwater cable 320 including a communication line for communicating with the underwater side is connected to the lower end of the buoy 310.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of components of basic functions of the buoy 310 that constitutes the underwater exploration unit 30 in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment.
In FIG. 4, the buoy 310 includes a wired communication unit 312 that communicates with the submersible robot 330 via the signal line 321 of the underwater cable 320, a wireless communication unit 313 that wirelessly communicates with the HAPS 10, and a control unit 314. The control unit 314 controls each unit in the buoy 310, processes information/data acquired by each unit, and processes information/data to be transmitted to the outside.

The buoy 310 further includes a GPS receiver 315 and a power generator 316. The GPS receiving unit 315 receives radio signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and acquires position information of the current position of the buoy 310 (for example, latitude and longitude where the buoy 310 is located).

The power generation device 316 is, for example, a wave power generation device that generates energy by using the energy of waves (for example, the energy of vertical movement of waves). The power generation device 316 may include a solar power generation panel that receives sunlight to generate power, or a battery. The electric power generated by the power generation device 316 is supplied to the submersible robot 330 via the power line 322 of the underwater cable 320.

The buoy 310 may include at least one of the image pickup unit 317, the sensor 318, and the light projecting device 319. The image capturing unit 317 can capture an image of a scene of the sea around the buoy 310 or the sky, and an image of an object (for example, a ship invading the territorial waters) located in the surroundings.

The sensor 318 may, for example, detect surrounding information around the buoy (for example, meteorological information such as temperature, pressure, wind direction, wind speed, environmental information such as direction and velocity of ocean current, wave height and cycle), and buoy of the buoy itself. At least one of the relative movement direction (azimuth) and speed, the direction of the underwater cable 320 extending underwater from the buoy 310 (angle and direction of the underwater cable 320 with respect to the sea surface), and the imaging direction (azimuth) by the imaging unit 317 is measured. It is a sensor. From the direction and length of the underwater cable 320, the position of the submersible robot 330 towing the buoy 310 (position relative to the buoy 310) can be known. The sensor 318 may be configured by combining a plurality of types of sensors.

The light projecting device 319 illuminates, for example, the surroundings of the buoy 10 when the surroundings are photographed by the image capturing unit 317, or emits light so that the buoy 310 can be easily recognized by the HAPS 10 or a nearby ship. ..

The buoy 310 is, via the HAPS 10, a server 61 and a remote control device 62 provided on a marine vessel (for example, the mother ship of the underwater exploration unit 30) 60, a server 85 as an information processing device arranged on the ground 95, and a remote. It is possible to communicate with the control device 86 and the like. If the HAPS 10 has an information processing device such as an edge computer incorporated therein, the buoy 310 can also communicate with the information processing device in the HAPS 10.

FIG. 5: is a block diagram which shows an example of the component of the basic function of the submersible robot 330 which comprises the underwater exploration unit 30 which concerns on embodiment.
In FIG. 5, a submersible robot 330 is connected to a buoy 310 via an underwater cable 320, and a driving unit 331 for diving underwater by autonomous control or control from the outside to move in any direction, and an underwater cable. It has a wired communication unit 332 that communicates via a control unit 333. The control unit 333 controls each unit in the submersible robot 330, processes information/data acquired by each unit, and processes information/data to be transmitted to the outside.

The drive unit 331 is composed of, for example, a single or a plurality of thrusters including a propeller and a motor that drives the propeller. Electric power for driving the drive unit 331 is supplied from the buoy 310 via the power line 322 of the underwater cable 320 and the power supply unit 334. When power is not supplied from the buoy 310, power is supplied from the battery 335 via the power supply unit 334. The battery 335 can be charged using electric power received from the power supply unit 334.

The submersible robot 330 also includes an information acquisition unit 336 that acquires various underwater information. The information acquisition unit 336 is an imaging unit 3361 that captures an underwater image as underwater information using, for example, light, sound waves, ultrasonic waves, or radio waves. The image capturing unit 3361 is a scene (for example, a submarine volcano, archeological site, or terrain) around the submersible robot 330 and an object (for example, a school of fish, a biological reef such as a fish reef, a lost item, a victim, or an invasion of a territorial water) of the seabed. You can take a picture of the submarine). When the image capturing unit 3361 captures an underwater image with an optical camera, the light projecting device 337 may be provided so as to capture an image even when the area to be captured is dark. The information acquisition unit 336 may include a sonar 3362 such as a fish finder, a sensor 3363, and the like.

The sensor 3363 may be, for example, peripheral information (for example, environmental information such as water depth, water temperature, water pressure, direction and speed of water flow) around the diving robot 330, the moving direction (direction) and speed of the diving robot 330 itself, the diving robot 330. Is a sensor that measures at least one of the direction of the underwater cable 320 extending from the buoy 310 (angle and direction of the underwater cable 320) and the shooting direction (direction) by the imaging unit 3361. The sensor 3363 may be configured by combining a plurality of types of sensors.

The underwater information acquired by the information acquisition unit 336 is transmitted to the buoy 310 on the surface of the sea via the underwater cable 320, and further, the buoy 310 transmits the terrestrial server 85 and the remote control device 86 via the HAPS 10 to the server 61 in the ship 60. And can be transmitted to the remote control device 62.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of components of basic functions of the server 85 in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment. The server 61 of the ship 60 can be configured similarly to the server 85 of FIG. The server may also be provided on a flying aircraft over the ocean.

In FIG. 6, the server 85 is configured by, for example, a single or a plurality of computer devices, and includes a communication unit 851, a database unit 852, a data processing unit 853, and a control unit 854 that controls each unit. The communication unit 851 communicates with the buoys 310 of the plurality of underwater exploration units 30 dispersedly arranged on the sea surface via the mobile communication network 80, the GW station 70, and the HAPS 10.

The database unit 852 stores information/data indicating a relationship between a plurality of types of underwater exploration candidates that may be underwater explored and underwater information. For example, in the database unit 852, the name of the search target that the underwater search unit 30 has searched in the past, image data, the type of image (light image, sonar image,... ), and the device that acquired the image (optical A large number of data sets in which camera, sonar, fish finder, ...), date and time, water depth, water temperature, ocean name, buoy position information (latitude, longitude), etc. are associated with each other are accumulated.

Upon receiving the underwater information acquired by the submersible robot 330 of the underwater exploration unit 30, the data processing unit 853, based on the acquired information such as the received image and the information/data accumulated in the database unit 852, Information processing (image recognition) of underwater exploration for identifying an underwater exploration target (for example, a group of specific fish) included in the image is performed. Various AI (artificial intelligence) engines may be used for information processing of this underwater exploration.

In addition, the server 85 updates the database unit 852 to add the above-mentioned data set based on the underwater information acquired by the submersible robot 330 and the identification result of the underwater exploration target in order to improve the accuracy of the underwater exploration. You may perform the learning process.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of components of basic functions of the remote control device 86 in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment. The remote control device 62 of the ship 60 can be configured similarly to the remote control device 86 of FIG. 7. Further, the remote control device may be provided in an airplane flying over the ocean.

In FIG. 7, the remote control device 86 is configured by, for example, a single or a plurality of computer devices, and includes a communication unit 861, a database unit 862, a control information generation unit 863, and a control unit 864 that controls each unit. The communication unit 861 communicates with the buoys 310 of the plurality of underwater exploration units 30 dispersedly arranged on the sea surface via the mobile communication network 80, the GW station 70, and the HAPS 10.

The database unit 862 stores information/data of a plurality of underwater exploration units 30 to be managed. For example, in the database unit 862, identification information of each of the plurality of underwater exploration units 30, current and past position information (latitude, longitude) and peripheral information of the underwater exploration unit 30, a search target currently being searched or previously searched, Information and data such as underwater information and weather information used for the exploration are accumulated.

Upon receiving the acquisition information acquired by the buoy 310 of the underwater exploration unit 30 and the diving robot 330, the control information generation unit 863 receives the acquired information such as the received image and the information/data accumulated in the database unit 862. Based on the above, information processing for generating control information for controlling movement of the submersible robot 330 of the underwater exploration unit 30 is performed. Various AI (artificial intelligence) engines may be used for the information processing for generating the control information.

In addition, the remote control device 86, in order to improve the accuracy of control of the underwater exploration unit 30, the acquisition information obtained by the buoy 310 and the submersible robot 330 of each underwater exploration unit 30, and the underwater exploration unit 30 actually performed. A learning process of updating the database unit 862 so as to add the control information may be executed.

The server 85 of FIG. 6 and the remote control device 86 of FIG. 7 may be integrally configured as a single device, and the server 61 and the remote control device 62 of the ship 60 are also integrally configured as a single device. You may comprise.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of underwater exploration and position control of the diving robot in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment.
In FIG. 8, when the submersible robot 330 of the underwater exploration unit 30 acquires underwater information such as an image (S101), the acquired information is transmitted to the server 85 and the remote control device 86 via the buoy 310, the HAPS 10, and the GW station 70. (S102 to S105, S105'). When the information is acquired by the buoy 310 and the HAPS 10 (S101′, S101″), the acquired information is also transmitted to the server 85 and the remote control device 86.

When the server 85 receives the acquired information (underwater information) such as an image from the submersible robot 330 of the underwater exploration unit 30, the underwater exploration information processing for identifying the underwater exploration target using AI (for example, a specific school of fish). (Image recognition) is performed, and the identification result of the underwater exploration target is obtained based on the result of the information processing (S106). Whether or not the identification result of the underwater exploration target approaches, for example, one or a plurality of target candidates identified from the plurality of types of underwater exploration target candidates registered in the database unit 852. , Or a determination result of whether or not there is any one of a plurality of candidates for the underwater exploration target. Then, the learning process of adding and updating the received underwater information and the identification result of the underwater exploration target to the database unit 852 is executed (S107). The underwater exploration result obtained by the server 85 is transmitted to a predetermined information delivery destination determined in advance (for example, when the exploration target is a school of fish, a fishing boat in the vicinity of the location where the school of fish is located). Along with (S108), it is transmitted to the remote control device 86 (S109).

The remote control device 86 generates control information for controlling the position of the submersible robot 330 of each underwater exploration unit 30 based on the underwater exploration result received from the server 85 and the position information of each underwater exploration unit 30. (S110). The generation of the control information may use AI as described above, or may perform the update processing (learning processing) of the database unit 862 that adds the acquisition information and the control information of the underwater exploration unit 30.

The control information generated by the remote control device 86 is transmitted to the submersible robot 330 via the GW station 70, the HAPS 10, and the buoy 310 of the underwater exploration unit 30 (S111 to S114). The submersible robot 330 drives and controls the buoy 310 so as to move to a predetermined position while towing the buoy 310 based on the control information received from the remote control device 86 (S115).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of underwater exploration and position control of the diving robot in the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment. Moreover, FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the position control of the underwater exploration unit according to the embodiment.

In FIG. 9, the remote control device 86 of the wide-area underwater exploration system according to the embodiment executes a wide-area exploration mode for exploring a specific target over a wide area of the ocean by the control processing using the AI, as shown in FIG. 10, for example. As described above, the underwater exploration units 30 are controlled to be distributed (S201). In this distributed arrangement control, for example, the position of the submersible robot 330 is controlled so that the minimum distance between the buoys 310 adjacent to each other is a predetermined distance (for example, Xkm) or more.

In the example of FIG. 10, the distance between two buoys 310(3) and 310(4) among the six buoys 310(1) to 310(6) located in the distributed management area 100 is less than a predetermined Xkm. Therefore, the position of the submersible robot 330 towing the buoy 310(3) is controlled so as to be more than Xkm away from the buoy 310(4).

In other distributed arrangement control, when the distance between any two buoys is less than Xkm, the position of the submersible robot that tows the buoy by any one of the following algorithms (1) to (4). To control.
(1) Move the buoy located to the east of the two buoys in the east direction until it is more than Xkm away.
(2) Move the buoy located west of the two buoys in the west direction until it is more than Xkm away.
(3) Move the buoy located to the south of the two buoys in the south direction until it is separated by Xkm or more.
(4) Move the buoy located to the north of the two buoys in the north direction until it is more than Xkm away.

When six buoys 310(1) to 310(6) are gathered near the center of the distributed management area 100 as in the example of FIG. 11, the buoy 310(1) at the center is replaced with another buoy. The submersible robots of buoys 310(2) to 310(6) are controlled so that 310(2) to 310(6) are radially separated by Xkm or more.

Next, in FIG. 9, the server 85 collects the acquired information from the plurality of underwater exploration units 30 in the distributed arrangement (S202), and based on the acquired information of each underwater exploration unit 30 and the database, a target target (for example, An exploration process (AI recognition process) is executed for a school of fish, a treasure, etc. (S203), and an AI learning process for updating the database when the target is discovered is executed (S204).

After discovering the target, the remote control device 86 of the wide-area underwater exploration system collects the surrounding underwater exploration units 30 near the underwater exploration unit 30 in which the target is discovered by the control processing using the AI, and detects the target. A concentrated search mode for detailed search is executed (S205).

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a submersible robot 330 of one underwater exploration unit 30 discovers a target object (for example, a school of fish, a treasure, etc.), and a buoy connected to the submersible robot 330 (hereinafter referred to as “discovery buoy”). .) 310(6) is specified, the remote control device 86 controls to move the buoy as in the following A to E.
A. Based on the information obtained from the discovery buoy 310(6), the motion of the discovered object is grasped by using the AI image recognition technology.
B. If the subject is not moving, the discovery buoy 310(6) is controlled to stay in place.
C. If the target is moving, the discovery buoy 310(6) is controlled to move along with the motion of the target.
D. The neighboring buoys 310(1) and 310(5) located near the discovery buoy 310(6) are controlled to approach the discovery buoy 310(6).
E. When the neighboring buoys 310(1) and 310(5) detect the target object, thereafter, the neighboring buoys 310(1) and 310(5) are also found buoys.

In FIG. 9, after the underwater exploration unit 30 is centrally arranged, the server 85 collects the acquired information from the underwater exploration unit 30 centrally arranged near the discovered target (S206), and analyzes the discovered target in detail. Then, centralized exploration processing for intensively detecting and monitoring is performed, and AI learning for updating the database is executed based on the result (S207).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of underwater exploration units 30 are arranged over a wide area of the ocean, and the obtained information obtained by the plurality of underwater exploration units 30 is used by the servers 85 and 61 of the ground and the ship (mother ship). It can be collected and processed. As a result, it is possible to accurately search a target target on the sea, in the sea, or on the seabed in a wide area of the ocean while staying on the ground or on a ship.
In particular, according to the present embodiment, since the information acquired from the underwater exploration unit 30 can be collected via the wireless communication via the HAPS 10 capable of large-capacity transmission, image data having a relatively large data size can be collected. The accuracy of exploration can be improved. In addition, since wireless communication via the HAPS 10 is capable of low-delay data transmission, it is possible to perform exploration over a wide area of the ocean in real time.
Further, according to the present embodiment, the buoy 310 of the underwater exploration unit 30 can be towed by the submersible robot 330 whose position is controlled by the remote control devices 86 and 62 of the ground or the ship (mother ship), so that the underwater is spread over a wide area such as the sea. Exploration can be performed at low cost in a short time. In addition, the underwater exploration unit 30 can be accurately controlled based on the image data acquired via the HAPS 10 capable of large-capacity transmission, and wireless communication via the HAPS 10 enables low-delay data transmission, and Real-time control of the underwater exploration unit 30 in a wide area becomes possible.
Further, according to the present embodiment, the buoy 310 of the underwater exploration unit 30 includes a power generation device such as a wave power generation device, powers the submersible robot 330 connected to the buoy 310, and charges the battery of the submersible robot 330. Therefore, exploration over a wide area of the ocean and control of the underwater exploration unit 30 used therefor can be executed for a long period (for example, 24 hours, 365 days).

It should be noted that the processing steps and buoys and submersible robots of the underwater exploration unit, the server, the remote control device, the wireless relay device, the communication system, the GW station, the base station and the terminal device (user device, mobile station, mobile device) described in this specification. Components can be implemented by various means. For example, these processes and components may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the control/processing in the wireless device such as the base station of the present embodiment is executed by reading a predetermined program in the hardware described later, or by executing a predetermined program pre-installed in the hardware described later. It is realized by doing.

As for hardware implementation, means such as a processing unit used to implement the above steps and components in an entity (for example, a computer device, various wireless communication devices, NodeB, terminal, hard disk drive device, or optical disk drive device). Are one or more application specific ICs (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processors (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) , A processor, a controller, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, an electronic device, another electronic unit designed to perform the functions described herein, a computer, or a combination thereof. ..

Also, for firmware and/or software implementations, means such as processing units used to implement the components described above may be programs (eg, procedures, functions, modules, instructions) that perform the functions described herein. , Etc.). In general, any computer/processor readable medium embodying firmware and/or software code, means, such as a processing unit, used to implement the steps and components described herein. May be used to implement. For example, firmware and/or software code may be stored in memory and executed by a computer or processor, eg, at the controller. The memory may be mounted inside the computer or the processor, or may be mounted outside the processor. The firmware and/or software code may be, for example, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read only memory (PROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM). ), a FLASH memory, a floppy disk, a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a magnetic or optical data storage device, etc., and may be stored on a computer or processor readable medium. Good. The code may be executed by one or more computers or processors, or may cause a computer or processor to perform the functional aspects described herein.

Also, the description of the embodiments disclosed herein is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be admitted to the broadest extent consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

10: buoy 11: feeder link communication unit 11a: antenna 12: service link communication unit 12a: antenna 13: frequency conversion unit 14: control unit 17: power supply unit 18: imaging unit 30: underwater exploration unit 60: ship 61: server 62 : Remote control device 70: GW station 80: Mobile communication network 85: Server 86: Remote control device 90: Sea 90s: Sea surface 91: Fish group 95: Ground 110: Wireless relay station 310: Buoy 311: Antenna 312: Wired communication unit 313 : Wireless communication unit 314: Control unit 315: GPS receiving unit 316: Power generation device 317: Imaging unit 318: Sensor 319: Projection device 320: Underwater cable 321: Signal line 322: Power line 330: Diving robot 331: Driving unit 332: Wired communication unit 333: control unit 334: power supply unit 335: battery 336: information acquisition unit 337: light projecting device 851: communication unit 852: database unit 853: data processing unit 854: control unit 861: communication unit 862: database unit 863: Control information generation unit 864: Control unit 3361: Imaging unit 3362: Sonar 3363: Sensor

Claims (17)

A system for underwater exploration,
A plurality of buoys each having a wired communication unit that communicates via an underwater cable, and a wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with an overstay wireless relay device;
A drive unit for connecting to each of the plurality of buoys via the underwater cable, a drive unit for moving underwater by autonomous control or control from the outside, and a wired communication unit for communicating via the underwater cable, possess an information acquisition unit that acquires water information, a plurality of underwater vehicle to move to towing the buoy through the underwater cable,
Flying with electric power supplied from a power source unit including a solar power generation unit and a battery, connected to a core network of a mobile communication network via a gateway station on the ground, and is capable of wireless communication with the plurality of buoys. A wireless relay device,
An information processing device that performs information processing of underwater exploration based on underwater information acquired by the plurality of underwater moving bodies,
A plurality of the above-mentioned stay-in-the-air type wireless relay devices,
Each of the plurality of wireless relay apparatus, to fly a predetermined altitude airspace, said to form a 3-dimensional cell of the mobile communication toward the position or et sea of airspace, the buoy and the other located within the 3-dimensional cell Can communicate wirelessly with mobile stations,
The plurality of wireless relay devices form a three-dimensional wireless communication network of the plurality of wireless relay devices connected to the mobile communication network by wireless communication between the wireless relay devices ,
The information processing device communicates with the buoy to which the underwater vehicle is connected, via any one of the plurality of wireless relay devices forming the three-dimensional wireless communication network and a core network of the mobile communication network. A system characterized by: In the system of claim 1,
Further comprising a remote control device for controlling the position of the plurality of underwater vehicles,
The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device communicates with the buoy to which the underwater vehicle is connected, via any of the plurality of wireless relay devices forming the three-dimensional wireless communication network. In the system of claim 2,
The remote control device executes a wide area search mode in which the plurality of buoys are dispersedly arranged to search for a target object over a wide area of the ocean, and when the target object is found by the wide area search mode, the wide area search mode is set. In the concentrated exploration mode for gathering the underwater vehicles connected to other buoys in the vicinity near the buoy to which the underwater vehicle that has found the target object is searched for in more detail of the target object A system characterized by switching and executing. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The information acquisition unit of the underwater moving body includes an imaging unit that images underwater using light, sound waves, ultrasonic waves, or radio waves,
The underwater information includes underwater image information. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The buoy further includes an information acquisition unit that acquires peripheral information around the buoy,
The system, wherein the information processing device performs information processing of underwater exploration based on the plurality of underwater information acquired by the plurality of underwater moving bodies and the peripheral information acquired by the plurality of buoys. The system of claim 5,
The information acquisition unit of the buoy includes an imaging unit that images the periphery of the buoy,
The system according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral information includes image information around the buoy. The system according to claim 5 or 6,
The system according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral information includes at least one of position information of the buoy and position information of the underwater vehicle. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The target of the underwater exploration is at least one of underwater fish school, organism, biological reef, treasure, lost property, victim, submarine volcano, archeological site, resource, environment and topography. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The information processing device has a database that accumulates the relationship between the underwater information and a plurality of types of underwater exploration target candidates that may be explored underwater, and the underwater information acquired by the underwater vehicle. A system which performs information processing of underwater exploration based on the database and obtains an identification result of an underwater exploration object based on the result of the information processing. The system according to claim 9,
The identification result of the object of the underwater exploration is whether or not it is close to one or more target candidates identified from among the plurality of types of underwater exploration candidates, or the plurality of types of underwater exploration The system is characterized in that it is the result of judgment as to whether or not any of the above target candidates exist. The system according to claim 9 or 10,
The information processing apparatus updates the database based on the underwater information acquired by the underwater vehicle and the identification result of the target of the underwater exploration. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The system, wherein the information processing device transmits a result of the underwater exploration to a ship or an air vehicle located near an object found in the underwater exploration, or the underwater vehicle located near the object. .. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The information processing apparatus generates control information for controlling the underwater vehicle based on a result of the underwater exploration, and transmits the control information to the underwater vehicle. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
A system characterized in that the information processing device is a server provided on the ground, a ship, or an aircraft. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
The system, wherein the information processing device is an edge computer provided in the underwater vehicle, the buoy, or the wireless relay device. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
The underwater vehicle includes a battery,
The buoy includes a power generator, and supplies electric power to the underwater vehicle via the underwater cable to charge the battery. The system of claim 15, wherein
The power generating device of the buoy is a wave power generating device that generates electric power by using wave energy .

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