Cable connection work support apparatus

The present invention relates to a cable connection work support device that supports a cable connection work performed by an operator.

Conventionally, as a cable connection management system that manages the connection between an electric device and a cable, for example, the identification code attached to the electric device and the identification code attached to the cable are read by a reading device and compared with the design data. A management system for determining whether the connection is correct is disclosed. Specifically, a cable number and a cable wire number are two-dimensionally coded and printed or a printed label is attached to the surface of the tube attached to all cable ends, and further, an electric device is also attached on the appliance label. The equipment identification number is converted into a two-dimensional code, displayed and attached, the equipment identification number is read, converted into electronic data, the cable connection position is input to the portable personal computer, and the cable wire number on the tube at that position is two-dimensional. It is read by a code reader, converted into electronic data, and matched with the connection data at the time of design in the personal computer to determine whether the connection is correct. As a result, the possibility of human error entering the operator is reduced, and the effect of improving the confirmation accuracy can be expected (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

After connecting the cable to the electrical device in this way, it is possible to improve the accuracy of checking whether the cable is correctly connected to the desired position of the electrical device, but on the other hand, regarding the cable connection work itself. Is still required to select the cable to be connected and work while confirming which position of which electrical device to connect one by one with drawings and the like.

<p><patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-118638</text></patcit></p>

<p> When the number of cables and connectors was small, it was possible to find the corresponding connector name by comparing with this connection instruction table and product drawing, and to find and connect the corresponding cable without much time. .. However, for products with a large number of cables and connectors, the ratio of preparation time to inspection is high, and the ratio of cable connection work is particularly high. This is because it takes time to find the connector specified in the connection instruction table or the product drawing, and conventionally, it takes a lot of time and effort to connect the cable.</p><p> In addition, if the cable is connected incorrectly, not only the product cannot be inspected correctly, but also the product may be damaged. Therefore, it takes a lot of time to check after the connection, and the work quality and work efficiency. There was a problem with.</p><p> In this way, in the past, it was necessary to manually find the connector specified in the connection instruction table or product drawing, connect the cable, and manually check whether the connection was correct, but this is a lot of work. It took time, and improvement of work efficiency and work quality was an issue. Especially in recent years, the scale of products has increased along with the sophistication of products, and the number of cables and connectors has increased, making it even more difficult to carry out work undoubtedly efficiently. There was a problem that it caused troubles and delays in construction.</p><p> The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and to improve the quality and efficiency of the work of finding a desired connector and connecting a cable, and the work of confirming that the connection is correct after the connection. With the goal.</p>

<p> The cable connection work support device according to the present invention is a cable connection work support device attached to the end of a cable and assisting the connection of a connector with an identification symbol, and is a landscape that can be seen by an operator who performs the cable connection work. A head-mounted display including a camera for capturing an image and a display unit for displaying guidance information for guiding the worker to a predetermined place, and inputting the landscape image to acquire position information of what is projected on the landscape image. The image processing unit to be used, the connector identification code / connector position recording unit that records the connector identification code / position information associated with the connector identification code and the position information of the connector, and the identification code of the target connector to be searched are When input, a connector search unit that accesses the connector name / connector position recording unit and acquires the position information of the connector associated with the identification symbol, and the position information of the connector and what is reflected in the landscape image. It comprises a portable terminal including a target connector guidance processing unit that displays guidance information for guiding the worker to the location of the target connector on the display unit using the position information.</p>

<p> According to the cable connection work support device according to the present invention, it is possible to guide and display the location of the connector or the like that the worker is looking for for connection on the head-mounted display worn on the face of the worker. There is no need for manual work to find the connector while comparing the table and product drawings. As a result, even if the number of cables and connectors increases due to the increase in the scale of the product, it is possible to efficiently carry out the work without mistakes.</p><p> In addition, by making it possible to automatically check the connector combination after connection through the head-mounted display, it is not necessary to manually check whether the connector combination is correct while comparing the work instruction table and the connected connector, and the connection check It is possible to improve work efficiency and prevent incorrect connection.</p>

<figref num="1">It is a block diagram of the cable connection work support device 100 which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG.</figref><figref num="2">It is a figure which showed the arrangement relation of the cable connection work support device 100 which concerns on Embodiment 1 and the worker 9 who performs a cable connection work.</figref><figref num="3">It is a figure which showed an example of the appearance of the mobile terminal 8 which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG.</figref><figref num="4">It is a block diagram at the time of connection check of the cable connection work support device 100 which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG.</figref><figref num="5">It is a figure which showed an example of various figures displayed on the display part 790 of the head-mounted display 7 which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG.</figref><figref num="6">It is a figure which showed an example of the relationship between the field of view of the head mounted display 7 which concerns on Embodiment 1 and the position of a connector.</figref><figref num="7">It is a figure which showed the conventional product cable and inspection apparatus.</figref><figref num="8">It is an enlarged view of the connector of a conventional product cable and an inspection cable.</figref>

Embodiment 1.

First, the cable connection work performed by the conventional worker will be described, and then the cable connection work support device according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the product cable 1 and the inspection device 3 constituting the product. In FIG. 7, when inspecting with the inspection device 3, the connector 2 fixed to the end of the product cable 1 is connected to the connector 5 at the end of the inspection cable 4 attached to the inspection device 3. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the connector 2 of the product cable and the connector 5 of the inspection cable. The connector name 6 of the connector is directly printed or printed on the label and affixed to the surface of the connector. The operator finds the corresponding connector name 6 by comparing with the connection instruction table and the product drawing, and connects the cables 1 and 4. In this way, when the number of cables and connectors is small, the work of finding the corresponding connector name 6 by comparing with this connection instruction table and product drawing, searching for the corresponding cable, and connecting is also performed without much time. I was able to do it. However, as the number of cables and connectors increases, the conventional work method requires a great deal of time.

Hereinafter, the cable connection work support device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the cable connection work support device 100 according to the first embodiment. The cable connection work support device 100 includes a head-mounted display 7 worn by the worker 9 on the face and a mobile terminal 8 carried by the worker 9.

The head mount display 7 includes a camera 710 that captures a landscape image 720 in the field of view, a connector shape recognition unit 730 that recognizes the shape of the connector from the landscape image 720 and outputs the result as connector shape recognition information 731, and a connector. The connector name of the connector extracted from the landscape image of the place where the shape is recognized is output as the extraction connector name 750. The connector name extraction unit 740 and the guidance information that guides the operator to the location of the desired connector that the operator is looking for. It consists of a display unit 790 that displays such as.

The mobile terminal 8 includes an augmented reality processing unit 800 that outputs the extracted connector position information (connector position information 810) based on the landscape image 720 and the connector shape recognition information 731 output by the head mount display 7, and the head mount display. An interface unit between the connector name / connector position recording unit 820 that records the extraction connector name 750 output by 7 and the connector position information 810 output by the extended reality processing unit 800 in association with each other, and the worker 9 that performs the cable connection work. Compare the target connector command unit 890 that receives the designation of the target connector name (target connector name 831) with the connector name 750 output by the connector name extraction unit 740 and the target connector name 831 input by the worker 9. , When the connector name determination unit 860 that determines whether or not they are the same and the target connector name 831 output by the target connector command unit 890 are input, the data in the connector name / connector position recording unit 820 is searched and the data is searched. Extraction that matches the target connector name 831 The connector search unit 830 that outputs the connector position information 810 associated with the connector name 750 as the target connector position information 840, and the viewing space that the target connector position information 840 and the extended reality processing unit 800 output. It consists of a target connector guidance processing unit 870 that inputs information 850 and guides the operator to the position of the target connector.

Here, the augmented reality processing unit 800 is a processing unit that outputs the position of a specific object captured in the landscape image 720 captured by the camera 710, and outputs the position of the object. By using Augmented Reality technology that can superimpose the real space of the landscape image 720 taken in 1 and the virtual space constructed by the augmented reality processing unit 800, the position in the landscape image is specified. Regarding augmented reality technology, for example, the technical content is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-282349 and its cited references, and in recent years, as a technology for acquiring information on the real environment such as the position where the user observes the object. Are known.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement relationship between the worker 9 who connects the cables and the work support device 100 (head-mounted display 7 and mobile terminal 8). The worker 9 wears the head-mounted display 7 on his face and carries the mobile terminal 8 in his hand. The worker 9 is guided by the display (also referred to as a guide figure or guide information) displayed on the display unit of the head-mounted display 7 to reach the target connector, that is, the position of the connector to be connected to the cable. Can be done.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a guide figure displayed on the display unit 790 of the head-mounted display 7. The display unit 790 of the head mount display 7 has an out-of-field target connector guidance figure 781 that indicates the direction of the target connector that is outside the field of view and is not projected on the display unit 790, or the target connector surrounded by a circle. In-field target connector guidance figure 782 that displays the location, connector recognition figure 760 that displays the connector recognized by image processing surrounded by a square, and an extraction connector that displays the connector name extracted by image processing surrounded by a square. Name recognition figure 771, target connector name recognition figure 772 that displays that the extracted connector name is the target connector name by enclosing it in a square with rounded corners, and whether or not the connectors are correctly connected is OK The connection check pass display 930 is displayed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the mobile terminal 8. The connection instruction data recording unit 880 of the mobile terminal 8 is defined in the electrical design by the connector 2 at the end of the product cable 1 provided in the product and the connector 5 at the end of the inspection cable 4 provided in the inspection device 3. The connection relationship is recorded as connection instruction data (also referred to as connector combination information 110). The connection instruction data is displayed on the connection instruction data display screen 81 of the mobile terminal 8. In the example of FIG. 3, it is shown that the connectors having the connector names "T0002" and "205P02" are a pair.

On the upper surface of the mobile terminal 8, a connection instruction data selection button 83, a target connector switching button 84, and a connection check execution button 85 are arranged. The operator 9 operates the connection instruction data selection button 83 of the mobile terminal 8 to select the connection instruction data, and determines which connector of the selected connection instruction data, the product cable or the inspection cable, is the target connector. It can be selected with the target connector switching button 84. The target connector selection figure 82 is displayed on the target connector. In addition, the connection check execution button 85 is used for the check after the cable connection.

Next, the procedure in which the cable connection work support device 100 of the present embodiment supports the connection work of the worker will be specifically described.

The cable connection work support device 100 of the present embodiment sequentially accumulates information on the connector names and connector positions of a large number of connectors placed in the workplace, and uses the information on the connector names and connector positions of the connectors. Supports cable connection work performed by workers.

First, an example of an operation of accumulating the connector position information in the connector name / connector position recording unit 820 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the worker 9 wears the head-mounted display 7 on his face, carries the mobile terminal 8 in his hand, and in the workplace where a large number of cables 1 with connectors 2 and inspection devices 3 are placed. Start work. The camera 710 mounted on the head-mounted display 7 acquires a landscape image 720 of the workplace where the cable 2, the inspection device 3, and the like are placed.

The connector shape recognition unit 730 recognizes the connector shape by image matching from the landscape image 720 acquired by the camera 710. When the connector shape recognition unit 730 recognizes that there is a connector shape in the landscape image 720, the recognition result is displayed as a square at the recognition position of the display unit 790 of the head-mounted display as shown in FIG. 5 (c), for example. Display the connector recognition figure 760 of the frame.

On the other hand, the camera 710 outputs the acquired landscape image 720 to the augmented reality processing unit 800. Further, the connector shape recognition unit 730 outputs the connector shape recognition information 731 including the recognition position of the connector shape on the display unit 790 and the size of the connector to the augmented reality processing unit 800. The augmented reality processing unit 800 extracts the actual position of the connector shape recognized by the connector shape recognition unit 730 based on the input landscape image 720 and the connector shape recognition information 731, and records the connector name / connector position as the connector position information 810. Output to unit 820.

On the other hand, the connector shape recognition unit 730 outputs a landscape image of the portion where the connector shape is recognized to the connector name extraction unit 740. The connector name extraction unit 740 extracts the connector name attached to the connector from the landscape image of the portion where the connector shape is recognized by image processing. Then, this connector name is output to the connector name / connector position recording unit 820 as the extraction connector name 750.

The connector name / connector position recording unit 820 associates the connector position information 810 output by the augmented reality processing unit 800 with the extraction connector name 750 output by the connector name extraction unit 740, and creates a database as the connector name / connector position information. Record in. In this way, the connector name / connector position recording unit 820 has the connector name (extract connector name 750) every time the camera of the head-mounted display 7 worn on the head of the worker 9 takes a picture of the workplace and puts the connector in the field of view. ) And the connector position (connector position information 810) are associated and accumulated in the database.

The cable is a flexible structure and the connector position may move without being fixed. In this way, the connector name and connector position information should be updated every time the operator puts the connector in the field of view of the head-mounted display. Then, the latest position information can be stored in the connector name / connector position recording unit 820.

Next, the support operation for supporting the cable connection work of the worker 9 will be described. By operating the connection instruction data display screen 81 of the mobile terminal 8 shown in FIG. 3, the operator 9 connects the target connector to the target connector command unit 890 of the mobile terminal 8, that is, the location for connecting the cable from now on. Enter the connector name of the connector you are looking for.

The connection instruction data recording unit 880 records design information in which the connectors to be connected are associated with each other, and records the combination information (hereinafter referred to as connector combination information 110) associated with the connector name of the connector to be connected. ing. The connector combination information 110 is displayed on the connection instruction data display screen 81 of the mobile terminal 8. In the example of FIG. 3, for example, it is a design combination of the connector to which the connector name T0001 and the connector name 312P05 are connected, and similarly, it is a design combination of the connector to which the connector name T0002 and the connector name 205P02 are connected. In this way, the design combination of connectors is displayed on the connection instruction data display screen 81. As described above, the operator 9 selects the connection instruction data with the connection instruction data selection button 83 of the mobile terminal 8, and selects either the connector of the product cable or the connector of the inspection cable in the selected connection instruction data. Select whether to use the target connector with the target connector switching button 84. The target connector selection figure 82 is displayed on the target connector.

When the target connector name 831 is input by the terminal operation of the worker 9, the target connector command unit 890 of the mobile terminal 8 outputs the target connector name 831 to the connector search unit 830. The connector search unit 830 accesses the connector name / connector position recording unit 820, searches the database, and extracts the connector position information associated with the input target connector name 831. The connector search unit 830 outputs the extracted target connector position as the target connector position information 840 to the target connector guidance processing unit 870.

The visual field space information 850 output by the augmented reality processing unit 800 is information representing the visual field space displayed on the display unit 790 of the head-mounted display 7, and is a value determined in conjunction with the viewing angle of the camera 710. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the field of view of the head-mounted display 7 and the position of the connector, and is a schematic view of the worker 9 wearing the head-mounted display 7 when viewed from above. Here, the visual field space information 850 means the visual field 71. In the example of FIG. 6, the connector 72 is in the field of view of the head-mounted display 7 and is displayed on the display unit 790 of the head-mounted display 7. On the other hand, the connector 73 is out of the field of view of the head-mounted display 7 and is not displayed on the display unit 790.

When the target connector guidance processing unit 870 inputs the target connector position information 840 and the visual field space information 850, the target connector guidance processing unit 870 determines whether the target connector is in the visual field of the display unit 790 or out of the visual field. The out-of-field target connector guidance figure 781 is displayed when the target connector is outside the field of view 71 (see Figure 5 (a)), and the in-field target connector guidance figure 782 (see Figure 5 (a)) when the target connector is inside the field of view 71. 5 (b)) is displayed. In this way, the target connector guidance processing unit 870 outputs the target connector guidance information 780 for guiding to the location where the target connector is located, and the display unit 790 outputs the out-of-sight target connector guidance graphic based on the target connector guidance information 780. Display 781 or in-field target connector guidance figure 782.

When the connector name / connector position recording unit 820 does not record the connector position information 810 and the extraction connector name 750, the target connector guidance information 780 is displayed on the display unit 790 as a message indicating that there is no corresponding connector. The connector.

The operator is guided to the place where the target connector is located by moving the field of view according to the out-of-field target connector guidance figure 781 or the in-field target connector guidance figure 782.

Worker 9 finds the target connector according to the out-of-field target connector guidance figure 781 or the in-field target connector guidance figure 782. The connector name extraction unit 740 of the head-mounted display 7 extracts the connector name attached to the connector from the image cut out by the connector shape recognition unit 730 and outputs the connector name to the connector name determination unit 860.

The connector name determination unit 860 compares the target connector name 831 previously input by the operator 9 with the target connector command unit 890 with the extraction connector name 750 extracted by the connector name extraction unit 740, and visually recognizes the connector name through the head-mounted display 7. Determine if the connector you are using is the target connector.

The connector name determination unit 860 displays the determination result as the connector name recognition figure 770 as the extraction connector name recognition figure 771 (see FIG. 5 (d)) or the target connector name extraction figure 772 (see FIG. 5 (e)). Display on 790. Here, the extracted connector name recognition figure 771 is displayed on the connector other than the target connector, and the target connector recognition figure 772 is displayed on the target connector. In this way, the worker 9 is guided to the place where the target connector is located, and the target connector can be obtained.

After confirming that the target connector recognition figure 772 is displayed, the operator 9 then starts searching for a connector to be the other party to connect to the connector. The search for the other party connector is started by switching the target connector with the target connector switching button 84 of the mobile terminal 8 (see FIG. 3). The procedure in which the cable connection work support device 100 guides the worker 9 to the target connector, that is, the connector to which the previously guided connector is connected is the same as the previous guidance procedure, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this way, the worker 9 can easily hold the two connectors for cable connection and perform the connection work by following the above-mentioned support provided by the cable connection work support device 100.

Next, the operator 9 checks the connection to see if the connected cables are in the correct combination. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the cable connection work support device 100 when checking the connection. The description and description of the configuration other than the configuration used for the connection check will be omitted. In the configuration block diagram for performing a connection check in FIG. 4, a connection check unit 910 and a connection check command unit 940 are newly added.

The main operations of each configuration shown in FIG. 4 will be described below. First, the worker 9 instructs the connection check command unit 940 to start the connection check by operating the connection check execution button 85 (see FIG. 3) of the mobile terminal 8.

The connection check command unit 940 outputs a command to the connection check unit 910 to check whether the combination of the two connected extraction connector names 750 is correct.

The connection check unit 910 performs a connection check. At this time, the worker 9 wears the head-mounted display 7 on the face as shown in FIG. 2, carries the mobile terminal 8 in his hand, and performs the connection check work. The camera 710 mounted on the head-mounted display 7 acquires a landscape image 720 including the two connectors to which the worker 9 is connected first. The connector shape recognition unit 730 recognizes the connector shape by image matching from the landscape image 720 acquired by the camera 710. At this time, the connector shape recognition unit 730 recognizes the two connected connectors. Next, the connector name extraction unit 740 outputs each connector name as the extraction connector name 750 to the connection check unit 910 from the landscape image extracted from the two recognized connectors. The connection check unit 910 queries the connection instruction data recording unit 880 that records the connector combination information 110 for the extracted connector name 750, and the extracted connector name 750 matches the connector combination information 110 recorded in the connection instruction data recording unit 880. It is determined whether or not the two connected extraction connector position information 841 output by the connector search unit 830 is sufficiently adjacent to each other.

As a result of the judgment of the connection check unit 910, if the combination of two connector names that are sufficiently adjacent to each other is correct, the connection check pass flag 920 is recorded in the connection instruction data recording unit 880, so that the combination of the connector names that have passed the connection check can be obtained. Flag it so that it can be distinguished as a completed combination. In addition, the connection check pass display 930 is displayed on the display unit 790 (see Fig. 5 (f)). The connection check pass display 930 is a display that can distinguish whether it has passed or failed. Further, the connection check unit 910 erases the display of the passed connection instruction data from the connection instruction data display screen 81 (see FIG. 3) of the mobile terminal 8.

The worker 9 continues the connection work until all the display of the connection instruction data display screen 81 disappears.

In some cases, the connection check is not performed for the target connector specified by the mobile terminal 8, and when two extraction connector name recognition figures 771 are displayed on the display unit 790 of the head-mounted display 7, or The extracted connector name recognition figure 771 and the target connector name extracted figure 772 may be displayed.

As described above, the cable connection work support device 100 of the first embodiment includes the head-mounted display 7 and the mobile terminal 8, and the operator performs the work according to the display displayed on the display unit of the head-mounted display. You can find the desired connector and connect the cable, and you can make sure that the connection is correct. As a result, it is possible to improve the efficiency and quality of the cable connection work, which conventionally requires a lot of time and effort.

In the above embodiment, the connector position information 810, the extracted connector name 750, etc. are not recorded at all as the initial state of the connector name / connector position recording unit 820, and the data is obtained in parallel with the connector search work. The form of sequentially recording and accumulating the above was explained, but the 3D shape of the cable created by 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) is recorded in advance, and the position is identified at the start of the search work. You may. Thereby, the efficiency of the cable connection work can be further improved.

Further, in the above embodiment, when the connection check is passed, the display of the connection instruction data is deleted from the mobile terminal 8, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the pass connection instruction data is distinguished while maintaining the display. The display form may be set to be displayed.

In the present embodiment, the cable connection work has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it can be applied to the search for other parts and the like.

1 product cable, 2 product cable connector, 3 inspection device, 4 inspection cable, 5 inspection cable connector, 6 connector name, 7 head mount display, 8 mobile terminal, 9 worker, 20 products, 71 view, 72 view Connector, 73 Out-of-sight connector, 81 Connection instruction data display screen, 82 Target connector selection figure, 83 Connection instruction data selection button, 84 Target connector switching button, 85 Connection check execution button, 100 Cable connection work support device, 110 connector Combination information, 710 camera, 720 landscape image, 730 connector shape recognition part, 731 connector shape recognition information, 740 connector name extraction part, 750 extraction connector name, 760 connector recognition figure, 770 connector name recognition figure, 771 extraction connector name recognition figure , 772 Target connector name recognition figure, 780 Target connector guidance information, 781 Out-of-sight target connector guidance figure, 782 In-field target connector guidance figure, 790 Display, 800 Extended reality processing unit, 810 Connector position information, 820 Connector name / connector Position recording section, 830 connector search section, 831 target connector name, 840 Target connector position information, 841 Extract connector position information, 850 Field space information, 860 Connector name determination unit, 870 Target connector guidance processing unit, 880 Connection instruction data recording unit, 890 Target connector command unit, 910 Connection check unit, 920 Connection check Pass flag, 930 connector check pass display, 940 connector check command section.