Work support system for excavator

Abstract

A work support system for an excavator, including the excavator; an environment detection device configured to detect environment information of a work site of the excavator; and a simulation device configured to acquire the environment information detected by the environment detection device during a motion of the excavator, and to generate a three-dimensional virtual space model of the work site.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A work support system for an excavator, comprising:
 the excavator;   an environment detection device configured to detect environment information of a work site of the excavator; and   a simulation device configured to acquire the environment information detected by the environment detection device during a motion of the excavator, and to generate a three-dimensional virtual space model of the work site.   
     
     
         2 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein the environment detection device acquires the environment information at a predetermined timing during the motion of the excavator. 
     
     
         3 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein the environment information includes motion information acquired during the motion of the excavator. 
     
     
         4 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 3 , wherein the motion information includes excavation motion information acquired in association with an excavation motion of the excavator. 
     
     
         5 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 4 , wherein the environment information includes earth and sand information estimated from the excavation motion information. 
     
     
         6 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein the simulation device provides the excavator with simulation motion information simulated by a virtual excavator in the three-dimensional virtual space model reproduced by the simulation device. 
     
     
         7 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 6 , wherein the excavator is controlled at the work site based on the simulation motion information. 
     
     
         8 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 6 , wherein the simulation device generates a plurality of trajectories of the virtual excavator with different conditions with respect to an excavation motion or an earth and sand discharging motion, and provides, as the simulation motion information, an optimum trajectory among the plurality of trajectories based on a result of simulating the plurality of trajectories. 
     
     
         9 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 6 , wherein the simulation device generates the simulation motion information for avoiding a person, upon recognizing that the person is present around the excavator based on the environment information. 
     
     
         10 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a remote operation room arranged at a location away from the excavator, wherein   the simulation device simulates a motion of a virtual excavator in the three-dimensional virtual space model reproduced by the simulation device, based on an operation instruction of an operation device of the remote operation room.   
     
     
         11 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein the simulation device is provided in a controller configured to control the excavator or in a management apparatus capable of communicating with the excavator, the management apparatus being outside the excavator. 
     
     
         12 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the environment information is stored in the simulation device before the motion of the excavator is performed, and   the simulation device generates the three-dimensional virtual space model based on the stored environment information, before the motion of the excavator is performed.   
     
     
         13 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein the simulation device extracts, as object information, an object included in the environment information and a position of the object, and arranges the extracted object information in the three-dimensional virtual space model. 
     
     
         14 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 13 , wherein the simulation device adds additional information corresponding to the object information, to the object information arranged in the three-dimensional virtual space model. 
     
     
         15 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 14 , wherein the object information includes at least one of information of a shape or a position of the excavator, information of a shape or a position of an excavation object to be excavated by the excavator, or information of a shape or a position of a discharge object to which the excavation object is to be discharged. 
     
     
         16 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 15 , wherein the additional information corresponding to the information of the shape or the position of the excavator includes at least one of a posture, an identification number, a type, a working time, or an attachment state of the excavator. 
     
     
         17 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 15 , wherein the additional information corresponding to the information of the shape or the position of the excavation object includes at least one of a sediment accumulation amount, a weight, a density, a hardness, or soil quality of the excavation object. 
     
     
         18 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 15 , wherein the additional information corresponding to the information of the shape or the position of the discharge object includes at least one of a posture of the discharge object; an identification number; a type; a size of a loading platform; a state of the loading platform; a working time; or a weight, a volume, or a density of the discharge object. 
     
     
         19 . The work support system for the excavator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the environment detection device includes a space recognition device configured to recognize topographic information of the work site and object information of an object at the work site, and   the space recognition device is arranged in the excavator or at a location away from the excavator.