Information processing device and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12036679-B2
Application number	US-202017767482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Oct 11, 2019
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

An indicator related to work performed through a plurality of hierarchical processes is predicted efficiently with high accuracy. The information processing device stores sample data in association with each parameter representing work, the sample data including an indicator generated by execution of lower-level simulation based on a lower-level model set for a lower-level process, and the information processing device predicts an indicator related to predicted work by performing higher-level simulation using the sample data associated with a parameter similar to a parameter representing the predicted work, the higher-level simulation being based on a higher-level model which is set for a higher-level process. If sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is not stored, the information processing device complements sample data by performing lower-level simulation and performs higher-level simulation using the complemented sample data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing device configured to predict an indicator related to work performed through a plurality of hierarchical processes, wherein
regarding the work, the information processing device is configured to store sample data in association with each parameter representing the work, the sample data being data including an indicator generated by execution of lower-level simulation which is simulation based on a lower-level model which is a model set for a lower-level process which is the process at a lower level, and
regarding predicted work, which is work predicted, the information processing device is configured to predict an indicator related to the predicted work by performing higher-level simulation using the sample data associated with a parameter similar to a parameter representing the predicted work, the higher-level simulation being simulation based on a higher-level model which is a model set for a higher-level process which is the process at a higher level.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
when executing the higher-level simulation, the information processing device determines whether the sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is stored,
if the sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is stored, the information processing device finds a predicted value of the indicator by performing the higher-level simulation using the sample data, and
if the sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is not stored, the information processing device finds a predicted value of the indicator related to the predicted work by performing the lower-level simulation of the lower-level process forming the higher-level process to generate the sample data for a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work and then performing the higher-level simulation using the generated sample data.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the information processing device performs the determination based on a magnitude of an amount of change of the predicted value of the indicator related to the predicted work obtained by the higher-level simulation, relative to an amount of change of the parameter in the sample data.

4. The information processing device according claim 1 , wherein
the information processing device performs the lower-level simulation using at least one of a simulator that simulates operation of a robot that performs work of the lower-level process and a simulator that simulates operation of a worker that performs work of the lower-level process.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information processing device is communicatively coupled to a simulator that performs processing corresponding to the lower-level simulation using information received via a user interface as an input, and
the information processing device executes an RPA (Robotic Process Automation) script that automatically performs a series of processing including execution of simulation using the simulator by inputting a parameter to be inputted into the lower-level model into the simulator and acquisition of results of the simulation.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the work includes work performed using a plurality of robots capable of autonomous control,
the higher-level simulation is simulation for overall coordinated operation of the plurality of robots, and
the lower-level simulation is simulation for autonomous operation of each individual one of the plurality of robots.

7. An information processing method for predicting an indicator related to work performed through a plurality of hierarchical processes, the information processing method implemented by an information processing device comprising executing
regarding the work, storing sample data in association with each parameter representing the work, the sample data being data including an indicator generated by execution of lower-level simulation which is simulation based on a lower-level model which is a model set for a lower-level process which is the process at a lower level, and
regarding predicted work, which is work predicted, predicting an indicator related to the predicted work by performing higher-level simulation using the sample data associated with a parameter similar to a parameter representing the predicted work, the higher-level simulation being simulation based on a higher-level model which is a model set for a higher-level process which is the process at a higher level.

8. The information processing method according to claim 7 , the information processing method implemented by the information processing device further comprising executing
when executing the higher-level simulation, determining whether the sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is stored,
if the sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is stored, finding a predicted value of the indicator by performing the higher-level simulation using the sample data, and
if the sample data associated with a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work is not stored, finding a predicted value of the indicator related to the predicted work by performing the lower-level simulation of the lower-level process forming the higher-level process to generate the sample data for a parameter similar to the parameter representing the predicted work and then performing the higher-level simulation using the generated sample data.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8 , the information processing method implemented by the information processing device further comprising executing performing the determination based on a magnitude of an amount of change of the predicted value of the indicator related to the predicted work obtained by the higher-level simulation, relative to an amount of change of the parameter in the sample data.

10. The information processing method according to claim 7 , wherein
the information processing device is configured to perform the lower-level simulation using at least one of a simulator that simulates operation of a robot that performs work of the lower-level process and a simulator that simulates operation of a worker that performs work of the lower-level process.

11. The information processing method according to claim 7 , wherein
the information processing device is configured to be communicatively coupled to a simulator that performs processing corresponding to the lower-level simulation using information received via a user interface as an input, and
the information processing method implemented by the information processing device further executes executing an RPA (Robotic Process Automation) script that automatically performs a series of processing including execution of simulation using the simulator by inputting a parameter to be inputted into the lower-level model into the simulator and acquisition of results of the simulation.

12. The information processing method according to claim 7 , wherein
the work includes work performed using a plurality of robots capable of autonomous control,
the higher-level simulation is simulation for overall coordinated operation of the plurality of robots, and
the lower-level simulation is simulation for autonomous operation of each individual one of the plurality of robots.

Assignees

• Hitachi Ltd

Inventors

• Utsugi Kei
• NAGATA Sanato
• Ara Koji
• Ishibashi Hisaya
• Moriya Toshio

Classifications

• B25J9/1653

  parameters identification, estimation, stiffness, accuracy, error analysis · CPC title

• B25J9/1671 Primary

  characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems · CPC title

• G06Q10/04 Primary

  Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) · CPC title

• G06F9/50

  Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU] · CPC title

• B25J13/00

  Controls for manipulators (programme controls B25J9/16) · CPC title