GROUND TREATMENT ASSISTANCE METHOD

Abstract

Ground treatment assistance method comprising providing a machine comprising a ground treatment tool is provided, providing geographic coordinates of at least one treatment area, determining positioning data of the ground treatment tool using an optical acquisition device, displaying at least a first object representative of the ground treatment tool or of said at least one treatment area on a display device, and positioning said first object on the display device using the previously determined positioning data of the ground treatment tool and the geographic coordinates of said treatment area.

Claims

1. A ground treatment assistance method comprising: providing a machine comprising a ground treatment tool intended to be introduced into a ground; providing geographic coordinates of at least one treatment area associated with a ground treatment to be carried out; providing at least one optical acquisition device; determining positioning data of the ground treatment tool using the optical acquisition device; providing a display device; displaying on said display device at least a first representative of the ground treatment tool or of said at least one treatment area; and positioning on the display device said first object using the previously determined positioning data of the ground treatment tool and the geographic coordinates of said treatment area.

2. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the first object on the display device is updated in real time.

3. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the positioning data of the ground treatment tool comprise at least the geographic coordinates of said ground treatment tool.

4. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein determining the positioning data of the ground treatment tool comprises recognizing a shape of the ground treatment tool.

5. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the ground treatment tool extends along an axis, wherein the positioning data of the ground treatment tool are positioning data of said axis of the ground treatment tool, and wherein the first object is representative of the axis of the ground treatment tool.

6. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, comprising providing positioning data of the optical acquisition device, wherein the first object is positioned on the display device using the positioning data of the optical acquisition device.

7. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 6, wherein the optical acquisition device is mounted on the machine, and the method comprises determining the positioning data the optical acquisition device.

8. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 6, wherein the positioning data of the optical acquisition device comprise geographic coordinates, an orientation and/or an inclination of said optical acquisition device.

9. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 8, wherein the geographic coordinates of the optical acquisition device are determined using a geolocation member.

10. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein at least a second object representative of the ground treatment tool is displayed on the display device if the first object is representative of the treatment area or is representative of the treatment area if the first object is representative of the ground treatment tool.

11. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 10, comprising moving the ground treatment tool parallel to the ground so as to position the object representative of the ground treatment tool with respect to the object representative of the treatment area.

12. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 10, wherein a display on the display device is representative of a horizontal plane, the first object being representative of a vertical projection of the ground treatment tool in said horizontal plane and the second object being representative of a vertical projection of the treatment area in said horizontal plane.

13. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the first object is representative of the treatment area and wherein the ground treatment assistance method comprises: providing at least one augmented reality device comprising said display device and an image acquisition device; acquiring images using the image acquisition device and displaying said images on the display device; determining positioning data of the image acquisition device; when the image acquisition device is oriented towards the treatment area, embedding in the images displayed on the display device said first object representative of the treatment area, said first object being positioned on the display device using the positioning data of the image acquisition device, so that said first object representative of the treatment area coincides with the treatment area displayed on the display device.

14. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first object presents a graphical representation which depends on a state of progress of the treatment.

15. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the distance a distance between the ground treatment tool and the treatment area is calculated using the positioning data of the ground treatment tool and the geographic coordinates of the treatment area, and wherein said at least one first object presents a graphical representation which is a function of said calculated distance.

16. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the ground treatment is ground drilling, in which the ground treatment tool is a drilling tool and wherein the treatment area is a drilling area.

17. The ground treatment assistance method according to claim 16, wherein the drilling tool is rotatable about an axis, wherein determining the positioning data of the drilling tool is performed while the drilling tool is being rotated about said axis, and wherein the first object is a representative of the axis of the drilling tool.

18. A ground treatment assistance device, for treating round of at least one treatment area associated with a treatment to be carried out on the ground, the device comprising: at least one optical acquisition device configured to determine positioning data of the ground treatment tool; and a display device configured to display at least a first object representative of the ground treatment tool or of said treatment area, said first object being positioned on the display device using the determined positioning data of said axis of the ground treatment tool and geographic coordinates of said treatment area.

19. A ground treatment installation including: a ground treatment machine comprising a ground treatment tool and a ground treatment assistance device according to claim 18.

20. The ground treatment installation according to claim 19, wherein the optical acquisition device is mounted on the ground treatment machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] The present disclosure will be better understood upon reading the following description of embodiments of the present disclosure given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0084] FIG. 1 illustrates a ground treatment installation according to the present disclosure comprising a first embodiment of a ground treatment assistance device;

[0085] FIG. 2 illustrates the ground treatment assistance device of the ground treatment installation of FIG. 1;

[0086] FIG. 3 illustrates the display device of the ground treatment assistance device of FIG. 2;

[0087] FIG. 4 illustrates the display device of FIG. 3 after positioning of the ground treatment tool;

[0088] FIG. 5 illustrates the ground treatment installation of FIG. 1 after positioning of the ground treatment tool;

[0089] FIG. 6 illustrates a second embodiment of a ground treatment assistance device according to the present disclosure;

[0090] FIG. 7 illustrates a ground treatment installation equipped with the ground treatment assistance device of FIG. 6; and

[0091] FIG. 8 illustrates one variant of the ground treatment installation of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0092] The present disclosure relates to a ground treatment assistance method. This method allows guiding an operator through the treatment of one or several ground portion(s), forming treatment areas, using a ground treatment tool.

[0093] FIGS. 1 to 5 describe a first embodiment of the ground treatment assistance method on a worksite, in accordance with the present disclosure. This method is implemented using a treatment assistance device. In this example, the ground comprises a plurality of ground portions to be treated, called treatment areas. For example, the ground comprises a first, a second and a third treatment area. In FIG. 1, only the first treatment area Zt1 is represented.

[0094] FIG. 1 illustrates a ground treatment installation 8 according to the present disclosure. In accordance with the method according to the present disclosure, a treatment machine 10 comprising a ground treatment tool 12 with a base 12a is provided. This ground treatment tool 12 is intended to be introduced into a ground S so as to treat one or several treatment area(s). In this non-limiting example, the ground treatment tool 12 is a drilling tool configured to drill the treatment area(s). Consequently, the treatment areas constitute drilling areas. It is optionally but without limitation cylindrical. In this non-limiting example, the ground treatment tool is rotatable about an axis A and movable in translation along said axis A. As a variant, it could only be movable in translation.

[0095] The geographic coordinates XZt of the treatment areas are known and provided. They can be expressed in a global reference frame, for example the terrestrial reference frame, or in a local reference frame, centered on an element of the worksite such as a beacon.

[0096] An optical acquisition device 14 is further provided. In this non-limiting example, the optical acquisition device 14 comprises a video camera 16 as well as a GPS system 18 that allows determining positioning data X of the optical acquisition device 14. The GPS system 18 constitutes a member for geolocating said optical acquisition device 14. The positioning data X of the optical acquisition device 14 comprise, in this non-limiting example, the geographic coordinates and an orientation vector of the optical acquisition device 14.

[0097] The optical acquisition device further comprises a computer 20 communicating with the video camera 16 and with the GPS system 18. The optical acquisition device 14 is mounted on a movable autonomous vehicle 22. Also, the optical acquisition device 14 can be moved around the worksite.

[0098] The optical acquisition device 14 is configured to acquire images of the base 12a of the treatment tool 12 using the video camera 16. It is optionally positioned in the vicinity of the base 12a of the treatment tool.

[0099] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the optical acquisition device 14 and for example the computer 20 communicate with a display device 24. In a non-limiting manner, the communication is achieved via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi type wireless communication means.

[0100] The display device 24 can be integrated into a smartphone, a touch pad, or an augmented reality device such as augmented reality glasses.

[0101] The assembly formed by the display device 24 and the optical acquisition device 14 forms a treatment assistance device 25 illustrated in FIG. 2. The installation 8 comprises said treatment assistance device 25 and the machine 10 equipped with the treatment tool 12.

[0102] As can be seen in this FIG. 2, the display device 24 comprises, without limitation, a screen 26 and a video monitoring module 28 communicating with the screen 26. The video monitoring module 28 is configured to monitor the display on the screen 26 of the display device 24.

[0103] In accordance with the ground treatment assistance method according to the present disclosure, positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12 are firstly determined using the optical acquisition device 14. In this non-limiting example, the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool comprise the geographic coordinates of said ground treatment tool 12. These geographic coordinates correspond to the geographic coordinates of the axis A of the ground treatment tool 12. They can be expressed in a global or local reference frame and are optionally expressed in the same reference frame as the geographic coordinates of the optical acquisition device 14.

[0104] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the optical acquisition device 14 is brought in the vicinity of the base 12a of the ground treatment tool 12 using the autonomous vehicle 22. The video camera 16 of the optical acquisition device films the base 12a of the ground treatment tool 12. Without departing from the framework of the present disclosure, the optical acquisition device 14 could comprise a plurality of cameras configured to film the base of the ground treatment tool from different angles. The images acquired by the video camera 16 of the optical acquisition device 14 are transmitted to the computer 20.

[0105] In order to determine the positioning coordinates of the ground treatment tool 12, a step of recognizing the shape of the ground treatment tool 12 is then performed. To do so, in a non-limiting manner, the computer 20 performs a step of analyzing the characteristic shape of the ground treatment tool 12, from the images transmitted by the video camera 16 and a step of comparing this shape with characteristic shapes, for example stored in an internal memory.

[0106] The recognition of the shape of the ground treatment tool 12 allows the computer 20 of the optical acquisition device to determine the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12.

[0107] In parallel, the GPS system 18 transmits in real time the determined positioning data X of the optical acquisition device 14 to the computer 20. Also, in this non-limiting example, the determined positioning data X of the optical acquisition device 14 are also used to determine the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12.

[0108] The use of an optical acquisition device 14 according to the present disclosure allows determining very accurately the positioning data of the ground treatment tool.

[0109] In addition, said positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool are updated in real time. Also, a movement of the ground treatment tool 12 causes a modification of said positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12.

[0110] The positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12 are then transmitted from the computer 20 to the video monitoring module 28 of the display device 24.

[0111] The geographic coordinates XZt of the treatment areas are also provided. In this example, these geographic coordinates XZt are provided to the video monitoring module 28.

[0112] The video monitoring module 28 then controls the display on the screen 26 of the display device 24. For example, it is configured to display and position different objects on the screen 26.

[0113] In this first implementation of the method according to the present disclosure, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the display device 24 is integrated into a touch pad. The screen 26 therefore forms a screen of said touch pad. It is configured to display a two-dimensional plane of the worksite, in top view. The display is therefore representative of a horizontal plane substantially parallel to the worksite ground.

[0114] In this non-limiting example, a first object O.sub.1 representative of the axis A of the ground treatment tool 12 is furthermore displayed on the screen 26 of the display device. This first object O.sub.1 has a cross as a graphical representation and is movable on the screen 26. It represents a vertical projection of the ground treatment tool on the horizontal plane P.

[0115] Second O.sub.2, third O.sub.3 and fourth O.sub.4 objects representative respectively of distinct first treatment area Zt1, second treatment area and third treatment area are furthermore displayed. Only the first treatment area Zt1 is visible in FIG. 1. The second O.sub.2, third O.sub.3 and fourth O.sub.4 objects present a graphical representation in the form of a circle and are in a non-limiting manner fixed on the screen. The second O.sub.2, third O.sub.3 and fourth O.sub.4 objects are representative of a projection of the treatment areas in the horizontal plane P.

[0116] Said objects O.sub.1, O.sub.2, O.sub.3, O.sub.4 are then positioned on the screen 26 based on the previously determined positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12 and on the geographic coordinates XZt of the treatment areas. The displaying and the positioning of these objects on the screen 26 are carried out by the video monitoring module 28.

[0117] The position on the screen 26 of the first object O.sub.1 representative of the ground treatment tool 12 is deduced directly from the positioning data Y and for example, in this non-limiting example, from the determined geographic coordinates of the ground treatment tool 12. The geographic coordinates of the ground treatment tool are transposed into coordinates of the first object on the screen.

[0118] The position on the screen of the second O.sub.2, third O.sub.3 and fourth O.sub.4 objects is also determined based on the positioning data Y and, for example on the determined geographic coordinates of the ground treatment tool 12. Indeed, the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12 are used as references to position the objects representative of the treatment areas on the screen. In other words, the position on the screen of the second O.sub.2, third O.sub.3 and fourth O.sub.4 objects is a function of the position on the screen 26 of the first object O.sub.1. The positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12 are also used to orient the display of said objects on the screen, for example according to the direction of movement of the treatment machine.

[0119] One advantage of using the ground treatment tool 12 and its positioning data as a reference to position the objects on the screen may be to position them more accurately while limiting the risks of inaccuracies in the positioning of the different objects on the screen.

[0120] In this non-limiting example, the second O.sub.2 and fourth O.sub.4 objects are represented in solid lines so as to indicate that the first and third treatment areas are “to be treated”. The third object is represented in dotted lines so as to indicate that the second treatment area is already “treated”.

[0121] The position of the first object O.sub.1 representative of the ground treatment tool 12 on the screen 26 is updated in real time. Also, a modification of the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool causes a modification of the position of the first object O.sub.1 on the screen 26.

[0122] When the operator moves the ground treatment tool 12 in the horizontal plane with respect to the ground S, the positioning data Y of said ground treatment tool 12 are modified and the first object O.sub.1 is moved on the screen.

[0123] Consequently, the operator can move the ground treatment tool 12 horizontally, for example by moving the machine, and simultaneously check the screen 26 of the display device 24 in order to visualize the relative position of the first object O.sub.1 with respect to the objects O.sub.2, O.sub.3, O.sub.4 representative of the treatment areas.

[0124] As a variant, and without limitation, the first object O.sub.1 could be fixed on the screen while the objects O.sub.2, O.sub.3, O.sub.4 representative of the treatment areas move, depending on the movement of the ground treatment tool 12.

[0125] In this way, the operator is guided in the movement of the ground treatment tool 12 on the worksite and for example towards the treatment areas. The optical acquisition device is optionally moved so as to keep the distance between the video camera 16 and the treatment tool 12 substantially constant.

[0126] As illustrated by the passage from FIG. 3 to FIG. 4, the operator can for example move the ground treatment tool 12 until the first object O.sub.1 representative of the ground treatment tool 12 coincides with the second object O.sub.2 representative of the first treatment area Zt1. This is reflected by the cross extending inside the circle.

[0127] Therefore, insofar as the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool have been determined with accuracy thanks to the optical acquisition device 14, and insofar as the objects are positioned on the screen of the display device using these positioning data Y, the ground treatment tool 12 is then disposed accurately opposite the first treatment area Zt1. In other words, and as can be seen in FIG. 5, the geographic coordinates of the ground treatment tool are then identical to the geographic coordinates of the first treatment area Zt1. In addition, the first treatment area Zt1 extends along an axis which is then substantially coincident with the axis A of the ground treatment tool.

[0128] The operator can proceed with the treatment of the first treatment area Zt1 by introducing the ground treatment tool 12 into the ground S, by vertical movement downwards. The treatment in this example consists in the drilling of the first treatment area Zt1.

[0129] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second implementation of the ground treatment method according to the present disclosure using a ground treatment device 25. In this non-limiting example, an augmented reality device 30 is provided comprising a display device 24 as described above and an image acquisition device 32. The augmented reality device 30 comprises a smartphone while the image acquisition device 32 comprises a video camera fitted to the smartphone. Without departing from the framework of the present disclosure, the augmented reality device 30 could be a pair of augmented reality glasses. The image acquisition device 32 is configured to acquire images, for example of the worksite.

[0130] The augmented reality device 30 also comprises, in a conventional manner, a positioning device 34, for example a GPS, that allows determining positioning data Z of the image acquisition device 32. These positioning data Z comprise for example the geographic coordinates of the image acquisition device 32 as well as its orientation in the horizontal plane P and its inclination with respect to a vertical plane.

[0131] As previously, the display device comprises a screen 26 and a video monitoring module 28. Furthermore, the ground treatment assistance device 25 comprises the augmented reality device 30 and an optical acquisition device 14 as described above.

[0132] This second mode of implementation of the ground treatment assistance method using this ground treatment assistance device 25 will now be described in more detail.

[0133] As can be seen in FIG. 7, when the operator positions the augmented reality device 30 so that the image acquisition device 32 films the worksite, the image of part of the worksite is displayed on the screen 26 of the display device 24. An image acquisition step followed by an image display step is therefore performed.

[0134] The positioning data Z of the image acquisition device is then determined using the positioning module 34.

[0135] In FIG. 7, it is noticed that the machine 10, the ground treatment tool 12 and part of the ground S are in the field of view of the image acquisition device 32, so that an image of them is displayed on the screen 26 of the display device 24 of the augmented reality device 30.

[0136] In this non-limiting example, the video monitoring module 28 is then configured to embed in the images displayed on the screen 26 of the first object O.sub.1′ and third object O.sub.3′ representative respectively of a first treatment area and a second treatment area as well as a second object O.sub.2′ representative of the ground treatment tool 12. Said second object O.sub.2′ is for example representative of the axis A of the ground treatment tool 12. The second object O.sub.2′ consists of a straight line and further includes, without limitation, a cross at its lower end representing the intersection of the axis of the ground treatment tool with the horizontal plane P of the worksite ground. The first and third objects O.sub.1′, O.sub.3′ have the shape of circles therefore the inclination varies depending on the orientation of the augmented reality device 30.

[0137] Said objects O.sub.1′, O.sub.2′, O.sub.3′ are positioned on the screen 26 of the display device 24 using the video monitoring module 28 of the display device, based on the positioning data Z of the image acquisition device, previously determined using the positioning module 34, as well as on the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12. The positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool 12 are determined as above by the optical acquisition device 14. This determination optionally implements a step of recognizing the shape of the treatment tool.

[0138] The first and third objects are furthermore positioned using known geographic coordinates of the treatment areas.

[0139] The second object O.sub.2′ is positioned so as to coincide with the ground treatment tool 12. The second object appears to be coincident with the axis A of the ground treatment tool. The first and third objects O.sub.1′, O.sub.3′ are positioned so as to coincide with the treatment areas displayed on the screen 26. They appear positioned in the ground layout.

[0140] The optical acquisition device 14 being disposed in the vicinity of the base 12a of the ground treatment tool 12, it allows determining accurately the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool. The use of such an optical acquisition device 14 according to the present disclosure allows improving the accuracy of the positioning of the objects embedded on the screen compared to the systems of the prior art.

[0141] It is understood that thanks to the disclosed subject-matter, the operator can easily and quickly know where the treatment areas and the ground treatment tool are located and visualize the relative position of the ground treatment tool 12 with respect to said treatment areas. It is not necessary to make a marking on the ground or to require the intervention of a surveyor to locate the treatment areas.

[0142] In this non-limiting example, the video monitoring module 28 can calculate the distance between the ground treatment tool 12 and respectively the first and second treatment areas and compare these distances. It can then display the first object O.sub.1′ in a different color from that of the third object O.sub.3′, in order to indicate to the user that the first treatment area Zt1 is the closest to the ground treatment tool 12.

[0143] The display and the position of the objects on the screen are updated in real time, so that a movement of the ground treatment tool 12 or of the image acquisition device 32 causes an update of the display and of the position of said objects on the screen 26.

[0144] The operator can move the ground treatment tool in the horizontal plane P with respect to the ground S and simultaneously check the screen of the augmented reality device 30 in order to visualize the evolution of the relative position of the second object with respect to the objects representative of the treatment areas. The ground treatment tool 12 can be moved until the cross of the second object O.sub.2′ representative of the ground treatment tool 12 extends into the circle of the first object O.sub.1′ representative of the first treatment area. In this way, the operator is guided in the movement of the ground treatment tool on the worksite for example towards the treatment area and benefits from a visual indication when the treatment tool is disposed precisely opposite the first treatment area. The treatment of the first treatment area can then be carried out.

[0145] Without departing from the framework of the present disclosure, the operator could place himself in the cabin of the machine 10. In this case, the second object O.sub.2′ representative of the ground treatment tool 12 would allow him to visualize the position of said ground treatment tool, even if the latter is concealed by the mast of the machine.

[0146] In a non-limiting manner, only the objects representative of the treatment areas could be displayed.

[0147] FIG. 8 illustrates a variant of the ground treatment installation of FIG. 1. In this non-limiting example, the optical acquisition device 14 of the ground treatment assistance device 25 is mounted on the treatment machine 10. Also, the distance separating the optical acquisition device 14 and the ground treatment tool 12 remains substantially constant. The device is optionally removably mounted on the treatment machine.

[0148] As in the embodiments described above, the optical acquisition device 14 comprises for example a GPS system 18, a video camera 16 and a computer 20. It is configured to determine the positioning data Y of the ground treatment tool, for example by filming the base 12a of said ground treatment tool using the video camera. It furthermore communicates with a display device 24. In this non-limiting example, the display device 24 is disposed in the cabin of the treatment machine 10.