JP7578172B1 - Measurement device, measurement method, and radio wave propagation simulation system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a measuring device and a measuring method capable of measuring necessary and sufficient information to obtain accurate results, particularly in an indoor radio wave propagation simulator, and a radio wave propagation simulation system using the same.
[Solution] The measuring device includes a mobile mechanism, a radio wave transmitter, a radio wave receiver, and a control unit. The mobile mechanism is for self-propelling indoors. The radio wave transmitter transmits radio waves at a frequency set between 1 GHz and 400 GHz while the mobile mechanism is self-propelled. The radio wave receiver receives radio waves. The control unit acquires shape information of the location from which the radio waves were transmitted based on the radio waves received by the radio wave receiver.
[Selected figure] Figure 2

Description

This disclosure relates to a measurement device, a measurement method, and a radio wave propagation simulation system.

It is common to set up access points indoors to build wireless networks indoors. Radio interference indoors tends to be greater than outdoors. For this reason, if the access point cannot be set up in an appropriate location, it can be difficult to achieve stable wireless communication.

In recent years, radio wave propagation simulators have been proposed that simulate the state of radio wave propagation emitted from a radio wave source. By using such radio wave propagation simulators to identify radio wave interference sources, it is possible to determine the optimal installation location of an access point, etc.

Patent No. 3263191

To obtain accurate results using a radio wave propagation simulator, it is necessary to measure sufficient information about the space being simulated. In particular, indoors, there is a lot of radio wave interference not only from visible areas but also from invisible areas, so in order to obtain accurate simulation results, it is important to be able to measure sufficient information about these invisible spatial areas as well. On the other hand, there are also objects that are visible to the naked eye but through which radio waves can pass. Information about such objects does not necessarily need to be reflected in the simulation.

This disclosure provides a measurement device and a measurement method that can measure the necessary and sufficient information to obtain accurate results, particularly in an indoor radio wave propagation simulator, and a radio wave propagation simulation system using the same.

A measuring device according to one embodiment includes a mobile mechanism, a radio wave transmitter, a radio wave receiver, a map creator, and a control unit. The mobile mechanism is for self-propelling indoors. The radio wave transmitter transmits radio waves at a frequency set between 1 GHz and 400 GHz while the mobile mechanism is self-propelled. The radio wave receiver receives reflected radio waves. The map creator creates a map of the indoors based on the trajectory of movement of the mobile mechanism while it is self-propelled. The control unit acquires shape information of the location from which the radio waves were transmitted based on the reflected radio waves received by the radio wave receiver.

The present disclosure provides a measurement device, a measurement method, and a radio wave propagation simulation system using the same that can measure the necessary and sufficient information to obtain accurate results, particularly in an indoor radio wave propagation simulator.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a radio wave propagation simulation system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the measurement device. FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an example of a measuring apparatus. FIG. 3B shows the measurement device with the antenna and measurement equipment reoriented. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of an example of a control circuit. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of the server. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the measuring device. FIG. 7A is a conceptual diagram showing differences in behavior of radio waves depending on the type of obstacle. FIG. 7B is a conceptual diagram showing differences in behavior of radio waves depending on the type of obstacle. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a format of a file stored in the storage. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server.

The embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an example of a radio wave propagation simulation system according to an embodiment. The radio wave propagation simulation system 1 has a measurement device 10, a server 20, and a terminal 30. The measurement device 10, the server 20, and the terminal 30 can communicate with each other via a network NW. The network NW may be, for example, the Internet or an intranet.

The measuring device 10 is a device that automatically measures information for radio wave propagation simulation while self-propelled indoors. The measuring device 10 measures information related to indoor 3D modeling as information for radio wave propagation simulation. The information related to indoor 3D modeling includes shape information of each point indoors. The shape information of each point is, for example, point cloud information that represents the three-dimensional structure of each point. The point cloud information of each point can be, for example, information on the distance from the measurement point.

Here, the measuring device 10 in the embodiment transmits radio waves and receives the reflected radio waves, thereby obtaining radio wave shape information about objects that are obstacles to radio waves. Objects that are obstacles to radio waves are objects that have the property of reflecting radio waves, such as metal objects. In other words, the radio wave shape information does not include shape information about objects that are not obstacles to radio waves, that is, objects that have the property of transmitting radio waves, such as wood.

In addition, the measuring device 10 in the embodiment can also obtain visible light shape information about objects visible to the human eye by projecting and receiving infrared light.

Furthermore, the measuring device 10 measures information related to indoor radio wave propagation. The information related to radio wave propagation includes, for example, information related to KPI (Ker Performance Indicator) and information related to QoE (Quality of Experience). Information related to KPI includes received power (RSRP), received strength (RSSI), etc. Information related to QoE includes communication speed, delay, etc.

The server 20 executes a radio wave propagation simulation based on the information for the radio wave propagation simulation acquired by the measuring device 10. The server 20 then transmits the results of the radio wave propagation simulation to the terminal 30. The radio wave propagation simulation may be performed by any method. For example, a radio wave propagation simulation using a ray tracing method may be used as the radio wave propagation simulation. In the ray tracing method, various radio wave propagation information such as received power and delay is calculated by searching for the propagation path of the radio wave taking into account reflection, transmission, and diffraction in a 3D modeled space. For example, shape information measured by the measuring device 10 may be used for 3D modeling in the ray tracing method. The server 20 may be configured by a single computer or by a cloud.

The terminal 30 displays the results of the radio wave propagation simulation received from the server 20. The terminal 30 may be various types of terminals, such as a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal. The configuration of the terminal 30 is not limited to a specific configuration.

Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the measurement device 10. The measurement device 10 has a radio wave transmitting unit 11, a radio wave receiving unit 12, a radio wave propagation measuring unit 13, an imaging unit 14, a map creating unit 15, a rear-end collision detection unit 16, a moving mechanism 17, a communication unit 18, and a control unit 19.

The radio wave transmitting unit 11 includes a transmitting circuit and emits radio waves from an antenna. The transmitting circuit includes, for example, an oscillator and a modulating circuit. The radio wave transmitting unit 11 according to the embodiment includes multiple transmitting circuits corresponding to multiple frequency bands so that it can transmit radio waves in multiple frequency bands. For example, the radio wave transmitting unit 11 includes multiple transmitting circuits so that it can transmit radio waves at a frequency set by the control unit 19 within the range of 1 GHz to 400 GHz.

The radio wave receiving unit 12 includes a receiving circuit and receives radio waves via an antenna. The receiving circuit includes, for example, a demodulation circuit. The radio wave receiving unit 12 according to the embodiment includes multiple receiving circuits corresponding to multiple frequency bands so that it can receive radio waves in multiple frequency bands. For example, the radio wave receiving unit 12 includes multiple receiving circuits so that it can receive radio waves with frequencies from 1 GHz to 400 GHz.

The radio wave propagation measurement unit 13 measures information related to KPIs and information related to QoE as information on indoor radio wave propagation. The radio wave propagation measurement unit 13 measures propagation loss (received power) and the like as KPIs using measurement equipment such as an area tester and a spectrum analyzer. The radio wave propagation measurement unit 13 also measures communication speed and delay as QoE using equipment such as a network tester and a wireless router. The radio wave propagation measurement unit 13 may have various measurement equipment according to the indices required as KPIs and QoE.

The imaging unit 14 captures the subject scene and generates an image of the subject scene. The imaging unit 14 is, for example, a camera that captures RGB color images. The imaging unit 14 may be an RGB-D camera that includes a light projecting and receiving unit for infrared light, etc., and can also acquire point cloud information of the target object by projecting and receiving infrared light.

The map creation unit 15 creates a map of the indoor area. For example, the map creation unit 15 sets the starting position of the movement of the measuring device 10 as the initial position, and creates a map according to the trajectory of movement from the initial position.

The collision detection unit 16 detects a collision of the measuring device 10 with an obstacle. The collision detection unit 16 is equipped with, for example, an infrared light projector and receiver, and detects the distance to the obstacle by projecting and receiving infrared light. The collision detection unit 16 then detects a collision by determining whether the distance to the obstacle is equal to or less than a predetermined distance. When the collision detection unit 16 detects a collision, it notifies the control unit 19.

The moving mechanism 17 includes a mechanism for self-propelling the measuring device 10 and a mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the antenna, etc. The mechanism for self-propelling the measuring device 10 may be a two-wheel drive mechanism, a four-wheel drive mechanism, a caterpillar mechanism, etc. The mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the antenna, etc. may be a lifting mechanism, a robot arm, etc.

The communication unit 18 includes a communication device and communicates with the server 20 via the network NW. The communication may be wireless or wired.

The control unit 19 controls the overall operation of the measuring device 10. Based on the radio waves received by the radio wave receiving unit 12, the control unit 19 acquires radio wave shape information of the location where the radio waves were transmitted by the radio wave transmitting unit 11. Based on the infrared light detected by the infrared light receiving unit of the imaging unit 14, the control unit 19 acquires visible light shape information of the location where the infrared light was projected. For example, the distance as shape information can be calculated from the time difference between the transmission and reception of the radio waves and the time difference between the projection and reception of the infrared light. In addition, the control unit 19 sets the frequency of the radio waves transmitted by the radio wave transmitting unit 11. The control unit 19 also stores the information measured by the radio wave propagation measuring unit 13 and the image obtained by the imaging unit 14 in a storage device in association with the position of the measuring device 10. Based on the detection result of the collision detection unit 16, the control unit 19 determines whether or not there has been a collision with an obstacle. If there has been a collision with an obstacle, the control unit 19 controls the moving mechanism 17 to change the moving direction of the measuring device 10.

Figure 3A is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an example of a measuring device 10. The measuring device 10 has a housing 101. The housing 101 is a metal box such as aluminum, and is configured to prevent radiation of radio waves from the inside of the housing 101 to the outside and from the outside to the inside. The housing 101 is also provided with an infrared light projector/receiver 101a. This infrared light projector/receiver 101a can operate as a rear-end collision detector 16.

For example, four wheels 102 are attached to the underside of the housing 101. The wheels 102 function as a moving mechanism 17 and are driven by a motor (not shown). In addition, a sensor such as an encoder that detects the rotation speed and direction of the wheels 102 is attached to the wheels 102. The movement distance and movement direction of the measuring device 10 can be measured based on the rotation speed and direction of the wheels 102.

A control circuit 103 is housed inside the housing 101. The control circuit 103 is equipped with, for example, a processor and memory as a control unit 19, a communication device as a communication unit 18, etc.

For example, two low dielectric pillars 104 are provided on the top surface of the housing 101, and a bellows member 105 is provided between the low dielectric pillars 104. The two low dielectric pillars 104 and the bellows member 105 are attached to a low dielectric rail 106. An antenna 107 and a measuring device 108 are installed on the low dielectric rail 106.

The low dielectric support 104 is a support made of a low dielectric material. The low dielectric support 104 is configured so that its height can be adjusted by moving it in the up-down direction shown by A in FIG. 3 by a motor (not shown). The bellows member 105 is a hollow bellows made of a low dielectric material. The bellows member 105 is configured so that it can expand and contract with the up-down movement of the low dielectric support 104. The low dielectric rail 106 is a rail made of a low dielectric material. An opening is formed in the attachment portion of the low dielectric rail 106 to the bellows member 105. The low dielectric rail 106 supports the antenna 107 and the measuring instrument 108 so that the antenna 107 and the measuring instrument 108 can be moved to any position on the low dielectric rail 106 shown in the B direction in FIG. 1. The movement of the antenna 107 and the measuring instrument 108 may be controlled by a motor or the like.

The antenna 107 is a directional antenna such as a horn antenna, and is used for transmitting and receiving radio waves. The antenna 107 is connected to a transmission circuit and a reception circuit (not shown). The measurement device 108 is a measurement device such as an area tester and a network tester as the radio wave propagation measurement unit 13, and a camera as the imaging unit 14. The transmission circuit, the reception circuit, and the measurement device 108 are connected to the control circuit 103 via a cable 109 provided on the bellows member 105. Here, an omnidirectional antenna such as an omni antenna may be used as the antenna 107. If it is an omnidirectional antenna, it is possible to measure the power distribution over a wide range in the target space, and the data of the radio wave propagation simulation can be measured in a short time. On the other hand, if it is a directional antenna, it is possible to measure the direction of arrival of the radio wave, so that the data of the radio wave propagation simulation can be measured with high accuracy. Furthermore, by using this measurement result in the radio wave propagation simulation, it is possible to investigate the effect of a reflector, identify unwanted radio waves, and investigate the cause when taking measures with an absorber.

In the measuring device 10 of the embodiment, the orientation of the antenna 107 and the measuring device 108 can be changed as shown in FIG. 3B by adjusting the height of the low dielectric pillar 104 and the position of the antenna 107 and the measuring device 108 on the low dielectric rail 106. This allows the measuring device 10 to transmit and receive radio waves in various directions in space and to perform measurements in various directions.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control circuit 103. The control circuit 103 may be a computer having a processor 1031, a memory 1032, a storage 1033, an interface 1034, an input device 1035, a display device 1036, and a communication device 1037 as hardware. The processor 1031, the memory 1032, the storage 1033, the interface 1034, the input device 1035, the display device 1036, and the communication device 1037 are connected to a bus 1038.

The processor 1031 is a processor that controls the overall operation of the measurement device 10. The processor 1031 operates as the map creation unit 15 and the control unit 19, for example, by executing a measurement control program 1033a stored in the storage 1033. The processor 1031 is, for example, a CPU. The processor 1031 may be an MPU, a GPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, or the like. The processor 1031 may be a single CPU, or multiple CPUs, or the like.

The memory 1032 includes a ROM and a RAM. The ROM is a non-volatile memory. The ROM stores the operating system (OS) and setting values of the measuring device 10. The RAM is a volatile memory. The RAM is used, for example, as a working memory during processing in the processor 1031.

Storage 1033 is a storage such as a flash memory. Storage 1033 stores various programs executed by processor 1031, such as measurement control program 1033a. Storage 1033 may also store measurement results.

The interface 1034 is an interface for transmitting and receiving signals between the light emitting/receiving unit 101a, the wheels 102, the antenna 107, and the measuring device 108.

The input device 1035 is an input device such as a touch panel or a button. When the input device 1035 is operated, a signal corresponding to the operation is input to the processor 1031 via the bus 1038. The processor 1031 performs various processes according to this signal. The input device 1035 can be used for setting frequencies, etc.

The display device 1036 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or an LED. The display device 1036 displays various types of information.

The communication device 1037 is a communication device for the measurement device 10 to communicate with the server 20. The communication device 1037 is, for example, a communication device for wireless communication, but may also be a communication device for wired communication.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server 20. The server 20 may be a computer having a processor 201, a memory 202, a storage 203, an input device 204, a display device 205, and a communication device 206 as hardware. The processor 201, the memory 202, the storage 203, the input device 204, the display device 205, and the communication device 206 are connected to a bus 207. The server 20 in FIG. 5 is shown as a single computer. As described above, the server 20 may be configured as a cloud server.

The processor 201 is a processor that controls the overall operation of the server 20. The processor 201 can operate as a simulation execution unit, for example, by executing a radio wave propagation simulator 2031 stored in the storage 203.

The memory 202 includes a ROM and a RAM. The ROM is a non-volatile memory. The ROM stores the operating system (OS) of the server 20 and the like. The RAM is a volatile memory. The RAM is used, for example, as a working memory during processing in the processor 201.

The storage 203 is, for example, a storage such as a flash memory, a hard disk drive, or a solid state drive. The storage 203 stores various programs executed by the processor 201, such as the radio wave propagation simulator 2031. The radio wave propagation simulator 2031 is, for example, a radio wave propagation simulator using a ray tracing method.

The input device 204 is an input device such as a touch panel, a keyboard, or a mouse. When the input device 204 is operated, a signal corresponding to the operation is input to the processor 1031 via the bus 207. The processor 201 performs various processes in response to this signal.

The display device 205 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display device 205 displays various images.

The communication device 206 is a communication device for the server 20 to communicate with the measurement device 10 and the terminal 30. The communication device 206 may be a communication device for wired communication or a communication device for wireless communication.

Next, the operation of the radio wave propagation simulation system 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the measurement device 10. The operation of FIG. 6 can be controlled by the processor 1031 of the measurement device 10.

In step S1, the processor 1031 sets the frequency of the transmitted radio waves. The frequency of the transmitted radio waves is determined, for example, from a range of 1 GHz to 400 GHz, according to the frequency of the wireless device that is used or expected to be used indoors that is the subject of the radio wave propagation simulation.

7A and 7B are conceptual diagrams showing the difference in the behavior of radio waves depending on the type of obstacle. In general, wood is known to easily transmit radio waves. On the other hand, metal is known to reflect or absorb radio waves. That is, as shown in FIG. 7A, even if radio waves E are transmitted toward an obstacle O1, if the obstacle O1 is made of wood or the like, the radio waves E may transmit through the obstacle O1. Also, as shown in FIG. 7B, when radio waves E are transmitted toward a wall W, if the wall W is made of wood or the like, the radio waves E may transmit through the wall W. Here, in the case of indoors, a duct may be placed inside the wall or a light may be placed on the ceiling, and these ducts and lights may contain metal. If there is a duct as a metallic obstacle O2 behind the wall W, the radio waves E that transmit through the wall W are reflected by the obstacle O2 as shown in FIG. 7B.

To improve the accuracy of radio wave propagation simulations such as the ray tracing method, it is important to correctly model objects that reflect, transmit, and diffract radio waves. In other words, in radio wave propagation simulations, information on obstacle O1 and wall W through which radio waves E pass is not necessary; rather, information on obstacle O2 behind wall W is important. In order to correctly model such obstacles for radio waves, the measurement device 10 actually transmits radio waves indoors and receives the reflected radio waves to obtain radio wave shape information, which is shape information for radio waves.

Here, if the frequency of the transmitted radio waves is the same as that of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors, shape information for the wireless signal actually being used is obtained, and it is expected that the accuracy of the radio wave propagation simulation will be improved. On the other hand, if the frequency of the transmitted radio waves is the same as that of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors, interference may occur between the radio waves of each wireless device actually being used and the radio waves transmitted from the measuring device 10, so it is necessary to turn off the power of each wireless device indoors prior to measurement.

In addition, when the frequency of the transmitted radio waves is different from that of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors, for example, when the frequency of the transmitted radio waves is higher than that of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors, interference does not occur between the radio waves of each wireless device actually used and the radio waves transmitted from the measurement device 10, so there is no need to turn off the power of each wireless device indoors prior to measurement. On the other hand, the accuracy of the radio wave propagation simulation may be reduced compared to when the frequency of the transmitted radio waves is the same as that of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors, for example, because the behavior of the radio waves changes with respect to obstacles. In order to prevent interference while improving the accuracy of the radio wave propagation simulation, the frequency of the transmitted radio waves may be two frequencies, higher and lower than the frequency of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors. In this case, shape information of the same frequency as that of the wireless devices used or expected to be used indoors can be obtained by an interpolation process using the measurement results using the high-frequency radio waves and the measurement results using the low-frequency radio waves.

Which of the aforementioned frequencies is to be set may be set, for example, by the person who brings the measuring device 10 to the measurement location by operating the input device 1035, or may be set by instructions from the server 20 or the terminal 30. Of course, the frequency of the transmitted radio waves may be a fixed value. After the frequency of the transmitted radio waves has been set, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, the processor 1031 controls the driving of the wheels 102 to start moving. The processor 1031 also starts creating a map. The map is created according to the trajectory of movement from the initial position, with the point where the movement started being the initial position.

In step S3, the processor 1031 determines whether or not movement of a predetermined distance, for example 1 m, has been completed. The movement distance can be measured, for example, by the rotational speed of the wheels 102. If it is determined in step S3 that movement of the predetermined distance has been completed, the process proceeds to step S4. If it is determined in step S3 that movement of the predetermined distance has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S4, the processor 1031 starts measurement. Specifically, the processor 1031 controls the height of the low dielectric support 104 and the position of the antenna 107 and the measuring instrument 108 on the low dielectric rail 106 to orient the antenna 107 and the measuring instrument 108 in a predetermined direction. Then, the processor 1031 controls the transmission circuit to transmit radio waves of the frequency set in step S1 from the antenna 107, and receives the reflected radio waves from the receiving circuit. Then, the processor 1031 calculates radio wave shape information from the results of the transmission and reception of the radio waves. For example, if the shape information is distance, the distance can be calculated from the time difference between the transmission and reception of the radio waves. In addition, the processor 1031 captures the subject scene using a camera as the measuring instrument 108, and calculates visible light shape information from the results of receiving infrared light. Furthermore, the processor 1031 measures propagation loss, etc. using an area tester as the measuring instrument 108, and measures delay, etc. using a network tester. After measurements have been completed in at least one direction, the process proceeds to step S5. Measurements may be performed in multiple directions, such as the ceiling and floor, at one measurement point. In this case, after measurements have been completed in all directions, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the processor 1031 stores in the storage 1033 a file including information associating the measured radio wave shape information, visible light shape information, and radio wave propagation information with coordinates on a map. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the format of a file stored in the storage 1033. As shown in FIG. 8, the stored file includes a header, map data, and measurement data. The header is information on measurement conditions such as the measurement date and time, the measurement direction, and the frequency of the transmitted radio waves. The map data is data on the created map. The measurement data is data in which measurement results such as radio wave shape information, images, visible light shape information, and radio wave propagation information are stored in association with coordinates on a map. The file may include data other than that shown in FIG. 8.

In step S6, the processor 1031 determines whether or not the measurement is complete. For example, when the creation of the map is complete and the measurement at the necessary measurement points on the map is complete, the measurement is determined to be complete. If it is determined in step S6 that the measurement is not complete, the process returns to step S3. In this case, the processor 1031 may change the movement direction so as to preferentially move to points for which a map has not yet been created. If it is determined in step S6 that the measurement is complete, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S7, the processor 1031 determines whether or not a rear-end collision has been detected based on the result of reception of the infrared light by the infrared light emitting/receiving unit 101a. If it is determined in step S7 that a rear-end collision has been detected, the process proceeds to step S8. If it is determined in step S7 that a rear-end collision has not been detected, the process returns to step S3.

In step S8, the processor 1031 controls the driving of the wheels 102 to change the moving direction. Then, the process returns to step S3. The processor 1031 may determine the moving direction to be, for example, a random direction excluding the current moving direction in which a rear-end collision may occur. Alternatively, the processor 1031 may change the moving direction to preferentially move to a point for which a map has not yet been created.

In step S9, the processor 1031 transmits the file data stored in the storage 1033 to the server 20 using the communication device 1037. Then, the process in FIG. 6 ends.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of server 20. The operation of Figure 9 can be controlled by processor 201.

In step S101, the processor 201 determines whether or not file data has been received from the measuring device 10. If it is determined in step S101 that file data has been received, the process proceeds to step S102. If it is determined in step S101 that file data has not been received, the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S102, the processor 201 executes a radio wave propagation simulation based on the shape information included in the data of the received file. In an embodiment, the processor 201 may execute a radio wave propagation simulation based on radio wave shape information and a radio wave propagation simulation based on visible light shape information. In the radio wave propagation simulation based on radio wave shape information, the processor 201 generates a three-dimensional model from point cloud information as radio wave shape information, and inputs the generated three-dimensional model to the radio wave propagation simulator 2031 to execute a radio wave propagation simulation, for example, by a ray tracing method. In the radio wave propagation simulation based on visible light shape information, the processor 201 generates a three-dimensional model from point cloud information as visible light shape information, and inputs the generated three-dimensional model to the radio wave propagation simulator 2031 to execute a radio wave propagation simulation, for example, by a ray tracing method. After the radio wave propagation simulation, the process proceeds to step S103. Here, the execution of the radio wave propagation simulation is not limited to being performed when the file is received, but may be performed after receiving an operation from the operator of the server 20. In this case, the operator may change the conditions of the radio wave propagation simulation. The conditions for the radio wave propagation simulation include the frequency of the radio signal, the presence or absence of radio equipment that may be a source of radio wave interference, and the presence or absence of electromagnetic wave reflecting sheets and electromagnetic wave absorbing sheets attached to walls, etc. By changing these conditions, the simulation can also obtain the optimal placement of the radio equipment, electromagnetic wave reflecting sheets, and electromagnetic wave absorbing sheets.

In step S103, the processor 201 stores the results of the radio wave propagation simulation together with the data of the file received from the measurement device 10, for example, in the storage 203. Also, in step S103, the processor 201 may display the results of the radio wave propagation simulation on the display device 205.

In step S104, the processor 201 determines whether or not a request for transmission of the results of the radio wave propagation simulation has been made, for example, by the terminal 30. If it is determined in step S104 that a request for transmission of the results of the radio wave propagation simulation has not been made, the process returns to step S101. If it is determined in step S104 that a request for transmission of the results of the radio wave propagation simulation has been made, the process proceeds to step S105.

In step S105, the processor 201 transmits the requested results of the radio wave propagation simulation to the requester, for example, the terminal 30, using the communication device 206. At this time, the processor 201 may also transmit the data of the file received from the measurement device 10 to, for example, the terminal 30. After transmitting the requested results of the radio wave propagation simulation, the process returns to step S101.

The terminal 30 that has received the results of the radio wave propagation simulation may display the results of the radio wave propagation simulation on a display device. The results of the radio wave propagation simulation may be displayed by any method. For example, the terminal 30 may display values of propagation loss, delay, etc., as the results of the radio wave propagation simulation on a map. Alternatively, the terminal 30 may start a camera, display indoor images successively obtained by the camera on a display device, and compare the indoor images with images stored in a file to display values of propagation loss, delay, etc., as the results of the radio wave propagation simulation in AR (Augmented Reality). Furthermore, the terminal 30 may also display actual values of propagation loss, delay, etc., based on the radio wave propagation information stored in the file.

As described above, according to the embodiment, the measuring device transmits and receives radio waves while traveling indoors to acquire indoor shape information. This allows radio wave shape information to be acquired, which is shape information of objects that are obstacles to radio waves. By performing a radio wave propagation simulation using the radio wave shape information, it is expected that the accuracy of the radio wave propagation simulation will be improved. In other words, according to the embodiment, the measuring device can acquire necessary and sufficient information that is useful for improving the accuracy of the radio wave propagation simulation. Here, radio signals in high frequency bands such as the millimeter wave band and the terahertz band have a strong tendency to travel in a straight line and are easily affected by obstacles. Therefore, the technology of the embodiment is particularly suitable for improving the accuracy of radio wave propagation simulations for radio signals in high frequency bands.

The measuring device also acquires indoor shape information by projecting and receiving infrared light while autonomously traveling indoors. This makes it possible to acquire visible light shape information, which is shape information of objects that appear to be obstacles to the human eye. The results of a radio wave propagation simulation based on visible light shape information can be used to compare with the results of a radio wave propagation simulation based on radio wave shape information, for example. Such a comparison can be used to verify the accuracy of the radio wave propagation simulator.

The measuring device may also measure radio wave propagation information while autonomously traveling indoors. By comparing the actual measurement results with the radio wave propagation simulation results, the actual measurement results and the simulation results may be mutually verified. For example, when there is a discrepancy between the actual measurement results and the radio wave propagation simulation results, the measuring device 10 may be configured to increase the number of measurement points and perform measurements again. In this case, for example, a process may be performed such as shortening the predetermined distance used in the judgment of step S3 around a point where there is a large discrepancy between the actual measurement results and the radio wave propagation simulation results so that more measurements are performed around the point where there is a large discrepancy between the actual measurement results and the radio wave propagation simulation results.

(Modification)
A modified example of the embodiment will be described below. In the embodiment, the radio wave propagation simulation is performed in the server 20. However, the radio wave propagation simulation may be performed in the terminal 30.

In addition, in the embodiment, an example of using the results of the radio wave propagation simulation and the actual measurement results is shown as being displayed on the display device of the terminal 30. In contrast, the results of the radio wave propagation simulation and/or the actual measurement results may be used as teaching data for a radio wave propagation inference model that uses artificial intelligence, such as machine learning or deep learning. In addition, the results of the radio wave propagation simulation and the actual measurement results may be used for various purposes. Since the measuring device 10 can measure a wide variety of information in a single measurement, the information obtained thereby is expected to be used in a variety of ways.

The measuring device 10 is self-propelled indoors. Since people may be present indoors, it is desirable for the measurement to be performed in a situation that does not disturb the people present indoors. Therefore, the measuring device 10 may have a timer function that starts measurement at a set time, such as at night.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified in various ways during implementation without departing from the gist of the invention. The embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combination, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combinations selected from the multiple constituent elements disclosed. For example, if the problem can be solved and an effect can be obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these constituent elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

1 Radio wave propagation simulation system, 10 Measuring device, 11 Radio wave transmitting unit, 12 Radio wave receiving unit, 13 Radio wave propagation measuring unit, 14 Imaging unit, 15 Map creation unit, 16 Rear-end collision detection unit, 17 Moving mechanism, 18 Communication unit, 19 Control unit, 20 Server, 30 Terminal, 101 Housing, 101a Light emitting/receiving unit, 102 Wheel, 103 Control circuit, 104 Low dielectric support, 105 Bellows member, 106 Low dielectric rail, 107 Antenna, 108 Measuring equipment, 109 Cable, 1031, 201 Processor, 1032, 202 Memory, 1033, 203 Storage, 1034 Interface, 1035, 204 Input device, 1036, 205 Display device, 1037, 206 Communication device, 1038, 207 207 Bus.

Claims (11)

A moving mechanism for self-propelling indoors;
a radio wave transmitting unit that transmits radio waves having a frequency set between 1 GHz and 400 GHz while the moving mechanism is moving independently;
a radio wave receiving unit for receiving a reflected radio wave of the radio wave;
a map creation unit that creates a map of the indoor area based on a trajectory of movement of the moving mechanism during self-propelled movement;
a control unit that acquires shape information of a location from which the radio wave is transmitted based on the reflected radio wave received by the radio wave receiving unit;
A measuring device comprising: The radio wave transmitting unit transmits radio waves having a frequency in a frequency band of 1 GHz to 400 GHz that is used by wireless devices used indoors.
The measurement device according to claim 1 . The radio wave transmitting unit transmits radio waves of a first frequency, which is within 1 GHz to 400 GHz and is higher than a frequency band used by wireless devices used indoors.
The measurement device according to claim 1 . The radio wave transmitting unit further transmits radio waves of a second frequency within 1 GHz to 400 GHz, the second frequency being lower than a frequency band used by wireless devices used indoors.
The measurement device according to claim 3. The control unit associates the map with the shape information.
The measurement device according to claim 1 . The measurement device according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging unit that captures an image of the indoor scene and generates an image of the scene. The measurement device according to claim 6, wherein the imaging unit further acquires shape information in the subject field by projecting and receiving infrared light. The measurement device according to claim 1, further comprising a radio wave propagation measurement unit that measures radio wave propagation indoors. Transmitting radio waves at a frequency set between 1 GHz and 400 GHz from a self-propelled measuring device indoors;
receiving a reflected radio wave of the radio wave in the measuring device;
creating a map of the indoor area based on a trajectory of movement during the self-propelled movement in the measuring device;
acquiring shape information of a location from which the radio wave is transmitted based on the reflected radio wave received by the measuring device;
A measurement method comprising: A mobile mechanism that moves independently indoors;
a radio wave transmitting unit that transmits radio waves having a frequency set between 1 GHz and 400 GHz while the moving mechanism is moving independently;
a radio wave receiving unit for receiving a reflected radio wave of the radio wave;
a control unit that acquires first shape information of a location from which the radio wave is transmitted based on the reflected radio wave received by the radio wave receiving unit;
A measuring device comprising:
a simulation execution unit that executes a radio wave propagation simulation indoors based on the first shape information;
A radio wave propagation simulation system. the measuring device further includes an imaging unit that acquires second shape information by projecting and receiving infrared light;
The simulation execution unit further executes a radio wave propagation simulation indoors based on the second shape information.
The radio wave propagation simulation system according to claim 10.