# US 2020/0399863 A1 · Work machine, information processing apparatus, and information processing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0399863 A1 - Document ID: US20200399863A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/012,493 - Filed: 2020-09-04 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-08 - Assignees: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Susumu AIZAWA; Yoshihisa KIYOTA; Shunsuke OTSUKI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399863A1 ## CPC - E02F 9/261: {Surveying the work-site to be treated} - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - B60R 11/02: for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof - E02F 9/20: Drives; Control devices (gearings in general F16H; controlling in general G05; electric multi-motor drives H02K, H02P) - E02F 9/24: Safety devices {, e.g. for preventing overload (E02F9/226 takes precedence)} - E02F 9/26: Indicating devices {(E02F5/145 takes precedence)} - G06Q 50/08: Construction - H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A work machine includes a sensor configured to acquire information relating to a status of a surrounding area of the work machine; a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to an external apparatus, the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine, which may be acquired by the sensor or generated based on the information acquired by the sensor; and an activating unit configured to activate a monitoring unit including at least the sensor and the transmitting unit, while the work machine is stopped. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A work machine comprising: a sensor configured to acquire information relating to a status of a surrounding area of the work machine; a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to an external apparatus, the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine, which is acquired by the sensor or generated based on the information acquired by the sensor; and an activating unit configured to activate a monitoring unit including at least the sensor and the transmitting unit, while the work machine is stopped. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes an imaging apparatus configured to capture an image of the surrounding area of the work machine, and the transmitting unit transmits, to the external apparatus, the captured image of the surrounding area of the work machine captured by the imaging apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The work machine according to claim 1, wherein when the monitoring unit is activated by the activating unit, activation of at least one device among a plurality of devices that are activated in accordance with activation of the work machine, is limited. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The work machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a detecting unit configured to detect a predetermined monitor target within a predetermined range in the surrounding area of the work machine, based on the information acquired by the sensor, wherein the activating unit activates the detecting unit included in the monitoring unit, in addition to the sensor and the transmitting unit, while the work machine is stopped, and the transmitting unit transmits, to the external apparatus, or records, in a predetermined storage unit, information relating to the predetermined monitor target in the surrounding area of the work machine detected by the detecting unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The work machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a power source configured to supply power to a device of the work machine including the monitoring unit, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to be operable when a suppliable power amount of the power source is greater than a predetermined threshold value, while the work machine is stopped. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The work machine according to claim 5, wherein the activating unit activates the monitoring unit upon detecting that the suppliable power amount of the power source exceeds a predetermined first threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The work machine according to claim 5, further comprising: a terminating unit configured to terminate the monitoring unit upon detecting that the suppliable power amount of the power source has decreased to less than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, when the monitoring unit has been activated by the activating unit while the work machine is stopped. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The work machine according to claim 5, further comprising: a first external reporting unit configured to transmit, to the external apparatus, a report indicating that the monitoring unit is not in an operable status, upon detecting that the suppliable power amount of the power source is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, while the work machine is stopped. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The work machine according to claim 5, wherein the monitoring unit includes an operation mode of operating by limiting at least one function among functions of the monitoring unit, such that a consumption amount of the power supplied from the power source is relatively small, while the work machine is stopped. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The work machine according to claim 5, further comprising: a second external reporting unit configured to report, to the external apparatus, information relating to the suppliable power amount of the power source or information relating to a time during which the monitoring unit is operable by the power supplied from the power source, while the work machine is stopped. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The work machine according to claim 5, wherein the power source includes at least one of a primary battery, a secondary battery, a capacitor, and a generator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The work machine according to claim 1, further comprising: an internal reporting unit configured to report, to an operator, that the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine will be transmitted to the external apparatus by the transmitting unit, while the work machine is operating. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The work machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a permission operation unit configured to accept a predetermined operation for giving permission to remotely operate the work machine. ### Claim 14 An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a work machine including a monitoring unit configured to acquire information relating to a status of a surrounding area of the work machine and to transmit the information outside the work machine, the information processing apparatus comprising: a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the work machine, an instruction for requesting the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine, in response to a predetermined operation from a user; a first acquiring unit configured to acquire the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine, transmitted from the work machine in response to the instruction; and a first reporting unit configured to report, to the user, the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine acquired by the first acquiring unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a second acquiring unit configured to acquire, from the work machine in response to the instruction, information relating to whether the monitoring unit can be activated while the work machine is stopped, or whether, after the monitoring unit has been activated, the monitoring unit that is operating is capable of continuously operating. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a second acquiring unit configured to acquire information relating to a state of a power source that is installed in the work machine and that is configured to supply power to the monitoring unit. ### Claim 17 An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a work machine including a monitoring unit configured to acquire information relating to a status of a surrounding area of the work machine and to transmit the information outside the work machine, the information processing method comprising: transmitting, to the work machine, an instruction for requesting the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine, in response to a predetermined operation from a user; acquiring the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine, transmitted from the work machine in response to the instruction; and reporting, to the user, the information relating to the status of the surrounding area of the work machine that has been acquired.