Construction machinery

• US 10,186,017 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2017
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Imano, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoon, Sae Won
• Application Number:
  US15/673,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20180061007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 345641
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/32 working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20192 Edge enhancement; Edge preservation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/053 Detail-in-context presentations fisheye or wide-angle transformations G06T3/047
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/174 involving the use of two or more images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A construction machine includes image processing means coupled in communication with a monitor. The image processing means is configured to receive images from a plurality of cameras; synthesize the images into a synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image; divide the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image into four sections that are defined by a first section line and a second section line, the four sections including a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section; generate a conversion image from the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image by increasing a size of the first section and decreasing a size of each of the second section and the third section; and selectively display the conversion image on the monitor.

Claims

1. A construction machine, comprising:

a plurality of monitor cameras that capture images of an area surrounding a body of the construction machine; and

image processing means coupled in communication with a monitor and the plurality of monitor cameras, the image processing means being configured to;

receive images from each camera of the plurality of monitor cameras;

synthesize the images into a synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image;

divide the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image into four sections that are defined by a first section line and a second section line, each section of the four sections being bounded by both the first section line and the second section line,

the first section line intersecting with the second section line at an intersection point, a section line angle being defined between the first section line and the second section line, the four sections including a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section;

generate a conversion image from the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image by translating the intersection point within the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image while maintaining the section line angle constant to increase a size of the first section and decrease a size of each of the second section and the third section, an overall size of the conversion image being the same as an overall size of the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image; and

selectively display the conversion image on the monitor,

wherein the image processing means is further configured to superimpose an entirety of a predefined plan figure of the body of the construction machine in the first section of the synthetic bird'"'"'s eye view image and the first section of the conversion image,

wherein the second section line extends in a back-to-front direction along a left side of the predefined plan figure, and the first section line extends in a right-to-left direction along a front side of the predefined plan figure, the back-to-front direction being transverse to the right-to-left direction, and

wherein the predefined plan figure includes a figure of a cab of the construction machine located at a left front part of the predefined plan figure.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means is further configured to decrease a size of the fourth section when generating the conversion image.

3. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the first section is separated from the second section by the second section line,

the first section is separated from the fourth section by the first section line,

the third section is separated from the second section by the first section line, and

the third section is separated from the fourth section by the second section line.