Systems of acquiring image data for an autonomous work vehicle

• US 10,212,400 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonomous Solutions, Inc., CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Autonomous Solutions, Inc., CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: McClelland, Brett Carson, Foster, Christopher Alan, Bybee, Taylor Chad, Turpin, Bret Todd, Yonk, James Patrick, Frisby, Lyle Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Nam D
• Application Number:
  US15/583,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20180316895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A controller for a work vehicle includes a processor and a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory device stores instructions that cause the processor to receive a first signal from an image capturing device, such that the first signal is indicative of image data associated with an environment of the work vehicle. Furthermore, the memory device stores instructions that may cause the processor to associate the first signal with a corresponding position of the work vehicle to generate a video log in response to a triggering event, such that the video log has a duration between a first time and a second time, and the triggering event includes a command to stop the work vehicle, a command to start a mission, a command to end a mission, a user input to override an autonomous command, a user input to override a highly automated command, detection of an obstacle, or any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A controller for a work vehicle, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to store instructions configured to cause the processor to;

receive a first signal from an image capturing device, wherein the first signal is indicative of image data associated with an environment of the work vehicle;

associate the first signal with a corresponding position of the work vehicle to generate a video log in response to a triggering event, wherein the video log has a duration between a first time and a second time, and the triggering event comprises a command to stop the work vehicle, a command to start a mission, a command to end a mission, a user input to override an autonomous command, a user input to override a highly automated command, detection of an obstacle, or any combination thereof.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store instruction configured to store the video log and associated first set of signals with the corresponding position.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store instruction configured to instruct a display to present the video log and an associated time.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first time corresponds to a first duration before the triggering event, and the second time corresponds to a second duration after the triggering event.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises expiration of a periodic timer, a command to avoid an obstacle, a manual command to generate the video log, or any combination thereof.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the detection of the obstacle is based on a threshold distance between the obstacle and the work vehicle.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the user input to override the autonomous command or the highly automated command is received from a user interface of the work vehicle, wherein the autonomous command is based on a second signal indicative of the detection of an obstacle.

8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store instruction configured to communicatively couple the controller to a base station controller.

9. The controller of claim 8, wherein the memory is configured to store instruction configured to output an encrypted signal indicative of the video log to the base station controller.

10. The controller of claim 1, wherein the instruction to cause the processor to associate the first signal with the corresponding position of the work vehicle comprises instructions to cause the processor to associate the first signal with the corresponding position and a corresponding time.

11. A video system of a work vehicle, comprising:

an image capturing device configured to output a first signal indicative of image data associated with an environment of the work vehicle;

a controller comprising a memory device communicatively coupled to a processor, wherein the memory device is configured to store instructions configured to cause the processor to;

receive a first signal from an image capturing device, wherein the first signal is indicative of image data associated with an environment of the work vehicle; and

associate the first signal with a corresponding position of the work vehicle to generate a video log in response to a triggering event, wherein the video log has a duration between a first time and a second time, and the triggering event comprises a command to stop the work vehicle, a command to start a mission, a command to end a mission, a user input to override an autonomous command, a user input to override a highly automated command, detection of an obstacle, or any combination thereof.

12. The video system of claim 11, wherein image capturing device comprises an infrared spectrum camera, a visual spectrum camera, or any combination thereof.

13. The video system of claim 11, comprising a sensor assembly configured to output a second signal indicative of detection of an obstacle.

14. The video system of claim 13, wherein the sensor assembly comprises an infrared sensor, a capacitance sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or any combination thereof.

15. The video system of claim 11, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions configured to receive a second signal indicative of a triggering event.

16. The video system of claim 11, wherein the memory is configured to store instruction configured to store the video log.

17. The video system of claim 11, wherein the instruction to cause the processor to associate the first signal with the corresponding position of the work vehicle comprises instructions to cause the processor to associate the first signal with the corresponding position and a corresponding time.

18. A tangible, non-transitory, and computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to:

receive a first signal from an image capturing device, wherein the first signal is indicative of image data associated with an environment of the work vehicle; and

associate the first signal with a corresponding position of the work vehicle to generate a video log in response to a triggering event, wherein the video log has a duration between a first time and a second time, and the triggering event comprises a command to stop the work vehicle, a command to start a mission, a command to end a mission, a user input to override an autonomous command, a user input to override a highly automated command, detection of an obstacle, or any combination thereof.

19. The tangible, non-transitory, and computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are configured to store an encrypted signal indicative of the video log.

20. The tangible, non-transitory, and computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first time corresponds to a first duration before the triggering event, and the second time corresponds to a second duration after the triggering event.