Work vehicle

• US 10,274,963 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2015
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd. (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Yanmar Company Limited (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Toshio, Sekiyama, Kosuke, Hasegawa, Yasuhisa, Fukukawa, Tomoya, Hiramatsu, Toshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ingram, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/534,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20170322559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/00 Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/001 Steering by means of optical assistance, e.g. television cameras steering devices for road marking vehicles E01C23/163
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 69/008 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/66 with two or more cutters
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/71 with means for discharging mown material A01D57/26 - A01D57/30 take precedence; combined with means for gathering or loading mown material A01D43/06
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/74 Cutting-height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/243 Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle G05D1/244; using signals from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle G05D1/249
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/6486 by taking into account surface condition, e.g. soiled
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2105/15 for harvesting, sowing or mowing in agriculture or forestry
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2107/23 Gardens or lawns
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2109/10 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2111/10 : Optical signals

Abstract

A mowing vehicle provided with a traveling machine and a mowing device includes a first image-capturing device and a controlling unit configured to control the traveling machine to travel autonomously along a boundary line of grass before and after mowing formed by the mowing device. The controlling unit includes a boundary-detecting unit configured to detect the boundary line and a traveling-controlling unit configured to control traveling directions of the traveling machine. The boundary-detecting unit is configured to generate intensity distribution information regarding texture information in a predetermined direction by filtering with a Gabor filter on a captured image. The boundary-detecting unit is configured to carry out statistical processing on the intensity distribution information per inspection area divided in plural in a vertical direction so as to detect boundary points and to detect the boundary line from the boundary points per the inspection area.

Claims

1. A work vehicle configured to work while traveling, provided with a traveling machine and a working machine, comprising:

a first image-capturing device configured to capture peripheries of the traveling machine; and

a controlling unit configured to control the traveling machine to travel autonomously along a boundary line showing traces of work consecutively formed by the working machine,

wherein the controlling unit includes;

a boundary-detecting unit configured to detect the boundary line by processing an image captured by the first image-capturing device, and

a traveling-controlling unit configured to control traveling directions of the traveling machine so as to be along the boundary line detected by the boundary-detecting unit, and

wherein the boundary-detecting unit is configured to;

generate intensity distribution information regarding texture information in a predetermined direction by filtering with a Gabor filter on the image captured by the first image-capturing device,

carry out statistical processing on the intensity distribution information per inspection area divided in plural in a vertical direction so as to detect boundary points, and

detect the boundary line from the boundary points per the inspection area.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined direction is an upward direction or a downward direction.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first image-capturing device is disposed in such a manner that the boundary line showing the traces of work is placed substantially at the center in the horizontal direction of the image to be captured.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, comprising first image-capturing devices provided corresponding to each of right-and-left edges of the working machine,

wherein the controlling unit is configured to carry out processing on an image captured by one of the first image-capturing devices.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory unit and a second image-capturing device capable of capturing the traces of work right after the work of the working machine,

wherein the controlling unit is configured to;

generate another intensity distribution information regarding texture information in a predetermined direction by filtering with the Gabor filter on an image captured by the second image-capturing device,

store in the memory unit processing results obtained by carrying out statistical processing on aforementioned another intensity distribution information per inspection area divided in plural in a vertical direction, and

use later the processing results stored in the memory unit when carrying out the statistical processing in which the image captured by the first image-capturing device is processed so as to detect the boundary line.