Work vehicle with monitor to display overhead image of work vehicle, and image displaying method for displaying overhead image of work vehicle

• US 10,491,818 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Matsuzaki, Yushi, Fujimoto, Yoshitomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Shan E
• Application Number:
  US15/385,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 348 39
• 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: A01D 41/12 Details of combines
• 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 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/80 characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/18 with digging wheels turning round an axis , e.g. bucket-type wheels for digging trenches E02F5/08; for laying cables underwater E02F5/109; cutting machines E21C25/00; methods or apparatus for making tunnels or galleries E21D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/08 with digging wheels turning round an axis E02F5/109 takes precedence; with digging wheels per se E02F3/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A work vehicle includes circuitry configured to determine a focused area based on signals detected by work and travel situation detection sensors. The circuitry is configured to determine a prioritized display image among images captured by cameras, the prioritized display image including the focused area. The circuitry is configured to compose the images captured by the cameras by view-point converting the images to generate an overhead image around the vehicle body. The circuitry is configured to generate at least one monitor display image including a first display area in which the overhead image is displayed and a second display area in which the prioritized display image is displayed.

Claims

1. A work vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

cameras provided on the vehicle body, each of cameras being configured to capture images of each of detection areas around the work vehicle;

obstruction detection sensors provided on the vehicle body to detect an obstruction with respect to the work vehicle;

at least one monitor provided in the vehicle body to display at least one monitor display image;

a memory to store a map defining a work field in which the work vehicle is to work; and

circuitry configured to

calculate a vehicle position of the work vehicle based on satellite positioning data,

determine whether the obstruction detected by the obstruction detection sensors is inside the work field based on the map;

determine a focused area in which the obstruction is detected among the detection areas if the obstruction is determined to be inside the work field,

determine a prioritized display image among the images captured by the cameras, the prioritized display image including the focused area,

generate an overhead image showing the work vehicle and a peripheral area around the work vehicle by view-point converting the images captured by the cameras and compositing the images which have been view-point converted, and

generate the at least one monitor display image including a first display area in which the overhead image is displayed and a second display area in which the prioritized display image is displayed.

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

a travel direction detection sensor to detect forward travelling and backward travelling of the work vehicle,

wherein the circuitry determines an area in front of the vehicle body as the focused area when the forward travelling is detected, and determines an area in the rear of the vehicle body as the focused area when the backward travelling is detected.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when a first camera of the cameras captures the focused area and a second camera of the cameras captures an additional focused area in which the obstruction is detected among the detection areas if the obstruction is determined to be inside the work field, each of the images captured by the first camera and the second camera is displayed sequentially per a predetermined period as the prioritized display image.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when a first camera of the cameras captures the focused area and a second camera of the cameras captures an additional focused area in which the obstruction is detected among the detection areas if the obstruction is determined to be inside the work field, a composite image composed with the images captured by the first camera and the second camera is displayed as the prioritized display image.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when no focused area can be determined, images captured by all of the cameras are each displayed sequentially per a predetermined period as the prioritized display image.

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

a vehicle speed detection sensor to detects a travel speed of the work vehicle, and

wherein a magnification and reduction rate of displaying the prioritized display image in the second display area changes in accordance with the travel speed detected by the vehicle speed detection sensor.

6. A work vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a base direction;

a work apparatus movably mounted to the vehicle body to be in contact with and apart from a work field that the work vehicle is to work, an orientation of the work apparatus with respect to the vehicle body being changeable in accordance with a height of the work vehicle with respect to the work field;

cameras provided on the vehicle body, each of the cameras being configured to capture images of each of detection areas around the work vehicle, the cameras including a work apparatus camera having an optical axis and rotatably mounted on the work apparatus such that the optical axis of the work apparatus camera is controlled to be substantially parallel to the base direction regardless of the orientation of the work apparatus with respect to the vehicle body;

obstruction detection sensors provided on the vehicle body to detect an obstacle around the vehicle body;

at least one monitor provided in the vehicle body to display at least one monitor display image; and

circuitry configured to

determine a focused area in which the obstruction is detected among the detection areas,

determine a prioritized display image among the images captured by the cameras, the prioritized display image including the focused area,

generate an overhead image showing the work vehicle and a peripheral area around the work vehicle by view-point converting the images captured by the cameras and compositing the images which have been view-point converted, and

generate the at least one monitor display image including a first display area in which the overhead image is displayed and a second display area in which the prioritized display image is displayed.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the obstruction detection sensors include a work apparatus obstruction detection sensor configured to emit a signal in a signal emitting direction and rotatably mounted on the work apparatus such that the signal emitting direction is controlled to be substantially parallel to the base direction regardless of the orientation of the work apparatus with respect to the vehicle body.

9. An image displaying method for a work vehicle, comprising:

capturing vehicle surrounding images of detection areas around a vehicle body of the work vehicle, respectively;

detecting an obstruction with respect to the work vehicle;

calculating a vehicle position of the work vehicle based on satellite positioning data,

determining whether the obstruction detected is inside a work field in which the work vehicle is to work based on a map defining the work field,

determining a focused area in which the obstruction is detected among the detection areas if the obstruction is determined to be inside the work field;

determining a prioritized display image among the vehicle surrounding images, the prioritized display image including the focused area;

generate an overhead image showing the work vehicle and a peripheral area around the work vehicle by view-point converting the vehicle surrounding images and compositing the vehicle surrounding images which have been view-point converted; and

generating at least one monitor display image including a first display area in which the overhead image is displayed and a second display area in which the prioritized display image is displayed; and

displaying the at least one monitor display image in at least one monitor.