ENHANCED VISIBILITY SYSTEM

• US 20100289899A1
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Chipperfield, Kurt A., Mooney, Sean L., Bollweg, Nicholas E., Moore, Robert Charles, Hendron, Scott Svend
• Granted Patent: US 9,440,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/202 displaying a blind spot scene on the vehicle part responsible for the blind spot
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/055 Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. containers, boxes B60R9/048 takes precedence

Abstract

An enhanced visibility system for utility vehicles is disclosed. The visibility system may enhance an operator'"'"'s view from the utility vehicle by making an obstruction appear transparent to the operator.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle including:

a chassis;

at least one ground engaging mechanism configured to propel the chassis over the ground;

an operator station supported by the chassis;

a work tool configured to move relative to the chassis to move material;

an obstruction positioned between the operator station and the work tool;

at least one camera configured to capture an image of an item positioned beyond the obstruction of the utility vehicle, the obstruction being positioned between the operator station and the item; and

a display configured to display at least a portion of the captured image.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the display is mounted in the operator station and the obstruction is positioned between the display and the work tool.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the operator station provides at least one vantage point for an operator and the display is positioned laterally and longitudinally between the at least one vantage point and the obstruction of the utility vehicle.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the obstruction is positioned longitudinally forward of the operator station.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the work tool includes at least one of a bucket, a blade, a pallet fork, a bail lift, an auger, a harvester, a tiller, a mower, and a grapple.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the obstruction includes at least one of:

a hood of the utility vehicle;

a door of the utility vehicle;

a roll-over protective structure of the utility vehicle; and

a boom structure coupled to the work tool and the chassis for movement of the work tool relative to the chassis.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 1, further including:

a sensor configured to track movement of an operator in the operator station; and

a processor configured to communicate with the sensor and the display.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 1, further including:

a sensor configured to detect an operator in the operator station; and

a processor configured to receive an input from the sensor and to identify the portion of the captured image based on the input from the sensor.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 8, wherein the processor is also configured to identify at least one vantage point of the operator based on the input from the sensor.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to generate the portion of the captured image.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 10, wherein the display includes at least one of a television monitor, a liquid crystal display monitor, a light-emitting diode monitor, a thin-film transistor monitor, a cathode ray tube monitor, a heads up display, and a head mounted display.

12. A method of enhancing an operator'"'"'s visibility from a utility vehicle, the utility vehicle including an obstruction, the method including the steps of:

providing a display having an outer perimeter;

capturing an image of an item, the obstruction of the utility vehicle positioned between the display and the item;

providing at least one vantage point of an operator of the utility vehicle;

creating a viewing projection from the at least one vantage point through the display;

identifying at least a portion of the captured image located within the viewing projection;

generating a modified image that includes the identified portion of the captured image; and

displaying the modified image on the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the display is positioned between the at least one vantage point of the operator and the obstruction of the utility vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein an outer boundary of the viewing projection extends linearly from the at least one vantage point of the operator through the outer perimeter of the display.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of generating the modified image includes winnowing the captured image.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the modified image of the item displayed on the display is smaller in scale than the item itself.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing the at least one vantage point of the operator includes tracking movement of the operator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein movement of the operator in a plane substantially parallel to the display in a first direction causes the identified portion of the captured image to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein movement of the operator toward the display in a direction substantially perpendicular to the display causes the identified portion of the captured image to increase in size, and movement of the operator away from the display in the direction substantially perpendicular to the display causes the identified portion of the captured image to decrease in size.

20. The method of claim 12, further including the steps of:

tracking movement of the operator to determine a second vantage point of the operator;

creating a second viewing projection from the second vantage point through the display;

identifying at least a second portion of the captured image located within the second viewing projection;

generating a second modified image that includes the second identified portion of the captured image; and

displaying the second modified image on the display.

21. A method of enhancing an operator'"'"'s visibility from a utility vehicle, the method including the steps of:

providing a utility vehicle including a chassis, a work tool configured to move relative to the chassis to move material, and an obstruction;

providing a display having an outer perimeter;

capturing an image of a scene positioned beyond the obstruction of the utility vehicle;

providing at least one vantage point of an operator of the utility vehicle;

identifying a portion of the scene visible from the at least one vantage point and through the display;

creating a modified image from the captured image that includes the identified portion of the scene; and

displaying the modified image on the display.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the display is positioned between the at least one vantage point of the operator and the obstruction of the utility vehicle.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying the portion of the scene includes creating a viewing projection from the at least one vantage point through the display and identifying the portion of the scene located within the viewing projection.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the work tool includes at least one of a bucket, a blade, a pallet fork, a bail lift, an auger, a harvester, a tiller, a mower, and a grapple.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein movement of the operator in a plane substantially parallel to the display in a first direction causes the identified portion of the scene to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein movement of the operator toward the display in a direction substantially perpendicular to the display causes the identified portion of the scene to increase in size, and movement of the operator away from the display in the direction substantially perpendicular to the display causes the identified portion of the scene to decrease in size.

27. The method of claim 21, further including the steps of:

tracking movement of the operator to determine a second vantage point of the operator;

identifying a second portion of the scene visible from the second vantage point and through the display;

creating a second modified image from the captured image that includes the second identified portion of the scene; and

displaying the second modified image on the display.