DEVICE FOR MONITORING SURROUNDINGS OF MACHINERY

• US 20150009329A1
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishimoto, Hidefumi
• Application Number:
  US14/352,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20150009329A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/028 with arrangements for levelling the machine hydraulic drives therefor E02F9/2257
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/085 Ground-engaging fitting for supporting the machines while working, e.g. outriggers, legs for vehicles in general B60S9/00, for cranes B66C23/78
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A surroundings monitoring device (200) provided on machinery which changes its vehicle body height. The surroundings monitoring device includes a plurality of cameras (30) that image the surroundings thereof, a unit for converting the original images (31) taken by the cameras (30) to overhead viewpoint images (35), a unit for combining the overhead viewpoint images (35) to generate a bird'"'"'s-eye image (300), a unit for displaying the bird'"'"'s-eye image (300), and a unit for detecting the positions of the cameras. The bird'"'"'s-eye image-generating unit adjusts the display region (e) for each overhead viewpoint image (35) on the basis of the detected height of the camera concerned, and combines the overhead viewpoint images. It is therefore possible to always generate and display an accurate bird'"'"'s-eye image (300) even when the vehicle body height changes significantly.

Claims

1. A surroundings monitoring device installed on machinery that changes its vehicle body height, comprising:

a plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle body of the machinery for photographing surroundings of the machinery;

upper viewpoint image preparation means for applying an upper viewpoint conversion process on an original image, which is photographed by each of the cameras, to prepare an upper viewpoint image of each said camera;

bird'"'"'s eye view image preparation means for synthesizing the upper viewpoint images, which are prepared by the upper viewpoint image preparation means, to prepare a bird'"'"'s eye image of the surroundings which includes an image representing the machinery;

display means for displaying the bird'"'"'s eye view image prepared by the bird'"'"'s eye view image preparation means; and

camera position detection means for detecting positions of the cameras mounted on the vehicle body, the bird'"'"'s eye view image preparation means being configured to synthesize display areas of the upper viewpoint images, which are prepared by the upper viewpoint image preparation means, based on heights of the cameras detected by the camera position detection means.

2. The surroundings monitoring device for machinery according to claim 1 further including a range finder for measuring a vertical distance between a ground surface, on which the vehicle body is present, and each of the cameras, wherein the camera position detection means detects the positions of the cameras based on the vertical distances between the ground surface and the cameras which are respectively measured by the range finder.

3. The surroundings monitoring device for machinery according to claim 1 further including an input part for entry of vehicle body information, wherein the camera position detection means detects the positions of the cameras based on the vehicle body information entered from the input part.

4. The surroundings monitoring device for machinery according to claim 1 further including a gravimeter for measuring a weight of loadage on the vehicle body, wherein the camera position detection means detects the positions of the cameras based on the weight of the loadage measured by the gravimeter.