WORK VEHICLE AND IMAGE DISPLAYING METHOD FOR WORK VEHICLE

• US 20180027179A1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: MATSUZAKI, Yushi, FUJIMOTO, Yoshitomo
• Granted Patent: US 10,491,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/27 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 to capture images around the vehicle body;

work and travel situation detection sensors provided on the vehicle body to detect work and travel situations;

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 based on signals detected by the work and travel situation detection sensors,

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

compose the images captured by the cameras by view-point converting the images to generate an overhead image around the vehicle body, 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,

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

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 the work and travel situation detection sensors include obstruction detection sensors to detect an obstruction around the vehicle body, and

wherein, when any of the obstruction detection sensors detects an obstruction, the circuitry determines an obstruction detected area viewed in a direction toward which the obstruction is detected from the vehicle body as the focused area.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the circuitry is configured to calculate a position of the vehicle body based on satellite positioning data,

wherein, when a distance between the vehicle body and the obstruction detected by any of the obstruction detection sensors is greater than a distance between the vehicle body and a boundary of a work field, the circuitry does not determine the obstruction detected area as the focused area.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when two or more of the cameras capture the focused area, each of the images captured by the two or more of the cameras is displayed sequentially per a predetermined period as the prioritized display image.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when two or more of the cameras capture the focused area, an image composed with the images captured by the two or more of the cameras is displayed as the prioritized display image.

7. 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 work device mounted to the vehicle body via an orientation control mechanism, wherein the cameras include a work device camera which is attached to the work device and an orientation of which is to be controlled in accordance with an orientation of the work device such that a capturing direction of the work device camera is maintained.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising:

a work device mounted to the vehicle body via an orientation control mechanism,

wherein the cameras include a work device camera which is attached to the work device and an orientation of which is to be controlled in accordance with an orientation of the work device such that a capturing direction of the work device is maintained, and

wherein the obstruction detection sensors include a work device obstruction detection sensor which is attached to the work device and an orientation of which is to be controlled in accordance with an orientation of the work device such that a direction toward which the obstruction is detected is maintained.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the work and travel situation detection sensors include 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.

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

capturing vehicle surrounding images around a vehicle body of the work vehicle;

detecting work and travel situations of the work vehicle;

determining a focused area based on the work and travel situations;

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

composing the vehicle surrounding images by view-point converting the vehicle surrounding images to generate an overhead image around the vehicle body; 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.

12. A work vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

cameras provided on the vehicle body to capture images around the vehicle body;

work and travel situation detection sensors provided on the vehicle body to detect work and travel situations;

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

a first processor to determine a focused area based on signals detected by the work and travel situation detection sensors;

a second processor to determine a prioritized display image among the images captured by the cameras, the prioritized display image including the focused area;

an image composer to compose the images captured by the cameras by view-point converting the images to generate an overhead image around the vehicle body; and

an image generator to 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.