Work vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus

• US 9,597,997 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Mitsuta, Shinji, Harada, Shigeru, Tanuki, Tomikazu, Masutani, Eishin, Nakanishi, Yukihiro, Kurihara, Takeshi, Tsubone, Dai, Machida, Masaomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/814,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 348/118, 348/148, 342/70, 342/55, 342/385, 342/457, 340/436, 340/901, 701/28, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• 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 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle includes a plurality of obstacle detection sensors, a warning region setting section and a warning section. The obstacle detection sensors are mounted on the work vehicle, and each of the obstacle detection sensors is configured to determine a relative position of an obstacle with regard to the work vehicle by detecting the obstacle in the surroundings of the work vehicle. The warning region setting section is configured to set a warning region, where it is necessary to warn a driver of a presence of the obstacle, according to a movement state of the work vehicle. The warning section is configured to warn a driver that the relative position of the obstacle is positioned in the warning region.

Claims

1. A periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle comprising:

a plurality of radar apparatuses mounted on the work vehicle, each of the radar apparatuses being configured to determine a relative position of an obstacle with regard to the work vehicle by detecting the obstacle within a detection range of the radar apparatus, the detection range being disposed in a portion of the surroundings of the work vehicle, the plurality of radar apparatuses including at least two radar apparatuses arranged such that the detection ranges thereof overlap each other and are disposed on a right side of the work vehicle, and the plurality of radar apparatuses further including at least two other radar apparatuses arranged such that the detection ranges thereof overlap each other and are disposed on a left side of the work vehicle, the plurality of radar apparatuses being arranged such that a combination of the detection ranges of at least the two radar apparatuses having detection ranges disposed on the right side of the work vehicle and the two other radar apparatuses having detection ranges disposed on the left side of the vehicle defines an overall detection region that fully surrounds the vehicle;

a movement state determining section configured to determine a movement state of the work vehicle;

a warning region setting section configured to set a single warning region in which it is necessary to warn a driver of a presence of the obstacle, the warning region being set according to the movement state of the work vehicle, the warning region corresponding to the detection ranges of at least two of the radar apparatuses, the warning region setting section being configured to set the warning region to correspond to the overall detection region when the movement state determining section determines that the work vehicle is in a stationary state;

a warning section configured to warn a driver of the presence of the detected obstacle if the detected obstacle is positioned in the warning region, and not warn the driver of the presence of the detected obstacle if the detected obstacle is not positioned in the warning region;

a plurality of cameras mounted on the work vehicle, each of the cameras being configured to acquire an image of the surroundings of the work vehicle; and

a bird'"'"'s-eye image acquiring section configured to acquire a bird'"'"'s-eye image of the surroundings of the work vehicle based on a plurality of images which are acquired by the cameras,

the warning section having a determination section configured to determine whether the relative position is positioned in the warning region on the bird'"'"'s-eye image.

2. The periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the movement state is defined by a combination of moving direction and vehicle speed.

3. The periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a monitor configured to display an image, wherein

the warning section has a display control section configured to display a camera image on the monitor when it is determined that the relative position is positioned in the warning region on the bird'"'"'s-eye image, the camera image being acquired by one of the cameras which is acquiring the image of the obstacle.

4. The periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the display control section is configured to display the bird'"'"'s-eye image on the monitor to be lined up with the camera image.

5. The periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the display control section is configured to overlay an identification mark on the obstacle in the bird'"'"'s-eye image displayed on the monitor.

6. The periphery monitoring apparatus for a work vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the display control section is configured to display an identification frame encompassing the obstacle in the bird'"'"'s-eye image displayed on the monitor.