Display system and method for displaying information

Abstract

Computer-aided display system (1) for displaying manufacturer-specific information (7) of a machine (2), in particular an agricultural machine, wherein the display system (1) is provided and configured to be at least signal-connectable to an optical recording unit (3) which is configured to record images (4) and to receive at least one image (4) from the recording unit (3), wherein the display system (1) comprises a computing unit (5) and a data processing program (13) executable by the computing unit (5) for processing the at least one recorded image (4), wherein the invention is characterized in that manufacturer-specific components (6) of the machine (2) are recognizable in the at least one recorded image (4) by the computing unit (5),wherein manufacturer-specific components (6) can each be assigned manufacturer-specific information (7) and the assigned manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer-aided display system for displaying manufacturer-specific information of a machine, in particular an agricultural machine, wherein the display system is provided and designed to be connectable at least in terms of signal technology to an optical recording unit which is set up to record images and to receive at least one image from the recording unit, wherein the display system has a computing unit and a data processing program which can be executed by the computing unit for processing the at least one recorded image, according to the preamble of the present patent claim 1. The present invention also relates to a method for displaying manufacturer-specific information and a device with a computer-aided display system.

[0002] Display systems are known from the prior art which are able to retrieve or retrieve certain stored information by detecting optoelectronically readable codes, such as QR codes, barcodes or the like, and are able to assign or are assigned accordingly.

[0003] Especially when using such codes on machines, especially agricultural machinery, the codes attached to the machine are exposed to strong environmental influences and are therefore subject to a certain amount of wear, so that after an extended period of time, these optoelectronically readable codes become unreadable. These codes can also be lost, become illegible due to contamination, or similar factors. Especially in the field of agricultural machinery, especially for soil cultivation, many parts of the machine are subject to wear, so a considerable number of different optoelectronically readable codes are necessary.

[0004] The object of the present invention is therefore to be able to retrieve and display manufacturer-specific information by means of optical recognition of the respective component.

[0005] The underlying problem is solved by a computer-aided display system having the features of patent claim 1 as well as by a method having the features of patent claim 17 and by a device having the features of patent claim 18.

[0006] A core idea of ​​the present invention is to provide a computer-aided display system for displaying manufacturer-specific information of a machine, in particular an agricultural machine, wherein the display system is provided and designed to be connectable at least in terms of signal technology to an optical recording unit which is set up to record images and to receive at least one image from the recording unit, wherein the display system has a computing unit and a data processing program which can be executed by the computing unit for processing the at least one recorded image.According to the invention, it is provided that one or more manufacturer-specific components of the machine can be recognized in the at least one recorded image by the computing unit, wherein manufacturer-specific information can preferably be assigned to the manufacturer-specific components and, more preferably, the assigned manufacturer-specific information can be displayed.

[0007] The term "processing unit" can be understood here as meaning that the corresponding data processing program can be executed by the processing unit and the captured image can be processed accordingly. The processing unit can have one or more processors, for example, a CPU or GPU. Furthermore, a memory unit can be provided in which the corresponding data processing program is stored and can be retrieved or accessed from it.

[0008] Furthermore, the term "component" can be understood to mean that one or more components are or can be recognized from the captured image, depending on the nature of the captured image. It is understood that if no corresponding machine is depicted in the image, no corresponding components of the machine are recognizable either. The captured image can be understood as an image in which a machine is recognizable, in particular a manufacturer-specific machine. The components of the machine can correspond to image sections of the image at the respective locations of the components in the image.

[0009] The image sections therefore refer to a specific part or parts of the machine depicted in the image. An image section can also be understood as a component or one of the components of the machine. An image section can be a part of the captured image, whereby, with respect to the machine, the image section then corresponds to a component of the machine.

[0010] The term “manufacturer-specific” means that only machines or machine parts / components that are assigned to a single and specific manufacturer or producer are recognized, and the corresponding information can be provided accordingly.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the at least one recorded image can be a static image, a series of images, or a continuously recorded image. A static image is a single image, such as can be photographed using a camera or the like. A static image can limit the amount of data, so that faster recognition is possible. An image series can be several images taken one after the other, for example to capture different views of a component, which can mean better recognition of the corresponding image section. It is also conceivable that several images have been taken, each of which can depict different components, i.e. image sections or components, of the machine. In this way, several components or parts can be recognized.A continuously recorded image can, for example, be a video, which corresponds to a rapid, consecutive capture of images. This allows multiple components to be detected in succession and corresponding information to be displayed.

[0012] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the recognition of the manufacturer-specific components is independent of the recognition of an optoelectronically readable code. An optoelectronically readable code is a code that can be optically detected and evaluated by an electronic device. An optoelectronically readable code can be, for example, a barcode, a QR code, or the like.

[0013] According to preferred embodiments, the corresponding component(s) of the machine in the captured image can be determined in various ways. Particularly preferably, only components in the captured image are detected.

[0014] For example, it is stated that a component can be identified through pattern recognition and / or outline recognition and / or object recognition, or the like. To further identify which part / component is involved, the identification should be compared with a reference so that the actual component can be determined.

[0015] For example, the references can be stored or storable in a reference database so that they can be accessed by the computing unit and the data can be processed accordingly.

[0016] According to a further preferred embodiment, the manufacturer-specific information can be stored and / or stored in at least one database and can be retrieved from the at least one database. Preferably, the at least one database can be stored and / or stored in a storage medium.

[0017] It can be planned that all manufacturer-specific information is stored, or can be stored, in a single database. This can reduce the administrative burden associated with multiple databases.

[0018] However, it is also conceivable that the manufacturer-specific information is stored in multiple databases. Each database can be focused on one or more machines, allowing for smaller databases with shorter access times.

[0019] Particularly preferably, the database is a manufacturer-specific database. This may mean that the database only contains data from one and only manufacturer or data assigned to that manufacturer. Further preferably, it may be provided that the database is provided or can be provided by that manufacturer. Furthermore, it may be conceivable that only the manufacturer has the authority to make changes to the database, i.e., more specifically, to the manufacturer-specific information.

[0020] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the at least one database can be updated, changed and / or deleted with regard to the manufacturer-specific information.

[0021] This is advantageous when machines no longer exist, new machines need to be added, or machines can be built in a different way.

[0022] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that authentication is required to retrieve the manufacturer-specific information from the database. This necessary authentication can be used to determine whether a user is authorized to access the database or not. This describes a security aspect.

[0023] Furthermore, authentication can be used to determine whether retrieving the manufacturer-specific information from the database is denied or permitted and / or to what extent the manufacturer-specific information can be retrieved.

[0024] For example, users can have different roles, such as an end customer, a customer service representative, a sales representative, or the like. It is advantageous if, for example, a customer service representative has access to more manufacturer-specific information than an end customer.

[0025] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that, in order to display the manufacturer-specific information, an input of a serial number and / or a specifying information can be provided before or after the recognition of the manufacturer-specific components in order to be able to correctly assign the manufacturer-specific information.

[0026] The serial number is the serial number of the machine being viewed or to be viewed, i.e. the machine that is shown or is to be shown in the image.

[0027] A specifying statement may, for example, be a selection of a plurality of machines, or an indication of what type of machine it is, or the like.

[0028] The serial number and / or the specifying information can be entered using an input terminal which can be connected to the display system at least in terms of signals, or by providing corresponding signals from the input terminal to the display system.

[0029] Entering the serial number and / or the specifying information before recognizing the manufacturer-specific image sections can have the advantage of limiting the number of possible components and thus accelerating recognition.

[0030] Entering the serial number and / or the specifying information after identifying the manufacturer-specific components can have the advantage that, in the event that several similar parts / components have been identified and it is now unclear which is the corresponding correct component, it can now be specified which is the correct component.

[0031] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the display system is connectable to a display unit which is configured to display the associated manufacturer-specific information through the display unit.

[0032] The display unit can be a screen, a display, a monitor, a touch-sensitive screen, or the like.

[0033] The display unit is preferably intended and designed to display the manufacturer-specific information.

[0034] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that only the associated manufacturer-specific information can be displayed by means of the display unit.

[0035] This means that at least one captured image is not included in the display, and only the manufacturer-specific information can be shown on the display unit. This allows the display to be reduced to the essentials, ensuring the clearest possible presentation of the manufacturer-specific information.

[0036] Alternatively, according to one embodiment, it can be provided that the at least one recorded image with the associated manufacturer-specific information can be displayed by means of the display unit.

[0037] This allows a user to be provided with visual feedback indicating which component or part the corresponding manufacturer-specific information is being displayed for. Likewise, if multiple components have been detected, appropriate visual feedback can be provided indicating which component or part the manufacturer-specific information can be displayed for.

[0038] According to a further embodiment, it can be provided that the recognized manufacturer-specific components, to which manufacturer-specific information is assigned, can be visually highlighted.

[0039] This makes it possible to visually display which components were detected in at least one captured image, and thus also to indicate whether any components were detected at all. The user can also be visually informed whether the corresponding part or component was detected or not, so that in case of doubt, the user can take another picture of the machine or component from a different position.

[0040] A component can be visually highlighted, for example, by surrounding it with a border, such as a clearly visible line. Furthermore, the image section could be outlined in a corresponding color, preferably in a color that is not present in the image or is only present in a small part. Furthermore, the component can be filled with color, whereby the color fill can have a transparent component. Furthermore, the component can be displayed flashing or pulsating.

[0041] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the associated manufacturer-specific information can be displayed by means of a user input on a visually highlighted component.

[0042] It is conceivable that the detected components can be displayed in at least one captured image, allowing the user to select which of the detected components the manufacturer-specific information should be displayed for. This is particularly helpful when more than one component is detected.

[0043] This allows for a clear presentation of the image and the manufacturer-specific information.

[0044] The corresponding component can be selected by a corresponding user input. On a touch-sensitive screen, this could be, for example, a tap, a press, or a swipe. It could also be conceivable for a consecutive number to be displayed for each image section, so that a selection can be made by pressing the corresponding number on the input terminal, such as a keyboard. Instead of numbers, other characters, such as letters, special characters, or the like, could also be conceivable.

[0045] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that only the at least one recorded image and the associated manufacturer-specific information can be displayed.

[0046] Likewise, according to a further preferred embodiment, it could be conceivable that only recognized image sections and the associated manufacturer-specific information can be displayed.

[0047] This allows for a clearer presentation.

[0048] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the associated manufacturer-specific information, preferably in the at least one recorded image, can be displayed in such a way that it is visually associated with the manufacturer-specific components.

[0049] A visual association can make it easier for the user to see that manufacturer-specific information is displayed for a displayed or selected component and that the manufacturer-specific information belongs precisely to this component. Such a visual association can be implemented, for example, using an information box, which can be designed similarly to a speech bubble, a drop-down menu, a marker, such as an arrow, or the like.

[0050] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the manufacturer-specific information comprises one from the group: article number, material information, purchase information, setting information, documentation information, and any combination thereof. The article number can make it easier for the user to order the part or component. Material information can, for example, be information about how the part itself is designed or constructed. Purchase information can contain information about where the part can be purchased, for example where the nearest dealer is located, or the like. Documentation information can, for example, contain information about the use of the component, for example information from the operating instructions. Setting information can indicate how the component is adapted or configured for a particular area of ​​application or location of use.should be set in order to achieve the best possible processing.

[0051] Concrete possibilities regarding manufacturer-specific information are presented purely as examples.

[0052] With regard to setting information, it may be intended, for example, to obtain detailed information on how to adjust components for the current intended application. This could include, for example, the speed of a fan, settings related to the type of seed, adaptation to soil conditions (e.g., penetration depth), planting spacing, soil penetration depth of tines and hoes, spring hardness of tines, nozzle settings for a field sprayer, and the like.

[0053] According to a further preferred embodiment, it can be provided that, based on the detected components, it is also possible to detect the degree of wear of the associated component.

[0054] The degree of wear can be understood as the extent to which the part or component is worn overall. It is also conceivable to indicate which part of the component is worn, so that it can be replaced. This can be helpful for components with one or more wear components.

[0055] According to a further embodiment, it can be provided that a user input can be used to select which of the manufacturer-specific information is to be displayed. The user input can be performed both before and after the manufacturer-specific information is displayed.

[0056] The underlying task is also solved by a method for displaying manufacturer-specific information, comprising the following process steps: (a) providing a computerised display system; b) taking a picture; c) identifying manufacturer-specific components and associating manufacturer-specific information with the manufacturer-specific components; d) Displaying manufacturer-specific information.

[0057] The task is also solved by a device with a computer-aided display system.

[0058] Particularly preferably, the device may be a mobile device.

[0059] Preferably, the device may be a mobile terminal, for example a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, or the like.

[0060] The device preferably comprises the optical recording unit, the display unit, and the input terminal. It is also conceivable for the storage medium with the at least one database to be arranged within the device, whereby it can also be arranged externally or remotely from the device and connectable to the device via a data connection, either wirelessly or wired.

[0061] According to another preferred embodiment, it may be provided that the components can be recognized using machine learning. For example, it may be provided that the image sections can be recognized using deep learning.

[0062] Preferably, it may also be provided that a method for generating training data for detecting components in an image may be provided.

[0063] It is conceivable that generating the training data involves a three-dimensional capture of the component. Furthermore, generating two-dimensional images of the captured component is advantageous.

[0064] The machine could, for example, be an agricultural machine. Examples of agricultural machines include self-propelled or trailed machines, such as field sprayers, seed drills, and soil tillage machines such as disc harrows, cultivators, harrows, and hoes. Other agricultural machines are also conceivable.

[0065] For the purposes of the application, features disclosed in conjunction with other features may also be considered as being disclosed on their own.

[0066] All features disclosed for the system, the method and the device can be used in a corresponding manner with each other.

[0067] Further advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

[0068] Further objects, advantages, and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 the computer-aided display system in a preferred embodiment; Fig. 2 the computer-aided display system and a device with the computer-aided display system in an application.

[0069] In the figures, identical components are designated by the same reference symbols, although in some figures the reference symbols may be omitted for the sake of clarity.

[0070] In the Fig. Figure 1 shows a computer-aided display system 1 purely schematically and is explained using the schematic diagram. Dashed lines in this case represent signaling connections, i.e., for the exchange of data between the respective components.

[0071] It is shown that the computer-aided display system 1 comprises a computing unit 5, wherein a data processing program 13 can be executed by the computing unit 5 for processing at least one recorded image 4.

[0072] The image 4 is recorded by an optical recording unit 3, which is connected to the display system 1, at least in terms of signaling, so that the image 4 recorded by the recording unit 3 can be transmitted to the display system 1 and processed there. According to the invention, the computing unit 5 with the data processing program 13 can recognize manufacturer-specific components 6 in the recorded image 4.

[0073] To assign manufacturer-specific information 7 to detected components 6, one or more databases 8, which can be stored or stored, for example, in a storage medium 9, can be provided, wherein the manufacturer-specific information is stored in the at least one database 8. For this purpose, the display system 1 is connected to the at least one database 8 via signaling and can retrieve the corresponding information from the database 8.

[0074] To retrieve the manufacturer-specific information, it may be provided that appropriate authentication 11 is provided in order to ensure that only authorized users can access the database 8.

[0075] Further preferably, an input terminal 10 can be signal-connected to the display unit 1 to enable user input. An input terminal 10 can, for example, be a keyboard, a touch-sensitive input device, or the like.

[0076] The display system 1 can also preferably be signal-connected to a display unit 12 in order to be able to display the associated manufacturer-specific information to the user. For this purpose, the display system 1 can transmit the at least one recorded image 4 and / or the manufacturer-specific information 7 to the display unit 12.

[0077] In the Fig. 2 shows the computer-aided display system 1 or a device 100 with the computer-aided display system 1, wherein a machine 2 is shown, at least partially, and of which at least one image 4 is created, which is referred to as captured image 4.

[0078] As can be seen, the recorded image 4 and the manufacturer-specific information 7 are displayed by means of the display unit 12. It is also possible to see which components 6 have been detected, which in this case are preferably visually highlighted by a border. Fig.2 shows that two components 6 have been detected. A user input, for example, tapping the touch-sensitive screen of the display unit 12, allows a selection of which manufacturer-specific information 7 should be displayed, for example, by tapping the corresponding image section 6. Preferably, the manufacturer-specific information 7 is only displayed after selection.

[0079] Preferably, the manufacturer-specific information 7 assigned to a component 6 can be visually assigned to the component 6.

[0080] All features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as essential to the invention, provided that they are new, individually or in combination, compared to the prior art. List of reference symbols 1 display system 2 machines 3 optical recording unit 4 captured image 5 Computing unit 6 Component / part 7 manufacturer-specific information 8 Database 9 Storage medium 10 Input terminal 11 Authentication 12 Display unit 13 Data processing program 100 device

Claims

[1] Computer-aided display system (1) for displaying manufacturer-specific information (7) of a machine (2), in particular an agricultural machine, wherein the display system (1) is provided and designed to be connectable at least in terms of signal technology to an optical recording unit (3) which is designed to record images (4) and to receive at least one image (4) from the recording unit (3), wherein the display system (1) has a computing unit (5) and a data processing program (13) which can be executed by the computing unit (5) for processing the at least one recorded image (4), characterized by that manufacturer-specific components (6) of the machine (2) can be recognized in the at least one recorded image (4) by the computing unit (5), wherein manufacturer-specific information (7) can be assigned to the manufacturer-specific components (6) in each case and the assigned manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed. [2] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the recognition of the manufacturer-specific components (6) is free from the recognition of an optoelectronically readable code, for example a barcode, a QR code, or the like. [3] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the manufacturer-specific information (7) is stored and / or can be stored in at least one database (8) and can be retrieved from the at least one database (8), wherein the at least one database (8) is stored and / or can be stored in an external and / or internal storage medium (9). [4] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that the at least one database (8) can be updated, changed and / or deleted with regard to the manufacturer-specific information (7). [5] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized bythat in order to retrieve the manufacturer-specific information (7) from the database, authentication (11) is necessary, wherein the authentication (11) determines whether the retrieval of the manufacturer-specific information (7) from the database (8) is denied or permitted and / or to what extent the manufacturer-specific information (7) can be retrieved. [6] Computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that, in order to display the manufacturer-specific information (7), an input of a serial number and / or a specifying information can be provided before or after the recognition of the manufacturer-specific components (6) in order to be able to correctly assign the manufacturer-specific information (7). [7] Computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized bythat the display system (1) can be connected to a display unit (12) which is designed to display the associated manufacturer-specific information (7). [8] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that only the associated manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed by means of the display unit (12). [9] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that the at least one recorded image (4) with the associated manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed by means of the display unit (12). [10] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 9, characterized by that the recognized manufacturer-specific components (6), to which manufacturer-specific information (7) is assigned, are visually highlighted. [11] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 10, characterized bythat the associated manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed by means of a user input on a visually highlighted component (6). [12] Computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized by that only the at least one recorded image (4) and the associated manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed. [13] Computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized by that the associated manufacturer-specific information (7) can be displayed in the at least one recorded image (4) in such a way that it is visually associated with the manufacturer-specific components (6). [14] Computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by that the at least one recorded image (4) is a fixed image, a series of images or a continuously recorded image. [15] Computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by that the manufacturer-specific information (7) includes one of the group: article number, material information, acquisition information, setting information, documentation information, and any combination thereof. [16] Computer-aided display system (1) according to claim 15, characterized by that it is possible to select which of the manufacturer-specific information (7) is to be displayed by means of a user input. [17] Method for displaying manufacturer-specific information (7), comprising the steps of: a) providing a computer-aided display system (1), preferably a computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16; b) taking a picture (4); c) identifying manufacturer-specific components (6) and assigning manufacturer-specific information (7) to the manufacturer-specific components (6); d) Displaying the manufacturer-specific information (7). [18] Device (100) with a computer-aided display system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16. [19] Device (100) according to claim 18, characterized by that the device (100) is a mobile device.

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